BLURB: Duke Webb has run the most successful bail recovery agency in Atlanta for over twenty years. Thatās because he has a team of trained, competent hunters backing him up to keep his name feared on the streets. But Duke knows that nothing can go on forever. His hunters are in committed relationships and ready to settle down, and so is he. Thatās what leads him to start his new training program.
āThatās the new vision for Dukes. Veterans operating and tracking behind the scenes with a new powerhouse apprehension team on the streets.ā
Brian and Quick are the first to offer up two new recruits.
Kellam Knight has studied martial arts under his sensei, Quick, since he was eight years old. A tossed-out reject from high-society, Kell has a problem fighting on the right side of the law. If he sees an injustice, he has to correct it. He doesnāt have to run and cower from his enemies anymore, heās a fighter who can protect himself and others. When Quick offers Kell the opportunity to join Dukeās training program, heās all in. Except heās not prepared for the straight, over-confident, extremely disciplined, sexy man Brian has recruited to be his partner.
Tyrell Jenkinsā world was flipped upside down when his father never returned home from his last deployment. Heād been Tyās teacher, mentor, his guide to living a righteous life as a good man. His father didnāt raise him to be like every other young, stereotypical male in Atlanta. Instead, heās been taught to be respectful, to speak the language of real men. When Brian King ā his fatherās most trusted comrade ā finally comes to him with the truth, he doesnāt come alone. He comes with trained men hidden in the shadowsā¦ and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join a brotherhood unlike any other.
This installment is a part of a series and contains previously mentioned characters, but CAN standalone. Each book centers around a new couple.
This book ends in a HEA. NO cliffhanger.
REVIEW: Oh my goodness. This bookāas usualāwas absolutely amazing. The characters, storylines and dialogue was top notch. But then again, this is nothing new as this author consistently churns out high quality work.
The author did something a little different this time in that an African American MC was featured. And he was DIVINE. But Iāll come back to him in a bit. Let me get into the other MC firstāKellam Knight.
KellamāKellāis this interesting mixture of innocence and compassion. Heās a deadly warrior whoās kind and gentle. Heās vulnerable yet strong. Heās definitely a survivor. Heās extremely beautiful which he goes to great lengths to cover. The many ways in which she was able to make him this complex character with so much depth to him was absolutely brilliant.
Now back to Tyrell JenkinsāTy. Tyās outward appearance belies his personality. Many would look at this young black man in expensive clothes and dismiss him as a criminal even though he doesnāt present himself as such. Ty is a man with honor and principles. He constantly draws on and applies the teachings of his late father to live by. Ty is a righteous man. A loving and honorable man. He lives his life by a moral code of conduct and principles thatās been taught to him by his father. A man who works hard to ensure that his mother is well taken care of. He is a man who is comfortable within his own skin. When he first realized that he was falling for another man, he didnāt flinch or question it too much. He just went with it, realizing that love transcends gender and race. Her portrayal of this black man gave me so much LIFE. So much needed life, at that. What Miss Lady did was take all of those ridiculous stereotypes thatās usually attributed to black men, balled it up and threw it straight in the trash where it belonged. And it was GLORIOUS.
Ty and Kellās love story was a beautifully written thing. It wasnāt based on lust. Theirs was a subtle build to perfection. Ty courted Kell. Like old school courted him. Thatās what makes their relationship so pleasurable to read. These men fell in love with each other based on their hearts and minds instead of their flesh. That came later.
What I also enjoyed with this book was how spiritual both men were. They werenāt religious but they were spiritual in that they believed in a higher power.
I could go on and on about how beautifully written this book and these characters are. If I could give this book a ten star rating, I would do it.
This womxyn comes up with the most fabulous creations every single time she put her fingers on that keyboard.
As always, went into the kitchen and put her foot in the damn pot. And this time, she did it for the culture.
BLURB: Tai wishes Master Lucas wasnāt such an adamant Top, but heās also crushing on the sweetly submissive Elliot. Could he have it both ways?
