Blurb:It’s the night before Halloween, which means its Devil’s night, and the EMS Heat Boys will have a lot of fires to put out in more ways than one.
It’s the night before Halloween, and in Michigan that can only mean one thing. It’s Devil’s Night, and the EMS community will be on high alert for arson and other acts of vandalism. Matt usually doesn’t mind overtime, but he hates this time of year because he knows they will be busier than ever, and he will see little of his boyfriend Lucas. But, as Matt finds himself in a situation more dangerous than ever, he wonders if he will see Lucas again. Will Matt be able to get out alive? Or is this one time where the Devil will win?
Review: Even though this is like 18th in a series, don’t let it scare ya off. It’s very stand-alone and very worth a read. Matt and Lucas have been lovers for a long time. Matt is a paramedic and Lucas an ER nurse. They both have to work the night before Halloween also known as Devils Night. Lots of crazy things happen on that night to keep them busy, but not so busy they can’t keep their hands off each other.
This is a really cute, sweet, crazy but hot story. I found it well written, with a bit of humour and very hot. The characters are all engaging the shenanigans on this night wild and whacky yet a bit creepy and the play between the en swoon worthy. The only issue I had is it seems every firefighter, nurse, doctor and cop in this and the neighbouring towns are gay men.
I recommend this if you want a fun hot Halloween read with paramedics, male nurses, firefighters and police.
Blurb: After years of saving every penny, Nathan has finally managed to buy the horse of his dreams. He’s looking forward to a summer of exploring the Colorado mountain trails above Tucker Springs with Tsarina. But on their very first ride, a motorcyclist makes a wrong turn, scaring Tsarina into bolting and leaving Nathan with a broken leg, a broken hand, and a ruined summer.
Ryan is a loner and a nomad, content with working odd jobs before moving on to the next town. Feeling guilty for causing the accident that leaves Nathan in two casts, Ryan offers to keep Tsarina exercised until Nathan heals.
Despite their bad start, Nathan and Ryan soon become friends . . . and then much more. But with a couple of nasty breakups in his past, Nathan doesn’t want feelings getting involved—especially knowing that Ryan will never settle down. But since when do feelings ever listen to reason?
Review: Fans of this series will instantly recognize Nathan, a staple throughout the series as Mike the acupuncturist’s man whore receptionist. After years of saving he’s finally able to achieve the dream of buying a horse. On their first ride together a careless motorcyclist causes an accident that leaves Nathan in two casts. So much for his fun summer breaking in his new horse.
Ryan sticks pretty close to Nathan after the accident, even after Nathan breaks his hand punching Ryan in the face! Feeling morose about the trouble he’s caused, Ryan offers to help Nathan train Tsarina since he can’t ride her with two full casts. A friendship develops between the unlikely coupling, and soon they find themselves not only spending more and more time together, but looking forward to this time as well.
When they finally get past the getting to know each other and find their way to the bedroom, that first night is a thing of beauty that is followed up by many more. But Nathan has convinced himself this is just a fling since Ryan will be leaving soon, or will he? When Ryan hints that he might want more from their relationship, Nathan pushes him away, hard. Nathan soon realizes he was wrong to think that Ryan was anything like his past boyfriends, but the damage has been done, and it may not be repairable.
Witt delivered a solid, romantic love story with just the right amount of angst and emotion. Nathan went from being a ho in the earlier books in this series, to an almost shy and uncertain ML. His dry, witty sense of humor that included a snarky inner monologue cracked me up. Then you have Ryan who you just knew was going to be the knight in shining armor from the start, walking around with his heart on his sleeve the entire time.
This is a must read for fans of this series, author and genre. Emotionally charged, sensual and passionate sexual escapades abound in this book. I went back and read their first time twice, it was just … magic!
Blurb:Can these two fall for one another while making hot, steamy…cider?
Tyler has a problem. He doesn’t have the funds to cover his fraternal dues this year and needs to find a job. After going to his fraternity treasurer, Mitch, Tyler finds himself working with Mitch’s hot twin brother, Sawyer.
Sawyer has had a crush on Tyler since he first saw the man at his twin’s crazy fraternity. When opportunity arises for the two to work together at the cider mill, Sawyer won’t waste any time to ask Tyler out and hope the two will become more.
Will there be steamy feelings, and will they fall for each other?
Review: Tyler is in need of a job to make his frat dues. He has some good friends in his Frat and wants to keep his room. He also has a crush on His frat mate Mitch’s brother Sawyer. He is really excited when he finds his new job is working with the sexy swimmer Sawyer.
I have read a few of these stories from this series and find them all so refreshing. Don’t let that this is number 18 scare you off. They all stand-alone quite well. This is a great story for one of those times you want a sweet feel-good read. It’s like a warm cuddly blanket or a yummy soothing mug of hot cider (couldn’t resist).
I recommend this if you like a sweet romance with a happy end and a nice holiday themed story and apple cider and burnt donuts!!
Blurb: Wells thinks life is all work and no play, and Jaret thinks life is all one big party. When the tow clash, an attraction develops that nobody saw coming.
Jaret may be a paramedic, but that doesn’t mean he lets the everyday horrors he sees keep him down. Every day is a reason to party, and he always loves to be the center of attention. When he finds out that his new partner is Wells, the stuffy medic in the company, Jaret is less than thrilled.
But the longer they work together, the more Jaret finds himself drawn to Wells. Wells, on the other hand, seems not to even notice that Jaret is there. Will Jaret be able to attract Wells’ attention? Or do opposites really distract?
Review: The author does a skilful job of making the reader take a deeper look at characters in this story. Because on the surface, this story it looks like a story of opposites attracting. This story is really the case of a very shy Englishman not knowing how to relate to his fellow EMS workers. And the life of the party is covering a very caring heart that feels deeply.
