Blurb:Ever wanted to spy secretly on other people’s lives? Ken doesn’t have a choice: his student summer job is operating the CCTV screens for the new shopping centre. But instead of spotting criminals or vandals, he becomes fascinated by a cute waiter from the local bistro who sneaks out to the backyard for his break—and plays sexy to the camera.
Is he an old friend, or just an anonymous exhibitionist? Should Ken be excited by this naughty peepshow, or will people think he’s behaving like a voyeuristic pervert? Poor Ken’s confused and thrilled in turn. It’s like living in one of the movies he’s studying at university. He knows the man can’t see him, yet Ken feels a connection of some kind. It all encourages Ken to continue with his guilt-ridden Waiter Watch.
Ken bears the suspense as long as he can, until a chance meeting and an abortive blind date provide an explanation to the secret assignations. But will this guide Ken to the real-life chance of romance?
Review: What a hot yet awkward way to reunite with a school crush! I sympathized with Ken regarding his inner voices wondering if he was a perv or naturally drawn as any person would be to the steamy things he was witnessing through the cameras at work. It was his job after all, right? Was it bad that he enjoyed the voyeur aspects of it? I use the word cute too often so I’ll go with tongue-in-cheek, for this hot romantic short.
Blurb: Jazz trumpeter Jake McKynnie is living a lonely existence in LA, convinced that’s the best he can expect from life. He indulges in a bender to drown thoughts of missing his estranged son’s high school graduation, but to his shock, finds the boy on his doorstep the next morning. DJ grew up in a small Oregon town with his mom and stepdad, but now he’s come to town with big dreams of becoming an actor. He’s also not above doing a little matchmaking for his lonely father while he’s at it.
Jake takes DJ to a friend’s salon, where he gets a hairstyle fit for professional headshots. As they leave the salon, however, the observant DJ sends Jake back inside alone to see Mason, the sexy stylist who was checking him out, which leads to a thrilling and memorable encounter.
After their impromptu tryst, Jake can’t get Mason’s strong hands and hot body out of his mind. And for the first time in years, thanks to his son and Mason, he can actually imagine an exciting future when it comes to his personal life. Yet Mason’s hiding something about himself, and his secret could force him to blow town at any time. Will he stick around long enough to replace the ghost of Jake’s past?
Review: A short story in the Comfort and Joy series featuring secondary characters from thatnovel. Jazz musician Jake, Stylist Mason, and Jake’s son DJ.
DJ has come to LA to live with his father and pursue his dream of becoming an actor. In need of a makeover, and thinking his father needs one as well, they head off to the local salon. Jake might be oblivious to the stylist that’s eyeing him, but DJ is not. DJ heads into town after sending his father back into the salon to talk to Mason. A quick thank you turns into a quickie in the restroom, a quickie that leaves both men wanting more.
Jake’s past still haunts him, and Mason’s is hunting him.
There is a lot of furniture stuffed in to a too small space. If this were a full-length novel and all the different angles had been fully explored it would have been better for me. As it was, it was confusing and scattered. I really wanted to like this book but overall I wasn’t overwhelmed, and the ending was too abrupt. I can’t say I wouldn’t recommend this author; Descoteaux’s novel Directing Traffic was fantastic. I just wouldn’t necessarily recommend this particular book.
Blurb: Ex-con Tony Bradshaw drops into a convenience store on his way home after work, looking for a loaf of bread. What he finds instead is trouble. Overnight, he becomes the star witness in the murder trial of a major mob enforcer. Death threats quickly follow, and Tony’s life is completely disrupted.
Tony is hustled off to a secluded cabin in the woods with bodyguard Alec Dubinski, a handsome young detective who at first appears to be a complete homophobe. Relations between them start off poorly and soon hit rock bottom during a drunken stupor. But after Alec apologizes for his unacceptable behavior, the sexual chemistry between the men can no longer be ignored. A night of unbridled passion leads to a declaration of their growing affection for one another.
Their idyll in the woods is brought to a halt, however, when their hideout is brutally attacked by mafia henchmen. What sacrifice is Tony willing to make as he attempts to save the man he has come to love?
Review: As I started eagerly reading this short story – cops, witnesses and action is my favorite genre – I was quickly disappointed by the bland boarding to boring plot. You always have a certain idea of what’s about to happen in these types of books, but the predictability in this particular one was too much. The lack of mystery and suspense was felt deeply and it only became harder when the sexual element took place.
As Tony becomes a witness to a cop killing, he is being transferred at a remote spot in the mountains with only one officer to guard him. It was expected that the two of them would eventually hook up, but when their first time was a drunken police officer, forcing himself to his charge in the middle of the night things got weird for me.
Yet I perked up believing that this would be a different type of book, with dark elements in it and deep suffering. Unfortunately, I kept being disappointed. The plot moved on to our forcing –almost rapist- officer repenting deeply for what he did, our witness not only covering him but actually giving him a second chance all too eager to have a chance at that “buff” specimen of a man.
And who can resist a man like that, that for all his charming personality he is also a virgin that had for years been in control until he met Tony whom he instantly fell in lust for. Let’s face it, how can Tony not forgive such a deeply hurting from lust soul.
Yes, I know, I’m being sarcastic and I can’t help it. During these scenes, I kept wondering why. Why would someone write such characters? How am I supposed to care for Detective Dubinski? What part of his personality, what little we were told at least, was supposed to appeal to me. Is a gorgeous body rippled from gym machines enough to fall head over heels with someone? And since Tony does in the end, I’m only finding shallow beside stupid for allowing such a person on him.
So right there when I thought that this book couldn’t get any worse than that, and I should at least finish it and detach myself from the cliché way those fantasies were displayed and the “badies” showed up just for the sake of making some show of action that was quite short and passing, the blood transfusion scene came and I was left jaw-hanging, staring at those letters, slowly as if in some kind of dream making them words out and not quite believing what I was reading. Bland I said this plot was? How very mistaken I was.
