Tag: GLBT Contemporary Romance

Love and Salvage: Loving Emmett by Mathew Ortiz

814C91lWtOL._SL1500_Title: Love and Salvage: Loving Emmett

Series:   N/A

Author: Mathew Ortiz

Genre: Contemporary

Length: Novel (154 pages)

Publisher: Mathew Ortiz (October 17th, 2013)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥3.5Hearts

Reviewer:   Eli/Mandingo

Blurb: Tatesville was a quiet little town just east of Atlanta, home to the Gaither clan. Emmett Gaither loved his family and his life. It was perfect. Being the only gay son had its challenges but his family stood by him and loved him all the same. He never dreamed that his world would be turned upside side by the new banker in town. The sexy blonde man made Emmett’s blood boil. But he wouldn’t be interested in a redneck man like Emmett? Would he? 

Alex King had lived a gypsy life. Leaving the northwest, he thought he wanted to live in the bustling city of Atlanta. Still he wasn’t happy, so he jumped on the change to move to a quieter life in Tatesville. He was sure he’d never meet a good guy in the little southern town. Imagine his surprise when one of his customers wanted to fix him up with her SON! Had he move to the Twilight Zone? If so, he was happy to live there when the customer’s tall, dark and handsome walked into his bank…now what? 

Purchase Link:   http://www.amazon.com/Love-Salvage-Loving-Mathew-Ortiz-ebook/dp/B00G07B4GQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1384564947&sr=1-1&keywords=love+and+salvage

Review: I started reading and felt like I’d stepped into the written version of a reality show. Mr. Ortiz has a very vivid way of writing which makes the reader feel that they are sitting in the room and watching the interaction that is happening on the page. While the setting may be a small town – the real setting is The Gaither family – everything in this story is spawned from the members or interaction of the family. The Gaither clan is a fascinating one – they would make a great addition to TLC or another such network, right beside the Duck Dynasty family.  As a result of his writing style, the characters are sharply drawn and thus three-dimensional in nature. So thumbs up on the writing style.

Unlike many m/m main characters, Emmett and Alex are not broken men; lonely and with their insecurities, but certainly not broken –that was a welcome change. They are well-adjusted men who meet and grow to like and then love each other. They must, however, deal with the outside world which presents itself in the way of jobs, friends, and of course the prejudices that come with them.  The men demonstrate beautifully what it means to resolve to make a relationship work and what has to happen for that to occur. The men are vastly different, but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t a good fit. Check! On character and plot development.

The supporting cast of the story are also very entertaining, a trait Mr. Ortiz excels at as seen with other series books he’s written.  In this story, he clearly outlines the other stories that may be spawned from this tale, by weaving several interlocking tales. This is an exceptional plot tool not just for spawning stories and characters, but ensuring that the reader gets a 360 degree view of the characters by seeing their full lives and how they interact with the world they live in.  I look forward to reading more from this author, especially more about the Gaither clan who are loud, colourful and the perfect setting for any story. It’s nice to know that we’ll see Emmett and Alex again. Round of applause on use of secondary characters to advance the plot line!

And to conclude – There is of course a major conflict in the story. It happens close to the end and helps to propel the readers and the main characters towards the HEA, because love must always conquer all. Kudos to following the time-honoured tradition of how to ensure that the reader is hooked and notions of the romantic standard are followed.

When all is said and done, Emmett and Alex are great characters, we enjoy their love story and their journey, we root for them and when the story is done, we are happy and satisfied.

D-Boy by Edward Kendrick

D-BoyTitle: D Boy

Author:  Edward Kendrick

Genre:  Action/Adventure, Contemporary, Gay, Romance, Thriller

Length:  Novel (303 pages)

Publisher:  Silver Publishing (November 2nd, 2013)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts

Reviewer:  Cat

Blurb:  At sixteen, Derek loses his memory–and his family–in an accident. He’s rescued by the reclusive Michael. Then he begins the long journey to discover his past.

In Denver, he finds a job, a place to live, and trouble, when someone attempts to kidnap him. Members of the ‘Company’ help him escape and later recruit him. Ending up in New Orleans, he’s nineteen and working undercover when he’s teamed with Brad, who teaches him the joys of sex. Heartbroken when he thinks Brad has found another man, Derek transfers to Denver.

