Love on the Web by Neil Plakcy

loveontheweb_2_finalTitle: Love on the Web
Series: Love on…, #3
Author: Neil Plakcy
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Novel (228 pages)
Publisher: Loose Id (June 23rd, 2015)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts
Blurb: Larry Leavis is too smart and geeky for his family, too gangly and awkward among other gay guys. He’s never felt like he fits anywhere until he meets handsome entrepreneur Julian Argento and agrees to help him build a website for his fledgling web translation company.

Julian isn’t the only guy with his eye on Larry, though. Sexy client Victor Kunin has plans for Larry that go way beyond developing an app for his modelling agency. All this attention has Larry confused. Is Julian using him for his awesome coding skills, or is there something more between them – something that could be destroyed if Julian finds out about some very kinky trysts at Victor’s place?

ISBN: 978-1-62300-934-2

Product Link: http://www.loose-id.com/love-on-the-web.html

Reviewer: Prime

Review: I have a soft spot for a geeky romance. And let me clarify, this is geeky in the fact that the main character is works developing apps and writing code. I only know enough of Linux to get what I need done, so any talk of computer languages and coding is enough for me to think that this is a geeky character who knows his thing.

This is a fun story and more of a journey of self discovery, leading to romance, for program coder Larry.

Larry is damn good at what he does, so much so he attracts the attention of one of his clients as well as someone he met at a coffee shop who was also interested in his expertise. Larry is extremely tall and so feels unattractive, unsexy and generally like a bean-pole that no man will ever want in bed. His character is really well written and easily identified with. I would think that many people would relate to him on some level or another. After all, we all feel at one time invisible to the objects of our desire.

Larry has two “suitors”, Julian, the guy from the coffee shop, and Victor, the rich client who has a very attractive, if sleazy, personality. It seems pretty clear is the best guy for Larry is, ultimately Julian. However, in the end it is up to Neil Plakcy’s creation, Larry, to work out what’s going on.

I also enjoyed the numerous other secondary characters, most of which are Larry’s work colleagues. Of all the characters introduced, I would say that Victor is the least fleshed out. Sometimes he left me rather confused. I suppose that was partially the purpose of his character so in the end he works well with the story.

However, this isn’t just a story about a couple of nerds, even if one or more are stinking rich. This is just really a story about a guy who is trying to balance his sudden romantic life with his professional and personal lives.

In the end, that is what makes these guys, especially Larry, so real. He’s just a guy trying to live his life, afraid he is going to screw up somewhere, which is undoubtedly going to happen regardless (or because of) of his caution.

* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *

Storming Love: Blizzard, MLR Press Excerpt & Giveaway!

MLR Press Storming Love Blizzard 750x750 Template

Hi guys, today we have joined by MRL Press as they show off their newest series Storming Love: Blizzard, there’s six books in the series from six great authors and I’ve nicked an excerpt from MLR Press for one of the books *shhh don’t tell MLR Press* so check out the post and then click the Rafflecopter link <3 ~Pixie~

Storming Love Blizzard

 Storming Love: Blizzard

 by

Sara York, Neil Placky, R.J. Scott, Vicktor Alexander, Nicole Dennis, Jackie Nacht

Storming Love S2_Jens_and_ElliotStorming Love: Blizzard – Jens & Elliot by Sara York (release date: 1/23/15)

Jens Arnesen is only looking for a taste of the city, a place to experience Boston. What he finds is a sexy naked man who ends up being more than he bargained for. Elliot Matthews needs a place to stay until the storm blows over and the airports open. Being walked in on by Jens starts out as an annoyance but grows into the best thing in his life. When the skies clear and the airports open, they have no choice but to part. If only they lived closer to each other then life would be perfect.

When the storm throws them together, can Jens and Elliot make the most of the situation?

http://www.mlrbooks.com/ShowBook.php?book=SLS2_SY1

Storming Love S2_Kimo_and_MikeStorming Love: Blizzard – Kimo & Mike by Neil Plakcy (release date: 1/30/15)

Former competitive surfer and Honolulu homicide detective Kimo Kanapa’aka is in his element in his home state of Hawaii. But a ski trip with his partner, fire investigator Mike Riccardi, knocks him off balance. As a bitter storm rages outside the condo where they’re staying, one of Mike’s college buddies is feuding with his wife and the other is making sexy overtures to Kimo. Will these tensions ruin the vacation and perhaps even drive a wedge between Kimo and Mike?

http://www.mlrbooks.com/ShowBook.php?book=SLS2_NP2

Storming Love S2_Seth_and_CaseyStorming Love: Blizzard – Seth & Casey by RJ Scott (release date: 2/6/15)

The blizzard of the century has stranded teacher Casey McGuire and pupils at a country retreat. As a last resort and fearing for their lives he calls his ex, fireman Seth Wild. The same man who promised that he would always be there for Casey.

Seth is on sick leave after a terrible accident leaves him near dead. He’s wallowing in self pity and he’s already driven away the only man who cared about him. Casey. When he receives the call, he is the only person left to help and nothing will stop him.

Because if Seth can’t help, then very possibly Casey and the kids won’t make it out of this alive.

http://www.mlrbooks.com/ShowBook.php?book=SLS2RJS3

Storming Love S2_Layne_River_and_DamionStorming Love: Blizzard – Layne, River & Damion by Vicktor Alexander (release date: 2/13/15)

It has taken Damion Martin six months to finally start to get over the startling break-up from his partner Layne Haylse. They’d been high school sweethearts and blissfully in love. Then the man suddenly wanted nothing to do with him. Having to work with him at Yale University almost every day made the separation that much harder. Meeting the young marketing major, River Cunningham, may just be the ticket to helping Damion heal.

But they say that to every story there’s two sides, and the truth lies somewhere in the middle. When a harrowing blizzard crashes through Connecticut, trapping all three men inside the campus library, they will soon find that sometimes things aren’t as black and white as they seem. When the truth is revealed, it may change their lives forever.

(release date: 2/13/15)

Storming Love S2_Morgan_and_GavinStorming Love: Blizzard – Gavin & Morgan by Nicole Dennis (release date: 2/20/15)

Drained from forecasting both hurricanes and twisters, Gavin Larson, a meteorologist, accepts a request to become the head forecaster for a Philadelphia television station. He goes for a trial time during winter. A calm, quiet winter where he can recharge. Until he discovers a series of potential events ready to clash.

Taking over his family’s position, Morgan Rylee Whittaker III feels the pressure to follow their lofty attitude, he can’t stay hidden in the executive suites. He jumps into the chaos. Bumping into the meteorologist, Morgan feels a thump of arousal, but listens when Gavin locates a dangerous blizzard heading up the coast.

Together, they protect and prepare Philadelphia from the incoming nor’easter. They dance around the steady beat of attraction brewing between them as the storm rages.

(release date: 2/20/15)

Storming Love S2_Stokes_and_FordStorming Love: Blizzard – Stokes & Ford by Jackie Nacht (release date: 2/27/15)

Ford and Stokes are about to weather two storms; the blizzard coming their way and their growing feelings for one another.

Stokes has been rooming with Ford ever since the first day of college. Although his feelings had started out as friendly, over time, they have grown deeper. He’s fallen for Ford, hard, but how the hell is Stokes going to tell Ford? When college winter break approaches, Stokes decides to take Ford up to his parent’s rental to have a fun weekend  with Ford and finally let his best friend know what he feels. However, with a blizzard coming in, they will have to weather the storm outside and in their hearts. 

(release date: 2/27/15)

Continue reading “Storming Love: Blizzard, MLR Press Excerpt & Giveaway!”

Love on Site by Neil Plakcy

18468305Title: Love on Site

Series:   N/A

Author: Neil Plakcy

Genre: Contemporary

Length:   Novel (230 pages)

Publisher: Loose ID (October 7th, 2013)

Heat Level: Explicit ~ LOTS of action between the Main Characters

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥ 3 Hearts

Reviewer:   Eli/Mandingo

Blurb:It’s mid-May, and Manny Garcia has just graduated from Florida University (FU) with his bachelor’s degree in construction management and landed his dream job, working for handsome Walter Loredo on a warehouse project just west of downtown Miami. He’s living in a condo on South Beach with two of his brothers from the gay frat at FU, Lambda Lambda Lambda.

Manny has a thing for older men, particularly construction workers, and he’s got a real crush on Walter, even though he thinks the boss is straight. At first Manny’s able to keep his South Beach life and his work separate. Then he runs into one of his co-workers on Lincoln Road when he is out with his roommates, and he’s outed. Can he keep his job and win his boss’s love?

Purchase Link:   http://www.loose-id.com/love-on-site.html

Review: I love the title of this novel. I just wish I could connect more with the story.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with the story line. There is a clearly developed plot and characters and they are laid out very simply and methodically for the reader.  The writing is very clear, clean and well constructed. It’s a very easy story to follow. The problem I had was that I kept waiting for the ‘oomph’ to jump off the page at me and to connect with the characters. For some reason I couldn’t find that elusive connection with the men.  The story was laid out for the reader rather than allowed to develop and enfold the reader.  And, while Manny and Walter feature heavily in the story, you don’t feel them as characters – they don’t do anything to really resonate with the reader so that their personalities are not just described but rather also shown. For a book to sparkle, it must ‘show’ not ‘tell’ the reader.

Halfway through the book, my strongest connection was to a reprehensible character, Camilo, because his actions and speech while that of a douchnozzle, was clearly designed to have an impact on the reader and it did.  I really wanted to care about Manny and Walter, but I kept feeling like I was on the outside looking in, rather than being side by side with them in their love affair. Case in point was their first elicit trip to Naples which should have been fraught with tension and excitement for both them and the reader, but instead it was flat, even their sex seemed slightly wooden (no pun intended).   

There are several great plot developments. On paper this is a flawless story with good characters, even paced development and while there’s no major crisis, there is enough conflict woven through the storyline to keep the reader interested in wanting to know what would happen.  The issue is the ‘sizzle’ – there simply isn’t any, even though there is LOTS of action between Manny and Walter. There is a lot of reference to ‘Cuban drama’ and the plot does call for that drama, but it’s never delivered.

Natural Predators by Neil Plakcy

natural_predators_300Title: Natural Predators

Series: Mahu 07

Author: Neil Plakcy

Genre: Mystery, Crime, Investigation

Length: Novel Plus (279pgs)

Publisher: ManLoveRomance (15th February 2013)

Heat Level: Low

Heart Rating:   ♥♥♥♥4Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: The death of an island patrician in a warehouse fire puts openly gay Honolulu homicide detective Kimo Kanapa’aka, his partner and their foster son in danger.

The beautiful tropical island of O’ahu is filled with predators, from high-flying owls to bottom-dwelling criminals. When the body of an island patrician is found in a warehouse fire, tracking his killers will bring openly gay Honolulu homicide detective Kimo Kanapa’aka into contact with many of those predators, natural and otherwise. Kimo and his detective partner Ray Donne dig deep into the history of Hawai’i as the islands were teetering on the brink of statehood in order to understand the victim, his killer, and their motives. Kimo and his partner, fire investigator Mike Riccardi, decide to become foster parents for a homeless teen who witnessed the crime, while preparing to become dads themselves.

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

Review: This story is part of a series and is best read in order. Kimo and his fire investigator life partner, Mike, are called to an early morning warehouse fire where a dead body has been discovered. Kimo and Ray, his work partner, have to dig deep into Hawaii’s history to resolve the murder of a high-profile patrician.  Just who is killing off the elders of the Island and why? Whilst investigating the murder, Kimo and Mike take in a teenager who might have witnessed something he shouldn’t have and they try their best to become foster parents to the young man.  Even while they struggle with the personal decision to become donors to two of their friends.

I really enjoyed this mystery that dates back over 50 years and delves into the history of Hawaii. Kimo and Ray work together to solve the murder of one of the countries patrician’s.  When they discover the wife of another patrician murdered in the same fashion they begin to realize it is the connected to a murder more than 50 years before. Kimo and Mike have choices to make in their personal lives when two friends ask them to be sperm donors and a young man needs shelter. Mike is all for having a family, but Kimo is worried about the responsibilities that will fall to them.

This is a great combination of work and personal lives, both sides are drawn together, but neither overtakes the importance of the other. The way this story is written is really good.  We get drawn into the mystery and investigation and we also get drawn into the personal aspects of the story, making us vested in both being resolved. Much to our enjoyment this story is easy to follow, even if you haven’t read all the stories in the series.  You still get filled in on the important details that you might have missed from previous books. Neil Plakcy makes good use of all the characters, drawing them into the story in useful ways and making each one important.

Kimo and Mike are a great couple and this story shows that even though they are madly in love, they still have their ups and downs.  The slight conflict that we see between them is wonderfully done and it isn’t brushed over when they do come to an agreement, because doubts arise when Dakota (foster son) is injured. The mystery side is brilliant, it drags you in as they follow the meager leads they can dig up, but it also leaves you with a warning… if you are going to commit murder, don’t leave somebody else to clean up your mess ‘cause it just might come back to bite you in the ass.  lol. At the end of the book there is a free short called Alpha and Omega where it is a year on and we can catch up on Kimo, Mike and Dakota.

I am going to recommend this to those who love murder mysteries, learning about another culture, personal dilemmas, deep love and a happy ending.

Third Night by Neil Plakcy

third-nightTitle: Third Night

Series: MLR Holiday 2012

AuthorNeil S. Plakcy

Genre: M/M, Hanukkah

Length: Short (7,000 words)

Publisher: MLR Press (December 11th, 2012)

Heat Level: Low

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥3Hearts ~ liked it

Blurb: Will Joe’s Hanukkah wish come true—a way to reconcile his belief in the tenets of Orthodox Judaism with his attraction to his friend Yehuda?

Can Joe reconcile his belief in the tenets of Orthodox Judaism with the religion’s disapproval of his sexual orientation? Or will his crush on his friend Yehuda ruin their friendship and leave him ostracized by his community? What will happen on the third night of Hanukkah?

Product Link: http://www.mlrbooks.com/ShowBook.php?book=NP_3RDNT

Reviewer: Patrick

Review: Decent story. No real heat. In fact, most of the story made me feel like I was taking lessons in Judaism instead of reading a romance or erotica. However, I did enjoy the lesson.

The Six Year Itch bt Neil Plakcy

Title: The Six Year Itch

Series: Got 15 Minutes? (Various Authors)

Author: Neil Plakcy

Genre: Contemporary

Length: Short Story (57pgs)

Publisher: MLR Press (July 2011)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating:  ♥♥♥♥4Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: Spencer and Armando have built themselves a beautiful world– a two-story apartment atop a building they own on South Beach, full of sensual domesticity. But is that enough to keep them together, when things start getting stale, and they begin keeping secrets from each other? Can their love survive the handsome men and daring distractions of South Beach?

Review: I really liked this book as the two main characters are not in the first blush of love, but have been together for 6yrs.

Spencer and Armando are in a rut; Spencer especially is feeling it and is becoming more despondent about their love life.   For although the connection is there and the tenderness is apparent, there is no passion and it has become routine and predictable.   He’s also noticed that Armando is hiding something from him and he fears the worst.  Spencer is also keeping a secret and his eye is beginning to rove.  Armando is quite happy with his relationship, he knows he’s not as passionate as Spencer, he also knows that he controls their love-making and is satisfied with that, but now he has to keep a secret from Spencer.

I liked seeing these two men sort out their problems and being truly honest with each other as they both realize that they have taken each other for granted.  I also liked the fact that they were complete opposites with Spencer being the out-going, passionate and a bit of a drama queen and Armando being dignified, reserved and a bit staid, but, they complemented each other well. I think this is a cute little read that should be on everyone’s ‘to read’ list.