Tag: Michael Barnette

Forgiving Valentine by Michael Barnette

ch-forgivingvalentine185Title: Forgiving Valentine  

Series: Conversation Hearts Anthology

Author: Michael Barnette

Genre: Paranormal Romance / Valentine’s Day

Length: Short Story (24 pages)

ASIN: B00IDX4WQE (anthology)

Publisher: Torquere Press (February 11th, 2014)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥2~2.5Hearts

Reviewer: Thommie

Blurb: Liam Wolfson and Valentine Rosetti have been together for three years. But vampires like Val seldom make long-term commitments and Val won’t agree to more than being lovers. Liam, a werewolf, needs a family, a pack, to call his own in order to feel secure. Can the pair come to an agreement when their basic natures are so different?

Purchase Link: http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=96&products_id=4127

Review: What I expect from a Valentine’s Day story is for that special emotion, the sensuality and passion bursting through the read that will take me away and make me believe that love is in the air and it’s powerful, stands stronger than anything else is in the world. If not for Valentine’s, then when? But even as I thought I get that feeling I was let down in this story. Yes, the sweetness managed to make an appearance, but then every story in the romance genre is sweet. What I seeked for were the fireworks and they were disappointingly lacking.

This story was about Liam, a wolf-shifter, and Valentine, a vampire. The day before Valentine’s Day the lover had another fight, the topic the same. Liam needs a family, a pack, and Valentine’s not ready for such commitment. The next day when Liam comes home from work Val has gone so far as to take his things and leave the house. What was meant to be their anniversary and a celebration of love, turned into a miserable, dark, and full of hurt day for Liam. Val on the other hand cannot believe what he’s done. He doesn’t understand why he’s running away from Liam, even as he is sure that he loves him with all his heart. Is giving Liam a family so hard and scary that he’s willing to lose him once and for all. For it is sure that if Val doesn’t make the big gesture everything will end this time.

The story felt like two normal people having a fight and making up with that big question finally popping. But it was so flat and bland that the romance didn’t quite make it to the surface. In addition, there was the paranormal part I was constantly searching for but never found. If we take apart, the wrestling foreplay when Liam turned into a big goofy pup and Val let his fangs drop. There was nothing to indicate that these two creatures were creature of the paranormal world. I kept wondering – since there was mention, that both Liam and Val would live a long life – how were they supposed to make a family. Adoption and surrogation yes, but how would they explain their longevity and inability to change as they grew older, a fact that supposedly wouldn’t happen anyway. For me, for the story even, I feel it would be better if the paranormal was missing and so we’d deal with a contemporary love story where there is a spat, make up sex and everybody lives happily ever after. As it was, it simply raised more questions, not to mention the fact that the puppy play in the bedroom made me roll my eyes at the wolf’s depiction.

The erotic part was disappointing as well. Cliché and shallow exercises of BDSM are not captivating at all and simply made me wonder what on earth was that all about, why not keep it simple and be safe from the complexity that comes with the BDSM scenes, as the context failed to capture that eroticism one sees between kinky couples. I think my expectations were yet again too high and not met so.

But then again I’m fussy when it comes to wolves and vampires. If the above seems agreeable to you, then by all means you might find a nice enough read for the holidays. 

Star Sapphire by Michael Barnette

71nky1K6GcL._SL1500_Title: Star Sapphire

Author: Michael Barnette

Genre:Western

Length: Novella (67 pages)

Publisher: Torquere Press (Oct 8th, 2013)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts

Reviewer: Cat

Blurb:Johnny Sapphire is a drifter, sometime cowhand, and called a gunslinger by some. He’s really a lonely gay man looking for someone to share his life. 

Moses Star, half black, half Cherokee has been a slave, a riverboat gambler, and a bounty hunter. When the two of them meet, sparks will fly, but they won’t be the kind that comes from their six shooters. 

Purchase Link: http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=78_85&products_id=4036

Review: Johnny Sapphire is a drifter and has gotten the reputation of fastest gun though he isn’t a gunman. Moses Star is a gambler and gunfighter. He has to be able to use a gun since he is part black and part Cherokee and both man share the same secret sexual desires.

I really liked this story. Lately I have found myself drawn to westerns set in the old west. I like the taboo of men that are different but dare to be themselves or find themselves in a time when sexual issues were dealt with very seriously.  This one deals with sexual, racial and social prejudice in a compelling way.  I found the storyline interesting, the characters interesting and the sex HOT! I would love to see what comes next for these two men. Lots of potential!

I recommend this if you like old west- western, gunfighters, gamblers, mixed racial stories, cowboys and hot mansex.

Rocky Mountain Christmas by Michael Barnette

RockyMountainChristmas400x600_0Title: Rocky Mountain Christmas

Author: Michael Barnette

Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal

Length: Novel (199pgs)

Publisher: Silver Publishing (24th November 2012)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥3 ½Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: Ranger Cooper Heywood is on duty at Rocky Mountain National Park during Christmas. Alejandro Velez is an accomplished photographer. What Alejandro didn’t plan on is the instant desire he feels for Cooper… and what is that odd golden shimmer?

Ranger Cooper Heywood is on duty at the Rocky Mountain National Park during Christmas. It’s not a busy time of year, but there are some people he has to watch over including a photographer. In his experience photographers are a problem, but Cooper finds himself attracted to the handsome Latino who sets his blood on fire.

Alejandro Velez is an accomplished photographer with several coffee table books to his credit. He’s there to photograph the wintry landscape for his newest book. What he didn’t plan on is the instant desire he feels for Cooper who he always sees surrounded by an odd, golden shimmer. Alejandro doesn’t know what it means, but something tells him he’s going to find out.

NOTE from author: I have a book coming out through Silver Publishing on November 24th, it’s the ‘re-imagined’ version of the book formerly called Let it Snow which is now called Rocky Mountain Christmas. It’s now a light paranormal story — no bad guys but lots of fun with magic, ghosts and psychic powers–and I feel the story is much stronger for the addition of those elements.

Purchase Link: https://spsilverpublishing.com/product_book_info/products_id/1232

Review: Cooper is a Ranger at the Rocky Mountain National Park. He’s working over the Christmas period watching over the people visiting the park and one of them is a photographer. A city photographer from Miami who will have no clue about the great outdoors in cold conditions. But, Cooper gets a surprise from the moment he meets Alejandro. Alejandro needs winter pictures for his coffee table book and he is starting to run out of time as conditions become harsh. But, a highlight is meeting Ranger Cooper and Alejandro begins to long for more than a brief holiday romance.

This is a good contemporary story with just a touch of paranormal thrown in to add to the atmosphere. Cooper is skeptical when he learns there is a photographer on the mountains. The last photographer caused more problems than he was worth. But, he rapidly changes his mind when he meets the sexy Latino Alejandro and as they spend time together he begins to long for more. Alejandro is blessed with some mysterious powers and when he meets Ranger Cooper he notices that he is surrounded by gold sparkles it prods something his Abuela told him, and he falls quickly for the sexy Cooper.  But, first both men have to survive a blizzard and the secrets that each man keeps.

I liked this story because it was quite simple. There wasn’t too much angst or danger other than being trapped by a blizzard. There was no one after them, no horror from the past… it was just about two men meeting and falling in love and both having slight paranormal powers.  Both struggling to have long-term relationships due mainly to their jobs, but finding in the other a kindred spirit. The slight spark of paranormal adds to the story, but don’t be expecting anything too fanciful or outrageous, they are gentle paranormal powers.

Both Cooper and Alejandro seem like great men. They are also simple men just living their lives. Both of them are lonely because of their occupations and also because of their paranormal abilities, but together they are something special. They find a love that completes them and the sex is plentiful and hot. I have also learned something new, when you are in the mountains and you can’t use the line ‘come and see my etchings’ you can use the line ‘help me find the camp stove popcorn’ loved it!

I recommend this to those who love slight paranormal powers, beautiful settings for love, finding true love, incredible hot sex, a slight touch of D/s and a very happy ending.