Blurb: After nearly a year of online video chatting and text messaging, Jackson and Steve are finally going to meet in person. Jackson is a successful New York City lawyer. Steve owns a popular bakery called Sweet Cheeks, in San Diego – and with that bakery comes a touch of a dough boy body. Steve is understandably nervous and desperate to make a good impression on the man he’s fallen in love with, who has only seen him through a computer screen. Steve has a hundred days to Christmas to become the perfect package he believes Jackson wants to unwrap, over and over again. But can a clumsy chocolate fanatic more interested in feeding his personal trainer chocolate éclairs than in doing push-ups manage to stay the course?
Review:Wonderful short for the holidays. I enjoyed the play on Steve’s body insecurities and how things were resolved. In the gay community, more often than not, things are usually the opposite direction as a good majority of gay men are seeking perfection and can get downright nasty if they don’t see it and a person’s body is usually one of the first things another gay guy will judge. Good job. J
Blurb:Discovering his boyfriend’s affair with a co-worker wrecks Eli’s holiday plans. He thinks getting stuck in his getaway cabin has made things worse until he calls Mac’s Wood Delivery and hears the owner’s deep, sultry voice…
Discovering his boyfriend’s affair with a co-worker wrecks Eli’s holiday plans. With his parents on a cruise and his brother and sister out of town, he’s on his own. His mother insists he escape to her friend’s mountain cabin. Eli reluctantly agrees, but he takes off unprepared and ends up driving into the worst snowstorm the area has seen in years.
He survives the trip, but he’s stuck with no logs for the woodstove and little food. Fortunately, he gets the number for Mac’s Wood Delivery. Mac doesn’t mind riding to the rescue, and his deep, sultry voice has Eli eagerly anticipating the delivery. Is Mac the little bit of Christmas cheer Eli has been needing?
Review: Eli’s Christmas plans are thrown into chaos when he discovers his boyfriend has been cheating on him. While the rest of his family has plans, Eli’s mother insists that Eli escapes to her friend’s mountain cabin. Arriving at the cabin, Eli is unprepared and is saved by mountain man, Mac, who delivers the wood and food he so desperately needs. Now, Eli hopes that Mac can deliver some much-needed Christmas cheer.
This is a sweet story that starts with a bruised heart and ends with a heart full of hope. Eli isn’t exactly heartbroken when he discovers his boyfriend has cheated on him, but it is bruised. His mom encourages him to take a mountain break and time away just might be what he needs. Mac comes to Eli’s rescue when he discovers no wood or food in the cabin, and Eli beings to fantasize about the rugged mountain man. Both men act on their attraction, but will Eli be able to give up the city for the mountains?
This story is from Eli’s POV and he seems to be a very nice character who enjoys the simple things like quite nights. We don’t get to know Mac all that well, but from Eli’s eyes he seems like a sweet thoughtful man. Eli is instantly enthralled by Mac’s voice and the more he learns the more he likes. As I said, we don’t really know what goes on in Mac’s head and even by his actions we can’t quite tell if he really wants Eli…at first. But, by the time they have the romantic dance it is quite clear that he is sweet on Eli and even though it does happen fast when they get together it doesn’t seem fast and at first they both seem to hold back as though unsure of the others reaction.
I have to recommend this to those who love mountain men and city boys, hunky men coming to the rescue, new beginnings, hot sex and the start of a sweet relationship.
Blurb: Bianca worries that her daddy, Gavin, is lonely and decides he needs a boyfriend for Christmas. So she enlists her father’s best friend, the straight and unattached Curtis. Gavin has a Christmas wish, too, and Curtis setting him up on disastrous dates isn’t part of it! Meanwhile, Curtis finds life becoming complicated as he tries to please Bianca, make Gavin happy, and fend off his own unexpected mixed feelings. Will anyone’s wish come true?
Review: Although I usually appreciate this author’s excellent writing, in this holiday story the characters and their interactions didn’t really hit the spot.
Bianca only wants a boyfriend for her father Gavin for Christmas, and she has the perfect candidate in mind – Curtis, their close friend and neighbor. The only little issue about the wish is that Curtis is straight and despite Gavin’s obvious feelings, it’s not likely his orientation will change.
So while Curtis wants a family, Bianca is not giving up on a boyfriend for her father and enlists Curtis to help her, who ends up witnessing one disaster after another.
It was the denial that killed it for me, because it was rather forced and it made the conversations between the main characters somewhat strained. Usually I love kids in books, but Bianca was a bit strange and never seemed to act the appropriate age. Maybe it was just my impression, but I kept thinking she was a few years older and kept getting surprised each time it turned out she was not. I think I disliked the ending the most. Not the eventual ‘twist’ but rather the fast flip over from straight to enthusiastic accompanied by teeth rotting sweetness that just didn’t work for me.
This is a holiday story by a great author which will probably pass with most readers as cute. It does have its high points and I’m sure it will be a big hit with a lot of people but it just didn’t work out for me.
Heat Level: No sex, but there is the thought of erections and a press of a hand against an erection through jeans, but that is it. VERY LOW.
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥3Hearts-liked it
Blurb: Six months after his wife leaves him, Bob Jansen finds himself spending the holidays with his parents in the town where he grew up. With him is his seven-year old daughter, Jenna, who sometimes seems to be handling her mother’s absence better than Bob is himself. But he’s worried that, in her letter to Santa, Jenna has asked the jolly old elf for something Bob knows he can’t pull off. He’s afraid she wants her mother back for the holiday.
