Month: May 2015

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Job Hunt by Jackie Keswick

Dreamspinner Presents http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6372

JobHuntBlurb

You don’t greet your new boss dressed like an underage rent boy. But when Jack Horwood—ace hacker and ex-MI6 operative—opens the door to Gareth Flynn, he’s too busy to worry over details like that. And anyway, his potential new boss is his former Commanding Officer – the same guy Jack has had a crush on since he was seventeen. So he should understand, right?

When he applied for the job in Nancarrow Mining’s corporate security division, Jack had hoped for peaceful days repelling cyber attacks. Maybe a bit of corporate espionage on the side. His plans didn’t include rescuing abused children, hunting pimps, or dealing with his overly protective and hot-as-hell boss, Gareth Flynn.

Walking away is not an option. Jack never takes the easy way out. More than that, meeting Gareth raises old ghosts that Jack needs to put to rest. Rescuing kids. Taking risks. Saving the day. Jack can do all that – but deciding what to do about his attraction to Gareth isn’t the sort of cloak-and-dagger game Jack plays well. Yet Gareth, strong and smart and always on hand when needed, might be Jack’s salvation.

Review

Jack used to be under Gareth when they both served in the military. Jack got out of the military because he couldn’t hide his attraction to his officer any more. Now Gareth is out as well and went searching for and found Jack on the outside. Gareth wants Jack both as his work partner and hopefully more.

The couple quickly moves from heated attraction to attempts at consummation that get interrupted time and again.

The rest of the story is the spy/mystery stuff and I will tell you that I honestly skimmed it and wasn’t that interested in it.

I like romance and read romances. There is nothing wrong with this book – per se. But it is mostly a suspense/spy/thriller with some romantic elements thrown in. Not my cup of tea.

I thought having their sex interrupted time and again was frustrating and unnecessary – the sexual tension had been eased early on in the story and it was only “penetrative sex” that they lacked at this point. There wasn’t a lot of emotional attachment gained when they do finally get around to “doing it” and I was disappointed.

Jack tells Gareth he loves him early on in the story and then emotions and feelings are never really discussed again.

Again, this is great if you are in the mood for a spy novel – it’s like a gay James Bond! – but that wasn’t what I was looking for when I read the blurb.

The writing was excellent and the characters interesting. If you are looking for a spy novel – pick this one! If you are looking for romance – keep looking.

Overall 2.75 of 5 hearts

3

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Sultry Sunset (Mangrove Book 3) by Mary Calmes

Dreamspinner Presents http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6387

SultrySunsetBlurb

Hutch Crowley is well-liked in the small resort town of Mangrove—he’s got friends in his new neighbors, he’s the owner of the town grocery, and he’s building a community center—but he’s still unlucky at love. Every man he’s attracted to is either taken or simply not interested, including his best friend, Mike Rojas.

When Mike came to Mangrove two years ago, Hutch gave him a job and a place to stay in his guesthouse, where Mike has remained ever since. Despite the rumors circulating about them, Hutch knows Mike is straight and looking for the right woman. But his friends disagree, and after some hints to the contrary, even Hutch finally has to admit that maybe the rest of the town sees something he’s been missing. If Hutch wants to spend each sultry sunset with the man of his dreams, it might be time to figure out what’s going on with his best friend’s heart.

Review

If you’ve been reading the series (which you should, but don’t have to), you know Hutch is our grocer, and so far he’s been “interested” in every gay man the town has to offer, but has failed to find “the one”.

We find out that for the last two years he’s had a best friend, Mike “Don’t call me Michael”, living in his guest house and taking up most of his free time.

As you can predict, there is more to them than friendship, despite the fact that up til now Mike has always been straight.

**

I compare these Mangrove stories to cotton candy – one of my all time favorite foods – because they are wonderful, light, sweet and just a touch unsatisfying. Because they are so short, we don’t get a lot of lead-time to develop the tension between our MCs. Sure, Mary always gives us wonderful characters and an amazingly sweet love scene or two, but I really miss her ability to create that heat and draw out the sexual neediness between her characters that she’s just so great at.

I still love these stories, don’t get me wrong – but boy I wish they were longer.

In this case the secondary characters of Ivy and Essien almost – almost! – steal the show, but Mike and Hutch are terribly sweet together and I love them as a couple.

