Month: August 2015

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Knave of Broken Hearts (Love in Laguna book 2) by Tara Lain

Dreamspinner Presents http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6633

KnaveofBrokenHeartsBlurb

Jim Carney has a full time job—running from himself. Since he walked out on his wealthy family at sixteen because he’d wrecked his best friend’s life over some yaoi graphic novels, Jim has lived a macho, blue-collar existence of too much booze and too little responsibility. Then Billy Ballew, the man Jim most admires, gives Jim a chance to come through as his construction supervisor. For once, Jim is determined to make someone proud. Then Jim goes in for a physical for his new job and his yaoi dream comes to life in the form of cardiologist Ken Tanaka. Jim discovers he has two heart problems—a wonky mitral valve and a serious attraction to his doctor. But Ken is a major player, and Jim might be just a notch on the doc’s stethoscope. To Ken, Jim is unforgettable—but the living embodiment of his traditional family’s worst nightmares.

How come the minute Jim decides to be responsible, he finds himself taking care of his kid brother, getting a proposal from a wealthy woman, making a deal with the devil, and winding up in the hospital—when all he really wants is the Knave of Broken Hearts?

Review

Jim, who’s had a bit of experience with gay sexual exploration in his past, is trying very, very hard to be straight – but he just can’t… well get hard – if you catch my drift.

He drowns his true feelings and only with a healthy dose of alcohol can he bring himself to be attracted to women. Of course, he’s gorgeous so he has no lack of women willing to give him a try.

When his friend Billy Balew (From Knight of Ocean Avenue) asks him to keep an eye on his new company while he and Shaz go on their honeymoon, he takes a bit to sober up. He also gets the required physical to be on the company insurance and finds out he has a mitral defect in his heart which might or might not be serious.

Unfortunately, stress is a trigger for his disease, and after having met Ken (his cardiologist) at Shaz and Billy’s wedding and falling instantly in lust with the man, stress is his pretty constant companion. No woman can compete with the man who looks like every fantasy he’s ever had.

Ken, meanwhile, is trying to keep his family happy by finding himself a proper Japanese boy to marry. But he can’t help but be attracted to everyone but the men his mother finds for him.

There is a bit of drama with Ken’s most recent dating companion and Jim also struggles with his orientation and desire to do the right thing by getting involved with a woman who makes his dad happy, can help Billy’s business grow, and who he likes but still can never be attracted to more than a friend.

Finally, when Jim’s health takes a turn for the worse, Jim is forced to be true to himself and to Ken. Ken, when faced with losing Jim also realizes he can’t be who his mother wants – not if he wants to be happy.

**

Tara Lain is an amazingly gifted writer. She manages to create these wonderfully developed and engaging characters that just pull you into the story from the get-go.

It’s always hard to follow up a well-received book (like Knight of Ocean Avenue) and not have it compared less favorably.

While I enjoyed this book very much, I found the lack of time spent together (Jim and Ken are only together sporadically throughout the book) and the other people dating our MCs were a turn off for me. Though the sex we read about happens between Ken and Jim, the fact that Constance and Miki got so much page time was hard to read at times.

Though I really, really loved Ken and Jim as a couple and I absolutely saw the attraction from Jim’s eyes, I didn’t feel nearly as connected to Ken or fully understand his attraction to Jim nearly as well.

I appreciated the happy place everyone ended, but I wish there had been a bit more between Jim’s deciding to be truthful, Ken deciding to brave his family and the “ILY” at the end.

Still and all, it was a fantastic book and I really enjoyed it. I cannot wait for the next in the series, Ru is a great character and I know he’ll get a great book!

(Giant Kudos for the cover – super hot!)

4.5 of 5 hearts

4.5

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Red Dirt Heart by N.R. Walker

NR Walker presents  http://www.amazon.com/Red-Dirt-Heart-Book-ebook/dp/B00IKGXWYC/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1408388771&sr=1-1&keywords=red+dirt+heart

 

red dirt heartBlurb

Welcome to Sutton Station: One of the world’s largest working farms in the middle of Australia – where if the animals and heat don’t kill you first, your heart just might.

