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Jarheads #5
Out of the Closet
Following the first two "Jarheads" books, Three Day Passes and Tempering, Out of the Closet continues the story of Jim "Rock" South, Dick Main, and Alex "Rigger" Roberts. Rock has retired from the Marines, and the boys are moving to California to find the kind of life where they don't have hide their love, don't have to live in fear of losing jobs and getting their butts kicked, just for being who they are. They settle in California, ready for the good life. What they find is that life goes on, with all of the troubles and happy times they've always had, making them ever more grateful that they have each other. If you're a Jarheads fan you won't want to miss this one. And if you've never experienced these boys before, Out of the Closet will make a fan out of you.
516 pages, Paperback
First published December 14, 2004
8 people are currently reading
236 people want to read
About the author
Sean Michael
653 books1,210 followersOften 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
February 4, 2012
I am very fond of these characters, which is why it pains me to give this such a low rating. I just can't ignore everything that drives me crazy about this series: the thin plot, the endlessly repetitive sex scenes, the stilted dialogue, the nicknames, the descriptions of every damn meal they ate. I'll finish out the series for the sake of completeness, but then maybe it's time for me to take an extended hiatus from this author.
January 25, 2012
Again I find myself in love. I have followed these three mens life for about 7 years now. While this one is not as gutwrenching as book two. I still found myself absolutely aching for Rig when he gets sad news.
I love watching these men evolving over such a long span of years. I adore them!!!
I love watching these men evolving over such a long span of years. I adore them!!!
November 25, 2020
3.5 stars
The guys are making the big move to California after Rock's retirement. Nice story but still way too many sex scenes, just as in all the other books.
Original review was 4 stars.
The guys are making the big move to California after Rock's retirement. Nice story but still way too many sex scenes, just as in all the other books.
Original review was 4 stars.
November 2, 2012
Sadder than any of the earlier volumes
JARHEADS SERIES: VOLUME 5 (chronologically), BOOK 3 (written third, as far as I can tell)
Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS.
Rating: 6/10
PROS:
- Rock, even though he has a tough, gruff Marine still inside him, is more relaxed and affectionate in this volume.
- The fact that Rock and Dick are no longer active Marines--and the fact that the guys now live in California--allows for more openness in the relationship, which is refreshing.
- I like that this series covers such an extensive period of time. This novel by itself covers several years, and the entire series spans over 15 years up to this point. What I love about this is that we get to see a lot of normal occurrences in the characters’ lives: there are dramatic chapters and scenes, sure…Rock’s and Dick’s deployments in Three Day Passes, Rig’s bashing in Tempering, etc…but the majority of these stories covers average days at work and nights out bars and the always-present sexual communication between three decent, likeable people.
CONS:
- Lots and lots and lots…and lots…of sex. There are a few new developments on this front, but the sex scenes--and thus, the book as a whole--get really repetitive really fast. A book that contains easily 100 sex scenes can hardly avoid that.
- I still feel a little sorry for Dick. He’s pretty vocal about the fact that he loves both Rock and Rig, and I believe that Rig loves him back and that Rock is sexually attracted to him. I don’t believe that either Rig or Rock NEEDS Dick, though, the way they need each other. If either Rock or Rig were to die or leave, I think the other would never fully recover; if Dick died or left, the other two would mope for a while and then be perfectly fine.
- Several sad elements are related in this book that are the result of the characters’ aging and the passage of time. At least the last 50 pages of this book are quite depressing.
- The editing issues in this volume are plentiful, as they are in other Michael books I’ve read, but in this book, no one at the publisher even ran a simple spell check: “dailing,” “figners,” “boucing,” “whereever,” “instersperced,” etc. are fairly common occurrences.
Overall comments: I found this volume to be the saddest of the Jarheads books so far, even surpassing Tempering, because at least in that one, everything gets resolved in a way that’s not possible because of what happens at the end of this book. (Rest assured, though, that the threesome is as strong as ever.) I read these books because I’m already a fan of the characters. If you pick this one up first, here’s what you can expect from the Jarheads series: A LOT of sex and not much plot.
JARHEADS SERIES: VOLUME 5 (chronologically), BOOK 3 (written third, as far as I can tell)
Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS.
Rating: 6/10
PROS:
- Rock, even though he has a tough, gruff Marine still inside him, is more relaxed and affectionate in this volume.
- The fact that Rock and Dick are no longer active Marines--and the fact that the guys now live in California--allows for more openness in the relationship, which is refreshing.
- I like that this series covers such an extensive period of time. This novel by itself covers several years, and the entire series spans over 15 years up to this point. What I love about this is that we get to see a lot of normal occurrences in the characters’ lives: there are dramatic chapters and scenes, sure…Rock’s and Dick’s deployments in Three Day Passes, Rig’s bashing in Tempering, etc…but the majority of these stories covers average days at work and nights out bars and the always-present sexual communication between three decent, likeable people.
CONS:
- Lots and lots and lots…and lots…of sex. There are a few new developments on this front, but the sex scenes--and thus, the book as a whole--get really repetitive really fast. A book that contains easily 100 sex scenes can hardly avoid that.
