Blurb:Forced to room with a student who hates him on sight, Seth’s expecting a rocky semester, and falling for the surly Gabe only adds to his troubles. Gabe’s past is full of secrets, a closed book, but can Seth find the way to Gabe’s heart by reading between the lines?
Previously published by Torquere in Kegs and Dorms (2008)
Review: The book starts one way and then veers off into an unexpected direction. Seth and Gabe are unexpected roommates with a love/hate relationship. Gabe loves to hate Seth. Seth sees Gabe as a puzzle to figure out and he begins his investigation to unravel the mystery. That leads him to discover violence in Gabe’s past; the discovery, however, still doesn’t allow he and Gabe to develop any kind of friendship. It will take a confrontation for both men to be able to be honest with each other and to admit their true feelings. Gabe must confront his past in and Seth must help him deal with the issues that have arisen from that.
This is a short story, but it manages to embrace the themes of homophobia, fear, violence and how the events of one’s life can haunt you if not confronted and dealt with. The reader knows that Seth and Gabe will get together and their fights, disagreements and squabbles are viewed as the necessary sexual tension required. When they do manage to get together, it doesn’t feel contrived and there’s a ‘realness’ to their conversation that is true to their age and their life experience.
As the story closes, this feels like a college relationship and not like it’s going to be an ever after story. But it is very appropriate for where Gabe and Seth are in their life. While I was expecting some ribald college romp, this story had a hidden depth to it that made it sincere in its effort to depict what life could be like for two young men in college in this position. I was pleasantly surprised by the content and while it has some angst to it, the ending with how Gabe and Seth had developed both a relationship and a friendship was a pleasant ending.
Blurb:Richard Forrest is your average working stiff just going through the motions. Childhood baggage keeps him “in line”, but away from some of the things he truly wants. Adrian, or Rain as Richard calls him, was one of those things. After nearly two years of separation, Richard bumps into Rain and their incidental meeting results in old emotions flaring to life for both of them despite everything in the way.
Rain’s free-spirited nature led him down a road of bad decisions that included drug use. This was ultimately the thing that separated the two of them in the past. Now a recovering addict Rain is trying his best to put his life back together. When Richard finds out that Rain is drug free he welcomes him back into his life and embraces who he truly is in the process. Everything moves forward in a fairy-tale manner until all too familiar behaviors start to resurface.
Can Richard and Rain work their way through this latest set of trials and tribulations? Will suspicion and fear tear apart what their love has finally stitched together?
Review: This is a story about what happens when love is accompanied by fear and no one talks about that fear. Addiction is real and for those who love a recovering addict, the fear of relapse is one that they live with constantly.
So Richard never admitted to himself that he was gay because of his upbringing. However, all his friends have always known that he was in love with Rain. Now that Rain is back and he and Richard are back together and officially in a relationship, Richard’s life can begin. However, can one always trust a former addict? Having denied his sexuality for so long, Richard’s relationship with Rain is very important to him. And he so he denies his fear of his boyfriend succumbing to being an addict, again. As such, rather than talking with his boyfriend, he will allow his fear to consume him until he creates issues where none need to be created.
The story is touching from a number of angles, the first being Richard’s inability to admit that he’s gay despite everyone knowing he is. It’s touching from the perspective of Rain’s devotion to Richard even when he didn’t know it. Then when coupled with Richard’s acceptance of his sexuality and feelings for Rain, the reader is touched on all those levels.
When Richard creates the breach in the relationship, the reader is not certain how Rain will respond. But, his acceptance of Richard’s fear and the reason behind it is further proof of the depth of the emotion between the men and how an addict must often be the first to forgive in order for them and their loved ones to move on.
A powerful story and message packed into only a few pages.
Blurb: Thatcher knows exactly what is expected of him. Good grades, good job, good wife. He’s supposed to check off the boxes to get the perfect life. Too bad he’s fallen for Peter, the big strong basketball star that can reduce him to a babbling, rock hard mess just by holding him down. It’s also too bad that Thatcher’s about to go too far to hide Peter, and Peter’s about to teach him what happens when he does.
Review: I found this book to be entirely sexy. I loved this book so much I’d read it twice. It was that great. I am not one for BDSM, but this book got me interested big tie. The way the characters went together was great. The creation and the strength of characters was a major strength in this book. The way the story flowed was more than good enough for my interest.
As far as the plot, solid. It was sexy, amazing, and then some. I found the plot to be a bit unoriginal but it worked out for the characters.
Blurb:Josh didn’t really want to go out for his birthday, but his friend Tony insisted. He can’t believe it when a hot guy hits on him and wants to go home with him! Roy is well-hung and worried about hurting Josh, but Josh insists he can take it. They have a great time together, but Josh has a nagging suspicion that Roy might not be telling him everything. This story is also available in the Take It Like A Man Anthology.
Review: The Take it like a Man Anthology is all about men who are well endowed and the men who love them. This slice of erotica focuses on a former chubby child who’s grown into an accomplished attractive attorney who doesn’t quite see himself that way. He’s set up for a date on his birthday and ends up spending an erotic night with a man with his own set of hang-ups. While everyone assumes that men like to be large, sometimes being big can be an issue and Roy and Josh must navigate through their erotic night to see if there’s anything else left after that.
