Day: November 17, 2014

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The Royal Street Heist by Scotty Cade

Dreamspinner Presents: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5666

royalBlurb

When valuable Civil War era art is stolen from a popular New Orleans gallery, NOPD Lead Detective Montgomery “Beau” Bissonet and his partner set out to solve the crime. When the gallery’s insurance company sends Tollison Cruz to the Big Easy to conduct their own independent investigation, personalities clash and battle lines are definitely drawn.

The heist quickly becomes a politically driven high profile case, and Detective Bissonet is furious when he’s ordered to work along side Investigator Cruz to assure a timely arrest. The heat index soars to new levels when the two investigators discover they have a lot more in common then originally thought.

With the tension between them temporarily sated, Bissonet and Cruz finally start to work together, on more then just a professional level. But everything comes to a screeching halt when Beau discovers his cohort in crime has been withholding information regarding the investigation and has been concealing a very questionable past. What happens next rivals the scorching summer heat.

Morgan’s Review

Beau works for the NOPD and Cruz works for Lloyds of London. Both guys are trying to find two missing paintings. It’s made clear that it’s likely an inside job (either the original owner, his family, or someone the original owner hired) but things are now complicated because someone got killed while trying to steal the paintings.

Beau immediately hates Cruz. Which sucks because now they have to work together. Beau’s recent ex boyfriend is also involved in the case, and they have a contentious relationship as well. (Beau can be an asshole!) So Beau is basically feeling sorry for himself all around.

However, there is something else going on between him and Cruz as well – sexual tension. Both guys are really attracted to one another in addition to truly “hating” the other.

The case leads them to cross state lines and they end up sharing a hotel bed. You guessed it, the sparks flying between them eventually catch fire, have some angry sex and it’s H.O.T! But… they still don’t like each other.

They grudgingly agree that they make a good investigative pair as they get closer and closer to solving the case, but something about the other just sets them on edge. Since they’re spending so much time together they decide to go for a no-strings-attached affair, since it’s convenient and all. *wink, wink

When it looks like the case is on the verge of being solved, and it begins to look like the couple may be more than just a quick fling, Cruz is seen corroborating with one of the main suspects and Beau throws him under the bus, immediately thinking the worst.

Fortunately, Cruz is a reasonable guy and the two of them talk it out, realizing that secrets have been kept on both sides. When they finally lay things out of the table, the case finally gets closed and the two realize they mean more to each other than a short-term affair.

But… they live in different cities. Cruz travels all over the world for months at a time. Beau is stuck in New Orleans. It takes some creative thinking, but they do find something they think will work. It’s going to take a big leap of faith and a lot of love to make it work, but I think they have what it takes to make for a very HEA.

**

The bulk of the story really is about solving the crime. That being said, the love story is super sweet and the sex is really hot. I found it fascinating how much the ex played a part in this story and I figure he’s maybe got a book of his own coming up. I’m not sure if this is just being nit picky or what, but there were tons of strange names in this book and it got distracting.

All in all I enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it. 4 of 5 hearts

4

 

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Fixing the Hole by Katherine Halle

Dreamspinner presents: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5646

fisingBlurb

Heavy rains and strong winds slammed an uprooted tree through Steve Crowell’s roof, leaving a gaping hole to match the one in his heart. After his ex left him for a younger man, Steve’s not sure he’s ready to handle another disaster. His best friend highly recommended the contractor, but the man’s already late, and when he shows up with his music thumping, Steve isn’t impressed—until Riley steps out of his pickup truck. Personable, gorgeous Riley talks a mile a minute, which Steve finds both ridiculously endearing and terrifying. Piecing together a heart isn’t as easy as fixing a roof, but Riley might just be the right man for the job.

Morgan’s Review

This is a short book where the ending is the beginning.

Instead of being a book about a relationship, this is really and truly just about the beginning of a relationship. Steve is older, has a thing for younger guys, got burned by the last younger guy, isn’t getting any younger himself, and still has a thing for younger guys.

Riley is a younger guy with a thing for older guys. He’s super sweet, adorable, chatty – very chatty – and he lives at home and tries to keep his dad healthy.

