Title: Old Sins, Long Shadows Series: Children of Night, #2 Author: P.G. Forte Genre: Paranormal/Holiday/Vampires/Suspense Elements Length: Novel (224 pages) Publisher: Samhain Publishing (May 3rd 2011) Heat Level: Explicit Heart Rating: ♥♥♥ 3 Hearts Blurb: Living forever is hard, but loving forever? That’s damn near impossible.
Children of Night, Book 2
1856, New York City. Moments after Conrad Quintano drives his life-mate away, heartache and guilt descend around his heart like a pall. Convinced that Damian’s hatred is as permanent as the scars Conrad has inflicted on him, Conrad steels himself for an eternity of emotional torture.
Present day, San Francisco. For the sake of vampire twins Marc and Julie Fischer, Conrad and Damian present a united parental front. In reality, their truce is a sham. Conrad, weakened by his recent ordeal, struggles against the urge to bring his mate back to his bed. And Damian misinterprets Conrad’s explosive temper as proof their relationship is irreparably broken.
When an old enemy’s quest to create a dangerous new breed of vampire threatens the twins’ lives—and the precarious state of vampire peace—it’s imperative the estranged lovers put the past behind them. Or the shadows of the past will tear apart everything they hold dear.
Product Warnings: This book may not be suitable for readers with an aversion to emotionally damaged vampire heroes. Caution is advised if you have experienced prior sensitivity to any of the following: costume parties, fencing lessons, interspecies, inter-generational or intra-gender dating, occasional mild violence, and/or recreational blood-drinking.
Review: This is the second book in the Children of Night series. It is mostly about Conrad and Damian’s past breakup and present situation.
It confused me how two people who loved one another so much would let at least 100 years goes by without talking things out and resolving the issues. Maybe they should have stayed apart seeing as how much wasted time went by after their breakup. It was frustrating reading this book as I wanted to grab them both and make them talk to one another rather than them ignoring the issues between them.
There is a mystery in the book regarding someone making rogue vampires without any guidance. Marc was brilliant in the way he figured things out and alerted everyone else. I was surprised at who unraveled the mystery. But then again it should not have surprised me with all the drama taking up Damian and Conrad’s time.
I felt a lot of this book was unnecessary and drawn out. I loved the parts about Conrad and Damian’s past and Marc’s part throughout the book as he solved the mystery. But, I felt the rest was just too much.
It as an O.K. read.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
Title: Fallen Embers Series: Children of Night, # 5 Author: P.G. Forte Genre: Paranormal & Alternate Worlds / Vampires Length: Novel (247 pages) Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd. (April 21st 2015) Heat Level: Moderate Heart Rating: ♥♥♥ 2 ½ Hearts Blurb: There’s a thin line between blood and madness.
Early Twelfth Century. When the half-civilized Conrad Quintano stumbles upon a stacked battle on an isolated beach, his first instinct is to walk away. What does he care if a bunch of worthless vampires kill each other? But a dying ember of chivalry compels him to rescue the pretty female vampire in distress—radically altering the course of his already cursed life.
Present Day. Marc Fischer continues his desperate search for Elise, while his newly single twin sister, Julie, is hooking up with everything that moves—at least that’s how it looks to a jealous Armand. As the twins’ unusual abilities grow stronger, Marc makes the mistake of trying to protect Julie from what he’s learned about their true nature.
Meanwhile, Conrad’s relationship with Georgia—the vampire he saved centuries ago—is about to alter yet again. They’ve each been keeping dangerous secrets. Secrets with the power to destroy the entire clan. Now, with Julie’s life threatened, the Fischer-Quintano vampires will learn the most painful truth of all.
No lie lies hidden forever
Product Warnings: Proceed with caution. Storm warnings and small craft advisory are in effect as romantic alliances form and re-form at random. Expect to encounter any or all of the following: old hippies, new friends, erroneous conclusions prematurely jumped to, and best-laid plans gone seriously awry—thanks in no small part to the actions of a certain impetuous Spaniard.
Review: This is the fifth book in the Children of Night series and it is mostly about Georgia. I didn’t care for her in the book at all. Though I did understand some things better now than when she was first introduced as her more of story began to come out. I still don’t care for her though.
There is more in this book about both Julie and Conrad as the story progresses. Each character has their own situations they are dealing with throughout the books. Each is explained to a degree as well. I really wish I had known there were females in this series before I started it as I’m an m/m reader and don’t like m/f scenes or hints of them in the books I read.
I had to continuously start and stop as I read this book as I lost all focus on the story through the female parts in it. I am sure it’s a good book but just wasn’t for me at all.
It was O.K.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
Title: Now Comes the Night Series: Children of Night, #3 Author: P.G. Forte Genre: Paranormal & Alternate Worlds/ Vampires/ May-December Length: Novel (345 pages) Publisher: Samhain Publishing (February 26th 2013) Heat Level: Explicit Heart Rating: ♥♥♥ 3 Hearts
Blurb: Growing up, vampire-born twins Julie and Marc Fischer were taught one simple fact of life: you can choose your food, but not your family. Six months after moving to San Francisco, though, the new challenges and choices each are facing are a Gordian knot of complicated.
Marc must decide whether to stay with Conrad and Damian, the only family he’s ever known, or embrace his destiny and the unexpected family—the ferals—that comes along with it. Meanwhile, Julie is forced to deal with the unpleasant realization that the man she loves isn’t necessarily the man who’s best for her.
For Conrad and Damian, the holiday season is stirring up bittersweet memories, and neither can keep from revisiting past passion and pain.
Faced with new mysteries to solve, new alliances to forge, new secrets to keep, and old relationships to rebuild, it’s no wonder the Fischer-Quintano vampires long for the good old days—when food was food and family was all that mattered.
Product Warnings: If you’ve previously suffered from Disco Fever, this book could precipitate a relapse. Extreme care is recommended for anyone with a pronounced weakness for mistletoe, fang play, pretty young men of either species or extremely dangerous alpha-male vampire single dads. May contain trace amounts of polyester.
Review: This is the third book in the Children of Night series. While recovering from his ordeal Conrad and Damian attempt to reconcile their differences. Still tension remains between these two strong men. I still don’t understand why these two have drawn things out in these books. They should just talk and get everything out in the open and be done with it.
Marc moves out and decides to help the help the rogues while searching for the one who hurt him horribly. I really liked Marc’s determination throughout this book. As with the previous books there are flashbacks throughout, so be warned.
We see Julie having second thoughts about her human boyfriend as well as being introduced to characters that seemed to have vanished only to return in this book. There was a lot going on in this book as it continues in the same fashion as the previous ones.
There is suspense, a long lost love that is finally found and whole lot of family drama regarding the vampires.
All in all it was an O.K. read.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
Title: The Rebuilding Year Series: The Rebuilding Year, # 1 Author: Kaje Harper Genre: Gay Erotic Romance Length: Novel (323 pages) Publisher: Samhain Publishing (March 6th 2012) Heat Level: Explicit Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts Blurb: Losing nearly everything leaves room for the one thing they can’t live without.