Tai has hit a wall in life. From all outward appearances, heās the guy who has everythingālooks, personality and money. But the modeling gigs are drying up and he still hasnāt found that special someone to call his own. The part-time work at Kiss of Leather is quickly becoming full-time to prevent the drain on his dream-business savings.
Elliot fell for the stunning Tai from almost the moment he met him. If he wasnāt so self-conscious about the weight heās recently put on, maybe he could work up the nerve to make a move. However, not only is he a virgin whoās never done a scene before working in a BDSM club, but heās also sure that Tai has a thing for Master Lucas. Thereās no way he could ever compete with the handsome silver fox.
When Master Lucas confesses to Tai that he doesnāt only see him as a hookup and offers him a contract, there are a ton of considerations. They both realize that serious compromises would have to be made for them to have a relationship. But what if they found a third, a sub who could bottom for Tai and also do TPE with Master Lucas? Once the idea takes hold, Tai knows just the perfect boy for them both. Even better? Heās right there at Kiss of Leather, and Tai canāt wait for Elliot to turn them all into a throuple.
Reader Advisory: This book contains a scene of assault, and attempted sexual assault.
Tai is not a total Sub and I see how that wouldāve strained the relationship between him and Lucas who is a total Dom. Lucas was aware of this and I think that was one of the factors of him being agreeable to bringing Elliot into the fold. Elliot is a complete sub and is the perfect man for them. I truly feel that heās the important link that holds them all together.
These characters, as the case with all of her characters are so well and clearly written; the contrasts between them is always a pleasure to read. I love that she makes the reader see more to Taiās character than just him being a brainless, rich, pretty boy, part time submissive. Elliot is sweet and shy but he has a strength to him that he doesnāt realize he has and Lucas is a Dom but heās not hard or heartless or perfect. Thatās also whatās great about this series: she doesnāt make her Doms these hard, heartless men who never makes mistakes. These men are Doms but they are loving and caring and far from perfect. What I also love about this author is that her characters are from all racial, ethnic, orientation, socioeconomic groups. Her books are wonderfully diverse and she writes them all respectfully pretty much dispelling the myth that itās impossible to write diverse characters without stereotyping them.
Now, as with all of her characters, these men are themselves flawed and you see them deal with issues of physical, mental and sexual abuse. I like how she writes how these men get through those issues with help and with men who help them heal. And what I love about all of her books in general, this series, this books in particular, she doesnāt make these men superheroes, meaning, she doesnāt have the Doms heal their subs in one book. Itās an ongoing and long process that she shows spanning several books with the timeline being years.
This book was wonderful and I look forward to reading more.
BLURB: Master Captain Theodore Gourdin has always loved the ocean. But his devotion to maritime life left little possibility for a long-term relationship. After two failed marriages, Theo gave up on finding the person who completed him and decided the sea was his soul mate. When offered the opportunity to captain the newly launched mega yacht Eternity, Theo jumped at the chance. With Eternity’s maiden voyage looming, Theo focused all his energies on hiring his crew and readying his ship. The last thing he expected was to finally lose his heart in the process.
After twelve years at sea, First Officer Heath Rawlins was restless and in need of a change. A gay seaman’s life could be a lonely one, but to Heath the positives far outweighed the negatives. With excellent recommendations and an impressive resume, he was quickly offered a position on the private mega yacht Eternity. Heath’s heart skipped several beats when he finally met the ship’s captain. He was handsome and charming. And… familiar? Had they met somewhere before? Highly unlikely. But as smitten as Heath was with the gorgeous captain, everything inside him screamed, Abandon ship! Rough seas ahead!
REVIEW: This is another well written book by Scotty Cade. The story grabbed my attention with the very beginning. The prologue was a little heartbreaking. Set in a different time (1942), the story is about two men, one who, named Edward, unfortunately, has just lost the love of his life, Steven. But at the prologueās end, sadly, Edward also passes away. Then the story flashes forward to the present time and gives us Heath and Theo. Heath to me seems to me to be a bit of a restless spirit or at least unhappy in his current job. He makes the decision to leave his current position and is quickly offered another one on a luxury yacht. Itās here that he meets Theo.