Realizing that he was set up, which he is vehemently against, Josh refuses to see Roy again, but calmer heads prevail and the two men meet again for another night of passion. Roy is big, buff and hot, but more importantly, he’s hot for Josh. What’s not to love?
This is a short story designed to get the motor running for all size queens. It does that in spades.
Blurb: Allen Jameson had it all—the perfect house, the perfect partner, the perfect life—until his partner, Gary, died suddenly, leaving him alone in the real world, where life isn’t so pretty and people make mistakes. Now Allen is the owner of Sweet ‘n’ Sassy Cupcake Shop, a cute boutique downtown, where he invents delicious flavors like strawberry and French meringue. Between working long hours and making special orders, Allen barely has time to think.
Then a hunky contractor walks into his shop looking for a treat. Allen and Byron Bannigan are total opposites, but they’re perfect together—salty and sweet like Allen’s signature peanut butter and chocolate ganache cupcakes. But as Allen struggles to juggle his business and his boyfriend, he learns he can only handle so much. He may have to choose between the cupcakes in his store and the cupcake in his bed.
Review: I found myself in love with this novel from the start. It was amazing, sexy, and dynamite. The more I read it, the more I loved it. I found myself like Allen—who remained insecure when things got bad. I found it great how the two of them remained together despite the faults they faced.
The characters were perfect. Three-dimensional in my eyes. As for the plot, solid. I loved it so much. I would highly recommend it.
Blurb:Casey resigned himself long ago to wearing a monkey suit and playing piano in swanky hotels and bars. It’s work, even if it isn’t the big break he always dreamed of. No, his ex-lover Derek got that: the record deal, big Nashville house, sold-out tour. When Derek comes back to Austin, though, he wants Casey, not all the trappings of fame. Can he make Casey believe it, or is their song played out?
This story is also available in the Take It like a Man Anthology
Review: So music star Derek left town and his love behind in search of bright lights and fame. He found them, but in the interim, he found he lost himself. He’s returned home to collect the thing he should never have left behind – the talented piano player. Casey has never seen himself as someone with talent and so it was easy to let Derek go and be famous because he would only ever be an invisible sidekick. Now however, they both have a second chance at love.
Derek wants to simplify his life and go back to just writing music; and, he wants to do it with Casey, the man he loves. So he’s come back to ask him to be with him on his farewell tour. To achieve his goal, Derek will need to convince Casey that he is not a talentless hack that he can make it outside of Austin and that he, Derek, never stopped loving him.
Derek will need to pull out all the emotional stops. He will need to remember how to play the instrument of his lover’s body if he’s to prise him away from Austin and take him to the bright lights of Vegas. Well apparently, the music of love and passion never fades … and Derek and Casey are able to hit just the right note.
Blurb:A few months after his brother’s accident, Jesse Brody can’t stop thinking about Troy Evans, the police office that helped solve the case. Even though Troy almost had to arrest him, Jesse is sure he has a shot at a date.
.
The two meet by chance and share a nice dinner at Jesse’s apartment, which ends with Jesse all over Troy’s lap. Though he isn’t out at work, Troy agrees to give a relationship with Jesse a chance. Everything is fine, until the two are seen in public together by some of Troy’s coworkers.
Out of panic, Troy ends the relationship. Of course, he regrets his decision, but it will take more than just an apology to win Jesse back.
Review: I am so glad to have found this book. It was absolutely wonderful. I think that I have found another favorite author. Jena has a gift of telling stories. It was wrote with such heart that you can tell from the first word. It caught my attention from the start and kept it all the way to the end. So much so that I read it one more time before dinner. I laughed at parts of it, and at the serious parts I wanted to smack Troy.
Jesse had seen the perfect man, while out running and wanted to see more of him. The only thing standing in his way was his courage. Then an accident had happened to his brother and he got to meet the sexy man. Detective Troy Evans liked what he had seen but since it had been at an accident there was nothing he could do about it. However Jesse had other ideas, almost to the point of stalking this hot and sexy man. He just didn’t have the guts to speak to him, till Troy’s dog took it out of his hands. They both wanted the same thing, each other but the problem was Troy was not out at all. Troy ends the relationship but regrets it so bad, he just doesn’t know how to fix it. The sex is amazing, hot and tender with lots of passion and love.
I loved this book and wished I had found the first book Shoes & Ties before reading this one. It just makes it a bit better to get a little history in everyone, however it does not need to be read in order. It had the perfect amount of passion, lust, excitement and tender moments but also pain and anger. It comes off so true and real that you just want to knock some sense into Troy. To remember that police officers, fire fighters and other support jobs do still have it hard when they come out, makes you pray for each man and woman.
Each man is so sexy that you would drool when you see them, and their feelings are so true to form that you wish them luck. I can’t wait to see what Jena has written next.
Blurb:When size queen Sam winds up in the ER after an unfortunate incident with the world’s biggest dildo, he’s more embarrassed than hurt. But empathetic ER doc Gregg soon as him singing another tune. Could an ER visit and a bowl of soup really lead to something more?
This story is also available in the Take It like a Man Anthology.
Review: There could be nothing more embarrassing than having to go to the ER for having broken a dildo in your ass. However, sometimes there’s a silver lining in that your ER doctor is well endowed and would much rather you use him as your personal rod of correction rather than something made in China that comes with a 90 day warranty.