A few excruciating minutes pinned in a burning building cost Ryan Ward his job as a firefighter, the easy camaraderie of his coworkers, his girlfriend, and damn near cost him his left leg. Giving up, though, isn’t an option. Compared to the alternative, choosing a new profession, going back to school and renting a room from the college groundskeeper are simple.
Until he realizes he’s falling in love with his housemate, and things take a turn for the complicated.
John Barrett knows about loss. After moving twice to stay in touch with his kids, he could only watch as his ex-wife whisked them away to California. Offering Ryan a room seems better than rattling around the empty house, but as casual friendship moves to something more, and a firestorm of emotions ignites, the big old house feels like tight quarters.
It’s nothing they can’t learn to navigate, though. But when dead bodies start turning up on campus—and one of the guys is a suspect—their first taste of real love could go up in smoke.
Review: Kaje never disappoints me with her stories. I had read this story when it first come out but hadn’t really thought about it. Then I was reading the blurb for this and thought I want this book. Then I started reading it and it just snapped for me. It was like I know this book and sure enough I did. I remembered every single thing that had happened and it made the same impact now that it had then.
Except that I think I loved it even more now, the thing is when I first read it I was new to the m/m stories. Now I am more in love with the characters and their story.
Ryan had always wanted to be a doctor but when his little brother died fighting fires he changed his plans. For years he did what he did and was glad that he could save people. Then a fired had him pinned and it had almost cost him his leg. Now his decision was to go back to school and do what he had wanted to do in the first place. What he had not expected was to find a guy, rent a room from the guy and start being attracted to the guy. He was straight after all.
John had basically saved Ryan when he took a tumble down the stairs. He had invited Ryan to rent a room from him for several reasons. Ryan took him up on it, and things were going pretty good that is until John kissed him. This, of course, freaked them both out because John is straight, too. Or so they thought any way. All is going pretty good, they are getting use to each other. Than John’s son ran away from home and came straight to his dad. Things are going to get real interesting now, for sure. And on top of all that they have a killer on the loose, and John is looking to be a suspect.
This is a fascinating story and I can’t believe that I had not read it more than once. In fact I want to go read it once more just to catch the guys’ reaction to their first kiss. Two straight guys who fall in love with each other and the heat is up. Their kisses are hot but when they get around to figuring out how to have sex things get even better.
I had a blast reading this and cannot wait to read the next story. Hot sex, sweet gestures, sexy men, excitement, a bit of suspense, action and danger is just a part of what you get in this book. It gave me everything I could want in a story and kept my attention all the way to the end.
I would recommend reading this story. I have read a few stories by Kaje, but this is my favorite of them all. They are written with the author’s heart all the way through it. It has a serious tone to it and has some funny moments in it which to me makes it even better. I had a blast and look forward to reading more by this amazing author.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
Hiya guys, today we have Joy Lynn Fielding stopping by with her newest release Blowing Off Steam, we have a great excerpt, a fantastic giveaway and Lisa’s review. Check out the post and click that Rafflecopter link <3 ~Pixie~
Blowing Off Steam
by
Joy Lynn Fielding
Two guys, a train, and lots of steam.
Sam Chancellor has been in love with the steam engine Old Bess since he was six years old. Well, maybe not literally, but even when he’s lost everything else in his life, he’s always had her. But now her place in his heart has been unexpectedly challenged. Her new driver, Ryan Saunders, is the embodiment of all Sam’s fantasies.
Ryan has written off Sam as just another geeky trainspotter—until the moment Ryan sees him without his usual shapeless hoodie and realizes that, for a nerd, Sam’s pretty built.
When Ryan overlooks Sam’s awkwardness long enough to suggest a hook-up, Sam seizes the opportunity—and Ryan—with both very eager hands. Finding common ground in their shared love of Bess, their time together is better than Sam ever dared dream.
But there’s a reason Ryan never talks about his past. And when Ryan’s job is threatened, Sam’s well-meaning intervention puts both Ryan and Bess in deadly danger.
Warning: Contains train geekery, bed-hogging, a hero with no experience and another with plenty to spare, and a spider called Mabel.
Series: N/A Author: Astrid Amara Genre: Sci Fi/Fantasy Length: Novel (224 pages) Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd. (May 26th, 2015) Heat Level: Explicit Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts Blurb: Worst Possible Birthday: Being sold into slavery by none other than your lover.
Tover Duke’s rare ability to move anything instantly across light-years of space makes him a powerful, valuable asset to the Harmony Corporation, and a rock star among the people of the colonies. His life is luxurious. Safe. Routine.
He has his pick of casual hookups passing through Dadelus-Kaku Station. His one brush with danger of any kind—the only bright spot in his otherwise boring life—is Cruz Arcadio, a dark-haired, hard-bodied engineer whose physical prowess hints he’s something much more.
When a terrorist abducts Tover, hurling him into a world of torture, exploitation and betrayal, it’s with shattering disbelief that he realizes his kidnapper is none other than Cruz. As Tover struggles to find the courage to escape his bondage, he begins to understand the only way to free his body, his mind—and his heart—is to trust the one man who showed him that everything about his once-perfect life was a lie.
Warning: This story contains descriptions of extreme violence and assault. It also contains graphic sexual depictions. It also has a lot of birds. And pirate movies from the future. And romance.
Review: Kidnapped on your birthday? By your lover? Well, this started off with quite the bang! Sci-Fi is not a ‘go-to’ for me, so I was thrilled to find that the world building though complex wasn’t confusing. Astrid Amara has shown such attention to detail, building a future-fantasy world so layered, so rich that the words painted vivid pictures in my mind.
The characters were fleshed out just as deeply. Tover, the ‘rock star’ navigator, living the life of luxury, naïve and/or in denial of the injustices of the world around him. We are with Tover from his initial abduction throughout his torturous captivity, witnessing his rescue, escape and freedom.
Who are the allies? The enemies? Are they one and the same? Cruz, Tover’s some-time lover, the engineer, aide to the terrorists that kidnapped him? Terrorist himself? Is he this horrible traitor, or is he really just misunderstood? Not everything is what it seems.
There is a definite darkness to this story as indicated in the blurb. There is indeed violence and torture (no rape/noncom) which though not easy to read, was completely in line with the book and subject matter, including PTSD suffered by Tover. Shining through those tough times were moments of romance and heroism, of happiness and self-discovery.
Being a romantic sap, it was not lost on me that the place Tover truly found himself, the home of Cruz and his family, was called Carida, which sounds quite like ‘querida’, an endearment of love and caring in Spanish/Portuguese. The descriptive beauty, the events and dialogue that took place in Carida are some of my favorite in this book.
Ms. Amara has penned an epic journey of loss and love, where the hero does save the day (more than once) and love does win out. Though not the usual sweet and humorous read I have come to expect from this author, this latest release has only reaffirmed why Astrid Amara is an auto-buy for me, and why I can easily recommend this to one and all.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
Title: Deep Deception Series: Deep # 2 Author: Z.A. Maxwell Genre: Paranormal & Alternate Worlds Length: Novel (194 pages) Publisher: Samhain Publishing (May 12, 2015) Heat Level: Moderate Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥3.75 Hearts Blurb:He’ll give up everything for his immortal lover…except his humanity.
