Thursday, January 8, 2015

The Velvet Glove series by Sean Michael Part 3 (Re-reads #10-13)

The Velvet Glove is a series of novels and short stories by Sean Michael.  The Velvet Glove is an interplanetary private club that offers every luxury to its members.  Men from all backgrounds can be themselves at the club and find others that fit their needs in order to lead the lives they want.  

Attitude on Wheels is maybe my favorite of all of the Velvet Glove stories.  There is just something about Harrison, a physiotherapist, that tugs at my heart strings.  Carson is now wheelchair bound after an accident that occurred when he ran into a burning club to save a sub chained to a wall.  He is angry and has no problems letting everyone know it.  Harrison is calm, patient, understanding, and pretty darn innocent for someone who works at the Velvet Glove.  Harrison's parents were in wheelchairs so he really understands what Carson is going through more then others might.  Carson slowly thaws towards Harrison and is given hope of recovering a large portion of his mobility thanks to some experimental procedures.  As gains are made, Carson take great joy in introducing Harrison to pleasure.  

Braided is the story of two twins who are loud and colorful and wild and the man who takes them on.  Peter is quieter, stutters, and had a horrific childhood that he does not like to talk about.  Paul is wild, often talks for both himself and Peter, and saved Peter from his terrible experience.  The two fight as often as they agree and they need someone who will see what each of them needs while maintaining a balance between them both.  This person is Bowie who is new to the Velvet Glove.  Bowie is patient with Peter and gives him the time and opportunities to say what he thinks and wants.  Bowie is firm with Paul and gives him an outlet for his energies and the strong hand he craves.  Paul throws loud tantrums and Peter can be quietly manipulative but overall the balance is strong.  I do feel that more time is spent with Bowie seeing Peter and meeting his needs, over those of Paul's.  Something happens towards the end of the book resulting in Paul's absence from their lives for a period of time and I wish more time had been given to resolving the overarching issue of why he left.  I still felt that Bowie and Peter did not truly understand Paul and his needs when the story ended.

Velvet Need features Dent who is a high powered businessman who comes to the Velvet Glove to find subs to fill his needs.  When several subs have issues with his handling of them, it is decided by management to see if Dent might really be a sub.  He is handed over to Bertoli Lutrell, a Dom, for some intense scenes.  The result is some major discomfort for Dent as his whole view of himself and those around him undergo a sea change.  He is forced to admit that the scenes fulfill him in ways that others have not.  Just as he and Bertoli are settling into a somewhat calm existence, Dent is kidnapped and tortured for over a month.  When he is finally rescued, he is a shell of the man he was before and Bertoli uses the routines of their previous scenes to help rebuild is confidence and trust.  This is one of the longer stories and the time is used to advantage as it really allows the reader to struggle along with Dent after his rescue as he slowly gains back his life.  

Velvet Song is not really in the Velvet Glove series, but is part of a follow up series called Resurrection in which the Velvet Glove is being rebuilt due to the attacks on it that took place in Velvet Blade.  Efron has been promoted to head trainer at the newly reconstructed Velvet Glove.  As he is undertaking his new duties, a song keeps distracting him.  When he finally goes to find out what it is, he is led to Mabon who is of a race that is ultra-sensitive to pheromones.  Turns out the song is a bonding song that Mabon has been trying to stifle as he is worried about losing his job or being sent off planet.  Soon Mabon and Efron are in a partnership and will no doubt become secondary members in later VG Resurrection stories.  

No comments:

Post a Comment