Author: Morgan

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Lucky Man (Heated Beat #2) by Garrett Leigh

Dreamspinner Presents:  http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6144

lucky manBlurb

As a diehard music fan, a dirty, smoky gig is Vice Squad Detective Danny Jones’s idea of heaven. While watching one of the most popular bands in Northern England, the sight of gorgeous rock star Finn McGovern changes his life forever.

Beneath the tattoos and leather jacket, Finn is kind and sweet, but when he confesses a dark secret to Danny, it tests their fledgling bond. Danny digs deep to accept Finn, but before long, a terrifying trail of death threatens to tear them apart before they’ve even got started.

A monster is killing prostitutes on Danny’s patch, and when a dead girl turns up too close to home, Danny discovers a heartbreaking link between the girl and his bright new life with Finn, a life he’ll do anything to protect.

Review

Danny is a “sort of in the closet” vice detective who meets Finn one night after Finn’s gig. There is instant attraction and some hot sex that leads to an entire weekend of fun. But…

Finn has a secret that keeps him from finding a boyfriend who lasts. When Danny finds out, he’s not really too concerned, but it does make things more difficult.

And… Danny is working a case involving dead prostitutes and it keeps him away from Finn for days at a time.

Ultimately, Finn learns to overcome his fear of rejection and Danny manages to solve the crime and we end with a very solid HEA.

**
This is a short book FULL of subject matter. I really enjoyed the take on Finn’s medical condition. I found it fascinating and a unique subject for the genre.

There was very little angst surrounding Finn and Danny’s relationship. It sort-of flowed forward at a moderately quick pace with spikes of uncertainty mostly rising from Finn. Danny is more of a black box, not nearly as much introspection, but you can tell he cares for Finn deeply.

In a way, the book is almost too full. Since the subject of Finn’s illness is so big, I’m not sure adding in the other “heavy” subject of the dead prostitutes was necessary. To me it detracted from the romance and from the exploration of a disease that hasn’t been covered in this genre much, if at all. I don’t think the sad prostitute stories added enough to justify the neglect to the main theme. I wanted to see Danny interact more with Finn and to see them evolve more as a couple, dealing with the illness and ultimately winning.

I know I am definitely in the minority when I say this, but I loved book one because it was so light and fun, so the return to the darkness was a bit disappointing. I enjoyed the writing, the character building and the emotions Garrett Leigh is so good at drawing from us (she doesn’t disappoint on those fronts) but I had been hoping for a lighter story, similar to book one.

I really enjoyed seeing Will and Jack again – it was funny hearing them described as a couple who didn’t know where to go from here.

Overall, if you’re a Garrett Leigh fan you’ll love this. If you are (like me) a recent reader who loved the light hearted-ness of book one, you may be disappointed in the return to a more dark theme.

4 of 5 hearts

4

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Whitedell Pride Series Books 1-4 by Catherine Lievens

Extasy books presents: http://www.extasybooks.com/?route=product%2Fsearch&keyword=lievens

Blurbs
Jamiejamie

Sometimes even a small decision can change your life.

Jamie is a normal guy with a normal, if not boring, life. Everything changes when he goes camping and stumbles on a well-guarded secret in the woods: shifters exists! It opens a whole new world to him, a world he wouldn’t have thought possible outside a novel, and he has to decide if Ward is worth the changes that are turning his life upside down.

Ward has searched for his mate for a long time, and now that he has found Jamie, he will do everything he can to keep his gorgeous human, even face jealous exes or try to convince Jamie to get over his fear of relationships. He needs a chance, just one, but just as Jamie begins to trust him, things starts to crumble.

When Jamie disappears, Ward looks for him, but without clues, how can he find his mate? Will he find Jamie in time to save him from a horrible future?

 

DerickDerick
Sometimes the best thing that can happen to someone happens in the middle of a crisis.

Derick is running from his pack, his family. He has to, if he wants to save innocent people. His Alpha is planning an attack on the Whitedell Pride, and he can’t let it happen. Sure, he knows he will probably have to pay a price for his betrayal, but he is ready to do it. He hadn’t thought his price would be a good one, until he finds his mate in the pride.

