Hi guys! We have J.L. Merrow popping in today with her new release Counter Culture, we have a great excerpt and a fantastic giveaway where you can win a $10 Riptide GC, so check out the post and leave a comment to enter the giveaway! ❤️ ~Pixie~
Counter Culture
by
J.L. Merrow
Customer service has never been this personal.
Robin Christopher, beleaguered retail worker, isn’t having an easy November. His boss is raising stress levels planning a Black Friday to end all Black Fridays, his family doesn’t understand him, and his best friend thinks his new crush is a hallucination brought on by watching too many episodes of Doctor Who.
Archie Levine dresses in Victorian style and divides his time between caring for his young son and creating weird and wacky steampunk gadgets from bits of old junk—when he’s not looking after his mum and trying to keep on good terms with his ex. The last thing he’s got time for is a relationship, but the flustered young man he met while disembowelling a fridge is proving very tempting.
When his mum’s social conscience is roused by a local store with a cavalier attitude to the homeless, former rough sleeper Archie shares her anger. Little does he know that Robin works for that same store. When Archie finds out he’s sleeping with the enemy, things could cut up very rough indeed.
Blurb: A race to save his lover—by becoming his own worst nightmare.
Dr. Nick Sewell has it all. Good friends, a career as a Cambridge academic… and recently, a tendency to turn into a wolf every full moon. When a new student arrives from Germany, Nick is horrified by his visceral attraction to the troubled youth—not to mention his violent jealousy when he sees Julian with another man. He’s floored to find out Julian is a werewolf too.
Unlike Nick, Julian has spent his life among other wolves, and in this subject, he’s the teacher and Nick the student. Nick struggles to adjust to this reversal of roles, especially since he’s an alpha and Julian a natural submissive. That dynamic just adds to the attraction smoldering between them, whether they’re in human form or wolf.
But Julian’s pack and the abuse he suffered aren’t far behind him. And the pack wants to reclaim him. For Nick to hold on to his lover, he’ll have to come to terms with the violent acts of his past—and embrace the monster within.
First Edition published by Samhain Publishing Ltd., May 2011.
Review: Teacher and student relationships are usually not my thing to read but this story has a paranormal element to it that I loved. Nick is a teacher at a university and omega wolf Julian is his student. These two has some major miscommunication issues between them.
Julian leads Nick on a merry chase and does not give in easily to the man. At the same time Nick is still processing himself being an Alpha wolf and what all that entails. This is a well written and intriguing story of two men with damaged pasts finding each other and trying to make a go at it.
Lots of twists and turns keeps these men on their toes a the story progresses. This not a happy hearts and flowers kind of story. It’s dark and gritty at times but that adds to the storyline so it worked great for me.
Hi guys, we have J.L. Merrow visiting today with her upcoming re-release Camwolf, we have a fantastic intro with a free book from J.L., a great excerpt and a fantastic $10 Dreamspinner GC giveaway so check out the post and leave a comment to enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
Camwolf
by
J.L. Merrow
A race to save his lover—by becoming his own worst nightmare.
Dr. Nick Sewell has it all. Good friends, a career as a Cambridge academic… and recently, a tendency to turn into a wolf every full moon. When a new student arrives from Germany, Nick is horrified by his visceral attraction to the troubled youth—not to mention his violent jealousy when he sees Julian with another man. He’s floored to find out Julian is a werewolf too.
Unlike Nick, Julian has spent his life among other wolves, and in this subject, he’s the teacher and Nick the student. Nick struggles to adjust to this reversal of roles, especially since he’s an alpha and Julian a natural submissive. That dynamic just adds to the attraction smoldering between them, whether they’re in human form or wolf.
But Julian’s pack and the abuse he suffered isn’t far behind him, and it wants to reclaim him. For Nick to hold on to his lover, he’ll have to embrace the monster within.
Blurb: Three’s definitely not a crowd in this trio of contemporary erotic male/male/male ménages with a very British flavor from gay romance favorites Josephine Myles and JL Merrow.
Let your fantasies run wild as you take in the fit bodies down at the gym, or enjoy a very special birthday present from a loving partner. And even a trip to the dentist can be enjoyable with the right sort of distraction!
These stories have all been previously published, but are now available exclusively in this anthology.
