Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Jarheads #1

by Sean Michael

In Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, the Jarheads are back! This time Sean Michael tells the story of how it all began for James “Rock” South and Alex “Rig” Roberts. One beer, one bet, and one night was all it took for Rig to know that the blue eyed Marine was what he wanted, and he bets his whole world on Rock wanting him back.

The two of them have a lot of adjusting to go through to become a couple, though, and through it all, Sean Michael’s trademark humor and hot sex prevails, bringing Rock and Rig’s beginning to life, proving that eventually love conquers all.

Genres: M M Romance, Military Fiction, Romance, Erotica, Contemporary, LGBT, Menage

277 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 2005

About the author

Often referred to as "Space Cowboy" and "Gangsta of Love" while still striving for the moniker of "Maurice," Sean Michael spends his days surfing, smutting, organizing his immense gourd collection and fantasizing about one day retiring on a small secluded island peopled entirely by horseshoe crabs. While collecting vast amounts of vintage gay pulp novels and mood rings, Sean whiles away the hours between dropping the f-bomb and persuing the kama sutra by channeling the long lost spirit of John Wayne and singing along with the soundtrack to "Chicago."

A long-time writer of complicated haiku, currently Sean is attempting to learn the advanced arts of plate spinning and soap carving sex toys.

Barring any of that? He'll stick with writing his stories, thanks, and rubbing pretty bodies together to see if they spark.

Reviews

[Firenz · Rating 1 out of 5]

Really disappointed with this book, the premise was nothing new but still contains all the elements for a great read. This book is 80% sex scenes. Note that the 80% is not used as a hyperbole in this context. \ The worst part was that I felt that the sex scenes were copied and pasted. Really they had the same dialogue and the same sex scenes where Alex gives Rock a BJ and continues with the BJ until Rock is hard again where Rock then tops Alex.

There were so many missed opportunities. The age difference, the infidelity considering the cherries even the fights were only talked about never shown. All this was glossed over so we could to yet another copied sex scene. And there was little to no character until suddenly it almost seems as if Rock was replaced by another character.

There is not one positive remark that I can give, except that I finished it so it wasn't the worst book ever. Will not read any of the sequels if the book is basically a porno without the visualization.

The puns were unbearable!

Seriously there was 1926 different variations of the word fuck. Thin about it, that word appears on average more than 5 times on a page.

Fuck wasn't the only word used over and over and over and over again. Did I emphasize over enough? Pizza, beer, sex, prick, cock, morning, marine, slut, come, kiss, grin, sexy, man and many more. Also prick and cock were always described using the adjective fat.

There is also really no story. I do not recommend this (hopefully my review gave away my opinion :-)).

[Unapologetic_Bookaholic · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not knowing how to rate this right away gave me time to think. Was it bad? No. Was it ok? Hmmm maybe. Depends on your preference. I prefer romance. I once read erotica where the sex was an entertaining, enjoyable character. Seeing it on page after page [after page!:] was exciting...not tiring.

The story of Rock (Jim) and Rigger (Alex) is a sex only relationship almost start to finish. I kept trying to get my mind to switch to that place and just enjoy the physical side of reading erotica but I couldn't, fully. Perhaps it was my own mood. There is no denying Sean Michael can write hot sex, if that is what your in the mood for. No doubt his characters in Don't Ask Don't Tell were entertaining and as dimensional as need be for pages and pages of erotic sex. But anything more than the sex scenes fell flat and skipping the sex to try and see what "story" came next was not a complete letdown. Eventually the relationship developed feelings, as any relationship will. Even if it is just sex. After that the subtle changes Alex's thought were worth reading through his scenes and seeing how it all ended. Not a favorite Sean Michael novel, but certainly not the last.

[Writerlibrarian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Found this author thru a list on Goodreads and got the first two novels in this series. More like a PWP slash fanfic published in book format. It's entertaining, has a little too much swearing in it for me because by the end I was skipping entire sentences to get to the story lots of sex, a little romance and a very, very tiny plot.

