Blurb: Perry Sinclair’s grand tour of Europe is not going entirely to plan. He loses his bear-leader, his valet, and his friend in quick succession, and finds himself alone in Venice. In the midst of the gaiety and excesses of Venetian Carnevale, Perry meets a fellow Englishman, known only as Jack. Jack introduces Perry to a group of gentlemen who indulge in a variety of sexual activities while hiding their identity behind Carnevale masks. Shocked and yet delighted, Perry flings himself headlong into such pleasure, falling deeply in love with Jack as he does so.
Jack Fitzwarren does not fall in love. He certainly does not fall in love with English tourists. But despite Jack’s best efforts, Perry’s artless enthusiasm and unquestioning trust begin to find a way through all of his defenses, allowing Jack almost to forget the secret he carries with him, the one that means he can never confess to Perry who he really is.
Review: I actually found this precious little novella to be hot and sweet! But I was wearing my rose-colored glasses, because I stayed in Venice myself for a while and enjoyed the real revelry of Carnevale! So while I didn’t get to attend such a fascinating and risqué gentleman’s club like Perry and Jack, this author certainly fed my vivid imagination! This is definitely exotic reading, mainly centered around Perry exploring his exhibitionist and ménage loving side. Normally quite reserved, the anonymity of mask and costume wearing during Carnevale, and watching an entire society letting go of their inhibitions allows Perry to follow his own passions and curiosity. Multiple scenes of multiple lovers, a bit of D/s and a growing love affair between Perry and Jack. What was originally planned to be one hot stop on Perry’s Grand Tour accompanied by his best friend and sometimes lover, may result in taking root in Italy’s beautiful countryside. Poor Jack just can’t resist both Perry’s naiveté and the way he grabs hold of what he likes once he’s found it! A nice hot treat of a read, while it’s not deep, it is fascinating! Can’t wait to see what’s in store for us next as part of the Masquerade series.
*Note: At time of posting, this title was free on several outlets, including Amazon and Smashwords
Title: If It Ain’t Love
Author: Tamara Allen
Genre: Historical (depression era)
Length: 34 pages (free edition)
Publisher: Tamara Allen (Aug. 25 2011)
Heat Level: Low – Moderate
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts
Reviewer: Cat
Blurb:In the darkest days of the Great Depression, New York Times reporter Whit Stoddard has lost the heart to do his job and lives a lonely hand-to-mouth existence with little hope of recovery, until he meets Peter, a man in even greater need of new hope.
Review: This story won my heart. I love the cover also. It’s so well written for such a short story.
Whit Stoddard is a reporter in the time of the Great Depression. He is barely doing enough stories to get by. He meets Peter a man who is just fallen to the Great Depression. Peter changes Whit’s life in so many ways and shows him there is still humanity in the world and maybe even a chance for a man to find love.
This is a very beautiful story. I find I love this era. The way the author describes things so simply but elegantly; I felt as if I were there in the bread lines or there in the hotel with all the homeless. It is also one of those stories with some deeper meaning. You really should read it. It’s free so what do you have to lose?
I highly recommend this if you like depression era stories, reporters, love, hope for life and an all-around good story.
Blurb: After their B-24 crashes into the Pacific, Lieutenants Andrew Mackenzie and Harry Glassman make it onto the plane’s life raft just ahead of the sharks. With their survival in doubt, they discover that their love for each other goes deeper than friendship. They promise each other that if they have any future at all, they’ll make sure it’s a future together.
Review: Well damn, I just love WWII stories, and I wasn’t disappointed by this one.
Lieutenants Mackenzie and Harry Glassman are forced in a rescue mission that was doomed not only to fail, but put in danger the life of the rescue crew. The airplane they were using was lacking at best, its engines both failing them in the middle of the Pacific.
Out of the crew, the only survivors of the crash were Mac and Harry, with Mac being injured, and they missed being shark food by a hair. It seems almost impossible a rescue for them would happen anytime soon and their future is looming a bit dark.
It’s the fact that they may die that encourages Mac to confess he’s attracted to men and furthermore being in love with Harry.
And this is why I love War stories. You know those stories that have you face to face with death and therefore make you a bit reckless, going for it even if the results might not be what you hope for. It’s that desperation of dying that throws to the wind any fear of rejection we face on our times. Here neither one of the characters wanted to die without making one last effort and try to find that elusive feeling of love.
From there on the story moved with such a lovely impact, I was lost in the sensations of these two lovers. A bit macabre at first with all those deaths around, it swiftly turned utterly romantic.
Insta-love? Yes, but who didn’t say I love you back then when your life measured with days, not years. Insta-bond? Yes again, but stranded in the middle of the ocean, facing being shark food with one wrong move, and even rescue seeming a bit slim, well I do believe I would’ve sworn eternal love myself. I liked the story a lot. I got lost in it and despite being a quick one, it felt wholesome to me.
Blurb: Charming rascal Tristan Northwood seems to have it all: an ancient name, a noble inheritance, a lovely wife, and a son he adores. Women love him, men admire him, and it seems there is nothing he can’t do, whether it’s seducing a society wife or winning a carriage race. Little does Society suspect that the name means nothing to him, the fortune is in his father’s controlling hands, and he has no interest in his wife except a very distant friendship. Society bores him, and he takes dares because he only feels alive when he’s dancing on the edge… until his wife’s brother comes home from the wars.
Decorated war hero Major Charles Mountjoy jerks Tris out of his despair by inspiring feelings of passion Tris had never suspected himself capable of. Almost as terrifying as those feelings for Charles are the signs Charles might return his affection—or, even worse, that Charles sees the man Tristan has been trying so valiantly to hide from the world.
Review: Tristan Northwood is a deviant by the standards of his time. He drinks like a fish, parties like a rock star, takes any dare that is thrown his way and sleeps with any woman that blinks in his direction. It’s all just a façade that he presents as his public persona. He lost his mother and baby sister when he was just a boy, and he’s felt his father’s disdain for him every day since. Now a grown man, his father continues to control him, as he is the one that holds the purse strings.
An arranged marriage is set, as the Baron no longer wants his son and only heir ramshackling his way across the countryside. Charlotte Mountjoy and Tristan are married and being their otherwise unconventional marriage as mere strangers. Over the next several years, though they develop a bond that is unwavering, becoming best friends and parents to a little boy with another child on the way. But Tris is even more restless all these years later. Until Lottie’s twin brother, Charles comes for a visit.
