Blurb:Ladomer’s first experience with vampires instilled a deep hatred—an emotion he gladly uses to bring destruction to the beasts that can’t be purged from his memory. Hunting alongside the compelling man who saved his village, Ladomer and Zor are ruthless in their quest to stop the growing threat. When a new call pulls them deep into Eastern Europe, Ladomer learns anew just how cruel vampires can be—and how much deeper love can go.
Review: Ladomer’s brother is killed by a vampire saving him when he is a small boy he goes on to fall in love and travel with a vampire slayer.
I really loved this. The vampires in here are evil but the hunters; well Zor and Ladomer are so likeable. I loved the sweet but intense romance between Zor and Ladomer and the twists were nail-biting. I loved it and hope there is more!
I recommend this to anyone that likes short but sweet romances with evil vampires and a satisfying end.
Blurb: Pasha Batalov has lived his whole life doing what a good son is expected to do. He dropped out of school to help run the failing family restaurant, and ever since he’s put up with his difficult business partner, who also happens to be his father. And, of course, he keeps his sexual orientation a secret from his conservative Russian family. After being closeted costs him his first serious relationship, Pasha resigns himself to one-night stands and loneliness.
But after a chance encounter with lost delivery truck driver, Daniel Englewood, Pasha starts to question all of his assumptions about life. Daniel is sweet, funny, smart, drop-dead gorgeous—and for the last six years, he’s been living with HIV. Pasha worries that he won’t be strong enough to help Daniel if HIV turns to AIDS, but he can’t walk away from their deepening attraction. He also doesn’t know if he can be strong enough to face the hardest task that a relationship with Daniel demands: coming out to his family and friends, and risking losing everything else he holds dear.
Review: I read this book without reading the blurb first, which allows me more twists and turns. The book unfolds with the primary focus being on Pasha and his family situation; his life being chained to the restaurant, his secret and how angry he is that he lives in the closet, how he uses sex to cope with that anger. This is a story where I wished Pasha had made the choice to come out, not to have it happen by chance. But really making out with his boyfriend in the driveway was inviting discovery wasn’t it?
This book is about the fears and dangers of coming out, and with that coming into your own strength. No longer hiding means making a claim and standing by it, no longer living with the burden of carrying that secret. But once past the first secret, Pasha then needs to decide if he is strong enough to carry the responsibility of standing by Daniel’s side. can he be the partner he needs to be? Is he strong enough?
There are many smaller dramas along the way in this book, from gay bashings, to family illness, and other failing family relationships. Pasha sometimes stumbles through these things as we all do, and other times he takes control, makes difficult decisions, and makes the reader proud!
As far as sexual content goes, the encounters Pasha has before Daniel are rather explicit, fast and furious. The encounters between Pasha and Daniel are slower, more seductive, and passionate.
There are many obstacles to overcome in this book, and both Daniel and Pasha seem to do a god job handling them. I’m sure this is only part of the story, while we are left with a happy ending, there are many problems foreshadowed in the book.
I think next we will see more of Pasha and Daniel reinventing the restaurant, handling Pasha’s mother, Daniels’ family, and their growing relationship. And I’m eager to read all about it!
Publisher: Siren-BookStrand, Inc. (June 23rd, 2012)
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥3 Hearts
Reviewer: Lisa
Blurb: Claim or cower? Tainted by his mother’s machinations, Paris Marrow blames himself for her actions and seeks redemption. The only one who believes in him is his mate, Jace Wade. However, Jace is all too aware of Paris’s emotional vulnerability and is reluctant to force Paris into a connection he might not be ready for. At the same time, Paris feels unworthy of the other wolf’s affection, the mistreatment, and loneliness of his childhood overcoming his sense of self-respect.
Even as the two wolves bond, their future remains threatened by their past. Paris and Jace embark on a quest to find Paris’s mother and her warlock ally. But the warlock’s plan is far more sinister than any of them expected. Paris will have to face his own fears, and fight for his soul mate. Can he find the necessary strength? Can Jace’s love wipe away the doubts and pain in Paris’s soul?
Review: I found myself enjoying this book a little more than the others. It had a way about it that intrigued me. Paris conceived through a one-night stand. Feeling guilt, he wants to help his newfound family. Jace just wants to help his mate realize his potential and to help him understand he has no guilt to feel. To help Paris heal from the betrayal of what one would call a mother.
The feelings came out more honest and sincere. There is so much hatred for other species, that they know there will always be unease with their mating and the others they have come to call family.
The story line for this one is pretty good. To stop the dangers that are on fronts including the future of a child not yet born. The plot for this book is pretty good, actually had me on edge to see what was going to happen next.
Jace and Paris actually come off more real to me. They are going through what all young lovers do. The uncertainty of all that is around them, but one thing that they know is real is their feelings for each other. Jace has to remind Paris to live in the now and not in the past. His love for his mate shows in wanting to prove to Paris that he is worth more than he thinks.