Once Sam heals, he and his hottie doctor, Gregg, will meet up for some soup and some sex – in that order. Sam will be able to satisfy his size requirements and Gregg will find someone who doesn’t think his size will cramp their style.
This is a match made in heaven – the computer doctor and the ER doctor. What’s not to love?
Great characters, nice witty banter – hot erotic man on man love.
Blurb:After updating his Rent Boy blog profile, well-endowed porn star Ty, receives a text requesting an appointment with a sexually inexperienced client. Andy asks Ty to provide him with the necessary knowhow, so if he ever goes on a date with the guy he’s attracted to he’s fully prepared.
Little does Ty know this hook-up will lead to a friendship that will subsequently change his life. Can Ty remain friends with Andy or will he always want more? And how will Ty react when Andy finally goes on a date with another man?
This story is also available in the Take It like a Man Anthology.
Review: It’s always the best kind of story when the stud falls for the geeky boy. Ty is the perfect specimen of man. He’s successful in that he has his own business while also making money as a porn star and being a rent boy/escort. He’s not just a manwhore. He’s saving up to buy himself his own place. Enter Andy who Ty is taking under his wing. Andy has not yet come out, but he wants to employ Ty to teach him the physical aspects of being a gay man. Especially since there is a certain boy who Andy has his sights set on.
As Andy and Ty spend time together, both of them develop feelings for each other but neither of them will admit to them. The twist to this ‘sizeable’ tale is that both Andy and Ty are both well-endowed men. Andy is ashamed of his size because it made him an object of ridicule in high school and it takes Ty for him to appreciate all of his maleness. When Ty bottoms for Andy, it shows the depth of Ty’s feelings for his young friend.
After some person angst which makes Ty stop seeing Andy, both men make up and begin a relationship with each other, because after all what’s better than one big dick in a room? Well, two big dicks, of course.
Blurb:At Hotel Draysden, management fraternizing with staff is a no-no. Casper Rosabella knows the rules, but he also believes that sometimes rules were meant to be broken. Sometimes it was worth taking a risk, especially when the man Casper craves is as hot as Lando Madrid.
Eye contact leads to a need to experience more, and through phone calls and texting, the men start to learn about each other. But then the lines blur when Casper and Lando make arrangements to meet for one night of unfettered sex in a seedy motel room, when taboo passions will culminate between two men who work at the same place, but certainly shouldn’t play together.
With secrets shared and desires revealed, the men are drawn deeper into a burning need to know more about each other. But considering their situation, could the relationship become something other than just a one-night stand?
Review: Take a mild-mannered man who realizes that having someone control your life when you don’t want it is not the same as surrendering control and add a spicy Latino to the mix and it will prove to be an intoxicating cocktail. Casper takes a chance on flirting with Lando and starting an illicit and potentially risky affair. Both men are searching for something and unbeknownst to them they will find what they need in each other.
All they need is a month of illicit courtship followed by a night of erotic passion – what will result is two men who finally have what they need and a love that can blossom into something more. Lando will be the masterful Dom and Casper his willing sub. They are both well matched and suited. Lando needs a man who will see beyond his lowly position in the company and appreciate all that he is and desires to be. Casper needs someone to show him that while he is buttoned up all day, he can let go and allow someone else to be in control of his passion.
The story is hot and sexy and drips with passion. This is a story that will have you looking around your workplace to see if there are any sexy vibes you may be missing.
Blurb: Cliff thinks he’s too tough for love and too mean for a mate, but he has a lot to learn about the way the Fates work.
Cliff doesn’t know who his parents were—he was created in an in vitro lab run by shifters with devious plans. He’s found out a few things, but nothing prepares him for the changes coming his way when he decides to break into the clinic to search for information. What should have been a simple break-in turns into a rescue from hell and two dead shifters. To top it off, the clinic catches on fire and Cliff loses all chance of finding anything there.
But the Fates are fickle, and Cliff is one of their favourite shifters to screw around with. He’s snarky, and mean, and smart, which oddly enough endears him to them.
Not that he’d believe it when they send him a mate. Cliff doesn’t want a mate. And he sure doesn’t want the magnificent and powerful man he’s destined to be with. That’s what he keeps telling himself, and maybe he’ll eventually believe it.
When he’s promised the opportunity to break the mate bond if he really wants it, that sounds like a deal. So why doesn’t he jump on it? He doesn’t know, and both he and his mate might not survive long enough to figure out what it is Cliff really wants.
I absolutely loved the characters and the entire story. There is enough backstory and information that kept me pretty well clued in and yet made me want to read the other books too. This is a prime example of a great storyteller. To be able to write a book, so far into a series, that is easy to read on its own, yet draw the reader to the rest of their works. Caution; the excerpt at the end does the same, be prepared to go buy another series along with these other 11.
Cliff is such a fun story to read. He is a very headstrong and snarky character. I absolutely loved him. Remus is just about as good. Not Cliff’s polar opposite. In fact, he is also very independent, stubborn and both men are very toppy and dominate. The Fates did good mating these two. I liked how the story began with a prologue of the fates and they were strewn in throughout the story. It added a touch of charm and humour also.