Derek is twenty-four and still with the ‘Company’, when he remembers more about the accident, leading to shocking revelations about his father. Then Brad is sent to Denver on a job and Derek must decide if he can trust Brad’s love again, while working with him on the assignment.

Purchase Link:  https://spsilverpublishing.com/dboy-ebook-p-60315.html

Review: Derek is in an accident at age 16 and loses his memory and his parents were killed. He is saved by a mysterious man in the woods and nursed to health, then suddenly this man is killed and Derek heads to find a town and see if he can find who he is. He finds himself swept into a mystery involving Michael that leads to him meeting another man who gives him a job.

I really liked this story. There is a lot going on and lots of intrigue. There is a bit of a romance that starts out hot and fast then takes an unexpected turn. I really liked that. I also like that this story was longer. It pulled me in and I wanted to keep reading to see what would happen next. I also liked that Derek didn’t get his memory back all of a sudden that would have been predictable.  I liked that the story wasn’t very predictable, yet still intriguing.

The only thing I didn’t like was that the mystery’s, and there was a few since he worked undercover in a Company, were so easily and quickly solved and once solved they disappeared and didn’t entwine into the story. I also would have liked  to have known a bit more of what this Company he worked for was and how they was able to take in a 16-year-old boy with no identification in and work him. Having said that, this is a fiction story and it didn’t really hurt the story at all. 

I love this author and the way he spins a great romantic mystery/suspense. I appreciate the stories now being longer and more complete. I find the endings always so satisfying.

If you like a story with mystery/ suspense, undercover secret agencies, mobs, hot, sexy romance that isn’t love at first site more friends or partners to lovers with a very satisfying ending this is for you.

Apple Polisher by Heidi Belleau

ApplePolisher_400x600Title: Apple Polisher

Series: Rear Entrance Video, #1

Author: Heidi Belleau

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Length: Novel (194 pages)

Publisher: Riptide Publishing (July 29th, 2013)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts

Reviewer: Thommie

Blurb: This straight-A student has a dirty little secret.

Christian Blake dreams of being a kindergarten teacher, but making the grade means maintaining a squeaky-clean image: no drinking, no drugs, no swearing, and no sex. And definitely no falling for his new roommate—tattooed bad-boy Max, who may or may not be a drug dealer.

Most of all, it means no working at a porn store. But Christian’s aunt has cancer, and her beloved Rear Entrance Video will go bankrupt if Christian doesn’t take over managerial duties. Soon enough, Christian finds himself juggling sticky twenty-five cent peep show booths, a blackmailing employee, and a demanding professor who likes to make an example of him.

And then there’s Max, who doesn’t know anything about the store, but hates Christian’s preppy sweater vests and the closet Christian forces him into when they’re together. Max just wants Christian to be himself—even though Max is keeping secrets of his own. Christian struggles to find the impossible balance between his real life and the ideal one he thinks a teacher needs to live . . . all while trying to keep his aunt’s dream alive without losing his own.

Product Link: http://www.riptidepublishing.com/titles/apple-polisher-rear-entrance-video-1

Review: I should have not read this book after Wallflower, but then again I’d have missed one hell of a story. Heads up: start this series from the beginning.

This is a beautiful story that wants its characters to be multi-dimensional and affected by life quite realistically, dealing with it just as we would and making mistakes, suffering from them and eventually grown and learn.

Christian is a gay man, fighting his way through college, trying to reach his dreams and prove his mother wrong. Being a teacher has been all he’s wanted ever since he was a little boy, but that little voice inside his head that is very similar to his mother’s keeps dragging him down under a thick veil of self-doubt. In his continuous fight to make a decent life Christian is dragged back and forth between trying to dispel people’s expectations and judgment, and expecting/judging other in the same harsh way he thinks he’s subjected too.

Enter Max, his new roommate (one out of four) who has a very I-don’t-care-what-you-think view in life. He’s charming and alluring in that bad-boy kind of way, gives vibes of being even a criminal, and lives life the way he wants to without care for other’s opinion.

Max is a very strong character here with a great effect upon Christian. I think – besides the fact that Christian is being a complete jerk for half the read – that he even hates Max. He is unnerved by Max and the attraction between them, yet when every cell in his body tells him to run away from him Christian can’t deny that being in Max’s arms feels just right. When Max tells him head on that his pursuit of his dreams is changing him into a man, he doesn’t want to be and that sacrificing his family for those dreams is the worst thing Christian could do, things turn a bit dark. The turmoil in Christian’s life is made twice worse from his newfound doubts, and choices he eventually can’t avoid.