When paired together, both Wells and Jaret think it’s a disaster waiting to happen, both giving it less than a shift to blow up. Both get on each other’s nerves until they get a call to rescue a very large diabetic woman, where each gets a look into the true heart and character of their new partner. Here starts the change of heart for both of them. This change in how they view each other continues when Jaret invites Wells to movie night with another co-worker Dallas. In the rash of calls that Jaret and Wells field, several are for over doses of a new drug called The Gate.
In between work and seeing each other, Jaret is dealing with his brother who is leaching off of him. Baby brother does nothing but drain Jaret’s money for clubbing every night. Wells along with everyone else sees this happening and Jaret knows he’s being used, but it’s his baby brother.
This was another fun, enjoyable read from this author. The writing flow, the characters have depth, the plot was a bit predictable but still well done.
Blurb: Henderson is a small, old-fashioned town. Growing up here proved tough for Noah Nash, as he knew the truth he lived would never be accepted in this town, even by his family. To him, all he had was his keyboard.
Until one day, that all changed when Noah met Ronan Shea. Ronan’s confidence, wisdom and pride inspires Noah to finally, happily live his truth for the entire town to see.
This is a story of two young men and their journey to a relationship, fighting for equality and listening to their melody while striving to live in harmony.
Review: This is a basic coming out, coming of age story. Noah is a young man who’s acknowledged he’s gay and been disowned by his mother, and has a nomadic father who wanders in and out of his life, which sets the stage for Noah to feel uneasy in his own life. Enter Ronan who is confident, self-assured, out and proud. The two men will become friends, roommates, business partners and then lovers. They do all of this while building a business, battling homophobia, a gay bashing, the death of a family member and long kept family secrets.
This is a very easy story to read and follows a standard formula, boy meets boy, boy falls for boy, boys have issues, issues are resolved, HEA ensues – which makes it predictable. However, you like Noah and Ronan and you enjoy watching Noah come into his own and their quest to become a couple and remain a loving couple amidst all the things that are happening around them.
What I enjoyed most about Noah and Ronan was how their relationship always had them always being complements of and to each other all through the story, which allowed their friendship and romance to continue despite issues, and others getting in the way. So all in all, while this follows the tried and true formula, there is nothing new or earth shattering here, but it was an engaging read.
Blurb: Robby Dalton is the perfect all-American boy. He played the sports his father chose for him in high school, attended the college his father selected, and has worked hard to conform to his father’s macho views. But emotionally he doesn’t fit anywhere, and he can’t connect with a woman beyond a few uninspired dates. Robby’s not in the closet, because he’s never guessed he’s gay. Now he owns a small commercial construction company, and one night after work he runs into Savannah Meyers. He finds her fascinating and agrees to a date, thinking maybe this woman would be different.
But Savannah has her own agenda. She is looking for a love match for her roommate, Tristan Chartrand, whom she rescued from the streets years ago. He’s like a brother, and her only family, so she wants him safe and happy. Her plan seems to begin well, because when Robby meets Tristan, he’s surprised to find it’s Tristan he wants, not Savannah. But some people in Robby’s life don’t approve of Tristan’s lowly station in life, and some don’t approve of Robby being gay. Some people are full of hate and violence, and Robby and Tristan will need courage and strength if a loving future is to be part of the deal.
Review: Package Deal? Well what can I say? It was certainly a package deal with my emotions. I don’t often mention authors, but Ms Kerrick certainly does know how to wring emotion out of her readers. Every now and again you start reading a book thinking it’s going in one direction and then you get yanked in another and you have zero complaints about the new direction. There is no way for me to explain how I feel about the book without giving away plot secrets and I simply refuse to do that and rob a reader of the exact same pleasure I had as the characters of Robby, Tristan and Savannah are revealed. The m/m genre is often full of beautiful men having unbelievable sex; or broken men who have to claw their way back to life. This book takes all those things and then adds a subtle twist that makes it stand out and drag the reader into the plot.
The characters of Robby, Tristan and Savannah are very real and you realize that the HEA will never be possible without these three people, because true happiness is about acceptance of self and of others and being in a good place emotionally. Readers will watch these three characters evolve in breathless anticipation. In the novel, the first theme is that of relationships – the relationships formed by the main characters demonstrate how complicated our lives and relationships can be and become, especially as we try to navigate the ravages and trauma of childhood, loss and abuse and then align them to our current reality.
There are many ways in which the story of a straight man falling for a gay man can be done. In this story, it’s done as an effortless exposure into Robby’s psyche, and as part of his slow revelation about who he is and who he wants to be as a man. Watching Robby come into his own was especially fulfilling in light of where Tristan was on his own journey of self discovery. The second theme in the story is that of family – the families we are born into and the families we make. All are important because they ultimately define who we are and who we can become.
When one reads a book, the aim is to climb into the pages and live the life that you are reading about. To feel what the characters feel and for that moment be transported to that place that they inhabit. This book takes the reader from the rough visceral edge of pain felt by its characters to the gentle feelings evoked by the love they feel for each other. It becomes especially compelling because the story is narrated by three main characters, each with a unique perspective that allows the reader to experience the emotions of that character.
The book is an exceptionally good read. It’s not a ‘feel good’ romp, but instead it’s a masterful piece of writing that allows great character sketches to tell some very human stories which allow the reader to begin to love the characters and truly trust that everything happens for a reason because we are all destined to be happy in the end.
Shy tattoo artist Ash has a troubled past. Years of neglect, drug abuse, and life on the streets have taken their toll, and sometimes it seems the deep, unspoken bond with his lover is the only balm for wounds he doesn’t quite understand.
Chicago paramedic Pete is warmth, love, and strength—things Ash never knew he could have, and never even knew he wanted until Pete showed him. But fate is a cruel, cruel mistress, and when nightmares collide with the present, their tentatively built world comes crashing down.
Traumatic events in Pete’s work life distance him from home, and he doesn’t realize until it’s too late that Ash has slipped away. Betrayal, secrets, and lies unfold, and when a devastating coincidence takes hold, Pete must fight with all he has to save the love of his life.