Steve is into Riley, but is worried about being burned again. Riley is into Steve, but worries that Steve isn’t into him.

Most of the book is them dancing around this issue. Then – bam – they go on a date.

The End.

So… the end is the beginning.

**

Ummmm, well. How do I rate this?

It was…nice. I’m sure it was making a statement. It was very well written and some people will like that it didn’t do anything besides start the relationship.

Not me. I was disappointed.

It felt like the beginning of a story that got cut off just when it was getting good! I wanted to see where it went and what happened and … well, all the good stuff that goes with that.

But that wasn’t what this was about.

It was man meets boy. Man wants boy. Man finally gets the balls to ask boy out, and he accepts.

So…

I give the author props for doing something different and for setting up an interesting start to a story, but I can’t really recommend it. However, if you are the sort that just loves the “chase” you will be psyched to read this short story.

I give it 2.5 of 5 hearts for being half a story, good, but unfinished.

2.5

 

 

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Serenading Stanley Audiobook by John Inman Narrated by Tyler Stevens

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Dreamspinner Presents:

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5659

Blurb

Welcome to the Belladonna Arms, a rundown little apartment building perched atop a hill in downtown San Diego, home to the city’s lost and lovelorn. Shy archaeology student Stanley Sternbaum has just moved in and fills his time quietly observing his eccentric neighbors, avoiding his hellion mother, and trying his best to go unnoticed… which proves to be a problem when it comes to fellow tenant Roger Jane. Smitten, the hunky nurse with beautiful green eyes does everything in his power to woo Stanley, but Stanley has always lived a quiet life, too withdrawn from the world to take a chance on love. Especially with someone as beautiful as Roger Jane.

While Roger tries to batter down Stanley’s defenses, Stanley turns to his new neighbors to learn about love: Ramon, who’s not afraid to give his heart to the wrong man; Sylvia, the trans who just wants to be a woman, and the secret admirer who loves her just the way she is; Arthur, the aging drag queen who loves them all, expecting nothing in return—and Roger, who has been hurt once before but is still willing to risk his heart on Stanley, if Stanley will only look past his own insecurities and let him in.

My Review

Stanley Sternbaum is a shy, very shy, grad student who is just now leaving the nest to study Anthropology in San Diego. He rents his first apartment ever at the somewhat dodgy Belladonna Arms, a place full of gays with only one “pesky” heterosexual in the bunch. He is immediately entranced by one of his neighbors, Roger Jane.

To Stanley, Roger epitomizes all things perfect and in fact, god-like, and therefore unattainable to a little, “nobody” like him. Even when it seems that Roger might be interested in him, he has a hard time believing, and is in fact doing what he can to avoid the man so as to avoid a broken heart.

Though he is avoiding Roger, he is not avoiding the rest of the wacky tenants, and though he wished he could, his mother. There’s ChiChi, the rent boy. Ramon, the beauty student. Charlie, the kleptomaniac. Sylvia, the transsexual. And we can’t forget Arthur, the super. Each of these characters go out of their way to bring Stanley out of his shell, and in fact spend quite a bit of time waxing poetic about Roger!

Though it is a tough road, it is very entertaining and Roger eventually manages to win over his “little mouse” and together they find their very HEA.

**

I can’t believe I missed this book when it first came out! I ended up reading this in preparation for the sequel, Work in Progress, and boy am I glad! John Inman is an excellent writer. He is funny, sweet, descriptive and his characters are sublime.

Stanley and Roger almost, almost!, take the back seat to the secondary characters in this book. Arthur is hysterical! He’s an obese drag queen forever having to haul himself up 6 flights of stairs and nearly passing out. He looks for love for all his tenants while quietly pining for his own unrequited love.

ChiChi and Ramon are two colorful neighbors who aren’t afraid to put in their two cents while in between entertaining “massage customers with special needs” (ChiChi) or practicing new hair techniques like pink hair dye for Stanley’s mother (Ramon). Charlie is a diagnosed klepto, off his meds and you can imagine the antics he gets up to.

Stanley’s mother is a foul-mouthed, chain-smoking, busy-body who only wants what’s best for her son but has a hard time showing it.