In the end, this is a story about the struggles of this character (Christian) and how when everything seems to have come at its worse, there is always a bright and shiny side. I loved it; the plot, the characters involved, the turnarounds that were plenty, the surprises these character kept throwing along the way, and lastly the emotional intensity that this text was so wonderfully filled with. The balance between erotic and romance was fantastic. One moment I was reading a text full of passion and downright porn scenes, the next there was love and sweet emotions without it even being said, or when said came so effortlessly and smooth with the context. I just love it when romance is corny-free.

Another thing I want to mention every time, yet forget, about this publishing house’s work is its great quality. Half my enjoyment when I read a book coming from Riptide is from the feeling that I’m reading a real, solid book. I feel that if I go close enough my screen I’m going to even smell the scent of the paper, not to mention that the editing is just perfect and I’m left with only the story and the ride it takes me to deal with.

Overall, I’m highly satisfied by the first book in this series. It was exactly what I expected to be, made me feel so good after reading it, and yet again, I can’t wait for Austin’s story. Strongly recommended!

My Unintended by Faith Ashlin

0c7c0340e9c0956f4da8ccf93cc28210.image.300x450Title: My Unintended

Series:  Love is Love Anthology

Author: Faith Ashlin

Genre: Contemporary

Length: Short Story (48 pages)
Publisher: Silver Publishing (October 5th, 2013)

Heat Level: Mild

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts

Blurb: Noah and Greg are teachers and have been living together for a while. They’re content in their lives and with each other. Or at least they think so. Then Noah is forced to consider his dreams for the future when his parents change their wills. He’s told the family house will be left to his sister rather than him, as she has children. But does he want a wife and traditional family? Instead of talking to Greg, as he knows he should, he runs back home. His grandmother takes him in hand and tells him a story about her own loves back before she was married.
It makes Noah think about what he really wants.

CONTENT ADVISORY: This title is a re-release title, originally included in the Love is Love Anthology.

Product Link: http://spsilverpublishing.com/blog/2013/09/27/my-unintended-by-faith-ashlin/

Reviewer:   GiGi

Review: A mature examination of relationships. We all enjoy the heat of a relationship, those moments where all we care about is the day-to-day passion, our next fun event, our next road trip together…but how many times do we really sit down and examine what we need, what we expect, and what our future is going to look like?

This sweet short story makes Noah stop in his tracks and panic about his future. Flying on the high of his relationship with Greg, new decisions about Noah’s family trust and his inheritance of his grandmother’s house make him question everything. Suddenly faced with the fact that his future with Greg does not add up to the future he envisioned for himself growing up, Noah is scared. Thankfully, his flight from Greg back home to his parents and most importantly to his Grandmother, makes Noah see things clearly, and the choices he needs to make.

Don’t worry readers, we know what the right choice is, and you need to trust Noah to know what it is too! A sweet, sometimes painful short story!

Collide by Riley Hart

91lbmDAVm1L._SL1500_Title: Collide

Series:   Blackcreek Series

Author: Riley Hart                     

Genre: Contemporary

Length:   Novel (258 pages)

Publisher: Riley Hart (November 8th, 2013)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts

Reviewer:   Eli/Mandingo

Blurb: At ten years old, Noah Jameson and Cooper Bradshaw collided mid-air when they dove for the same football. For three years, they were inseparable…until one day when Noah and his parents disappeared in the middle of the night. 

Noah and Cooper never knew what happened to each other. Now, seventeen years later, after finding his boyfriend in bed with another man, Noah returns to Blackcreek looking for a fresh start. And damned if he doesn’t find his old friend grew up to be sexy as sin. Coop can’t believe Noah—the only person he trusted with the guilt over his parents’ death—is back. And gay… Or that Cooper himself suddenly wants another man in his bed for the first time. 

There’s no denying the attraction and emotion between them, but can they overcome the ghosts of their pasts to have a future together? 