Review: Pete is a paramedic working the mean streets of Chicago. Long and unpredictable shifts coupled with dangerous calls that sometimes leave him battered and bruised leave his boyfriend anxious and jittery. He met the super shy street artist, Ash, through their mutual friend Ellie. What started out as a roommate arrangement quickly grows into more based on an intense mutual attraction. But Ash’s past is shrouded in darkness and mystery that threatens their already volatile relationship.
What is perceived as secrets and lies slowly unravels as a darkness in Ash’s past that he’s tried hard to bury. This secret has caused something within Ash to break, mentally, sort of like self-preservation. He can’t really remember the memory, only the voice, and the same voice that sends him spiraling out of control for no apparent reason. Can Pete piece together the seemingly random clues and help Ash not only face his past, but also come to terms with it, before he loses him inside his warped mind forever.
I had high hopes for this book and anxiously awaited its release for weeks. The story started out on a high note, and I enjoyed getting to know Pete and Ash at the start. I soon became frustrated with Pete constantly assuming things, but never really talking to Ash, they’d just fall into bed every five minutes as if that were the answer to everything. Don’t get me wrong, these two had some serious steam, but at times, it weighed down the story. I thought I could see where the author was going with Ash’s story early on, and in the end, I was partially right. It was so aggravating and long-winded that by the time what should have been an “oh my god” moment came along; it was more like “it’s about damn time you clued me in.”
This is a rare novel that should have been a novella. I could have done with the condensed version or the footnotes. Sorry guys, I tried really hard to like this one, but it just fell flat in the end for me.
Blurb:Spring struggles against winter in the mountains of Montana as Aiden Cermak and Daniel Schrock settle into their new life together. Aiden, a journalist from the East Coast, wants to make a rustic home for them and their adopted dog, though he continues his reporter’s quest for the truth. Daniel’s roots are traditional Amish, and though he’s become a successful carpenter with his own shop, the modern world still baffles him.
When Aiden’s former boyfriend, Conrad Barringer, ill and alone, asks Aiden and Daniel for help, they agree and welcome him, but with misgivings that persist and grow. Aiden finds fulfillment in nursing Conrad, yet worries that the closeness he shares with Daniel will be lost, as Daniel isolates more and more. Then Daniel learns of an ugly revelation that could change everything, and he grapples with whether to tell Aiden the truth, or carry it with him to his grave
Review: Aiden and Daniel have just settled into a new home and fairly new relationship after some struggles. Daniel was Amish and left the church so he was shunned. Aiden’s dream was to live close to nature in Montana so here they are. Life is pretty good then Aiden gets a call from an Ex-boyfriend that he finds hard to ignore. Conrad says he has cancer and has no one to help him through treatments. Daniel and Aiden reluctantly agree.
As you can see from my rundown this looks pretty interesting, doesn’t it? The actual story is very interesting. Add in Aiden’s research for his freelance job on strip mining and a neighbour that is a good friend and seems gay also and there is so much potential here. I found the story Aiden was working on irrelevant to the story. It was good then fell flat as it wrapped up. The struggles between Aiden, Daniel and Conrad were actually good. My only issue was the descriptions were a bit over-done. A lot of the descriptions didn’t move the story along at all and in places dragged it down. All n all this is a nice story if you’re looking for something sweet and loving, with simple life struggles.
Heat Level: Explicit ~ LOTS of action between the Main Characters
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥ 3 Hearts
Reviewer: Eli/Mandingo
Blurb:It’s mid-May, and Manny Garcia has just graduated from Florida University (FU) with his bachelor’s degree in construction management and landed his dream job, working for handsome Walter Loredo on a warehouse project just west of downtown Miami. He’s living in a condo on South Beach with two of his brothers from the gay frat at FU, Lambda Lambda Lambda.
Manny has a thing for older men, particularly construction workers, and he’s got a real crush on Walter, even though he thinks the boss is straight. At first Manny’s able to keep his South Beach life and his work separate. Then he runs into one of his co-workers on Lincoln Road when he is out with his roommates, and he’s outed. Can he keep his job and win his boss’s love?
Review: I love the title of this novel. I just wish I could connect more with the story. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the story line. There is a clearly developed plot and characters and they are laid out very simply and methodically for the reader. The writing is very clear, clean and well constructed. It’s a very easy story to follow. The problem I had was that I kept waiting for the ‘oomph’ to jump off the page at me and to connect with the characters. For some reason I couldn’t find that elusive connection with the men. The story was laid out for the reader rather than allowed to develop and enfold the reader. And, while Manny and Walter feature heavily in the story, you don’t feel them as characters – they don’t do anything to really resonate with the reader so that their personalities are not just described but rather also shown. For a book to sparkle, it must ‘show’ not ‘tell’ the reader.
Halfway through the book, my strongest connection was to a reprehensible character, Camilo, because his actions and speech while that of a douchnozzle, was clearly designed to have an impact on the reader and it did. I really wanted to care about Manny and Walter, but I kept feeling like I was on the outside looking in, rather than being side by side with them in their love affair. Case in point was their first elicit trip to Naples which should have been fraught with tension and excitement for both them and the reader, but instead it was flat, even their sex seemed slightly wooden (no pun intended).
There are several great plot developments. On paper this is a flawless story with good characters, even paced development and while there’s no major crisis, there is enough conflict woven through the storyline to keep the reader interested in wanting to know what would happen. The issue is the ‘sizzle’ – there simply isn’t any, even though there is LOTS of action between Manny and Walter. There is a lot of reference to ‘Cuban drama’ and the plot does call for that drama, but it’s never delivered.
Blurb: Intelligent and confident, Australian cricketer Nat Seddon is one of the world’s best bowlers. He’s openly gay, but keeps his private life to himself, everything under control. But on the last day of his team’s “Ashes” tour of England, he meets Scott Alverley, England’s promising new batsman. Nat tries not to be attracted to Scott, but he can’t help finding the privileged young man handsome and endearing. Nat is tempted by a little end of tour fun, but finds himself playing agony uncle to a virgin. Instead of going home to bask on a beach, he spends a wet week in the north of England with Scott. Try as he might to resist, he can’t help falling hopelessly in love.
