ROBIN by Sean Michael

Publisher:  New Changeling Press
Published:   30/01/2014
ISBN:  06815-02194

Genre:   Erotic Romance, Novella, BDSM Gay, Menage

Book format:  E-Book
Obtained via:    Publisher
Reviewed by Helena helenastone63@gmail.com

Rating: 3+

Robin and Sam have been best friends as well as sweethearts since high school and are perfectly happy together except that they need something more from their relationship. They want to explore BDSM and have done a lot of reading and experimenting. The only problem is that they are both submissive. Club visits and online contacts have been a complete disaster and yet they need somebody to dominate them. Putting themselves up for auction at the Shibari Auction House followed by a week of submission to an experienced Dom is their last hope of discovering whether the reality will live up to their fantasies.

Master Renard is charmed and intrigued by Robin and Sam as soon as he discovered they’re up for auction. Not taking any risks he makes a pre-emptive bid which the boys gratefully accept. Renard can’t wait to get the two young men into his playroom and looks forward to finding out if they really are as different as they look.

Three men with big dreams come together and have one week to find out if dreams do come true or reality is a poor substitute for their fantasies.

I don’t like starting reviews like this but it has to be said: reading this story almost broke my heart. Not because of the content - it is in fact a fun and rather sweet story - but because it could have been so much more.

I loved Robin and Sam. The two young men were so sweet together and constantly looking out for each other; putting the other’s comfort and pleasure before their own. Their curiosity was cute as was their innocence and willingness to learn. I had to laugh at Sam’s chattiness and Robin’s silence and liked the way their Master for a week dealt with that difference. In fact, I loved Renard too. He really tries to get to know Robin and Sam in order to find out what they want and need from their week long introduction into the world of BDSM.

The interactions between the three men were hot and exciting as well as sweet and funny. In fact, this novella contained everything I’m looking for in an erotic story. But...

The story was too rushed. Time and again I would find myself really getting into a scene only for it to be over. Everything happened too fast. The various scenes came and went too quickly, issues were solved almost before they were recognised and the switch from Robin and Sam not knowing Master Renard to the moment they had accepted him as their master also happened too fast. In fact, all we get is one night with the three men and I would have loved to witness the whole week.

This is of course the sixth title in a series and it is quite possible that if I had read the previous instalments I would have known what to expect and wouldn’t have been surprised or disappointed by the speed at which this story unfolded.

I can’t help feeling that this novella was a missed opportunity. It is obvious that Sean Michael has it in him to write a great story about wonderful characters. It is also clear that this story has all the elements it needs to be really good. I just feel it needed more; more character development, more insight into the thought processes, more detail in the description of the scenes and less haste when it came to feelings developing. I was thoroughly disappointed when the story ended and could happily have read on about Sam, Robin and Master Renard for another few hours without getting bored.

Mind you, having said all of the above I do have to admit that I will more than likely go back and read the previous five titles in this series. I like the idea behind this story and enjoyed the smooth writing and interesting characters.

If you are looking for a short but hot and sweet erotic romance, ‘Robin’ may be exactly what you need.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.