While shopping for his daughter’s Christmas presents, Bob runs into Dave Knarr, an old friend. They used to be best buds in high school, before Julia, Bob’s soon-to-be ex-wife, came between them. The two men catch up over drinks, and before the evening ends, Dave makes his real feelings for Bob known.
If Bob is shocked to learn Dave has always been attracted to him, he’s more surprised by his own reaction. Even if he’s willing to take another shot at romance, what will his daughter think of his old friend?
Review:Good story. Could definitely have used some fleshing out. In fact, this book could actually be the start of a series leading away from the holiday’s as long as the story was longer and completely fleshed out. Things happened way too fast for real life, and it didn’t make sense, but hey, this is a Christmas miracle story, so I let it slide. Good job. Write a sequel, flesh it out, make it longer, let your hair done, and let your imagination run wild with this story.
Blurb:Canine shifter Matt can’t believe it when his feline boyfriend dumps him in front of his handsome neighbor Chase before Christmas. As the dust settles, he’s left wondering what kind of shifter the mysterious guy next door might be.
Canine shifter Matt can’t believe it when his feline boyfriend Jason dumps him in front of his handsome neighbor Chase before Christmas. As the dust settles, he faces Christmas alone for the first time in years. Fortunately, his sexy neighbor offers him company one night in the form of dinner and a chat. But does Chase want to offer him more than just a friendly shoulder to cry on? And what kind of shifter is Chase? Matt can’t work him out but he’s determined to get to the bottom of Chase’s secrets.
Review: Matt is shocked to come home early from work one day to find his boyfriend leaving him and is mortified that Jason does it in front of his hot next door neighbor, Chase. Even though Matt is still reeling from the break-up, he fantasizes about Chase and when Chase invites him to dinner, he wonders if there could be more to it than a friendly bite to eat.
This is a very cute shifter story that will warm your heart. Matt is a great character, who even while his boyfriend is leaving him is still so generous and kind. it made my lip quiver in sympathy as he put on a brave face. Chase is a solid presence who seems to tease Matt with his pure hotness and who is willing to wait for Matt to be ready for a new relationship. Both characters are really good together and the kisses are sweet, but passionate.
I would love to delve more into this shifter world where mates are chosen by the shifter and not fate and where there is no mate bond tying them together. where there are different shifters from dogs to horses to seals and bulls. The characters in this short story are well-developed and we see a brief shot of what they could be like together. I have to hope that there will be more from this couple in the future because they are just so cute together.
I will recommend this to those who love shifters, hot men, mending a bruised heart, being naked on the beach at night and the beginning of a sweet relationship.
Blurb:Homeless after phasing out of a foundling home and losing his job, Noel Hudson finds his way to Hamilton River during his least favorite holiday, Christmas. For two weeks, Justin Llewellyn watches Noel read in his bookstore all day. Seven red envelopes hold the key to Christmas magic Noel has never experienced.
On the 7th Day of Christmas, my Safe Haven gave to me – The Warmth of the Season.
On the 6th Day of Christmas, my Safe Haven gave to me – A Fresh Start of the Season.
On the 5th Day of Christmas, my Safe Haven gave to me – Rags to Riches of the Season.
On the 4th Day of Christmas, my Safe Haven gave to me – The Wonderful Scents of the Season.
On the 3rd Day of Christmas, my Safe Haven gave to me – A Christmas Season to Believe In.
On the 2nd Day of Christmas, my One Hope gave to me – Surprises of the Season!
On the 1st Day of Christmas, my One Hope gave to me – Visions of the Season!
Review: Justin has been wondering about the young man who has been hanging around his bookstore for the past week. discovering Noel’s story makes Justin determined to show Noel a different side to Christmas. Noel has never known a happy Christmas, homeless and cold he spends time in the bookstore and is amazed at the offer that the owner Justin gives him, can Justin really change Noel’s view of Christmas?
7 Days of Christmas is a wonderful story of Christmas spirit and hope. Noel has come to Hamilton River in the hopes of finding work. Unfortunately, he finds himself sleeping in a shelter and spending his days in the local book store to keep warm. Justin is interested in finding out the story of the young man who haunts his store. One morning, he gets his chance and decides to give the young man a helping hand, while also introducing him to a true Christmas. Both men take a chance on the other and they both discover over 7 days of Christmas that there could be so much more.
I truly enjoyed this gentle story of burgeoning romance. Of seeing a genuine helping hand that turns into so much more and the true spirit of Christmas being introduced to a man who had never had a decent Christmas in his entire life. Justin is an incredible man who is warm and caring. he offers a helping hand to Noel, expecting nothing in return. Noel has sheltered his heart from the world and can’t believe his luck when he is offered a job and a place to live. What amazes him even more is that Justin shows him a side of Christmas and birthdays that he has never seen before.
This isn’t a meet fall into bed and declare undying love story. This is a gentle romance that is kisses on the cheek, soft touches and a slow courtship. I loved how both men get to know each other, spending time sharing Christmas traditions and slowly acting on their attraction so both sides know it is really what they want. Both characters are genuinely nice men. Noel is such an incredible man, who has been through so much in his life, but still tries for the best. He didn’t turn to stealing or tricking when it would have been so easy for him to do. These characters together are two men that you can see being together into their old age. This story is a truly beautiful beginning to their relationship.
I will recommend this to those who love gentle romances, surviving a rough life with an honest soul, having an honest soul who wants to help people and the beginning of a wonderful relationship.