The most interesting thing I’ve ever read recently it must have been this scene, right after the “bad” guys came and went leaving behind a wounded cop (of course) our hero is forced to take the guy to town to save him and wonder of wonders there is a guy, not quite a doc but similar enough (how many spoilers you want from me already) how performs blood transfusion in a non-hospital/sterilized area, from Tony to Dubinski just like that. Oh of course he asked if Tony was clean, of course he did and I had the reply on the tip of my tongue, jumping up and down because Tony was NOT clean, he was crawling at some slope earlier in the evening and was also very covered in blood, but I thought at that point it was irrelevant and if it meant that poor Detective Dubinski would die, than by all means, let the men perform that damn transfusion already.
And right after that magnificent stunt I was also granted the satisfaction of cheese lines there after all cleared up with the most sickly-sweet end just because.
So if my irritation and displeasure didn’t manage to quite bleed up there, no, this book did not even come close to an OK rating. I plain and simply did not like a single aspect of this book.
Blurb: Michael McCree is one with a mysterious past, who ends up as a newspaperman, thereby meeting the strikingly handsome Simon Hart, who comes to his shop to turn in an obituary notice.
Simon’s flat-mate and former business partner has been killed, and Simon, a private investigator, needs to track down the murderer. Michael, immediately smitten with the sulky and sexy man, lays a plan to first become his new roomer, then his business partner.
But Simon, stricken by his recent loss, is having none of Michael’s undisguised interest.
Not a man to be deterred easily from a goal, Michael sets about winning Simon’s affection. That particular battle is almost as difficult as tracking down the murderer of his predecessor, a nosy detective who was getting too close to the crimes of an evil person.
Simon spends more time ducking Michael’s advances than actually finding clues and solving the mystery. Inquiring minds want to know—how hard is Simon really trying to avoid Michael? And Michael isn’t hiding his forthright urges, but what secret is he hiding?
Review: Michael works in a newspaper, he is also a man of mystery and secrets, he meets Simon when the man comes in to put a notice in the paper, Michael is intrigued by the man and decides that he will get closer to him. Simon is an investigator, who is looking for a new flat mate because his best friend and business partner, Sargent, was murdered, and he has no interest in letting a hooligan like Michael anywhere near him. Simon finds himself with Michael as his new flat mate and prospective business partner and, if Michael has his way, his soon to be lover, but Simon can’t shake the loss of Sargent and needs to find his killer.
This is an interesting mystery story set in a fictional city in the 1920s. Simon has just lost the man that he secretly yearned for, Sargent was murdered, and now Simon is determined to find out by who. Michael has secrets from his past, when he meets Simon the challenge of corrupting the sexy stiff man is too much to ignore. As he gets to know Simon, he wants something permanent he divulges one of his secrets and he decides to join up with Simon and help him with his investigations. Simon is resistant to Michael’s charm at first but Michael can be very persuasive, as the two become close and their investigations heat up they discover that Sargent’s killer may be from close to home and that the killer has their fingers in more than one pot.
Michael and Simon are very different characters, Simon is stuffy, rigid and likes the finer things in life, and Michael is rough, scruffy, and lusty. Putting them together was an interesting combination especially when it came to the sex scenes, with Michael alternating between gentle and rough coaxing of the virginal and prudish Simon. The mysteries that are investigating were quite rudimental, a dog snatching and blackmail, but the most interesting one is Sargent’s murder. Discovering the connections and secrets as we go along makes for an interesting story, and the characters as they open up to each other gives us a romance that is unlike many that we read about.
I will recommend this to those that love historical eras, opposites attracting, danger, threats, investigations, and a great happy for now ending. I will be interested to see what comes next for Simon and Michael.
Blurb: Detective Zach Davis has always prized his iron control. Life has taught him that emotions and trust are things to be avoided at all costs. Then his lover leaves him, citing the distance between them, and Zach realizes something has to change.
Could a night at a BDSM club be the perfect way for him to show Lane he really can let go and build an equal relationship?
NOTE: This story was previously published in an anthology entitled Broadly Bound (ISBN-13: 978-1-60659-970-9). This reissued version of the story, now published for the first time on its own, has been reedited.
Review: Zach has control and commitment issues stemming from abuse as a child. When he
meets Lane he finds he wants more with him, but it’s a little too late. Can he win Lane back? His is a very sweet story of a man overcoming his past and trying to move on. The story is interesting and very hot and sexy. Totally swoon-worthy.
Recommendation: If you like, stories about overcoming fears, changing your life, and gaining trust and some mild sexy BDSM this is for you!
Blurb: When Tomi Hadley and his brother, Ren, make fun of their Japanese-born mom’s annual Setsubun bean-throwing celebrations, she’s furious. She warns them that their ridicule of her folkloric beliefs could be deadly. As if to prove her words, shortly after leaving her house, the two men are almost killed in a car accident by a hit-and-run driver.
Tomi’s whole world collapses. Worried about his brother, whose injuries are severe, Tomi struggles to put the pieces of his life back together. This is nearly impossible, however, since he loses his dream job due to his inability to work, and then there’s his mom’s insistence that oni, Japanese demons, caused the collision.
But one day, when Tomi sees a man washing his car on the street, he realizes it’s the same vehicle that caused the accident—a classic red sports car called a Crimson Cat. And the driver, the surprisingly handsome attorney Dusty Grayson, seems to be a man of hidden depth and many, many secrets…
Review: Tomi and his brother Ren are on their way home from their mother’s Japanese bean-throwing ritual when they are involved in a serious car crash. A crash his mother blames on the oni. Tomi’s world begins to collapse when he loses his dream job because he can’t work and his worry for Ren. Luckily, Ren’s boyfriend is there for both of them as they recover. Tomi is determined to make the man responsible for the crash pay, but when he meets Dusty, the man whose car it is, he finds it hard to believe that he really did it and discovers he is covering for someone else.
This is a great little thriller that has an interesting twist. Tomi and Ren have to suffer through their mother’s traditions and on the way home from the latest one they are involved in a crashed caused by a demented driver. Recovering from their injuries Tomi loses the job he has longed for, but Ren discovers the depth of his boyfriend’s love. Tomi is determined to make the driver pay and is surprised when he confronts the owner of the Crimson Cat and discovers that something is amiss. Dusty is trapped in a situation that he sees no way out of without losing his job and everything he has worked so hard for, but discovering people were hurt and meeting Tomi has him rethinking his choices.
The characters in this story are great. I loved Tomi and Ren’s mother. She is just so quirky that you can’t help but smile at her behavior. Tomi is a determined man, but he isn’t so gung-ho that he is blind to inconsistencies. When Tomi realizes something doesn’t add up after he meets Dusty, he tries to convince the man to come clean and make the person responsible pay. Dusty tries to be a good man, but he has a secret that has him tied. He is tired of always covering, but can’t see any way out without losing his hard-earned job. But, when push comes to shove, he acts and ends up in danger from the one he always protected.
This is an enjoyable story that takes a sinister twist towards the end. You get to know the characters reasonable well and you can see how easily Dusty was trapped in a lie of his own making. Tomi and Dusty are good together, although they have a very rocky time of it and you can clearly see that Tomi is the catalyst for Dusty to put a stop to his problems.
I recommend this to those who love domineering quirky mothers, lies that bind, two men coming together in shrouded secrets, danger and finally a happy ending.
Blurb: After yet another bad dream, Leland accepts he can no longer keep his secret; the time had come to confess all to his best friend, Drew. He sets out early in the morning, determined yet fearful of Drew’s reaction to what he must tell him. Leland has loved Drew ever since they were teenagers and together they experimented with their sexuality, but Drew has only ever been his best friend. He dreads maybe even losing that when Drew learns the truth.
Halfway through the forest to Drew’s home, however, Leland is forced to take cover when he sees a large grey wolf tailing another man. His concern turns to shock when the man abruptly shifts to become a wolf himself and attacks the grey wolf.
The fight is swift and bloody and ends when the man-wolf runs off. Leland gets his second shock of the morning when the grey wolf abruptly shifts to become human. To become Drew. Too confused to do more than watch as his now-naked best friend rushes off, Leland is in for yet another surprise when he finally gathers the courage and confronts Drew later that morning…
Review: Leland is struggling with his guilt over a long ago incident and has finally decided to confess everything to his best friend, Drew. But, on his way to Drew’s, in the early hours of the morning, he comes across a sight that scares and shocks him. Gathering his courage, he decides to confront Drew and learns all about Drew’s secret. But, he still has to confess his own secret and it isn’t the only one that comes out.
This is quite a good shifter story that is pretty basic, but many secrets are revealed and true love is found. Leland and Drew have been friends for many years. They experimented together and have shared everything together, but Leland has a secret and the time has come for his to confess all to Drew. Drew has a secret of his own, which Leland discovers by mistake. Drew thinks his secret will drive Leland away, but he forgot how stubborn his friend could be.
I enjoyed this story for its simple shifter aspect and for the relationship between the two main characters. Drew and Leland are great friends and both of them have secrets that could destroy that friendship. revealing their secrets to each other shows them both that their friendship and love for each other is very strong. Things aren’t easy, as they bare their souls and a figure from Drew’s past tries to destroy what they have found. The shifter storyline is very bare bones, no pack, no instructions, just being bitten and left to fend for yourself and a feeling of vengeance wanted on the one who turned you. Drew and Leland both have a huge well of understanding, forgiveness, and love.
I recommend this if you want a basic shifter story, forgiveness, hidden love, hot sex, a touch of danger, vengeance sought and a happy ending when the secrets are revealed.
Title: Painting In the Rain Series: N/A Author: Dev Bentham Genre: Contemporary Length: Extended Novella (34K) Publisher: Amber Quill Press, LLC (June 16th, 2013) Heat Level: Explicit Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts Blurb: Helping teenagers is tough. They face so many dangers—peer pressure, drugs, pregnancy, STDs. As a trained social worker, Mike knows all about it. He’s taken a temporary job on the Oregon coast working with at-risk kids. But when he meets Gabe, the father of one of his charges, he finds himself in another type of danger—that of falling in love and getting stuck in a small, conservative town, not to mention living with an angry teenager. And yet, he’s drawn to Gabe in a way he never imagined possible.
Gabe, whose own father left before he was born, stays in a town where he no longer feels welcome. He’s living the life of a lonely artist so that he can be a father to his son, a bond that’s been threatened by divorce and Gabe’s public coming out. When he meets Mike, Gabe is bowled over with a longing so deep that he finds himself willing to risk everything.
But there are plenty of dangers in a small town, and when a gay kid gets hurt and they refuse to leave him to his fate, Mike and Gabe may be risking more than their hearts.
Reviewer: GiGi Review: I’m an artist, so I have soft spots for other artists and was immediately attracted to the MC, Gabe. This is a risky and fast-paced romance between a single father with a surly and confused teenage son, and a young social worker who juggles teen on a daily basis. The sex was hot, the romance seemed a bit quick, and I must admit to being pleasantly surprised by the twists and turns in the plot! This is a great rainy day read!
Blurb: When Craig Robertson’s religious fanatic father disappears, Craig is forced to return to the home he left behind after an underage affair in order to look for answers. He takes with him his new lover, private investigator Paul Maloney, who is more than willing to help solve the mystery.
During his initial search, Craig locates items that belonged to Michael, his lover in that long-ago ill-fated affair, and soon discovers that Michael has disappeared as well. The search becomes an investigation into Craig’s past, and, because of distressing gaps in his memory, he’s terrified of the truths he might find.
As Craig’s obsession with uncovering clues grows, however, his fragile relationship with Paul begins to disintegrate. Haunted and stalked, Craig has to face down the horror of his memories if he wants to have any hope of a future at all…
Review: The first thing I noticed about this book – which totally disappointed me – was the fact that it’s written from Craig’s perspective. It’s Craig’s story. In Maloney’s Law we met him at the end of the book and we got a very nice impression about him. The easy going sexy as hell model was bound to bring new air and adventures to Paul’s hard – so far – life. But, in all honesty, I was disappointed. My main love, Paul, was lost in this book. I missed his peculiar mind and his melancholic thoughts. I missed the mystery that always followed him, I missed Paul himself.
Yes, surely he was in the story as he did pursue a relationship with Craig and helped him through this “mystery”, but in no way was Craig a match for Paul when it came down to interesting characters. I could not help but compare the two of them. I could not help but compare the two books and the results are not good.
As I said, Craig as we met him is an easy-going, always happy-go-lucky guy. It’s a façade, it’s a persona he puts out to escape his ugly past and a heavily disturbing childhood. The moment Paul steps in his life; his past chooses to reach him again. His inability to recall facts and memories from disturbing events that happened with his first lover and his father is what makes him decide to get Paul involved in some sort of search and find; for a missing ex, for a missing father, and for missing memories.
I don’t know if this story could be better, but as it is, it was frustrating in many ways. I tried to like Craig. I really did and perhaps too hard, but failed. The character is constantly hiding behind lies (it made me wonder with Paul’s past and his affair with Dominic how he tolerated it). In the beginning at least it seemed as if he could not get one single truth from his mouth. Later on we readjust our opinion when we witness him that the person he lies the most is himself. It becomes truly annoying seeing how he tries NOT to find the truths he’s searching for. I disliked most the fact that he would go and lock himself up to “think” only to try to not “think” those thoughts. It was a study on evasion and yes, I understand his past had a toll on his behavior, but it was so hard to concentrate on the book when all thoughts and events came around as a big jumble, making hard to keep your interest.
There was also the “mystery/suspense” part of the book that in no way was a match for Maloney’s Law. It was too easy to see through this plot. It was too easy to find the leads for the psycho-killer. In addition, the fact that it took forever to get there, the fact that too many leads were left unexplored and Paul’s unique abilities were left sleeping, really hit that spot of anger and frustration for me. I’m still not over the fact that Paul was a secondary character here.
I could go on and say how the intensity was lacking and the emotions lacked chemistry, the friendships were by no means the same level we were used to in the first book, the desperation levels too, but there is no reason to keep going on. I’ll just go on and on comparing and the end result is that the sequel is too low and doesn’t even come close to the brilliance of the first one. The stake was raised too high.
In the end, this book comes close to 3 Hearts because objectively it was good and well written. You can read it as a standalone easily. It focuses on religious obsession and how people twist and perverse faith into abnormality and loses the very point of it. Bearing that in mind and if you’ve not read the first book I’m assuming you’ll like this one.
Blurb: Vampire Richard’s membership in the Immortal Police Squad (IPS), along with managing his dance bar called Club Arrest, is his motivation to keep on living. It also doesn’t hurt that his partner, Caleb, is a hunky stripper who just happens to be a werewolf.
But when their beloved handler on the Vegas PD is killed, Richard suspects foul play. And in the sin-drenched city, foul play is everywhere just waiting to ambush them.
Caleb tells Richard not to stress when they are told they have a new handler named Christopher Light, but Richard hasn’t had a lot of luck in the past with handlers.
When Christopher turns out not to be a stranger after all, but someone with whom Richard once had a hot night of sex, Richard suspects he and Caleb are being set up.
For these immortals, mobsters and vampires make life complicated in the city of Vegas, not to mention playing fun sex games and maybe even falling in love…
Review: Richard is a vampire who works for the Immortal Police Squad (IPS). He also has his own club, Club Arrest. his partner in both ventures and casual lover is Caleb, a werewolf. When their handler dies, Richard suspects’ foul play, but no one will listen. When they are given a new handler, Christopher, Caleb and Richard are led into a trap. Someone inside the police force wants to get rid of them. Now, Caleb and Richard have to clear their names and capture the culprits and they have to rely on Christopher for support. But, Caleb becomes jealous and Richard has to examine his feelings before it’s too late.
This is a great paranormal story that combines the paranormal with police, and has cover-ups and police corruption. Richard is a pretty oblivious vampire. He has a casual lover in Caleb and he has sex with whoever he wishes and he never sees what it does to Caleb. Caleb does keep quiet about how he feels, but when Christopher comes into their lives he becomes jealous. But, they both have more important things to worry about when they are set up and Christopher is their only contact.
I did enjoy this story and how it was written. It’s a great storyline that involves sexy vampires, hunky werewolves and a sexy police lieutenant overcoming corrupt police and mobsters. There is plenty of hot sex both m/m and m/m/m and there is danger. But, there is also the realization of love. I must admit to wanting to learn more about the IPS and how it works, because the police work hand in hand with the IPS and know about the paranormals. There wasn’t any background on the IPS and very little on Caleb, other than what we learned from Richard. But, it is still an interesting book. While Richard’s and Caleb’s relationship is coming to fruition, the main storyline is focused on who killed their old handler and why, the set-up and finding the culprits.
I recommend this to those that love paranormal, danger, hot man on man loving, light BDSM, m/m/m hot sex, a good storyline, and a very hot ending.
Blurb: What’s a Lord of the Dead to do? Hades’ bride of several thousand years has served him with divorce papers and she doesn’t just want him out of her life, she wants the palace and the dog, too. Hades’ nephews and his faithful ferryman, Charon, are determined to find their uncle something to distract him before he expires of brooding misery.
Tiberius Snyder had a good future, until his mother dies and his employer shuts down. When he finds himself alone with nowhere to live, he turns to panhandling and to drink, depression slowly killing him.
He just wants a place to sleep out of the cold wind, but Death finds him in a dirty alley. Odd. Ti never thought Death would be so hot…
Review: Hades (Aiden) doesn’t know what to do, his wife has just served him with divorce papers and kicked him out of the palace. His nephews and his friend, Charon (Karl), rally round to help pull him out of his misery. Tiberius (Ti) has fallen on hard times and lives on the streets, drink and depression plaguing him. Ti just wants a place to sleep undisturbed when a shambling figure disturbs him and Death finds him. Who would have thought that the God of the Dead would save a life?
This is a great story of new beginnings and discovering love, mystery and a new twist with the Greek Gods. Hades has to begin a new life in the human realm when his wife wants a divorce. With the help of his ever faithful ferryman, Charon, he is encouraged to take up a new profession as a Private Investigator. His first case catches his eye when he realizes that a string of murders must be connected and he begins to investigate. Coming across a young homeless man who witnesses the murder of another homeless man. Ti is just trying to keep out of the cold, he doesn’t know for sure what he saw, but he wakes up in a warm room with a man who says he wants to help him. Ti doesn’t know what to make of the gorgeous strange man and his scary looking friend, but he finally decides to stick around to help discover who is murdering homeless men and why.
I really loved this book with Hades as a wonderful character with a great love of dogs, Charon as a great friend and with Ti as the victim of circumstance who catches the eye of a lonely God. Hades and Ti’s relationship is a slowly progressing one. They offer each other comfort and friendship and then they take it to the next level with Hades willing to give it all up just to have Ti back. The mystery is interesting and leads to danger for Ti and has Hades calling his family for help.
It was really interesting to see how this story was woven, with Hades having to look back on his relationship with Persephone and seeing the truth of their relationship. It was really telling how Hades was more affected by the loss of Cerberus. How Hades has an instant protective instinct over the waif he finds in an alley and how he begins to open up towards the young man. Ti inadvertently seeing something he shouldn’t and now in grave danger and not even knowing it. The developing love between the two and the risks that are taken were excellent. All the characters are brilliantly written and wonderfully described. This is a great story for an afternoon of relaxation and enjoyment.
I have to recommend this to those who love updated Greek Gods, paranormal, mystery, finding love unexpectedly, new beginnings and a great ending.
Series:This title is part of the Immortals AmberPax™ Collection
Author: Lynn Lorenz
Genre: Contemporary, Fantasy
Length: Novella (133pgs)
Publisher: Amber Allure (19th May 2013)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥3 ½ – 4 Hearts
Reviewer: Pixie
Blurb: Travis Conners is a firefighter who barely made it through high school. Why would Anthony Pappas, an adorable second grade teacher, be interested in him? Travis is willing to find out, if Anthony will give him a chance.
Being descended from a goddess, Anthony Pappas possesses a unique gift—he can tell when people are lying. Sounds good, until your boyfriends all end up lying to you. Anthony’s tired of it. It’s easier not to get involved than to have your heart broken time and time again.
When a little redheaded boy brings the men together, these two heroes will have to find the courage to take a leap of faith and follow their hearts…
Review: Travis is a firefighter who thinks he is dumb. He barely made it through high school and doesn’t think he is smart enough for the cute teacher who teaches his nephew, Rusty. Anthony is a second grade teacher who knows when people are lying. When he meets Travis he is impressed with the man and asks him out for coffee. But, Travis is wary because everyone seems to lie. But, he discovers trust has to go both ways and now both men have to take a leap of faith.
This is a really sweet cute story that had some really touching sweet moments. Travis might be good looking and have street smarts, but he doesn’t have many book smarts. When he meets Anthony, he is instantly attracted, but thinks the teacher is out of his league. Anthony is sick of boyfriends lying to him and has just about sworn off men when he meets Travis, a man who is completely honest about himself. he takes a chance and asks Travis out and they instantly hit it off. But, honesty is demanded by both of them and when Anthony confesses his secret Travis reacts badly and if he wants to stay with Anthony he is going to have to believe it is the truth.
I found this story to be sweet and cute and a wonderful feel good light read. I loved Anthony and Travis, but Travis was my favorite character. He was just so completely honest and open and was so wonderful with his nephew, he about broke my heart with the scene in the classroom when he talked about Rusty’s dad. Anthony is great, as well. he never looks down at Travis and even offers him help when Travis admits the problems he had in school. Travis and Anthony were really hot together and other than the bump in the road when Anthony admits his secret, they were perfect for each other. While I really enjoyed this story I have to admit that it would have been even better if both characters hadn’t picked themselves apart constantly. it wasn’t needed other than the first time to explain their lack of confidence in themselves, and while I found the paranormal aspect to be interesting it didn’t really add anything to the story other than a bit of conflict and angst.
I will recommend this to those who love cute kids, great characters, hot sex, two men coming together in honesty and a very happy ending.
Blurb: Devonn has lived his entire life in Darkness and chained to the will of another for centuries. When the chance to become free arrives in the form of an ancient soul, Devonn grabs it and runs. But taking the soul and keeping it are two different things. Hunted by demons and a stubborn soul that tests his sanity, Devonn seeks sanctuary with a group of survivors, but he doesn’t expect to find himself drawn to the surly ironsmith thwarting his charms.
Since the world fell into Darkness and unleashed the monsters that prowl the Earth, Mitch Banos has seen more than his fair share of death. With people dying and dangers closing in around the group from all sides, Mitch is sure that attachment to people is a bad idea. Devonn’s persistence pays off, but with the fae woods closing in around the group’s tiny sanctuary and traitors in their midst, Mitch finds himself betrayed and trapped among the fae.
Devonn rushes to find Mitch, which leaves the survivors vulnerable to the traitor within. With the soul tugging at Devonn’s sanity, finding Mitch may become far more difficult than Devonn had expected. With so many things pulling at him, it’ll be a miracle if they all survive…
Advisory: This book contains graphic violence, hardcore bondage and punishment, torture and blood play. May not be suitable for the more sensitive reader.
Review: Since the Darkness came, the world has fallen to paranormals. Monsters prey on humans and no one is safe. Devonn is scavenging for food in an abandoned store when Mitch and his group of survivors burst in and disturb a banshee. After fighting for their lives, Devonn joins their group. Mitch isn’t sure what to make of the new arrival when the man keeps flirting with him. Holding Devonn at arm’s-length seems to be the best idea, but Devonn slowly works his charm. The situation for the group begins to become dire as the fae woods are creeping closer to their church every day and a traitor is causing dissent in the group. Mitch is betrayed and finds himself trapped by the fae. Devonn rushes to rescue Mitch, but to save Mitch’s life he has to reveal his own dark secret and it nearly drives them apart. The traitor finally turns on the survivors at the church and it just might kill Mitch and Devonn to rescue the few who escape the traitors clutches.
First things first, the warning is not nearly strong enough. This is a paranormal horror story first and foremost and everything else falls in around that. The violence is bloody and horrific and snaps out of nowhere. The torture is disgusting and if I ever see a rat again I will run screaming in the other direction. C.M. Torrens has a disturbing imagination which gives James Herbert and Stephen King a run for their money. There are many, many things that happen in this book that are horrific and gut churning, so a cast iron stomach is a must.
The storyline is brilliant. The Darkness came out of nowhere and now the paranormals and monsters run amok. Human survivors band together as much as possible, but the outlook is bleak; especially when some of the monsters can look human. Devonn managed to escape his captivity by taking a soul into him, if he loses that soul he will be back in chains. Taking a chance with Mitch gives him brief happiness, but Devonn knows his time is running short. Mitch has kept people from getting too close for two reasons; because of his scars and because there is little chance of happiness in this new world. Together they make an interesting relationship and are good together, but in a paranormal horror story anything can happen.
I have to recommend this to those who love paranormal horror, dark fantasy, nasty BDSM and torture, a brief glimpse of happiness and developing love, great characters and an ending that leaves you chomping at the bit for more.
Blurb: The beat of love doesn’t always move every drummer in the same way…
The members of Frenzied Water, an up-and-coming rock band, can’t believe their luck when Frank Harold, former drummer for Heirloom, the most famous group on the planet, enters the studio and offers to be their new percussionist. And Johnny, Frenzied Water’s front man, never expects that his feelings for Frank will grow to the point where he needs to know the reason Frank left Heirloom for a less popular group.
One night, after a few drinks with Johnny, Frank finally confesses the reason he left Heirloom—a love affair-gone-wrong with his former vocalist. With the truth out, Johnny believes he has a chance with the sexy drummer if only he can convince Frank to leave the past behind and give their blossoming love a try.
Then a miracle happens, one that Johnny suspects may be more calculated than it appears. His band is invited to be the opening act on Heirloom’s American tour. It’s a dream for a rock group struggling for recognition, but a personal nightmare for Johnny, who wishes Frank as far away from his former lead singer as possible.
But Johnny is not the only one dreading this tour, and when a snowstorm in Denver traps Johnny, Frank, and two members of Heirloom together in a cabin, there will be no escape…
Review: Johnny is the lead singer for the band Frenzied Water. A band in need of a drummer. Enter Frank Harold. Frank has left the group Heirloom at the height of their fame for the lesser known rock band and Johnny wants to know why.
The more time these two spend together, the more evident their attraction to one another becomes. Johnny finally gets his wish one night and lands in bed wrapped in Frank’s arms. But Frank is still raw from his break up with his former band’s lead singer and is determined not to get involved with another musician again.
As luck would have it, Johnny gets another chance when he, Frank and two of the members of Heirloom are snowed in a mountain cabin. Will the day after be a repeat of their last sexual encounter? Of will Johnny finally get Frank to admit he loves him as well?
This book is the short, gay version of Sex, Drugs and Rock&Roll! If you are looking for a quick steamy read, then this is the book for you. I was fanning myself and wiping the steam off my Kindle by the end. This is another short read that I would love to have a full length novel of. The storyline of fortune, fame and broken trust was enticing. The last sex scene between Frank and Johnny was so passionate and steamy, I was panting!
Blurb: Nashville Rocky Rhodes roars into Fallen Creek on his motorcycle one day, and nothing is ever the same again…
Nash is trying to find his path in life, after leaving Nashville and his biker gang in the dust. Fallen Creek, Wyoming, isn’t where he plans on spending the rest of his life, but it’s a nice place to rest for a while, and take stock of his life. Yet Nash has secrets he doesn’t want to share with anyone, especially not a taciturn, scarred cowboy.
Cullen O’Murphy is a lone wolf, and he’s been fighting a losing battle against the local shifter pack. He doesn’t want to become part of their pack, not knowing what they do for a living. Cullen’s not afraid, since he knows he can defeat the Alpha, but he doesn’t want to lead. He simply wishes to be left alone.
One night, Cullen goes for a drink at the Watering Hole, a local bar, and he meets Nash. The lust is combustible, yet both men are leery about trusting the other with all their secrets. Unfortunately, neither man might have a choice as circumstances spiral out of their control…
Review: Nash Rhodes rides into Fallen Creek on his Harley thinking it’s just another pit stop on his ride. Not looking for any trouble, but trouble finds him nonetheless. Cullen O’Murphy is a lone wolf that just wants to be left alone. When Cullen meets Nash at the local bar, more than just chemistry will force these two together.
These two men share more than a mutual attraction to one another. Nash left his motorcycle gang because of its homophobic leader, who was less than thrilled to have a gay man in his ranks. Cullen has had to deal with homophobia among his fellow shifters, hence the reason he prefers to not be part of a pack. There’s another juicy detail that makes these two more alike than even they could imagine, but that would be a spoiler so you’ll have to read this story yourself for that little tidbit!
Equal parts intrigue, mystery and secrecy make this an enticing read. Nash and Cullen try to ignore the sexual tension at the start, but when circumstance finds them in close quarters they give in to the desire. The alpha male in Cullen wants not only to protect Nash, but to claim him as his and his alone. Cullen easily takes out the local pack leader, but when Nash’s former boss tracks him down, he isn’t quite so easy to maintain.
The story started out a little slow but found steady footing in the end. If you are a fan of gay, shifter stories with a HFN ending then this is a must read for you. The characters have depth and realism to them and the story flowed well once it got going. I am anxious to see if there will be a continuation to this story as the author left a few unanswered questions and I’d really like to hear Ten’s story. Overall this was a fun lazy day kind of read!
Blurb: Shortlisted for the Harry Bowling Prize 2006 (for novels set in London) and the Royal Literary Fund Scheme, and longlisted for the Betty Bolingbroke-Kent Novel Award…
Paul Maloney, a small-time private investigator from London, reluctantly accepts a case from his married ex-lover, Dominic Allen. Before he knows it, Paul finds himself embroiled in the dark dealings of big business and the sordid world of international crime. The deeper he pushes, the closer he comes to losing everything he holds dear.
Can he solve the mystery and protect those he loves before it’s too late?
Review: Wow, just wow! The more I read Ms. Brooke’s books the more I’m coming to the conclusion that this author picks her characters right from the corner of the street. In this book too, she has made an extremely great job with her protagonists. But it’s not just them. Every single character here is unique. I couldn’t stop thinking while reading this story that each and every one of them pulses with life. They are true if not real and able to evoke too many emotions from the reader.
Paul Maloney is the leading character here. I’ll disregard his appearance description as it has nothing on his personality. There is nothing perfect on Paul, nothing polished to a box of stereotypes. He was for me, for the duration of the book, very much alive. As the story begins, you understand immediately the melancholy that surrounds him. The feeling of being lost in pain and things he can’t control. He is quite obsessive with time, memories and love. Born and raised in a family that let him go and would rather not have him, it feels as if he is constantly running after love, with love always eluding him. He might be a very smart character, but here he’s quite stupid with love for the wrong man. He knows it, he tries to change it and he fails. Only when everything is literally over is this character able to move on. He quite reminded me the saying “There is nowhere to go but up, once you reach bottom”.
Dominic Gregory Allen, Paul’s ex-lover, married with two children. He is Paul’s doom in more ways than one. It is incredible how much I hated this character from the start of the book. I despised him, loathed him with a passion. I was prepared to the classic stereotype when an author makes the misunderstood character “lovable”, gives it absolution and pairs the two men together. Thank you, just thank you for not going there dear author. Dominic is the rich guy who will do everything and anything no matter what for money. He will probably pick a 20 pound note over saving a life, he’s that much of a shark, and he admits it. He knows who he is, what he is and doesn’t shy away from it. Funny thing is that we witness clearly how much he loves Paul. He does, however when it counts he still pick he damn money. He is a sad, sad one, quite pathetic in the end, but oddly enough I felt no pity for him.
Jade, Paul’s assistant and best friend. She is NOT the classical fag-hag even if that’s what comes in mind when you first meet her. She is smart, sensitive and stupid in love with a man who not only can’t see it, but could never possibly reciprocate. She is Paul’s right hand in this job too and his conscience when it comes to his dealings with Dominic.
Blake Kenzie, the bad guy. I have no thoughts for him. He is perhaps the weak part of this story for me. Paul should have withdrawn instantly when he met him in Cairo, but as I said, he’s quite stupid with love here.
So in this book Dominic returns to Paul’s life with a job offer that looks shady the moment he opens his mouth. This case seems easy and clean yet underneath a whole different level of crime lies. I spent the entire book trying to understand why on earth Dominic employed Paul for this. The more Paul finds out the worse the danger. But, while everything he unearths are half-truths, things that make no sense the danger is real. Constant life threats that are promptly being ignored and I couldn’t understand why. Thing is that Paul himself did not make a show for smarts here. Way I saw him he was mostly lucky with the discovery and Jade made the rest happen. His detective work was a bit fragile. But the story was good and suspense held you a captive till the end. Right in the middle of the book the author drops THE bomb and kills a character I would never guess she would. It was so unexpected that literally takes you by surprise and changes the whole way you view this story. Everything, everything change from that moment on and the emotions are so strong you can feel them flowing off the book.
The end was very much to my satisfaction as well. I have questions about Dominic’s money and what happened to them, but I rather liked the turn it took. Although there was the note of optimism coming from Paul, that underlying melancholy that comes hand in hand with him was still there and it made me smile. And I wonder what happens next. No there is no cliffhanger here, just a promise for more.
I loved the book even if it’s a bit bittersweet, or perhaps because of it. Strongly recommended for fans of the genre.
Genre: MM / Science Fiction / Futuristic / The Arts
Length: Novella
Publisher: Amber Allure (April 21st, 2013)
HeatLevel: Moderate
HeartRating: ♥♥♥♥4 Hearts
Reviewer: Thommie
Blurb: Nothing has ever excited Tylen Merodine more than being invited by the Regent himself to celebrate the first solar eclipse in his planet’s recorded history. It’s the party of the millennium, and if he has to restrain his normal exuberant instincts to fit in, that’s what he’ll do to be a part of it. His good intentions vanish, however, the moment he’s presented to the Regent. Because there, in a gilded cage, playing music unlike anything Tylen’s ever heard, is the most beautiful alien he could imagine.
For more than twenty years, Dek has lived in captivity, performing at the whim of those who see him as an animal. The Regent is just the latest in a long line of owners, and while he’s kind, he’s still blind to Dek’s sentient nature. Only music gives Dek a voice, until Tylen breaks the rules and sneaks in to see and speak to him alone.
The time they have together is stolen and precious, the minutes ticking away until the eclipse is past and they have to go back to the way their lives were before. But when the Regent shows an unexpected interest in Tylen’s future, they begin to wonder if their worlds need to remain so separate…
Review: What a lovely, lovely book this was. I’m very fond of the sci-fi genre and the whole different species idea I admit, but this story was truly worth reading even if I was not partial to it.
As much as I crave my freedom, I’ve lived so much of my life
In a cage that I’m not sure what I’d do with it once it was mine.
This is how it starts and it comes from Dek’s point of view. Dek is a sentient species similar to humans, but also very different. Hunted down at age thirteen, he has spent nearly two decades in captivity. The first time he spoke to his “owner” it didn’t go well, hence his decision not to speak ever again to anyone that treats him like an animal. His only way of communication is through his music.
When the story begins I was fascinated. Not only by the new species introduced, but mostly from the melancholic tone as Dek narrated it. It was such a romantic way of writing I got lost in it from the first line and through it you get to understand Dek’s personality and admire the character Ms. Dean created here. He is melancholic due to captivity, yet not depressed. He has an understanding for his captors/owners, yet he hasn’t succumbed to his hopeless situation. Maintaining dreams, yet not getting overwhelmed by them or the fact that he might always be a slave. It is a beautiful character you instantly fall in love with.
And then Tylen comes in the scene and he has his own point of view. The writing while similar is also different, the voices between Tylen and Dek easily distinguishable and you can see how easily he falls for the “songbird” in the golden cage and feel his fury and emotions for said cage.
Being the first one to ever acknowledge Dek as a person, Tylen instantly earns the honor of being the first to hear his voice, too. The bond created between them is almost tangible for me as a reader, the emotions the come from the anguish of their fate easily traveled my way. When the pair came together it was almost magical and the writing once again took me within the dreamy intensity of their lovemaking.
In addition to the wonderful love story there was the romantic side of Dek’s owner, the Regent, who made things even more interesting with his behavior. A mysterious character in his doings, he had both characters and me wondering what on Earth is going on. Giving the plot that little something needed to raise it from a mere nice story to a great one. It was absolutely brilliant and I loved the conclusion. Expected, yet so very unique and romantic in its execution.
This is most definitely a read I’d recommend to those who love sci-fi and romantic stories. I loved it.
Blurb: For TJ Delaney and Cole Labelle, it’s time to turn their lives around and get real.
TJ needs to exchange his playboy lifestyle for a job and prove he’s a responsible adult rather than a spoiled, rich brat.
Cole needs to free himself of his family’s control and their paranoid fears by proving being gay like his father is the only thing he and the man who gave him life have in common. And that by being openly gay he won’t cause them public embarrassment as his father did.
Can TJ and Cole achieve their goal of “getting real” and also find love in the process?
Review: Tj is a rich young man who his dad cuts him off and tells him he needs to get real. Get a job, learn to be something and quit partying all the time. He goes out and finds a job setting up plants and maintaining them in a new office tower. He hopes to see the hot guy with a bad attitude at the local nursery, but doesn’t. When he starts his job, the man in charge of the office building is none other than hot dude with attitude. He soon finds out that he is gay and interested, but very much in the closet. Tj convinces Cole that he needs to get real and live his life and not let his family control it.
This is a very good story of two young men having to learn to face reality. It’s a sweet hot romance that develops quite well and very naturally. The storyline is good, the characters are realistic and interesting, and it’s a fast fun read.
Recommendation I recommend this for anyone that likes an office romance, a story of two young men figuring out what they want in life and a sweet, hot romance.
Blurb: After an injury, Audin desperately needs the help of a healer, and is shocked to discover the one recommended to him is Tener, a man he hasn’t seen since their split following a blazing argument a dozen years earlier. Since those days, both men have experienced much during their years apart, and life has tempered them. Even though Tener is now a healer rather than the doctor he ought to have become, and Audin is an engineer working for an authoritarian government department, they realize they still have much in common. Including a fierce sexual attraction to each other.
Upon learning that Audin’s life is at stake from an implant placed inside him by the government, and with his own career at risk due to Audin’s position, Tener confesses his secret involvement with an underground organization fighting to bring down the corrupt and dangerous regime.
The men quickly comprehend that they must work together, hoping to solve Audin’s problem and, in consequence, that of others infected by the vicious piece of technology. But can Tener remove the evil device from Audin without killing him in the process?
Review: First, I have to say the website where this book is found, from the publisher, calls this book fantasy; there is nothing fantasy about it. It is Sci-Fi, or Science Fiction, whichever you would prefer to call it. Second, it is a great story and I enjoyed reading it, though I do feel it could have been fleshed out a great deal. However, it fits fine, until you reach the ending. There is no end. It just kind of, peters out and you are expecting more to happen in the next chapter, or lacking that, at least an epilogue finishing what was started. Seriously, where did the whole thing lead to? Apart from that, and some minor grammar, spelling and punctuation issues, it was overall a very good story. However, if you are looking for a book with an ending, this is not it.
Series: Part of the Office Affairs from Amber Allure
Author: Anne Brooke
Genre: MM / Contemporary / Romantic Comedy
Length: Novella
Publisher: Amber Allure (March 23rd, 2013)
Reviewer: Thommie
HeatLevel: Moderate
HeartRating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts
Blurb: Darren Fording works as Senior Timetabling Officer for his local college and has happily been arranging the schedules alongside his stalwart team for more than two years. When Max Sheldon arrives to take over as Acting Registrar, Darren finds himself consumed by lust for his new boss and making the kind of decisions he, as a stuck-in-his-ways administrator, has never made before.
At their first official meeting, Darren takes his courage in both hands and initiates a full-on kiss, which Max returns with enthusiasm. The encounter ends there, however, as Max is reluctant to pursue a relationship of any kind with a subordinate. Darren is equally determined not to take “no” for an answer.
When a visit by the educational inspection team goes terribly wrong, Darren must use all his wits to both save the reputation of the college he loves and to prove his worth to the man who’s beginning to mean so much to him.
Review: Who Moved my Holepunch is the title of this book and damn it if it could scream OCD louder, not even mentioning the pun in there. And as you can probably guess from the title alone it’s a comedy.
Darren is a timetable manager and he loves his job, as it requires him to stay on his toes and keep everything organized. That works perfectly with his slightly OCD personality. But, everything change when a new registrar comes in their college.
Max is tall, dark, and drop-dead gorgeous. Not Darren’s type, but that doesn’t stop him from ogling and literally drooling over his new boss. And there is also something in Max’s eyes that make him memorable. So much so that, Darren starts having wet-dreams about him. A fact that leaves him quite unsettled whenever he and Max are in the same room.
And oh my Lord. I’m astonished with this book. If I was required to utter a single word while reading it, I’m not so sure I could have managed that. Not only was I awfully engrossed with the story, but I just couldn’t believe what I was reading. It was good, great even.
This book gives the “office affair” phrase quite a new meaning in my opinion. Funny as it was it kept me in agony with the pair’s shenanigans. I literally had a constant fear they’d be caught any second during their “games”. And oh dear, what a thought of having Darren behaving the way he did. Scared me more than a damn horror book would at some points.
In the whole, it was a fascinating read. I laughed. I gasped. And I felt the exquisite chemistry this author achieved between her characters. The world they were put upon was not something I anticipated, but even college administrative jobs can be fascinating within a creative mind. A lovely novella not to be missed.
Title: Peepshow