Two guys meet at a bar, they jump each others bones, on Valentine's Day no less. One, a Marine, goes back to his base in North Carolina, the other a student nurse but with a few months to go before getting his degree. Fast forward three months, Alex got a job as a medic at Fort Bragg and goes to find Rock aka the Marine and well, they jump each others bones every single chance they get which is every chapters on this book. You take out the sex scenes, I think you are left with maybe 20 pages at the most.

If you are in the mood to read something like that, it's pretty good but for me it got old pretty fast. I like my gay romance with at least a little more plot.

[Absynthe · Rating 2 out of 5]

I absolutely love smut. But this book is pretty much all smut and is really very light on plot. If you read the book summary, you've read about half the plot text right there. I got through this book and started the second one, but never finished it, which is very unlike me. The main reason being is that the smut is rather repetitive. I'm more than happy to read Porn Without Plot, but the porn in this book is always the same. I at least need a little variety.

I like most Sean Michael works, but I dont think I'll continue reading this series.

[Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read a few free short stories from this series and really enjoyed the feel of the characters and their circumstances so I wanted to go back and read from the beginning. I enjoyed this story for the most part and I definitely want to continue with the series.

The plot was a slow moving type and might appear on the surface to be all about the sex because there was not much dialogue and action (outside the sexual encounters), but to be honest it read almost like a sweet romance would read(don't go getting my straitjacket, just hear me out). It was the pacing of the relationship between Rock and Rig which built from meeting to working out differences to realizing what they had was something special. I found it fascinating how the 'voice' of the characters felt so genuine. I think a middle aged Marine Sargent and a cowboy type medic would behave, think and dialogue in this very way. The feelings were there and Rig recognized his first, but these guys weren't going to analyze and talk about what they felt. I laughed when Rock, because he does have stunted growth in the feelings and understanding department, could not figure out for the life of him what half the arguments were even about (Christmas light scene was a hoot).
Now would I have preferred more action? Yes, but that is my preference and not the fault of the storytelling.

The characters were very well-written and they had to be because the story was all about the characters and relationship of Rock and Rig with a few small bit secondary parts. I truly loved the relationship that Rig had with his family. The scenes when the family visited and interacted with Rock were priceless.

So I look forward to the next installment in the series.

[Mocha Haven · Rating 1 out of 5]

Look, I was excited about reading this novel. It had M/M, romance, sex and USMCs. Four elements I that I believe make a great read. (M. Urban and A. Roux’s Cut & Run series is the perfect example.) However, Sean Michael did nothing with them.
Seriously, how can a USMC not be sexy? Marines personify sexy.

The book LACKED substance on all levels. The writing was lacked luster. It was like reading a bad porno, little to no plot and character build was minimum. The point of view was muddled. It attempted to read as a first person point of view but sometimes the transition into second and third person POV was sloppy.

The writer would subtly introduce opportunities that should have added substance, i.e. - the characters age difference. Blue (Rock/Jim) continued to call Rig (Alex/Rigger) a kid only to have Rig state that he's not a young as he looks. Okay. Let's expound on this subject especially since introducing the "cherries". Also, family was a topic introduced. Although, the readers were given a look-see into Alex's family, we know very little about Jim’s family. Familial relationships often provide insight into a character/person.

The relationship progression was awkward. There wasn’t a relationship, just sex. Then, BAM… They’re living together and Rock is meeting Alex’s family. Seriously? The writer’s rush to get to the next sex scene was amateurish. I’m talking middle school imagination. I noticed many reviews raving about the "hot sex" between Alex and Rock but... it wasn't. It was just repetitive in description and there was a lot of it. But, HOT, it was NOT.

The one thing the author did well was to emphasize the importance of safer sex.

I’ve giving it one star because I don't have any other options.

[Trio · Rating 4 out of 5]

I should never doubt Sean Michael... the author pulled it off again. I'm telling you, from about 1/3 of the way through I kept wondering if something was going to happen, something besides sex that is. Like some catastrophic event or anything. Well I think I don't need spoiler tags here to tell you that basically nothing ever did happen (besides sex), but the development of the two characters was so gradual and perfectly done I was incredibly happy at the end. I really got to know these two guys as the author subtly moves the pov around, and Rock was a pretty difficult one to read so BRAVO Sean Michael, my faith should never have wavered!