All in all they make for a hysterical crew of well-meaning friends who gently nudge Stanley into Roger’s arms and help him to see for himself that he is more than worthy of that kind of love.

I highly recommend this book and give it 5 of 5 hearts.

Audio:

Tyler Stevens is a favorite narrator of mine and I think this ties as the best I have heard from him. He did a fantastic job with all the many and varied characters of the Belladonna Arms. Arthur is appropriately swishy/queeny. Sylvia is sweet and delicate. Ramon and ChiChi both have a fantastic accent with “attitude” and Stanley’s mom is perfect in her smoke roughened way.

I really, really enjoyed his narration and hope he does the sequel as well.

I give it 5 of 5 hearts.

Overall, 5 of 5 hearts.

5

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Red Dirt Heart 3 by NR Walker


rdh3Blurb

Life for Charlie Sutton has never been better, or busier. With Travis now a permanent fixture of Sutton Station, a permanent fixture at Charlie’s side, Charlie’s convinced he couldn’t do anything on his ever-growing to-do list without him.

He can run a multimillion dollar cattle business, finish his degree, try and further the local beef industry, deal with staff issues, Ma’s failing health, and an attention-demanding wombat. He can even deal with an unexpected visitor and some shattering news.

He can deal with it all, as long as he has Travis.

But what happens when he doesn’t?

Red Dirt Heart 3 is the story of Charlie Sutton finally realising he can be the man Travis Craig deserves, even if he doesn’t have Travis. It’s a story of love, family, holding on, letting go and coming home.

Morgan’s Review

This is book three and it picks up almost immediately from where Book 2 leaves off. Travis has committed to staying with Charlie and the two are essentially living out and proud in the Outback. Charlie is making huge advances in defending himself as a gay man, the Station is prospering with a new huge account and Travis is still being the wonderful, supportive boyfriend he always is.

However… Charlie’s biological mom shows up and messes with Charlie’s balanced life and let’s out that Charlie has a brother! Charlie’s mother-of-his-heart, Katie, is sick and has to be rushed to the hospital with a diagnosis of cancer that leaves Charlie reeling.

Together, Travis and Charlie work through these issues, and Charlie is grateful for Travis’ support.

Everything looks like it’s just going to be great when Travis’ grandfather falls ill and Travis has to leave the country to see him before he dies. Charlie can’t go as he has no passport and everything is too busy at the Station.

Though he has absolutely no reason to be worried, Charlie worries the entire time Travis is away and when suddenly there is radio silence from Travis, Charlie assumes the worst: Travis isn’t coming back. Ever.

But – WE all know this isn’t true, even if Charlie doesn’t and, sure enough, he does come back and we get a lovely surprise ending to warm the cockles of our heart.

**

In this installment the tension is mostly about things not related to the relationship. It was fun watching Charlie blossom and see him more and more confident with Travis’ love. Which was why his feelings of doom and gloom when Travis goes to America seem so frustrating and almost out of place.

On the one hand I can see being worried when there is silence for two weeks, but really? After all this time can’t he surely trust Travis a little? And since when is it the boys can only have contact through email? I mean, if Charlie was really that worried, why not pick up a damn phone and call him?

That part, the last little bit, kinda frustrated me. Though I loved the re-union- really, really loved it – I didn’t understand why Charlie couldn’t work through his worry logically. Then, when Travis realized how worried Charlie was, why not shoot him an email or … yeah – call him!?!

So, if you ignore the last 20% of the book, it was a wonderful look at the relationship as it matures. Though I appreciated where we ended up, I wasn’t as impressed with the plot device that had poor Charlie losing his mind over something that looked like a no-brainer.

So, this was not my favorite of the three books. I still loved it and there are parts (esp. the end) that I will read and re-read again, and I am forever a huge NR Walker fan-girl, and I will wait on pins and needles for RDH 4… but I have to give this a 4.5 of 5 hearts, subtracting a bit for the crazy Charlie bit at the end.

4.5

To Buy: http://www.amazon.com/Red-Dirt-Heart-ebook/dp/B00OGW1RA0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416110054&sr=8-1&keywords=red+dirt+heart+3