Tris is attracted to Charles from the start, which only adds to his uncertainty as of late. He’s always had an odd attraction to the same-sex, but never acted on it due to the negative and damning effects of homosexuality at the time. Charles as well hides his attraction to Tris, until he learns that the attraction is mutual. But Tristan’s self-loathing and dangerous plans threaten to destroy any chance these two would have at happiness.
I loved the history that was woven into the story. From the costumes of the period down to Napoleon and the war. The book was set in the late 1800’s, a time in which homosexuality was considered sodomy and punishable by incarceration, possibly death. It was interesting how Speedwell painted this aspect of the storyline without weighing down the overall story. I was fascinated as I listened to Tristan’s exploits and followed him as he went from insecure and immature to a strong, fierce, and loyal doctor. Charles and Lottie play a huge role in his growth throughout the story. They both love him unconditionally, but it’s Charles that is IN love with him, and it’s that love that gives Tris the strength to become the man he is at the end.
This book was narrated by Paul Morey, and Morey is a fantastic storyteller. You can hear the emotions in his voice from changes in octave to slight nuances within the different characters. He expertly nails the sensuality and passion of the more intimate scenes between Charles and Tris as well. I know they say an audio book is a different experience from reading the story, but I would recommend this book regardless of the final delivery.
Blurb: When a man loses his heart, he has no choice but to follow…
Enlightenment, Book 1
Lowborn David Lauriston lacks the family connections needed to rise in Edinburgh’s privileged legal world. Worse, his latest case—defending weavers accused of treason—has brought him under suspicion of harboring radical sympathies.
Troubled by his sexuality, tormented by memories of a man he once platonically loved, David lives a largely celibate life—until a rare sexual encounter with a compelling stranger turns his world on its head.
Cynical and worldly, Lord Murdo Balfour is more at home in hedonistic London than dingy, repressed Edinburgh. Unlike David, he intends to eventually marry while continuing to enjoy the company of men whenever he pleases. Yet sex with David is different. It’s personal, intimate, and instead of extinguishing his desire, it only leaves him hungry for more.
As David’s search for the man who betrayed the weavers deepens, he begins to suspect that his mysterious lover has more sinister reasons for his presence in Edinburgh. The truth could leave his heart broken…and more necks stretching on the gallows.
Warning: Contains mystery and danger set in 1822 Scotland, and a forbidden love between two men that will leave you on the edge of your seat—until the next book.
Review: I know its a great book when I stay up reading until 2:30 in the morning on a work night! I couldn’t put it down, and I was sighing dramatically when I realized book two was not ready to devour yet! I will be begging for it, for certain. I really enjoy historical romances, I really truly love m/m romance, I get all hot and bothered over Scottish men, and I love a bit of intrigue…this book contains it all! The drama, the angst, the steamy hot and erotic sexual encounters. Chambers has really developed complex characters in both David and Balfour; they each have concrete reasons for being the way they are, how they react to their life situations, and how they see themselves in the peerage. The book opens with an intense scene of a public hanging and decapitation, and really sets the tempo for the tension I felt throughout the book. It’s edgy, it’s philosophical, and it’s exciting throughout.
I really enjoyed how the author is building up tension and magnetism between the two main MC’s, and that they are both drawn to and repelled by each other throughout the plot. I’m also surprised and intrigued by the fact that the bleeding heart idealist David is the rough and gritty lover, and the brutish lord Balfour is the more sensual, intimate lover. That was a nice twist. The drama unfolds as David and his bleeding heart agrees to help Euen, the brother of the executed men he advocated for in court. He wants David’s help tracking down the spy that got his brother killed, and that path may just lead to Balfour! You just know no good can come of it. You see the train wreck coming but can’t help but turn the pages even faster.
As the characters paths begin to align the book becomes nail-biting, and at the same time the sexual confrontation is also coming. The end of book one was at once painful, and settling. I really truly felt sorrow for David’s self-sacrifice for his ideals, and understanding in him accepting what love and family he has as his best comfort in the world. But I know I want so much more for him. I’m left irritated a bit with Balfour, and my mind is whirring with the many possibilities that may lie in store for David and Balfour in the next book! If you enjoy reading about the Ton and you love a hot, angsty romance, this book is for you! I couldn’t put it down!
Blurb: Roman Gaul: Lucius Valerius Carus isn’t naturally impulsive; when he suddenly and unexpectedly buys a slave at a market, it’s because he feels sorry for a man who has obviously been maltreated in the past. However, he’s taken on far more than he bargained for with Keret – intelligent, educated, and a great deal stronger than he looks. Roman society wouldn’t think twice about Lucius using Keret for his sexual pleasure – indeed, it would be astonished if he didn’t – but it’s likely to be horrified if it ever learns that Lucius has started to respect his slave, and absolutely disgusted if it discovers that he’s gradually beginning to fall in love …
Review: Good God, what an ending; I’m still reeling from its abruptness. Yes, I know I’m tackling this from a backward point, but I can’t shake the cliffhanger feeling from me just yet. Right when things started to be a bit bright and I finally believed we would see some solid happiness and declarations, right there and then it ended. I found myself going forth and back between pages just in case I missed something, but no such luck.
So basic story: A Roman Gaul Officer buys a slave just to spite his long time enemy. He had no intention of buying one, and a pleasure slave at that, but it happened in a moment of sheer madness and he has to deal with it. What he doesn’t expect though is to fall helplessly in love with his slave, Keret, (who’s been more than traumatized by his former masters) and to find himself trying to shake Keret out of bad memories, creating new, happy ones for him.
Not ever pressing Keret for his affections Lucius takes the opportunity of his place in the army to unleash the true man hidden behind a delicate shell. Keret’s former training as a doctor comes quite useful and he quickly becomes more than just a beautiful slave to his soldiers, as they opened their ranks and treated Keret as their own.
Painstakingly slow, defeating obstacle after obstacle, and demon after demon, Lucius manages to succeed in his goal to make Keret happy. Alas, the fate could not have them falling easily into that hard gained happiness, and a serious wound has Keret fighting to keep his master alive just as he realized that he might have fallen in love with him.
