Rivals (Mastering the Virgin, #5)

Charlotte Clearly Favors James; Michael Fears He Is Being Pushed Out As Jealousy Takes Hold.

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 five 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.

In book two, James wins Charlotte, convinced he spared her from a horrible fate with another bidder. When he learns she needed the money to attend college, he proposes to arrange an opportunity for her to sell access to other men in order to finance more of her education. 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 James paying for Charolotte, but she is enchanting and he cannot refuse.

In part three, James tells Michael his plan for the week is to give Charlotte what she wants. Great pleasure and an education. Toward that effort, he invites a select group to contribute to her college fund. Michael isn’t happy, but reluctantly agrees. Already he realizes he might want more than just the week with Charlotte. At the end of the week, James senses true voluntary submission when Charlotte kneels for him and a connection that he hasn’t felt in decades.

In part four, Charlotte leaves and begins college. Both men are lost in her absense. When she finally calls James and asks to visit him and Michael for the weekend, not for a new contract but to simply spend time together, the men know they must entice her to continue returning to them. James devises a plan to give her more of what she wants – pleasure and money for her education. Michael is once again uncomfortable, and Charlotte seems embarrassed to learn the men paid again, but James says he wouldn’t share her with them if she didn’t get something in return. He suggests one weekend a month might help her with school.

James knows that because of Charlotte’s youth she will eventually need more than he can give, and a second divorce was out of the question. While observing her with Michael, the seeds of a new plan to keep her in his life appear to him, but at the end of the weekend Michael confesses his love to Charlotte and she awkwardly leaves him bereft of any hope she returns the sentiment.

In part five, Charlotte agrees to visit the men for one night during Christmas break before going home to family, then they all go their separate ways. James ends up back in the city early and receives a call from Charlotte asking to visit more after all. Unable to reach Michael until the next morning, James and Charlotte spend some alone time, which looks suspiciously planned to have excluded Michael. Although Charlotte seems to be making an effort with Michael, she clearly favors James. Michael fears he is being pushed out as jealousy takes hold.

This story is about James and Michael as rivals for Charlotte’s affection. It good to see that Michael finally feels comfortable enough in their odd relationship to recognize that their imbalance may be permanent. It is difficult to watch him concede nearly every point to James and to witness Charlotte’s favoritism. The two 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 rivals for Charlotte’s affection 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 friends turned rivals is a natural progression of the series. 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.