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (30th November 2012)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥3 ½Hearts
Reviewer: Pixie
Blurb: Elizabethan actor Sebastian Hewel takes his bow at the proscenium only to embark on the role of a lifetime. When his twin sister, Bronwyn, reneges on the arrangement to marry Earl Anthony Crofton, Sebastian reluctantly takes her place. At nineteen, Sebastian knows his days as a leading lady are numbered, but with this last performance, he hopes to restore his family’s name and pay off his late father’s debts. Never mind the danger of losing his head should he be discovered.
He didn’t expect Anthony to be so charming and alluring—not to mention shrewd. While he applauds Sebastian’s plan, Anthony offers a mutually beneficial arrangement instead. Sebastian will need every drop of talent he has to survive with both his head and his heart intact, because this is the best part he’s ever had.
Purchase Link: This edition is no longer available.
Review: Sebastian is an actor who is called home by his cousin to perform the role of his life time. Sebastian’s sister has eloped, but she was due to marry an Earl. Now, due to family debts, Sebastian has to fill the role of blushing bride. Anthony is far from hoodwinked and offers a solution that benefits both of them. Now, they just have to fool the nobility and maybe they will both keep their heads.
This is an interesting story of Elizabethan England and the illicit marriage of an Actor and an Earl. Sebastian loves acting, but just wishes he could get more masculine roles. Now, he is offered the role of a lifetime after his sister elopes, but it is a role that could cost him his head. But, he never suspected it would also cost him his heart. Anthony is a man, who will take his pleasure where he can, discovering his future brother-in-law will be his wife, he uses it to his advantage. But, the marriage affects him more than he thought and his scandalous days are numbered.
The characters in this book are very interesting with both Sebastian and Anthony acting like men of their times. Although, at times Sebastian had to act like a woman of their time. Anthony wasn’t a perfect husband, although he did try. Changing a way of life was hard for him and he messed up several times with Sebastian. Sebastian made for a good wife, but he was a great man and the way he tried to stick to his guns with Anthony was quite impressive. The setting and time frame were well done with some great descriptions of the theatres of the time period.
I must admit to not warming up to the characters all that much, Sebastian and Anthony seemed to have no real connection between them and I didn’t feel as though they really got emotionally involved with each other. It felt more like convenience than any real attraction especially from Anthony, and even later it still felt like there was a distance between them even after they declared their love. Their sex life was hot though and that was the only time I felt a real connection between them. The best part for me, was when Anthony starting fighting for their relationship and began to court Sebastian in earnest.
I will recommend this to those who love historicals, those who love masquerades, fighting for love and a happy ending.
Blurb: Thomas Derrik is about to have the worst Christmas of his life. Three days before the holiday, he finds out the father he doesn’t get along with is arriving on Christmas Eve, his ex-lover and new brother-in-law will be staying at his estate until the New Year, and his beloved brother, Edmund, has died.
Luckily, Edmund’s last holiday scheme may well save Thomas’s Christmas: Henry Appleby, a young lord fresh from the Continent, has arranged to court Thomas. But the family tragedy and jealous exes may put an end to the romance before it begins.
Review: Thomas is facing a horrid Christmas. His brother has died, his lover married his sister and his father is heading home for the holidays. But, Edmund, his brother, had put a plan into action and it looks like Christmas just might be a merry one after all. Henry knew Edmund well and agreed to the plan along with Henry’s sister and Thomas’s father. Now, they just have to see if they can charm Thomas, but with a bitter ex on the grounds and Thomas being hurt once it just might take a miracle.
This is a wonderful regency romance with a twist to the happiness and a very broadminded father. Thomas is dreading Christmas, his father is coming home, he has just received news that his brother has died and his sister and her husband (his ex-lover) are staying over Christmas. But, when he meets Henry and his sister, things start to look up. And, they nearly get damn right happy, when he discovers his late brother’s plan. Henry is delighted when he meets Thomas. He can see his friend’s plan working well. But, when Thomas’s ex throws a spanner in the works, Henry decides to give Thomas a night he will never forget.
I really enjoyed this story. I have to admit to having a huge soft spot for Regency men and their clandestine relationships and this is a perfectly clandestine courtship. Thomas has been severely hurt in the past by a callous lover, but when Henry comes on the scene he shows Thomas of a new way to live and they just seem so well suited. I loved both these men and thought that Thomas was well rid of his ex-lover, Darrow. The storyline was great and I loved the twist and I especially loved Edmund’s plan. While I loved this story I am going to have to demand a story for Jonah and one for the other couple in this book… or maybe they could be combined *wink wink*.
I am recommending this to those who love Regency romances, great characters, passionate kisses, a jealous ex-lover, a miracle with a very interesting story and a very happy ending.
Blurb: Christmas, and the man of his fantasies is back in Chris’s life.
It’s been far too long since Christian Matthews has seen Daniel Bailey. In fact the last time they met Chris was a senior in college and he was the TA tasked with helping Daniel who was a way too confident freshman.
Some years down the road, Chris is licking his wounds after being asked to leave the private school where he was teaching. He has no job, no money, and has to rely on his friend Amelia for the job and a room to live in. He needs a freaking Christmas miracle to make this Season anything other than a total loss.