[A.B. Gayle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was warned.

If I added all the bits between the sex scenes together, I might have a short story. Maybe. Maybe not.

It exposed me to a totally new world of the armed srvices where marines only work five day weeks and have weekends free. It was as crazily unreal as Promises Rock in that department.

Why bother using military settings if there is no connection to reality?

At least with the Velvet Glove series there was an attempt to have some sort of interaction and conflict and variation in the scenes.

This was just. Ugh. No.

[Charly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like the other Jarheads books, this is erotica, not romance

JARHEADS SERIES: VOLUME 1 (chronologically), BOOK 4 (written fourth, as far as I can tell)
Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS.

Rating: 6/10

PROS:
- I liked seeing the beginning of Rock and Rig’s relationship. I had read the third book, Three Day Passes, before I read this, so I had an image of the two men several years down the road already in my head. What I found particularly enjoyable was seeing how they met and the way in which their relationship developed in the fragile first months they were together.
- Lots and lots and lots and lots of sex, which is tender and sweet at times but always very masculine. These guys are all about the end prize; forget about all that mushy emotional stuff. (see cons below also)
- The gradual evolution of their relationship is well done. Rig’s a goner right from the start, but Rock’s slow realization that Rig is more important to him than he’d like to admit is nice.

CONS:
- This book has now taken over the title of “most sex-filled book I’ve ever read” (that distinction previously belonged to Michael’s vampire story Bite). There’s not a lot going on here except the drinking of beer and the having of sex.
- An occasional conversation slips in here and there, but most of those occur at the beginning of sex or immediately afterwards, which makes the few quasi-in-depth conversations seem out of place. I enjoy seeing the two men’s interactions with other people, particularly Rig’s parents, but those chapters contain so little sex as compared to the rest of the book that they stand out in an odd way.
- The sex gets monotonous in a way that I didn’t find in Three Day Passes. The addition of another person to the relationship provides opportunities for variety in the sex scenes that just isn’t present here. There’s only so much you can do with two guys who are into mostly vanilla sex, particularly when they have such clearly defined top/bottom roles.

Overall comments: Don’t read this if you’re looking for anything other than a lot of sex between two hot, masculine guys. The characterization isn’t deep, and there’s no plot to speak of. I wouldn’t call this novel a one-gulp read; it’s just too repetitive. But if you take little sips at a time, it’s perfectly enjoyable.

[Don Bradshaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed on Hearts On Fire... http://heartsonfirereviews.com/

This is the first book in a terrific series that follows first two then three men through their lives together. I started the series with book four so this book told me how Rock and Rigger met in Texas and got together as a couple. The series is strictly erotica with a thin but captivating story line. Don't look for more that a tremendous amount of sex and a little story to bind it all together and you will not be disappointed. Alex "Rigger" Roberts is a slut studying to be a nurse in East Texas. He is the happy nester type of guy that enjoys a good dance, a cold beer and a hot man. He meets James "Rock" South, a marine, in a bar while Rock is on training maneuvers in San Antonio. They shoot a little pool and head back to Rigger's apartment for some hot, sweaty sex and their relationship begins. I love the way the two men fit together as a couple. Rock is always trying to be the gruff marine while underneath he'd do anything to make Rigger happy. Rigger's parents are fun people who take to Rock immediately and are always there for the two men. Characters drift in and out of the story but the center is all about the love shared by Rock and Rigger. Mr. Michael is at the top of his game with this wonderful erotic series.

[Calila · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was not for me. It wasn't bad necessarily, there was just too much sex for my tastes. I know *gasp* *shock* how is that possible? When every single scene is a sex scene. When the plot can fit in like 2 chapters. It didn't help that it was 310 pages. If it was half that I don't think it would've been so repetitive. I liked the characters for the most part. I didn't like a few things they did (sleep with someone else after agreeing to go bareback without telling the other, then agreeing to be "open" when he really didn't want to be). I don't get the obsession with condoms, but then frotting with no barrier. Fluid is still mixing! There's still contact! I liked Rig's parents. I liked the relationship overall. I just wish there'd been more depth.