The mangrove series is fun because the small town and the recurrence of previous characters feels like coming home and I eagerly await the next installment.

4.5 of 5 hearts

4.5

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Would I Lie to You by Brad vance Tour with Excerpt, Giveaway

SMLieCover 2

Excerpt:
He’d made a mistake with Marc. He’d thought they could play a game together, to pass the time, let off steam, release stress. Marc was smart enough to know that that’s all it was.
Right?
But the look on his face, when Jesse said goodbye… The shock. The disappointment. The…
Say it. The hurt. That was when Jesse knew that for Marc, it had been more.
That was when Jesse knew that it had been more for him, too.
Sales Links: (Amazon exclusive) http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WNMVKZC

RC2

 

About the author:
Brad Vance writes gay romance, erotica and paranormal stories and novels, including the breakout hits “A Little Too Broken” and “Have a Little Faith in Me.”
Where to find the author:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/brad.vance.10
Facebook Author Page: http://www.bradvanceerotica.wordpress.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/BradVanceAuthor
Google: https://plus.google.com/u/1/+BradVance/about

 

&nbspa Rafflecopter giveaway

 

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Speak No Evil by Alexa Snow

Loose Id Presents http://www.loose-id.com/speak-no-evil.html

as_speaknoevilBlurb

Jamie Kincade’s world is turned upside down when Sebastian, a young man who doesn’t speak and who shares the ability to see ghosts that Jamie’s had since childhood, enters his life. Jamie finds Sebastian fascinating on multiple levels, and is determined to help him learn to speak again. But he can barely keep his thoughts – or hands – off Sebastian, who wants him and makes no attempt to hide it.

The age difference between them – Sebastian is almost 15 years Jamie’s junior – is a problem for Jamie, but Jamie’s reluctance isn’t the only thing keeping them from focusing on the potential they might have as a couple. The collection of ghosts Jamie has been living with in relative harmony for more than a decade has no intention of leaving Sebastian alone now that he’s here. Their desperate attempts to get Sebastian’s attention are a distraction Jamie would be grateful for if they didn’t upset Sebastian so much. Jamie is torn between wanting to send Sebastian away for his own good and wanting to drag him off to bed, and with Sebastian tempting him both deliberately and subconsciously, it can’t be long before Jamie’s self-control snaps…

Review

Jamie has a house full of ghosts he can see but nothing else. One night he finds a real human, a man, Sebastian, out huddled from the rain in his garden shed. Turns out Sebastian can not only see the ghosts but he can hear and speak to them, too. When he can speak, that is.

Sebastian has been mute since his parents died in a fire years ago and has also been on the run since then, having no other family that he knows of. He wanders into Jamie’s shed one night and finds more than just shelter.

Together they learn more about ghosts and their “abilities” than they’d ever want to know and also find love.

**

From page one this story gripped me and kept me turning pages. It is very well written, captivating and interesting.

Though the romance is a fairly easy going May/December story, the addition of the ghost story and the mystery hiding in Sebastian’s life make this an interesting and fast-paced story.

I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

5 of 5 hearts

 

5

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No Place Left to Run by Zarah Detand

Dreamspinner Presents
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6186

NoPlaceLefttoRunBlurb

After a lengthy world tour, pop star Samuel Gibbs is looking forward to a nice, quiet break—sleep in, write a bit of music, do his own cooking for a change. He doesn’t want his time spoiled by the constant presence of bodyguards, and he is certainly not willing to have someone tail him each time he so much as goes to the shops. No way, no how. It’s a good thing, then, that his head of security relents on the matter—or so he leads Samuel to believe.

The break is starting to look even better when Samuel runs into his new neighbor. Ryan Halston is smart and hot and, quite possibly, everything Samuel wants. However, he doesn’t know that Ryan is part of the rejected security detail, tasked with protecting him from the dangerous attentions of an unknown stalker.

Review

Samuel meets Ryan and hits on him. Ryan tries to do the right thing and keep his distance (both because he wants to be professional and also because he doesn’t “do” relationships). Eventually Ryan caves in and they begin an affair. When Sam finds out he’s mad and then he makes Ryan work REALLY hard and then he finally forgives him.