Leave a note and slip away to Paris alone, Adin thought. It’ll prove to his vampire lover he doesn’t need 24/7 supervision, Adin thought. Instead, Adin lands in a surreal situation that isn’t going to endear him to Donte. At. All.
As he awaits an old foe, Ned Harwiche III, for a prearranged meeting, Adin is head butted, tossed into the back of a car…then gets the chance to acquire an artifact Harwiche had been bidding on.
Adin jumps at it, if only as payback for all the dirty tricks Harwiche has pulled over the years. To his horror, the “artifact” turns out to be an adolescent boy named Bran.
Sickened, Adin vows to help the boy out, but like Donte—like a lot of the world Adin never knew existed—Bran isn’t at all what he seems to be.
While Donte and Adin negotiate the meaning of the word “forever”, Bran is running out of time. Especially when tragedy and betrayal pit Adin’s long-cherished beliefs against Donte’s love.
This book has been previously published.
Product Warnings Contains a gothed-up college professor armed with guyliner (which is a big problem when you’re up against a little monster) and an old vampire who doesn’t like his lover out of reach. Not that he can’t administer discipline from afar…
Review: A good addition to this series. Loved the new character Bran and the mystery that surrounded him throughout. Aiden’s character was funny and sarcastic at times but I felt he took too much unnecessary crap from Donte.
Donte seemed a little cruel with his words at times and sometimes I grew aggravated with him during the story. There is more history about Edward and Aiden which added to the story as it progressed. A lot of things going on as the mystery continued about Bran and his abilities.
This sequel is full of surprising reveals that keep the reader intrigued to find out what happened. The ending was a surprise I never saw coming.
Good and entertaining read. * I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
Title: Secrets and Bow Ties Series: Secrets, #3 Author: Lou Harper Genre: Romantic Suspense Length: Novel (163 pages) Publisher: Samhain Publishing (May 19th 2015) Heat Level: Moderate Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4 Hearts Blurb: Who said nerdy can’t be sexy?
Self-confessed gold digger Dylan Price is cooling his heels as a waiter at a trendy West Hollywood restaurant, waiting for the sugar daddy of his dreams to walk through the doors. Someone rich, sophisticated. Preferably old.
Bookish Simon Wainwright couldn’t be further from Dylan’s ideal. Aside from his terrible fashion sense, Simon suffers from a glaring lack of a Beverly Hills mansion. And he’s barely over thirty!
Dylan, however, isn’t made of stone. Coincidence, an obscene candle, even Simon’s dorky cardigan compel him to give the shy academic a very special birthday gift, which Dylan files away as a one-night stand. But when Dylan’s quest lands him in hot water, he runs to Simon to hide.
The two take off for Las Vegas, where Dylan takes upon himself to give Simon a complete makeover. For reasons he can’t comprehend, Dylan begins to reevaluate his life—and what he holds most dear. But with danger not far behind, he might be too late.
Warning: Contains a nightclub where the staff is as hot as the food, a waiter with a smart mouth (in more ways than one), a nerdy college professor, Vegas “boylesque” shows, and lots of smexy times.
Review: Dylan Price is on the lookout for the perfect man. Someone rich and willing to lavish Dylan with precious things, someone to keep him firmly grounded within the lifestyle he wishes to become accustomed to. For now he bids his time as a waiter. When a group of girls bring their adorkable friend Simon in to celebrate his birthday, Dylan takes notice and decides tonight might be the night for Mr. Right now.
Simon Wainwright is smart, bookish and impeccably dressed with his crazy bow ties. The college professor is gay and single and not so much loving it. He’s never found a guy that really sees him or appreciates his quirkiness. But Dylan sees him, and treats him like a person. They share a pretty sexy night, but then Dylan is gone by the time Simon wakes up.
When Dylan lands in hot water, the only safe place he can think of is with Simon. The two go on a whirlwind trip to Vegas that is supposed to be just friends and lying low, but attraction and chemistry eventually change the rules. The danger Dylan ran from has followed them though, and in an attempt to keep Simon out of the line of fire Dylan does what he does best, he runs.
This was such a fun story about two polar opposites that find what they’ve been searching for in each other. Dylan thinks he wants a sugar daddy, but what he wants is stability, a family, a home. And Simon, who has walked through life almost completely invisible, shines like a diamond to Dylan. Their differences are what draw them together. There was some danger and suspense as well with Dylan being chased over something he doesn’t even realize he has.
I really liked the opposites attract in the story, and then the little twist in the relationship. I can say no more, you’ll have to read for yourself. I didn’t buy the gigolo angle at the start though, not sure why, it just read wrong for me. But overall I really enjoyed this story about finding love in unexpected places.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
Title: Releasing the Shifter Series: Solitary Shifters, #3 Author: Summer Devon Genre: Paranormal Length: Novel (175 pages) Publisher: Samhain Publishing (May 5th, 2015) Heat level: Moderate Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥3.5 Hearts Blurb: Montag is a monster. He doesn’t know what sort of creature he would turn into if he ever let himself shift, but he knows it’s something predatory and lethal. He fights back the urge to shift every day of his life, and has never dared get close to anyone—not that they want him to. He can literally smell their fear.
Kevin’s not scared of monsters. He works for the SSU, the agency in charge of tracking shifters—particularly the dangerous ones. When he and his young niece are kidnapped by her scum-bucket dad, he’s grateful to be rescued by Montag, whose curmudgeonly defenses can’t hide the kind man beneath.
As they work together to protect Kevin’s niece, attraction sizzles between them. But their relationship may not survive if Montag learns who writes Kevin’s paycheck—or if Montag dares to confront the inner monster he hates and fears.
Review: This is book three in the Solitary Shifter series and I would suggest reading them in order, however they can be read as a standalone.
This story is a bit different from the ones I usually read. It has a bit of darkness to it but it doesn’t take away from the story. It has a little bit of humor mixed in with a lot of serious tones to it. I was a bit divided with this story but I did enjoy it.
Montag is a shifter, but he isn’t sure what kind. He had shifted once when he was a child and for it his parents basically dumped him. His mother had taken off not long after his shift, but his father did last a bit longer. From the moment he had changed his father had called him a monster. He even believed it, deciding never to shift again. He had a solitary life and he didn’t much care for those around him. He just kept all of his feelings bottled up and his animal.
That is until he was asked to go get rid of some drug dealers who had moved into a farm outside of town. What he had not expected was to find a man and his niece trapped inside. Nor had he expected to start getting turned on by the sight of him.
Kevin was not afraid of monsters or shifters. In fact he worked for a company that basically policed them. There are a few that are very dangerous and he thinks that Montag is one of those types. Although he thinks Montag is the safest ones he has actually met.