Charlie Sutton runs Sutton Station the only way he knows how; the way his father did before him. Determined to keep his head down and his heart in check, Charlie swears the red dirt that surrounds him – isolates him – runs through his veins.

American agronomy student Travis Craig arrives at Sutton Station to see how farmers make a living from one of the harshest environments on earth. But it’s not the barren, brutal and totally beautiful landscapes that capture him so completely.

It’s the man with the red dirt heart.

Review:

(From Previous Site)

Charlie Sutton is a closeted gay rancher in Australia, living on his newly inherited Sutton Station, 3 hours from civilization, with no hope of ever having a relationship or even any hook-ups.

Travis Craig is an agronomy student who comes to Sutton Station to compare agriculture practices in the Australian desert with those of the deserts of Texas. What he ends up finding is love.

It takes awhile for Charlie to admit his attraction and then the two must struggle with Charlie’s fear of being outed combined with his fear that Travis will never want to stay out in the boonies with him for any length of time.

I love NR Walker and this book is one of my favorites. God, Charlie is a mess! He is so filled with shame that his father instilled in him, but also so much stubbornness that he won’t bow to those ways of thinking. The relationship between him and Travis is so slow moving that when they finally do get together it’s like fireworks! The slow burn was exquisite.

Travis is his perfect counterpart to Charlie: open, loving, out, smiling all the time, hyperactive, a doer not a thinker. He gets along with everyone and when he is stuck out in the summer desert, lost and injured, he finds out just how important he is to everyone he has met, not just Charlie.

NR Walker does emotion so well – the aching with love, hopeless yet exalted at the same time. Charlie makes you want to cry and hug him, then smack him upside the head when he turns around and shoots himself in the foot (metaphorically speaking).

Travis just makes you smile, and makes you so glad Charlie found him. Really, a one in a million chance of finding happiness, stumbling into your life.

I highly, highly recommend this book and you will be so glad to know that the sequel is also out, so the greatness continues – no waiting necessary.

I give it a 6 out 5 hearts – it was amazing!

amazing

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You are the Reason (The Tav book 2) by Renae Kaye

Dreampsinner Presents http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6715

YouAreTheReasonBlurb

Davo’s a pretty average guy. He has a decent job, owns his own home, and spends his weekends at the pub. He fully accepts that he’s gay, but doesn’t want to be one of those gays, who are femme and girly. He likes football and other masculine pursuits, and firmly avoids anything that could be seen as femme—including relationships that last beyond fifteen minutes.

Then Davo’s friend and gay idol not only gets a boyfriend, but also adopts a baby girl. Davo is seriously spooked and scuttles down to the pub in fright. That’s where he meets Lee, who is cute from her cherry-red hair, to her pretty little dress and pointy red shoes. Davo is charmed—but how is that possible? He’s gay. Isn’t he? Then Lee tells him he’s actually a guy—he just likes to wear women’s dresses occasionally. Thoroughly confused about an attraction that’s out of character for him, Davo begins the long journey to where he can accept himself without caring what everyone else thinks.

Review

Davo, whom we met in Blinded by the light, has a motto. “I’m gay but not a pussy”. After years of being told not to be a fag by an abusive coach (meaning don’t be weak, or slow, or last….) his teenage brain decides that “femme” equals weak and though it must be okay to be gay (because he can’t deny that part of himself) he can avoid and deny anything remotely feminine or girly or sweet in his personality.

One night at the bar he meets a delightful “woman” named Lee. The two laugh and giggle and hit on men together and then end up in a drunken heap together. It turns out Lee is the first “woman” Davo has ever been “attracted to”.

When it turns out that Lee is in fact a cross-dresser, a man, Davo is stunned. But compelled. He’d almost lost his mind at the idea that he was attracted to a woman, but being attracted to one of “those gays” was almost worse – in his mind.

Lee is a saint. He patiently works through each and every one of Davo’s eccentric beliefs and falsehoods until he finds the heart of gold at the center.