Review: This is a cute little anthology by two authors that will have you squirming on the edge of your seat in desire and want. Hot ménage’s that will entice you and leave you wanting for more. They are well written but are really too short for actually giving you a good story.
Kit Bag by JL Merrow ♥♥♥3 Hearts
Working late at the gym one night, Kit’s delighted when two of his fantasies made flesh come in for a workout. The guys he’s dubbed Black Muscle Vest and Grey Sweats are tall, gorgeous and insanely built, and Kit can hardly take his eyes off their glistening, pumped-up muscles.
But he’s not the only one who’s been dreaming of a little hot and sweaty man-on-man action. Harry and Sven are only too happy to make Kit’s fantasy a reality in the changing room—and Kit’s going to get a workout of his own he’ll never forget!
Damn this was one hot little teaser. It was really too short for more than just a taste but it is hot.
Unwrapped: The Birthday Gift by Josephine Myles ♥♥♥3 Hearts
All Dave wants for his birthday is a threesome, and his devoted boyfriend Mark is keen to oblige. Enter Pedro, the mysterious stranger they pick up from the pub. Taking him home with them promises a scorching encounter… if only Dave can deal with his nerves first!
This is one hot little story but I never could get into stories where they just bring in a third person. However it is a very hot little teaser to just get your taste buds up.
Getting a Filling by JL Merrow ♥♥♥3 Hearts
Ivo’s terrified of going to the dentist, even with his lover, Colin, there for moral support. But when the dentist turns out to be gorgeous—and gay—fear turns to flirtation. The next time Ivo ends up in the dentist’s chair it’s a lot more fun, as the support Colin and Ted give him is very immoral indeed!
Well this would definitely change anyone’s mind about going to the dentist. It was a hot little tasty morsel but that was all it was just a taste.
Overall ♥♥♥3 Hearts
These were some very hot and kinky little stories. My problem is I want more than just a taste and even for a little anthology it was short. I was disappointed in it and wished that they were a lot longer. Although the one where they brought in a third to spice it up was not my idea of a cool thing. I am stuck somewhere in between with these stories.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
Title: Out! Series: The Shamwell Tales, #3 Author: JL Merrow Genre: Contemporary/Humor/ British Length: 322 pages Publisher: Samhain Publishing (January 19th 2016) Heat Level: Low Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts Blurb: When the costs are added up, will love land in the black?
Mark Nugent has spent his life in the closet—at least, the small part of it he hasn’t spent in the office. Divorced when he could no longer deny his sexuality, he’s sworn off his workaholic ways and moved to Shamwell with his headstrong teen daughter to give her a stable home environment.
His resolve to put his love life on hold is severely tested when he joins a local organization and meets a lively yet intense young man who tempts him closer to the closet threshold.
Patrick Owen is an out-and-proud charity worker with strong principles—and a newly discovered weakness for an older man. One snag: Mark is adamant he’s not coming out to his daughter, and Patrick will be damned if he’s going to start a relationship with a lie.
Between Mark’s old-fashioned attitudes and a camp, flirtatious ex-colleague who wants Mark for himself, Patrick wonders if they’ll ever be on the same romantic page. And when Mark’s former career as a tax advisor clashes with Patrick’s social conscience, it could be the one stumbling block they can’t get past. Product Warnings: Contains historically inaccurate Spartan costumes, mangled movie quotes, dubious mathematical logic and a three-legged pub crawl.
Review: I suppose this series is more comedy than anything else, innit? After a particularly intense book I chose Out! as a pick-me-up, because I knew it was going to be funny and light and I desperately needed something like it.
If you’ve read the previous books in this series, than you should be familiar with Patrick (remember that broken shin of his he got while playing cricket? Yep, that Patrick!). I know I’ve been hoping he would get his own book at some point, only Mark is definitely NOT someone I would’ve imagined as Patrick’s other half.
I’m not sure I liked Mark that much, although I can’t think of a reason why I didn’t. No, I can’t say I disliked him or hated him, and he was even funny most of the time. As a character I liked him a lot. As Patrick’s love interest…not so much. I didn’t think they were good together, and he whole age difference between them was so overdramatized, it annoyed the crap out of me.
Mark Nugent and his spitfire daughter, Fen, have recently moved to the small village of Shamwell in order for Fen to get a fresh start. Mark is closeted and old-fashioned, and he kind of acts like he’s 50 instead of 39. He makes such a big deal of the 14 years between him and Patrick. Everybody does. Like he’s old enough to be his father instead of just accepting it as it is. It drove me the hell insane!