Things heat up with them both, that is, until Montag finds out that he works for SSU. He realizes that the man and his niece have a bit of trouble listening to him. Not to mention Kevin’s sister is so dependent on her husband Ray that it is a scary thought to let them near Sassy. Ray and his bone head brother are into some major bad stuff. They had plans but when they kidnapped Kevin things were bound not to go their way. Especially when Kevin fell in love with the strong shifter. Montag would protect them all even if he has to protect them from himself.
It does have a happy ending, however for a bit, one is not too sure it was going to happen. Montag has many different signs that show how unnerving he can be. If he let his bad side out he could be a major problem, but he never wants to let his animal out. Maybe in time he will learn to trust his animal. He does know that he is falling in love. I did have a big kick out of this story. It doesn’t flow off the pages very easy though. It felt like to me one would pull teeth to get to the end. However for me once I started I couldn’t stop.
I truly enjoyed it and would recommend it to everyone.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
Title: Uncovering Ray Author: Edie Danford Series: Ellery College, #1 Genre: New Adult Romance Length: Novel (309 pages) ISBN: 9781619226418 Publisher: Samhain Publishing (April 28th, 2015) Heat Level: Explicit Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 3.5 Hearts Reviewer: Zane Blurb: When the right love uncovers the wrong secrets…
Hey, man–you a chick or a dude? Dealing with the same old boring question is a downer for college drop-out Ray Fayette, especially when it’s asked by the low-tipping, over-privileged students at the Ellery Diner.
When six-foot-five, muscle-bound straight arrow Wyatt Kelly publicly smacks down a fellow frat bother for caveman behavior, Ray’s interest is sparked. Wyatt’s not-so-subtle attraction sparks a few other things too.
But getting to know Wyatt proves dangerous. His sexy smiles and smart questions slide under even Ray’s prickliest defenses. Worse, his academic mentor happens to be Ray’s ex-stepfather, the dictatorial jerk who just kicked Ray out of his house. Again.
Wyatt suggests a housing arrangement that has surprising appeal—there’s space available at his frat house—but he’s unaware just how complicated Ray’s “identity issues” are. Ellery College kicked out Ray for a reason—a reason that could deep-six Wyatt’s academic career and Ray’s newly hopeful heart.
Review: Edie Danford’s “Uncovering Ray” brings us into the genderqueer world – a world where the individual does not identify as either male or female. Is Ray a boy or a girl? Does it matter? Perhaps it wasn’t supposed to, but it did matter to me. I wanted to just go with the flow and be this really cool person and just feel like “Well that’s just Ray, not a ‘he’ or a ‘she” but nope. I fell into the trap. The whole book, I wanted to know. Is Ray male? Is Ray female?
Wyatt succeeded where I failed. Apparently he took one look at Ray and that was it for him. While I applaud and appreciate this, I never felt I got a true glimpse into Wyatt’s head in that regard. I wanted to know if Wyatt questioned himself, questioned Ray’s gender. That being said I loved Wyatt. I loved the idea of a guy being just that cool. He seemed older than his years… whereas Ray seemed younger.
The story itself is of Ray, who Ray is, with and without Wyatt. Ray is messed up, much like many young adults that find themselves in the unique position of not identifying specifically with one particular gender. Ray’s history is a little vague at times, but you do see the struggle, the battle with family, society and self to be, quite simply, Ray.
While the first half of the book seemed to move a little slowly for me, it was the lead in, the build-up for the conflict and strife ahead. There is romance and sex; there’s angst, upset and resolution, all of which surprisingly had me in tears, both happy and sad. I’m not much for book crying, but Ray tugged at my heart.
It is eventually revealed whether Ray is female or male.
Surprisingly, as much as I wanted to know, the reveal defeated the point for me. If it really didn’t matter, then Ray should have remained… Ray.
Kudos to the author for some really difficult accomplishments – while I’ve read other genderqueer books, this is the first that did not inundate me with excessive use of pronouns, did not have me stopping every few paragraphs to wonder whose point of view I was reading. A main character without a specific gender role is not easy to read, and really, for a good part of the book, there was no male, no female. There was only Ray.
The start of this series has definitely captivated and held my interest. I’ll be eagerly awaiting the second book, simply because I want to read whatever it is that Edie Danford is writing next. If you’re looking for straight up MM or even MF this is not for you. If you’re willing to read something different and think you can keep an open mind, take a chance and give this a go. It challenged me; I think it might challenge you. Who knows? You might come out of the read looking at things a little bit differently; I know I did.
** I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through www.mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com **
Title: Deep Desire Series: The Deep, #1 Author: Z.A. Maxfield Genre: Paranormal/ Suspense/Alternate Worlds Length: Novel (164 pages) Publisher: Samhain Publishing, LTD. (February 3, 2015) Heat Level: Moderate Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥3.75Hearts Blurb: There’s no leverage like seduction…until love takes a bite of his plans.
As the Indiana Jones of historical erotica, there is no document existing—or just rumored to exist—Adin Tredeger can’t unearth. Why he would risk the biggest coup of his career to join the mile-high club is beyond him. But the disarming, dark-eyed man who somehow enters Adin’s locked airplane washroom has him completely nude and coming apart. All without a whimper of protest.
From that moment, Adin and Donte Fedelta engage in an international battle of wit and cunning. The prize—a priceless, 500-year-old journal with illustrations so erotic it could make the Marquis de Sade blush.
Yet Donte’s desire for the journal goes far beyond simple possession. The undead nobleman wrote it. And he’s not above using every trick in his otherworldly arsenal—including seduction—to get it back.
Chemistry draws them together even as fortune tugs them apart. But when a third-party joins the chase, they must unite to fight an enemy with a deadly goal—to erase Donte from history.
This book is a rerelease of a previously published book, with substantial rewrites.
Product Warnings This product contains one cocky college professor, one centuries-old vampire who is out to show him who’s at the top of the food chain, and red wine. Because it goes so well with humble pie.
Review: Intense at times this book takes you on a journey following Adin as he reads parts of a 500-year-old manuscript, meets a sexy vampire, and has said manuscript stolen from him by an unknown party only to be continuously threatened by others who believe he still has it. I loved the parts of the manuscript he read they seemed to show just how much Donte loved his lover even though he couldn’t be with him.
The chemistry between Donte and Adin was smoldering and the passion even hotter. While it was a very well written book, I found it hard to believe that after meeting Donte and learning he was a vampire that Adin was shocked when he came face to face with another vampire. Did he honestly believe that Donte, 500 years old and the writer and illustrator of the manuscript, was the only vampire?
I thought it was sweet how Donte wanted to protect Adin from harm even though at the beginning he told Adin he had no humanity after being turned. Good read.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review throughhttp://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
Blurb: A heart can live a lifetime in eight seconds.
Ever since his father caught him with another boy and threw him out at the tender age of sixteen, Dustin Lewis has been fighting his way up the national bull-riding rankings. He’s on the brink of qualifying for the National Finals when he draws Diablo, a notoriously rank bull—and the ride goes bad.
When bullfighter Shane Rees frees Dustin from the rigging of the same bull that nearly destroyed his face, he comes dangerously close to dropping his guard. Shane knows the potential consequences of being gay in a sport loaded with testosterone-overdosed cowboys, and the resulting scars of mind and body have left him with little self-worth.