I absolutely loved the premise of this story. Everything about this book is so vivid and bright. I canāt describe it any other way. The authorās writing style is amazing. I was completely immersed in this story. His descriptions of the yacht, the crewās lives, the weather, everything. As Iāve stated in past reviews of this authorās work, I thought that his descriptions were wordy but have since learned that his descriptions serve an important purpose. It draws you completely into the story. Thinking back on it now, I can remember feeling like I experience the same things that the characters are experiencing. You can definitely tell that the author has a vast knowledge of being on a boat or a ship. Iāve never in my life been near a boat but by the end of that book, I felt like I had taken a pleasure cruise. I definitely appreciate his descriptions as they give you the reader, the full experience of the story being told. Not only that but I felt that I got a special treat with the twist. Wow, I did not see that one coming. I loved it all.
This book was beautifully written, which is par for the course for this author. I really appreciate his work. This authorās characters are men of a particular age so you know that youāre going to get a more mature romance. This is a signature Scotty Cade book: well written characters, wonderful plots and storylines and dialogues. You can also expect the editing to be spot on perfect. Never in any of Cadeās book have I ever found one misspelled word, poor sentence or paragraph structure or plot holes. This author definitely believes in doing research before he writes the first word of any of his books. The end result is a beautifully written, polished book.
I definitely must give a nod to the super talented Reese Dante, the cover artist. Scotty has used this artist on virtually every one of his books and I must say that the beautiful cover matches the beautiful words within.
This is a story that will linger with you long after youāve finished reading it.
BLURB: Is there a fated path we follow, or is it simply a series of coincidental events?
Police officer Kellan Howard is rumoured to have spent too much time in sub-zero temperatures, leaving him with a block of ice for a heart and women lining up to help thaw it. Mountain climbing is his only love, leaving no time for a relationship, and although meaningless sex satisfies his physical need, itās empty. When he attends a fatal traffic accident, he didnāt expect his entire life to change. Along with a final message, Kellan is offered something else from the dying man: the chance to fall in love. Kellanās never considered being with a man, but when he meets Valentino, heās instantly drawn to him.
Suffering from crippling agoraphobia, talented Italian artist Valentino has a solitary existence, only experiencing life outside the house through his partner Stuart. When their relationship comes to an abrupt end, Kellan helps ease his suffering. A deep bond binds the two men together, and the sexual tension canāt be denied, but Valentino questions if the distance between their very different lives is too much, and if they can bridge the gap by themselves.
Ballet dancer Blue has a vibrant personality which demands attention, but his humour and courageous attitude are a shield. Blueās good at making others believe in themselves, but what he needs is someone to believe in him. He could be the bridge both men are looking for, but Blueās never allowed anyone to get too close, and when Kellan and Valentino enter his life, he desperately tries to protect his heart and his secrets.
When all three meet, the chemistry is undeniable, but each have fears about moving forwards. Together, they learn love comes in many forms. It canāt be restrained or labelled, and it doesnāt always appear in the way you first imagined.
EXCERPT
āBlue!ā both Things screeched at the same time and Blue cringed. āYouāre a bunny?ā
āYeah.ā Blue sighed. Heād explained this to his sisters, like, four times over the past two days what heād be wearing for their charity event. If he wasnāt related to them and knew both his mum and dad, then heād so guess inbreeding was the cause of the Things. āYou look awesome!ā
Both twins smiled that same bright smile and turned around simultaneously. They always dressed the same, ever since they were born, well, ever since they were conceived really, so it was no surprise both Things insisted on wearing Aliceās blue dress. They looked adorable though. With their flaxen hair tied back with a black ribbon and their pale skin seemingly airbrushed over, Blue was sure theyād get tons of donations.
No one could turn down the mentally handicapped, could they?
Okay, theyād never been diagnosed with anything, but Blue was confident it would happen one day soon.