Davo does his part – he vows to have an open mind and trust the attraction that lies between them.

Finally, as the last hurdle falls, the two find their HEA.

**
I just loved this! I loved how “simple” Davo made things, and how Renae used the subtle use of his name Davo/Dave to drive home simple, important points.

I thought giving us a break from the homophobic parents was fabulous! But instead showing how internalized other forms of prejudice can affect us – maybe even more than parents.

I thought the baby stuff was hysterical! And again it was so well “shown”. Davo’s softer side peeking out time and again and him seeing the blessing that embracing “the girly” side can be.

Of course it was fabulous to catch up with Patty-cake and Jake – aren’t they still fun!
Jake as a parent leaving the baby alone for the first time was a hoot! But seeing Patrick hurt when Maxine didn’t “love him as much” was heart-breaking.

Another absolutely brilliant plot point was the explanation of pheromones. I have no idea how “scientifically true” it is – but it sounds very plausible. It allowed me to fully engage in the idea that our uber-gay Davo could find a “woman” attractive and was a beautifully executed explanation to this seemingly impossible plot device. Bravo!

The only – very small- niggle of imperfection I saw was the very odd girlfriend scene with Thor and the handcuffs. It seemed way out there. I’m hoping it was merely another example of stereotypes gone wrong – having a female predator- but it felt so out of place given the rest of the story that it threw me for a loop for a minute.

Otherwise it was a practically-perfect-in-every-way novel – just what I’ve come to expect and love from Renae Kaye each time I read her books.

6 of 5 hearts

amazing

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All Man (Top Me Maybe? book 2) by Jay Northcote

Jaybird Press Presents

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B013KAQU6O

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B013KAQU6O

AllMan_coverBlurb:

“You’re the sleek little sports car to my Land Rover.”

From the moment Gareth walks through the door of the salon to fit some new sinks, Jules can’t take his eyes off him. Jules has always been attracted to men who are his polar opposite, so burly Gareth is Jules’s fantasy man.

At the weekend, Jules gets into a tough situation with another bloke in a gay club and Gareth comes to his aid. Gareth rejects Jules’s subsequent advances but leaves him with the hope that his attraction isn’t completely one-sided. Fantasy could become reality.

With Gareth’s work at the salon nearly done, he’ll soon disappear from Jules’s life for good. Time is running out. Jules needs to prove to Gareth that he’s tougher than he looks and that his feelings run deeper than gratitude.

Excerpt:

“Hi.” Jules grinned down at the bloke lying on his back under the basins, taking a moment to admire the very respectable looking bulge in his jeans. “Gareth isn’t it? Fancy another cup of tea?”
Jules knew full well the man’s name was Gareth. It had been imprinted in his memory since Gareth, in all his bear-like glory, had stepped through the front door of the hairdressing salon that morning. He’d introduced himself, and Julian had been smitten on sight.
“Oh, yeah. That’d be great, thanks, Julian.”
“You can call me Jules.” Jules tried not to flutter his eyelashes, but he thought they probably did it without his permission. Big, butch blokes like Gareth always brought out the femme in him—it was how he reacted when he was nervous and excited. The more masculine they were, the more camp he got, even when he tried to tone it down.
Gareth didn’t seem to mind, though.
“Okay, Jules.” He gave Jules another one of his surprisingly sweet smiles before getting back to whatever he was doing with the pipes under the new sink he was installing.
Jules hummed happily to himself as he pottered around the cramped little kitchen in the back of the salon, waiting for the kettle to boil. He lined up four mugs and put in instant coffee for Shelley and Tyler and tea bags for Gareth and himself. He added a sweetener for Shelley—who was on a diet again—one sugar to his mug, and two for Gareth, remembering that was how Gareth took his tea.
Jules had carefully stored away every little detail about Gareth so they’d be there to mull over later. He grinned as a surge of excitement made his heart lift. It was always fun having a crush. Gareth was probably straight so it was bound to be unrequited, but a bit of eye candy made the day so much brighter.
He took Shelley and Tyler their drinks first and then went back for his and Gareth’s so he had the excuse to linger for a moment after delivering it.
“I’ll put it up here on the shelf,” he told Gareth. “Don’t let it get cold.”
Gareth was still on his back under the sinks, rattling around with a spanner or a wrench or something. Jules had no idea. His expertise was more with a different type of tool.
Gareth’s T-shirt had ridden up where his body was twisted, but his face was out of sight, so Jules took the opportunity to blatantly admire his hairy stomach. He was solid, not gym ripped lean, but not chubby either. He was all muscle and man. Jules tilted his head and sighed appreciatively. He really was the perfect bear.
“Jules, stop daydreaming and come sweep up for me, you slacker.” Tyler’s voice was light and teasing.
Jules glared at him, ignoring the flush that swept up his neck to his cheeks. “Yeah, yeah.”
Tyler grinned. He clearly knew exactly what Jules was daydreaming about. But the lucky bastard had Duncan—his own personal bear—at home, so he could sod off. Jules had to take his kicks where he could get them, and if that meant ogling Gareth, then so be it. He’d definitely be starring in Jules’s wank fantasies tonight.
Jules took one last peek at Gareth’s package and wondered what his cock looked like. Shame he’d never get a chance to find out.