I thought this was an ok book. I was never really captivated by any of it. I didn’t really bond well with Samuel, though I loved Ryan. I thought the way Samuel put Ryan through the ringer was a little unbalanced by the mediocre HEA.

It wasn’t a bad book, the writing was nice and the characters were pretty well developed, but the emotional connection wasn’t there for me.

3.5 of 5 hearts

3.5

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Waiting for the Moon and You by LJ LaBarthe

Dreamspinner Presents
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6320
WaitingForTheMoonAndYouBlurb
All his life, Leith has loved Aaron, and all his life, Leith has wondered if Aaron returns his feelings. Through high school, college, and beyond, Leith and Aaron are drawn together and pulled apart. Leith is finally convinced he and Aaron are not meant to be when a cowardly act of violence against Leith changes everything.

Aaron returns to Leith’s side, but Leith struggles to accept that Aaron can love him now.

If Leith doesn’t overcome his doubts and fears, he will forever be waiting for the moon and Aaron… and true love.

Review

Told with a lot of flashbacks – this is the story of Leith and his friends and (very briefly) his romance with Aaron.

I honestly can’t really rate this as a romance because 80% of this was NOT a romance – but Leith’s story.

If you are interested in a story about coming to grips with who you are and friendships and life… this is a book for you. But if you are interested in a romance about two men finding love with one another – you might be unhappy with this selection.

I was not a fan of the flashback writing style used here and so the overall experience was not great for me.

2 of 5 hearts

2

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An intrepid trip to love (A little bite of love book one) by Charlie Cochet

Found Here: http://www.mmromancegroup.com/?p=2588
(Free!)

an intrepidBlurb

Tristan ‘Trip’ Hagan is a Husky shifter who was born to be the Hagan Clan’s next Alpha, a position of honor and nobility, a position he never wanted and was all too happy to pass onto his younger brother. But when they discovered his brother couldn’t have pups, the responsibility of continuing the Hagan Alpha line fell back to Trip. Under the weight of the Hagan Council’s demand to fulfill his duty, Trip settled down and produced an heir, but after years of struggling to uphold his family’s traditions, Trip found the courage to do what no other Hagan Alpha had done in the history of the clan: he came out.

Five years later, and Trip is living a happy life with his cheeky pup and their own little makeshift family. True mates within canine shifter clans are very rare, but Trip has had one since he can remember. Despite losing his heart to Boone twenty years ago, Trip holds little hope of ever getting to bond with the sexy Enforcer, as it’s against clan laws for pure-bloods to bond with half-breeds. With the call from their feral halves to seal the bond growing stronger by the day, can Trip and Boone find a way to be together without losing everything?

This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group’s “Love Has No Boundaries” event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story.

Review

This is a lovely and hysterical and hot romance! Trip and Boone are mates, but can’t recognize that publicly due to archaic clan laws that could result in banishment or even death.

When the pressure gets too much, twenty years later, they finally give in to temptation and are given a wonderful surprise.

Charlie Cochet is great for giving us witty dialog and hot smexy times wrapped around interesting characters involved in intriguing drama.

5 of 5 hearts

5

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Just the Way You Are EE Montgomery

Dreamspinner Presents http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6274
JustTheWayYouAreBlurb
After ten years in an abusive relationship and a near-fatal knife wound, Jonathan Watson is finally free. Unused to being able to make even the smallest decision and smothered by family and well-meaning neighbors, he’s floundering in the real world. Jonathan is afraid of falling into another relationship too quickly and realizes he needs time to rediscover who he is before he attaches himself to another man.

He never counted on meeting Ben Urquhart, though. Ben tempts Jonathan to forget everything and take a leap. For Ben, it’s love at first sight, and he doesn’t want to take it slow. He wants to build a life with Jonathan, free from harm and full of laughter. But before they can take the next step, they must protect Jonathan from his possessive, threatening ex. Jonathan must find the courage to confront him and break the chains of his past before he can be truly free to build a future with Ben.

Review

Jonathan was in a terrible relationship for years and is almost killed by his ex. The last thing he wants is another relationship but … when he meets Ben, he can’t help but be entranced.

Ben just plain falls for Jonathan and wants to help him get through his troubles with the ex.

**

I vascillated on this story because I liked the relationship between Ben and Jonathan in that it felt intensely real at times and I liked that.
However, what I didn’t like was the constant drama, the fact that Jonathan continued to make disturbing choices and the fact that our couple is a couple for only about 20% of the book.