Porsche and Mercedes gave him a kiss on each cheek, then just stood thereā¦ waiting, looking right at him. Expressionless. Serene in their obliviousness.
āWhat?ā Blue looked through narrowed eyes at them.
āSoāā Porscheā¦
āWhat do weāā Mercedesā¦
āDo?ā Both!
They were living proof aliens existed! Seriously, one day some secret government agents would turn up, Area fifty-one-ing the place and taking the twins away for special tests.
Blue turned his nose up. āYouāve worked here, like, almost every day for the past year. What do you mean, what do we do? Work! Do the things you do every day.ā
Both Things cocked their heads to the left, and Blue shuddered internally seeing their Children of the Corn vacant look. One of usā¦
āOkayā¦ soā¦ā Blue stepped back and looked around at all the complicated coffee machines. āYou know, do stuff. Coffee shop stuff!ā Oh, yes, he was awesome at this managing thingy. āMake coffee!ā Yes! He totally knew what he was doing. His one-month experience at Costa was coming back to him.
Unfortunately, heād been fired from that jobā¦ Something about blowing up one of the machines or something ā Blue wasnāt really listening because he was covered in sugary foam, and that shit was hard to get out of your hair. Luckily, most of the customers and all of the staff were covered in it too, so Blue didnāt stand out as being odd.
It could have been anyoneās fault. Just because he was the one standing next to the machine and pushing all the buttons didnāt mean it was him who caused it to explode.
It totally was his fault, but stillā¦
That machine was like some sort of bomb just waiting to go off. BOOM! No warning or nothing. Well, thereād been some sort of flashing lights and buzzing, but Blue had ignored them and continued playing around with the knobs and switches.
He failed to mention that part to Shayne though.
For no reason at all.
None!
Considering his duties as supervisor done, he decided to set up three big bright yellow buckets and signs for people to leave donations in, then had some cheese on toast and a coffee. It was actually alright, so the twins had learned something in their year there. There was a constant stream of customers and Blue had to leave his coffee to help serve. Before he knew it, the morning rush was over and he set the twins up in the kitchen so they could start preparing the sandwich fillings for the next wave of hungry vultures.
As he quite obviously didnāt know what he was doing with the coffee machine, when it needed refilling, he called Thing One to come sort it out, and he took her place with Thing Two.
It was while Blue was stuffing his face with a chicken tikka toasted pita that he snuck a peek at Porsche to check she was okay. Left alone to her own devices she could do anything, or more likely, nothing!
He leaned against the door, peeking through the gap in the frame, watching her secretly. He found her standing still, vacantly lost in her own little world while she waited for another customer to come in. He was about to throw a slice of cucumber at her face to see if she was still with them, when the ringing of the doorbell chimed and she came back to reality, smiling pleasantly at whoever walked through the door.
Blue stuffed another huge helping of pita in his mouth, then choked on it seeing who had just come into the shop, coughing up chunks of un-chewed chicken tikka, and making Mercedes run to him, slapping his back really hard! Like too hard.
Crazy bitch was trying to kill him!
She must have some sort of hidden strength because she practically knocked Blue through the open fire door and into the yard outside with one hit. He was choking more because of her help. They ended up in the yard, taking part in some sort of teenage girl slapping fight while he struggled to get her off him, and she tried to save him. Blue was acting like some deranged wild blue bunny fighting for his life, and her like some crazed Alice whoād taken too much coke and was off her face, attacking random innocent bunnies.
He could see the headlines of tomorrowās papers: Alice in Wonderland Charity Event Tragedy. Two dead and more injured. How did it happen!