[Amara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not real sure how to rate this one. I see this book highly recommended everywhere, I was suprised when I read it. I can't say I didn't like it, But I can't say that I did either.

Ok, so yes, it was hot. Full of intense, heated sex, filled with passion, want and need. That's what I was hoping for, but there was absolutely no plot whatsoever. None. I liked Rock and Rig, but this book was just a long string of sex scenes. So much so that I actually got tired of reading it. I don't know that I've ever stopped reading a book before becasue there was too much sex. This book taught me I do need some plot after all...who knew:)

[Viv · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sex. Sex. Sex. Sex. Plot. Sex. Sex. Sex. More sex. Plot. You get the idea. But I'm still giving it four stars. Because under all the sex was the most understated love affair I've ever read. These two fall together and basically have marathon sex for 80% of the book. Yet they progress and grow so much. I love how they never say ily. Never talk about the future. Never declare anything. But somehow you know they will have a forever. Guh. I enjoyed this very much. I recommend it if you don't have a problem with non-stop sexy times :)

[Jay · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was bad. No plot. Wait. No, there were SNIPPETS of plot. A line here, a line there...just enough to get you excited that this book was going somewhere and BAM, Blowjob. BAM screwing.

A damn shame, this could have easily been a very good book. And what is up with the nicknames? I think they each ended up with atleast 3-4 nicknames each.

And the Cherries. Oh geez. It was like reading about a lion bringing poor unsuspecting mice to his lair.

Not good.

[Laurel · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was another summer read that had me put it down numerous times as i got bored with repetitiveness of the sex scenes with very little to no story. I kept waiting for more story around their jobs, more on their threesomes with the newbie gay marines or even them changing how they had sex. The sex was always Rig BJ, Blue stroking Rig off then topping him. Seemed cut & paste over & over. I liked the characters but was left wanting more that i never got.

[Sue bowdley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow....An amazing book....I love Rig...Rock annoys me a bit but i warmed to him by the end x

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

No exaggeration, this book is roughly 95% sex. There is the tiniest thread of a plotline holding all the sex scenes together, but it's more of an afterthought. I'm all for some good, hot sex in a book, but I also expect to read SOMETHING else in between.

Moreover, the chapters are weird conglomerations of sex scenes. There is no logical start nor end to a chapter; each one typically had three sex vignettes but the rationale for each sex scene was completely unrelated.

Good sex; bad "plot".

[Ron Kerrigan · Rating 1 out of 5]

To be fair, I only managed to slog through the first chapter before giving up in disgust. And skimmed much of that. It's all hot sex between two men who meet in a pool hall. I knew I was in trouble when the younger one (maybe?) starts calling the studly Marine "Blue Eyes." I skipped ahead to see if he would stop using such an artificial moniker, but seems he doesn't. I started to think the author was a woman, but it appears Sean Michael is male; so more shame on him for that.

[Manon Lavoie · Rating 2 out of 5]

OMG !!!!! I never read a book with so much sex !!!! 95% of the book was sex ! The story plot was quasi inexistant.
The sex was always in the same repetitive order, a BJ from Rig, then a fucking from Rock, and repeat again and again and again... The stamina those men had ! Complete nonsense ! Women can come multiple times but not men ! Sorry !!
I skipped and skipped and skipped, keeping to the dialogs to find some content, you know ! Did not find much !!
No "I love you", just sex !

[Ottilee B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four strong stars! I purchased this awhile ago but had a great time getting familiar with Rigs and Blue again. I really like these two! This story encompassed their meeting, their getting-retogether, their mortgage and spending TWO xmases together!!!

[Kaley Beaber · Rating 3 out of 5]

its a good series. lots of sex I felt like it could have more stuff in it. but I like it. but how old is Rigger and Rock?