Quite the controversial idea I might say, seeing as slaves were often treated as nothing back then. I find it highly unlikely a Roman Citizen to treat his slave like Lucius does. In my mind, Lucius was a bit over the top there. As for Keret, while he is quite the charming character I found him such a passive voice. To be completely honest, the entire read was rather passive. So many emotions failed to pass on to me, from Keret’s gruesome past to his and Lucius newfound love, everything was rather bland. I disliked the fact that while there were such shocking events right there in the text, they were smothered in a shying-from-cruel narration, whit took the much-needed edge from the entire book.
The obstacles this pair had to overcome lost their importance, the victory over them lost its shine, and the most intense scene in the entire story that should have been when Keret finally gives himself willingly to Lucius, was barely touched in the haste of telling the tale.
I feel so bereft right now, so empty. The end really was a punch in the gut. I simply couldn’t believe that I was reading this entire book for THAT. I still don’t. As much as I liked the idea and the story and the era and God those Panonians I feel at a loss.
Blurb: In 1915, after his beloved Carl died from a vicious beating, David Harrison enlisted in the Army and went to war. He returns home to find a world seemingly unchanged, while he will never be the same. At Mrs. Gill’s boarding house, he meets Bernard Donnelly, a young man suffering the aftereffects of his own war experiences. David finds himself increasingly attracted to Bernard, but that terrifies him. He blames himself for Carl’s horrific death and fears he isn’t strong enough to lose another love to violence.
Bernard needs David to help him face each day and find a way they can be together without stigma—and without putting them in legal and physical danger—but David clings to his idea that the only way to keep a lover safe is not to have one. His fears threaten to destroy everything, unless he learns that sometimes the risk is worth it and finds the courage to love.
Ok, I’ll admit it. At first, I didn’t realize what this book was (a sequel to one of my favorite shorts) so I went and read two or three pages and the names David and Carl kept haunting me. The pain and mourning, the intense emotional shower you get the moment you start reading all were so familiar, but then it hit me and good God, it really hit me. I had to go and restart it from first line, I just had to.
You see there was a short story I read back in March that amazed me with the depth of it. It left me feeling so sad about its characters and I wished it was longer so I could keep on reading. Well David and Carl’s story was just that, short, and the loss and pain David suffered were heart wrenching, but life continues and this sequel shows you just that.
After his beloved Carl died, David went to war. The irony, a war that shattered his dreams long before he went. But the return is worse than he could imagine. Forced to go live in with his Mother until he gets a job and sorts his life again into a semblance of normalcy, forced to mourn in private when no one can witness his pain, forced to a life full of nightmares that blend the war atrocities and the loss of his reason to live, forced to the emptiness his nature has cursed him.
At least his dear Mrs. Gill was still there and while his old room had been given already, she still had one left, Carl’s room.
What a book, I tell you. I loved seeing Mrs. Gill again; I loved meeting her and her incredible personality that bled in the text whenever she was in a scene. Her subtle acceptance and love were truly great, which made what happened later in the story even more tear evoking. And we got to meet the new man who would capture and haunt David’s mind and heart.
Bernard. I loved him. This is one character that makes other’s pale. A man both strong and determined, and weak and in need of care. What a wonderful mix. What a great work describing warriors and their PTSD. Both David and Bernard suffered from it, both differently and with different levels of effect. It was incredible seeing their differences, and it was brilliant seeing the parts where their strength was great. I loved seeing them work together and stand by each other when the nightmares hit them, how terribly dangerous they were in those small moments when they were the most vulnerable at the same time.
What also captivated me was the picture of 1920 Australia. We are so used to see the historical romances deal with aristocracy or with middle class people, that when you read this book and see that time the way this author means you to, you can’t fail feeling the great job she has done with describing the area. The daily life the people led, the difficulties they faces, the reality of that time when you had to work, and work hard in order to have the simple things. Great, great work indeed.
What I disliked though was how much David’s fear dominated the story. He wouldn’t let go of his fears and while this story was about him and Bernard, Carl was very much there the entire read. I’m not exactly sure, if that gave it a stronger air of credibility or if it was a bit overwhelming. At times even, I felt like hitting David and wake him up from his stupidity.
In the end, though all I have to say about this book is that if you like intense emotional rides this is definitely the book for you. Don’t miss it.
Blurb: Twenty-seven year old William Brandt could not have been happier in March 1910. He was finally living in New York City, on the verge of getting a job as a teacher, and reveling in all The Big Apple offered. But then a freak accident in Central Park brought handsome, wealthy Elliot Reid into his life—and William’s world was thrown into chaos. The more two men explore their overwhelming desires for each other, the more the differences between them—plus the times in which they live—seem to make their life together impossible.
Then urgent business forces Elliot to go to Germany for several months, and he persuades William come along as the tutor for Elliot’s nephew, eight-year-old Robert. In Dresden William blossoms, and soon he is being courted by a wealthy young widow, which throws Elliot into a panic. The more frightened Elliot becomes of losing the man he loves, the more he withdraws, and the more William fears he has no alternative but to stay in Dresden—without the man he loves. But attending the world premiere of Richard Strauss’s newest opera, Der Rosenkavalier, forces both men to realize they can no longer run from the only thing that truly matters in the world: their love.
William finds bliss and happiness in New York from unexpected quarters. A day out with his cousin George places William in the path of banker Elliot and their attraction cannot be ignored, but finding happiness is harder than both of them thought. With drama, angst, plots, potential intrigue, and a wealth of history, a love story unfolds.
This is one of those stories that begin brilliantly, but gets lost in itself along the way. The story has a very strong start and a wonderful buildup, but then fizzles out. only to renew itself in a new setting before losing itself again. Let me explain… William and Elliot met briefly when William was knocked over in the park by Elliot’s brother-in-law. Neither man can get the other off their minds, eventually they reconnect, beginning a relationship, they both enjoy. Elliot has had a life of privilege and doesn’t really understand William’s need for independence. But, William fully understands the difference in their social classes and Elliot’s duty to his family name. This causes some friction between them, but it gets sorted out between them. But, the threat to discovery still lingers, when Elliot’s brother-in-law starts plotting against him and Elliot’s potential fiancée begins to dig into why Elliot won’t propose… and then the storyline fizzles out when Elliot and William go to Europe.
That is when the next part of the story begins and this time it is mainly Elliot who angsts as William blossoms with new friends and Elliot begins to think that he will lose him to the lure of an easier life in Dresden. The relationship between the two is good. it shows the difficulty of the two men even being friends from two different social settings and the expectations they both have as to what to expect from the other. They have a rocky time together, as William angsts over what would happen to him if Elliot ever got bored with him. and then later Elliot angsts over William not needing him so much.