Their attraction for each other just bounces out to you from the beginning. You just know that they are going to steam the mirrors up when they get together.
Reclusive comic book artist Trip Spector spends his life doodling super-square, straitlaced superheroes, hiding from his fans, and crushing on his unattainable boss until he meets the dork of his dreams. Silas Goolsby is a rowdy FX makeup creator with a loveless love life and a secret streak of geek who yearns for unlikely rescues and a truly creative partnership.
Against their better judgment, they fall victim to chemistry, and what starts as infatuation quickly grows tender and terrifying. With Silas’s help, Trip gambles his heart and his art on a rotten plan: sketching out Scratch, a “very graphic novel” that will either make his name or wreck his career. But even a smash can’t save their world if Trip retreats into his mild-mannered rut, leaving Silas to grapple with betrayal and emotions he can’t escape.
What will it take for this dynamic duo to discover that heroes never play it safe?
Review: This book is written with style and sophistication. I like it when I can read a book and digest it many ways, literally, symbolically, metaphorically, with strong visualization, and I enjoyed this book in all of those ways. The author drew parallels between his comic book characters and the real main characters of the story, and not just in their visual details. The way the MC’s jobs in the creative industry were described, their daily work, the process of finding and getting paid for said work, was very convincing. The evil villains were very easy to hate, and the heroes very easy to fall in love with.
There were moments were I both loved Trip and wanted to slap some sense into him. Moments where I thought he was a narcissistic bastard, times where I had complete sympathy for him, and times where his sexual prowess was supercharged and surprising, in a great way! I loved the families and circle of friends that Trip was associated with. The Stone family was the best! I loved those parents and their very creative child, the interactions Trip had with them were an important and strong part of this story.
Just the names of the main characters alone (Spector, Goolsby, Stone, Bogusz, Staplegun…I mean Stapleton) gave me reason to snicker and smile. The way the words flowed, the way action was described and thoughts spooled out, had the same feel that the body copy of a comic book or “graphic novel” might.
The rich supporting characters of this story had me hooked too, I really want to know the story of Kurt and Ziggy, and they’ve got me captured! But the main gist is, two art geeks bring out the weaknesses and super powers in each other, and learn not to let their weaknesses tear them apart but to strengthen each other to fight the nemesis out in the world that would try to take them down. Their heat and passion are just a small part of this beautiful team. This is a must read book and not just for art geeks, but for anyone with a heart, and an open mind. Great job
Blurb: Photographer Dade Faber keeps hoping for assignments on a big city beat, but time and again he’s sent into the wild. This time, he’s half the world away from London shooting the Australian bush. When Dade is nearly attacked by a crocodile, it leads to a shouting match with Elliot Harris, who owns Dade’s hotel. Elliot is both hot and persuasive, and when he offers to play tour guide, Dade accepts. After a week spent mostly together in the bush, Dade begins to fall for Elliott. The attraction is mutual, and when circumstances lead both men to London, they find they have much in common. But can their romance bridge the 10,000 miles between London and the Australian bush?
Review: Warning: If you don’t know Aussie slang, the entire first chapter will leave you in a daze. But if you do, reading the witty repartee between the characters is very entertaining. But even if you don’t get it all, you’ll get the general gist of the slurs and put downs. The story starts with Dade and Elliot developing a friendship in Australia before going back to London. Dade is currently in a relationship which he realizes is going nowhere; and being with Elliot makes him realize that he should want more. Their time in London is enjoyable until events unfold that force the two men apart; and, it is Dade who must do what is necessary to bridge the gap if the two men are to be together.
The book is a short read that combines both a love story while also providing a guided tour through the Australian bush and the streets of London and that is pleasant to read, since it allows the reader a bird eye’s view of these two countries and cultures. The relationship between Dade and Elliot develops slowly (over two weeks in the story) and the reader is allowed to learn who these men are and learn to like them both. The story is littered with a lot of British and Australian slang, so much so, that it can get distracting at first, but it tapers off allowing the story to be easily read once the romance gets to London, serving as almost a distinction between the two countries and the shift in the men’s relationship. All in all, this is a satisfying bite of Anglo-Aussie love and a fun, engaging read.
Blurb: Mark O’Brien is finally being honest with himself. His relationship with Rachel is over and he’s moving out of the home they’ve shared for six years. They get along, but he can’t fix a relationship when the person he’s with is the wrong gender.
Jamie Robertson, one of the removal men, is huge and ridiculously gorgeous, and Mark is smitten at first sight. When a cardboard box splits, revealing items of a personal nature that Mark never wanted anybody to see, he’s mortified. But it sparks the start of a beautiful friendship with benefits.
As Jamie initiates Mark into the joys of gay sex, the two men get increasingly close and “nothing serious” turns into something rather important to both of them. But communication isn’t their strong point. Will either man ever find the courage to be honest about his feelings?