Then Daniel comes back into his life and suddenly everything seems possible. Not only is Daniel still the man Christian wants more than anything, but this time Chris may well actually tell Daniel how he feels
Review: This was my first Christmas read of the season and it’s a good one! It’s a sweet holiday story with just a little angst. RJ, of course, gave us a HEA wrapped in this lovely cover to enjoy this holiday season.
Chris is a little lost. He’s quietly let go from his prestigious teaching position at a private school. The threat of a scandal scares Chris into running, but the only thing he did wrong was trust a lover who betrayed him and now he’s paying the price. Ashamed and scared of what his future holds he hides out at his best friend Ame’s coffee shop. She needs the help and he needs to decide what to do with his mess of a life. Chris seems to be at an all time low and what a time for the man he’s been holding a torch for since his senior year of college to walk back into his life.
Daniel is finally at a place in his life where he’s happy. He bucked his job at his father’s company and has a great partner in the NYPD, who has no problem with him being gay. Now, he needs to find Chris, the guy he’s wanted since freshman year, but knew he wasn’t a good enough man for at the time, Daniel is a little shocked to find him working behind a counter of a coffee shop, but he’s so happy to finally see him it doesn’t matter. The first meeting doesn’t go as well as he’d wanted, but he won’t give up. He can’t let go of his hope that he’ll finally get his chance with the one he let get away. Nobody has ever made him feel the way he did about Chris. His persistence pays off and the guys start seeing each other and lucky us that we get to read all about it.
This really was a sweet little read. The pace was nice. The guys didn’t fight their attraction, but took things slow at first, so it has a nice sexy build to their reunion. I guess if I had a complaint it was Chris’s lack of confidence at times. Although understandable considering his situation, but if a guy like Daniel keeps telling you how wonderful you are and it’s everything you’ve ever wanted to hear from him, don’t question it so much! Barely worth mentioning because this story left me smiling and happy with a little holiday cheer. New York Christmas is another great Christmas story from RJ Scott.
Blurb: You may have heard the story of my time in boot camp and Ranger School in Shane Tucker’s published diary entitled Battle Buddy. Some of the events he didn’t get exactly right. Here’s the way I remember it going down.
You may have heard the story of my time in boot camp and Ranger School in Shane Tucker’s published diary entitled Battle Buddy, but he didn’t get all the details exactly right. Tuck will argue the point; but I assure you, a few facts he definitely got wrong. I don’t blame him or claim that he lied intentionally. At the time he was, if you remember, a little sexually frustrated; and it may have skewed his thinking just a wee bit. To this day, I still tease him about it. This is my take on our wild and crazy ride.
Review: This story is part of a series and must be read in order. Owen Bradford is now giving us his side of what happened when he first met Shane Tucker. From the first second that he laid eyes on Shane all the way to a blissful Christmas holiday, explaining everything from his point of view.
Woo-wee, get ready to fan yourself down as we join this very horny young man, Owen Bradford, as he takes us back to his first meeting with Shane Tucker and his steady pursuit whenever he laid eyes on the sexy man. Owen wants to set the record straight, while Shane’s diary is pretty accurate there are one or two things that Owen wants cleared up… just so we all know the truth. As we journey back to the first time Owen saw Shane, we see a brash, cocky young man who set his sights on a man he lusts after and we see how his feelings change over time.
Well, what can I say, but hot damn? Owen, you are one cock sure honey, who completely gets what he wants. This time around it is Owen’s turn to tell us how his relationship with Shane started and how it all really was in his eyes. from the first flush of lust that nearly knocks him on his arse, to the harsh realizations of enduring a forbidden longing, all the way to finally getting his man. Owen has always worked hard for what he wants, he might be brash and cocky, but he is good at what he does, and after catching sight of Shane for the first time, he decides he wants that man and goes about getting him.
Owen is completely full on in this story and you swagger through every page with him. Owen and Shane are two men that together could overpower you with their testosterone. They are both macho men, who love what they do, but they also love men and putting them together is asking for passionate, primal sex, as both clash as their lust gets the better of them. Seeing things from Owen’s point of view is great, as we get to see inside his head as he himself struggle with the feelings that Shane evoked, the background that has led him into the Rangers and the determination to be the best of the best. All the while knowing that to be gay was still taboo in the army. Oh and when they exchange gifts *squee* so cute and sweet, it melted my heart.
I have to recommend this to those who love army men who get hot and sweaty, primal hot sweaty sex, passionate sex, getting to know Owen better and the faint stirrings of hope for our horny young Rangers.
Blurb: Thomas-Edward is only a teenager when he escapes his working-class neighborhood. He’s ready for anything–except the arrival of Donovan Whyte in his life. Sophisticated and dazzlingly handsome, Dondi quickly becomes the center of Thomas-Edward’s universe, introducing him to a world full of drama, passion and feuding families.
When their relationship fizzles, they remain uneasy friends until Dondi invites Thomas-Edward to his family’s summer-house. Thomas-Edward is immediately attracted to Dondi’s mysterious brother, Matthew–and finds himself hopelessly drawn to both men.
As time passes, Thomas-Edward develops a unique bond with both brothers as they orbit around each other, although he knows only one of them can be his lifelong love. Will the three of them be able to find a way to hold on to each other? Or will love, its loss and the threat of death destroy their connection once and for all?