Their near-death-by-bull first meeting sparks an attraction that awakens every last one of their personal demons. Yet as the National Finals draws closer, so do they. But they’ll have to overcome emotional highs, near-tragic lows, and bone-crushing danger before love can bust out of the chute.
Warning: Contains man-on-man boot knocking, rawhide and raw emotions, badass cowboys and even badder-ass bulls. This ain’t your old man’s rodeo
Review: Dustin was kicked out of his home when he was very young after being caught with another boy. Both his family and the boy would have nothing to do with him. He lived with his best friend Todd and became a bull rider with Todd. Dustin has ADD and is very hyper.
Shane is a bullfighter. He has many scars from his job. Some are very visible, like one across his face. He is gay and not closeted, though he doesn’t advertise it either. His job is saving cowboys from the bull. After saving Dustin, he finds himself very attracted to the young bull rider. They become good friends. Could a hot young man like Dustin want anything other than a one off from a scarred up man like Shane?
This story had a lot going for it. I have to say I never really connected with either character. I do however like that they are unique… One is visibly scarred one is dealing with ADD. I did like the storyline and plot. There is a lot of hot, down and dirty, raunchy sex in this story. For me it was a bit of a turn off, but I am not saying it was bad; it just wasn’t my cup of tea. I will say about halfway through the story really picked up and I am glad I kept reading. Overall, it is a good story.
If you like, bull riders, bullfighters, drama, down and dirty sex talk, hot man-sex and a really good friends to lovers romance, this is for you.
Title: Stuff Series: Bristol Collections #2 Author: Josephine Myles Genre: Contemporary Length: Novel (374 pages) Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd (May 27th 2014) Heat Level: Moderate Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4 Hearts Reviewer: Aerin Blurb: When Mr. Glad Rags meets Mr. Riches, the result is flaming fun.
Tobias “Mas” Maslin doesn’t need much. A place of his own, weekends of clubbing, a rich boyfriend for love and support. Too bad his latest sugar daddy candidate turns out to be married with kids. Mas wants to be special, not someone’s dirty little secret.
When he loses his job and his flat on the same day, his worlds starts unraveling…until he stumbles across a vintage clothing shop. Now to convince the reclusive, eccentric owner he’s in dire need of a salesman.
Perry Cavendish-Fiennes set up Cabbages and Kinks solely to annoy his controlling father. Truth be told, he’d rather spend every spare moment on his true passion, art. When Mas comes flaming into his life talking nineteen to the dozen, he finds himself offering him a job and a place to live.
He should have listened to his instincts. The shop is already financially on the brink, and Mas’s flirting makes him feel things he’s never felt for a man. Yet Mas seems convinced they can make a go of it—in the shop, and together.
Warning: Contains an eccentric, bumbling Englishman, a gobby drama queen, fantastic retro clothing, scary fairies, exes springing out of the woodwork, and a well-aimed glass of bubbly. Written in brilliantly British English.
Review: This book was all kinds of fun!!! Stuff is books two in the Bristol Collections series; Jasper and Lewis from book one are present in this book as well, but it can be read as a stand-alone. That being said, I loved seeing Lewis and Jasper as an established couple.
This book is all about Mas…you remember Mas, right? Well if you don’t remember him, or haven’t read book one, Mas is Jasper’s ex casual lover. I loved him in the first book and I knew his book was going to be right up my alley. Mas is a little bit of a wild thing, and can come across as an equal opportunity slut, but he’s a very kind-hearted young man who dreams about finding someone to love him and want him just the way he is. After losing his job and getting in trouble with the security, he storms his way into Perry’s store, and Perry’s life, as he knew it comes to an abrupt end.
Perry is a hermit, a posh one at that, but a hermit nonetheless. Their upbringing couldn’t have been more different, yet Perry and Mas click. I liked the way they fit together and Mas was exactly what Perry needed to start living and quit moping. Mas outshined Perry in this book by a lot.
I think Perry was rather bland and a bit boring. Mas however was eccentric, loud, a bit of a dramatic queen, but I couldn’t not love him to pieces. His ramblings and constant verbal diarrhea had me smiling, giggling, and laughing the entire time…
“You seem like the kind of bloke who’d have been top in the class in pretty much everything. Not like muggins here. All I learnt at school was how to give head, and that was— Oops!” “Not on your nelly. I love weird shit. I won’t even raise an eyebrow. Cross my heart and hope to lose my looks.” “I thought it was ‘hope to die’.” “There are some fates worse than death. I mean, seriously, can you see me as a bear? I wouldn’t last five minutes with that lot.”
“So you’re a raconteur?” “Something like that. More of a gobshite, probably, but hey, it sounds better in French. Everything sounds better in French, doesn’t it? Ménage a trois, la petite mort, French kissing. Oh, mon amour! Mon cheri!”
There was of course the dreaded communication issue; sometimes it drives me completely bat-shit crazy, like in this book. We’re not talking about something that creates intense emotions or even some good, tear-your-heart-out angst; this was just some silly I’m-not-good-enough-for-you shit that went on and on and on and….you get the idea.
Plus, Perry was seriously emotionally disabled. You can’t teach someone what a certain feeling or emotion means, normal people come wired to correctly and unconsciously interpret them. He seriously needs some time on Lewis’s couch….for some therapy of course.
I loved this book, it was light and maybe a little too fluffy, but it kept me smiling the whole time. I loved that it had genuinely British dialog, without being watered down to make it easier to grasp. I loved the expressions “Oh, for the love of cock!”, I loved the writing, the dialog was funny as hell; some angst would have made this book perfect for me, but we don’t get everything we wish for, so I’m happy with it the way it is.
I recommend this book especially if you love British humor; this book is the real deal!
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
Title: Not Broken Series: True Destiny, #5 Author: Dana Marie Bell Genre: Paranormal, Alternate Worlds, MMF Length: Novel (156 pages) Publisher: Samhain Publishing (December 16th 2014) Heat Level: Explicit Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts Blurb: Slade Saeter endured centuries of torture, longing for the day he could claim Magnus Tate and Sylvia Grimm as mates. Now freedom is his, but nightmares still plague this son of Loki, and he fears his lovers will believe him too fragile to bond.
Magnus never thought he could have the woman of his dreams, not when she was broken by his own father, her heart shattered by Thor’s infidelities and their ultimate divorce. But Slade’s determination gives him a glimmer of hope.
Never one to let anything keep her down for long, Sylvia has long since healed from her ex-husband’s betrayals. But accepting her own stepson as a bonded mate? While it’s something she can wrap her body around, her heart is another story.
As three war-weary, damaged hearts slowly find balance among them, they form bonds of surprising strength. But with danger descending upon them with the fury of a Valkyrie, time is the one thing they may not have.
ISBN: 978-1-61922-387-5
Review:This book is part of a series and should be read in order.
Slade has endured so much at the hands of Odin and his sick twisted ways. He is now recovering from the last amount of torture he suffered through. But thankfully, he is no longer alone. He was rescued by his family and his mates. First though he has to convince both mates to put aside anything else they may have thought and accept what they could have.