Review

This is a super short, super cute story of boy meets boy, boy kisses boy and happily ever after. There is a very little angst. A little hot sex and some pretty sweet moments.

Jay’s writing is, as always, excellent and the characters are unique and well developed.

There wasn’t enough story here for me to feel great about Jules and Gareth as a couple. It does look like they’re headed for forever. I would have really liked to see the story longer so we could explore Jules’ attack/reaction more. I loved Gareth’s character and would have loved to see more of his nurturing side explored as well.

This was like a delightful bite of rich cake, only enough to tantalize and make you wish for more, extremely enjoyable nonetheless.

4.5 of 5 hearts

4.5

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Author Bio:

Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England, with her husband, two children, and two cats.
She comes from a family of writers, but she always used to believe that the gene for fiction writing had passed her by. She spent years only ever writing emails, articles, or website content. One day, she decided to try and write a short story–just to see if she could–and found it rather addictive. She hasn’t stopped writing since.

http://www.jaynorthcote.com

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Nobody’s Hero (Leting Go #1) by j. leigh bailey

Carina Press Presents
http://ebooks.carinapress.com/B9422DDB-905A-48AC-9DAB-139FAFA19E40/10/134/en/ContentDetails.htm?ID=4D8BC2E8-BBCB-4349-B55E-61151B9F5E81

nobody's heroBlurb

Bradley Greene’s family all but discarded him when his brother caught him fooling around with another boy. Now Bradley has seventeen dollars and a gas card, and he’s sleeping in his car. He’s an emotional mess and if he doesn’t land a job soon, he’s up the proverbial creek.

Danny Ortega can take care of himself…most of the time. When what started as a date turns into sexual assault in a dark parking lot, he’s grateful for Brad’s help—and an instant admirer of Brad’s military school-honed muscles. He certainly doesn’t expect to see him again, and definitely not as the newest hire at Ortega Construction.

As Brad and Danny’s quiet attraction turns into more, things start to go sour before they’ve even started. Danny grows frustrated that Brad won’t open up emotionally. And Brad is terrified of being responsible for someone else’s feelings. When Brad’s family makes one last attempt to turn him into an “acceptable” son, all bets are off—he and Danny will need to decide if they’re in this together…or apart.

Review

Brad’s family has sent him off to military school to “get the gay gone” and essentially written him off, even when his brother attacks his ex-boyfriend and almost kills him. Brad runs away to Minnesota to go to school, determined to be free of them. He’s got pennies to his name but a strong work ethic.

Danny is on a “date” set up by his brother when the “date” gets a little to handsy. Brad happens to intervene and the two share some dessert as a thanks for the rescue. Brad doesn’t want any distractions right now, so he turns down a second date.

Brad manages to land a job and an apartment right away, as it happens, with Danny’s dad’s construction firm.