Review: Mark O’Brien is moving out of the flat he shared with his longtime girlfriend Rachel after finally admitting to himself that he is gay. When one of the movers accidentally drops a box and the contents spill out on the floor, Mark gets more than he bargained for.
Jamie Robertson helps his brother with his moving company for extra money while working his way through college. Jamie is quite open with his sexuality, polar opposite of Mark, but he’s still smitten with the slightly awkward and extremely sexy man. The two begin an unconventional relationship, sort of as friends with benefits, while Jamie teaches Mark the joys of gay sex. Soon both men’s feelings grow stronger, but both men are leery to tell the other, for fear of being rejected. After all, they agreed at the start that this was nothing serious.
This book was just kind of adorable. There was a bit of angst in the last half as Jamie and Mark both started falling in love, but wouldn’t tell each other. That drove me a little crazy. But the story line overall was heartfelt and endearing. Mark and Rachel were able to remain friends and confidants as they each ventured off into new relationships. Jamie’s family was completely accepting of his sexuality and therefore, completely accepting of Mark. And, oh my god, did these two know how to play each other like a violin! Very sexy and passionate love scenes scattered from start to finish.
Hopeless romantics rejoice, this is a fantastic love story with a HEA!!
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥3.5 Hearts (Should really be two stories)
Reviewer: Eli/Mandingo
Blurb: Thrown into circumstances beyond their imagining, Ray Connelly and Christopher ‘Viv’ Vivvens must step beyond their own lifestyles to survive the future. What started out with a small white lie and two men becomes more than either of them ever dreamed.
Ray and Viv learn that love isn’t always what they expect but in learning to deal with the road ahead, they realise change can be so worthwhile as they become a family in the greatest sense.
When an ex makes an appearance and tries to destroy their happily-ever-after, the guys need to find out if they have what it takes to beat the odds. With the help of family and friends, Ray and Viv fight their past demons to make their future even better than they ever thought possible.
Review: Let me start with the point that this is a long story. It is 451 pages and is much more than just a simple love story between two men. When it states that, it is the Connelly Chronicles, which is exactly what this is. Ray and Viv meeting and falling in love is the tip of the iceberg. There is a LOT of family in this book and readers should not for a minute lose track or they will be lost. I suggest a pad and pencil to keep all the players straight (so to speak). I will admit to an initial confusion when first reading. My disorientation was due to the story moving backwards and forwards between Viv and Ray’s perspective in the beginning which was a tad confusing. Novels in a single character’s voice are easier to follow; OR if using multiple voices, separate them by chapter or some other indicator, so that the reader is cued as to when the story will be in another character’s perspective.
So let’s summarize quickly then shall we. Viv is straight, or so he thinks and claims, and Ray has not come yet out the closet; but, they embark ‘fake’ relationship for reasons which I’ll allow the reader to explore. I experienced a believability issue here because both inexperienced men seemed too “okay” with the fake relationship, especially Viv, the straight man who can’t seem to keep his hands off the NOW newly out Ray. Yeah, issue with believability here. But it’s cute and so I kept reading. Ray is the super nice guy who allows the sexually oriented confused Viv to take advantage of the pretend boyfriend situation way too long. On the surface the pretend situation is cute until you realize that in Viv refusing to come out and admit his feelings for Ray, Ray is left in a situation where he’s marching to Ray’s tune. That is not a nice thing to do to anyone – but for the sake of literary love, we accept that this is part of the courting game of the two men. Then we move to my second bout with suspended disbelief: there is a LOT of hot kissing and making out between these two man-love virgins but it never leads to sex. Really? There is no way two sexually active and aware men are going to be naked in bed and sex isn’t going to happen EVEN if one claims to be straight but is wrapped around the other like a spider monkey. Men are basic – naked beside naked equals sex – Simple as that.
Finally we get to where Ray and Viv are in a “real” relationship and suddenly we throw in Viv’s ex trailer trash girlfriend who’s trying to create problems. Now I cannot even understand how she’s still in the picture with criminal act she committed. Thankfully someone got a clue and the law finally caught up in the story when she aimed to commit the same crime twice. By the time we wrap our brains around that, suddenly there are additional siblings, surrogate babies and families. Did I mention that it’s Ray’s ex and best friend who are the surrogates? The family confusion and cross-pollination friend dynamics I will leave to each reader to unravel, remember to keep the note pad handy; and, just be warned that even while there is an ‘ick’ and ‘squick’ quality to it all, it’s still sickeningly sweet.
There is a LOT going on in this book. Quite frankly it’s enough for two books. If this is a series, then the first book should have focused on Ray and Viv becoming a couple and then the second book on them becoming a family with all of the ensuing drama, especially since the second half of the book is written almost entirely from Ray’s perspective. There are several stories running concurrently but they all blend since the core of the second half of story is about Viv and Ray building the Connelly family. There appears to be a sequel to the story called Beautiful Goodbyes, which I’m sure will begin with the cliff-hanger left at the end of this book (no spoiler alert here); and continue to be about Viv and Ray continuing the Connelly empire and the large group of friends and allies they’ve developed. The book is clearly a … saga.