Cliff was a loner and his reputation of being a fearsome killer and loose cannon preceded him. Remus on the other hand was a revered Shaman with lots of power. A man to be honoured as well as feared. Did I mention he had been married to women with grown sons? Yes, those fates gave us a fun mating here!
Not only are the characters intriguing and witty, the story continues on a mystery of Cliff’s lineage, a fertility clinic making illegal shifters and lots of deception.
Add all this mystery and intrigue to the banter and chase of these two men, and some very hot and heavy, rough, man-sex. This is one heck of a good book. Get a copy and see for yourself! Oh! I almost forgot! Cliff is not only a wolf shifter but also a leopard shifter! Cool, Huh?
To wrap it all up: if you like shifters, werewolves, leopards, Shamans, power, mystery intrigue, Fates, an unlikely mating, very hot, rough man-sex this book is for you!
Blurb: Levi is content in his life as an escort at the Kline Agency until he sees a fellow escort find a meaningful relationship. As Levi ponders what it would be like to have a real relationship of his own, he meets a new client, Wesley. Wesley is unlike any guy Levi has ever met.
Levi doesn’t want to go back to a life without Wesley, but he’s haunted by the mental and physical scars his ex, Darien, left behind. It’s hard for Levi to learn to trust again, even with Wesley. Determined to put his past behind him, Levi agrees to a trial Dominant/submissive relationship with his new lover.
When Darien comes back into Levi’s life, claiming he’s changed, Levi has to face his fears, and come clean with Wesley about his past. But Wesley has a few secrets of his own.
Review: Levi sees Micah happy in a new relationship and secretly wishes he could find one also. The books start out with one of his clients telling him this is his last visit and that he has met someone. Then is skips to Levi and another ex-escort that has gotten a regular job going out for drinks. Levi senses his friend has an ulterior motive for the visit and finds he wants him to meet his boss Wesley that is looking for a sub. Levi is wary since his last D/s relationship went bad.
I found the story interesting and the sex hot, but there were things that sort of left me hanging. Such as the beginning scene. We never find out why this client left or anything, that space could have been used to ease Wesley and Levi into a relationship. As it is, everything moves so fast. It’s hard to see Levi fall so easily into his submissive state and trust Wesley in a day’s time.
I will say, I did enjoy the story. As a matter of fact, I couldn’t stop once I started. Wanting to see where things were leading, and why Levi was afraid of being tied up. The sex between Levi and Wesley was hot, too. If you like short stories that move fast, Escorts, millionaires, D/s Relationships, bondage and hot mansex this is for you.
Blurb: Being insecure isn’t good for Parker Williams’ image as an indie movie actor, but he can’t help it. He seems to forget that he snatched an Oscar from the one hit movie he made, and he keeps comparing himself with the success of his boyfriend Declan, who is a blockbuster star. Things get worse when Parker sees how close Declan is to his sexy co-star, Ryan Dexter.
Parker thinks he’s no match for Ryan and leaves without confronting Declan. When he disappears, a worried Declan tries to contact him without result. Then he finds Parker’s cell phone, left behind at the house, and Declan doesn’t know what to do. Should he let Parker go and turn to Ryan for comfort? Is his relationship with Ryan only onscreen, or is there something more between the two leading men? Or is Parker really the star of Declan’s heart?
Review:Parker and Declan have several things in common. They are both Hollywood stars in their own right. Parker an Oscar-winning Indie actor and Declan a mega movie star. They love each other, and not neither damn one of them can communicate with the other! When Parker feels threatened in their relationship by the flirtations of Declan’s latest co-star, Ryan, Parker just packs up and leaves. And Declan is far from blameless. He’s allowed the innocent flirtation to proceed, and it may have cost him the one thing he holds most dear. Parker.
As much as Ryan would like to pursue a relationship with Declan, he sees how miserable Declan is without Parker. If Declan can find Parker, will the pair be able to hold a conversation about their wants and fears? Or is it all too little, too late.
What we have here is a failure to communicate. Quick, guess the movie! I swear, I could hear that old man screaming that at Parker and Declan while I was reading. ONE little conversation could have saved these two a lot of trouble. But oh, the making up was SO much fun! This was just a short, sexy read with a great moral story. Passion and mutual attraction are just a few key points to a successful relationship. There must also be trust and communication. All these things must be earned.
Looking for a fast, fun read; then give this one a go.
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (12th December 2012)
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥2 ½ – 3 Hearts
Reviewer: Pixie
Blurb: As New Year’s approaches, a grieving Richie Tatten collects his dead sister’s belongings from the institution where she lived. The mystery of her suicide confounds him and adds to his growing frustration with the disappearance of his life partner, Albert, who vanished months earlier. Hoping to find answers, Richie heads to the small town of Stone Trail, but the unwelcoming citizens leave Richie reluctant to continue his search. Then new information about his sister’s death gives him a lead on Albert’s whereabouts—and thrusts him into the middle of a battle between magic and werewolves.
Review:This story is part of a series and must be read in order. Richie is frustrated with his manipulative mother when she yet again palms responsibility on him, this time it is to collect his dead sisters belongings from the mental institution, but the dreams he’s been having about her stop when he arrives in Stone Trail. Finding answers to why she committed suicide is what he wants, but he finds much more when he discovers a connection to his missing life partner, Albert, and strange goings on in town.