āFor the love of God, stop it. You’re making it worse.ā Blue leaned against the wall, rubbing his back and breathing hard. āWhat the hell is wrong with you? Do you take steroids, have you been working out, what about some sort of alien powers which have appeared as you got older? I knew you were the evil twin. I just knew. Right from birth.ā
Mercedes, AKA, Thing Two, stroked his back, cooing at him like some dove. āFeel better now?ā
āFeel better? You crazy cow! You just nearly gave me a serious spinal injury. I’m lucky I can still walk. I may need corrective surgery later in life and it will all be your fault, Xena Warrior Princess.ā She sagged her shoulders, toying with her hair and looking sheepish. Blue hugged her tightly and gave her a kiss. āOh, get back inside and finish those fillings before our Shayne gets back. I need to snoop on Porsche.ā
His only saving grace was that no one had seen him. So after grabbing a cloth to wipe his face down, he took up his secret position again, spying on his sister and the customer.
REVIEW: This is the third book in this wonderful series and gives us Blueās story. I absolutely adored Blueās personality. He and Kellanās interactions with each other in the beginning had me in tears from laughing so hard.
The beginning of the book was sad; it started off with a heartbreaking tragedy. That tragedy however, is what brings these men together. The connection that these men make was fate and Ms. Colville as usual, tells this story in the most beautiful way.
Kellan is a man whose life is flowing along familiar lines. On the outside, he appears content with his life, but lately, he’s feeling unsettled and unsatisfied with the predicable paths his life is taking. An accident changes his outlook and an odd request from the man involved changes everything for him.
Blueās character had so many layers to him. His personality takes on these interesting juxtapositions that I found fascinating. He’s flighty, yet grounded, confident and tough, yet self-conscious. He’s intelligent and funny and has a wicked tongue. He’s surrounded by friends and family who loves him yet he’s lonely.
Valentino is an artist who hasn’t been out in the world for quite some time, relying on a friend and his lover to bring the world to him. He’s content with this until his world is shattered.
Three men all on different paths in their lives. We as humans are all connected; it only takes Fate to bring us together.
This author masterfully takes her characters through every emotion: fear, longing, sorrow, grief and happiness. And she takes the reader along for the ride.
This author is absolutely brilliant. I love to read and I can honestly say that there are few masters in this genre and Nicole Colville is definitely one of them.
Take a bow, Ms. Colville. You have as usual, given the readers another masterpiece.
Welcome to the home of bittersweet M/M romances which will leave you craving more
Nicole Colville was born and currently lives in Leeds, England. She is a wife to her very understanding hubby and mother of two young girls who somehow manages to fit in being a full-time author of m/m romance and erotica into her busy home life.
She loves writing complex characters in bittersweet romances which will leave you addicted and craving more from her men
Although best known for her popular series, Hidden and Knights to Remember, she also enjoys writing with friend, and fellow author, E.M Leya. Together they have published two books in their Sinful Temptation Collection with more planned.
After divorcing the woman heād been with since he was seventeen, Nick Fuller is starting over. He owns the restaurant of his dreams and heās determined to meet new people, find new passions, and experience life to its fullest. Easier said than doneāthat is until he meets his new neighbor, Bryce Tannerā¦
Bryce is all about a good time. He plans to show Nick how itās done, help him meet a few women, and enjoy the gift of the single life heās been given. But things donāt go as planned, and soon they realize theyād rather be together than with anyone else.
Neither man has ever wanted another guy, but thereās a connection between them from the startāa spark they canāt deny. They find themselves navigating an unfamiliar new world and dealing with unforeseen obstacles. Physical desire isnāt enough, and now Nick and Bryce are at a crossroads. They have to decide which way to go: the easy path theyāve always followed, or the one that’s determined to trip them up at every turn.
(Fabulous Fan Art from Karrie Jax!)
Review
Nick is newly divorced. He married his high school sweetheart (despite his motherās objections) and was married (happily?) for 17 years before he found out his wife had been cheating. Now heās 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 itās totally reasonable that his mother would think heās jumping the gun again. Itās also fair that Bryceās family would think his impetuosity is throwing him into another doomed to fail relationship.
Butā¦ 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 ā¦ so is the love. These guys arenāt afraid to reach for one another emotionally and itās so very sweet and tender.
I loved this book ā gave myself a book hangover as I had to read it all in one sitting because I couldnāt put it down at 2 a.m.