Purchase Link:   http://www.amazon.com/Collide-Blackcreek-Riley-Hart-ebook/dp/B00GK9L2XO/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1384390577&sr=1-1&keywords=collide+riley+hart

Review: Finally a book with a realistic look and take at what it must take for a man who has never before found himself attracted to a man dealing with the myriad of emotions that comes with redefining yourself when you already thought you were fairly well-defined. The story allows the reader to learn about the characters of Noah and Cooper so that they understand how both men could perhaps move from one reality to another. Both men are scarred by their childhoods and the overwhelming theme of the book is how love, friendship and understanding can help to heal wounds and start new beginnings.

The author makes good use of flashbacks to help the reader understand the nature of Noah and Cooper’s relationship which makes their journey from friendship to lovers easier to understand and highly believable. It’s also realistic in that first comes sex, and then comes emotions. The sex in the book is both erotic and healing; and, while there is a LOT of it, it is not gratuitous, but rather serves to help the men become closer and heal from past hurts. For Cooper, experiencing sex with Noah allows him to realize that he feels more for his friend that the simple love one has for a friend, the sex binds him to the man who will become his partner.

The story follows the men’s friendship, to their sexual encounter, to their break up and then to their eventual understanding that their feelings for each other are not fleeting and that they must work together if their relationship is to succeed. And then when the reader feels that the HEA is now accomplished, a new crisis is thrown into the mix and the two men must now overcome this crisis together in order for them to not just have their HEA, but to build the foundation that will become their lives.

Noah and Cooper are a very believable couple. The movement from their friendship to their relationship builds a climax in the story which pulls the reader in. Both men love each other and the things they do for and with each other clearly demonstrate that. The reader wants them to succeed and even when Cooper struggles, the reader understands why and continues to root for him. Why? Because the reader understands that it is in Cooper admitting his feelings for Noah that he will be able to begin to heal.

The story is very well told and nicely paced and is quite an enjoyable read.

Crooked Tree Ranch by R.J. Scott

18274216Title: Crooked Tree Ranch

Series: Montana 01

Author: R.J. Scott

Genre: Contemporary, Cowboys, Family

Length: Novel (185pgs)

Publisher: Totally Bound (13th December 2013) Available for early download from 15th November 2013

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating:  ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: Nate Todd knows things have to change for Crooked Tree to survive. He just doesn’t know how much of an effect Jay Sullivan will have on his life.

On the spur of the moment, with his life collapsing around him, Jay Sullivan answers an ad for a marketing expert on a dude ranch in Montana. With his small family, he moves lock, stock, and barrel from New York to Montana to start a new life.

Foreman and owner of a third of the ranch, ex rodeo star Nathaniel ‘Nate’ Todd has been running Crooked Tree Ranch. His partners in the business convince him that he needs to get an expert in to help the ranch survive. He knows things have to change, but when the new guy turns up, with a troubled family in tow, he just isn’t prepared for how much.

Purchase Link: https://www.totallybound.com/crooked-tree-ranch

Review: Nate discovers the ranch he part owns isn’t doing as well as he thought, so on the advice of his partners he agrees to get a marketing expert in to turn the ranch around, but he isn’t prepared for the hot city guy who turns up with his family in tow. Jay snatches the chance of a new beginning for himself and his family when he loses his job and his sister’s violent ex turns up, but he never accounted for his sexy new cowboy boss. Settling his family comes first for Jay but he can’t ignore his longing for Nate, Nate has ideas of his own, but will Jay be willing to stay at Crooked Tree Ranch and will Nate tell Jay how he really feels?

R.J. Scott has done it again. She has produced another series with fabulous characters, incredible settings and with the added bonus of family drama. Both Nate and Jay are introduced in their own settings, Nate on the ranch with the hidden problems coming to light and Jay in the city office as his world crumbles around him. We then see both of them finding solutions to their problems and their first meeting isn’t exactly sunshine and roses. We discover a lot about the characters of both men, in their past and continued actions and they are both men that are honorable and family orientated, but are both tough and determined in their own ways. 

The relationship between Nate and Jay is a slow evolving one but the attraction and sparks between them let you know it will be an incredible one. There’s plenty of background stories playing out involving both Nate’s two brother’s and Jay’s sister and niece, as well as cute little sweet Josh (Jay’s nephew) settling easily into his new life. Along with the normal tension and worries of moving to a new State and the horrible tension of an abuser refusing to let go, it has the hopes and fears of a new relationship and the hotness of sexy men taking a chance on love. There is also a mystery lurking in the background involving the disappearance of two young boys and the ongoing relations between the three partners of the ranch. 