The hectic sporting calendar is a persistent obstacle to their growing romance; Nat and Scott are rarely even on the same continent. They make the most of the time when they can be together, but the months apart take a toll on Scott, professionally and personally. The possible solutions are nearly unthinkable, but if they are willing to make sacrifices that will change their lives forever, they might hold on to the love they found in the Ashes.
Review: I’m from the British West Indies so I get and understand the whole deal with cricket. If you aren’t British, then the fact that the whole story centers around cricket may not be exciting to you. But I appreciate a story that is breaking the macho world of sports.
The story begins by focusing very carefully on the two men and the people who are their immediate spheres of reference. As their relationship matures, the reader is introduced to more and more characters. This technique allows the reader to learn more about Nat and Scott as they interact with others. It also broadens their lives and the reader is able to see the characters as more three-dimensional and not just fixated on each other – they have lives, friends, families and careers which must be accounted for amidst their love for each other.
The story is told by both Nat and Scott and fluctuates between both their voices so there is a very balanced view of the characters. BUT, if you are looking for a story with extraordinary heat and sizzle, then Burning Ashes is not for you. However, if you are looking for a story that tells the tale of two men who meet, learn to love each other and face some obstacles to be together, then you will enjoy this story. Nat and Scott’s tale in Burning Ashes covers a few years and so is different from the normal fare in that while there is insta-love, the story is about what it takes for these two men to sustain their relationship past the first blush of attraction.
Publisher: White Stiletto Press (23rd October 2013)
Heat Level: Explicit
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 3½ – 4 Hearts
Reviewer: Pixie
Blurb: It’s been six months since Vance Wolf buried his father. Driven to an early grave by the constant harassment of the new owner of the neighboring property, Andrew Blackwell. Now Vance’s cattle are disappearing faster than he can replace them and their cash flow has been wiped out by the new barn they had to build after the other one mysteriously caught fire. The local sheriff’s pockets are being lined by Blackwell, so Vance knows they’re on their own and is at his wits end. Then his mother suggests they open up the ranch to business types as a cowboy camp.
Adam Prentiss arrives at Wolf Creek Ranch on a team-building exercise with the four colleagues in his department. He is not the cowboy type, but has no choice as his boss, and father, has sent him to Wolf Creek with instructions to delve into the financial status of the ranch and report back to him. Falling for Vance Wolf had not been part of the plan, but the connection between them had been instant. But what was he more afraid of? Disobeying his boss or Vance finding out Adam’s father was in fact Andrew Blackwell and he’d been sent to help him appropriate Vance’s land by any means necessary?
N.B: 20% of the royalties for each copy sold will be donated to The Friends of Roxburghe House in memory of my friend, Keith Donald, who lost his battle with cancer in September. Roxburghe House is the hospice who cared for Keith and continue to care for those who wage their own war with this barbaric disease – thank you.
Review: Vance is fighting an uphill struggle trying to keep his ranch going. The once thriving ranch, has suffered major losses, due to a neighbor trying to drive him to sell. But, Vance and his mother are made of sterner stuff and although it sticks in his craw, he accepts his mother’s suggestion of opening up the ranch as a cowboy camp to city slickers. Adam and his team are ordered to Wolf Creek Ranch as a team building exercise. After he arrives, Adam is ordered to dig into the finances of the ranch by his father. But, why would his dad want to know that? While doing as his dad asks, Adam falls for the sexy rancher and decides to dig deeper. especially when it looks like his father might have just ruined the best thing that ever happened to him. But, will Vance ever forgive him when the truth comes out? And can Adam truly stand up to his bully of a father?
Hmmm??? Sexy alpha cowboy, sexy hot city boy, and an intriguing storyline, what more could you ask for to cuddle up to in the approaching autumn nights? Vance is our super sexy cowboy who has suffered the loss of his father and the slowly dwindling stock on his ranch. He wants to take his shotgun and show his neighbor, Andrew Blackwell, what happens when you mess with a rancher’s business, but quieter minds prevail and he opens his ranch up to the city boys and corporations to keep it afloat. Falling for a city boy was not in Vance’s plans. But, he can’t resist Adam. But, what will he do when he discovers just who Adam really is and his reason for being on the ranch? Adam finds himself torn when he falls for the sexy rancher. His father wants information, but the more Adam finds out, the more he is disgusted by the man. But, Adam has more than his own fear of the man to contend with. Adam has to choose a path to follow, but it will be a bumpy ride to find happiness.
This is a really great story that has brilliant characters who get laid bare before us. We don’t just get to see the tough exterior or the sexy confidence; we get to see their vulnerable and compassionate sides that make us fall head over heels for them. Both characters are wonderful to get to know and we see the story from both their perspectives. It draws us in as we see the suffering they have both gone through at the hands of Andrew Blackwell. We see a beautiful relationship developing, but one truth nearly shatters it all and we see the desperate scrabble as one of them tries to repair the damage.
There are many cowboy stories floating around, but this one has firmly placed itself in my read-again file. It’s at times like this that I am thankful for eReaders because the pages can’t be worn through (pgs 41-42) as I have a couple of scenes that I will be perving over repeatedly *wicked laugh*. Lisa Worrall gives us a great story with a wonderful relationship, some angst and drama and some hot sex scenes (even the solo one *wipes brow*) and a delightful confrontation and a great connection between Adam and Vance.
Now boys and girls I have to recommend this to you if love sexy confident cowboys, hot city boys just trying to protect, a great storyline of overcoming the dastardly bully, grabbing hold of happiness and fighting for what you want.
It’s been six months since Ash shuffled into Pete’s life and turned his world upside down, and six months since they sat in an all-night diner plotting Ash’s theoretical solution for Pete’s faded, botched tattoo. Pete has just about given up hope of Ash ever fulfilling his promise when one day the end of a long shift finds Ash waiting for him.