At first Brad pushes the out and proud Danny away, afraid of setting off any bells and losing his only work and home, but Danny can’t be resisted.

When things start going missing and vandals attack the work sites where Brad happens to be, Brad pulls away from Danny and prepares for the worst.

When the worst happens, Brad agrees to help his family and “be a good boy” again, by leaving Danny behind.

**

This was such a sweet story. Danny is wonderful! He and his family are the exact opposite of Brad and his. It’s fabulous how they all support one another and by extension Brad.

I got a little sick of Brad’s behavior where it concerned Danny – he didn’t deserve it – but in the end the very sappy and sweet ending made it all worth it.

4.5 of 5 hearts

4.5

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Redesigning Max by Pat Henshaw

Dreamspinner Presents http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6690

RedesigningMaxBlurb

Renowned interior designer Fredi Zimmer is surprised when outdoorsman Max Greene, owner of Greene’s Outdoors, hires Fredi to revamp his rustic cabin in the Sierra Nevada foothills. Fredi is an out-and-proud Metro male whose contact with the outdoors is from his car to the doorway of the million-dollar homes he remodels, and Max is just too hunky for words.

When Max comes on to Fredi, the designer can’t imagine why. But he’s game to put a little spice into Max’s life, even if it’s just in the colors and fixtures he’ll use to turn Max’s dilapidated cabin into a showplace. Who can blame a guy for adding a little sensual pleasure as he retools Max’s life visually?

Max, for his part, is grateful when Fredi takes him in hand, both metaphorically and literally. Coming out is the most exciting and wonderful time in his life, despite the conservative former friends who think they’re saving him from sliding into hell.

Review

Fredi is a famous architect and designer, he’s asked by Max to re-design his cabin in the woods that he’s recently inherited.

Fredi is out and proud, swishy at times and not afraid to “gay it up”. Max is a big, bearish, lumber-jack type who is socially awkward and shy. Fredi is so attracted to the guy but then thinks he could get pummeled for the attraction by the “obviously straight” Max.

Meanwhile, Max simply doesn’t know how to act on his feelings, so he keeps screwing up and making Fredi upset. Finally, the two talk and pretty much from that point forward the relationship is set.

The rest of the story is about the town accepting them and their new relationship status.

**

I really, really enjoyed the first book in this series and I enjoy Pat Henshaw’s writing very much. I loved both MCs and thought the OFY and all the co-incidences the two men encountered were charming (if unbelievable).

What didn’t work for me: 1) that all the sex was off page or suggested at 2) that we never understood why ALL of Max’s family is dead, suddenly 3) the strangely violent reactions (Boner, the knife and the arson)

I really wanted more relationship building and less town drama, more sex and less violence and a bit more from Max’s POV. (Max is a GAY VIRGIN!  I really wanted to explore that with the couple and even his first kiss was sort of just mentioned rather than experienced.)

I still enjoyed this and for fans of the first book I’d recommend this one as well. It’s a standalone, no need to read book one, but it’s nice if you have.

3.5 of 5 hearts

3.5

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Julia Talbot’s Full Moon Dating Series

Amazon Digital Services Presents http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=Julia+Talbot+Full+Moon+Dating&rh=n%3A133140011%2Ck%3AJulia+Talbot+Full+Moon+Dating

Book 1  Aiden and Ben

aiden benBlurb

When Aiden goes to Wyoming on the dime of the Full Moon Dating service, he doesn’t really think he and country wolf Ben will be right for each other. He just wants some time off from city life.

Ben knows better right away. He and Aiden are meant to be together, despite Aiden’s city ways and cluelessness about being a werewolf. Can he convince Aiden to stay with him, or will Ben, and Full Moon Dating have to write this one off as a mistake?

Review

This is the first book in the series, so we get to meet not only the two MCs Aiden and Ben, but Harve, Stone and Ades – the folks at the service who match these unlikely men.

Ben is a tough, Alpha, strong wolf from the country. Aiden is a small, arty, city wolf who is not in touch with his animal side as much.