I loved this story, it had just the right amount of everything to keep me turning the pages and having me scouring the internet for hints about future books, it had me secretly grinning that it had sexy cowboys and I’d snatched the book right out from under Cat’s nose *raspberry*. It got my mind flying off wondering what happened to the young teenagers who had disappeared… *R.J. I want to know… NOW*, it had me sighing over family and the changes that security and a fresh start can bring. It’s a very fulfilling story that doesn’t have a miss, it hits the spot from every aspect, and I am really hoping that R.J. coughs up the next in the series pretty quickly. 

I recommend this story if you love cowboys, city guys, sexy men, family drama, a lingering mystery, some hot sex, a great story, brilliant characters, and some brilliant writing. Oh and if you can read! LOL, R.J. I am expecting you to write like the wind and have sore fingers in the near future 🙂

 

Coming to Terms by A.R. Moler

811c+lDayfL._SL1425_Title: Coming to Terms

Series:   N/A

Author: A. R. Moler

Genre: Contemporary

Length:   Novella (63 pages)

Publisher: MLR Press (November 7th, 2013)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥3Hearts

Reviewer:   Eli/Mandingo

Blurb:Sometimes, inevitably, life hits a snag. What if love turns up at the same time? Aidan Sterling’s life has hit one of those moments-the times when things might just change whether he wants it to or not. Outside of the inherent paranoia of his active career in covert ops, he’s recovering from some serious physical and emotional trauma from a mission gone disastrously wrong. His bosses aren’t sure if he’s up to returning to active fieldwork—and neither is he.

And Kris Jameson is the kind of guy who’ll take the time to understand and care about Aiden. He’s a regular guy with a large heart. Kris is a carpenter and a part-time bouncer, easy-going and hardworking. But not all danger can be found overseas, and nice guys aren’t always safe even here at home.

Purchase Link:   http://www.mlrbooks.com/ShowBook.php?book=ALRTERMS

Review: I wondered how such a short book could do justice to such a very involved topic.  The issue of PTSD is one which is well documented and has been focused on quite heavily in this genre as many authors tackle DADT and its aftermath for gay men in the military. Aidan is struggling with PTSD but meets and begins a relationship with Kris. Aidan is uncertain what the relationship between them will mean as he’s trying to get his life together in order to return to active duty. He is surprised when Kris is not put off by his PTSD in the form of nightmares and flashbacks.  However, when Kris is attacked, Aidan feels guilty that his condition could have had serious repercussions.

The story focuses on how Aidan must manage his PTSD which is the reality of many service men.  His relationship with Kris, who has experience with PTDS, illustrates that there are always people who will love you and support your despite an issue you may have. The story while short focuses on clear, distinct situations and scenarios that allow the story to move forward without seeming rushed. You empathize with Aidan and you want him and Kris to be able to forge a relationship. The end of the story is a nice solution for everyone and provides the reader with the hope that there can be normalcy after trauma.

The story is short but well written, moderate heat, but realistic and believable.  While PTSD is a heavy topic, the story provides a good look into what they could look like within a relationship but is not so depressing that the story of the men is not explored. A good short read.

A Christmas Memory by Max Vos

18802130Title: A Christmas Memory

Series:   N/A

Author: Max Vos

Genre: Contemporary

Length:   Novella (21k)

Publisher: Max Vos (November 15th, 2013)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts

Reviewer:   Eli/Mandingo

Blurb:J.J. has always hated the holidays.  Presents, decorations, the traditional family Christmas…It’s all his colleagues in the staffroom can talk about.  J.J. avoids these conversations like the plague.  He’d do anything to keep his co-workers from seeing the real J.J, the gay man who doesn’t want to be noticed.  When he slips up and reveals that he is all alone with no plans for Christmas, the well-meaning ladies of his high school want to take him in for the holidays. 

Oh hell….

