Publisher: M/M Romance Group @ Goodreads (July 21st, 2012)
HeatLevel: Low
HeartRating: ♥♥♥♥3.5 Hearts
Reviewer: Thommie
Blurb: One more day, that’s all Kevin needed. One more day to finish the tax audit and get the hell out of town and back to his normal, everyday life. So it absolutely figured that some over-muscled moron with a pneumatic dick substitute would wake him up at the ass-crack of dawn and shoot his plans right to hell. At this point he’d try anything — maybe a bribe?
Review: Now this free short story, written for the Love is Always Write event on Goodreads, was quite delightful.
It’s been twelve years since Kevin left Texas for LA and now he’s back for three-day and then he’s the hell out of there. On this last day of work though, things go from bad to worse and the person responsible, while seemingly a stranger at first, turns out to be quite a familiar person. one Kevin never would have thought he’d be attracted to, yet unable to resist him now.
This is the lovely story of a teenager’s crush (Liam, the over-muscled moron) that never stood a chance, but was given a second one twelve years later.
The longing, the passion, the nervousness a second chance brings with it were delicious in this shorty and I couldn’t get enough of the two men. The writing is beautiful and all you want is for the story to keep on going. But as it is the case with stories of this event, they end all too soon. Hopefully, Ms. Pike will follow through with her promise and give us more of Kevin and Liam in her sequel Midnight Muffins.
As it is the forever romantics would probably love this one. Recommended.
Blurb: Callum Walker is feeling listless in his life in London. When his job takes him to Canada to install communications software for a new sports arena, he’s glad for a change of scenery.
During his stay, he befriends Noah Lukas, the strikingly handsome star player of the Toronto Bobcats professional hockey team. Callum knows nothing will ever come of it, but he can’t stop his attraction. As their bond grows, Callum learns more about—and falls more for—Noah through his sensitive and humble interactions with fans, his gentlemanly reaction to flirtations from arena staff, and his frank apprehension over his impending retirement. Their friendship evolves from workout partners to confidants, and then to even more. But Callum’s time in Canada is limited, and circumstances may divide him from a love he wasn’t looking for.
Review: Callum Walker is a computer programming whiz who just landed his dream job helping to design the new Toronto Bobcats stadium in Canada. Restless with his dull life in London, he wholeheartedly accepts the job. The new position comes with an array of amenities, including an onsite apartment and gym. It’s while he’s working out one day, he spots the sexy guy with broad shoulders and a body that won’t quit.
Noah Lukas is the star player for the Bobcats. When he and Callum meet at the gym they become fast friends and workout partners. Callum is instantly attracted to Noah, but he doesn’t broach the subject. A weekend trip to Noah’s cabin turns this unlikely pair from friends to lovers. But, Noah is still safely secured in his closet. Besides, Callum will be heading off to Rio for his next job, as soon as the stadium is up and running.
Will secret rendezvous and stolen moments be enough for them to build a relationship on that can last? Or will life, circumstance and the threat of Noah being outed and possibly losing his career in hockey, be the end of their relationship before it even starts?
I could see potential for these characters, but ultimately the story fell a little flat. It was rushed and some possible plot development was introduced, but not followed through. Also, each chapter starts off in present day (which is 2014, I believe), for just one paragraph and then jumps back almost 2 years. This was very confusing until I caught on, which wasn’t until close to half way through. When I visited the author’s website I learned that this is the first book in a series. He promises some more Callum and Noah page time. Now that I’m invested in these characters, I will read the next in the series so I can follow their journey. I’m not sure I’d recommend this book alone though, I liked it, but I didn’t love it.
Portia’s Two Cents: I actually enjoyed the flashbacks. While Callum is waiting, we wait with him. We see how he came to be at the moment he is now. You want for his visitor to be Noah, but you really don’t know if it will be. The anticipation kept me turning pages, well past my bed time.
Series: Whispering Pines Ranch 05.5 & Guards of Folsom 0.5
Author: S.J.D. Peterson
Genre: Contemporary, BDSM
Length: Short (59pgs)
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (March 6th, 2013)
Heat Level: Explicit
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts
Reviewer: Pixie
Blurb: When Ty left Pegasus for New York, he knew he was falling for Blake but wasn’t sure he could trust him. Blake didn’t know whether he could be vulnerable enough to take on another boy. Since the move to the Big Apple, Blake and Ty have learned how to live with each other. Now they need to let go of their pasts and take the next steps outside the playroom.