Nate is the pride’s Beta, and as Beta, he has to follow the unspoken rules that exist in the shifter community. He wasn’t looking for a mate, and he certainly didn’t think his mate would be a wolf shifter. Not that he has anything against wolf shifters, but this one brings way too many problems with him.

Derick’s Alpha knows what he has done, and he plans to make him pay. When Derick is kidnapped, Nate has to decide if he wants to play by the rules and risk his mate, or if he’s going to save Derick, risking a justified attack from the pack.

 

Nolannolan
You can’t outrun the past, especially when it comes back to get you.

Nolan has been in the scientists’ hands for months. He’s finally rescued, but it’s only to be abandoned in a snowy Whitedell, alone. Luckily for him he’s a cat shifter, and who wouldn’t want to adopt a cute kitty like him? That’s how he ends up in the middle of a house full of felines so much bigger than him, who could eat him for breakfast. They don’t, but a new problem arises. Nolan meets his mate, a mate he doesn’t want.

Casey ran from his birth pride years ago and spent most of his life alone in his cheetah form. After being rescued by Dominic, the pride’s Alpha, he is happy to find his mate, even if it seems Nolan doesn’t want him. Just as they start solving their problems, someone from Casey’s past comes back, someone who will do anything to have him back, even hurting Casey, or worse, Nolan.

Will Nolan and Casey be able to save their budding relationship from Casey’s past, or will they be separated forever?
FinnFinn

Sometimes you have to decide if helping others is more important than your own safety.

Finn has been free from the lab for months, but he still isn’t happy. After finding out his mate didn’t want him, he went back home to his tribe, where he is once again beaten and ignored. The mansion is the only place in which he feels safe, if only he didn’t have to face the mate who doesn’t want him…

Bryce has been heartbroken since Keenan left him. He was sure he didn’t want Finn as his mate, but finding out that the Nix is being hurt changes that. He knows he will have to grovel for Finn to forgive him, but he will gladly do that and much more to insure that Finn is safe.

While they find their way to each other, Finn uncovers a secret that might tear him apart. Will Bryce be able to win Finn’s trust and keep him safe?

Review

Catherine Lievens has a new (to me) shifter series. In the Whitedell Pride the alpha has collected misfit shifters, predominately feline shifters, and offered them sanctuary. Life isn’t easy, though. Besides finding their mates, the pride faces many obstacles along life’s path. For example, some of the pride -mates were found on a rescue mission saving shifters from a mad scientist running experiments. Also, the neighboring wolf pack is a source of contention. And finally, keeping the secret from humans is a continual source of trouble.

The basic shifter paradigm is in place: once a shifter “scents” his mate, he knows it is fate and the two are destined to live long, happy lives together. They heal when they shift, they live longer than the average human, they share senses with their shifted form, etc.

Some of what makes the series unique: In each book there is a strong resistance to mating from one or both parties. In book 1, Jamie doesn’t want a shifter or a boyfriend, because he’s been burned in the past. In book 2, the inter-mixing of species is an issue. In book 3, Casey thinks he’s broken because he has no sex drive. In book 4, Bryce had fallen in love with a human and then found he had a mate.

Each book is pretty short, a little over a hundred pages. There is plenty of hot shifter/mate sex. There is a lot of excitement in each book, some major crisis to overcome. The writing, editing and basic story lines are well done. Sure, the basic “romance” is fairly predictable. Meet. Resist. Overcome resistance. Danger. Re-connect and ILY. But… it’s done well and if you like the basic shifter formula, you’ll like these books as well.

Overall I am really enjoying the series and am looking forward to the next two in the series!

