Book Reviews

Book Blurb

Swimmer Mike Gauliet is moving up in the elite ranks of the American swim team, despite his repetitive stress injuries. He’s hiding his pain from coach Jessy Turner, not wanting to give in to it or let his coach and lover down, and by the time he gets treatment, it’s almost too late.

Jessy helps Mike heal, both in an out of the bedroom, and their need for each other grows as quickly as Mike’s career. They’re scorching hot and ready to go to the top competitions when another injury forces Mike to the sidelines. Jessy thinks this one is no accident, and Mike has to work hard to recover the lost ground.

Mike needs a break from the nonstop stress of training, so they move to the coast so Mike can recuperate once again. But their struggles don’t end with getting him back in competition form, and they can’t truly call it a victory unless they can find the balance between their romantic relationship and Mike grabbing the success he’s earned.

First edition published by Torquere Press, January 2007.

Second edition published by Dreamspinner Press, November 2018.

Book Review

Supertalented swimmer Mike and his coach, Jessy, are back in this second book of the ‘Personal Best’ series. Much has changed in the two years since they have started working together, and a lot is still the same. Their almost magical relationship as athlete and coach is as good as ever, with Mike pushing the limits as often as he can, and Coach Jessy enforcing them as unrelentingly as he believes is needed to get Mike to the Olympics. Their personal relationship as lovers has changed for the better now that Mike is a little older (twenty-one) and more self-confident about his somewhat kinky desires. The combination of hard training in the pool and “hard play” in the bedroom makes this a very hot story, and by the time some injuries and tension around Mike’s ability to compete are thrown in, I was pulled into the events just as much as when I read the first edition many years ago.

Mike has always been an extremely talented swimmer, but his lack of self-discipline and tendency to go overboard with things that are not good for him – like caffeine, sugar, and junk food – used to be a real problem. He has learned a lot about controlling his behavior with Jessy’s help, but overdoing it is still a weakness for him. Now that he wants to do well to impress his coach who is also his lover, the danger of doing too much and hiding “small” problems almost spell disaster. The trust, moral support, and love he gets from Jessy have become Mike’s world as much as swimming, and he will risk everything not to lose any of that – which means he is in for more trouble than ever without even trying.

Jessy is no more lenient than before, but he is more willing to discuss things that really bother Mike. He is dominant both as a trainer and as a lover, and it is exactly what Mike needs. Jessy has Mike’s success as his most important goal – though making him happy for personal reasons might just be equally essential. The trust they have built comes in handy when things begin to go awry, and their ability to talk – eventually – means Jessy can help Mike figure out how to deal with the pressure of “having to succeed” in every area of his life.

If you like intense romances with a touch of playful kink, if you want to see two men go after their goals with enough stubbornness to get them in trouble, and if you’re looking for a read full of very hot sex, deep feelings, and solid character growth, then you will probably like this novel as much as I do. I loved rereading it and look forward to the next installment!

 

 

 

 

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Additional Information

Format	ebook
Length	Novel, 208 pages
Heat Level
Publication Date	06-November-2019
Price	$4.99 ebook
Buy Link	https://www.amazon.com/Personal-Best-2-Sean-Michael-ebook/dp/B08148K44X