Tonight is the night.
Ash is ready, and it seems the time has come for him to leave his mark on Pete in more ways than he ever imagined.
Review: Short, Sexy and Steamy!! This is an extended scene from Slide; book one in the Roads series.
Although Slide left a little something to be desired for me, this novella was kind of fantastic. Set somewhere along the way within Slide, Ash is finally going to ink Pete. The session quickly turns erotic and passionate as Ash’s mere touch sends Pete spiraling into hormonal combustion every time! And I learned a lot more about these characters in just a few short pages.
Getting marked hurts like hell, but the pain becomes passion and desire soon enough for Pete. With the ink still sore and fresh, Pete shows a rare vulnerable side to his lover. And it was nice to see Ash take charge for a change. The descriptives of how Ash felt inside Pete were what made this novella more erotic and downright sexy. AND it’s a free read, bonus!
Blurb:Tall, dark and handsome, Michael Stafford is one of the biggest names in business. His job is to take struggling companies under his wing and do what it takes to make a profit from them, even if the people working for the company have to suffer from the consequences.
Alan Weissman is a journalist hired to write a fluff piece on Michael Stafford. The only problem is, Alan would rather rip out his eyes than sit across from a soulless creep like Michael Stafford. It isn’t until the interview begins that Alan notices something different about the deeply handsome businessman. Something unexpected and attractive that makes him second guess his opinion of the man with the dreamy brown eyes.
Sometimes all it takes to change your mind about someone is good conversation and a hot cup of latte
Review: Okay, let’s start with the good stuff. This is a great story premise. I like the idea of how the two men meet and the pace of their relationship, that’s seems very, very real. No insta-love, instead the reader meets two professional men who develop a mutual respect, which turns into a romance – realistic and believable. The story goes well as the reader navigates the relationship that the two men are building while also working on their careers.
Then we get to the conflict/crises moment. That’s where the story derails for me, which is sad since it’s so close to the end. There is no warning that the conflict is coming and as such, it jars the reader out of the calm existence that they’d been experiencing. You’re left with “huh”? The behaviour is first out of character; and then, second, followed by some very blurry moments. These blurry moments were meant to mirror the view of one of the characters, which while an interesting literary strategy, doesn’t help the reader, who simply wanted to be ‘told’ not only what was happening but more importantly why it was happening.
Because the story seemed to need to conclude, the details of the conflict are recounted and as such they lose some of the dramatic punch they would have had they been revealed by using the characters themselves to showcase how the conflict was resolved. For example, the real culprit who created the issue should have been able to openly discuss the issue with the main characters and ask for forgiveness rather than the reader hearing a second-hand recount of her tale of woe and apology. Because of this, the reader is left feeling ambivalent about many of the secondary characters who while they should have moved the plotline along, seemed to have been thrown in haphazardly to simply get to the end. Another example – Why mention Alan’s parents when we’ll never meet them?
Two other minor issues I had were that first Michael’s name kept being misspelled as: Michale, Michel or Michal. One error I can manage, once we get to three, now it’s a distraction. The second was the title. The title should have played up the whole financial/reporter angle, because that’s what the story is REALLY about. I know authors have creative license, but the title really did throw me, I kept expecting more from the coffee front and all I got was two meetings at Starbucks. Maybe Reporting on the Financier or something might have been more apropos. I’m not a writer. I can only say the title didn’t do the story justice.
Finally, what was my overall impression? I liked the story. I had some issues with plot development and the end seemed rushed, but apart from that, the story was very believable and I liked Alan and Michael, despite Michael behaving like a douche nozzle, which was needed to create the conflict. Interestingly all the issues I had with the story are probably solvable with maybe another twenty pages of content.
Title: Meant To Be (book 1) Moving On (book 2) Tricked Up for Treats (book 3)
Author: Chris Cox
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: Meant To Be (34 pages)
Length: Moving On (43 pages)
Length: Tricked up for Treats (38 pages)
Publisher: Cox Endeavors LLC (2013)
Heat Level: Mild
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥3Hearts
Blurb: Rusty Duchene and Sean Delahunt are each other’s first loves. Emotionally rough high school years and financially draining college years have drawn them closer together and now, with Sean graduating, they are ready to enjoy all the good life their beloved city, New Orleans, has to offer. Laissez les bons temps rouler!
After a tough job search, Sean is offered his dream job—in Boston. But for Rusty, moving to Boston means leaving the career and the family he loves.
Stay or go? Either way, someone loses. Will their love survive the sacrifice?
Blurb: Friends since grade school, in love since high school, Rusty and Sean have grown up together. When Sean graduates from college, he is offered his dream job, thousands of miles away from home.
Two months apart, while Sean trains for his new career has stirred all kinds of insecurities in Rusty. When they are finally reunited, Sean seems—different. Or is it Rusty who has changed?
When life experiences challenge their love and commitment, Sean and Rusty must decide. Will they move on with lives together or apart?
Blurb: Rusty Duchene signs up his fiancé, Sean Delahunt for a couples’ amateur drag competition sponsored by a local Cabaret Club. The prizes are awesome. But the real prize, the one Rusty is hoping they will win is the prize of letting Sean be himself, at least for just one night.
But the head game he’s playing with Sean comes with a high risk, a risk that Sean will fracture instead of become whole.
If the worst happens, will Rusty be strong enough to hold Sean together, to hold their relationship together, or will this be the end of their long-term love?
Review: This was just the sweetest series of Novella’s that occupied my morning and left a big smile on my face!
The story of Rusty and Sean started out when they were just children and as teenagers, they realized they wanted something more from each other. Exploration and discovery led to love. With the complete support of one family, and ignorance and hatred from the other, one would think they could find a balance and tip the scales toward happiness. They manage to maintain a relationship through college, separation and a move to a new city.
In Meant to Be, Sean has just graduated and is having some trouble finding a job. Rusty and his family have always been there for him, loved, and supported him even when his only family turned their back on him. But he wants to be a man and be able to provide for himself. When a job offer takes him away from Rusty, will the separation make them stronger? Or tear them apart.