I thought the writing was good and perhaps if I had read the previous books in the series I may have been more invested in this one. I think that if you have liked the earlier books you will probably like this one as well.

3 of 5 hearts

3

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Quiet Nights (Mangrove Stories #2) Audiobook by Mary Calmes Narrated by Greg Tremblay

Dreamspinner presents: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6431

QuietNightsAUDMEDBlurb

It’s a lovely little life Kelly Seaton leads. He’s got his own landscaping business, a nice little house, and his best friend, Cosimo Renaldi, and Coz’s goofball family who have adopted Kelly as their own. Sure, it’s a little lonely at night, but it’s a sweet deal, and Kelly can’t chance ruining it by letting on that he wants more—has always wanted more—with Coz.

Then Kelly’s past comes to town, bringing bad memories and hurt feelings that start to break Kelly down, and Coz just doesn’t understand why Kelly won’t let him be the support and strength that Kelly’s always been for him. They’ve already been through war, Coz’s devastating injury, and starting new careers in Mangrove, Florida. Why shouldn’t they face their chaotic pasts and build their future of quiet nights… together?

Review

(Reviewed previously)

Oh Mary, how I love thee, let me count the ways!

This is the second book in her new Mangrove Stories series. So… yep we get to see Dwyer and Takeo again. (Yay!)

Kelly and Coz are best friends and have been since their days in the military. Kelly is Coz’s de-facto brother, his family disowned him for being gay. Kelly saved Coz’s life but Coz still lost an arm, and as a result still feels inadequate in the realm of romance.

Takeo actually is to be credited with pushing Kelly and Coz together, because it is his matchmaking endeavors that sort of push Coz into dating which makes Kelly so jealous he can’t see straight!

This is a short story, so we get a little build up and a little steamy smexy times and lots and lots of warm feels.

One of my favorite quotes from the book illustrates this exactly. Coz is talking to Kelly. “You’re who I think of telling shit to, who I miss even when I’m busy doing something and you’re who I want to roll over on top of in the morning.” See? Build up, smexy times, and lots of great feels!

4 of 5 hearts

Audio

Greg Tremblay did an amazing job with this. I just love diving into his stories – he is so compelling – adding a layer to Mary’s work that just makes everything exponentially wonderful.

5 of 5 hearts

Overall 4.5 hearts

4.5

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The Chase by Nessa Vincent

Loose ID presents http://www.loose-id.com/the-chase.html

the chaseBlurb

Previous book: The Catch

Halym knows better than to trust humans. Even though he’s a dragon at the top of the magical food chain, he just can’t get any respect from humans–particularly not from a magician like Merrick Leigh, who has the audacity to steal Halym’s soul.

Merrick has good reasons for taking the dragon captive, though it leaves him holding the proverbial wolf by the ear. He wants to use Halym’s powerful magical abilities to work an important spell, but Halym has other plans. Something about this magician piques Halym’s curiosity and whets his sexual appetite. Once Halym gives chase, Merrick finds he doesn’t have the will or the wiles to fend off the dragon’s advances. Although the dragon is under Merrick’s control, Merrick realizes he’s not the one in charge…and he likes it that way.

But everything changes when Halym steals back his soul. Now that Halym is free to leave, he isn’t sure he wants to. Yet staying with Merrick means not only learning to trust humans, but becoming one.

Review

Merrick wants to find a way to return his lover to the land of the living and captures the most powerful magical creature in Europe to help, Halym the dragon.

Halym doesn’t want to help Merrick at first because he’s a lowly human and dragon’s are far superior, then he doesn’t want to help because he’s fallen for Merrick and doesn’t want to lose him to the past lover.

In a fit of selflessness Halym gives Merrick what he thinks he wants only to find out that you can’t go back in time, no matter how much you might want to.

**

This is a good book. The dialog is witty and the banter between Halym and Merrick is great. The magic and the mix of old and new world technology is fascinating.

I found the writing to be bulky at times, but mostly good. I never felt the connection that I wanted to between Merrick and Halym, the old lover took up more space than felt comfortable.

Overall I liked this book and would recommend it to lovers of dragons and magic.

3.5 of 5 hearts

3.5

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