Magnus has always wanted Sylvia, even when she was married to his father Thor. But he never went after her for many reasons. One being that he and his brother were conceived during one of their fathers affairs when married to Sylvia. But now he has Slade, and Slade will not give up until he has his third mate.
To be honest, I would have been just fine with only Magnus and Slade having a relationship. The first part of the book is just them and damn were they hot together and so damn sweet. Slade was an unexpected surprise to Magnus but he is more than happy to have him as a mate. Magnus takes such good care of Slade as he recovers and I just loved them both.
When they finally convince Sylvia to join as their third mate, I was OK with it. But in my opinion, she was not really necessary to the mating. I liked her alright don’t get me wrong. I just feel she did not really add as much to the relationship as Slade and Magnus did. But it may just be that she is not as kick ass in my mind as the other women in the series. I’m not really sure.
Overall, this was another good book in the series. Dana Marie Bell is one of the few authors I still read that does MF books, since I am most definitely MM these days. But she grabbed me a long time ago with this series and another one she does. So I will keep coming back. The hilarious scenes she writes draw me in every time. Plus those love scenes, and the pretty awesome characters, etc.
Title: No Place That Far Series: Distance Between Us, #5 Author: L.A. Witt & Aleksandr Voinov Genre: Contemporary/ Military Length: Novel (215 pages) Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd. (January 27th, 2015) Heat Level: Explicit Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4 Hearts Blurb: Sometimes you only get one chance at a second chance.
Still finding his footing after a long-overdue divorce, Marcus is looking forward to some mind-numbing drinking while ogling the grooms at Chris and Julien’s wedding. He never expected his attention to be diverted by the gorgeous best man.
One of Julien’s French Foreign Legion buddies, Timur doesn’t speak much English, but language is no barrier to Marcus understanding exactly what the huge Tartar wants—a one-night stand.
Except that one night turns into two, three, then more, which puts Marcus on edge. After Timur is done house sitting for the honeymooning couple, he’s headed back to the Legion for another five years. Like it or not, once Timur gets on that plane, the fling is over.
Unfortunately, Marcus forgot to tell his heart not to fall in love. And this time, if history repeats and he makes another wrong decision, he may never see his tattooed Legionnaire lover again.
Warning: Contains a soldier who makes up for his lack of English by using his hands to read his lover’s body; a chef-turned-bartender who no longer believes in love; a length of paracord that probably wasn’t meant to be used this way; and a couple of newlyweds who are game for some four-way play. Product Link: https://www.samhainpublishing.com/book/5316/no-place-that-far
Reviewer: Aerin Review: Had to call the fire department to put my flames out because this book was seriously sizzling hot (on the plus side, all that firemen goodness made my boo-boos better). Leaving my goofy side…well aside, I loved this book; I believe it might be the hottest yet in this series.
We have a dark and sexy as hell French Legionnaire (sometimes 2 of them at the same time) and one of Wilde’s bartenders (which we know that all bartenders at Wilde’s are eye candy). According to the recipe, if we put them together, add some ice, a bit of absinthe, top it off with a good bit of vodka and shake well, we get ………KABOOOM! That’s exactly how I felt, gob smacked by the chemistry and intensity between them.
Timur is our sexy legionnaires, a very good friend of Julien’s, who comes to stand in as Julien’s best man in the wedding. Timur is very intense and mysterious, and we don’t really find out much about him. He’s currently between tours and is supposed to reenlist with the legion in a month’s time. Meanwhile he spends that month in Seattle, house sitting the cats that Chris and Julien own.
At the wedding, Timur meets Marcus and sparks fly. Timur doesn’t know much English, but what he knows is enough to keep things simple between them, and really, knowing and speaking the same body language is enough for them. So much less time-consuming—going straight from “welcome” to “well, come.”
Marcus is the most recently hired bartender at Wilde’s. He worked as a chef in a five-star restaurant owned by his ex husband up until their recent divorce. Marcus is still hurt by the divorce and while he doesn’t love Ray anymore, he’s bitter and jaded and doesn’t believe in a happily ever after anymore.
The story is told from his POV and let me tell you, he’s funny as hell. The sarcastic and self-deprecating thoughts he has are hilarious and entertained me throughout the book. When he meets Timur he is so attracted to him, he does something he never really does; forgets English.
“I…” Marcus cleared his throat. So he hadn’t imagined how green the best man’s eyes were. Holy Christ. They were even more surprisingly intense because he hadn’t expected that color with almond-shaped eyes. “I’m, uh. Not much of a… I have…” Come on, come on. Speech. English. You know this!
They make small talk and agree to a one-night stand. And their first time together is so hot, it blew my mind. Apparently, Marcus’s mind was blown as well “We can’t…” Breathe? Think? Talk? Fuck. That’s it. We can’t fuck. “We need…we need condoms.”I love L.A Witt because I rarely find a sex scene incredibly hot and funny as hell at the same time. Impressive really.
One nightstand becomes a series of one-night stands because Timur wants to keep seeing Marcus and spend time with him. And that’s what they do. They visit the city and Marcus takes Timur to different tourist attractions, he cooks for him and they have fun together. They really fit and they’re a good match, and Timur is everything Marcus would like in a lover. Too bad, he has to leave soon.
When Chris and Julien return from their honeymoon, the four of them spend some time together. And then the foursome happens *gulp*. I generally am against bringing others to the bedroom when the couple is still relatively new. Chris and Julien just got married and Marcus and Timur only have about 2 weeks under the belt.
Foursomes are messy (no pun intended, heh) and there’s a risk their easy friendship can be destroyed. Marcus is jealous of Timur and Julien, because we know they used to be friends with benefits for years. But the foursome does happen and is the hottest #some I’ve ever seen (felt, heard, tasted…you get the idea, because I swear I felt I was right there between them).
Timur’s time to leave has come and while Marcus really wants him to stay, he can’t accept the idea that Timur has to give up on his life dream, to retire with the legion, for him. He doesn’t want Timur to hate him later on, like Marcus resents his ex husband, and so he lets Timur leave.
I’m not going to tell you what happens next, read it if you want to find out. But I will address a few points that cemented my decision to rate this 4 hearts instead of 5. The foursome….you know, as much as I loved it, I wish it didn’t happen. It seems like all the couples in this series have an open door policy when it comes to the bedroom. And I wish Timur were possessive enough to not want to share. But that is just a ¼ of a star.
What I really wanted to see were the conversations that took place between Timur and Julien. I get that this was Marcus’s POV but they talked in French in the same room with Chris and Marcus, and I really wanted the conversation to be put on page, in French of course. I needed to know more about Timur or get a hint of his feelings and what his thoughts are when it comes to Marcus. And all those filthy things he was telling Marcus, you know the ones that made even Julien blush??? I WANT THEM, DAMN IT!! He said them out loud, so why weren’t they on the page? *pouts and sniffs*
The last thing I kind of wanted to see, but it didn’t affect my rating, is an epilogue. Even a short one to see if they’ve made it and are together, but I hope I’ll get my answer in the next book. I also hope we get to see Ethan and Rhett (I miss them) and Adam and Dale in the next one as well.