The settings of the story are beautifully described and you get pulled into the beauty that is described and the vivid descriptions that are laid out for us. But, even that can’t make up for the disappointment you feel over the unsatisfying plot and the unfinished storyline. There was so much potential for the drama, confrontations, and secrets, but they just stopped dead leaving me frustrated and hoping it would be revisited. But the story took a turn where misunderstandings and silence dominated. And although I enjoyed the descriptions of the opera, it was done just a bit too much towards the end and it began to bore me.
I recommend this to those who love historicals, forbidden love, crossing social settings, potential intrigue and a happy for now ending.
Thommie’s Review: ♥1Heart
I am highly disappointed from this book. It started so well and the descriptions were so nice to get you right at the heart of the start of 20th century industrial revolution. William’s excitement was nearly catching and I couldn’t wait for the real story and the romance to start, but it failed me quickly and unceremoniously.
First of all, there was the incredible amount of typographic and grammar errors that made the entire experience a horrible nightmare. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve read a published book in such a bad state. It felt as if the book was a first draft and hasn’t even gone through a first-hand proofreading. All the enticing descriptions and the beautiful operas that we got introduced in here were lost; Lost in a sea of eye numbing errors.
Furthermore, the story itself went way out of hand. The story follows William, a man of no social rank who by sheer fortune and of course intellect managed to land a scholarship and have a good education. Yet he is still a nobody at the high circles of 1910 New York. An accident brings him face to face with the most enticing man he’s met and he experiences a deep truth inside him, that he’s attracted to men. No, not just any man, but Elliot Reed of the Reed family in New York. A series of event leads to the two men having a relationship, a first one for William, in which he falls headfirst and with utter lack of inhibitions.
But things get somehow intense when a young lady Elliot had been courting finds their “friendship” quite odd and resolves to investigate it, in addition to Elliot’s brother in law who is hell bound to make Elliot miserable and destroy anything that makes him happy.
And this is exactly where the story went off hands. There is this huge build up that lead you to believe that things are about to happen from these quarters. You expect intrigues, drama, outing, and angst… You get nothing. Absolutely nothing!
A business deal forces Elliot to travel to Europe and he proposes William to go with him as his nephew’s tutor by day, his lover by night. I expected some dramatic events to follow this but, heh, I really should stop doing that. The three of them went to Europe and beside the enormous education on Strauss’ opera’s and classical music we received, the plot itself was from lukewarm to downright boring.
William felt much more at home in the Old World society. He became the object of interest for a Countess’s niece and Elliot felt unneeded. That cause some drama for the pair that resolved itself after the love lesson they got from hearing Strauss’ opera Der Rosenkavalier.
So I’m left wonder why on Earth did the author build up all that backstage drama with Potter and Missy back in New York and in the end what was the point of this book, besides showing us how much of a classic fan the author is? I know there is a bitterness leaking through my words, but after two days reading a book that should have taken only few hours if it was properly polished, and after all that headache those errors brought to me I’m not feeling too generous.
End result I did not like the book at all, poorly executed and pointless in my opinion. The rating it got was solely for the wonderful description of Dresden and the Der Rosenkavalier opera.
Blurb: Two high school boys from different walks of life: Ryan, a handsome athlete, and David, an average Joe from a blue collar family, discover their desires, stealing their kisses under the cover of an old oak at night. Their love begins a secret life, hidden from their families, friends, and classmates. As their passion grows, so does the danger of their discovery. Their only hope is to create a separate world where every kiss is a treasure and every moment… memorable. First love. Secret love. Unforgettable love.
Review: This is a coming of age story with many turns and twists. I read this story feeling like I got an honest view of what it was like to discover your sexuality as a gay man in the late sixties. There was fear, hate, bigotry, and hiding, but through it, all there was also beauty, acceptance, joy, and true love. There are many painful parts of this story, and it’s that pain that makes me feel this is real. There’s not a perfect ending, but there is plenty of heart-lifting joy and hope. I also can’t say enough about the characters! Ryan, who on the outside was supposed to create the facade of typical jock, is anything but. He’s passionate, he loves his gardening, and to see things grow and thrive, and he’s poetic. I mean to say that the letters and conversations he has with David in this story make me misty-eyed and contemplative. And I can completely relate to Rosemary, having a similar experience in life, and the way she turns that unrequited love into a great friendship. There are parts of this story that my gushy heart would have wanted written differently, but bottom line, life isn’t that way. You can’t just rewrite the ugly parts; it’s what makes us who we are. The one shining theme that sticks with me way after finishing this book is that yes, there are lots of ugly parts in life, but we need to see the beauty of what it provides too. Memorize that beauty, bathe yourself in it, and hold it up as your standard. Use love and beauty to conquer hate, fear, and ugliness. And yes, even after tragedy, keep on truckin’ through life; you never know when that second chance will hit. This is a wonderful book, a time warp, and a great message. Read it. You won’t regret it.
Blurb: It’s July 3, 1976, the beginning of America’s bicentennial weekend, and everyone seems to be celebrating their freedoms except eighteen-year-old runaway Michael Ryder. Fresh from rural Pennsylvania, Michael is doing whatever and whoever it takes to get to San Francisco, where he hopes to find a new life with the freedom to love without fear.
While hitchhiking, a mysterious, tattooed biker named Snake offers him a ride west—on the back of his customized Harley chopper. During their journey across Route 66, Snake introduces Michael to new and steamy pleasures, leaving Michael aching for more than just a physical relationship. But a violent encounter with a cruel biker gang and a harrowing secret from Snake’s military past might destroy their unlikely relationship long before they reach the end of the road.
Review: Fantastic and brilliant, I absolutely adored every single line in this book. It was a positive thrill reading this book.
“I had experienced a milestone…
A lifetime in one week. I had fallen in love, mapped out a plan for my future, been betrayed, saved someone’s life, and bonded myself to another man through a terrible experience.
What tomorrow held for me, I did not know.”
I think the blurb and the above quote say more than enough about the book. What it doesn’t say is how enthralling the book really is. The characters are both very appealing; both their personalities are overwhelmingly gorgeous. You won’t help loving Snake, even if he seems (and probably is) a shady guy, and you won’t help but adore Ryder, even if you dislike his initial slutty side.