When Aiden and Ben meet, the mating instinct is strong, but Aiden doesn’t know how to handle all the new feelings – so he runs. Ben always catches him and helps him to understand – and in the end they get their HEA.

**

One of the things I really like about Julia Talbot’s shifter series is that her shifters are so animalistic at times. Not in a crude or sexy way, but in how they view the world. It’s awesome! So many shifter stories use the animal side to say “Mine!” and that’s the extent of it. So when Aiden runs away because he’s frightened, Ben doesn’t get all emo about it, he just goes to him like an older animal schooling a younger and soothes him, understanding his anxiety without human ego getting in the way.

What I didn’t like was all the spanking. I wish there wasn’t so much spanking in these books. But… the rest was awesome!

3.5 of 5 hearts

3.5

Book 2 Evgeny and Feng

ev and fengBlurb

Tiger shifter Evgeny worries that he’ll never find a lover who can stand up to his sheer size and strength. He’s scared off more than one man, which is why he turns to Harve and Stone at Full Moon Dating. He wants someone who can deal with his tiger self and not run away.

Acrobat and snow leopard Feng is all over Ev’s physicality. He’s used to working without a net, so he’s not afraid of anything Ev can dish out. Especially since Feng finds Ev far gentler than anyone would expect. They’re determined to make a two-city love affair work, so when Feng disappears, Ev will move heaven and earth to find him.

Review

This is tied for my favorite in the series! Feng is an acrobat and Ev is an artist. Ev has a hard time meeting men who can stand up to his fierce Tiger, even other shifters.

Feng is hyper and needs someone to ground him. Together they find they are perfect matches.

Most of this book is fun exploration of Santa Fe and sex, but there is a brief moment of angst when Feng is hurt and Ev must find him… so scary! But a very HEA.

What I liked most was how much fun these guys had together and NO SPANKING! Yay!

4.5 of 5 hearts

4.5

Book 3 Coy and Denver

coy denverBlurb

Coy is a big city werewolf who heads to mountain Colorado on the word of the team at Full Moon Dating, a paranormal dating service. He’s not sure Denver Allen is the vamp for him, but it can’t hurt to take a vacation and get a little hot loving in the process.

Denver knows Coy is the one for him when they meet, but there’s the whole issue of who the ultimate predator is between them. There’s also the problem of all that biting. Can Denver and Coy work out their troubles before it’s too late for both of them?

Review

Denver gets signed up by his butler for the dating service and is very skeptical at first that anything positive will come from the date.  Coy, once he meets Denver, pretty much agrees, two more different people couldn’t possibly exist.

But of course, our team at Full Moon Dating has it right and pretty soon Denver and Coy are biting and sexing it up with the best of them.

When Coy accidentally ingests too much of Denver’s blood and begins to burn up inside, experts are called in to see if it can be fixed and a surprising result ends in a HEA.

**

I loved this book as much as Ev and Feng’s story.  It’s terribly sweet under all the raunchy sex and the ending is wonderful.

4.5 of 5 hearts

4.5

Book 4 Gage and Hamish

gage hamishBlurb

Cat shifter Gage is an impossible bottom. No one has ever been able to tame him, even if he wants them to. He’s willing to keep trying, though, and when he finds out about the paranormal dating site Full Moon Dating, he puts himself in their hands. He longs for someone who will take him in hand and make him like it.

Hamish is a bear shifter who plays too rough for most subs. Gage sounds like just what he needs, so when Full Moon matches them up, he’s happy to see how they get along. Can he convince Gage that he’s the one to make the man toe the line?

Review

Gage is a slinky, bratty cat shifter who wants to be dominated but only after he fights for it. Hamish looks like a big softie but he likes to be the dominator.

There is a lot of spanking and the two realize they are a great match, but only after Gage runs several times and Hamish has to “punish him” to make him feel wanted.

**

This was my least favorite in the series. It was too short to feel connected to the MCs and had far too much BDSM in it for my personal taste.

On the upside I loved seeing more about Harve and Stone (the guys behind the scene), they are absolutely adorable!

