Title: Roids, Rumps & Revenge
Author: Eric Arvin
Length: 30 pdf pages
Publisher: Seventh Window
Genre: m/m erotica dub-con
Rating: C
Blurb:
It’s bad enough that the Coach Mauler’s steroid abuse is about to be discovered, but when an angry ex-football player finds out about his salacious activities with the other players, things begin to get steamy. What happens when the star college football coach has not just one secret, but two?
Review:
I am torn on this book. I get what the author was doing and that this is almost like a comic book-type story, but I had issues with some of the elements that just couldn’t let me “go with the flow” and enjoy it as much as other readers have or will.
It’s told from the point of a few of a non-too-bright football player, who in an attempt to improve his game, is caught by the coach using steroids, and banned from the next big game. The irony is, the coach is equally using steroids and the angry player is determined to get the evidence and have the coach punished. However, the night he snuck into the coaches office, he’s trapped there when some of the key players arrive, wondering why they have been called to a meeting. It seems the coach feels they aren’t playing up to the best of their abilities because of a lack of sex, so he will offer up his body to appease them and make them play even better. This even though the coach is straight and most of the players as well, but they are college students, and no one turns down an opportunity for sex.
Soon things are hot and horny, and everyone is extremely well endowed/muscular (look at the book cover and imagine that magnified). Now the banned player has the time for the ultimate revenge. Not only is the coach starting to like what’s happening, but the player has sent a picture to the wrestling coach who is the football coach’s biggest rival. He too arrives to get in on the action.
Now I am quite aware that it is not meant to be taken seriously, this is hyperbole on steroids (get it?). But the whole dub-con/non-con situation made me uncomfortable. At a point the coach is clearly saying no, and he is tackled and not given a choice. As way of waving it off, he ends up liking what happened to him, but at the end, again as part of the revenge, non-con is implied to come next. I should have been able to say “this is just a fantasy”, but for some reason I just couldn’t get past the discomfort I felt when he clearly said no and it was disregarded. The writing is up to the author’s usual standards, so it’s not that, this was purely a personal issue for me
This will not be a problem for many. A lot of readers will take this story with the grain of salt it is intended and find it humorous and a lark, but it just didn’t work for me this time. I’ve read other stories by the author and enjoyed them, but maybe it just rubbed too close to some line in my mind and I couldn’t let it go. So I’ll expect readers to use your judgement. If you are a fan of the author and can just go along for the ride, you’ll likely find it quite amusing, if however the situations I described make you uncomfortable, you may not find it as much to your liking.
I think you did a good job, Tam, of explaining why it didn’t work for you. I didn’t have that problem — I was laughing the whole way through! This is a good review
Thanks Cole. I knew what the author was trying to do and I appreciated that, but every reader is individual, so what works for one may not work for another. Ah well. Others will make their own determination.
This is a very well-written review, and I understand your issues. I truly appreciate your honesty. Thank you
Thanks Eric. Such is the nature of art, not everything works for everyone, but I hope others who have enjoyed your work or want to test the waters will give it a try. I am but one reader in the sea of thousands.
Hmm. Not sure if I would have a problem with that. But the muscle men thing doesn’t appeal to me, so…
If you’re not a fan of that exaggerated muscle look/fantasy it may not work as well for you.