The story has two distinctly different feels to it. The first half of the book is clearly the typical coming out story of two men who must find each other and their HEA. The second half of the book is what happens after the HEA when life happens and these men must manage some very fantastical situations. It felt a bit like I was living in a soap opera, with the number of over-the-top things which happen to this couple; yet through it all their love and family prevail. I have only one spoiler for readers: Think John and Kate plus 8. The whole story has an air of unbelievability to it, but its sweetness and the readers desire to see Ray and Viv together as they build this remarkable family make you forgive it and chalk it up to it being entertainment so realism can be tossed out the window.
Blurb Robert must care for his niece, Aimee, who is unaware he’s a witch of light. Darkness seeks to use her against him. On Samhain, the forces of light and dark will clash. Who will be the victor?
Robert unexpectedly finds he has to care for a niece he hasn’t been allowed to see in over a decade. Aimee is unaware that he is a Witch of Light, or that he even has a male lover, Leander, who is also his familiar. As Samhain approaches, they have to find a way to complete their ritual while not revealing their true selves to Aimee.
Angry at being sent to stay with a man who hasn’t been in contact with her since she was a baby, Aimee is a target for the dark forces that seek to destroy Robert’s forest sanctuary.
On Samhain, darkness and light will clash. Who will emerge victorious?
Review: Robert’s sister sends his niece to stay with him a few weeks on a blood-bond, that he can’t let his niece know he is gay. This is a problem’s since his lover and husband lives with him they live in the middle of the woods and there is another reason I won’t tell you but it has to do with Samhain.
I loved this story. It was fun intriguing and sweet. I loved the intrigue that ensued between him and the witch of darkness. I also liked the way Aimee just fit in as much as she rebelled. I think this is a very fun story for a quick, fun, Halloween read. So grab a popcorn ball, cup of cocoa, and enjoy!
I recommend if you like Dark witches, light witches, familiars, fairies, rebellious teens and sex-magic.
Blurb:It’s the night before Halloween, which means its Devil’s night, and the EMS Heat Boys will have a lot of fires to put out in more ways than one.
It’s the night before Halloween, and in Michigan that can only mean one thing. It’s Devil’s Night, and the EMS community will be on high alert for arson and other acts of vandalism. Matt usually doesn’t mind overtime, but he hates this time of year because he knows they will be busier than ever, and he will see little of his boyfriend Lucas. But, as Matt finds himself in a situation more dangerous than ever, he wonders if he will see Lucas again. Will Matt be able to get out alive? Or is this one time where the Devil will win?
Review: Even though this is like 18th in a series, don’t let it scare ya off. It’s very stand-alone and very worth a read. Matt and Lucas have been lovers for a long time. Matt is a paramedic and Lucas an ER nurse. They both have to work the night before Halloween also known as Devils Night. Lots of crazy things happen on that night to keep them busy, but not so busy they can’t keep their hands off each other.
This is a really cute, sweet, crazy but hot story. I found it well written, with a bit of humour and very hot. The characters are all engaging the shenanigans on this night wild and whacky yet a bit creepy and the play between the en swoon worthy. The only issue I had is it seems every firefighter, nurse, doctor and cop in this and the neighbouring towns are gay men.
I recommend this if you want a fun hot Halloween read with paramedics, male nurses, firefighters and police.
Blurb: After years of saving every penny, Nathan has finally managed to buy the horse of his dreams. He’s looking forward to a summer of exploring the Colorado mountain trails above Tucker Springs with Tsarina. But on their very first ride, a motorcyclist makes a wrong turn, scaring Tsarina into bolting and leaving Nathan with a broken leg, a broken hand, and a ruined summer.
Ryan is a loner and a nomad, content with working odd jobs before moving on to the next town. Feeling guilty for causing the accident that leaves Nathan in two casts, Ryan offers to keep Tsarina exercised until Nathan heals.
Despite their bad start, Nathan and Ryan soon become friends . . . and then much more. But with a couple of nasty breakups in his past, Nathan doesn’t want feelings getting involved—especially knowing that Ryan will never settle down. But since when do feelings ever listen to reason?
Review: Fans of this series will instantly recognize Nathan, a staple throughout the series as Mike the acupuncturist’s man whore receptionist. After years of saving he’s finally able to achieve the dream of buying a horse. On their first ride together a careless motorcyclist causes an accident that leaves Nathan in two casts. So much for his fun summer breaking in his new horse.
Ryan sticks pretty close to Nathan after the accident, even after Nathan breaks his hand punching Ryan in the face! Feeling morose about the trouble he’s caused, Ryan offers to help Nathan train Tsarina since he can’t ride her with two full casts. A friendship develops between the unlikely coupling, and soon they find themselves not only spending more and more time together, but looking forward to this time as well.