Review: This story is a branch off from the Whispering Pines Ranch series and links directly to Ty’s Obsession. Ty and Blake have left Pegasus and settled down in New York. Ty still needs his independence though and works behind the bar at Folsom, a BDSM club, and although he loves Blake he still has trust issues. Blake has done his best to let go of his past and has worked hard to gain Ty’s trust. Although, he wants nothing more than to take care of Ty, he knows he has to let Ty have a bit of independence. But, as a good Dom, he has to reassure his boy and has made plans to prove to Ty once and for all that he will always be Blake’s boy.
S.J.D. brings to us the conclusion to Ty and Blake’s story, giving us a wonderful, sexy, happily ever after and also giving us the opening to a new series. This is a fantastic opportunity for us to catch up with Ty and Blake and to see how they are both doing. Ty and Blake are exactly as we remember them from Ty’s Obsession. Ty still finds it hard to trust and Blake’s wounded heart has healed and now he is trying to prove to Ty, that Ty can trust him. Ty still has moments where he has doubts and thinks that it is only a matter of time before he is discarded, but he tries his best to cast those doubts aside.
Seeing how far both Blake and Ty have come was lovely. It’s wonderful seeing how good they are together and how perfectly suited they are for one another. Seeing Blake take care of his boy and prove to Ty how much he loves and wants him is beautiful. The ceremony moves you as Ty gets everything he has ever hoped for and wanted and Blake gets Ty’s complete trust. Their love-making is erotic, sexy and passionate and just the way they love it.
I will recommend that everyone reads this to catch up on Ty and Blake, to experience their passionate love-making, to celebrate their happiness and also because it is a great way to catch a glimpse of the new Guards Of Folsom series and the first couple Micah and Tackett… Oh, did I also mention it is free?
Publisher: Goodreads M/M Romance Group & S.J.D. Peterson (4th June 2012)
Heat Level: Explicit
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥4 ½Hearts
Reviewer: Pixie
Blurb: Part of the Goodreads M/M Romance group’s Love is Always Write event. Story Prompt
PHOTO DESCRIPTION: Sexy Marine sitting on the floor, shirtless with just fatigue pants, another sexy Marine leaning down with his hand resting on the other Marine’s lower stomach. Matching tattoos on their shoulders and upper arms.
STORY LETTER:
Dear Author,
He’s been in my life for two decades. Don’t Ask Don’t Tell ended too late for us as we were months from retirement. We spent so much of our lives in the closet, hiding our love that I worry if we can hold it together when we’re out. I’m scared of losing him. For me, he’s the hottest thing I’ve ever seen still and I know he could get guys half my age without trying hard. Why would he stick with me now? But he always knows…he knows when I need him to center me—to remind me of what we have. We’re in it together to the end.
If an author selects this…I LOVE BDSM. Please, please…
Edited to clarify: I see the man facing forward as a sub and the other man as his Dom. They’ve had stolen moments over the years but never the time and privacy to truly explore their D/s needs at the level they have desired. Now they do since they have retired. I enjoy a little angst (no cheating) but definitely want a HEA. Moderate BDSM would work great. Author, up to you if you take this mind. Ultimately, author, if you pick this one I’ll be pleased no matter what you do to give my guys a story!
Review: Gunnery Sergeant Gunther ‘Gunny’ Duchene & Macalister ‘Mac’ Jones are both Marines who are coming up for retirement, now DADT is two months from being repelled and it gives Gunny an added worry that Mac will now go looking elsewhere as he no longer has to hide.
Oh, SJD. give you a little prompt and two military men, and you pull up your big girl panties and come up with a right sparkling little gem. Gunny and Mac have been exclusive for the last ten years, after Mac had a brief brush with blackmail. But, now as they come to the end of their careers, Gunny is starting to panic a little and he has no idea why, until it hits him that Mac could have anyone he wanted now without having to hide. Mac has a different idea about what will happen with their retirement, but he notices a change in Gunny and gives him what he needs most, together they can both lay their fears to rest.
