I picked this up for the ace rep, and was pretty intrigued by it. I haven't seen this part of the spectrum in fiction yet - someone who participates in sex only as a biology itch that needs scratching on occasion - and then paired with a manipulative side. Sex, to Dragon, is a tool.

I can't quite decide if he's aro or not though. He latches on to Noire, for sure, but it doesn't seem romantic. But then again, I feel like for a book that leans into romance in terms of its summary and classification, this didn't feel like a romance at all.

These characters spend maybe 24 hours together, total. (1 hr sessions, weekly, for 6 months). Sure, they get to know eachother, but I'm doubtful of Noire's eventual feeling realization. Things between them are deliciously complicated, but do I ship them? Nope.

At most, Noire is latching on to the first guy who's given him attention since his divorce (can you say rebound?) and Dragon, bored out of his effing mind, perks up at the idea of something new. I didn't get the sense that either of them was serious about a romantic relationship, which frankly disappointed me. And where they do end up? Not something I'd classify as healthy.

Still, this was an intriguing premise and I did like Dragon as a character. Worth it for a short read.