When they finally get past the getting to know each other and find their way to the bedroom, that first night is a thing of beauty that is followed up by many more. But Nathan has convinced himself this is just a fling since Ryan will be leaving soon, or will he? When Ryan hints that he might want more from their relationship, Nathan pushes him away, hard. Nathan soon realizes he was wrong to think that Ryan was anything like his past boyfriends, but the damage has been done, and it may not be repairable.
Witt delivered a solid, romantic love story with just the right amount of angst and emotion. Nathan went from being a ho in the earlier books in this series, to an almost shy and uncertain ML. His dry, witty sense of humor that included a snarky inner monologue cracked me up. Then you have Ryan who you just knew was going to be the knight in shining armor from the start, walking around with his heart on his sleeve the entire time.
This is a must read for fans of this series, author and genre. Emotionally charged, sensual and passionate sexual escapades abound in this book. I went back and read their first time twice, it was just … magic!
Blurb: Life is good for Adalbert “Doll” Klein. He has his beautiful sexy Italian, Vittorio Genovese, by his side; he has his pennyfarthing and his job at the Arabesque Theatre. The only wrinkle is the presence of Myron Cornwinkle, who has designs on Vittorio, but the man has no chance. Doll owns Vittorio’s heart.
Doll sneers at Myron’s claims of being a wizard. Until the day, he goes to work and his whole world changes. Myron pulls his wand and casts a spell, and suddenly, all three of them are stuck in prehistoric ages!
Is there a way to undo what Myron has done and return to where they belong? And if Myron doesn’t clean up his act, will he survive the experience?
And is there something lurking in the jungle that might be even worse than the dinosaurs?
Review: I will have to admit to having a hard time with this story. While a time frame was never given, it is set in the time of silent movies, but a gay relationship is accepted and then there was the magic of Myron added to the mix. Things of this nature as well as the mix of German words thrown in, for me, made it hard to read and follow the story. That said, there were several very enjoyable and even funny moments. And the characters were quirky, but overall well-rounded as people. The story itself flowed along, moving at a nice pace from start to finish.
Doll and Vitto together, are a committed pair, happy with each other, their jobs and their lives. The only problem is a co-worker of theirs that wants Vitto for himself. Doll rolls his eyes at Myron and his claim of being a wizard, until the day Myron uses his wand to zap them to a time in the land of dinosaurs. What follows is a series of Myron’s mistakes and triumphs using his magic. One of which is Myron’s zapping a monkey type creature, who turns into a more human type creature they all name Charlie. Charlie then leads them on a journey to the Professor in the hopes that he can get Doll, Vitto and Myron back home to their time.
Can Myron and the Professor get them back to the right time? Will Charlie make to the future as a human? Because staying in the time of the dinosaurs is not an option, history says so. The dinosaurs no longer exist in the time the characters live. So history will repeat itself.
The ending leads me to believe there may be another book coming that will pick up where this one ends. To say anymore would be giving spoilers.
Blurb:Angelo is the right hand problem solver for Broodmaster Ardoin Baptiste. He loves the hunt and thrives on the kill. Ordered to get rid of someone making Ardoin’s life difficult, he finds that the job is nowhere near as simple as it should be—and just how deadly a weapon love can be.
Review: Angelo is a vampire and a servant to Ardoin. Ardoin sends him on an errand to kill a man scalping on his territory. Angelo finds the job isn’t as easy as he thought and there are secrets behind it.
Oh, wow was this story fantastic. The twists and turns were a wicked dance! The vampires here definitely do not sparkle but man is the intriguing and hot. I loved how the author compares each move to a dance, because man was it ever a dance of death! Be sure you have time when you begin this because you will not want to stop once you start. I loved the wit and charm this author has setting her story and characters and the way Angelo answers his own thoughts. I found the story beautiful, powerful intriguing and hot!! What a lovely way to keep warm on a cool night!
I highly recommend this if you like a different and not so sparkly take on vampires, a twisted love story and plenty of twists and turns and a provocative dance!
Blurb:Can these two fall for one another while making hot, steamy…cider?
Tyler has a problem. He doesn’t have the funds to cover his fraternal dues this year and needs to find a job. After going to his fraternity treasurer, Mitch, Tyler finds himself working with Mitch’s hot twin brother, Sawyer.
Sawyer has had a crush on Tyler since he first saw the man at his twin’s crazy fraternity. When opportunity arises for the two to work together at the cider mill, Sawyer won’t waste any time to ask Tyler out and hope the two will become more.
Will there be steamy feelings, and will they fall for each other?
Review: Tyler is in need of a job to make his frat dues. He has some good friends in his Frat and wants to keep his room. He also has a crush on His frat mate Mitch’s brother Sawyer. He is really excited when he finds his new job is working with the sexy swimmer Sawyer.
