The Piercer’s Game
Sean Michael is a fairly new author to me, although I am aware that his books are known for being heavy on the sex. While this one also contained a lot of sex, I found the story to be unexpectedly touching and sweet and the best one I’ve read from the author so far. There is an instant connection between tattoo and piercing shop owner Luke and Temple, the man who walks into his shop looking for a tattoo appointment. Both men feel it and Luke does something out of the ordinary and goes out with Temple. Things move rather quickly after that and we soon learn that as a cancer survivor, Temple has a life is too short so live for today attitude. A horrible event in Luke’s past has left him unwilling and unable to be close to anyone to the point of celibacy for the past 10 years.
After meeting, the two men become inseparable and Temple easily integrates into Luke’s day-to-day life. With Temple’s support Luke begins to trust enough to try to let go of that hurt. While Temple is almost too good to be true I liked what he was for Luke, with his unwavering positivity. Even though there was a lot of sex, I found the scenes to be beautifully written and felt they did a good job at conveying the unique connection between the men. There is no real outside conflict other than concern over Temple’s upcoming medical tests and what his future plans will be once the results are revealed. It is clear from the start that the two men were almost fated to be together and the story is focused on them forming and strengthening their bond.
I haven’t read the other stories in the series yet, so I’m not sure what part, if any, Luke played in the prior stories, but the book worked easily as a standalone. I recommend this for anyone who wants a light, well written story with plenty of time spent between the sheets.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher for an honest review.