3.5 of 5 hearts

3.5

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Better Than Chance Audiobook (Better Than Book 2) by Lane Hayes Narrated by Tyler Stevens

Dreamspinner Presents
http://www.audible.com/pd/Fiction/Better-Than-Chance-Audiobook/B00KQ313HK/ref=a_search_c4_1_3_srTtl?qid=1424491429&sr=1-3

better than chanceBlurb

Jay Reynolds has a crush on his project leader at work, but an office romance with Peter Morgan isn’t likely to happen since Peter is straight. Worse, Jay soon fears Peter is homophobic, and his initial infatuation turns to loathing. But one fateful night, Jay is forced to acknowledge things aren’t quite as they seem with Peter. Suddenly, his crush is back and unbelievably, Peter is interested too.
They begin a friends with benefits arrangement, which becomes difficult for Jay when he starts falling for his sexy boss. Peter’s past issues keep him from committing, and Jay has to decide if he can be satisfied with friendship if Peter isn’t ready to take a chance on anything more.

Review

In book one we meet Jay and Peter as they announce that after 5 years they are finally getting married. This is their “backstory”.
Jay and Peter worked together and Jay had a huge crush on Peter for a long time. At first Jay thinks Peter is straight, then he thinks he’s a jerk, then they become friends with benefits.

Jay is essentially all in, but Peter is commitment-phobic. When Peter does something to slow things down, Jay jumps all the way to “we’re breaking up!”.

Finally, they air their grievances and make a commitment.

**

I really loved book one. It felt real and authentic and genuine. This one was less good, but still very good. I liked the chemistry between the MCs but grew tired of the “hurdles”, especially when it felt like if they would just TALK to one another things would clear up.

 

Audio

Tyler Stevens makes this book go from good to great! He is an awesome narrator and I love listening to him. He really brings the story alive and (for me) elevated this book up at least one notch.

Writing/Editing 4
Romance 4
Sex/Heat 5
Storyline 3.5
World Building/Characterizations 4.5
Audio 5

Overall 4.3 of 5 hearts

4.5

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Murder on the Mountain Audiobook by Jamie Fessenden Narrated by Cliff Bergen

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murder mountainBlurb

When Jesse Morales, a recent college grad who aspires to be a mystery writer, volunteers to work on the summit of Mt. Washington for a week, he expects to work hard. What he doesn’t expect is to find a corpse in the fog, lying among the rocks, his head crushed. The dead man turns out to be a young tourist named Stuart Warren, who strayed from his friends while visiting the mountain.

Kyle Dubois, a widowed state police detective, is called to the scene in the middle of the night, along with his partner, Wesley Roberts. Kyle and Jesse are instantly drawn to one another, except Jesse’s fascination with murder mysteries makes it difficult for Kyle to take the young man seriously. But Jesse finds a way to make himself invaluable to the detective by checking into the hotel where the victim’s friends and family are staying and infiltrating their circle. Soon, he is learning things that could very well solve the case—or get him killed.

Review

Jesse finds himself in the right place at the wrong time and is suddenly embroiled in a murder mystery. His desire to solve the crime is rivaled by his attraction to the somewhat older detective on the case, Kyle Dubois.

Kyle, a bi-sexual who has only ever been with a woman, is immediately attracted to Jesse, but dismisses him due to his age.

Stuart is dead and pretty much everyone is a suspect. With Jesse’s help (Kyle reluctantly allows him to be part of the investigation) they manage to solve the crime, but not before Jesse is almost killed and Kyle has to admit his lust for Jesse might be more like love.

**

I admit right up front that this is not my typical book. I really like Jamie Fessenden’s writing style and have enjoyed previous works by the author, but I’m not a mystery fan. I like more romance than whodunit and this is definitely the latter.

As a result, my enjoyment of this book was less than it would be if you were setting out to enjoy a mystery with a bit of romance thrown in. Which is what this book is.

However, there were parts I adored. I absolutely loved Kyle’s exploration into gay sex and Jesse’s handling of the entire situation. I thought Kyle’s partner was a riot and the ease with which he accepted Kyle’s new love interest was fantastic.

I didn’t love the mystery and grew tired of the scenes with the “frat boys” involved in Stuart’s life.

If mystery is more your thing I think you will really enjoy this book, but if you are looking for a more “romance focused” book, you might want to take a pass.

