Four Gay Weddings and a Funeral by Ryan Field

Title: Four Gay Weddings and a Funeral

Author: Ryan Field

Genre: Contemporary

Length: Novel (203pgs)

Publisher: Ravenous Romance (1st December 2011)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: When New York legalizes same-sex marriage, Neil winds up with more invitations to gay weddings than he knows what to do with! And it’s during one of these weddings where Neil meets Andre- the perfect man.

Andre is French, with a romantic accent and a killer body, and he fills Neil with emotion in ways he’s never known- he’s the perfect man. But Neil isn’t ready for marriage, and so he lets Andre go.

As time passes, Neil’s life goes on, and he always wonders what might have been with Andre. But when life-altering events rock Neil’s quiet life, he may get a chance to find happily-ever-after!

Purchase Link: http://www.ravenousromance.com/m/m/four-gay-weddings-and-a-funeral.php

Review: Neil is not ready for commitment and although there is one man who has tempted him he still knows that it would be a mistake to pursue it when he isn’t ready. Andre is, as far as Neil is concerned, the perfect man he’s French, has his own business and Neil feels an instant connection to him, but the timing is just wrong.   As they meet up at various weddings, Neil wonders what might have been.

Well, I have got to say that I watched the original film and now I have read this book and the book is my hands down favorite. When Neil and Andre first meet it is at a mutual friend’s wedding and besides Neil feeling that he has embarrassed himself they have a passionate night together.   Over the times that follow, they meet up at other weddings and a funeral and each time Neil still wants Andre, but he also finds out that Andre isn’t as perfect as he thought. By the end of the book, Neil is in his own relationship and questioning what he is really feeling.

This is a brilliant book and I loved it.  Ryan Field has rewritten this okay film and produced a brilliant gay story. Neil is the central character and his life seems to be a series of weddings as he watches his friends marry and cement their relationships.   He isn’t ready to settle down and marry and as we progress through the book we see his struggles with his own conscience, his own needs and the realization that what he longs for isn’t actually what he wants. There are some parts of this book that might put some people off like Neil and his partner sharing or multiple partners, but it is all highly erotic.

This book pulls you in and even knowing that I had seen the film didn’t make a blind bit of difference.   I was along for the ride and enjoying every minute of it. Neil starting to settle down was great.   Suddenly Neil is living with another man and he’s not sure how it comes about and I have got to say that the funeral was painful to read.   It was a character that I wouldn’t have suspected and I had come to love in a short space of time. Ryan Field had me on the edge of my seat during the final scenes and I think he is a cruel cruel man for making me doubt Neil right at the end.

With this book I recommend that if you enjoy hot sex, straight men experimenting, finding love, grief, happiness, truth and a great ending to a wonderful book then you really need to read this book… it’s ace.

A Cowboy's Heart by J. M. Snyder

Title:   A Cowboy’s Heart

Author:  J. M. Snyder

Genre:   Historical, Erotica, Transgender,

Length:  Novel

Publisher:  JMS Books (February 8th, 2012)

Heat Level:  Explicit

Heart Rating:  ♥♥♥♥♥5Hearts

Blurb:   Ranch hand Tommy Prout thinks he’s in love … with his boss, Hal Bolstrum. Problem is, Hal’s engaged to be married to the ranch owner’s daughter and, though he knows of Tommy’s crush, he sees it as nothing more than harmless affection. When payday rolls around and the other cowboys want to ride into town to check out the girls at the Wildhorse saloon, Tommy tags along to throw off any suspicion anyone might have about his feelings for his boss. He sure as hell doesn’t want to spend his money on any of the soiled doves the town has to offer.

At the bar he meets Lila, an enterprising young working girl who takes a liking to him. When Tommy says he wants to be left alone, Lila suggests he rest in her room — with the promise they don’t have to actuallydo anything. But Lila isn’t like the others, and when she discovers Tommy is more scared of her than attracted to her feminine charms, she lets him in on a little secret.