Enter Coach Adam Sutton who comes to his rescue—and now J.J. is trapped by this hulk of a man who won’t take no for an answer. And he would have to be someone J.J finds attractive, wouldn’t he? Too bad he’s straight and J.J’s not about to step out of the shadows and make a move on him. He likes his arms where they are, thank you very much. But Adam has a secret, one which is going to turn J.J’s world upside-down. Adam wants to give J.J. a Christmas to remember, but as it turns out, both men’s lives are never going to be the same again…

Purchase Link:   https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-achristmasmemory-1348342-149.html

Review: The reader meet J.J. and Adam in their work environment, where J.J. has transformed himself into the quintessential nerdy history professor. Adam on the other hand is the larger than life, popular coach. On the surface, opposites should not attract, but J.J. is clearly attracted and Adam’s insistence on their interaction gives the reader a clue that Adam may be more than simply a ‘nice guy’ hell bent on rescuing J.J. from an uncomfortable situation.

Adam’s pursuit of J.J. is adorable in its relentlessness, and when J.J. finally succumbs to Adam, the reader is pleased.  The story is more than just a simple Christmas love story. It’s about a man who’s life has not been a happy one, allowing someone to show him how full and meaningful life can be when surrounded by love. The undercurrent of stereotypes and not judging a book by its cover are themes also interwoven into this light-hearted tale.

As we approach the holiday season, this is a great stocking stuffer. It’s a lovely little read filled with love, hope and laughter. J.J. and Adam are sexy and there’s both heart and heat enough to keep the home fires burning.

Bullet by Garrett Leigh

18745179Title: Bullet

Series:   Boy Blue 01

Author: Garrett Leigh

Genre: Contemporary

Length:   Novella (114 pages)

Publisher: Loose Id (November 4th, 2013)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts

Reviewer:   Eli/Mandingo

Blurb: Levi Ramone entered the gay porn market for one reason, and one reason only: he needed the cash to pay his momma’s spiraling gambling debts. Seven years later, he’s a veteran with a reputation as one of Blue Boy Studio’s most ruthless tops, and when his boss suggests it’s time for a change, he finds himself staring down the barrel of a gun. Figuratively speaking, at least.


Enter Sonny Valentine, a go-go dancer at Blue’s sister club, Silver’s. Levi has secretly admired Sonny from afar for years, but there’s a problem. He can’t stand Sonny and the feeling is entirely mutual. When Levi learns Sonny is to play the third part in a scene he already considers his worst nightmare, he figures things can’t get any worse.


But when preparations for the scene from hell collide with tragic events in his personal life, he finds his fast-growing, red-hot attraction to Sonny just might be the only thing left between him and a bullet.

Purchase Link:   http://www.loose-id.com/bullet.html

Review: There are many who believe that those in the porn industry are inherently broken people.  This remains a hotly debated topic. This book focuses on a broken man, Eli, who’s found himself in porn as a way to make money.  The most connecting human experience is for him often devoid of emotion.  Levi literally detaches himself from his sexual experiences as a porn star and doesn’t seem to enjoy the experience much. For him the sex trade is really a means to an end. A financial end. He has learned to straddle the world of his life and being a porn star.

Sonny enters the story to help give Levi a conscience and to allow him to heal from his brokenness. Every single one of their encounters moves Levi from his current place to a place where he can begin to begin to live rather than just exist. The story focuses on Sonny helping Levi prepare for what is to become the most challenging experience of his porn career. Sonny is Levi’s catalyst for change.  However, while Levi must manage this professional challenge, his personal life and demons are also causing him angst. The collision of these two realities creates the crisis in the story, which both Levi and Sonny must overcome.

The story is about the porn industry so there are a number of very racy and explicit scenes if the reader is looking for heat. However, the scenes between Levi and Sonny are transported to being more because sex between these characters is more about them needing a human connection even in the midst of their sex trade. The overriding theme, however, is about delving into Levi’s psyche and how Sonny can help him achieve a sadly lacking balance. Sonny’s presence and his growing connection to Levi is what will allow Levi to dodge the bullet so to speak. This is not your typical love story, but then set in the porn industry – how could it be?

Unexpected Rescue by Silvia Violet

18713972Title: Unexpected Rescue

Series:   N/A

Author: Silvia Violet           

Genre: Contemporary

Length:   Novella (95 pages)

Publisher: Silvia Violet (November 4th, 2013)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts

Reviewer:   Eli/Mandingo

Blurb: Shrapnel from an explosion tore up Jackson’s leg and ended his career as a Navy SEAL. Being forced into the civilian world was bad enough, but being told he’s crazy is intolerable. No matter what the doctors or anyone else tells him, he knows a supposed ally was responsible for his injury, and that same man is determined to shut Jackson up for good. 