And that’s the beauty if this book. It’s real and it doesn’t shy from flaws and reality. There are no polished perfect characters here, there is no dreamy bubble of a perfect world where everything ends in a happily ever after. This is a book that has all the ugliness there is out there, a big range of feelings and emotions, and if the characters want a HEA in their life, they have work hard and risk everything for a chance at it.
What with all the above and the fact this book is set at the 70’s, I was sold immediately. The penmanship this author has is delightful. I was really surprised though by the fact that the whole story happens in just two days. I would have never thought that I’d love a book that has its characters falling in love so soon and has them going through a lifetimes events in merely two days. Yet this is the real beauty, the brilliance of this author’s writing skill. I couldn’t believe it really, even as I was reading, how effortlessly she made it happen, how very logical a conclusion it was, how beautiful the blend of the characters’ cravings, the growth they make, and ultimately how easy their intimacy seemed. The scenes between the two were absolutely hot, from the hook up to their lovemaking, it was scorching hot and sexy, and with an intensity that burned you along with them.
I could go on and on talking about this book, but bottom end you simply need to read it to appreciate. This is certainly a book not to be missed and I truly believe that no matter the genre you favorite, you won’t help but love this one. It certainly my most favorite list.
Blurb: Set against the war-torn landscape of occupied Norway in 1941, a loyal German soldier is obsessed by a young Norwegian national. He must choose between duty to his country and a deep-seated passion for a young man who may well be his enemy.
Review: I am utterly furious with this author. That is no way to end a book, I don’t care what absurd justifications one might have, but that was cruel. Period!
I’m still reeling from the way this book ended. Hell I’m still reeling from the entirety of the book. It was many thing, but if I must use one word to describe it, that would be “powerful.”
This book start with a near end scene, so we already have a hint that things are not going to end all that well. But being the cruel person that he is, this author does not gives us all the details, he allows hope to blossom, and that is a trap that you will fall without fail.
Axel is a young man who is caught up in the pre-WWII Germany. The desolate emotions Germans suffered at the time due to loss of the WWI color all people, and the need to rise from that bottomless pit has the people following the new Nationalist wave. The need to rise higher has Axel accepting the offer of a Baron and working for him at his mansion, his duties later on transforming into some much, much more depraved.
It is there we witness Axel suffer humiliation, being literally the lap dog of the baron. But what turns his experience into a horrific one is the addition of one more “dog” in the house and that would be none other than Bruno, his old wrestling partner whom Axel despises. In his hands and for the Barons whim Axel goes through some dubiously consensual coupling, which in my eyes were plain rape and made me wonder why for Heaven’s sake did he endure all that? It is obvious through the text that Axel hates that condition he’s put himself into, yet he stays until the very last moment when he’s no longer wanted and unceremoniously thrown out.
What made the biggest impression to me was that the above chapter of Axel’s life was told in the most clinical way – we read this entire book from Axel’s point of view – and there were no emotions through this recollection at all. It was rather dispassionate and that made it even more impressing for me.
From that, moment on the “submissive” Axel is lost and thank God, for that for it was obvious he was not of that nature. He studies and makes up the ranks, getting to be a paratrooper officer and deployed to Norway. And yes, that detached feeling slowly slips away, though not entirely, making the Nazi officer all the more real.
The text here is quite peculiar. It reminds a biography one moment and a too personal romantic tale the next. The description of the warfare is astounding. The sentiments of the people described are too raw. It’s perhaps because it’s the first time I read a book on WWII from a German officer’s point of view, but everything seems gut wrenching, especially since said officer is a man who loves men. Don’t misunderstand me, the is a distinguished lack of despair that so often colors such reads, or rather it slowly builds as Axel meets Klaus, a young Norwegian soldier, and slowly but steadily falls for him.
It is most romantic, and yet so naïve of Axel to believe in fairy tales. It is impossible what I kept reading and how Fate was such a bitch to him. The nasty triangle that formed when his ex-tormentor Bruno shows up and out of everything he is his superior, boldly claiming Klaus for his own. Good God, that was so freaking intense, one moment witnessing Axel and Klaus together, the next not knowing how and why and where Klaus is being taken. An agonizing triangle indeed that slowly reveals the guillotine hanging over each man’s head, all but snapping into place, yet the willing blindness that characterizes our protagonist nearly brought me to tears.
Such a tragedy this book was, but for all that, it indeed had me in tears, I have to admit, this was an exquisite read. It has it all, it makes feel a whole lot of emotions, and it gets you so engrossed you practically fell like you’re living inside it for the duration. If it wasn’t for that abrupt ending that leaves, you imagining what happen next with the most horrible scenes that come to mind, this would have easily be a 5 hearts review for me.
Blurb: When Mark Madison accepts a position as tutor in New Orleans, he does so to run away from his past. Yet he never once believed the house on Coliseum Square would actually hold the key to his future.
Royal DuCote, the wealthy owner of the house and father to a son named Luc, is dark, sexy, and haunted. Ever since the death of his wife and Luc’s mother, nothing has been the same. Luc refuses to speak or let Royal near him, and putting Luc in school is out of the question, so he hires a tutor for his son. But when he meets Mark Madison, he’s instantly attracted to the younger man.
As tensions build between Mark and Royal, Luc’s affliction becomes a mystery Mark wants to solve. But will what Mark discovers destroy all that is left of the DuCote family?
Review: I am known to love the 19th century historicals. There is something about that time that awakens the romantic in me. The speech itself feels too romantic and alluring for me to stay away.
In this novella, that feeling along with the foreboding of being a homosexual and the desperation it all brought, was right there as it began. It easily draw you into the book, when Mark runs from his past life in fear, constantly thinking that impending death or jail awaits him in every corner. The paranoia when one knows he’s an outlaw and could easily lose everything is quite obvious from Mark’s thoughts and actions.
But, then Mark makes a new life, under a new name as a tutor for Royal DuCote’s son in New Orleans. The romance should start bright and shiny, but that wasn’t the case. While the book starts with Mark making up his mind to forever hide his sexuality out of fear, it quickly turns into love-at-first-sight and a reckless behavior from both Master and employer. The romantic speech I so loved was lacking during their dialogues and even more so during their intercourse. The relationship between Mark and his charge was a fast built up that didn’t come to terms with the boy’s disposition, creating quite the oxymoron feel about it. The time space as well was so fast, that any meaningful action/reaction lost its credibility. What could have been a great read was in fact a lukewarm one that disappointed me in its execution.
If you don’t mind the details and the lack of authenticity about this book, I think it’s a nice read. The pair quite hot and sexy and the end inspire an “awww” out of you with its HEA. But, if you are that era lover like me then it’ll probably disappoint the heck out of, too.
Blurb:It takes an irresistible bribe to pry Harold Gretton away from his experiments to act as a bodyguard for an escaped prisoner. Bored with his confinement, American businessman Martin Tillman is delighted to find that Harold is a like-minded fellow. The sparks that fly between them seem to go beyond mere passion to Martin, but Harold is disinclined to put his trust in emotion.
Can Martin convince his scientific lover that what lies between them is more than experimentation?
Review:Harold’s brother Perry charges Harold to keep a fugitive safe. Harold agrees reluctantly until he meets Martin. Feelings stir, reminding him of ‘experiments’ he and Andre conducted before he was sent home from his brother Nash’s.
This is yet another beautifully written work by a very talented storyteller. Poignantly written, a great story, interesting characters, a touch of intrigue and hot mansex, what more could you ask for?
I highly recommend this to anyone that loves historical romance, mystery and intrigue, inventors, and hot mansex.
Blurb: Gay Master/slave Erotic Romance. Orion’s promising military career is cut short when he is caught having a sex with another free man. He is condemned to lifetime of slavery after a public trial, a fate which Meme, his ex-lover, shares with him. When he finds out, he has been purchased by General Ares, he risks invoking the wrath of his former superior by pleading with him to also purchase Meme. Even though Ares is furious with Orion, he grants his request. Ares is determined to unravel Orion’s impassive facade and Meme may just be what he needs to break a warrior.
‘My Warrior, My Slave’ is a companion story of ‘Slave of Heart’. However, it can be read as a stand-alone work. The story contains explicit material with light BDSM content and is intended for adults only.
Review: And this is what happens when I’m torn by a book. I loved it on one hand. It was an exquisite exercise in mind games and breaking a slave. It was erotic, intense, and capable of making your heartbeat drum high. But it was also heartbreaking due to the nature of the slave character.
Orion is not just a sex slave. He was a free man, a man with dreams and ambitions. He was a Master himself and most of all, the thing that affected me more than anything did, and he was a warrior.
In a society where men and women can indulge in same-sex intercourse with their slave, yet between two free men such thing is inexcusable to the point of said free men to lose their freedom and become sex-slaves themselves, witnessing the descend of a warrior was – for me at least – unbearable. My heart was held in a vise-like grip the entire read, weeping for Orion. While the transition from a free man to submitting, the mastery of how Ares managed to play his mind games and ultimately break Orion and make him his, was extremely erotic and mind-blowing, I still ached for the warrior and felt such a profound sadness. Even in the most sensual parts of this book, even during the most erotic and stimulating passages, that sadness never left me, surrounding my like a damned cloak.
So you understand my torment now, I don’t know how to truly evaluate this read. If I keep in mind how much it affected me, I’d say point for the author, mission accomplished. Still that lingering feeling makes me rip this book apart, if only it was a paperback.
In any case, I feel this work deserves praise, lots of it for it is quite powerful. I have no hesitation in recommending this to anyone who has an appreciation for mind games and M/s relationships. The scenes are light and described with smooth words, not cringe-like, and the length is quite short, making this read a nice and enjoyable break.
Blurb:Simon Hart, private investigator, has always thought of himself as a regular fellow. He’s standoffish and a loner with a sullen attitude—yet surely a normal bloke. And then he meets the randy Michael McCree.
In short order, Michael has become his flat-mate, his business partner, and his wannabe lover. Now Simon must look deeper, into his own hidden desires, if he wants to survive.
There’s something about Michael’s secret vocation that invites trouble. Simon finds himself sparring with shadows: in the hidden bedrooms of a roaring twenties version of a gay bar…as a chained wall decoration in the flat of a thief and sexual deviant…and as the quarry in a deadly confrontation in an exhibitionist’s bed and then in a sewer tunnel beneath the streets of a 1923 city somewhere in Ireland.
Above all, Simon is sparring with the shadow of his own secret urges. Michael will not allow him to turn away from a kind of private investigation of which he has not even dreamed. Until now.
Follow a fastidious, surly investigator and his horny yet secretive partner through the very cracks in a city of gaslights and vintage motorcars, into a hidden homosexual culture, as the men find themselves sparring with shadows…
Review:This story is part of a series and must be read in order. Michael and Simon discover that the Brown Man has given the local police the slip, trying to recapture the man they discover he might have been involved in the robbery of a rare carbuncle and they are tasked to the capture of the Brown Man and the recovery of the precious stone. Simon has to examine his own reactions to discover just what it is he really wants, Michael may have chased him down but it is Simon who holds all the cards.
This is a pretty good story looking into the secret underbelly of a fictional Irish city and two men who investigate crime. Michael and Simon have much on their plate as the Brown Man escapes, Michael figures the man is much more than just an accomplice and decides to dig deeper but they have watchers of their own. Simon and Michael end up captured as they hunt for the carbuncle and it takes some nifty footwork of both of them and their little helper Mouse to escape. While all this is going on Simon is struggling with his sexuality as Michael works his charm.
I enjoyed this story, watching Simon and Michael trying to keep one-step ahead of the Brown Man and to ensure the Brown Man is captured. Seeing them put together the pieces of what the man is doing, and having Simon act as a distraction. Michael’s and Simon’s relationship has its own game of sparring at shadows, as Michael has laid down his own feelings and Simon is still struggling with his own feelings and the sexual acts themselves. They make a great investigating team and the progress of the story is well paced, I liked that Simon angsted (is that a word?) over his feelings and tried to damp down the flush of lust so he could think clearly. Michael seemed to be horny most of the time even at inconvenient times and he could have toned it back a bit. They make an interesting pair and although the investigation was exciting and dangerous I ended up wanting the more mundane investigations, we saw in the previous book.
I recommend this if you love investigations turning dangerous, rescues and escapes, admitting to your feelings, historicals, and a great ending.
Blurb: After an inconvenient display of mercy in the arena, the gladiator Anazâr is pulled from the sands and contracted to nobleman Lucius Marianus to train his new stable of female gladiators. His charges are demoralized and untested, and they bear the marks of abuse. Anazâr has a scant two months to prepare them for the arena, and his new master demands perfection.
Anazâr is surprised by how eager he is to achieve it—far more eager than a man motivated only by self-preservation. Perhaps it’s because Marianus is truly remarkable: handsome, dignified, honorable, and seemingly as attracted to Anazâr as Anazâr is to him.
But a rivalry between Marianus and his brother sparks a murder conspiracy, with Anazâr and his gladiatrices caught in the middle. One brother might offer salvation . . . but which? And in a world where life is worth less than the pleasures of the crowd or the whims of a master, can there be any room for love? As a gladiator, Anazâr’s defenses are near impenetrable. But as a man, he learns to his cost that no armor or shield can truly protect his heart.
Review: What a lovely book this one was, so utterly captivating and enthralling in its theme. Gladiators are generally a beloved topic of mine, but this book was not merely a fantasy, it was a full on literary work, with quite some research covering its background and a truly fascinating story.
Anazar, a once upon a time Numidian warrior, now a fierce gladiator finds his life’s thread to be quickly shortening as he no longer finds a reason to live. Yes, of course, in the middle of the battle when his instincts take over, he fights with all he has, but he is quickly running short on that. His owner is deeply dissatisfied and lends him over to a man who has recently come to own his own gladiator team. Female gladiators. He is in need of a trainer and one that will not have a mind to take advantage of the women. Anazar is the perfect man for that on many accounts; he’s seasoned, knows his way around the arena and training of gladiators and he has no interest on women whatsoever. Men on the other hand…
I loved how smoothly Anazar’s profile was written here. I loved how the authors slowly led us into his head and mindset. A fierce man who had resigned on his slavery. A man who has accepted and submitted to his duties. I actually had a hard time making my mind about him and his nature. Was he a submissive, or not? I still can’t make up my mind and that’s a beauty I rarely come across when getting to know characters. Most are so stereotypically described they hold no interest, but Anazar is a character you want to get to know. He has many layers of personality, each one slowly revealing itself throughout the book. He is strong in his beliefs of what his duty is without being blind to his master’s faults. Well… almost. His slave status and conditioning is revealed in the many ways and turns his brain takes. There is that resigned state of mind and sub servitude that comes from having no choices left, without diminishing his passion and fire, without turning him weak. Ah, I loved, loved this character, he is exquisite.
Moving on, Fate has him caring for life once again when he’s forced to make gladiators out of women. Such a cruel notion, one that tugs at Anazar’s heart. But when added to the mix of new turns and twists his Master’s brother, Anazar finds he’s unable to maintain control on the following events. Can a man borne to master men see a slave for a human being? And at that, can a slave see a master of men in the light of love? And can that all happen in the midst of a City where treachery and backstabbing politics were born and thrive?
Quite the interesting plot this one, with the Roman’s characteristically treacherous politics barreling full force and making this book a wondrous emotional ride. Hidden agendas and untrustworthy characters made the effect even brighter. I lost count of the times a new plot was made, I lost count of the many layers of corruption and back-stabbing, and I lost count of the times my heart plummeted to the floor along with Anazar’s, and how my guts turned and complained at the emotional assault. Even the end was an event in its self, every time I thought it was over a new twist would make my breath catch and turn me into a nerve wreck.
Ah dear me, I could go on forever it seems. As it is, I loved the book. I loved the plot, I loved the time period it was settled, I loved the characters, all of them being brilliant, and I loved the intimacy between the lovers and their encounters. I also loved the fact that this book does not shy from the cruelty inflicted at that time, although there is a lack of unbearable gruesome details. They were described rather masterfully in my opinion.
So bottom end, if you love your gladiators, honorable men, and some backstabbing Roman politics this is the book for you. I do believe you’ll be fascinated and captivated same way I did. Totally recommended.
Heat Level: Moderate (they have sex one time but it’s explicit.
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥3.5Hearts
Blurb: Harold wants to rescue his sister who has been taken by Vikings. He needs help from Sigurd, a Viking who has settled in England.
Pretending that Harold is Sigurd’s obedient thrall, the two venture north to find Harold’s sister. As their journey progresses, Harold finds his attraction to his new Master growing.
He tries not to let his confused feelings distract him from his quest, but with Sigurd enjoying Harold’s role as thrall as well, that soon becomes difficult.
Review: Calandra Hunter’s story begins with Harold, a young Englishman, approaching Sigurd to ask for help in finding his sister, kidnapped by Vikings. A Viking himself, Sigurd will have no trouble blending in with the people who took the girl, but Harold will have to pretend to be his thrall during that time.
Except for a few grammatical mistakes, Hunter tells us a great story about a young man’s love for his sister and his courage to find a way to save her, even if it means he has to submit to a different people’s rules. With Sigurd’s help, Harold ends up discovering a new culture and awakening his sexuality.
This is a really good short story for anyone who likes happy endings and a slow built to the romance and sex. The only bad thing about Hunter’s story is that, in the end, you want to know how Harold and Sigurd continue their relationship when faced with a life in a country that frowns upon homosexuality, and how will Harold explain to his parents that he doesn’t intend to marry anyone.
Blurb: Farm lad Iain Munro knows his love affair with Tavish MacIntyre, future Laird of Creachann-Dubh, is dangerous—discovery could mean disgrace and death. But they’ve been in love since they were boys, and they’ve never been able to resist each other, dishonorable though it is to deceive their families.
Young men now, their sexual explorations have deepened and their love for each other has strengthened. But Iain’s father fears for his eldest son’s future, and Tavish faces dangers and duties of his own: his demanding mother would see him respectably wed, and his interfering sister knows too much—and has schemes of her own.
Facing a lifetime apart, Iain and Tavish must leave their childhoods behind for good as they choose between honor and love, innocence and happiness, and their vows before God and to each other.
Review: Have I mentioned how much I love historical romance? Or better yet, have I mentioned how much I love Scotts? This novella has it both and I’m glad to say I enjoyed it immensely. I’ll also have to say straight on that the speech was disturbing there at the beginning. That is until I got used to it, because damn it was Scottish all the way through. I had this horrifying fear there for a moment that I won’t be able to get into it, but that was easily overcome and I managed to have quite a blast.
This is the tale of Tavish, future Laird of a place that in all honesty I can’t pronounce, and Iain, a simple farm lad with whom he has a distant relationship.