In Moving On, it’s been two long months that Sean has been in Boston training for his new job. Rusty has decided that wherever Sean is, that is where he should be. So he’s packed up their stuff and awaits Sean’s arrival so his parents can say their goodbyes to their boys as well, before taking a chance and leaving everything he’s ever known behind. Everything but the most important thing, Sean.
In Tricked Up for Treats, Sean and Rusty are settling into their new lives in their extremely small, yet extremely expensive apartment in Boston. Now the tables have turned and Sean is the breadwinner with Rusty unable to secure a job. He finds the odd job here and there, determined to pull his own weight, when he comes across a flyer for a Halloween drag contest. Without talking to Sean first, he signs them up and prays his lover will play along.
This series was just such good fun! The constant throughout all three installments is the love that Rusty and Sean share, a love they’ve shared for over a decade. Cox managed to put a lot of content in the few pages of each story as well. Both young men struggle at different times but usually for the same core reason. Sean still has emotional baggage, even if he has buried it deep, from the abuse he suffered at the hands of his father when he told him he was gay. Rusty and his family have helped him to heal tremendously over the years by giving him noting but love and acceptance, but such things leave lifelong scars.
I loved how Cox would show the vulnerability of the characters and then allow their counterpart to reassure and coax them back with love and tenderness. There are no full sex scenes but there is a lot of passion, kissing, and blowjobs to keep the reader satisfied. Innuendos of sexiness were dropped like breadcrumbs in each book, and I think that only added to the joy of this series. Sometimes just a suggestion and your imagination are quite enough. If you are looking for a fun read to fill a couple of hours, or if you are having a blah day, grab these three stories, I guarantee they will leave a smile on your face!
Blurb: After a decade together, death took Daniel’s lover away in an instant. A year of grieving kept him from thinking about the future. But now fearing loneliness, fearing aging and its effects, he’s ready to find someone new before it’s too late. Filled with good intentions, Daniel joins a gym. He plans to work hard to keep what time is all too quickly taking away from him. But are good intentions enough against the many distractions and temptations of life? Is he really prepared to make the sacrifices required? Meeting gym owner Chris may be the extra boost his motivation needs — if only he could figure out why Chris keeps blowing hot and cold on him.
Death claimed Chris’s lover too, but took much longer about it. The memory of watching the man he loved suffer has left Chris terrified of getting close to anyone again. He likes Daniel a lot, but there’s a problem and Chris can’t fix it, only Daniel can. If he’s serious about being with Chris. It’s a straightforward ultimatum. Daniel smokes and Chris will not date a smoker. Daniel has a choice. It’s Chris or the cigarettes.
Daniel has to prove to Chris that he’s ready to make changes and he’s not all mouth. But can he do it? Are the sacrifices he’ll have to make worth it? Should he even be changing himself to suit a man who’s made him no promises and who might still back off later? Chris has to learn to accept Daniel’s imperfections and mortality. Only once he gets past the grief and fear can he take a risk on loving Daniel, even knowing he could be hurt again.
Daniel takes on the biggest physical challenge he’s ever faced to prove he’s serious about Chris. But in the end, he has to decide if he wants to make the changes for himself and his own future, whether Chris is part of that or not.
Review: Well the blurb is going to be much longer than the actual review. The blurb left little for the reader to actually experience because the entire plotline is revealed. The only thing left to really discover is if you liked ‘how’ the author told the story. The theme of the story is change and one’s motivation to change. Daniel must find his motivation to become healthy and live a new life and Chris must find his motivation to simply move on from the past. Both men have to prove things more to themselves than to each other. This is accomplished through Daniel’s eyes since this is his story. He moves himself to a new reality and is thus able to move Chris to a new reality as well.
The story takes place over six months and the interaction between the men is real to what one would or could expect with men both grieving and needing to come to grips with their new reality. Daniel’s journey to physical fitness was interesting to read, but I’d have liked to have read more about his interaction with his fellow athletes and any hook ups he might have had. But the key is that his journey focused on him and not on his pining for Chris. It is only after he found himself that Chris returned to the picture.
The best part of the book is the end when both men are able to accept the changes that they’ve each made and you are able to envision what a future for them could be like. Not a bad short read, I recommend in between flights at an airport.
Publisher: The Kindle Alexander Collection (October 8th, 2013)
Heat Level: Explicit
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5Hearts
Blurb: Up and coming football hero, Colton Michaels, makes a Hail Mary pass one night in the college locker room that results in the hottest, sexiest five days of his young life. However, interference after the play has him hiding his past and burying his future in the bottom of a bottle. While Colt seems to have it all, looks can be deceiving, especially when you’re trapped so far in a closet that you can’t see your way out. When ten years of living his expected fast-lane lifestyle lands him engaged to his manipulative Russian supermodel girlfriend, he decides it’s time to call a new play.
Jace Montgomery single-handily built the largest all-star cheerleading gym in the world, driven by a need to forget a life-altering encounter with a handsome quarterback a decade ago. His reputation as an excellent coach, hard-nosed businessman, and savvy entrepreneur earned him respect in the sometimes-catty world of competitive cheerleading. When Jace learns of his ex-lover’s plans to marry, his heart executes a barrel roll and his carefully placed resolve tumbles down without a mat to absorb the shock. Can his island escape help him to finally let go of the past and move his life forward?
Review: This book was intense, emotional, and passionate. From the opening scene in the locker room to the Hawaiian Islands to an impromptu wedding, Alexander manages to keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish!
Colt Michaels is a painfully closeted pro football player. He’s lived the last ten years of his life in a drunken stupor attempting to drown out everyone and everything around him. He seems to have it all; money, power, success and a beautiful supermodel fiancé, but looks can be deceiving. Ten years ago, he took a chance and took what he wanted, Jace Montgomery. The two fell hard and fast for each other and Colt was determined to have his career and his man. Then Colt’s homophobic father found out and all hell broke loose. He walked away from Jace in order to protect him, but he’s never forgotten him, or the five magical days they spent in Hawaii.
