Guest Review by Sammy
Title: A Bird in Hand (A Velvet Glove Story)
Author: Sean Michael
Publisher: Torquere Press
Length: Short Story

Buy Link: Amazon

Rating: 4 stars

A Bird in Hand is one of the short stories in the second Velvet Glove collection. This particular story focuses on Kestral, the assistant at the Velvet Glove, and the bartender, Jim. The two are drawn to one another but have never been bold enough to actually ask the other out. On a particularly busy day, Kes heads to the bar for a drink and Jim, as usual, sits a meal in front of him as well. He takes care of Kes, who is always busy taking care of everyone else.  One thing leads to another and the mutual attraction they feel for one another morphs into a hot and steamy relationship!

This was a very sweet diversion from Michael’s usual fare. Gone was the heavy emotional and angsty relationship that makes a Sean Michael novel so marvelous to read. In its place was something just as good—a sweet, funny and sexy romance that makes it through without any angst or wrong turns—just a straight shot at love!

Perhaps the only little niggle I had with this story was the very beginning. I am sure had I read this series from the start I would have known that Kestral had implants in his eyes and that he used them to answer inquiries on his comm device. But because this was my first exposure, it took me a few pages to really understand that the fluid dialogue was Kestral answering inquiries from people all over the hotel—that was just a bit confusing. However this really didn’t detract a great deal from the story itself and did not take away from the incredibly sweet and sincere feel of the story.