I found this to be an interesting storyline but it felt too short for what it wanted to be. Richie has no choice but to go to Stone Trail to clear out his sister’s things from the institution where she died, he discovers much more than he ever thought he would his first night in town and the second day he discovers where his lover Albert has been for the last four months. Albert is shocked with everything that has happened and together with Richie try to dig into the mystery of Stone Trail, but they have to call in the locals when they are targeted by the very thing that kept Albert quite for so long.
This is a good story but it felt too rushed, it started out really good and was progressing well but then the pace seemed to pick up and everything happened really quickly. The characters were good and we learn a bit about them and we start out with a mystery disappearance and then progress on to a suspect suicide, we also have a ghostly apparition and then the werewolves come in and it was going really well. But the thing is, when we find Albert he bounces back too quickly and then everything piles on top quickly so you don’t get to enjoy the suspense, Albert and Richie get their happy ending, in a way, and there are some very sweet moments between them, it was touching with the words that Albert remembered.
I will recommend this to those who love paranormal, shifters, werewolves, lost love reunited, an interesting storyline with more to come and a happy ending for two hot men.
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (10th February 2014)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥2 ½ – 3 Hearts
Reviewer: Pixie
Blurb: When James Oberon and his construction crew arrive in Stone Trail for a simple remodeling job, he notices strange things about the town right away. Unwanted advances from his coworker, Reggie Frakes, distract James and make him struggle to focus on work and keep his temper.
As the friction between Reggie, James, and the other employees increases, James finds himself drawn to a handsome Italian restaurateur, Aaron Morelli. Their mutual attraction infuriates Reggie, and when a hunky mechanic enters the picture, Reggie’s determination to have James all to himself builds to explosive proportions.
Haunted by golden wolves and stalked by a rogue werewolf, James is unwittingly thrust into the town’s dark secrets and into the arms of Aaron, a man who makes it all worthwhile. But they must face the rogue if they want any chance of a future together.
Review:This book is part of a series and is best read in order. James is in Stone Trail for a remodeling job and he notices strange things about the townsfolk but his co-worker Reggie distracts him with his constant unwanted advances. James is also distracted by his attraction to restaurant owner Aaron and the attentions of hunky mechanic, Bret, and James is positive they are both hiding something from him. Something also seems to be stalking James and it isn’t long before James is dragged into the towns secrets and James turns to Aaron for answers, but will Aaron have the answers when a rogue wants James all to himself?
This is third in the series set in Stone Trail and while it can be read as a stand-alone, it is more easily read if you have read the others in the series. James and his work mates arrive in Stone Trail to remodel the barn at Usher and Jarreth’s (Chasing the Mailman) ranch, it soon becomes apparent to James that the townsfolk are hiding something and it isn’t long before he is right in the middle of it. Aaron wants to help James but because of his connections he feels he has to keep his distance to keep James safe, but others are sniffing around James and it isn’t long before James comes looking for answers that Aaron just doesn’t have the answers to.
While I enjoyed this story I found that it dragged quite a bit and if I hadn’t already read the previous books I would have been lost with the paranormal aspects because it wasn’t explained as well as in previous books. I would have to say that the romance was a secondary concern in this book with the paranormal aspects being thrust into the forefront and the mystery of the rogue keeping me reading. I actually quite liked the characters and the circumstances they found themselves in and it was nice to see a brief glimpse of Usher and Jarreth again.
While Aaron’s and James’ relationship is slow at first, because of the circumstances, when it does get going it jumps to being full on and full force. The paranormal aspect is good with the two different types of wolves, the magical and the werewolves, and both Aaron’s and James’ slight connections to it. But, you get annoyed with the secrecy and arrogant actions of the wolves, both magical and werewolves, the way that they act as if it’s all a big secret when in fact the entire town knows about them! The rogue storyline keeps you on your toes because red herrings are dangled in front of us from time to time, and although you think, you know who the rogue is Amber Redd keeps the water murky enough to give you doubts.
I recommend this to those who love paranormal stories, new relationships developing in less than ideal situations, a touch of danger and a pretty good happily ever after.
Okay guys today is the day where you have to pull your finger out and use it to click the link… Totally Bound is doing a fabulous giveaway where you could win a Kindle Paperwhite and 10 ebooks from Totally Bound and all you have to do is follow the link and like Totally Bounds Facebook page! So what are you waiting for, I’ve already entered LOL ~Pixie~
Blurb:Can one innocent act change your life forever?
When mild-mannered veterinarian Julian Wingate picks up an unusual bauble for a song in Cairo’s Khan-al-Kalili, he has no idea that the acquisition of this ancient ring will alter the course of his future. Recently widowed from the famous Egyptologist Theo Barojas, Julian finds himself on the point of tossing aside all reminders of the past; eager to start his new life with an old love…. but the curious ring – boxed away for almost a year – beckons …
Once Julian slips the artifact upon his finger, nothing in his well-ordered life will ever be the same.
Julian is given a ring years before his lover’s death. Now an evil woman claiming it was stolen from her will do everything in her power to get it back. The ring is said to give superhuman strength and other abilities to those who wear it.