Jace Montgomery has always been open about his sexuality. He’s made an extremely successful career for himself as an award-winning cheer instructor, and even has his own state of the art facility for training. Another man who seems to have it all, again, looks can be deceiving. Ten years ago, he gave his heart away, and it was shattered. The memories of Colt, high school and Hawaii are still very fresh and very painful. Roaming the internet one day he sees the house in Hawaii for sale and on a whim, he buys it. With the announcement of Colt’s wedding, Jace feels his heart breaking all over again and heads off to Hawaii to make some new memories.
In a story full of love, loss, heartbreak, drama, and passion, Colt and Jace will have to find their way back to each other if either of them stands a chance at happiness. But old threats are still looming in the shadows. A life threatening accident forces their hand and decisions that could have negative ramifications have to be made. Can Colt and Jace push through all the bullshit and find their happy ever after?
I loved everything about this book! Soul mates torn apart by a power-hungry and vindictive father, suffering a decade of misery and then finally finding their way back to each other. Colt really transformed from the person he was at the start to the person he became at the end. In the beginning, he was young, uncertain, and scared. But by the end, he was strong, fierce, and loyal. He was never a unlikeable character though. And Jace was always the strong one throughout. He had his moments of weakness here and there, but this just added to his depth and reliability.
If you like strong alpha males, soul mates and some extremely passionate guy/guy reads then you have to get a copy of Double Full, you will not be disappointed!
Art student and MMORPG addict Robert Ng has always been a loner, but he’s recently made it his goal to make more (IRL) friends. Which is how he winds up working nights at Rear Entrance Video, shilling sketchy porn and blowup dolls as a favor to his roommate. The longer he works there, though, the more he realizes he’ll never be truly happy until he becomes the person he is online: his female persona, Bobby.
Bobby is cuter and funnier than Rob is, and a thousand times more popular with boys. Becoming Bobby IRL presents its own set of challenges, though . . . especially when you’re sitting on the fence between two genders, only one of which has caught the attention of your seriously cute customer/classmate.
Dylan Ford is a six-foot Inuit comic book artist who always says what’s on his mind, and screw anyone who doesn’t like it. As rough as he appears, though, Dylan has a soft spot for Rob. But will out-and-proud Dylan still want Rob if he’s not all man?
Review: And this reviewer’s inner geek thrilled with this book.
So yeah, my former addiction with MMORPG’s is not hidden, the fact that I simply love those games and especially the ones that contain elves and orcs in there are my absolute favs. So when I picked up this particular book I was already biased, but add to that the cross-dressing character and a fabulous writing and damn, this was a very, very enjoyable read for me.
So yeah, the book starts a bit slowly and steadily introduces us Rob. At first I disliked that slow pace (I’m much fonder of the fast and furious pace where events hit you full force), but I admit that in order to truly appreciate Rob/Bobby you needed a bit of time and some clarifications.
Rob/Bobby is this very confused young man. An online game addict with a very shy personality Rob is the classic “loser.” He goes completely ignored by everyone (literally) except his sister and his online friends. Yeah, his sister has an obligation toward him right, so she can’t ignore him, but even his “friends” don’t know the real him simply because in-game Rob is Bobby.
Bobby is flirtatious, confident, and social. She is admired and always cool. Bobby is still non-existent up until Rob decides to make her part-real IRL too. And while he passed for female, making his customers at the video club he works finally looking at him/her, acknowledging him and telling him he’s pretty, a strange thing happens. Rob gets some confidence as well (was it Bobby’s influence or his new classmate/customer Dylan’s) and he starts a relationship. Miracle of miracles and his boyfriend Dylan not only looks at him, but also literally starts loving him. However, Dylan has made one thing clear since the beginning, he’s gay, and he likes his men all man…
This was a very well studied plot in my opinion, one that made me want to re-read this book to truly appreciate it. Things that are a bit mysterious at the beginning lead you on the wrong path (or at least they did me) and only near the end the complete clarification comes, after many twists and turns that were steadily building up that tension that the beginning lacked. The entire confusion Rob’s character suffered was practically brilliant and very believable. The essence of the twenty years old who’s not 100% sure of what, why or how was perfectly captured and that whole angst people that age pass through was delivered without the additional burden of unnecessary drama.
The relationship between Dylan and Rob may have made it into myfavorite couples list, they were so well suited. I loved them both together and separately as characters. Dylan was just wow. The fact that he was a punk looking teddy bear was adorable, the in your face, no-censor brain-to-mouth and the flawed external appearance were simply brilliant and invigorating. Rob’s complicated personality along with the lovely presentable Chinese appearance made him a lovable character as well. Yeah there were times where you wanted to spank the hell out of him, but that’s just proof of how alive that character came to be for you while reading, a treat actually and a mark that the author did well with giving him life.
So yeah, I loved the story, the plot, the characters, the sex (yeah definitely that, quite hot). I loved the geeky guy, I loved the cross-dressing guy and I could go on and on, but in the end, what matters is that if you find the above slightly appealing I strongly recommend you give this one a shot. It’s guaranteed to be an enjoyable read.
P.S. I wonder is the next book going to be Austin’s story? Hmm, I really, really hope so.
Blurb: As a physician and prominent citizen of Victoria, Texas, Dr. Gil Kelly took a hard fall when his vengeful wife revealed his infidelity with other men. Closing ranks around her, the town’s elite ostracized him, and his relationship with his children was nearly destroyed.
After spending his life focused on living for others, he has no idea how to live for himself. He wants to find love but now settles for anonymous sex that only further clouds his world with shame and guilt. Gil believes finding true love is an unobtainable dream, what his father used to call “chasing the sun.”
