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Handle with Care

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Pretty-boy Lucas has caught everyone-s eye at local hangout The Station, including that of rough-and-tumble grad student Mick. When it-s finally Mick-s turn to take Lucas home, he teaches Lucas that you can-t judge a book by its cover (or a body by its tattoos)-and that there-s much more to erotic intimacy than sex.

Kindle Edition

First published March 13, 2009

11 people want to read

About the author

Mallory Path

16 books
A dedicated daydreamer, over-educated underachiever, and occasional adventurer born in Manhattan, Mallory Path has eaten snow from the top of a glacier in New Zealand, been mistaken for a prostitute at King's Cross in London, and fallen into a canal in Amsterdam. These days, Mal has settled into life across the bay from San Francisco. When not at her dream job with an adult entertainment company or writing love stories and erotica, Mal passes the time cuddling her dwarf hamsters, taking naps, and planning extensive trips around the world she can no longer afford. A reformed compulsive liar, Mal promises only one of the things in this bio is a fabrication.

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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
Profile Image for Ami.
6,313 reviews488 followers
June 12, 2010
It's one of those MEH story for me. I know it's short but I feel like nothing important happens and I don't care for the characters.
Profile Image for Tam.
Author 21 books103 followers
May 15, 2011
This was an interesting take on don’t judge a book by it’s cover. Lucas is a new guy who has taken to hanging out at the same bar as Mick. Oddly enough he takes someone new home every night he’s there, but they never leave together. Lucas leaves, then someone follows and everyone knows what he’s doing. Suddenly one night Mick realizes it’s his turn. When they get back to his place, Lucas wants it really rough and figures big leather glad tattooed and pierced Mick will be just the guy to give him what he wants. However that is not Mick’s style. He’s much more about slow and gentle and being intimate, not just wham bam thank you Sam.

The thing that bothered me a bit about this story was how Lucas found his partners. It seemed like it was not his choice. After Lucas leaves, Mick’s friend elbows him and he realizes it’s his turn so he blindly follows along. Huh? Yes, he’d been admiring Lucas but it was like some kind of group decision whose turn it would be. I found that rather uncomfortable, a bit like Lucas was just a piece of meat the bar patrons passed around rather than Lucas choosing who he wanted to spend the night with.

I did however find Lucas’ discomfort with Mick’s style well done. He doesn’t get it. First why a big rough and tumble guy wouldn’t be into very rough sex, and once he accepts that, a bit grudgingly, why he doesn’t just want to get naked and hop right to the good stuff. He wanted to kiss and touch and talk. Really? That part of the story was well done, with Lucas’ confusion, although you never really find out more about why he is going with the men the way he is, or what he really wants or is looking for.

The book more or less takes place over an evening with little background about either man, so you don’t get a good handle on either one, however it was an interesting exploration of not assuming you know what someone is about or like based on their appearance. I would have enjoyed it more if I hadn’t felt that Lucas wasn’t in control of his “date” for the evening and perhaps it was just not clearly explained and not as unsavoury as it came across to me.

P.S. If I’m not mistaken that is a girl on the cover of this book. I’m assuming it’s some kind of stock cover the publisher uses for short stories. If it’s supposed to be a young guy it doesn’t fit the description of either man.
Profile Image for Aredhel.
147 reviews52 followers
December 25, 2011
The main problem I had with this book was how anticlimactic it was. I watied and waited and waited for something to happen, something that could make me not to forget this book, but, alas, nothing came up.

It wasn't bad, it was rather original, but I didn't feel anything during the story. It seemed like I wasn't reading a book, but rather just skimming through it.
Profile Image for Lyndi W..
2,042 reviews211 followers
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March 14, 2012
I dunno how this ended up on my Kindle. But here's how it begins...
Mick is watching Lucas. He is watching because Lucas wants him to, because Lucas likes being watched, and because Lucas likes watching Mick watch him. And of course, Mick is watching Lucas because he likes it, too.
SERIOUSLY?! I'm not even attempting to read past that first paragraph.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews