Title: A Fine Mingling

Series: N/A

Author: D.W. Marchwell

Genre: Contemporary

Length: Novel (211 Pages)

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (May 30th, 2014)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥3.5Hearts

Blurb: Benjamin “Big Ben” Forrester came from a wealthy family, went to the right schools, and had handsome men falling at his feet. But all Ben has ever wanted is a man to love him unconditionally. Being a firefighter won’t bring Ben fame or riches, so where will he find true love and acceptance?

Alistair McInnis lives with his older sister, Abigail, and her deaf son, Jared. Alistair left his job as an editor to take care of his nephew when Abigail divorced and enrolled in law school to provide a better future for Jared. But Abigail is falling in love with the policeman next door, and Jared won’t need Alistair forever.

While working with the station house to oversee the rebuilding of a play castle burned down by vandals, Ben meets and falls for Alistair. Can Ben learn what it means to be accepted for who he is? Can Alistair accept that life comes with no guarantees? They soon find happiness is a fine mingling of hanging on and letting go.

Product Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5007

Reviewer: GiGi

Review: This is a pleasant enough story with a slow build and some steamy moments. Most are idealized moments with Bean and Alistair spending time with an always seemingly pleasant five-year-old. I often wonder if writers get to spend enough time around kids to write the experience accurately.

Ben is complicated, or at least it seems he should be a deeper character. He’s got problems with his wealthy parents, a risky job as a fireman who is also out with his house, an interested best friend/father figure, an apartment with two dogs and two cats, he just wants a happily ever after now with a loving family unlike his own.

Alistair, oh, Alistair. I want to feel sorry for him, but he comes across a bit on the whiny side. Yes, his father died too early, but Ally was 25 and fully grown after all. Many of us lose parents sooner. He uses the excuse of helping his sister raise her hearing-impaired son as a reason to hide away and not date. He’s a likeable enough character, and I was a bit surprised he was so aggressive in the sack, which was nice.

As many reservations as each man brought to the relationship they hit it off instantly, sex was good, they got along well, money was not an issue and they both love Jared to pieces.

But the ending is so abrupt I can’t help but see that this is designed to have a sequel. Almost like all the serious issues are left hanging and we get a fluffy HEA instead. You just know there’s huge roadblock ahead for these to love birds. The plot picked up momentum and then it took an abrupt turn and faded to white. A soft, fluffy, warm and lovey read.

Title: Pictures On Silence

Series:  N/A

Author: D.W. Marchwell

Genre: Contemporary/Opera/Animal Rescue

Length: Novel (256 pages)

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (December 2^nd, 2013)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥3.5 Hearts

Blurb: When discredited journalist Duncan Spencer is given the assignment to interview world-famous operatic baritone Barkley Reinhardt, he knows it’s fluff, but he’s earning a living and he hopes it can take him one step closer to recovering his career as an influential and serious journalist. The singer is surprisingly more interesting than Duncan expected, and Duncan decides Barkley, with his reputation of being increasingly difficult and demanding, would make an excellent subject for a biography. When they meet, Duncan is surprised to find that Barkley has become jaded, is dissatisfied with fame and a life of touring, and deeply desires to pursue drastically different passions.

Although they are worlds apart in careers and interests, mutual fear and desperation rushes Duncan and Barkley into romance. But neither man has taken the time to really know the other, believing instead that what one needs, the other can provide. And then, when Barkley finds out that Duncan is planning to write his biography, he assumes Duncan is just like so many others: seeking only to benefit from his fame. How can a romance that started out so wrong-footed survive after such a blow?

Product Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4406

Reviewer:   GiGi

Review: An interesting window into the world of opera singers.

I learned a bit about performing, different types of operatic singing, what goes into training and that was an interesting part of this story. On the flip side, the story did not delve much into reporter Duncan Spencer’s career as a journalist, though maybe the opera was more interesting and less known. These two have many differences, and though those obstacles would divide most people, their chemistry is strong enough to pull them together, that and their mutual love of furry four-legged creatures.

As the story sweetly meanders along, we see the true extent of Barkley’s love of his furry friends, and the length he will go to help rescue shelter animals destined to be put down. At first, I thought this might swing into an unhealthy hoarding situation, but as the story expands to include a rescue farm, the concept of fostering, and Barkley’s determination, I felt better. By the way, I thought it very clever that such an animal, and dog lover in general would have the name Barkley, just had to add that!

The tension builds, as a very jaded Barkley show’s his ultimate distrust of Duncan when he discovers the biography file on his laptop. He quickly leaps to some very wrong assumptions and shuts Duncan out. That isolation only serves to cause both of them pain, but can the relationship be salvaged? You’ll just have to find out. This story was a wonderful escape, introducing me to some new areas, opera, and animal rescue, that I had not explored before.

I recommend, this and Marchwell’s other titles, as they are a great addition to any readers shelves.