I have read a few of these stories from this series and find them all so refreshing. Don’t let that this is number 18 scare you off. They all stand-alone quite well. This is a great story for one of those times you want a sweet feel-good read. It’s like a warm cuddly blanket or a yummy soothing mug of hot cider (couldn’t resist).
I recommend this if you like a sweet romance with a happy end and a nice holiday themed story and apple cider and burnt donuts!!
Blurb: Raised in an orphanage after being found abandoned on the London docks as a newborn baby, without a known last name nor date of birth, Theodore has but one friend, Seth, a fellow orphan. Destiny takes Theodore away from Seth and back to the sea when he comes of age and is found an apprenticeship on a vessel in the English merchant navy.
Thor, as he becomes known aboard ship, soon falls for Miguel, the handsome boatswain. However, his life is turned upside down when their ship is raided. Miguel is torn from his life and Thor is taken hostage and forced into the life of a pirate aboard The Dragon. Both attracted to and repulsed by the evil Captain Wyvern, Thor finds the large dragon tattoo — the symbol of the rank of the ship’s captain — taking hold of him and binding him to the man.
Fate intervenes once more and Thor is elected captain of The Dragon when Wyvern is killed during a raid. Dismayed by Wyvern’s ruthlessness, Thor is determined to show humanity to those vessels his crew plunders now that he is in charge. But despite his growing wealth, power, and reputation, Thor is restless and unfulfilled. He feels his life is not yet complete and somehow reaches beyond the decks of the pirate ship he now captains.
A raid on a Dutch merchant ship brings yet another twist to Thor’s life when someone from his past is found on board. Thor now has to face hard choices, the most difficult of which involves deciding if he can leave the sea and make a new life on land with his rediscovered love. But with a price on his head and a large tattoo of a dragon on his body, can Thor escape his past life of a pirate?
Review: I love a good pirate story, and this is a great one! This fantastic read contains some dubious consent, some D/s scenarios, and a whole lot of adventure, bonding, love, and dedication.
It all starts out in a rather Dickens’s-like atmosphere, where an orphan finds work aboard a sailing vessel, and we know that experience will quickly make him into a man. Pirating eventually brings a better experience to Thor than sailing under His Majesty’s ships does, but when it his turn to lead, will he be swayed by greed, or will he lose what is most dear to him?
This story is packed with swashbuckling, looting, lost loves, highly charged sexual encounters, fear, disappointment, and forgiveness. There are moments sailing along with this adventure that I shouted, “No, not after all this effort, you can’t do this to him!” out loud, to a room full of family members. Yes, I was that enthralled. It really ends on a Moll Flanders flair, but if I say any more I give it all away.
I highly recommend this colorful sea-bearing story from Terry O’Reilly!
Blurb: In search of the finest produce for his seasonal pies, William Axel finds more than he bargained for when he returns to home to his childhood town.
Looking to procure the ingredients for his pies for his restaurant chain, William visits Heart’s Pumpkin Patch, the renowned home of the best pumpkins he has ever tasted.
Hoping to strike a business deal with the owner he discovers that the old man who owned the company has since passed away, leaving his son the business. William finds more treats than anticipated in the form of the young, but sexy Jared Heart, heir to the business.
Review: This is a very short seasonal story, not creepy or haunting, rather a romantic erotica.
William is a chain restaurant owner and after many years, he comes back to his hometown to make a deal with the man whose pumpkins are legendary. What was meant to be a business deal though turns more…
Jared is young a gorgeous. He’s charm is strong enough to seduce even the pickiest of them, and William is indeed very picky. However, this little “roll in the hay” turns out promising something more profound, something both men ling for.
And while this little story started promising itself down the road, it managed to become one of those I really don’t like. The only part I truly liked and had a touch of wickedness, playfulness, and Halloweenish about it was the starting scene of their “roll in the hay.” That tattoo was a naughty touch.
But things started turning shady when the first sex scene ended and the second one followed. No, it wasn’t the fact that they went immediately in round two that bothered me, that happens often and it is often quite sexy. However, the second scene included fellatio on the member that a couple of minutes previously went bareback at an un-douched rear end. I’m all for kink, honestly, I love kink, but I’m not sure this was intentional or somehow was overlooked. It managed to make me feel uncomfortable with it, as rare as it is for me to feel so.
Moving on, what was meant to be a trick or treat turned into a love is in the air romance. Such a short story, so unrelated scenes and emotions, such a lack of chemistry. Yes, it was lustful but romance so fast, that is simply not my kind of cuppa. Instant love? I’m just too cynical for that.
Blurb: Jonathan, a paranormal investigator, is hired to check out an abandoned asylum. The facility’s owner is positive that there are dozens of hauntings, but Jonathan is less optimistic–until he finds his very own ghost in the old morgue.