2.5 of 5 hearts

2.5

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Yellowbelly Hero by Susan Laine

Dreamspinner Presents

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6700

YellowbellyHeroBlurb

Heroes at Heart: Book One

Yancy Bell was bullied in high school for being a yellowbelly, not because of any cowardice, but because of his nervous bladder condition. It’s Yancy’s first year in college, and he’s hoping to make a fresh start.

Three days before Christmas, the campus is empty. Having to pee on a midwinter night leads Yancy to meet Curt Donovan huddled in a dark shower stall. Curt’s a troubled jock whose coming out went badly, so he plans to end it all.

But Yancy adamantly refuses to let Curt go through with his irrevocable plan. With just one dark night to talk Curt around, Yancy has to win the trust of a stranger who only sees one way out.

Review

This is a short story (and I think most of my objections to this book stem from that aspect) about a boy who finds another guy in the communal bathroom in the middle of the night, acting strangely.

Yancy goes to the bathroom frequently due to a condition he has (nervous bladder) and so it’s not strange that he’s there at 2 am. What is strange is there is someone hiding in the shower stall. (For whatever reason or instinct) Yancy is compelled to ask after the guy until he proves that “he’s okay”.

The guy isn’t okay. He’s contemplating suicide since his father has disowned him for being gay.

He and Yancy end up bonding then making out and things are looking up for both of them by the end.

**

I really liked the premise of this. I think that suicide in young adults has to be something so difficult to deal with and I really appreciated the comments Yancy made. Something to the effect that making these kids feel guilty for wanting to end their pain wasn’t a very helpful motivation.

I know that short stories have to do a lot with few words, but there were some plot holes that just kept me from being fully invested in this story.

First, why did the admittedly not brave Yancy persist in investigating the guy in the shower?

Second, without a lot of explanation, why did Curt allow himself to flip so far out in the first place, recover so quickly, then immediately jump into dating? I didn’t get a good feel for Curt but he’s sort of reticent in demeanor but his actions are all over the map. I think if he’d been more of a drama queen his actions would have fit better since he was so quick to bounce from thing to thing to thing.

I think with a few modifications those plot holes could have been explained away and even with a short story the emotions the author were trying to portray could have worked.

The writing was good and the idea compelling but the end result wasn’t as satisfying as I’d have wanted it. Perhaps making this into longer could give it more depth and make it a more plausible story.

3 of 5 hearts

3

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Resurrecting Elliot by Cate Ashwood

Dreamspinner Presents http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6661

ResurrectingElliotBlurb

Nightmares and panic attacks following a horrific tragedy leave Professor Elliot Lawrence a prisoner in his own home. After months of relying on his sister as his only connection to the outside world, Elliot is desperate for a sliver of independence. But leaving the safety of his home isn’t an option, not yet, and he reaches out in the most innocuous way he can think of: grocery delivery.

Colton Kelly, retired porn star and recent college grad, is struggling at two minimum wage jobs to make ends meet. During one of his grocery deliveries, he meets Elliot. Although the attraction between them is instant, they must first traverse the long road of putting Elliot back together. When disaster strikes yet again, this time in Colt’s life, Elliot’s not sure he’s strong enough to be the man Colt needs him to be.

Review

Colt delivers groceries while trying to get a job teaching and hoping to stay out of porn for good. (We met him in Keeping Sweets – the super nice guy who helped Evan while Bran was “thinking”.)

Elliot witnessed a student suicide in his classroom and now can’t function normally due to crippling anxiety. When Colt delivers his groceries one day there is an instant attraction that blossoms into romance.

**

First – I loved Keeping Sweets. I was psyched for Colt’s story, he always seemed like such a nice guy!

Second – I love porn/ex porn stories because you usually get hot sex and someone who is really looking to find something more meaningful in their life.

Third – I love books about shy/anxious/nerdy types who need that out-going person to help them break from their shell, finding all the lovely hidden layers.