[BookLover101 · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was very disappointed with this book. It's just sex, sex and sex... Oh and sex. There's no plot of whatsoever. Not my type. Sorry, but I'm removing it from my reader.

[Heather K (dentist in my spare time)]

Books Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Personal Leave, Tempering, Out Of The Closet, and On The Sand in the Sean Michaels Jarheads series are 83% off today, only $0.99!

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read a lot of the Jarheads during December and I wanted to read some of the full length novels to see how they all started out.
However, whilst I do enjoy sex in books, I felt there was just too much sex in this book and not enough of the story about Rock and Rig. Also I felt that the sex was very repetitive.
Whilst I am aware that they do add a permanent 3rd to their relationship I felt that the episodes where Rock bought back greens to their home for them to pop their cherries were more like cheating.
I am not sure how Rig was able to forgive Rock for 'cheating' whilst he was away. Although they did not have the exclusive talk, I think that once you get tested for each other and agree to go bareback, it is exclusive, even if you wear condoms for other encounters.

That said, I will continue to read the remaining books.

[Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story is more erotica than plot. I'd prefer more plot. In my opinion, the story is not a romance; there are no 'I love yous', no faithfulness to each other, no statements of commitment, and not a real HEA, although the two seem established by the end of the story. The story includes a threesome more than once, and a fisting scene. It also has a scene where Alex overhears Jim having sex with an unknown man, after they agreed to no condoms between them. There were issues brought up in the story such as the age difference {I'm not fond of someone being called kid in a sex scene} that were never dealt with. Not my type of story, but well enough written, if one is looking for a lot of sex and a little plot.

[Abby · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is really a 3.5 rounded up. The first 3/4 of this book was sex, sex, and more sex. Now, I'm not really complaining, but a little bit of a plot line would have helped keep me more interested (I never thought I would be skimming the sex scenes!). The scenes were quite repetitive and the little bits of plot given were few and far between. Ultimately though, once I got over the fact that they weren't going to declare their love for one another, it was kind of easy to realize that they did in fact love each other in their own way and the way it ended was satisfying enough.

[Laudie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't think it was possible for me to get tired of reading gay smut.... Well I was burnt out by page 25.
The rest was skipped or skimmed through to the last page where I read what I needed to know to remove this book from my iPad. Sorry. Short stories are good for smut, 300 pages of it though. It's a big NO-NO.
There was little story and so I couldn't get attached so I could be bothered to read every single thing that happened to them. I got the gist, it was enough..... Next time maybe.
FYI I loved the stories of Eric and joe in the drawing straws series. There was more story and character developments in those 60 pages than here

[Mara Ismine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the one that has Rock and Rig getting together and eventually moving into their house near Fort Bragg. Like all the Jarhead stories there is a lot of sex. Hardly a page goes by without any sex. Most of the narrative is carried in a few lines leading up to or following on from some sort of sex scene. That is the way the Jarhead series works. This one was a bit too long. 400 pages, even taken in small doses, is a struggle to get through. The Jarheads are fun as an occasional snack, but not for a full meal. I still have plenty more snacks on the to-read shelf for the future.

[Renee (ren213) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, if I had to guess a sex-to-plot-ratio I would say maybe 80% to 20%
After a while I just had so start skipping blowjobs because it just got way too repetetive. I am actually a little disappointed because the plot parts were enjoyable. I really liked reading about the guys talking and interacting. I loved the christmas light scene and the Rock getting stuck on the phone with Alex's family for an hour scene. I actually want to know what happens to the characters but I just don't know if I can slog through all of the cut'n'paste sex scenes.

[Kym · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh...I was really looking forward to this book! The first few pages...ok. Then...where was the story??? All these two did was have sex! I wasn't looking for pages and pages of sex. I wanted a love story! Oh wait...the story line was...SEX!
Ok, it was good sex...hot sex....these two horndogs "got it on". But, I was so disappointed! This means I will NOT be purchasing the next book(s) in this series. No sense wasting the money when I can just re-read this one and get the same results.....