When Jackson sees a kayaker clinging to his boat from the balcony of his beach house, his instincts tell him something dire is about to happen. Jackson rescues the injured man and insists on hiding him until a former SEAL teammate arrives. As Jackson struggles with separating reality from soul-shattering flashbacks, the injured man’s compassion and growing trust tear down his barriers, and Jackson begins to wonder if his heart is as dead as he’d assumed. 

Purchase Link:   http://www.amazon.com/Unexpected-Rescue-ebook/dp/B00GEA51KY/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1383788716&sr=1-1&keywords=unexpected+rescue+silvia+violet

Review: Unexpected rescue is a good read on two levels. It offers the reader a bit of an action adventure with a two strong romantic leads. Jackson is a man on the edge, barely holding on to his sanity with an equally tenuous hold on reality. Addy, the man rescued from the boat by Jackson is Jackson’s unexpected rescue; but it is Addy’s emotional rescue of Jackson that is the true unexpected rescue and what provides this story with its heart and its core.

The secondary character of Jackson’s bff is wonderfully scripted and it is his love and unconditional acceptance of and for Jackson that will help to propel Jackson to finding the parts of himself he believes he’s lost and to begin to build a new life with a new reality. 

There are some books you read where the sex is gratuitous. The general premise is that since it’s a love story with two hot men, the two hot men have to have sex. Then you have the other books and sex scenes where the sex/love scene is as essential to the book as air is to breathing.  It’s the scenes where the sex isn’t really about sex. Instead the sex is about loving and healing and making the character realize that there is life out there, if they are but willing to grasp it. When the sex scene does appear in the story, the reader has been craving it, but more importantly, the reader recognizes its necessity to the story.

A wonderfully compelling read.

Hard Ass is Here by S.C. Wynne

18664778Title: Hard Ass is Here

Series:   N/A

Author: S.C. Wynne

Genre: Contemporary

Length:   Novella (103 pages)

Publisher: Loose ID (October 15th, 2013)

Heat Level:  Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 3.5 Hearts

Reviewer: Eli/Mandingo

Blurb:Senior Analyst Taylor Williams knows there’s an embezzler at Peterton Financial, and he’s been doing everything he can to catch the crook. Unfortunately the numbers keep adding up to him being the thief. 

When corporate sends in Regional Manager, Phillip Daniels to catch the crook, it’s obvious he suspects Taylor right off the bat. Phillip is gorgeous, sexy as hell and a hard ass. But when it comes to sexual attraction logic can’t compete. Even though Phillip suspects Taylor might be the thief, he can’t keep himself from bringing him into his bed, time and time again. 

Will the numbers add up to a happy ending for these two?

Purchase Link:   http://www.loose-id.com/authors/q-t/s-c-wynne/hardass-is-here.html

Review: This is a variation on the office romance. Phillip is the boss and Taylor is the junior employee.  They are working together to locate the embezzler in the office and along the line they become involved in a pseudo relationship. Both understand the office politics of them being in a relationship and so there’s that issue for them to contend with. Then throw in some personal issues which Taylor has that complicate his life, and you have the makings of a very complicated coupling.

There is a realism to the story as the reader gets to see both Phillip and Taylor struggle with their personal issues and crossing the boundaries by being involved in an office fling. This is Taylor’s story so his motivation and issues are fairly well-defined.  Phillip by contrast seems very normal when viewed through Taylor’s lens. However, the story is about Taylor’s struggle and arc and his coming to grips with his issues of control and trust, Phillip serves as a catalyst to get Taylor to move forward in his life.

The story is well written and believable. There is a clear, well-defined story line and the characters are believable in their roles. The men have an amazing physical connection so there’s enough sizzle and heat for the reader to enjoy as well. All in all a pleasant read.

Family Connections by N.J. Nielsen

18690198Title: Family Connections

Series:   The Connelly Chronicles (I’m assuming)

Author: N J Nielsen

Genre: Contemporary

Length:   Novel (254 pages)

Publisher: Silver Publishing (October 18th, 2013)

Heat Level: Low

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥3.5 Hearts (Should really be two stories)

Reviewer:   Eli/Mandingo

Blurb: Thrown into circumstances beyond their imagining, Ray Connelly and Christopher ‘Viv’ Vivvens must step beyond their own lifestyles to survive the future. What started out with a small white lie and two men becomes more than either of them ever dreamed. 