I recommend this to anyone and everyone, because this series is amazing and this book was the most intense of them all.
Title: King Cobra Series: Hot Rods, #1 Author: Jayne Rylon Genre: Interracial/ Kink/ Ménage/MMF Length: Novella (103 pages) Publisher: Samhain Publishing (April 16, 2013) Heat Level: Moderate Heart Rating: ♥♥♥3Hearts Blurb: Nothing’s sexier than seven men with hot rods.
After Eli’s mother died, his father honored her life’s mission as a social worker by taking in several kids from the wrong side of the tracks. Not all of them stuck, but those who did became Eli’s quasi family.
Their bonds, forged in fires set by their personal demons, are unbreakable—or so Eli wants to believe. Especially since he and Alanso, his best friend and head mechanic, witnessed the overpowering allure of polyamory while visiting the Powertools crew.
Much as Eli would like to deepen the relationships among his foster brothers and sister in the Hot Rods Restoration Team, he’s hesitant to risk everything on a quick romp behind a stack of tires.
But when Eli catches Alanso exploring their mutual fantasy at a known hookup spot in a public park, all bets are off. And Eli must decide if it’s time to jump in full throttle—and trust his instincts to guide him through the night. If the pair can dodge the potholes in their own relationship, maybe they can race together toward the unconventional arrangement with Mustang Sally they both desire.
Product Warnings Fasten your seatbelts. This is going to be a wild (and naughty) ride!
Review: This is the first book I’ve ever read by this author and I had a few problems with this book. The first was the constant referring to another crew as though the reader was supposed to know what the author was talking about.
After looking the author up on Amazon, I discovered another series. So I assume this is where it came from, which I didn’t read. The second thing was putting m/f, m/m/f in a book I thought was m/m considering I review for an m/m site.
I should’ve looked the book up before I picked it from the list because I would not normally read a book with mentions of m/f and m/m/f in them. With that being said, the story was well written, gritty with a lot of emotional stress of two guys wanting each other plus one of them wanting Sally as well.
Eli is the boss at his garage and Alanso works for him. There is a lot of sexual tension between them as Eli isn’t ready to take the next step. After finding Alanso with strangers, Eli rethinks his decision.
The crew at the garage seems like a very close-knit family, which is good. I loved how they all backed each other up when in a crisis. Eli seemed gruff but at the same time not sure of his feelings for Alanso. Alanso knew exactly what he wanted, Eli.
It was an o.k. read. This book was not for me though.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review throughhttp://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com*
Title: Labyrinthian Series: Line and Orbit Author: Sunny Moraine Genre: Paranormal / Alternate Worlds Length: Novel (229 pages) Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd. (January 20th 2015) Heat Level: Moderate Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 3.5 Hearts Blurb: A hunter should never fall for his prey.
Still nursing his latest post-mission hangover, bounty hunter Theseus jumps at a high-paying, high-risk job that sounds ridiculously easy. Yet from the moment he nabs the alleged supersoldier with sedative gas, nothing is as it seems.
On the run from the facility where he was created and raised, Taur is desperate to locate his genetically engineered brothers and sisters. To rescue them—and himself—from slavery. Waking aboard Theseus’s ship, his fury is tempered by curiosity about his captor.
Despite his doubts about his prisoner, Theseus figures it’d be risky to let Taur go—until they’re thrown together by a shared betrayal. They declare a tentative truce as they flee from a shadowy and immensely powerful organization that will stop at nothing to find them.
But as they wrestle with their growing feelings for each other, Taur and Theseus face an even greater danger. A lethal threat lurking inside Taur’s own body, waiting to explode…
Review: Taur is on the run from people who want him, dead or alive, it doesn’t matter which. Theseus is the one hunting him. From the start, there are questions Theseus has about the hunt. Things are not right. But it’s not until the people after Taur also try to Theseus instead of paying him that he really knows he shouldn’t have taken the contract.
Theseus is a hunter, or gun for hire. He goes from job to job. He has had one serious relationship that ended because he held on to tightly, afraid of losing another person in his life. When he meets Taur, even though he is a bounty he still feels bad about turning him in. After they are both betrayed the two are on the run together and Theseus cannot help being attracted to Taur. Finally, he gives in, and what started out as just some fun, becomes something more.
Taur was made for violence. He was never taught true emotions. He knows how to protect himself and to kill. When he and Theseus start getting closer he is confused at first. But wants more. As they run for their lives Taur slowly learns what its like to matter and care for someone, and what sex is like. He also knows his time may be very limited, since the people after him have a backup plan that could kill him before Taur and Theseus find the answers they are looking for.
The writing is great. The world created is very lush and descriptive. The two main characters are well fleshed out, as well as a few of the secondary characters. This should have been a five-heart story to me. However, it just did not draw me in. I was not invested in the two MCs and I was easily distracted from the book. I just did not connect with either of the MCs or their story. I am sure others will disagree with me, but it just did not do it for me personally.
If you are looking for a space adventure with two tough men, some death and destruction, and a little sex thrown in this may be for you.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
Title: Secrets and Charms Author: Lou Harper Series: Secrets, #2 Genre: Contemporary Romance Length: Novel (191 pages) Publisher: Samhain Publishing (December 23rd 2014) Heat Level: Moderate Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4 Hearts Blurb: One hot ginger. One cool blond. The result is anything but lukewarm.
Out and proud from a tender age, Olly Blackwood is content with life in LA, working at a Hollywood gourmet grocery. There’s only one thing missing: romance. He’s had his fill of casual hook-ups. He wants a man for keeps, and he wants sparks.
He certainly gets them when he meets Rich Willson, who has the stormy temper to go with his fiery hair. But is he keeper material? He might be if only he’d come out of the closet.
After losing his disapproving father, his job, his girlfriend, and pretty much all his money, Rich packed up his secrets and moved to his actress sister s house to regroup and help her renovate. He doesn’t like the curmudgeon he s become, but something about the perpetually cheerful Olly rubs him in a way that should be wrong, yet feels pretty damned right.
Over paint buckets and sanding tools, Rich finds Olly getting deeper under his skin. But when an altercation with a paparazzo comes back to haunt him, he finds that sordid Hollywood secrets can be murder maybe his own.
Warning: Contains a hot-tempered ginger, a cool-headed blond, redecorating shenanigans, and sordid Hollywood secrets. Happy ending guaranteed or your ticket price refunded.
Review: Rich Wilson’s attitude blazes as bright as his ginger, red hair, especially in the presence of his sister’s best friend, Olly. Rich feels a pull to Olly, an attraction he is not willing to admit to or act on for that matter. So in an attempt to cover up his true feelings, he does what he does best, he barks.
Olly is nothing but nice to Rich, so he is taken aback at the negative attitude he receives from the guy every time he comes around him. Once Olly figures out exactly what Rich is trying to cover up with false bravado, Olly pushes the envelope, but he pushes too far and Rich pulls back. Olly will have to be patient with Rich if he plans on taking their relationship to the next level.