Lila’s real name is Stephen Marsh. He lives as a woman, moving from saloon to saloon, pleasing men for money. He loves men and enjoys his work, and what others don’t know about what’s under his skirt doesn’t bother him. In all his years on the prairie, he’s never met someone quite like Tommy. When he discovers Tommy is sweet on Hal, he suggests teaching the cowboy just how to please a man.

He doesn’t mean to lose his heart to Tommy in the process.

With “Lila” in his life, Tommy begins to dream of someone softer than Hal, someone pretty when dolled up but still man enough where it counts. Someone like Lila. As his feelings deepen, can he use Lila’s own teachings to win the heart he really loves?

Product Link:  http://jmsnyder.net/?p=1013

Reviewer:   Cat

Review:  This story stole my heart. Oh.  MY.   Goodness! It was fabulous. I was captivated by the first paragraph. J.M. did such a great job describing the scenery, you felt you were there.  And she made the characters come to life, both physically and emotionally.  I felt like I was the cowboy!  The whole story was so well written and believable, you could hardly put it down.

I fell in love with Tommy immediately. I could feel his frustrations and his secret desires for his foreman.

I was as surprised as Tommy when he came in and found his foreman, the object of his desires and dreams with Sarah the boss’s daughter.  I was like, hmmmm… I just knew the story was gonna be about him and Hal.

So, I read on.  I felt so badly for Tommy when his friends coerce him to going to a saloon and to try to get him a hooker.  You could feel his pain, not wanting the others to know he was gay, but not wanting to be with a woman either, still aching from what he saw earlier.  Still wanting Hal. Then I was really freaked out when he went upstairs with Lila one of the saloon girls. I had to double-check …isn’t this an M/M romance?

The scene was so hot and afterwards when Lila was talking about his –oops did I say his?-HER feelings I immediately bonded with him-I mean her. The sex scene was amazing and the emotional needs and connections so good.  I couldn’t decide which character I loved the most.  But, I am a hopeless romantic. So, does Tommy fall in love with Lila or will he finally win over his macho crush Hal?

I’m not gonna tell! You will have to read A Cowboys Heart by J.M.Snyder for yourself. You won’t be sorry. Be prepared to fall in love with a Cowboy! I give it 10 hearts! Oh, man… I can only go up to five? Well, Five it is♥♥♥♥♥!!

 

 

Battle Buddy by S. J. D. Peterson

Title: Battle Buddy

Series: Rough Rangers 01

Author: S.J.D. Peterson

Genre: Contemporary

Length: Short (67pgs)

Publisher: Silver Publishing (17th March 2012)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: Shane Tucker joined the Army to hide behind “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”. It was working too, until he was paired with sexy Owen Bradford as his Battle Buddy. If boot camp doesn’t kill him, the temptation of Owen’s sinful body surely will.

Shane Tucker joins Uncle Sam’s Army at nineteen. Tucker is gay, but not ready to be open about his orientation and “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” seems like a convenient way to avoid having to dealing with his sexuality.

The Army suits Tucker; he does well right from the beginning. Things get harder for Tucker during boot camp when he is assigned a “Battle Buddy”.  Owen Bradford is a walking, talking wet dream, with no concept of personal space–he especially likes being in Tucker’s personal space. Tucker barely survives boot camp living with the constant temptation that is Owen Bradford.

Two years later, Tucker–now in the Army Ranger program–is paired up with Owen once again. Getting through training while ignoring the sizzling sexual tension between him and his “Battle Buddy” might be the biggest test of Tucker’s military career.

Purchase Link: https://spsilverpublishing.com/product_book_info/products_id/806

Review: Shane comes from a small town and he has never had a reason to come out.   At nineteen, he joins the army and now he has the perfect excuse.   he has no choice but to lie about his sexuality and he grips onto it. Shane struggles when he meets Owen, as he fights his attraction to him and now two years later he’s still struggling with that attraction.