Then he runs into Tom Martinez, his son’s childhood best friend, who returned to town a grown man and offers everything Gil needs. But Gil hesitates to fall into Tom’s arms, because after his high-profile divorce, the potential scandal of loving a younger man could separate him from his children permanently.
Review: Jacob Flores returns with a spin-off of When Love Takes Over and in this story we get to meet the oh so demanding father who was the cause of so much pain for Zach, Gil Kelly. However as all coins have two sides so does this character, so while our first glimpse of Gil was through Zach’s eyes and feeling, now we get to meet the real man and decide for ourselves.
I loved this book! That sated I have to say that this was not the story I expected. There is no Provincetown this time around and with the lack of the actual place, there is also a lack of fun and games that accompanied the first story set there. This is more a story of growth and fight, and internal search and a game of wills if you like. This story is set back in Victoria, Texas and it’s the story of a grown man who has lived his entire life inside a lie and is finally chasing for his dreams.
I loved this story! I loved Gil! I’m always more than happy to read a story where the main character is not twenty, thirty or even mid-thirties as most are. Gil is in his early fifties, a man who has quite literally lived a whole life, a man who already has two children in their thirties. There is no midlife crisis about him, but in a crisis he’s still living ever since his sex life became public by the mouth of his very wife, when she caught him in the middle of tryst with another man. This is a story that has too many bitter feelings waiting to be solved in the corners of this character’s life, while in the meantime it’s one hell of a romance.
While Gil has exiled himself from society and runs the other way whenever he sees a former acquaintance out of shame, there is one person that during these five past years has never stopped trying to close the gap. Tom, his son’s best childhood friend has never stopped trying to get close to Gil again whenever he’s in town. Now that Tom is returning back to Victoria for good he is giving it a shot again, and this time Gil lets his shame on the side for a bit and makes room for a man that he used to look as his own son. Well almost. After all one of the reasons Gil had been avoiding Tom was the fact that he long ago stopped seeing him as the little boy Tom once was, and more as the extremely charming man he has become.
I have to say that when it comes to man on man intimacy Jacob Flores has a peculiar way of taking you in a wild ride no matter the genre of the book. I quite love his men, they are not only hot, and they are irresistible. One moment you are reading and getting attached to the personality and the struggling Gil suffers, the next you are in wonderland and panting along with them in a highly erotic beat, and the very next you get almost wrung out with the emotional state this character brings you while he’s trying to bring his life and family in order.
I loved his daughter she was such a strong character. I loved Zach when he came in the end. But most of all I loved how the author turned Donna around, how he made her pain a spotlight and gave her the outlet she got in the end. Yes, women can be bitches, big ones at that, but damn if this one bitch didn’t make me feel for her in the end. It was also the last point Gil got and made him shine as a character, made him one of the best and in my favorite list.
In the end, I might not have gotten what I expected from Provincetown #2, but I got an even better deal. I loved every single line written and I’m absolutely sure you will too. Strongly recommended!
p.s.
I keep feeling that Tom resembles too much of Jacob and Gil somehow is based on Bruce…
Publisher:Spare Words Press; 1st edition (May 10, 2013)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥3.5 Hearts
Reviewer: Eli/Mandingo
Blurb: Movie star Colin Colton has a contentious relationship with the press–especially that pushy paparazzo, Zach Jarlson. He certainly doesn’t expect to ever feel sympathy for the little bugger…much less anything more. But circumstances conspire to change his mind. They go from enemies to friends and lovers…and then back again, when their world is turned upside down and each thinks the other betrayed him. Colin tracks Zach down to a private cabin in the middle of a snowy winter’s day and confronts him. But even once they learn the truth, can a relationship between an actor and a paparazzo survive?
Review: Colin and Zach meet because Zach is a photographer who is constantly taking pictures of Colin. The friendship between them blossoms into a romance and despite their obvious differences Zach learns to both accept himself and to be more himself with Colin. However, like any good story there must have an issue which creates friction. This is a story about Hollywood, the paparazzi and betrayal, so the reader can surmise what the issue might be which arises between the men, it’s fairly common in today’s market of consumerism and lack of privacy.
Most people know the paparazzo to be almost blood thirsty in their need to get the picture and thus the paycheck. In this story, however, Zach shows a vulnerability that makes him both likable and sympathetic. However, even after their initial trial is overcome, Zach must now overcome his own insecurity if he and Colin are to forge a path together. It is Zach who is the stronger character who does what is needed to fight for their relationship. What started out as Zach needing answers or even revenge leads him ultimately back to Colin and the ability for them to both heal. Once the reader gets to this point, the story then explores what it will take for the lovers to maintain a relationship with each other and that ultimately leads to an ending which is very satisfying for anyone who’s a romantic at heart.
Blurb: Lake has loved Lim for years, but Lim is oblivious. Can Lake ever get Lim to open his eyes and see the love right in front of him before Lake finally gives up?
Lake Daugherty has loved William Cohen since Junior High. They were the best of friends and occasional lovers. Neither questioned nor hid their sexuality. But despite how close they were, Lake could never seem to get Lim to take him seriously. Their on again, off again lovers status was starting to take its toll on Lake. They weren’t in high school anymore. They were out of college now too. As Lake’s feelings deepened over the years, he realized he wanted more. He wanted all of Lim, for the rest of his life. But was he ever going to convince William Cohen that Lake Daugherty was whom he wanted and stop his wandering heart?
Review: For the most part, I did enjoy this story. But, I was uncomfortable with the way the character of Brecken was used to create jealousy between Lake and Lim. To use a character who clearly had some mental handicap, or psychological problem that never was defined or handled in a respectful way. And I want my love interest to have more to atone for if he’s constantly coming back to the main character for fill in fucks between flings. That just shows Lake’s disrespect for himself.
There were cute moments, when Lim finally shows his possessiveness, that dancing at the club, but then Lake gets plastered and it no longer seems romantic in any terms. I tried to like this, it had promise. I look forward to reading more from Guiliano, possibly a full-length novel will give the author the chance to flesh out characters and plots more.
Title: City of Fire 
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