Very interesting and well-written story. I didn’t like the Directrix, she seemed sneaky, devious, and not caring who she stomped on or hurt to get what she wanted. Julian seemed like a very nice man not willing to intentionally hurt anyone.
Good read.
Lisa’s Review: ♥♥♥♥4 Hearts
This is a fantastic book. It caught my attention from the start and kept it all the way to the end. It also left me hanging, now I can’t wait for the next story that I am sure is to come. Zev has a wonderful imagination and gives you characters that are charming, gorgeous and an absolute mess. Julian had loved his boyfriend Theo up to the day that Theo had died. Three days prior to that, an old man stopped Julian and basically threw a ring at him, telling him that it was free, and a gift. A gift all right, that had more bizarre twist to it. It came with powers that bewildered Julian the moment he had put it on.
Now people were coming out of the woodworks looking for it. He wasn’t in this alone though, he had a man who had wanted him, and he knew deep down that he loved him. Dinesh help him find out about the ring and stayed with him. I can’t really gage their feelings that good, but I assume that I will have to wait to the next book to get a little better read on that.
I wish though that this one had been a bit longer, with a little more to it. I want more of Julian and Dinesh, more from them, however it is all about this amazing ring that he had. It is a fantasy though, this ring of Amenhotep. And Amenhotep wants it back. I am not up on my Egyptian lure, but this story will be a big hit when it comes all together.
Title: 6 Days to Valentine Series: N/A Author: LE Franks Genre: Contemporary Length: Novella (84 Pages) Publisher: Wilde City Press (January 29th 2014) Heat Level: Moderate Blurb: In Nick’s perfect world, Valentine’s Day would be struck from the calendar.
Nick’s dreams of a Happily Ever After were shredded long ago and the last thing he and his customers need is a bunch of happy loving couples rubbing it in their faces.
Bouncer Fat Boy Newman is willing to bet he knows Nick’s heart better than he does. He has just six days to change Nick’s mind about romance and the holiday and the perfect man to do it.
A very sweet story, but with a lot of misunderstandings and drama mixed in. I enjoyed reading how Nick finally figures out what he’s been missing in his life. FatBoy seemed sweet and gentle, while trying to fix Nick up to see him happy, not realizing till the end that it was him that was the one.
These two men are as different as night and day, but they just seemed to work. Nick comes off as a bit of a jerk, in the beginning. But, his biggest flaw was judging a “book by its cover.” Or In this case, his perfect guy, by the size of his muscles.
The story is well written and very complete, for a novella.
I recommend this to readers who like sweet romance, clueless bartenders, and patient bouncers.
Prime’s Review: ♥♥♥2.5 Hearts
I really don’t know what to say about this one. For one, it is a nice, short story to enjoy. However, there is one major flaw, but I’ll get to that in a sec.
6 Days to Valentine by LE Franks is fairly self-explanatory when you read the title and the blurb. It is about Nick Valentine, who is rather jaded, he no longer believes in love/romance and he especially detests Valentine’s Day.
At the bar where he is a bar tender, he has a bet with one of the bouncers, only known as FatBoy Newman (although it is never confirmed I am guessing that his real name is Davis Newman). FatBoy has just 6 days to change Nick’s mind. If I go too much further into the plot I’m going to give away the story.
Okay, so onto what I believe to be the greatest flaw in this story.
Nick may not be the most likeable character, but I think that has a lot to do with plot and character development. I just don’t think that there’s enough of either. Sometimes the explanations just fall short for me.
I mean, I can read between the lines but sometimes I think the author’s vision makes more sense when explicitly stated. Nick showed potential and I really wanted him to live up to that potential. Unfortunately, he didn’t. Even more unfortunately, I just feel that there was very little chemistry between Nick and FatBoy – despite the fact that I wanted there to be more. They seemed to match together but their attraction lacked sparks and fireworks.
Then there is the plot, again more explicit explanations of what is going by the author would have been nice because sometimes I felt like I was missing some vital piece of information. This probably would not have been such an issue if there was more action and far less telling throughout the story.
This was enjoyable enough I’m just not entirely sure if it was a good thing that the story left me wanting more by the end.
Hey guys, today we bring you new author Sid Love and his first release Holding on to Hope. Sid is even doing a great giveaway where five lucky winners throughout the blog tour will have a chance to win an ebook of Holding on to Hope and there is even the chance for one really lucky reader to win $25 (about £15 in UK cash) Amazon Gift Card, so stick around and have a gander at the book and review… oh and don’t forget to click on the Rafflecopter link for a chance to win! 🙂 ~Pixie~
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Sid Love grew up in one of busiest cities in the world, Mumbai, listening to the excerpts of Indian epics from his father every night. While it served as an inspiration back in time, he has always had an ambitious mind. In 2007, when he had just turned sixteen, he decided that he would make his lifelong dream come true—to become a well-known, respected author some day. Ask him and he would refuse to accept that he is obsessed with books. Or movies. Or TV shows. Addicted may even be the right word. He is a die-hard fan of Jane Austen’s romance novels and loves to reread them time and again.