On Perfect Harmony, the ambitious competitors heat things up on stage and offā¦
Cody Rivers is determined to be a rock star, but couch-surfing between bar shows gets old fast. Joining an a cappella group for a new singing competition show could be his last chance at real fameāunless the college boy from the heart of the country messes it up for him. Lucas Norwood is everything gothy, glittery Cody is notāconservative, clean-cut, and virginal. But when a twist in the show forces them together, even the sweetest songs get steamy as the attraction between them lights up the stage. Lucas wants to take it slow, but Codyās singing a different tuneāand this time it maybe a love songā¦
Review
Cody is the goth-hot-snarky-toppy, openly out singer and dancer that hopes to take his group to the finals in this singing competition. When he meets Lucas, the āIām gay but celibate and a virginā farm boy from Iowa, heās openly rude to him. Butā¦
He canāt help but be attracted to all that goodness and at first he views him as a challenge but later it turns into something more.
**
This is a long book, maybe a bit too long, with a lot of time spent on the actual show.
Though I wanted to love this book ā the cover rocks, the premise is awesome, and plus ā music!- yay!- I didnāt. I never felt the āloveā between Cody and Lucas. Lucas was conflicted and conflicting. He claims heās confident in his gayness, but Cody really called it when he tells Lucas heās ashamed to be gay and hiding it behind the celibacy thing.
Cody is mostly a harsh jerk throughout most of the book and even when the couple is ātenderā with one another there is an underlying meanness to it.
I guess I just never quite bonded with the characters, so I didnāt fall for their relationship and to me, thatās what I look for in a good book.
The writing was excellent and the characters were well formed, just not my cup of tea, so to speak. I may be in the minority here, so ā¦ give it a go, especially if youāre a fan of the author and music shows and gay virgins and snark.
Jamie Canning has never been able to figure out how he lost his closest friend. Four years ago, his tattooed, wise-cracking, rule-breaking roommate cut him off without an explanation. So what if things got a little weird on the last night of hockey camp the summer they were eighteen? It was just a little drunken foolishness. Nobody died.
Ryan Wesleyās biggest regret is coaxing his very straight friend into a bet that pushed the boundaries of their relationship. Now, with their college teams set to face off at the national championship, heāll finally get a chance to apologize. But all it takes is one look at his longtime crush, and the ache is stronger than ever.
Jamie has waited a long time for answers, but walks away with only more questionsācan one night of sex ruin a friendship? If not, how about six more weeks of it? When Wesley turns up to coach alongside Jamie for one more hot summer at camp, Jamie has a few things to discover about his old friend…and a big one to learn about himself.
Warning: contains sexual situations, skinnydipping, shenanigans in an SUV and proof that coming out to your family on social media is a dicey proposition.
Review
Jamie and Ryan have been friends since they were 13 and playing with one another at an Elite summer camp for up and coming hockey players. Ryan was the ābad boyā always pushing Jamieās limits, and Jamie was glad to come along for the ride.
At the end of their last summer, before college, Ryan pushes Jamie one last time and the results are disastrous. As a result they havenāt even spoken for the last four years. Now they face one another in a championship setting at the college level and Ryan is determined to mend fences.
Jamie, being the awesome guy he is, though he was hurt and confused by what happened, forgives Ryan and the two start their friendship again. This time as coaches at the same summer camp.
Over the ensuing 6 weeks of camp, Ryan canāt hide his ever present love for his best friend, and strangely Jamie is receptive.
They spend the time exploring one another with the caveat that it all has to end at the end of the summer because Ryan canāt be out in his first year as a professional hockey player and ā¦ lots of other reasons.
Butā¦ thereās a surprise waiting for youā¦ and a happy ā very, very happy- ending!
**
WOW! This has to rank as one of the best books Iāve read this year and thatās saying a LOT!
It was full of humor, sports, warm moments with teenagers, super ā I mean super duper- hot sex, tenderness and fun.
I highlighted so many phrases because the wit was outrageous!