Jonathan comes to the Fletcher Lunatic Asylum to investigate reports of paranormal activity. The whole place gives him the creeps, but he needs to finish the case so the asylum’s ghost-obsessed owner stops bothering him. When the owner won’t go down into the basement of one of the buildings as he gives Jonathan the grand tour, Jonathan needs to find out why.
When Jonathan investigates, he finds a very real ghost haunting the old morgue. He’d expected that. He just didn’t expect that ghost to be so interactive.
Review: Well, it’s that time of the year when we celebrate Halloween and everything creepy, horrific, and/or haunted. Of course, I’d be reading stories in the spirit of the… dead…? Undead…?
Here we have Jonathan, a paranormal investigator, visiting on a business trip and Lunatic Asylum long closed and out of work. However the owner of the place can’t make use of it in any possible way because of… ghosts. He swears the place is haunted and Jonathan is going to have to prove it with facts.
While everything looks pretty normal around the Asylum things take a drastic change for the worse, or rather chilly, when he steps foot at the morgue. Paranormal activity-check! Creepy factor-check! Conversation with a ghost-check again!
What else is there to happen…?
So my impression was that this is a very decent little creepy story. It could be more, much more, but I suppose that was not the intension. The way the author tried to make a balance out of a dreadful ghost and romance blooming I thing she managed to write a tame sort of ghost story. That’s not to say I didn’t like it, I did, and boy did I enjoy our scary at first ghost Ernie. The way he used his… energy… yeah, that was cool and managed to bring some heat through the chills. My inner freak would have loved the scary factor to have been higher and higher, but don’t you mind me, I’m weird.
For all you who like ghost stories this one is recommended. It also has some logical king of explanation (sort of) on the how’s and why’s of an afterlife. Enjoy!
Blurb: As a teenager, Charlie “Chase” Rhodes meets Scott Boone and falls head over heels in love with the popular, athletic boy next door. Charlie thinks he’s living the dream when Scott says he feels the same way. But his dreams are dashed when Scott moves unexpectedly and doesn’t return.
Years later, Chase meets brash and confident Adan Navarro, who claims all he wants is a round between the sheets. When they’re still together after eight months, Chase is convinced Adan returns his love. But then the time comes to be open about their relationship, and Adan walks away instead.
Time heals all wounds, but when Charlie runs into Scott and Adan and realizes the only two men he’s ever loved are now in love with each other, his heart breaks all over again. Scott and Adan tell Charlie they want him back, but Charlie doesn’t know if he can trust two people who have hurt him so deeply. And even if he can, why would Scott and Adan want Charlie when they already have everything with each other?
Review:This story is part of a series but can be read as a standalone. Charlie (Chase) is just a teenager when he falls head over heels in love for the first time, and when Scott finally admits he feels the same Charlie thinks his dreams have come true. But, Scott transfers to another college to be closer to his new little sister promising to return but he never comes back. Years later Chase meets another man who captures his heart and Chase has high hopes, but those hopes are quashed when Adan shows his true colors by refusing to be open about their relationship. Things change for Charlie/Chase years later when he inherits new responsibilities and both Scott and Adan walk back into his life, time might heal wounds but when the loves of your life find love with each other and say that they both want you, the trust is hard to rebuild.
Cardeno C. hits the spot yet again with this new addition to the Family series, raising the heat level by giving us three hot men and a tricky love story, which has heartbreak and forgiveness. This is a wonderfully written story that has you leaving the comfort of a gentle sappy love story and plundering your emotions as we are taken on a whirlwind rollercoaster of Charlie’s love life. The story is written mainly from Charlie’s point of view, its a scrapbook of his life with him explaining each section and retelling what happened as though we are there watching. We also get Scott and Adan’s point of view during certain times and it helps us to connect to them and understand why they did the things they did, we also see clearly that they never stopped loving Charlie.
During this story you will be pulled in all directions, we feel the loss as Charlie loses his first love to distance and time, and then his devastation as he realizes his second love wasn’t what he first thought. We feel his love for two men that always lingers in his heart, then we feel his confusion and breathtaking heartache when he sees his two ex loves together and in love. We follow along as both Scott and Adan try to get Charlie to let down his walls to let them in, to accept the love that they still both feel for him and to regain the trust that they both trampled. The characters are perfectly written with each one having their own unique personality, they bring out the best in each other, what one lacks another makes up for.
This is a beautifully written story and a pure joy to read, the blending of a ménage relationship where they just slot together and become a whole was just perfect. I loved that Scott and Adan recognized that while their relationship was a happy one they still had something missing, something that would balance out two tops perfectly but that they weren’t ever going to settle for less than perfect. I loved that Charlie just didn’t dive headfirst into a relationship with two men even if he loved them, and that when the time came he worried over how it would work between them. And the sex oh boy, it’s steamy enough to make your temperature rise and erotic enough that you won’t miss a word.
I recommend that you get a copy of this book, lock your house down, curl up in a comfy chair, and read this wonderful story until your heart’s content.