A very well written short story that amazingly shows the needs and fears of Gunny very well (I mean amazingly because it’s so short, not because of the writing or anything like that 😉 ). Gunny has been coasting along very well for the last twenty years having Mac as his best friend and f**k buddy; although for the last ten it has been exclusive. But, now as the time of their retirement approaches he is beginning to panic as he realizes that retirement means Mac could go off in his own way and find someone new. This I found to be a very angsty part as Gunny is too scared to broach the subject with Mac and it was very telling that Gunny never even thought about himself looking elsewhere even before his revelation. Mac has his own plan and that plan very much includes Gunny, but as Gunny is a bit off kilter, Mac decides to help him clear his head with a little light bondage.
So, all in all…a really good short that was worth every penny. Oh hang on, it was free. Okay, so it was still really good and it has a very good selection of emotions that Gunny works through. The sex is mega hot, the slight BDSM is very well portrayed and carried out well, and Gunny final sees his relationship with Mac for what it really is. Mac is a very sure character, there wasn’t any doubt in his mind what he wanted, and I just don’t think he ever realized that Gunny was unsure of him.
Well, hot sexy military men, a touch of BDSM, some angst, a sharing of feelings and a happy ending what more could you want in a book? It’s free as well… fine, it’s a great story that you really get into if you read the blurb/introduction, as that gives you a good mind-set as to the main characters state of mind. I highly recommend that you read this story because it will have something for everyone.
Blurb: Two young sailors – one a working-class artist from California, the other an upper-middle-class pharmacists from the East Coast – meet onboard the Japan-bound U.S.S. Gageway in April 1942.
This was dumb. It was stupid to get involved with someone, to care about anyone in this soul-numbing war. That was like opening yourself up to be flayed. And yet how could you help it? They were all closer than brothers, these men he fought beside. And that one man, well, there was nothing brotherly going on there.
*~*~*~*
“…Given the choice, don’t you think they would have rather had this, what we have in this room, than died without it?”
Review: Oh WOW Oh WOW. Into Deep waters is such a well-written heart-wrenching and breath-taking story. It is absolutely beautiful. The characters are so well done that I felt like both of them. I could feel their lust, their love, their fear, not only of the war, but of being found out and the consequences that held at the time. The story covered a very long time span (sixty years), but not once did it get slow or dull. I laughed ,I cried, I sighed, I cheered, and I worried ( I won’t tell you why I worried, since I don’t even like saying if a book has a HFN or HEA) .
Now, for just a bit about the story. It starts out in World War II after Pearl Harbor. It is about a sailor Danny meeting a new sailor, pharmacy assistant Jacob. Jacob actually trips staring at Danny thus getting the affectionate nickname Trip from him. They fall (hehehe… literally couldn’t resist the pun) in love or at least lust at first sight. Jacob is two years younger than Danny. They met secretly and have sex (well fondling and kissing), until they get a leave and actually get to be alone and have sex. The war gets as heated as the lovemaking and their ship is destroyed .( I have no nails and bleeding fingers from the chewing of hoping they find each other and at least they are safe. So do they find each other? Do they get discovered? Just how long does their love last? I’m not telling you will have to read the book yourself. I will say this much after reading the prompt I just knew I had the end figured out had me an entire box of tissue waiting, I was wrong….
Who do I recommend this book to? Everyone!! If you like a good sweet Romance (yes, I am a hopeless romantic) with really hot mansex. This is for you. If you’ve never read M/M romance start here. If you have ever dreamed of the perfect love and forever love… This is f or you. And it’s free so what are you waiting for… Hurry go get it…Be prepared to swoon…Kaje you have a new fan!
Blurb: Banished by his family, young, blind aristocrat Oleg finds there are advantages of living isolated with just his tutor for company. But the perfect day said tutor, Neiam, planned for them, Oleg’s father seems hell bent on ruining.
Review:
The Storyteller is another wonderfully written story with a little extra towards the end. More of the B&D and S&M themes but not in a way where it’s all the usual “whips and chains” but an understanding between Neiam and Oleg. It’s interesting how the term “pet” comes to mind in this and how it’s used in a term of endearment. Overall, I also enjoyed this story writing which wasn’t all about fluff and sweetness. Then I read the biography and saw that the author is from the Nederlands so that made all sense. Europeans are more sexually open and tend to go for the gut of things without the sappiness that some American writers go for. I did like that ideal that these two characters trust each other and that their relationship stays constant even after the more kinkier edges.
I’d give this story an A- for its depth (father and the relationship between the two) and that realness in the story (two friends, lovers, exploring each other in safe boundaries).
Title: Half-Baked Promises