Review: When Thomas-Edward heads off to college and meets Dondi he is swept away into a world that he never even suspected exists. Dondi is wealthy beyond anything he has ever seen before and wants nothing more than to spoil his new roommate. Dondi is not only wealthy, but charismatic, passionate, and totally uninterested in settling down or finding true love. They engage in a brief romantic involvement but their relationship quickly settles into one of a more platonic nature. There are definite deep feelings between the two of them but they avoid the passion, jealousy, and romance of a true relationship. Thomas-Edward becomes quite a fixture at Dondi’s family home and while Dondi is off traveling and bed hopping, deep feelings begin to grow between him and Dondi younger brother Matthew. As the bond deepens between Thomas-Edward and Matthew, Dondi’s lifestyle is starting to catch up with him and the triangle they have formed begins to break down.
I was a little bit uncertain when I first began this book because the writing style is different than I am used to. The author tells the story in snippits….you will read about a weekend or a month at school and then skip ahead a bit to a new situation at a different time in the story. At first, it seemed a bit choppy but I found myself unable to put the book down. I *HAD* to know how the friendship between Thomas-Edward and Dondi developed. I needed to know if Matthew and Thomas-Edward finally admit their feelings toward one another. I was intrigued by Dondi’s family’s dynamics and the wealthy lifestyle they lived. As the book progressed, I needed to find out how Thomas-Edward, Matthew, and Dondi all handled the issues that were thrown in front of them at every turn.
I don’t want to give away what happens in this book, but I will say that I was in tears and wanted to throttle the author for the plot twist that ruined the triangle that Dondi, Thomas-Edward and Matthew had formed together.
I don’t think any review will do justice to this book. It is a page turner and a tear jerker and definitely NOT your typical male/male romance book. If you are looking for a book that will be emotional rather than passionate, this is definitely the book for you
Blurb: For the past four years, Dr. Jason Finely and Colonel Rick Tennant have served on the Union space station Argo as its chief science officer and military commander. Jason is the brains, Rick is the brawn. They have become good friends, but Jason wants more.
Jason is a brilliant scientist, but his lack of confidence leaves him unlucky in love. And Rick is so committed to his job he’s oblivious that his best friend’s feelings for him go beyond friendship.
When Rick finally shows interest in him, Jason is thrilled. Then he discovers Rick’s sudden attraction may be the result of a threat to Rick’s life. If Jason hopes to discover the truth, first he’ll have to save his friend
Review: Jason Riley is a very smart guy and mostly happy with his job. It’s interesting and gives him the adventures he never knew he wanted. Jason secretly pines for Colonel Rick Tennant, his best friend and the man in charge of keeping him safe. Rick through Jason’s eyes is a beautiful and amazing soldier who would never give him the time of day. The author told us it’s because Jason prefers men and he thinks he’s beneath Rick’s notice as a possible lover. This I had a hard time believing because Jason never seemed shy or lacking in confidence. I could buy him thinking Rick wasn’t gay but nothing actually happened in the book to portray him as a ladies man. It was referred to that he had dated woman in the past but that was it. It was one of those instances where we were told one thing and the characters seem to tell another.
Rick’s character was more likable to me. He was a good guy and a good leader who cared about his people. Though he tried to keep his emotional distance from his new team he spends his private time seeking out Jason. It’s friendly things like playing chess or watching movies but he it’s usually with Jason. To anyone watching them the relationship would seem like a friendly one. Rick feels responsible for Jason and even though Jason is very important to Argo, the space station, it’s more than just work. He does care.
Blurb: Ben Walsh is well on his way to becoming one of Manhattan’s top litigators, with a gorgeous boyfriend and friends on the A-list. His life is perfect until he gets a phone call that brings it all crashing down: a car accident takes his parents, and now he must return to Austin to raise three teenage brothers he barely knows.
During the funeral, Ben meets Travis Atwood, the redneck neighbor with a huge heart. Their relationship initially runs hot and cold, from contentious to flirtatious, but when the weight of responsibility starts wearing on Ben, he turns to Travis, and the pressure shapes their friendship into something that feels a lot like love. Ben thinks he’s found a way to have his old life, his new life, and Travis too, but love isn’t always easy. Will he learn to recognize that sometimes the worst thing imaginable can lead him to the place he was meant to be?
Review: This is one of my favorite types of stories. A tragedy, big family and adjustment into a new life promise excitement as well as an interesting read.
This time I was a bit reluctant to let my heart into the drama, but just meeting the brothers was enough to put me at ease. Ben lost it all in a heartbeat. His parents died in an accident leaving his three brothers alone and forcing him to leave his career and move back home.
It’s not a perfect situation, but the more time Ben spends with his brothers more he realizes what he’s been missing by keeping his distance. There is also a small matter of an intriguing neighbor Travis, someone his family accepted into their fold and who his brothers just love. Well, they weren’t the only ones. It didn’t take me long to adore Travis, the way he speaks, acts, and just that big heart of his and the need for a family. He is probably one of the best characters in the book, but I’m not the only one who loved him, and unlike me and my love for fictional characters, Ben also had to make peace with his previous life and this new one, where choices not only impacted him, but also his family.
The reason why I’m taking half a star away is the way Ben acted in certain situations. I did like him and he impressed me more than once, but in those situations where he could have acted differently, with more consideration, he chose to show his teeth or just dismiss the other person. It was not a quality I appreciated and I definitely thought his victim deserved better.
The Nothingness of Ben is a family oriented story, where boys rule the adults and the adults do their best. The Ben/Travis pairing really worked for me, especially with the whole ‘different worlds’ aspect of their relationship. It had the perfect parts of sweet, funny and romantic combined in what amounted to a great love story.
This is a book I recommend without reservations and an author I will probably stalk when it comes to future books. Great job.