Ray and Viv learn that love isn’t always what they expect but in learning to deal with the road ahead, they realise change can be so worthwhile as they become a family in the greatest sense. 

When an ex makes an appearance and tries to destroy their happily-ever-after, the guys need to find out if they have what it takes to beat the odds. With the help of family and friends, Ray and Viv fight their past demons to make their future even better than they ever thought possible.

Purchase Link:   https://spsilverpublishing.com/family-connections-ebook-p-59261.html

Review: Let me start with the point that this is a long story.  It is 451 pages and is much more than just a simple love story between two men. When it states that, it is the Connelly Chronicles, which is exactly what this is.  Ray and Viv meeting and falling in love is the tip of the iceberg.  There is a LOT of family in this book and readers should not for a minute lose track or they will be lost.  I suggest a pad and pencil to keep all the players straight (so to speak). I will admit to an initial confusion when first reading. My disorientation was due to the story moving backwards and forwards between Viv and Ray’s perspective in the beginning which was a tad confusing.  Novels in a single character’s voice are easier to follow; OR if using multiple voices, separate them by chapter or some other indicator, so that the reader is cued as to when the story will be in another character’s perspective.

So let’s summarize quickly then shall we. Viv is straight, or so he thinks and claims, and Ray has not come yet out the closet; but, they embark ‘fake’ relationship for reasons which I’ll allow the reader to explore. I experienced a believability issue here because both inexperienced men seemed too “okay” with the fake relationship, especially Viv, the straight man who can’t seem to keep his hands off the NOW newly out Ray.  Yeah, issue with believability here. But it’s cute and so I kept reading.  Ray is the super nice guy who allows the sexually oriented confused Viv to take advantage of the pretend boyfriend situation way too long. On the surface the pretend situation is cute until you realize that in Viv refusing to come out and admit his feelings for Ray, Ray is left in a situation where he’s marching to Ray’s tune.  That is not a nice thing to do to anyone – but for the sake of literary love, we accept that this is part of the courting game of the two men. Then we move to my second bout with suspended disbelief: there is a LOT of hot kissing and making out between these two man-love virgins but it never leads to sex. Really? There is no way two sexually active and aware men are going to be naked in bed and sex isn’t going to happen EVEN if one claims to be straight but is wrapped around the other like a spider monkey.  Men are basic – naked beside naked equals sex – Simple as that.

Finally we get to where Ray and Viv are in a “real” relationship and suddenly we throw in Viv’s ex trailer trash girlfriend who’s trying to create problems.  Now I cannot even understand how she’s still in the picture with criminal act she committed. Thankfully someone got a clue and the law finally caught up in the story when she aimed to commit the same crime twice.  By the time we wrap our brains around that, suddenly there are additional siblings, surrogate babies and families. Did I mention that it’s Ray’s ex and best friend who are the surrogates? The family confusion and cross-pollination friend dynamics I will leave to each reader to unravel, remember to keep the note pad handy; and, just be warned that even while there is an ‘ick’ and ‘squick’ quality to it all, it’s still sickeningly sweet. 

There is a LOT going on in this book. Quite frankly it’s enough for two books.  If this is a series, then the first book should have focused on Ray and Viv becoming a couple and then the second book on them becoming a family with all of the ensuing drama, especially since the second half of the book is written almost entirely from Ray’s perspective. There are several stories running concurrently but they all blend since the core of the second half of story is about Viv and Ray building the Connelly family. There appears to be a sequel to the story called Beautiful Goodbyes, which I’m sure will begin with the cliff-hanger left at the end of this book (no spoiler alert here); and continue to be about Viv and Ray continuing the Connelly empire and the large group of friends and allies they’ve developed.  The book is clearly a … saga.

The story has two distinctly different feels to it. The first half of the book is clearly the typical coming out story of two men who must find each other and their HEA. The second half of the book is what happens after the HEA when life happens and these men must manage some very fantastical situations. It felt a bit like I was living in a soap opera, with the number of over-the-top things which happen to this couple; yet through it all their love and family prevail. I have only one spoiler for readers: Think John and Kate plus 8. The whole story has an air of unbelievability to it, but its sweetness and the readers desire to see Ray and Viv together as they build this remarkable family make you forgive it and chalk it up to it being entertainment so realism can be tossed out the window.