Audio

Cliff Bergen is a new narrator to me and I thought he did a nice job with the narration. His vaguely East Coast accent fit the story well and it really seemed to fit the grumpy detective. I think my overall enjoyment of the book was enhanced by listening to the story and I’d look for him in the future.

Writing/Editing 4

Romance 2

Sex/Heat  4

Storyline 4

World Building/Characterizations 4

Audio 4

 

3.6 of 5 hearts

3.5

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Moment of Truth (Moments in Time #2) by Karen Stivali

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moment truthBlurb

Collin expected to spend another summer fixing cars and working at the college pizzeria. Instead, he’s living in a beach house on Fire Island, waiting tables at a hip seaside restaurant and, for the first time since he and Tanner got together, they can publicly be known as boyfriends. Being “out” takes some getting used to, but with the help of new and old friends, Collin is happier than he ever imagined. And more in love. But newfound freedom brings unexpected challenges, and when friends get flirty, old insecurities arise. Moments of doubt and jealousy threaten their happiness, and Collin and Tanner must confront the truth or risk losing it all.

Review
We met both Collin and Tanner at school where they went from friends to lovers and Collin faced the monumental task of coming out to his ultra conservative family. Now it’s summer and Collin and Tanner are together for the summer on Fire Island and finally enjoying being an “out and proud” couple. But…

Wendy and Maggie are two women from Tanner’s past that are currently still causing trouble for the couple. And there are yet more women Tanner meets at work that pokes every jealous bone in Collin and makes him feel insecure. Finally, there is a guy at work hitting on Collin and when he makes his move, Tanner is there to witness it.

**

I really, really like Karen Stivali’s writing. It’s engaging, erotic, and believable. I really like Collin as a character and his relationship with Tanner is both tender and erotic. I was delighted that they boys got to move their relationship further both emotionally and physically and am psyched to see Collin embracing being gay more and more fully.

What I really didn’t like was the teen-agey angst and drama being played out in the beach house. I particularly didn’t like Maggie and Wendy and their contribution to the story.

I know that when a story like this is broken down into parts rather than being served up as an entire novel each “section” has to have it’s own hurdles and problems. What I hope for is that each section will be an evolution in the relationship and not a recurring battle of “will this relationship work?”. I think that Collin’s virginity, his newness to being out, his battle with his conservative up-bringing and his newness to being a “boyfriend” could have provided enough conflict to move the story forward without throwing in a potential relationship-ending episode of almost cheating that we see with Jason.

I was grateful that the episode with Jason is brief and quickly resolved and I sincerely hope the next installment will focus more on making the relationship work rather than questioning whether it should be a relationship at all.

I will definitely read part three as I am totally captivated by their story and I do recommend this book and the series, even though it was painful to see the boys in so much pain.

Writing/Editing 5
Romance 4
Sex/Heat 5
Storyline 3
World Building/Characterizations 5

4.4 of 5 hearts

4.5

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Return To The Mountain Audiobook (The Mountains Book 5) by PD Singer Narrated by Finn Sterling

Dreamspinner Presents:  http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6114

return mountainBlurb

Caddy Gary Richardson hungers for the lush life of the wealthy golfers he escorts around the course at Wapiti Creek. The contrast between his tiny trailer at the edge of a mountain town and the luxurious ski and golf resort is something he’s learned to live with but not like. Gary wants the fancy condo and late-model car not just for himself but for his childhood friend turned lover, Seth Morgan. He’d settle for security for the two of them, but even that seems out of reach.
Seth is content with Gary and enough spare cash for greens fees at municipal golf courses. Going pro is beyond his means, even if he plays well enough to win on the championship resort courses. Gary would do anything to fulfill Seth’s dreams, even things he’d rather keep to himself. When an unheard of opportunity knocks, Gary can answer or resign himself to living on tips from affluent tourists.
But Seth can’t live with that answer when it means his trust has been betrayed. He has to let go and hope the man he loves will find his way home.
Review

Gary and Seth are high school friends turned lovers. Gary had an exceptionally sucky childhood with an abusive father. Seth’s mom is wonderful but Seth is a bit “slow” and though he has a lot of natural golf talent he doesn’t quite have what it takes to go pro.