Blurb: Cam still has the scars from his time as a slave mining malleum, a metal as strong as steel and as pliable as human flesh. His talent for fixing machines was his ticket out of that hell, but when he’s ordered to repair a malfunctioning android and instead falls in love, Cam discovers it’s his own shattered spirit that needs mending.
Sunshine’s “flaw” is that he has a personality and free will, traits that interfere with his role as the perfect, obedient worker. They also make him smart, sweet, and sexy as hell. Sunshine is determined to pursue a relationship with Cam, no matter what it takes. No penis? No problem! He’s made of malleum, and he can modify his anatomy to meet Cam’s deepest desires. The hard part is getting Cam to admit what he really wants.
Meanwhile, Cam’s boss expects him to complete repairs on the new worker prototype. It’ll be the mines for Cam and the scrap heap for Sunshine unless they can outwit a corporation founded on slavery and prove that even in the most unexpected places, love flourishes, transforming not just one wounded man, but also a whole world.
Review: Cam is a slave who has been rescued from the mines only because of his mechanical acumen. He is now all alone on a moon where he fixes, invents and updates whatever his jailers send him. When he is sent a malfunctioning android, he makes a startling discovery and he begins to want something that scares him to death. Sunshine (SNSH1.9 android) doesn’t want to die again. He isn’t malfunctioning he is just fine. When he meets one of the Olbrans and begins to learn new things, he discovers that he will do anything for Cam.
This is a great science fiction story where a corporation has taken over the universe, enslaving entire planets for their own financial gain. Cam suffered for four years in the mines, before it was discovered that he would be more useful working as a technician and inventor. When Sunshine is sent to him for repair, Cam discovers that he wants to forget the fear and abuse and have something more. Sunshine just wants to live. Discovering Cam isn’t like any of the Hanovan, he begins to trust him, and it isn’t long before he discovers new feelings. Between Cam and Sunshine they have to work out a way to give the Hanumans what they want. But, when they do Sunshine finds out the truth, and it’s down to Sunshine and Cam to save an entire planet.
This is a story that gives the imagination food for thought. What happens when a greedy company decides to take over the Universe? What happens when you program an android, but the programming takes on a mind of its own? And what happens when a brilliant technician and an android falls in love? This is a great storyline. It has wonderful world building and a fantastic romance and while some of this book is quite funny. There is also a serious aspect with Cam’s mental and emotional recovery after years of abuse. The storyline of how Cam’s and other races were taken and forced into servitude is interesting and Cam and Sunshine’s solution is brilliant.
Sunshine is a sweet loveable character and watching him grow as a person as he learns more and discovers more about himself is a wonderful experience. Seeing how he is with Cam is beautiful. Cam is a great character who has a lot going for him. He has a lot of scars both on the outside and the inside, but with Sunshine’s love he begins to heal. The sex between them is hot, but watch out for the detachable penis *snigger* (no, I am not twelve, but it is funny). I really did enjoy this book, but I did feel like the end was over very quickly. It all happened so fast, but saying that nothing was missing… I just wanted it drawn out more.
I am recommending this to those who love science fiction and space opera’s, android loving, cute technician’s, hot sex, slavers getting what they deserve and a very happy ending.
Blurb: Harper Cole may look like a best-selling author doing research for his next book, but underneath it all, he is a badass Dom and ex-rock star looking for a sub. When he meets a sexy stripper at the local gym, he uses the pretense of doing research for his next erotic novel to get close to the delicious man.
To the world Flame is a self-confident male stripper and acclaimed modern dancer, but deep down, he carries a crippling secret that stops him from trusting anyone. When Harper saves him from a life-threatening attack, Flame starts to open up, and even though his vanilla preferences don’t exactly match with Harper’s plans, he finds himself attracted to the big Dom.
Their worlds collide, leaving both men reeling. Harper is determined to show Flame the benefits of taking a ride on the wild side, but Flame cannot trust his heart to another man. What will it take to bring these two men together? It’s up to Harper, as the Dom, to make it happen… if it’s possible at all.
Review: Seriously, a Dom, best-selling author and an ex-rock star paired up with a sexy stripper and you can’t help but wonder what’s the catch, because it just can’t be as good as that.
I went into this book full of expectations, but it didn’t take all that long to realize I would have an issue with the writing. As soon as Hunter sees Flame, the dancer, he knows he would have him and despite everyone telling him Flame is out of his league and not into the lifestyle; Hunter is persistent enough to get what he wants.
The initial chemistry appealed to me, and I found myself enjoying the sparks between the characters and Hunter’s charm. But every once in a while he would come out with a statement that would just rub me the wrong way. I ignored it for the most part, but by the end of the book I had an opinion of him and it definitely influenced my rating.
Now, the writing style didn’t suite me at all as it happens sometimes, and I found the characters to be too conflicting. They switched from serious to dramatic when it came to Flame and as for Hunter, he was a real Dominant who lived the lifestyle one moment and then someone out of control of his emotions and with a too old-fashioned attitude when it came to subs. I think I probably disliked Hunter more, with his pushy personality and pompous behavior when in my opinion he had very little to offer. The whole conflict/hostage thing seemed over the top and more like a script to one of the old action movies than something to be taken seriously. I loved the starting heat between the guys, but as the story moved one and their character quirks came to the surface neither of them was convincing to me anymore and I lost the little interest I still had in the book.