- I still feel a little sorry for Dick. He’s pretty vocal about the fact that he loves both Rock and Rig, and I believe that Rig loves him back and that Rock is sexually attracted to him. I don’t believe that either Rig or Rock NEEDS Dick, though, the way they need each other. If either Rock or Rig were to die or leave, I think the other would never fully recover; if Dick died or left, the other two would mope for a while and then be perfectly fine.
- Several sad elements are related in this book that are the result of the characters’ aging and the passage of time. At least the last 50 pages of this book are quite depressing.
- The editing issues in this volume are plentiful, as they are in other Michael books I’ve read, but in this book, no one at the publisher even ran a simple spell check: “dailing,” “figners,” “boucing,” “whereever,” “instersperced,” etc. are fairly common occurrences.
Overall comments: I found this volume to be the saddest of the Jarheads books so far, even surpassing Tempering, because at least in that one, everything gets resolved in a way that’s not possible because of what happens at the end of this book. (Rest assured, though, that the threesome is as strong as ever.) I read these books because I’m already a fan of the characters. If you pick this one up first, here’s what you can expect from the Jarheads series: A LOT of sex and not much plot.
June 9, 2012
After all the angst and heartache brought on by the attack on Rig in the last book, Tempered, I was looking forward to seeing what a new start in California would do for the guys in this fifth installment in the series.
The book covers their arrival in to their new beachside fixer upper which of course Rig gets busy fixing up, the beginnings of Rock and Dick's new gym venture, Rig starting as a doctor at the clinic, and the guys re-settling as an open threesome in their new home and community. But of course, things aren't all smooth sailing even on the pretty beach in sunny California. They still have to work hard to make a priority for their relationship, they have to deal with family sorrows and rely on each other, and there is yet another incident that has the guys all flashing back to Rig's beating. There are many joyful milestones reach with much laughter and loving. But some of that stuff at the end was heartbreaking stuff that came out of Rig's family causing me to tear up. The guys have his back though.
Tempering started the turn in being more open and speaking their feelings particularly in Dick's case, but this one was even more so now that they have been together so long. I loved seeing Dick a more confident member in the relationship and I loved all the little dates and vacays they did just to be together. The inclusion of Rock's old Sarge was great to have a picture of Rock's past when he was the young Marine.
Naturally, the whole book from start to finished is saturated with their preferred activity on any flat surface by twos or by threes.
Always fun to read each installment in the series with each chapter written in that enjoyable vignette style!
The book covers their arrival in to their new beachside fixer upper which of course Rig gets busy fixing up, the beginnings of Rock and Dick's new gym venture, Rig starting as a doctor at the clinic, and the guys re-settling as an open threesome in their new home and community. But of course, things aren't all smooth sailing even on the pretty beach in sunny California. They still have to work hard to make a priority for their relationship, they have to deal with family sorrows and rely on each other, and there is yet another incident that has the guys all flashing back to Rig's beating. There are many joyful milestones reach with much laughter and loving. But some of that stuff at the end was heartbreaking stuff that came out of Rig's family causing me to tear up. The guys have his back though.
Tempering started the turn in being more open and speaking their feelings particularly in Dick's case, but this one was even more so now that they have been together so long. I loved seeing Dick a more confident member in the relationship and I loved all the little dates and vacays they did just to be together. The inclusion of Rock's old Sarge was great to have a picture of Rock's past when he was the young Marine.
Naturally, the whole book from start to finished is saturated with their preferred activity on any flat surface by twos or by threes.
Always fun to read each installment in the series with each chapter written in that enjoyable vignette style!
June 22, 2010
Rock,Jim South,retires from the marines. Rigger, Alex Roberts is still nursing. The Kid, Dick Main decides to leave the marines as soon as his time is up. The three men decide to move to California where it is more gay friendly after Rigger's beating. This story focuses on the move, Mrs. Roberts getting cancer and career changes. Rock and Dick decide to open a gym while Rigger fixes up the new house on the beach and begins school to become a physians assistant. The hot sex isn't any less just because Rock is 40. Another romp through every position possible and a lot of stained sheets.
February 19, 2010
Rock,Rig,Dick embark on another adventure discovering things about themselves once again and becoming so much stonger as a unit after the disaster in the previous book. Finally moving away and out of the Marines has done very good things for them all. It's been awhile so the book is foggy but something happens to rig...as usual. I would have liked for richard to be the main line in a story ^^ but im biased so...lol
April 25, 2018
I adore Sean Michael and the Jarheads. these stories are filled, just filled, with sex, sex and then more sex. Sean Michael knows how to keep it interesting though and writes about some unique and wonderful characters with truly entertaining stories, woven amongst all the sex!
Read
November 5, 2008Out of the Closet by Sean Michael (2008)
September 10, 2016
3.5 stars
November 20, 2018
Read from June 3 to 6, 2013
Re-read from November 7 to 10, 2018
4.5 stars
Re-read from November 7 to 10, 2018
4.5 stars
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews