Tag: RJ Scott

The Vampire Contract by RJ Scott

16173258Title: The Vampire Contract

Series: Supernatural Bounty Hunters #1

Author: R.J. Scott

Genre: MM / Paranormal

Length: Novella (131 pages)

Publisher: Extasy Books (February 1st, 2013)

Reviewer: Thommie

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts

Blurb:    A vampire guilty of murder on the run from justice to prove his innocence. A werewolf sent to retrieve him with one thought – that only the guilty run.

Vampire Micah Jamieson is found guilty of killing his human husband. He runs from the execution he is facing to get home. He just has to pray he’ll reach home before supernatural law enforcement, in the shape of a Glitnir Court Retriever close in on him.

Wolf shifter and Retriever, Connor Strand easily captures Micah and he’s fully prepared to take the runaway in. But his wolf has other ideas. Something about Micah challenges Connor and his long-held beliefs.

What if Micah is actually innocent? Will Connor put to one side his own prejudices, and then risk both his life and career to keep Micah safe?

Product Link: http://www.extasybooks.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=3892

Review: Oh. I loved this book, and what a nice start it was for a series.

RJ Scott created a beautiful background for this adventure through species. Werewolves, Vampires, Fae (although the latter didn’t made an appearance in this first book), a world trapped in old traditions and royal clans along with pure-blooded arrogance. It all painted scenery that promises action and war impending, strong love fated to struggle through fights that are not easy won, and love lost leaving back pain and hurt.

The Vampire Contract focuses on Micah and Connor. Micah is a Vampire accused for the murder of his own husband by the Glintir Court, the one responsible for applying justice and law on all the paranormal species. When Micah runs away Glintir Court Retriever Connor Strand, a Werewolf, is tasked to bring him back. Connor is one of the best, however he is in for a surprise when it appears that this little Vampire is not that easy a job and to top it all his wolf gets in the way when he recognizes Micah as his mate.

Connor faces the difficulty of struggling with his emotions, with the truth that is slowly unveiled and with a whole new amount of knowledge that threatens everything he ever believed in to be true and just. The most important thing of all though is that his love for Micah is undeniable and he’s going to face that his one true mate is faced with death.

A lovely, lovely story that had many treats that truly fascinate me. Werewolves being nearly feral, instincts that were demanding but placed in a logic frame, Vampires that were charming and seductive and enticing and sexy as Hell, magic thrown in there for good measure. A chase that went wrong, a love lost never to be found, a new love rising in the middle of ashes. The relationship between Micah and Connor was almost funny, it started in the middle of them trying to kill each other and right when you think one of them is going to end up dead, heat goes up and all things go South with base instincts taking over. It was also tinged with a dramatic layer when realization hit the pair that one or both of them are facing death straight in the eye.

In the end, after a very entertaining read, this book leaves you with the distinct feeling that not only it didn’t end, but this whole adventure just begun, and honestly I can’t wait for the next installment to come out. Anticipation is a very annoying thing when you have no patience at all. So in any case I strongly recommend this for all the lovers of the paranormal genre and I’m sure you’ll enjoy it as much as I did.

 

 

The Christmas Throwaway by R.J. Scott

9615767Title: Christmas Throwaway

Series: N/A

Author: R.J. Scott

Genre: m/m, holidays

Length: Novella

Publisher: Love Lane Books (November 24th, 2012) (first published December 1st, 2012)

Heat Level:  Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5Hearts

Blurb: Christmas is a time for giving – what do you do when no one gives a damn?

For Zachary Weston Christmas means sleeping on a churchyard bench in the freezing snow with nothing better in his future. Thrown out of his home for being gay, he is left without money or, it seems, anywhere to go.

Until a stranger shows him that some people do give a lot more than a damn.

Ben Hamilton is a rookie cop in his small home town. He finds a young throwaway, fresh from the city, sleeping on a bench in the churchyard on a snowy Christmas Eve. Can he be the one to give Zachary his own Christmas miracle?

Product Link: http://www.amazon.com/The-Christmas-Throwaway-ebook/dp/B004EYUES6

Reviewer: Thommie

Review: I think this is one of the best Christmas stories I’ve read. Everything about this book screams PERFECT and it really made my day even if the start of the story was horribly sad.

R.J. Scott introduces us with a unique way to Zach. A 17-year-old boy who is found sleeping and nearly frozen to death by Ben on a bench on Christmas Eve. Zach’s story is gruesome. He has lived a nightmare of a life at the hands of an abusive, homophobic father and a weak, fading to the background with no voice at all mother. Zach’s entire life has been planned by his father, an ex-special forces sergeant, whose idea of raising a child was beating his wants and beliefs into his son. This got worse when he found out that Zach was gay; taking him out from school and literally forcing him to home imprisonment. However, two-week short of being 18 years old Zach stands up to his father and declares that he is not only not going to enlist in the army, but that he wishes to live his life the way he wants to. That earns him a sound beating (again) and he gets thrown out of the house, in the middle of the winter, with nothing more than the clothes he has on.

I must admit this whole story broke my heart because, even if this one is fiction, there are children out there being thrown out of their family for being who they are. It’s sad, it’s horrible and it’s a fact. I loved the way the author addresses this issue. I loved the way she writes about it without shying away and facing it as it is. I loved the way her characters reacted. She clearly has done her research on behavior patterns and psychological damage.  It was all written with perfect clarity and elegance at the same time.

And while all Zach’s life is the horrible part of the story, this being the Christmas book that it is it would be naïve of us not to expect a miracle. How lovely that the miracle came in the form of Ben, the cop that finds Zach nearly frozen.  And in an impulse, takes Zach home with him, offering him a meal and a bed for Christmas. And while Ben is feeling very good about his deed, thinking that’s why he became a cop for, he, his mother and his entire family fall for the innocent, obviously abused child and try their outmost to help him.

And again, while usually this kind of intervention is written somehow cheesy and sappy, I did not find any such treats here. It was excellent; I loved how it all played. I loved all the characters involved, and most of all I loved the Zach’s and Ben’s chemistry from the beginning till the end. They were brilliant and the time frame put for their “getting to know each other” was the best touch.

I must say that for me this book had it all a meaning, a purpose, awesome plot, fantastic characters, gripping even and all down to earth lovemaking, a fact that made it even hotter. For me this is a must read book and I’m definitely going to re-read it next Christmas and the next and the next and…. Yeah! Totally worth it.

 

New York Christmas by RJ Scott

15979878Title:  New York Christmas

Author: RJ Scott

Genre:  Contemporary

Length:    Novella (112 pages)

Publisher: Love Lane Books (December 1st, 2012)

Heat Level:  Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts ~ liked it

Blurb: Christmas, and the man of his fantasies is back in Chris’s life.

It’s been far too long since Christian Matthews has seen Daniel Bailey. In fact the last time they met Chris was a senior in college and he was the TA tasked with helping Daniel who was a way too confident freshman.

Some years down the road, Chris is licking his wounds after being asked to leave the private school where he was teaching. He has no job, no money, and has to rely on his friend Amelia for the job and a room to live in. He needs a freaking Christmas miracle to make this Season anything other than a total loss.

Then Daniel comes back into his life and suddenly everything seems possible. Not only is Daniel still the man Christian wants more than anything, but this time Chris may well actually tell Daniel how he feels

Product Link: https://www.lovelanebooks.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=21:77efb23a90bf630795cfff356beaffd1

Reviewer:  Showme

Review: This was my first Christmas read of the season and it’s a good one! It’s a sweet holiday story with just a little angst. RJ, of course, gave us a HEA wrapped in this lovely cover to enjoy this holiday season.

Chris is a little lost. He’s quietly let go from his prestigious teaching position at a private school. The threat of a scandal scares Chris into running, but the only thing he did wrong was trust a lover who betrayed him and now he’s paying the price. Ashamed and scared of what his future holds he hides out at his best friend Ame’s coffee shop. She needs the help and he needs to decide what to do with his mess of a life.  Chris seems to be at an all time low and what a time for the man he’s been holding a torch for since his senior year of college to walk back into his life.

Daniel is finally at a place in his life where he’s happy. He bucked his job at his father’s company and has a great partner in the NYPD, who has no problem with him being gay. Now, he needs to find Chris, the guy he’s wanted since freshman year, but knew he wasn’t a good enough man for at the time,  Daniel is a little shocked to find him  working behind a counter of a coffee shop, but he’s so happy to finally see him it doesn’t matter. The first meeting doesn’t go as well as he’d wanted, but he won’t give up. He can’t let go of his hope that he’ll finally get his chance with the one he let get away. Nobody has ever made him feel the way he did about Chris. His persistence pays off and the guys start seeing each other and lucky us that we get to read all about it.

This really was a sweet little read. The pace was nice. The guys didn’t fight their attraction, but took things slow at first, so it has a nice sexy build to their reunion. I guess if I had a complaint it was Chris’s lack of confidence at times. Although understandable considering his situation, but if a guy like Daniel keeps telling you how wonderful you are and it’s everything you’ve ever wanted to hear from him, don’t question it so much! Barely worth mentioning because this story left me smiling and happy with a little holiday cheer. New York Christmas is another great Christmas story from RJ Scott.

Book of Secrets by R. J. Scott

Title: Book of Secrets

Series: Oracle 02

Author: R.J. Scott

Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal

Length: Novel (183pgs)

Publisher: Silver Publishing (27th October 2012)

Heat Level: Low – Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: Alex is trying to make things right when his past catches up with him. A Serbian ex-art thief blackmails him into stealing an ancient folio from Windsor Castle… Luke is kidnapped… and that’s just the beginning.

Alex is making good on his promise to put things right. Along with Griff and Chris, he retrieves items he had stolen with Edward and replaces them. It’s dangerous work, especially since he lost his most useful Oracle-given powers. When a replacement goes wrong and Alex ‘disappears’ he realizes that something has left a mark he can never rid himself of.

Meanwhile Luke is kidnapped to work on a manuscript that could hold the key to the secrets of alchemy and offer the reader eternal life. The Voynich manuscript is missing its cypher and it’s up to Alex to steal it for the Serbian ex-art thief. Only–it’s held in the private library at Windsor Castle.

Purchase Link: https://spsilverpublishing.com/product_book_info/products_id/1325

Review: This book is part of a series and must be read in order. Alex made Luke a promise to return the items he stole; unfortunately it is harder for him than he thought now that he no longer has his powers. But, it gets even worse when Luke’s life is threatened, if Alex doesn’t retrieve an item from Windsor Castle. Alex also has more problems than he wishes to admit to Luke. when his powers start to reappear and Luke is pissed when he is kidnapped in order to translate a manuscript, but the lure of translating old texts is hard to resist.

A wonderful story where we get to see how Alex and Luke along with their friends Griff and Chris are now doing, and also the new adventure that they all get dragged into by a father desperate to save his daughter. Alex is confused and a little afraid when his powers seem to be re-awakening and is dreading confessing it to Luke in case Luke leaves him. But, he then also has to worry about a figure from his past suddenly reappearing and placing them in danger. Luke has to accept that sometimes breaking the law has to be done when it saves a life. And when his life is threatened by a man who believes in alchemy and untold riches, Luke might not want to help him, but discovering the secrets that are hidden in the Voynich manuscript are something he just can’t resist.

This is a very interesting storyline that has many mystical puzzles for you to question. I know I haven’t been able to find the answers so I will leave it for the Gods to decide if R.J. Scott will bless us with the answers (and if not she’s a big meanie) or if we should just accept that the mystical doesn’t always have an answer. Having Alex’s powers come back gradually was a well thought out plot and to have it woven into an impossible theft was exciting and very interesting. Linking Luke into the mystery was brilliant and adding a figure from Alex’s past was an added bonus. I was left with questions as to why and how some things happened, but some of it was just so incredible that to question it is impossible.

I loved how everything seemed to come together, but I loved it even more that the characters were as clueless as we were about what was happening. Alex and Luke are an exceptional couple and to be honest, at times I felt like Alex had to be a saint because Luke and translating would have sent me insane. There are actions in this book that will shock you, but there are also actions that you can understand (if you had a screw loose yourself that is) and some very interesting detailed descriptions (is R.J. really a cat burglar?). We also have some touching scenes between Luke and Alex.

I have to recommend this to those who love the mystical and the magical, some great action, a touch of angst and a very happy ending in unusual circumstances.

Splintered Lies by Diane Adams and RJ Scott

Title: Splintered Lies

Series: In the Shadow of the Wolf 03

Author: Diane Adams & R.J. Scott

Genre: Shifters, Alternative World

Length: Novella (164pgs)

Publisher: Silver Publishing (29th September 2012)

Heat: Moderate

Heart: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: Joe is consumed with grief about his wife and baby and wants nothing more than to lash out. Nick is Joe’s best friend, but he will do anything to help Joe fight the people who want to kill them both.

Joe Christie is consumed with grief, and when new information about his wife and baby comes to light, his first instinct is to kill.

Nick Alexander is first and foremost Joe’s best friend. When Joe met Mara, Nick stood to one side and respected Joe’s decision to settle down, despite being in love with the man who was his lover. Now, in the middle of a case that is murder and betrayal, he has to fight his love for Joe and the people who are trying to kill them both.

Purchase Link: https://spsilverpublishing.com/product_book_info/products_id/772

Review: This story is part of a series and I recommend they be read in order. Joe is still grieving the loss of his wife and unborn baby when he is told new information about them.  Rage strikes and he needs the help of his friends to get to the truth. Nick is Joe’s best friend and ex-lover and has stood on the side lines for years and is there for Joe no matter what.  But, getting Joe to keep calm is next to impossible when they discover the depths that some humans have gone to.

Splintered Lies is the third book In the Shadow of the Wolf series and is an excellent addition to the series. Joe suffers from grief over the loss of his wife and baby, but he also harbors guilt over his attraction to Nick.  He forces himself to ignore the attraction, as he tries to discover the truth about the new information.  But, as he struggles with his emotions, his need of Nick won’t be denied. Nick stood aside when Joe chose Mara, but he never stopped loving him. After the shocking revelations concerning a senator, Nick knows that Joe needs him more than ever, but will Joe ever accept what Nick has to offer?

I must admit to being torn with some of the storyline. I wasn’t quite sure how to take Joe’s adamant vows of love for Mara, who was he trying to convince, himself or me? It was also the way that he phased his relationship with Mara as ‘He had made a choice’ and ‘The decision had been a good one’ it seemed cynical. Anyway, the rest of the book was spanking good, his guilt over feeling attraction to Nick made sense and his rage when the new information came out was not unexpected. Nick was a darling, pure and simple; he was there for Joe through everything and loved him that much, that he let him go with no recriminations.

The new discoveries that the men made were haunting and there is a bit of danger as a result. there are some passionate sex scenes with one or two tinged with guilt. Joe and Nick are great characters and we also get to see characters from previous books as they are still integral to the continued storyline.  There’s angst, guilt, anger, rage, grief and some happiness. Joe has been through a lot and it leads others to make choices about how shifters should really be treated.  Nick also goes through a lot and it shows just what a strong character he is, that he can let things go when some of us might have been screaming blue murder.

So, I will recommend this to those who love shifters, danger, a complex continued storyline, a range of emotional distress, some hot lovin’ and a new beginning for Nick and Joe.

 

Still Waters by RJ Scott

Title: Still Waters

Series: A Sanctuary Story 04

Author: R.J. Scott

Genre: Contemporary. Action/Adventure

Length: Novella (161pgs)

Publisher: Silver Publishing (19th May 2012)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥4 ½Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: Adam’s assignment is to work with the ex who destroyed their relationship. Lee wants to know why Adam betrayed the Bureau. Can they learn to believe not everything they thought true was actually real?

Adam’s newest assignment for Sanctuary means working with the man who didn’t trust him two years ago and destroyed their relationship. He still hates Lee but Jake Callahan, boss of Sanctuary, doesn’t give him a choice, insisting they need to get along for the good of the cross-agency case.

Lee wants desperately to understand why Adam betrayed the Bureau. He is still angry and disappointed, but the memory won’t leave him alone. The Bullen case is the perfect cover to get back in his ex-lover’s life, and he is determined to find out the truth.

Against the backdrop of Sanctuary and the Bullen case can they learn to understand and believe that not everything they thought was true was real?

Purchase Link: https://spsilverpublishing.com/product_book_info/products_id/855/

Review: Adam has no choice, but to work closely with a Fed.  A Fed that he used to work with.  A Fed that he called a friend.  A Fed that was his lover, but now is only his biggest regret. Lee needs to know why Adam betrayed them. Why he threw away what they had and why he would never say why. Together working on finding the leak, the truth comes out and they both know it isn’t finished.

This is another great addition to the Sanctuary series. Adam is told to work with the Feds, but he is far from happy to learn which Fed it is; Lee Myers, his ex. Lee uses the assignment to get the answers that he has always wanted, but they are far from the answers that he expected. Now both men must work together to protect the innocent and to lure out the FBI leak. All the while striking sparks off each other with their attraction.

Adam and Lee make a great couple.  Two souls ripped apart by deceit, but now reunited as they struggle to find evidence against the Bullens. These characters are opposites, not just in appearance but in personality, too.  and they strike sparks off each other from their first scene together, which had a passionate clash. I loved the way that these two men fell back into the easy work camaraderie, even while they hadn’t sorted out their differences.  And Adam’s absolute trust in Lee was breath-taking, but Lee’s lack of trust made him look a bit petty.  Although, we would all have had doubts, if we had been shown the evidence and no defense was forthcoming.

I loved the way this story went and the tricky twists.  Although, it got me wondering if both Lee and Adam hadn’t been set up in the first place by the FBI leak. We see characters from the previous books and a new one is added, (who is in the next book with Manny :-)). and evidence comes to light that just might stop the Bullens once and for all. The relationship between Adam and Lee was bound to be rocky with their history, but other that getting answers and confessing what really happened, there wasn’t too much angst and it was pretty smooth sailing.

R.J. Scott has provided us with a wonderful story of lovers torn apart by betrayal, a bit of action, a bit of danger, some passionate sex, twists and a really well written storyline that flows smoothly. So, really I have to recommend that you give it a read.

The Art of Words by RJ Scott and Meredith Russell

Title: The Art of Words

Author: R.J. Scott & Meredith Russell

Genre: Contemporary

Length: Novel (165pgs)

Publisher: Silver Publishing (14th April 2012)

Heat Level: Low – Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: Tom offers Blu his dream of a gallery show. Though an attraction exists, their worlds collide because Blu speaks through paint and brushes and Tom’s life is filled with words and paperwork. Though opposites attract, these differences might push them apart.

After years of following his activist parents, artist Blu Taylor finally found somewhere to call home.

He sees art in the world around him yet is never truly part of it. There’s a line that keeps him just on the outside of everything and everyone except his best friend.

Thomas Harrington has everything–the money, the car, and the designer suits. But something is missing from a seemingly perfect life, lost when his mother fell ill.

After attending a local art show, Blu is contacted by Tom and offered his dream–a chance to show at a gallery.

Though there is a growing attraction between the men, their worlds couldn’t be more apart. Blu speaks through paint and brushes, and Tom’s life is filled with words and paperwork.

Though opposites attract, these differences might push them apart.

Purchase Link: https://spsilverpublishing.com/product_book_info/products_id/1048?zenid=8b78d21c65cb5da7d402cda85dabf60d

Review: Blu is a struggling artist who suffers with severe dyslexia.  With the help of his best friend, Jackson, he gets through life. At Jackson’s insistence, he enters a local art exhibit and is contacted by Tom, who offers him his dream. Tom is a rich and sophisticated businessman who was taught to love art by his mother. When he takes an interest in Blu’s work, he quickly becomes enamored with the artist.

A well-written story that is sweet and enjoyable. Blu is embarrassed because he can’t read and write well, but he loves to paint and is talented.  When his work catches Tom’s eye, he is both excited and scared. Tom quickly becomes important to Blu, but Blu is scared to reveal his true self for fear of ridicule and rejection. Tom is enchanted by the way Blu sees the world and wants to help him with an exhibit of his art, but he quickly begins to fall for Blu.

In this story both Blu and Tom are wonderful characters and even though Blu hasn’t had the best of educations (his mom and dad moved around a lot), he has enough street smarts that he can usually fake his way out of a situation. And if he can’t then his best friend Jackson is there to help him. The authors have done a wonderful job of showing the struggles that someone with dyslexia cope with and how they try to cover the disability. Blu’s fear of ridicule and his shame were well done and his actions to try and divert attention from his weakness were brilliantly portrayed.

The way the relationship between the two men played out was great. They got to know each other and grew close before the relationship progressed further.  There were some blips as Blu’s insecurity and Tom’s privacy clashed. It was also really nice that we got to know what kind of men they were through their friends and family.  The support and love they received from them and how they interacted with them as well. The sex between Blu and Tom is erotic and also sweet with a little bit of chocolate body paint ;-).

So for this one, I recommend it to those who love artists and businessmen, a sweet love, a bit of conflict, wonderful lovemaking and a happy ending.

 

 

Shattered Secrets by Diane Adams and RJ Scott

Title: Shattered Secrets

Series: In the Shadow of the Wolf 01

Author: Diane Adams & R.J. Scott

Genre: Action/Adventure, Crime (police/detectives/PI), Gay, Shape-Shifter

Length: Novel (181pgs)

Publisher: Silver Publishing (27th August 2011)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts

Reviewers: Pixie/Portia

Blurb:  Jamie is human and he’s a wolf. Werewolves aren’t just some supernatural fairytale. They are a living breathing part of society. Once they hid their true natures, but now they are out and proud. Wolves are an accepted part of society, but even with all the new laws, it’s not easy.

Race relations made society complicated enough, and then came the gay rights movement adding a whole new dimension to the struggle for acceptance. Add a new species to the list and you have a whole different world

Rob is a cop and has just passed his thirtieth birthday, being promoted to a special police task force specializing in wolf / human cases. He sees it all. The seedy underbelly of city life, the fights, the murders, and the parts of human / wolf interaction that people would rather ignore. He meets a young man, Jamie, at a club and embarks on the hottest one night stand of his life. Little does he know that his lover is a shifter. He has no worries with wolves, but interspecies relationships are not on his to-do list.

When a case involving kidnappings of young werewolves lands on Rob’s desk the ugly face of the werewolf sex trade is something he has to deal with. With Jamie seemingly at the centre of it all can Rob push past his prejudices and keep his lover alive?

Pixie’s Reader’s Review:  I really enjoyed this one, it was a refreshing change to read a shifter book that wasn’t all about sex and mates; although there is a lot hot sex and some discussion about mating.

Rob is horrified when he finds out that Jamie is a Wolf.   He has nothing against them personally but he wouldn’t have sex with one…if he had a choice.  Jamie doesn’t usually sleep with humans but there is just something about Rob.   When Rob kicks him to the curb, Jamie realizes what has happened too late.

I thought the way that Rob handled everything was masterful, Jamie was headstrong and willful the supporting characters were incredible, too.   They really added to the story. The story line is fantastic and written really well. Hopefully, this is opening up a new avenue in shifter stories where we have more realistic story lines and a different aspect to the ‘mating’ rules.

If you love shifter stories, hot men and crime stories then this is for you.  Diane Adams & R.J. Scott, I can’t wait for the next one.

Portia’s Writer’s Review:  For those of you thinking about writing a paranormal series, Shattered Secrets would be an excellent case study.  Scott and Adams took a lot of time world building, without distracting the reader away from the main plot.  The characters are wonderfully developed.  I especially like the evolution of Rob.  The attraction between Rob and Jamie is instant, but the love match takes a lot longer to develop.

Since this is obviously part of a series, there are some nice tidbits that will make you want to read the next story.  The problem, if not the actual bad guys, is identified and the book ends on a deliciously suspenseful note.  But, I didn’t have that unsatisfied feeling of incompletion that is too often present in series novellas.  If I never read another book in this series, I felt that Scott/Adams wrote a complete story.

RJ Scott and Diane Adams are both phenomenal writers individually.  Together they have created a series that is smart and sexy.  May the literary gods bless this union for a very long time.

 

 

 

 

One Night

Title: One Night

Author: R.J. Scott

Genre: Contemporary

Length:  Novel 158pgs

Publisher: Silver Publishing

Heat Level: Hot

Heart Rating:  ♥♥♥♥♥4 1/2

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb:  Liam Wade is facing the biggest change in his life since marrying his best friend, Janelle, and adopting her daughter. Janelle has long since passed on, losing the battle to live a few days after her daughter is born, leaving Liam a father, in need of finding a mother for his daughter Emma. He’s rich, successful, and Leigh is the perfect, approved, wife for him. Before he settles down to give his daughter the best family he can, he wants one week away, to think. Just to make sure that he can leave half of himself hidden and marry without love, because Liam has one big problem in all of this — he’s gay.

Micah Adamson is the owner of a vineyard in Rochester NY, and has yet to find the partner he knows is out there for him. He believes in love and wants forever, and one day he knows he will find his ‘forever’ man. He attends a wine festival in Santa Monica, seven nights in a beautiful hotel on the beach.

Micah wants to show that love between two men includes affection, understanding, and can be forever. Will he make Liam see sense?

Review: Micah is a workaholic who is bullied into taking a vacation/conference by his well-meaning family. Liam is taking a week for himself to be himself and to find himself away from the influence of his family.

Liam is positive that the only type of relationship that can happen between two men is hot, hard sex. He really does believe that he will never get the type of relationship that he craves and the security and family that his daughter needs with a man. Micah is tired of men who either want his money or think monogamy is over-rated.

I thought this story was incredibly touching as a father tries to do what is best for his daughter. You can feel his need to do right by his daughter; to give her the best upbringing that he can, even if it means that he sacrifices his own happiness. You feel incredibly sad for both these men as all they want is to be loved for themselves, not what they have or their name. The confrontation between Liam and his dad was good, very good and I was impressed that it was realistic without screaming matches or punches being thrown. I loved the ending because it’s not, ‘they throw their arms around each other and declare undying love for each other’, It’s a we’ll see how this goes but I hope it lasts forever.

It’s not a happy ever after… but it’s a beginning.