3.5 StarsKip Rigsbee doesn't like mornings and a 6:22am phone call from South Guilford Hospital by Coach Greg Browne, on the first day of spring break is probably the last thing he expected waking up to. Coach Browne is Kip's upstairs neighbor, he's also the defensive coordinator at the local university and he can be one hard-to-handle cantankerous SOB sometimes. In the hospital, with a broken ankle, a busted-up face and a wrecked car is one of those times. By the time Kip rolls out of bed and scrambles into the ER, Coach Browne has successfully alienated and frustrated three nurses, a couple of doctors and a lab tech, all of which are standing inside his little curtain room attempting to treat him. Fortunately, Kip is the sports psychologist for the same team Browne coaches and has a little experience handling situations like this. In a matter of minutes, Kip has Browne calmed down enough that the medical staff is able to get a cast on his injured ankle. The cast they put on has to be on for three days and in that time Browne will be unable to put any weight on that leg. After three days, he will need to go back into a medical center and get his current cast taken off and replaced with a walking cast.That is the scene that opens up this book and leads to Coach Greg Browne spending three days in Kip's apartment, where Kip can take care of him. In those three days, Kip discloses a little about himself, where he grew up, what his family is like, how his childhood was and what past event started him on the path to sports psychology. Browne on the other hand, isn't so forthcoming, by the end of those few days you know he loves football and is passionate about what he does, he's gay and in the closet and that he has an affection for Kip, but other than that, his character is a bit of a mystery.This book ends rather abruptly, with the two men at the office of the orthopedic specialist who Browne goes to see on the third day. After seeing the severity of the ankle break, the doctor there orders him to stay in the cast he has, with crutches, for two more weeks. That means two more weeks of Kip, two more weeks for the tentative relationship they've started in the last few days to strengthen and grow. I enjoyed this story, it was fascinating to see a relationship begin to bloom between the two very dissimilar men and it's ending left me with a certainty that things would progress, at least somewhat, between them. If walls can be broken and an intimate connection started in just three days, who knows what two more weeks could do. This is a short, entertaining story with a couple of masculine men that should appeal to readers but it does have some significant problems. "TLC 101" reads very similar to Chapel’s other quick novella, "Maritime Men," with two masculine men who have rough, sweaty sex but talk very little. Here the set up is that one of the men breaks his ankle in the shower (cue soap jokes) and must rely on another coach to help take care of him in the short term. That leads to some hot and heavy sex despite a casted leg with a few conversations thrown in for variety. The plot is basic and the men may appeal to some readers more than others. Since this particular offering feels so reminiscent of the previous book, but nowhere near as good, I hope future novellas will have more variety.The characters of Kip and Greg are classic opposites attract. Whereas Kip is outgoing, energetic, and attempts to bond with the team players, Greg is closeted, rigid, and tight lipped. Kip is a slob with clothes, books, and boxes strewn around his apartment where Greg is neat to the point of color coordinating. Greg lives and breathes football whereas Kip loves the sport but also has a life. The two have very little in common other than their love of football and gay sex but this seems to be enough of a basis for the short-term relationship. However there is an emotional connection, albeit brief, when Kip helps Greg open up slightly but the focus is on sex and hanging out for a few days. Unfortunately this connection felt forced and awkward instead of natural and easy.While this is not a bad plot line and certainly gives a laid back, easy approach to two men who hook up with the possibility of more, the story seems to lack a depth that makes this an easy book to read and forget. There is also a lack of a strong happy ending, instead after three days giving a very vague possibility to a future relationship. This didn’t bother me but some readers are cautious when a happy ending is not very strong so readers that require such may be disappointed. Especially since the ending is abrupt and problematic.Some problems inherent in the story in addition to Greg’s dislikable personality were Greg’s refusal to accept any sort of pain medication and the quick sex. While his reasoning is clear, it seems ridiculous for a man of his age to still subscribe to something he did almost twenty years ago and instead writhe in pain. This ties into the ridiculous and out of place argument in the emergency room about medicating players so they could play sooner. Greg is neither a player nor being medicated to play; they wanted to set his cast. Furthermore Greg’s willingness to have sex almost immediately after breaking his ankle is suspect as he was writhing in pain one minute and sex starved the next but these are minor problems and easily overlooked.Other than these problems, the story really ends just as the most interesting aspects start. There are numerous questions left unanswered and dangling from Greg’s closeted sexuality to what this means for their future, their jobs working together, the football community, their families, if they are having a relationship or simply a few more days of sex together. Furthermore why would these two men be together since they have very few things in common and do nothing but mostly concentrate on the sex. All of these questions are left hanging without indications to a wrapped up ending. Whereas such things were more acceptable in "Maritime Men" given the nature of the military, here the questions are more glaring and disappointing. For all the problems listed, this story is mostly a quick novella with some classic characters in a familiar setting and may appeal to other readers who can overlook the problems.
What do You think about TLC 101 (2009)?
3,5 this story needs a sequel or at least an epilogue.
—Angel