Iain has always harbored some kind of hero-worship for Tavish, but it isn’t until Tavish is nineteen years old and Iain fifteen that they come to realize they harbor more than that. What starts as mere lust and teenage hormones going wild slowly transform into deep love. The two young men don’t have time to explore those feeling though as their way of life only allows them to see each other once a year, and with some schemes on Tavish behalf perhaps twice, but they get to become stronger with each passing year. The fear of getting caught and dishonoring their families does not stop the two young lovers from making young, naïve dreams that come clashing when reality hits home and they are found. Not in the act but the rumors are strong enough to drive the two apart. But neither man can imagine a future where there is no place for the other in their life, neither one can bear a permanent separation, and while there seems to be no way to win this battle, help comes from the most unexpected source.
I loved it. I loved them both so much. Tavish, so hot-blooded and reckless and wild and sexy and a devil-may-care kind of guy had me around his little finger in a blink and Iain, the shy and gorgeous, steady and thoughtful Iain who got so wrapped up in the web of love that had to go and do the ultimate sin in his head for his bonny Tavish, he had me wanting to hug him tight and never let him go. Weird that sensation.
And speaking of sensations, dear Lord was this read a hot, sensual ride. The intimate scenes between the two young men, from their first fumbling and their exploration, to their first time and later on their exquisite lovemaking, everything was extremely arousing. I don’t know, was it the fact of a time long ago that the fear was a constant companion that made it so, or the men-in-kilt fantasy, or simply a very well written context, but the result was fascinating and hot to the core.
The ending though, might have come a bit weird for me. I will not call it unrealistic, because frankly I have no clue what would constitute realistic in the era this story is located. And you never know what to expect from people, but yeah, that’s it, it was surprising and a perfect solution for the dilemma. Unfortunately, it also left me with wondering what the future would bring for them… three… I swear my imagination is burdensome at times.
Bottom end if you like historical romances, highlands, and men in kilts and the sort of inevitable love, then this is the book for you. I truly had fun reading it.
Blurb: One snowy night just before Christmas, 1922, poacher Danny Costessey rounds off a night trapping rabbits by climbing a tree to fetch some mistletoe for his mother—only to fall and break his leg. Taken to the manor house to recover from his injuries, Danny meets the reclusive owner, Philip Luccombe. Village gossip has it Luccombe went mad during the war, but Danny soon realizes he’s simply still mourning his late lover. As friendship grows between them, Danny starts to fall for handsome, shy Philip.
Danny’s lively nature, roguish good looks, and ready laughter enchant Philip, and he finds himself being drawn out of his shell whether he will it or not. But when Danny tries to move beyond friendship, Philip panics—and his rejection threatens not only their happiness, but Danny’s health.
Previously published as short story Pleasures With Rough Strife in December 2009 by Dreamspinner Press.
Review: Danny is a poacher on his way home with his bounty when he decides to treat his mum to some mistletoe. Unfortunately, he falls out of the tree and is found by the Gamekeeper. Danny awakens in the manor house and the Lord of the manor, Mr. Luccombe, assures him his family will be taken care of while Danny recovers from his injuries. Peter has locked himself away inside his manor since the death of his beloved Robert, but having Danny under his roof pulls him back to the land of the living and maybe he can start to love again.
This is a sweet historical that touches the heart. Danny and Phillip come from different worlds, Phillip is well off and has all the comforts in life, while Danny is poor and has to resort to poaching so his family can survive. When the two first meet, it is a fearful Danny laid up in bed wondering if he will be punished for poaching and an unsure Phillip who is curious about his houseguest. Both characters are wonderfully written with Phillip having a wounded heart over the loss of a loved one year’s before; he withdrew into himself and Danny who has confidence and an open heart.
Both characters have suffered loss, with Danny losing his father and having to become the man of the house at a young age and for Phillip it was the loss of his lover Robert. Both men connect in friendship and Danny’s presence in the house has Phillip seeking company for the first time in years, he begins to emerge from his self-exile from life and begins to feel things that he never thought he would again. This is a very sweet story that was a charm to read.
I will recommend this to those who love historicals, sweet connections, emerging from a cocoon of the past and a happy ending.
Blurb: Landowner Philip Luccombe has been enjoying a passionate relationship with young poacher turned gamekeeper Danny Costessey for four years now. Danny’s love has brought him out of the shell he retreated into when his first lover died after the Great War. But this Christmas, visitors to the manor threaten their happiness. Philip’s young cousin Matthew is artistic, vivacious, and flirtatious: just the sort to remind him of his long-dead first love—and to emphasize the social gulf between Philip and Danny.
But the worst danger comes from much nearer home. An old flame of Danny’s is discovered in incriminating circumstances, forcing the lovers to keep their distance for fear of being tarred with the same brush. Meanwhile, Danny’s younger brother, Toby, has grown to resent the connection between his brother and the lord of the manor. Danny wants to do the right thing—but that could divide the lovers forever.
Review: This story is part of a series and best read in order. Philip has enjoyed four years in his relationship with Danny, snatched moments and stolen nights might be all that they can have, but they make the best of it. When Danny hears that there are rumors about the two of them, he knows they have to lay low, but with Philip’s family visiting and then his own brother, Toby, causing problems it just might be all too much to handle.
This story is set four years after Danny and Philip first get together and they have been enjoying a passionate relationship throughout that time, but rumors are heard in the village and Philip’s family are coming to visit so they decide to lay low, but Toby has managed to cause his own problems which Danny has to sort out and Danny is suspicious of Matthew’s (Philip’s cousin) hovering around Philip. There are misunderstandings and crossed wires, trying to do the right thing and heartache for both Danny and Philip, but there is also some wonderful making up.
J.L. Merrow has written another wonderful historical that continues the love story of Danny and Philip, these two men are wonderful, they might have crossed wires, but their love holds strong even when they think their hearts are being ripped out. The settings in this book are good with rich descriptions and the storyline fits brilliantly with the timeline. Danny and Philip’s relationship woes are touching, never being able to cross the social class, and having to hide what they mean to each other from everyone else, Danny fearing that Philip would be better off with someone of his own class and Philip fearing that Danny wants his own family. This is a wonderful story where you can feel the fears, hopes and dreams of two men in love in a time when just being male wasn’t their only obstacle.
I recommend this story to those who love difficult relationships, historicals, hot sex, great characters, a brilliant storyline, and a very happy ending.
Title: Carnevale