Gary sees the world and wants to experience all it has to offer in terms of luxuries and things he never had as a kid. He wants that for him AND Seth. Sometimes he’s even willing to do morally ambiguous things for opportunities to make things better for him and Seth.

Seth only ever wants to love Gary.

After high school Seth and Gary do various jobs (caddy, waiter, etc.) but Gary has those dreams of riches driving him. When some New Yorkers come to the mountain to golf and Gary overhears them talking business, he wants in.

The business “project” involves some more moral ambiguity, and moving to New York for a bit, but Gary classifies it all as getting a foot in the door and a leg up in business and since all he has ever wanted is to take care of himself and Seth, it feels “okay”, if not “good”.

Things do manage to take off for Gary (briefly) but the financial success is countered with romantic failure when Seth learns of what Gary has been doing to “help” things along.

Eventually Gary learns that money isn’t the answer to everything, that honesty and love are more important than financial success and that Seth is the most important thing of all.

**

This is quite different from the previous books in the series. There is still the attention to detail (Golf and Finance) that PD is so good at providing. There is still Wapiti Creek, the small mountain community we’ve seen before. There is still two boys in love.

However… in terms of “feels” this diverges from the path. In my opinion, Gary is really, really hard to like. I never felt good about how he handled his relationship with Seth. He was sorta like a big brother/parent at times and then sometimes like an adoring fan/boyfriend. I really, really didn’t like his justifications for cheating and the fact that all he could focus on was money. I think I understand WHY he felt that way and it was explained well, but I just never LIKED him as a result of his choices.

I really liked Seth and since I had a hard time with Gary I had a hard time rooting for them as a couple. Part of me hoped a new character would be introduced who was worthy of Seth.

Since the relationship between Seth and Gary is established early on, the slow burn is gone from the story.

Though Gary “redeems” himself by the end of the book, I still didn’t feel comfortable with his “turnaround” and so didn’t feel great about the longevity of them as a couple.

Overall, I would have to say this is a book in the series I’d skip, especially if infidelity is a trigger for you.

Audio

Finn Sterling did another great job with the narration, giving us a New York accent and growly old businessmen. My only complaint was that Gary’s voice seemed consistently pre-teen and that didn’t fit with his personality of a “do anything to move forward” kind of guy. I get that he’s got an “angelic” face, but his voice and tone could reflect the hard edges he earned at the hands of his dad and in the business world.

Writing/Editing 5
Romance 2
Sex/Heat 2.5
Storyline 2
World Building/Characterizations 5
Audio 4

Overall 3.4 of 5 hearts

3.5

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P.S.  Kudos to REESE DANTE for another beautiful and perfectly matched cover!

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Summer Son Audiobook by Anna Martin Narrated by RL Davis

Dreamspinner Presents
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6181

summer sonBlurb

Ellis Broad never imagined he would end up a single father before he turned twenty-nine. Then again, most of his expectations for the future evaporated when his husband of three years filed for divorce, leaving Ellis as their six-month-old son Harrison’s only parent. After the divorce Ellis hides, working from home on his small graphic design business so he can be a full-time dad. He succeeds until Zane Hadlin stumbles into his life.

Zane is everything Ellis desires and everything he fears at the same time. A former gang member from the wrong side of the tracks, Zane turned his life around after his older brother was killed in a shooting. Now an artist, Zane shows Ellis a path back into the world and all he’s been missing out on.

The only problem is, Ellis’s ex-husband hasn’t quite gone for good, and his digging into Zane’s past could drag up secrets no one is prepared to deal with.

Review

(Book reviewed previously on this site.)

Ellis is one of the first gay men in New York to get married when the state approves same-sex marriage. He’s also one of the first gay men to get divorced. Shortly after he and his ex, have a son, Harrison, they split, leaving Ellis to raise his biological son by himself.