The appearance of the side characters bored me to be honest. Their dynamics seemed all wrong and I just didn’t want to read about them. But that’s just another little detail among many that got to me in Hurt Me Good.
I don’t have much experience with this author’s work, but the one story I’ve read seemed more solid and it definitely had more defined characters. I’m thinking I’ll just write this down as a venture into something different, and hope for a much better next book.
Blurb:Christmas, a time for friends, family and roaring fires. Unfortunately Dominic faces the festive season alone with a blocked chimney. A soot-haired sweep, an exploding flue and an uncooked turkey. It’s an unholy trinity. This year Christmas might be perfect.
It’s Dominic’s first Christmas since his divorce and, though he’s spending it on his own, he’s determined to have a traditional Christmas morning, including a roaring fire.
Which is why Reagan, a soot-haired chimney sweep, is head and shoulders up Dominic’s flue.
Unable to take his eyes off Reagan’s low-slung jeans and enticing arse while he sets about the hearth with rods and brushes, Dominic knows five years is a long time to have an obsession with the man who sweeps his chimney every Christmas.
This year there’s nothing to stop Dominic from acting on his desires.
But Dominic will need to stop hiding who he really is before a special sweep can light a fire in his heart.
Review: Dominic is celebrating Christmas this year alone. The first since admitting that he is gay and he has a Christmas tradition that he has to keep, the cleaning of his chimney and clandestine leering of the chimney sweeps arse. Reagan has visited the Pearson’s every Christmas to clean their chimney and this year Mr. Pearson is all alone. Reagan is tempted by his fantasies, but Dominic is straight… right?
This is a very sweet novella that touches your heart with gentle understanding and hidden passions. Dominic married to please his father, but now he is divorcing to please himself. For the last five years he has fantasized about Reagan the chimney sweep and this year, if he can take his courage in two hands he will approach the man of all his fantasies. Reagan is thrown into confusion when Dominic, one of his customers, starts to act a little strange, when he receives a phone call in the middle of the night with a drunken confession, it looks like all his fantasies could come true.
Reagan and Dominic are two really nice characters, who add a great touch of sweet innocence to this story of a man who doesn’t just have his first real gay experience but also the beginning of his first real love. Dominic is ashamed that he caved in and married because his father wanted him to. He doesn’t believe that a man like Reagan would ever want him and that shines through in how he acts towards Reagan. He is unsure and kinda shy. Reagan is a great character. He might have the hots for Dominic, but that doesn’t mean that he will take advantage. He is an absolute sweetheart, he gives Dominic the time he needs and doesn’t push.
The sex between them is touching and gentle. Dominic has fumbled around a bit with men, but he is very skittish and Reagan eases him; taking it slowly and what we receive is a drawn out loving, gentle, slightly erotic foreplay which takes us to the beginning of some hot sex. These two men may walk different paths in life but they are a well suited couple, and the connection between them is quite electric.
I will recommend this to those who love gentle love stories, romantic beginnings and some sweet loving.
Blurb: Police detective Kaname Mori goes to the rescue of Hideki Shimizu after seeing him being brutally beaten by a gang of thugs. After taking the young man back to his home to administer medical assistance, Kaname learns that Hideki is not only a host at a local club, but also the son of a Japanese ambassador. After releasing Hideki to his family, Kaname returns to his normal life. But two months later, he receives a call from the ambassador that Hideki has disappeared and he wants to hire Kaname to find him.
Straight-laced Kaname goes undercover into the notorious red-light district of Tokyo and enters Haruka, a club swimming in gorgeous male hosts willing to spend time with him for the cost of a bottle of champagne. Will Kaname find Hideki or will he get swept up into the world of desire and sin?
Review: At first glance, Crimson Butterfly has all the predispositions for being one of those books that will be talked about and that just stand out. The culture combined with cops and rent boys and you pretty much have an m/m reader’s wet dream. In most cases anyway.
Kaname is a cop who one night, when off duty, stumbles on a young man being beaten. He helps him out and takes him home. Eventually, finding out that Hideki’s father is an ambassador and that Hideki himself is a host in a gay club. While they part ways in that occasion, later on they meet in similar circumstances, where Kaname is again coming to the rescue and Hideki starts showing his first signs of what I can’t call anything different than bratty behavior.
While I did like the setting and thought the book has potential, the characters kept putting me off, and I couldn’t get into the story as much as I would have liked.
I found Hideki to be a spoiled brat who flipped from serious to childish way too often. His behavior, as well as life choices, rubbed me the wrong way. But, his relationship with Kaname during the first half of the book seemed so indecisive I was convinced Kaname would go for Hideki’s friend, Kei. Kaname, on the other hand, seemed like an alright character at first, but I couldn’t connect with his personality at all. In this one scene, somewhere at the middle of the book, where he proclaims he’s not gay I kept expecting him to start laughing at the joke because seriously, from the first pages, his thoughts and descriptions of men certainly didn’t scream straight. In addition, the plot jumped too much for my taste without anything specific standing out or being well worked through.
I do like my books to be a bit more solid and a lot more conclusive. I guess I just prefer it to the point and straightforward instead of too many unnecessary flips. So, while I did like the writing and thought the book interesting, overall I expected a lot more.
Blurb: Maccabe Fried and Josh Segal have nothing in common, but they’ve been friends forever. Maccabe is an athlete with dreams of playing professional baseball. Josh is a good student with dreams of being with Maccabe. Then both dreams come true.