When they learn completely by accident that Rich’s sister is being blackmailed, they learn to navigate their way around their mutual attraction with minimal effort in order to discover the identity of the blackmailer. The stakes are raised when Rich stumbles upon the supposed blackmailers body though, and when Olly is put in the line of fire, Rich learns quickly just how much Olly has grown on him.
I absolutely loved the chemistry between Olly and Rich, how it was anything but love at first sight. Rich had to come to terms with his own personal demons about his attraction to other men, and Olly has to trust that his heart will be safe with Rich.
There was mystery and suspense with the blackmailing, I seriously had no idea who it was and when the culprit is revealed I was a little surprised. There was also a lot of sexy, steamy passion between Olly and Rich that literally jumped off the pages. There were a few little inconsistencies in the how and why of the whole blackmailing scheme, but overall I was completely engaged in this read.
This is the second book in a series apparently but I haven’t read the first, that being said, I wasn’t lost and never felt like I was missing anything in the story because I hadn’t read the first. A must read for fans of mystery, suspense and steamy guy on guy action!
* I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
Title: Tap Out Series: Bannon’s Gym, #3 Author: Cat Grant Genre: Contemporary
Length: Novella (143 pages) Publisher: Samhain Publishing LLC. (January 13th, 2015) Heat Level: Moderate Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts Blurb: It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.
Bannon’s Gym, Book 3
As a child, Tom Delaney did the best he could to protect his mother from his abusive father, but her eventual suicide left him a guarded and wary man who’s still carrying around a metric ton of baggage.
At Bannon’s Gym, Tom learned how to take back his power, and found love with fellow mixed martial arts fighter Travis Gallagher. Yet Tom can’t bring himself to take their relationship to the next level. Not if moving in together means leaving behind Gloria, his surrogate mom, who’s desperately ill.
When Gloria’s son, Eddie, hires an out-of-work nurse to care for Gloria, Tom is out of excuses—and afraid he’s being pushed out of his family of choice. That fear explodes in a violent sparring session that leaves Travis with a broken nose and Tom on the brink of getting booted out of Bannon’s Gym for good.
When tragedy strikes, Tom realizes it’ll take more than fists to conquer his fears, or he risks losing everything—his fighting career, his family, and the man he loves.
Warning: Sweat- and testosterone-drenched alpha males ahead! More angst than an entire season of Downton Abbey! Wear a helmet—this could get messy!
Product Link: http://www.amazon.com/Tap-Out-Bannons-Gym-Grant-ebook/dp/B00LO4EN9A ISBN: 978-1-61922-452-0 Reviewer: Shorty Review: Tom Delaney feels like his world is spinning out of control. Instead of talking about what’s going on with anyone, he takes his frustration and anger out on them. After witnessing his boyfriend Travis touching his ex boyfriend Aaron’s shoulder, he gets pissed and breaks Travis’ nose during a sparring match. After which Danny tells him that after the tournament he’s out. He finally gets it that he’s acting like his father after talking to Danny and after Gloria’s passing. In the end, Travis realizes what he was doing and makes amends with everyone.
Interesting story that involves the lives of Tom, Danny, Eddie, Gloria, Travis, and Aaron. Lots of drama, angst, and action in this intense well-written book. The intimate scenes between Travis and Tom, two sexy alpha males were intense and hot. Some of the scenes in the book were heartbreaking. The fight scenes are intense and brutal. Great read.
Title: Off Campus Series: Bend or Break Author: Amy Jo Cousins Genre: New Adult Romance Length: Novel (317 pages) Publisher: Samhain Publishing (December 30th, 2014) Heat Level: Moderate Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts Blurb: Everyone’s got secrets. Some are just harder to hide.
With his father’s Ponzi scheme assets frozen, Tom Worthington believes finishing college is impossible unless he can pay his own way. After months sleeping in his car and gypsy cabbing for cash, he’s ready to do just that.
But his new, older-student housing comes with an unapologetically gay roommate. Tom doesn’t ask why Reese Anders has been separated from the rest of the student population. He’s just happy to be sleeping in a bed.
Reese isn’t about to share his brutal story with his gruff new roommate. You’ve seen one homophobic jock, you’ve seen ’em all. He plans to drag every twink on campus into his bed until Tom moves out. But soon it becomes clear Tom isn’t budging.
Tom isn’t going to let some late-night sex noise scare him off, especially when it’s turning him on. But he doesn’t want any drama either. He’ll keep his hands, if not his eyes, to himself. Boundaries have a way of blurring when you start sharing truths, though. And if Tom and Reese cross too many lines, they may need to find out just how far they can bend…before they break.
Warning: This book contains cranky roommates who vacillate between lashing out and licking, some male/male voyeurism, emotional baggage that neither guy wants to unpack, and the definitive proof that sound carries in college housing.
ISBN: 9781619223936 Product Link: https://www.samhainpublishing.com/book/5287/off-campus Reviewer: Tina Review: This is a really complex and, at times, a slow and long book. It is an extremely intelligent book – the writing was just smart. I liked it a lot…it just seemed a little bit too slow and too long at times. There were several issues conquered in this story – the fears of coming out in college, the brutality and effects of the selfishness of a parent, bullying, sexual assault, the normal fears and issues with becoming an adult. Which for these two, meant completely losing and rebuilding themselves.
Both the main characters have major issues to work through. Tom is a mess. He’s really lived both extremes – wealth and poverty – and he’s learned from both of them. With the fallout from his father’s mess, he’s discovered that he really wasn’t a great person and he didn’t have any real friends (he later finds out he did have one. He feels completely isolated and alone and basically shuts himself off from the world.
He basically became agoraphobic trying to stay away from the press of his father. He does what he has to for survival – which means living out of his car at one point. He’s lost all confidence in himself and is a shell of what he used to be. When he finally does what he needs to go back to school, he pretty much wants to stay off the radar and get done.
Then he meets Reese.
Reese has a whole other set of issues he’s dealing with. (Not going include the spoiler) His defense mechanisms make Tom crazy – in a couple of different ways. He is also closed off but hides it better. Tom sees through his charade pretty quickly and the two forge a relationship – albeit not one of total trust and honesty. Reese is really more forgiving and giving in their relationship and really becomes a crutch for Tom.
The story is told from Tom’s POV so his issues seem to overshadow Reese’s.
While I liked both of these characters, Cash was my favorite. He is the honest, somewhat obnoxious, best friend of Tom that you cannot help but LOVE! He absolutely made the book for me and I cannot wait to read his story.
Book 2 is about a character that is hated in this book so I’m anxious to see how that plays out.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
Title: Old Sins, Long Shadows
Title: Fallen Embers
Title: Now Comes the Night
Title: The Rebuilding Year
Title: Song of the Navigator
Title: Deep Deception
Title: Secrets and Bow Ties
Title: Releasing the Shifter
Title: Uncovering Ray
Title: Deep Desire
Title: Stuff
Title: Not Broken
Title: King Cobra
Title: Labyrinthian
Title: Secrets and Charms
Title: Off Campus