Allies (Mastering the Virgin, #3)

James Tells Michael His Plan For The Week Is To Give Charlotte What She Wants, But Michael Isn’t Happy With It.

This book tells the story from James and Michael’s POV. It is heavy on the erotica, but the storyline is engaging.

This is part three of eighteen in the Mastering the Virgin series (collectively known as Mastering Charlotte). In part one, James, an older dominant and recently divorced after over twenty years of marriage, and Michael, an easy-going, gorgeous man for whom women line up, became fast friends. Their friendship survived a four year business loan as well as seven years of clubbing and sharing women. But one email sent James in pursuit of a fantasy that Michael didn’t approve of, putting their friendship in jeopardy. Despite Michael’s protestations about ethics and morals, James attended an auction with the goal of purchasing one week with the beautiful and innocent Charlotte, a stunning twenty-two year old redhead, as a treat to himself for winning the big city renovation project that he coveted for seven years.

Book two opens with James winning Charlotte. Michael’s voice in his head nearly had him walk away from the bidding, but he is convinced now that the small fortune he spent to win Charlotte actually spared her from a horrible fate with one of the others bidding. Again to appease Michael, he is gentle and considerate, although given how much he paid he does feel entitled to enjoy Charlotte without guilt. When James learns that Charlotte needed the money to attend college, he knows it isn’t enough to get her all the way through, so he proposes that he arrange an opportunity for her to sell access to other men, whom he approves, while at the same time fulfilling another fantasy of his – to watch her with others and for others to watch them.

James calls Michael after his first night with Charlotte, explaining all. He wants Michael involved to ensure he doesn’t push her too far, but Michael is torn. He hates the idea of paying for Charolotte. He doesn’t want to see a young innocent taken advantage of, but Charlotte is enchanting and he cannot refuse. The story ends with the promise of a dark turn when James gives Charlotte the choice of adding more men and pain to the picture. She chooses to go down the rabbit hole, which brings uncertainty to the new threesome.

In part three, James tells Michael his plan for the week is to give Charlotte what she wants. Great sex and an education. Toward that effort, he invites auction attendees and acquaintances he trusts to contribute to her college fund. Michael isn’t happy with this, but reluctantly agrees to observe and step in to stop things if necessary. Already he realizes he might want more than just the week with Charlotte.

This story is about James and Michael becoming allies for Charlotte’s cause in the remaining days of her week with James. They are two very different bachelors who somehow balance one another out. James – divorced, introverted, and older, is father to an adult daughter roughly Charlotte’s age. Jaded, he had turned off all emotion until he met Charlotte. With her, he feels tenderness for the first time in decades. Michael, conversely, is an extrovert. He is in touch with his feelings and has empathy for others. He witnesses Charlotte’s adoration of James and a softening in James when he speaks with her that is unlike anything he had witnessed before. With Michael’s youth, good looks, and professional success, he has no shortage of women to choose from, but he recognizes immediately that Charlotte is as special as James claims her to be.

James and Michael’s story of becoming allies for Charlotte’s cause is a quick read. The POV alternates between James and Michael. The writing is engaging but does contain errors. The plot is intriguing. The story about the men as allies, despite their different viewpoints, is an interesting angle. The characters are nicely developed given the length, although it would be nice to learn more about Michael. I rate this book four stars.

I received a free advance copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.