I was so disappointed by this book. Colt’s career is almost a non-issue and though there are a couple of references to his friends and a “maybe I’ll have to go back because I’m broke” moment – it really doesn’t factor into things. I was worried Elliot would be prudish about Colt being such a public figure, but they barely even discuss the issue and it just goes away.

Colt’s career as a high school teacher seems particularly far-fetched for a former porn star. Sure – it could happen – maybe??? But it would have to be a HUGE stumbling block for him – not just his inexperience. The ex-career more than the inexperience would have made for a far more believable plot device.

I wasn’t sure what to make of Elliot’s anxiety/illness/PTSD situation. I had a really big issue with his therapist and that plot point as well as his entire recovery. I’m not sure his responses seemed at all consistent – letting a stranger into his house and immediately befriending him while being unable to step outside then going from that to jumping on a plane… it seemed a bit inconceivable.

I generally like Cate Ashwood’s work so this was a bit of a letdown. I loved the premise on so many levels and I don’t think any of them played well. I also wish we’d seen more from the guys from Sweets and that the career had either been dealt with more or more realistically.

The writing was good and Elliot was sweet and Colt as kind as ever, but I can’t say the story was very good.

2.75 of 5 hearts

3

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Crossroads by Riley Hart

Riley Hart Presents http://www.amazon.com/Crossroads-Riley-Hart-ebook/dp/B012BTIZPY/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1438279950&sr=1-1&keywords=crossroads+riley

 

crossroadsBlurb

After divorcing the woman he’d been with since he was seventeen, Nick Fuller is starting over. He owns the restaurant of his dreams and he’s determined to meet new people, find new passions, and experience life to its fullest. Easier said than done—that is until he meets his new neighbor, Bryce Tanner…

Bryce is all about a good time. He plans to show Nick how it’s done, help him meet a few women, and enjoy the gift of the single life he’s been given. But things don’t go as planned, and soon they realize they’d rather be together than with anyone else.

Neither man has ever wanted another guy, but there’s a connection between them from the start—a spark they can’t deny. They find themselves navigating an unfamiliar new world and dealing with unforeseen obstacles. Physical desire isn’t enough, and now Nick and Bryce are at a crossroads. They have to decide which way to go: the easy path they’ve always followed, or the one that’s determined to trip them up at every turn.

(Fabulous Fan Art from Karrie Jax!)

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Review

Nick is newly divorced. He married his high school sweetheart (despite his mother’s objections) and was married (happily?) for 17 years before he found out his wife had been cheating. Now he’s moving on and moved into a duplex of his own.

Bryce is a player, always with a different woman, until lately. His recent health run pushed him into the arms of his best friend. When they realized (after the health crisis is resolved) that they were better as friends than lovers, Bryce is stuck with a family who will be disappointed at yet another failed relationship.

Bryce and Nick become neighbors and fast friends. Bryce is convinced Nick will be happier once he finds a new woman. The only problem is, the more time they spend together, the more neither wants a woman.

**

Double GFY people! Yes! It sounds so fantastical, but it is SO WELL DONE! Riley Hart is an amazing writer and she absolutely manages to pull this off.

She spends a lot of time building the relationship (as friends) between the two guys and then showing us that with an open mind (and an open heart) the two can explore their feelings for one another physically as well as emotionally.

I loved the similar yet different reactions each man received from their families. Though Nick had only ever been with one person, his feelings for Bryce follow a similar pattern and it’s totally reasonable that his mother would think he’s jumping the gun again. It’s also fair that Bryce’s family would think his impetuosity is throwing him into another doomed to fail relationship.

But… both men are being true to their authentic selves. Just like the motorcycles, Bryce KNEW Nick was THE ONE. And just like his cooking Nick knows his own heart and has to trust it where it concerns Bryce.

The sex is OFF THE CHARTS hot! But … so is the love. These guys aren’t afraid to reach for one another emotionally and it’s so very sweet and tender.

I loved this book – gave myself a book hangover as I had to read it all in one sitting because I couldn’t put it down at 2 a.m.

I can’t recommend this enough!

6 of 5 hearts

amazing

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