Blurb: Jason and Anthony are in a rut, and Jason can admit their love life has been less than stellar lately. But Anthony’s birthday is coming up, so Jason plans the perfect party to spice up the night and their relationship — complete with a super hot dancer.
But by the end of the night, Anthony receives more than a few surprises. He and Jason meet Ruben, a sexy sports student, and the three of them instantly hit it off. Will Ruben come between the two lovers, or will he give their relationship the boost it so desperately needs?
Review: I normally love ménage, and while this was a fun one to read when it came down to it, it wasn’t as engaging.
We have two characters that are 40 and 35 years old. That alone would have me read it with more enthusiasm, as I do love mature couples; however, they didn’t quite make me feel their age. There were times that I thought that their behavior was mostly that of people on their late twenties. The chemistry between the two was also nonexistent and it failed to make me get into them as much. As the main couple failed that, so did the trio when they met. The whole situation had a feeling as if the entire plot was worked around their threesome rather than the other way around.
So in the end as much as the read was not bad, it was something I went all crazy for or even got enthralled with, but if you like a nice, fast ménage story, then you might want to give it a try.
Blurb: Wells thinks life is all work and no play, and Jaret thinks life is all one big party. When the tow clash, an attraction develops that nobody saw coming.
Jaret may be a paramedic, but that doesn’t mean he lets the everyday horrors he sees keep him down. Every day is a reason to party, and he always loves to be the center of attention. When he finds out that his new partner is Wells, the stuffy medic in the company, Jaret is less than thrilled.
But the longer they work together, the more Jaret finds himself drawn to Wells. Wells, on the other hand, seems not to even notice that Jaret is there. Will Jaret be able to attract Wells’ attention? Or do opposites really distract?
Review: The author does a skilful job of making the reader take a deeper look at characters in this story. Because on the surface, this story it looks like a story of opposites attracting. This story is really the case of a very shy Englishman not knowing how to relate to his fellow EMS workers. And the life of the party is covering a very caring heart that feels deeply.
When paired together, both Wells and Jaret think it’s a disaster waiting to happen, both giving it less than a shift to blow up. Both get on each other’s nerves until they get a call to rescue a very large diabetic woman, where each gets a look into the true heart and character of their new partner. Here starts the change of heart for both of them. This change in how they view each other continues when Jaret invites Wells to movie night with another co-worker Dallas. In the rash of calls that Jaret and Wells field, several are for over doses of a new drug called The Gate.
In between work and seeing each other, Jaret is dealing with his brother who is leaching off of him. Baby brother does nothing but drain Jaret’s money for clubbing every night. Wells along with everyone else sees this happening and Jaret knows he’s being used, but it’s his baby brother.
This was another fun, enjoyable read from this author. The writing flow, the characters have depth, the plot was a bit predictable but still well done.
Blurb: Though mortals have been convinced that God cares about their souls, nothing could be further from the truth. He created the world as a gift for his lover, Satan. But when Satan left him, he decided to end what he saw as his most grotesque creation.
Satan and his army of demons are man’s only hope…
The demon Kinzer and his lover, Janka, have been sent by Satan to spy on The Raze, a gang of rogue demons who are working with God to bring about Armageddon. When someone exposes their true allegiances, The Raze clips Kinzer’s wings and murders Janka. Kinzer manages to escape. He tracks down Satan’s allies to warn them about a mole in their midst when he learns that they’ve located the Antichrist—a powerful weapon that could prevent the apocalypse. Now, he’s on a mission to protect the Antichrist and avenge his lover’s death.
Review: My rating for Clipped is based on the out of the box take on God and Satan.
Clipped begins with human trafficking; rape; kidnapping, and implications of all of this done – primarily – to the underage. (I am still unsure of one of the human character’s age 17 OR 18) Topping it all off with a flashback incestuous child sex abuse – all within the first three chapters and doesn’t stop there.
There are few books that make my hard to read list and most of those are based on plot holes and bad writing. But Clipped made the hard to read list with only a one or two plot holes and some nice prose. There are many parts the writer included in the story, while providing realistic and believable backstory, story, and so on – that make Clipped very hard to get through.
Very rarely does one come across a story full of Masochists (those who enjoy sexual gratification or the tendency to derive sexual gratification, from physical and/or emotional pain) and no Sadists (those who enjoy sexual gratification or the tendency to derive sexual gratification, from giving physical and/or emotional pain). Yet almost every character in this tale is a Masochist. There is no BDSM, no D/s within these pages. Here there is only pain, abuse, rape, and torture being enjoyed by the victim.
This story could have been told with the inclusion of only half of the sexual scenes. Many times the scenes were announced and predictable. I will end my review here, lest I decide that I might have been too generous with this one, because I want to know what happened next in this adventure. I just don’t want to have to read through all of the ‘unnecessary-to-plot’-ness to get there.
Title: Thicker Than Water 