Whoop!  what an enjoyable story of attraction, lust and want. Shane desperate struggles to get a grip on his attraction to Owen, especially with Owen being straight and tough.  When Owen turns back up in his life, Shane finds it harder than ever and as far as he is concerned, as soon as the training is finished, he’s going to sort out his virgin status with the first available male.

I have to say that S.J.D. blew me away with the amount of research that must have gone into this book.   The descriptions of the training were brilliant and brought the book to life. While we learn a lot about Shane, as the book is from his POV, we don’t learn much about Owen.  With Shane, we can feel his lust, want and need for Owen.   But, we also feel his confusion and fear as he struggles to understand why Owen is acting like he is.  Remember, Shane firmly believes Owen to be straight.

When these two men come together it is explosive and although we don’t get an instant happy ever after what we do get is a promise of the start of a relationship that will rock both men’s worlds and boy do they rock ;-). So in all honesty, we don’t get the angst that we usually get from S.J.D.  but, we do get an awful lot of frustration and some wicked lines ‘Like right then and there before my shaft exploded and I ended up a fucking eunuch’ classic.

So, I have to recommend this to those who love hunky sexy soldiers, explosive sex, frustration, longing, doubts and a happy for now ending.

 

 

 

Reward by Jambrea Jo Jones

Title: Reward

Series:   Alliance 04

Author:  Jambrea Jo Jones

Genre:   Science Fiction

Length:  Novel

Publisher:  Total E-Bound (February 27, 2012)

Heat Level:  Explicit

Heart Rating:  ♥♥♥♥♥5Hearts

Blurb:   Book four in the Alliance Series

Vacation can be its own reward.

James Rodrick deserved a vacation. Running around the galaxy protecting people can be a rough road. His first officer was nicely settled and a cure for a deadly disease had been found. Time for a break. Alphonse Carter was not what the doctor ordered. A con man on the run does not a vacation make.

Alphonse Carter lived life high on the hog pretending to be something he wasn’t. His undercover identity was discovered and now he must flee before he is caught by the wrong side. Hijacking a captain with Alliance ties wasn’t in the cards, but he had to take what he could.

Will mistaken identity cause havoc or romance?

Product Link:  http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=1556

Reviewer:   Portia

Review:  The fourth installment of the Alliance saga opens with James Roderick on vacation.  Well, actually, it’s more of a pity party, but let’s not quibble with details.  James’ first mate oopsed up and fell in love and ran off to live with his lover.  James is happy for them, but he wouldn’t mind finding his own “happy-ever-after”.  Alphonse/Ali is up to his eyeballs in an undercover operation gone bad.  He’s just trying to get off the planet and keep his ass alive.

If you’ve read my reviews, you are probably aware that I have a serious girl-crush on Jambrea Jo Jones.  No one feeds my love of MM sci-fi like she does.  Reward has all the action adventure, steamy sex…all through that space ship, and intrigue I’ve come to expect from JJJ.  If you haven’t read the other Alliance books, relax…Reward does nicely as a standalone.

The guys of Reward are a bit rougher than some of her other male characters.  James is an ex-Alliance pilot, who hates all this Alliance.  He’s loyal and smart and a good guy to have around in a fight.  Alphonse, on the other hand, fights dirty and is well…Alliance to the born.  James and Alphonse’s attraction is immediate and off the charts.  Sex is not a problem for these two.  Unfortunately, that is the only easy thing in their lives, right now.  The road to their HEA is littered with spies, betrayal, and oh yeah…literal bombs.

I loved everything about this book.  But, especially, the fact that these two are all man.  Alphas males to the core.  They work hard, play hard and love hard.  They also complement one another and do what it takes to keep the other safe and happy.

I think you should read this book, for no other reason, that to keep Jambrea feeding my addiction.  I really need Angel’s story written faster.  😉  Highly recommend.