Maccabe and Josh fall into a passionate long-distance romance, and after years of hiding from the world, Josh wants to bring their relationship into the open. When Maccabe refuses, Josh is faced with a tough decision: stay with the man he loves or live the life he deserves. Somebody’s bound to get hurt, but in the season of miracles, there’s always hope for a happy ending.
Review: Maccabe and Josh are two different boys, one enjoys sports while the other prefers band and school but they are best friends and their families are close. Maccabe and Josh embark on a passionate relationship, but life gets in the way and when Josh has had enough and wants to come out to his family Maccabe isn’t supportive and Josh has to make a choice… stay buried in the closet so Maccabe’s sporting chances aren’t affected or being true to himself and maybe lose the man he loves.
This is a very sweet story that covers several years and is from Maccabe’s POV. Maccabe and Josh are best friends even though they are very different. When Maccabe realizes that his feelings for Josh have changed he pulls away. The next time they celebrate a family gathering, Maccabe acts on his attraction and it is the beginning of a passionate affair, but when Josh makes it known that he wants more Maccabe makes a mistake. Josh makes his choice which affects both of them and several years later when Maccabe learns the truth he sets out to bring Josh home where he belongs.
I loved the way that this story was spread over several years as these two families, the Fried’s and the Segal’s, celebrate Hanukah together, seeing not just the main characters but how they are each year with their families and the interaction between them all. Maccabe has one dream, to make it into Major League baseball and even though he cares deeply for Josh nothing is going to risk his chance. Josh wants Maccabe more than anything, but hiding is making him unhappy. Josh wants more, but Maccabe’s reaction tells him everything he needs to know. Misunderstandings and over-reactions are abound which makes an interesting story, but don’t miss the sister’s interactions, they are brilliant.
This isn’t a story where there is a bad guy or anyone taking advantage. It’s a story of two young men discovering what they want and of one young man missing what he is being told and how he reacts. Maccabe finds himself missing the obvious, until it suddenly hits him and his reaction makes up for him being clueless for so many years. Josh never expected what happened and his reaction to everything was completely understandable. I mean, damn, after two years the words “I’m not gay” must have been a smack in the face. Seeing these two men together is really sweet and we see some foreplay which is hot, but this is more about getting together, losing each other and then finally finding each other again.
I will recommend this to those who love sweet love, hopeless men, hot loving, hunting down love, tight-knit families and a very happy ever after.
Publisher: Victoria Zagar (Self Published) (6th June 2012)
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥3 ½Hearts
Reviewer: Pixie
Blurb: The year is 2243. Mankind has reached for the stars, creating colonies on Titan and the cold, distant Nereid. Where man goes, war follows, and now two factions warring on Earth have taken their cultural and religious war into space in hopes of dominating Earth’s global government, the Assembly. On one side stands the Moral League, a loose grouping of religious nations and moral conservatives whose aim is to destroy the Freedom Alliance, a group of progressive nations who they claim are leading the human race towards destruction.
Rejected by his family for his homosexuality, Samuel Walden finds himself joining the Alliance’s Space Force. Posted to the fleet’s flagship, the Northampton, Sam meets the ship’s crew officer, Major Tom Averay, and the two embark on a relationship that will change their lives. Love, war, humanity, friendship, sacrifice and death weave through this action-packed romantic novel. Will Sam and Tom work out their feelings in the midst of darkness and uncertainty? Will the Alliance survive against crushing odds to preserve the human rights it stands for?
Review: Many years into the future war starts on Earth and ends in space. Two factions are fighting for control; the Moral League, a group of religious fanatics who want a moral world and the Freedom Alliance, who just want progression and to love whom they wish. Sam joins the Alliance Space Force when his family throws him out for being gay. When he meets Tom, an officer on the Northampton, the Alliance’s flagship, and they embark on a relationship that will change their lives.
This is a well put together science fiction story that is filled with danger and love. Sam embarks on a life change when his family throws him out for being gay. He joins up with the Alliance to fight for the right to love whomever he wishes. When he arrives on the Northampton and sees his commanding officer, Major Tom, for the first time, the man takes his breath away. Tom fights his attraction for the new recruit, Sam, but before long they both realize that what they feel cannot be pushed to the side and together they fight for freedom and love.
I really enjoyed this story of a global war that was taken into space. a religious fanatical group deciding that the world should worship God to extremes and denying many of the things that had progressed throughout the years, like gay rights and on the other side we have a group that doesn’t want to return to the dark ages and who continue to fight even when the losses are great and the future looks bleak. When I first met Sam, I really wasn’t sure of him as a character. He seemed too easily star struck, but as I got further into the book he seemed to mature rather quickly and became a man of strong character. Tom is a character who has already lived through love and loss, through war and devastation so he has a character that is rock solid.
Although this has a strong storyline of fighting for basic human rights, throughout the entire story there is also the story of friendship and love. Each plot compliments the other weaving a strong story of standing up for what you believe, but with also the small tale that no matter what, there are some things that never change and you will see that in Gracie’s situation. There is lots of action of space fights, death, captures, escapes, reunions and love, and it lulls you into a sense of devastation before rescue comes from a very unlikely source… this is a story that eases you in and then won’t let go.
I recommend this to those who love science fiction, fighting for freedom, fighting for love, space fights, escapes, danger and a very happy ending.
Title: 100 Days to Christmas
![Bianca's Plan by B.G. Thomas[4]](http://mmgoodbookreviews.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/biancas-plan-by-b-g-thomas4.jpg)