My favorite is this:
Jamie chuckles. āYou sure you donāt want to go the bisexual path? āCause Iām pretty sure you wonāt have any trouble in the chick department.ā
āSāall good. Wouldnāt be fair to the straight guys if I threw my hat in the pussy ring. They wouldnāt stand a chance.ā
Another is:
Wes pushes his finger in deeper, rubbing that spot that makes me see stars. My prostate. Why hasnāt anyone ever told me the prostate was some kind of magical pleasure zone? Are there unicorns andĀ orgasm fairies dancing around in there?
Itās so refreshing to see the bi-curious guy just go for it. I truly believe heās an honest-to-God bisexual and thatās uncommon for this genre.
The ending was awesome ā realistic, touching, sexy and sweet.
I canāt rave about this enough and I hope this writing duo make many more books for us to enjoy!
A Premier lion shifter, Hugh Landry dedicates his life to leading the Berk pride with strength and confidence. Hundreds of people depend on Hugh for safety, success, and happiness. And at over a century old, with more power than can be contained in one body, Hugh relies on a Siphon lion shifter to carry his excess force.
When the Siphon endangers himself and therefore the pride, Hugh must pay attention to the man who has been his silent shadow for a decade. What he learns surprises him, but what he feels astounds him even more.
Two lions, each born to serve, rely on one another to survive. After years by each otherās side, theyāll finally realize the depth of their potential, the joy in their passion, and a connection their kind has never known.
Review
The book starts off with Hughās near death! Hugh, a lion shifter and Premier (head honcho) has so much energy in his body that he requires a Siphon (an extra being who can carry around the excess energy) to be near him at all times. When not near the Siphon or if the Siphon dies, the excess energy reverts back to the Premier and the overload is fatal. As a result the Siphonās life is guarded zealously. But heās not necessarily treated well, beyond that.
In this case the Siphon has been protected and yet ignored since birth, so much so that he doesnāt even have a name! His feelings of desperation and loneliness cause him to take measures into his own hands, and as a result he almost ends up killing both himself and his Premier.
Hugh finally takes notice of his Siphonās depression and starts to fix things by first giving him a name (everyone has only ever called him the Siphon), Johnnie.
What happens next is the bonding of Hugh and Johnnie and the revelation that they can mean even more to each other as mates than simply Siphon and Premier.
There are hurdles: jealous shifters want to take the Siphon both for their own and to hurt Hugh. Neither Hugh nor Johnnie know how to handle their newfound relationship and neither does the pack. But in the end we get a wonderful Cardeno happy ending that will bring tears to your eyes.
**
I just absolutely adore Cardeno C books! This is another wonderful new shifter series and I canāt wait for more! I loved the āenergyā sharing twist and the very dark, dark beginning. It was quite a contrast to the very happy and light tenor the rest of the story carries.
Johnnie is wonderfully sweet and Hugh adorably clueless. Their love is tender and sincere, the sex is hot and the story moves so quickly you wonder where the time went.
I loved this book and highly recommend it to Cardeno fans, shifter fans, and fans of sweet love stories.
6 of 5 hearts
Audio
Greg. Tremblay. Sigh.
I just love him!
He did another absolutely amazing job with this. He gives so much emotion to poor Johnnie and does a fantastic job giving Hugh just the right amount of robotic certitude (at first) then utter adoration as he discovers his deep love for Johnnie.
Itās always like diving into a movie when listening to Greg tell his tales. I know Iām going to be blown away when heās listed as the narrator and he never disappoints. When I see his name itās an auto-buy for me!
Having him read this story that I loved so much was simply paradise and I listened to it all right away and started listening to it for the second time immediately again, because itās just that good.
Rupert Smythe is fond of many things. Callum Morrison isnāt one of them.
Rupert is a quiet, thoughtful business man and, sadly, a total wimp. Maybe not the ideal candidate to run a professional hockey team, but he signed on to do it anyway. As his life has reminded him on an almost daily basis since, this isnāt the most brilliant idea heās ever had. And that was before Callum showed up.