Fen however, is hilarious, the epitome of teenage girl, with enough drama to drive everyone insane. She’s a smart cookie that one. Got her father all figured out and she’s playing him like a fiddle. But under her Goth exterior and smart mouth lays a girl with a heart the size of London. I really loved her for being so accepting and mature when it came to things that were really important.
I really liked the characters, especially the secondary ones, because they took away the focus from Patrick and Mark. Yeah, I KNOW that’s not supposed to be a good thing, but since I didn’t like them together that much, and I got extremely frustrated with Mark playing martyr in order to protect his innocent daughter (hah, what a joke!), the hilarious secondary characters made it all better.
Christ those guys can drink, as it seems like they’re known by bar owners everywhere.
This book, like the previous ones, is very lacking in the steam department, although this one is slightly more X-rated than the rest. We even have a sex scene, pretty descriptive and funny, although I didn’t enjoy it as much as i hoped i would.
5 STARS for the characters, especially Fen and David, I really loved them all!
2 STARS for the romance and unsuccessful matching of Mark and Patrick!
3.5 stars is my final rating.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com
Title: Caught! Series: The Shamwell Tales #1 Author: J.L. Merrow Genre: Contemporary/ Humor Length: Novel (276 pages) Publisher: Samhain Publishing (August 19th, 2014) Heat Level: Low Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4 Hearts Reviewer: Aerin Blurb: You can run from the past…but the past runs faster.
Behind Robert’s cheerfully eccentric exterior lies a young heart battered and bruised by his past. He’s taken a job teaching in a village primary school to make a fresh start, and love isn’t part of his plans. But he’s knocked for six—literally—by a chance encounter with the uncle of two of his pupils.
Sean works in pest control, rides a motorbike, and lives on a council estate. On the face of it, he shouldn’t have anything in common with Robert’s bow tie, classic-car style, and posh family background. Yet Robert is helpless to resist Sean’s roguish grin, and a rocky, excruciatingly embarrassing start doesn’t keep the sparks between them from flaring.
Despite Robert’s increasingly ludicrous attempts to keep his past where it belongs, his past hasn’t read the memo. And soon his secrets could be the very things that drive Sean away for good…
Warning: Contains the alarming misadventures of a pest control technician, a stepsister with a truly unfortunate name, and a young man who may have more bow ties than sense.
Review: Wow, what a charming and funny read, it was absolutely delighting! I enjoyed it from the first page to the last and I can’t wait to read the next in this series.
I loved the main characters and I adored some of the secondary, but the kids’ antics were the cherry on top. I laughed so much while reading this book; Robert is the main reason for which this book was such a success. He’s one of our main characters, a posh and quirky teacher who’s been hurt in the past, so he now keeps mostly to himself. Robert is hilarious, likeable, and unique, but he is also insecure; he loves bowties and wouldn’t know casual clothes if they bit him in the ass.
Sean is Robert’s love interest…..GINGER alert! Wowza, Sean was hot as hell!!! Sean is a pest control worker, a great uncle, a wonderful brother and a skillful lover! He likes Robert and all his quirks and he’s a very solid, well-rounded character. Sean’s bisexuality fuels Robert’s insecurities, but Robert’s education and uptight style makes Sean feel like he’s not quite good enough for him.
There are a few touching moments, a couple of blistering hot sex scenes and a ton of hilarity. The secondary characters add to the fun and drama and the end result is a complex, funny book that you must read, especially if you like hot British blokes, meddling best friends and troublemaking kids.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
Title: Making It Pay Series: N/A Author: J.L. Merrow Genre: Contemporary Length: Short (19 pages) Publisher: JMS Books LLC (November 16th 2014) Heat Level: Moderate Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts Blurb:Sometimes you can’t see the silver lining for the clouds.
Abandoned as a baby and now working as a rent boy, Daniel finds it hard to let people get close to him. But nightclub bouncer Rob has a kind face and he’s helped Daniel out once already, so when he catches Daniel on a bad night, Daniel accepts his offer of money and goes home with him.
Even though it breaks his heart.
Letting Rob pay him for sex may have wrecked their friendship just when Daniel needs all the friends he can get. But there are more reasons why he hasn’t seen Rob since that night — and one in particular that makes building a relationship seem almost too much to hope for.
Review: This was sweet. Daniel has had a hard life and making the best of it, he can. Rob is a big man who treats Daniel with respect every time he sees him. I can’t really say too much about the story without giving it away as it’s only 19 pages. But what there is was well written.
I enjoyed it and unlike many shorts, I have read it left me satisfied and happy.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
Title: Trick or Treat Series: N/A Author: JL Merrow Genre: Paranormal Length: Short (23 pages) Publisher: JMS Books, LLC (October 26th 2014) Heat Level: Moderate Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts Blurb: The memory of this party could haunt him forever…
Dragged along to a haunted house by his mates, Sam’s at the Halloween party from hell — the guy he fancied has turned out to be a bigot, and Sam has just outed himself to his whole football team.
Escaping to the garden, he meets James, an enigmatic stranger with a mischievous smile, and the evening soon takes a turn for the better. The night may be chilly but the heat between Sam and James is hotter than Hades.
But James has a role to play in the evening’s ghostly entertainment, and it’s a story with a deadly ending. Unless Sam can change the script and stop history repeating itself, “till death do us part” will come sooner than he thinks.
Review: This book was adorable. I loved Sam’s foul mouth and attitude. James is a complete sweetheart. This was a fast read, but very enjoyable for what there was. Honestly, I would have been happy learning more about Sam and James. Something about these 2 MCs makes you want to read more about them.
And I loved the wicked twist at the end.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress
Blurb: “If you dig up the past, be prepared to get dirty. “
“ The Plumber’s Mate, Book 2″
It hasn’t been all smooth sailing since plumber Tom Paretski and P.I. Phil Morrison became connected at the heart, if not always at Tom’s dodgy hip. Neither of their families has been shy about voicing their disapproval, which hasn’t helped Tom’s uneasy relationship with his prickly older sister, Cherry.
But when Cherry is poisoned at her own engagement party, the horror of her near death has Tom’s head spinning with possible culprits. Is it her fiancé Gregory, a cathedral canon with an unfortunate manner and an alarming taste for taxidermy? Someone from her old writers’ circle, which she left after a row? Or could the attack be connected to her work as a barrister?
Phil is just as desperate to solve the case before someone ends up dead-and he fears it could be Tom. At least one of their suspects has a dark secret to hide, which makes Tom’s sixth sense for finding things like a target painted on his back…
Warning: Contains a strong, silent, macho PI; a cheeky, chirpy, cat-owning plumber; and a gag gift from beyond the grave that’ll put the cat firmly among the pigeons.
Review: A quirky book full of good dry British humor, cheekiness, sarcasm and a plumber with paranormal abilities. Specifically he finds things, hidden things, and while this helps him find leaks fast, it can also get him into trouble fast, as we learned in book one. Book two leaves us off watching the relationship grow between Tom and Phil. Are they meant to be a lasting thing? Is it too soon to swap keys or talk about forever plans? Tom is left to ponder this question as he helps his big sis prepare to take vows of her own, to a very odd and somewhat creepy clergyman. The plot thickens as his sister first gets in touch with Tom to discuss the passing of their dear old Auntie Lol, and the odd request she had given him to go to her old home and find his hidden bequest.
Of course, we know Tom by now, and even though he’s the one for a knack of finding things, trouble seems to want to find him, and his big sis. During an engagement party Cherry is poisoned, trouble is was it intended for him, or her? The odd animal stuffing fiancé, Greg also seems suspicious, even more when he hires Phil to do some work for him, and keep it secret from Cherry.
As if death, murder, and creepy soon to be brother-in-laws weren’t enough excitement, a wayward book club introduces Tom to long-lost family…though I can’t give more away than that!
Will Cherry, Phil, and Tom escape some madman’s murder attempts? Will Tom and Phil get closer, or drift apart? And what the heck does Cherry see in big, tall, and creepy Gregory? So many questions to answer and a long, winding, crazy path of a story to get you there! Merrow’s sense of humor kept me reading, and fingering the murderer was tough, both good qualities in any murder mystery if you ask me! I recommend you grab this series, and read in order, as we see many characters from the past come into the future.
Blurb: Jez is on a mission of mercy: to replace a tragically deceased comic book for his injured best mate, Tel. Venturing into the Hidden Asteroid bookstore in London—the temple of geekdom itself—Jez is bowled over by the guy behind the counter.
Rhys is the poster boy for hot geeks: tall, gorgeous, and totally cool. Jez is desperate to impress him, so he bluffs his way through comic book jargon . . . and then dashes back to the hospital to beg Tel to teach him how to speak Geek.
Tel’s happy to oblige, and Jez is over the moon when Rhys asks him out. He’s even more thrilled when they discover a shared love of rugby, something he won’t have to fake for Rhys. The question is, how long can Jez keep up the deception, and what will happen when Rhys realizes he’s going out with a Fake Geek Guy?
Tam’s Review:Heart Rating: ♥♥♥ 2.5Hearts Jez wanders into the local bookstore one afternoon in search of a comic book for his best mate. He’s struck speechless by the guy at the counter. Rhys comes across as the proverbial geek, and Jez enlists the help of his pal so that he too can master the language. Jez doesn’t consider himself to be anything above average and doesn’t think he can be himself and stand a chance with the tall, slender and gorgeous Rhys.
Jez spends the next day getting geeked up with Tel, his best pal, in preparation to go back and make an impression on Rhys. Jez transforms into a fairly convincing Geek and that first date turns into a trip to comic con, which turns into a wild, yet verbally awkward, sexy night. In the end, both Jez and Rhys have a confession to make.
I’m not a huge comic book fan, so a lot of the comic/geek speak was foreign to me. I am, however, a huge Star Trek and Battlestar fan from back in the day. And I know how hard-core fans can be, so I was able to see where the author was going with this story line. It’s not your typical M/M romance, that is for sure. The two ML were obviously comfortable with their sexuality, but the sex was written slightly awkward, so the story didn’t blend well in that aspect.
I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it either. Just an okay read, but hard-core Geeks, sci-fi and comic book fans are sure to love this little short story.
** I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through MM Good Book Reviews **
Portia’s Two Cents:Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts Well, I speak Geek proficiently, and I LOVED this book. It didn’t have the angst that I’ve come to expect from J.L.Merrow, but it showed her playful comedic side and I thought it was brilliant. Rhys is a hottie, who happens to be a nice guy. Jez is a nice guy, who doesn’t realize he’s a hottie. I was rooting for them from speechless moment one. I loved every misunderstanding, every misstep and the awe with which both came into the relationship. It was just two nice guys falling in love and I really enjoyed watching them do it.
My only complaint is that Tel is straight. I’d have saved of my money to read about the guy who could tame that hard-core geek.
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.
Heat Level: Moderate overall, though a few of the stories were more explicit
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts for anthology as a whole, each story has ratings in review.
Blurb: Baby, it’s cold outside! Beat the chill with Winter Warmers – a seasonal anthology
Mulled wine. Butterscotch kisses. Hideous sweaters. Candy at the beach, or a trip to a sex shop in Amsterdam. And the man of your dreams, wrapped around you…
Winter warmers come in many shapes and sizes, from the tongue-in-cheek to the hot-as-hell. Enjoy a quintet of heart-warming tales of men loving men from Clare London, Chrissy Munder, JL Merrow, Josephine Myles, and Lou Harper that are guaranteed to leave you with a smile on your face.
One thing’s for sure—it’s going to be a red-hot Christmas!
Review: Overall I found the stories all very cute and interesting. I did have one caveat on the overall book and that was there was no titles on each stories It just seems to flow into the about the author then into the next book with no warning. But once you figured out where you were the stories were as sweet and fun as can be!
Individual stories
Lucky Dip by Clare London
Heat Level: Explicit Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5Hearts
I loved this one. Andy is a teacher getting ready for a school fundraiser. He is going to have to share his corner with a volunteer that turns out to be his ex-boyfriend Greg.
I laughed until I cried over this one. The kids were so cute and funny and the story was a sizzler; sure to warm you on a cold winter night.
Butterscotch Kisses by Chrissy Munder
Heat Level: Explicit Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5Hearts
I also loved this one! Mathew was afraid of heights and this fear cost him his boyfriend and a lot of humiliation. After purchasing a self-help program, he goes daily to the toboggan run to climb the steps. He meets “cute Ticket guy”. Does he conquer I his fear? Do he and ‘cute ticket guy’ go out’? What do butterscotch kisses have to do with heights? You will have to read this one and see! This was another very cute story written with a lot of wit and humor. The story of the fear of heights is easy to relate too and you can just feel Mathew’s fear. And the hats on cute ticket guy? Just hilarious!
Wintertide by Lou Harper
Heat Level: Explicit Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5Hearts
I really liked this one, too. It’s not as humorous as the last two, but just as sweet and sexy. Jem lives in the run down part of Hollywood and is alone for Christmas. He goes to the beach and sees an older man who he finds intriguingly handsome. He watches him throwing in candy in the water. They meet and immediately hookup. Jem wakes up at Oscar’s and looks around, seeing a lot of photos of another handsome man. Assuming Oscar has a boyfriend, Jem leaves.
This story has a very sad backstory, so be sure to have some tissues on hand. It is very sweet and sexy also! A real heart-warmer.
When in Amsterdam by Josephine Myles
Heat Level: Explicit Heart Rating: ♥♥♥3Hearts
Brandon went with his boyfriend, Jos, to Amsterdam for their version of Christmas. They wind up at a kink shop. Brandon isn’t into the kink scene, but knows Jos is.
This was my least favorite of all five stories. It was a good, but it centered mostly on the D/s, and sex thing without a real plot. I did like the loving relationship that Brandon and Jos had, and the fact that Brandon loved Jos enough to try new things.
A pint of beer, A Bag of Chips, and Thou by JL Merrow
Heat Level: Moderate Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5Hearts
This one was another very cute funny one. I loved the way this one felt like the author was speaking directly to you, even asking you questions. I found myself answering a few! I laughed and laughed. I would definitely read more JL Merrow books.
Liam was a son of a witch. His family is quite eccentric, as is he. He plays his sax in the tube for money. He has his eye on a man who frequents the area, but is sure the man is far out of his league. His aunts and mom give him these horrendous knitted Christmas gifts: one a day for three days. You will have to read this to see what they are and how they play a part in the story! You won’t be sorry! The story is cute, sassy and sexy as heck! A great one to cuddle up under a blanket with hot cocoa!
I recommend this collection to anyone that loves a good anthology. Witches, Doms, peppermint lovers, cute guys in silly hats, and lots of laughs! Oh, I almost forgot the hot mansex!
Blurb: The bigger they come, the harder they fall… in love.
Cambridge art professor Larry Morton takes one, alcohol-glazed look at the huge, tattooed man looming in a dark alley, and assumes he’s done for. Moments later he finds himself disarmed—literally and figuratively. And, the next morning, he can’t rest until he offers an apology to the man who turned out to be more gentle than giant.
Larry’s intrigued to find there’s more to Al Fletcher than meets the eye; he possesses a natural artistic talent that shines through untutored technique. Unfortunately, no one else seems to see the sensitive soul beneath Al’s imposing, scarred, undeniably sexy exterior. Least of all Larry’s class-conscious family, who would like nothing better than to split up this mismatched pair.
Is it physical? Oh, yes, it’s deliciously physical, and so much more—which makes Larry’s next task so daunting. Not just convincing his colleagues, friends and family that their relationship is more than skin deep. It’s convincing Al.
Contains comic misunderstandings, misuse of art materials, and unexpected poignancy.
Review: I have got to say that I was completely charmed by Al; he is lovable, sweet and admits even to himself that he’s not exactly the brightest tool in the box. Larry is little, pretty and dead clever (Al said that and I won’t argue). The story is written from Al’s perspective and is humorous throughout, we see these two men from completely different backgrounds come together and neither one tries to change the other, which is completely refreshing, and their lives seem to mesh together really well.
Al seems to completely miss the effect he has on Larry, while Larry is overwhelmed by what he means to Al. These two men make you want to know them, you can imagine sitting in a pub having a pint with the pair of them and having a grand time of it.
The sex scenes weren’t very detailed but they were hot and plentiful. There doesn’t seem to be much romance but you have to remember that this is Al’s POV who is a big, beefy, working-class boy, an Ex-bouncer and manual worker who wouldn’t see romance even if it hit him with a plank of wood.
So my honest opinion is that this is a poignant romance which is really well written and I loved it.
Title: Camwolf (2nd Edition)
Title: Boy Meets Boy Meets Boy
Title: Out!