BLURB: Bradley Parker has waited twenty years for Mr. Right, and on Valentine’s Day, he finally finds him. It’s love at first sight, and Brad even loses his virginity to the man of his dreams. But when he wakes up the next morning unable to remember anything—even what the man looked like—his best friend, Leslie, is convinced he imagined the whole thing. Brad knows he didn’t make up the best night of his life, but he has no idea of the danger he’s putting himself in as he struggles to recall the details of his perfect man. His search may lead him to parts of New York City he never dreamed existed and a war being waged in the shadows.
EXCERPT:
“Okay, remember how I said it is huge?” Brad finally spoke, and Leslie nodded her head to let him know she was all ears. “Well, it is. Last night, something happened, something unimaginable… beyond any of my wildest dreams. I never thought….”
“Brad.” Leslie yawned. “To the point, please. I don’t have all day.”
“Okay, all right! What happened is….” He paused, plastering a big grin on his face. She tried very hard not to roll her eyes, letting him tell her at his own pace. “Last night, my dear, I finally got laid!”
When he broke the news to her, Leslie’s subsequent yawn was cut short by the initial shock she went through. Her body jerked forward, now fully awakened. There wasn’t any amount of caffeine that would have made her feel as lively as she felt at that moment.
This was definitely huge, and not just for Brad. Over the years, Leslie had constantly tried and consequently failed in hooking him up with several guys. Bradley Joseph Parker had the arrogance of a drag queen, she thought. He was too picky when it came to dating and relationships; never wishing to settle for anything less. He dreamt of a guy whose mere presence would take his breath away, who would be so handsome that every girl and every gay guy in the world would yearn to have him in their lives. “Such a guy would only belong to me, holding my hand in a roomful of envious people,” he would say with a smirk. “I would look around and say to them ‘Suck it up, bitches! He is mine!’”
Brad had wasted years with these stupid fantasies, and he had remained a virgin. So Leslie never thought the day would come when Brad’s whining would ever end.
But it had. And Leslie thought she would faint, even with the adrenaline rushing through her veins.
“Wha—?” She became aware of the fact that she had left her mouth hanging open for too long and shut it immediately. A smile crept across her lips, getting bigger by the second, and it turned into a cheek-hurting grin. “Oh my God! Shut up. Seriously?” She quickly sat up, hopping on the bed to cross her legs.
“Very seriously, Les.” Brad’s cute face beamed with wonder and excitement. Leslie couldn’t blame him. She remembered the day she had had sex for the first time, and even though it was a while back, she couldn’t forget the bliss she’d felt after finally losing her virginity or the hunger she felt for getting some more. Leslie was ready to bet that Brad was experiencing similar whirls of emotions in him.
“Last night, on Valentine’s Day…?” she asked.
Brad gave a nod. “On Valentine’s Day.”
“That’s so funny.” Leslie laughed out loud. Even though Valentine’s Day never meant anything to her, something this huge happening to her best friend did force her to consider it a special day. “Okay, you have to tell me everything, dude! Don’t leave out a single detail. I don’t care if it’s too much information. I just have to know. How long has this been going on between you two?”
Brad laughed. “Not too long. I just met him yesterday.”
“And you slept with him already?” Leslie’s mind was drawing up the picture of the perfect guy in her imagination, a guy who had managed to entice someone like Brad in such a short time. She was sure he would be down-to-earth, with an impeccably charming personality. “Way to go! I won’t deny it; I like the spontaneous Brad. Who is this guy, by the way? Do I know him?”
“No, you don’t.” His smile wavered a bit.
“Well, what’s his name?”
Leslie watched him hesitate for a moment. “I… don’t know.”
It took her by surprise.
“I think my devilish side just had a mind-blowing orgasm. You not only have sex with a guy for the first time, but you are also telling me it was simply a one-night stand?” She put her hand over her heart and mockingly said, “Mama Les is so proud of her boy!”
“But Les,” he knitted his eyebrows together as he stood up and came over to sit by her side. He took hold of Leslie’s hand, and she felt his grip tightening when he said, “It wasn’t a one-night stand. Definitely not, uh-uh.” He shook his head, and she immediately wondered if he was trying to convince her or himself. “It was special to me, and I could tell it was special for him too. Why else would he go to extremes to make that night an unforgettable memory? He lit up hundreds of scented candles in the room for me, and there were rose petals all over the bed where we did it.” Leslie didn’t miss the blush forming on his face again as he spoke. “There was champagne, sweet music, and he was a perfect gentleman. He kept asking me if I was sure about this.”
“WOW! Sounds utterly cheesy to me….” Leslie said, although she was quite impressed by all of it and maybe a bit jealous too.
Brad let go of her hand and sighed. “It was damn romantic.”
Leslie moved her gaze around the dorm room, scrutinizing it. “I am guessing it wasn’t here you did it then?” She inquired, turning to face him and watched him slowly crossing his legs like she had.
“No, he took me to his place.” Brad had his mouth open to probably add something more, but he stopped abruptly, scrunched his nose up, and glanced at her with some doubt. “I think it was his place… I don’t know. Where else would he take me?”
Leslie noticed uncertainty, even when he shrugged. What Brad was saying didn’t make any sense to her. “The champagne! Did you have too much of it?”
He frowned. “God, no! Why would I want to give him the impression I’m an idiotic drunkard on our first meeting?”