Being in the spotlight is just part of being a professional athlete, but Callum needs a break. He arrives in Moncton unannounced, determined to help grow the team he just bought, and under the assumption heād be welcome. Possibly he should have tried to make a better first impression.
Callum figures he can push through the rest of the summer, never expecting two kids, a host of friends, and his growing feelings for Rupert to derail everything he has ever believed about what he wanted, and what he could have.
Review
Rupert is a co-owner of a hockey team, but deathly afraid of hockey players. He is forced to work with them on a daily basis and manages well enough until Callum, the brother of the other co-owner bardges his way into his life when Garrick (the brother) is called away.
Callum is an in-the-closet hockey player and gruff on a good day, insufferable on his worst.
When Rupertās little brother goes missing and is subsequently found, Callum rushes in to help Rupert collect him and then get him set up in his new home.
Callum comes from a large family and is great with kids, Rupert is an only child and raised by nannies. Together they make a great team helping poor Oliver acclimate to his new life. While doing so, what started as enemies morphs slowly into lovers.
Callum has never had a boyfriend, only hook-ups, he canāt come out because he fears there is no room for a gay hockey player in the NHL.
Rupert knows his time with Callum is on borrowed time but canāt help falling in love one day at a time with the gentle giant.
**
This book is so rich and full of emotion. I fell in love! There are so many layers. Callum is essentially a virgin ā itās been four years since heās been intimate with anyone (for a specific reason) and never has he had more than a hook-up in a bar.
Rupert is growing through his own painful past experiences with large men and has no experience being a father.
Oliver is a four year old who was essentially abandoned by his uncaring mother and spends the first several weeks mute.
Christian is a boy Callum and Rupert meet through a Scout service skate lesson. Heās twelve, believes heās gay and is the only son of a very homophobic drunk.
From Samanthaās previous book, ā¦ Net (see review on this site), Alexi and ā¦ show Callum how safe it can be to be gay and a hockey player.
There are some very obvious plot holes and some things that you just have to suspend your disbelief ā but the slowly building love story and the heart warming relationships that develop between Oliver, Callum, Rupert and Christian are amazing.
The dialog is witty, Samantha does an excellent job of showing and not telling and the secondary characters are just as rich and well developed as the primary characters.
I cannot recommend this highly enough, even to those of us non-hockey fans.
Though it is a standalone, I highly recommend reading Crashing the Net first because it adds a bit to the back story and itās a really good book! (Reviewed on this site previously.)
Mike comes to Moncton wanting nothing more than to play for the Ice Cats and finally live on his own terms. Heās broke, bruised, and covered from head to toe in cheap lube, but he isnāt going to let that stop him. All he needs is a place to live and some time to figure out how to reconcile who he really is with who everyone wants him to be.
Dumping three gallons of lube on the new kid is just another day at the office for Alexei. He knows exactly who he is: a goalie on the ice, a prankster in the locker room, and a man who knows better than to share his private life with anyone. Heās let people in before and itās taught him that if he canāt have what he really wants, itās better to be alone.
Despite their apparent differences, an unlikely friendship grows. Neither of them could ever have guessed how much they really have in common.
Review (Posted on Previous Site)
H.O.T. This book is hawt! Mike is a 22 year old, newly living on his own and playing professional hockey. He meets Alexi after being beat up after a ānight on the townā and Alexi becomes his protector and mentor.
Mike has the hots for Alexi but could never imagine that Alexi might also be gay. Wellā¦ he is and heās been jonesing for Mike big time.
When the two finally get together they burn the sheets! Mike is the big V but that doesnāt slow him down. Alexi kind of likes things rough, but so does Mike so thereās no problem there.
There is a minor hiccup when Alexi feels Mike needs to go out and sow his wild oats before settling down and the fact that Mike hasnāt come out to his rigid parentsā¦ but those donāt last long.
Overall this was a fast paced read, the first half all about the sexual tension and the second all about exploring the reality.
There was a fair amount of tenderness and sweetness, enough to keep me satisfied, and a very happy ever after.
I highly recommend this book and give it a 4.5 hearts of 5.