Of course she didn’t believe him. “Right, says the one who’d put Britney Spears to shame with his underage drinking. Seriously, dude, I’ve had to pick you up in a drunken state from God knows how many parties by now. So don’t shit me by saying you didn’t have any amount of alcohol in you last night.”
Brad reddened and carefully said, “I may have had a little bit of alcohol.”
Typical. Leslie rolled her eyes. “Weren’t you at Ian’s party last night?” She tried to keep her face straight as she asked. The party he had gone to was for all the single men and ladies from their college. Leslie knew exactly how that turned out every year by the end of the night.
He gave a nod in reply.
“Well, maybe you did it at his place?”
“No, it can’t be because we were partying at a nightclub last night.”
“Since when do nightclubs allow in a bunch of twenty year-olds?” she asked, certain they must have been stopped at the door for IDs. She couldn’t say about the others, but Brad’s cute baby face did give away his age.
“They don’t, but Ian somehow knew a few guys working at this nightclub that we went to, so we were able to sneak in.” He grinned.
Leslie suddenly wished she could have joined them. “Lucky you!” Now she couldn’t wait for May to arrive; that was when she turned twenty-one. She had been planning it in her mind forever. “So you met this mysterious guy in that club?”
“Yes, I think so.” Brad chewed on his lower lip.
“Well, what did he say to you? What did he look like?”
Brad turned sorrowful. “If I only knew….” He hung his head down and began to pull on his hair. “Fuck, Les!” He yelled, then looked up, scowling at her. “I can’t seem to remember any of it. The only thing that has managed to stay stuck in my memory is the mind-blowing sex that I had with him. I even remember all the positions we did it in, and God, that guy has the stamina of a wild lion, I tell you.”
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (14th February 2014)
Heat Level: Nil
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 3 – 3 ½ Hearts
Reviewer: Pixie
Blurb: Bradley Parker has waited twenty years for Mr. Right, and on Valentine’s Day, he finally finds him. It’s love at first sight, and Brad even loses his virginity to the man of his dreams. But when he wakes up the next morning unable to remember anything—even what the man looked like—his best friend, Leslie, is convinced he imagined the whole thing. Brad knows he didn’t make up the best night of his life, but he has no idea of the danger he’s putting himself in as he struggles to recall the details of his perfect man. His search may lead him to parts of New York City he never dreamed existed and a war being waged in the shadows.
Review: Leslie’s best friend, Bradley, has saved himself for the man of his dreams and he finally finds him on Valentine’s Day. Bradley falls head over heels for the man but all Bradley can remember is the fantastic sex, and with the little clues he can remember he convinces Leslie to help him track the mysterious man down. Leslie isn’t thrilled but helps her friend and when Bradley heads into danger as he searches for his perfect man, Leslie isn’t sure if Bradley’s perfect man really is perfect.
This is a great little short story that takes Vampires back to being the scourge of the Earth; it gives us a fresh twist for the dhampir’s and it has a love story with a forgotten man and a desperate search for true love. Brad seems to be a character full of life and when it comes to the love of his life he strives for perfection, when he half remembers the night before he knows that his perfect man is within reach. Ronan wants what Brad could give him but the danger is too great so he does what he has to do to keep Brad safe, even if it means being forgotten.
This story has great potential which was missed out on because of character perspective; the paranormal storyline could have been much more exciting and effective if the perspective had shifted to the characters directly involved. The love story aspect was really good (but again slightly missed its mark with character perspective) with two men longing for the other but circumstances preventing their love from being fulfilled, with Ronan always having to watch as Brad walks away forgetting him and Brad always longing for his perfect man, never knowing he had already met him.
So I should let you all know that this story is all from Leslie’s perspective which I found dampened the story, we never once really get any emotions or feelings off either Brad or Ronan; what we get is Leslie’s interpretation of their feelings and I also felt like I was missing out on the paranormal aspects of the story because it was from Leslie’s view point. Never once did I feel the rush of emotions that Brad must have felt about finally finding his perfect man, I didn’t feel his despair over not remembering his face and I never felt the fear he must have felt over the situation he found himself in… and all that was also mirrored by Ronan… I felt cheated by only having it from Leslie.
I recommend this to those who love the paranormal, an interesting paranormal storyline, a new relationship with a twist, brilliant friends, and looking at a new relationship from the outside.
Blurb: Best friends Case and Mitchell are so inseparable everyone assumes they’re dating. Case’s dad even buys them a joint gift—a camping trip. Even though Case hates the woods, he wants Mitchell to have a good time. When they discover the trip is a couples’ retreat, they have to fake a relationship. Case can’t understand why the trust and intimacy exercises the other couples struggle with come so naturally to them. After all, they’re not really boyfriends….
A part of the “A Valentine Rainbow” set of 14 holiday stories. Get all 14 stories on Feb. 1 when you purchase the set.
Review: This was a cute story. Lots of humor in it. I loved it.
Case and Mitchell had been friends for a very long time, but Mitchell had always wanted more. Because Case wouldn’t know anything unless someone hit him upside the head, it would seem. Camping trip was actually a couple’s retreat. Fake relationship turns to love. It had such a cute story line and I can actually see myself reading this every Valentine’s Day. The characters are funny, sexy, compassionate, and not a couple till Mitchell tells him what he wants.
Title: Reading Between the Lines, 2nd edition