Zane is a former gang member turned art student who meets Ellis through mutual friends. Though he is haunted by traumas in his past, in his heart he yearns for stability and family.

Ellis and Zane have great chemistry right from the start. But, Ellis is wary of involvement so quickly after becoming divorced and Zane is fearful of exposing Harrison to his dangerous past.

This is sweet book by Anna Martin covers some interesting “ground breaking” topics like gay marriage, divorce, and parenthood. The relationship between Zane and Ellis is sexy and touching, but the relationship between Harrison and Zane is truly heart-warming.

I really enjoyed this book. A little bit of angst. A little bit of realism. A little bit sexy. A lot of warmth and tenderness.

(Anna is the same author who brought us Tatoos and Teacups, another wonderful read.)

Audio

RL Davis is a new narrator to me. I thought he did a nice job. There was some voice inflections (I really liked his New York accent!) and good handling of the emotions. All in all he really added to my enjoyment of this story.

4 out of 5 hearts

Writing/Editing 5
Romance 4
Sex/Heat 4
Storyline 4.5
World Building/Characterizations 4.5
Audio 4

Overall 4.33 of 5 hearts

4.5

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Better Than Friends Audiobook (Better Than Book 3) by Lane Hayes Narrated by Tyler Stevens

Dreamspinner Presents

http://www.audible.com/pd/Fiction/Better-Than-Friends-Audiobook/B00SUGTLQU/ref=a_search_c4_1_1_srTtl?qid=1424491429&sr=1-1

better than friendsBlurb

When Curt Townsend, a successful young DC lawyer, attends his first gay wedding, he doesn’t expect anything more than a great evening out spent celebrating two lucky guys willing to commit to each other. He certainly doesn’t anticipate meeting someone like Jack Farinelli. Fourteen years Curt’s senior, Jack owns two businesses: a gay bar and a motorcycle shop. He’s gorgeous and self-assured, but Curt is positive they have nothing in common.

Jack is comfortable in his own skin. He’s attracted to Curt’s quick wit and easy manner but most of all to their unexpected mutual love of baseball. As they forge a friendship based on their shared enthusiasm for the sport, they begin a journey that reveals how their differences might be the catalyst behind a growing attraction. Both men have experienced their shares of pain, but they realize they need to set aside the past and learn to trust in the future if they are to have one together.

Review

This is book three in the series. We met Curt in book one, he was Matt’s roomie. Now he is a lawyer and that’s about it.

Jack is an older man, he owns a Leather Bar, he drives a motorcycle, he smokes, he has tattoos… in other words he is everything Curt is not.

At first they become friends, but they can’t seem to keep their hands off each other. Curt’s low self-esteem keeps him from thinking this is a “relationship” and Jack has buckets of personal issues that keep him from getting involved too deeply.

Because Curt thinks he and Jack are only “friends” he agrees to go out with Paul. Of course it makes Jack jealous, but not enough to really push them forward, relationship-wise.

Eventually there is a confrontation and they end up with a HFN, probable HEA.

**

This was by far the weakest of the series. There were a couple of things that made me review this lower than books 1 and 2.

First, the ending. Let’s just say it’s too fast and not believable.

Second, Paul. Why was he in this story? His role didn’t make sense. Why would Curt jump into bed with Jack then move at glacial speeds with Paul? If he really thought there was a relationship to be had with Paul, he needed to stop sleeping with Jack. If he thought Paul wasn’t going to match up to Jack, he needed to drop Paul. It made me like him less as a character/person.

Third, chemistry. They could have had should have been this ultra-hot, bad-boy, opposite-attracts sort of thing going, but it never flared for me. I didn’t quite understand the motivations and actions so I didn’t feel the same wonderful “feels” I did for Matt and Aaron or even Jay and Peter.

So, for me, this story did not trip my switches as much as the previous books did, though the writing was still very good.

Audio

Again, Tyler Stevens does a great job with the narration. I love his narration and thought Jack was super sexy! He definitely adds to the experience.

Writing/Editing 4.5

Romance 3.5

Sex/Heat  4

Storyline   2

World Building/Characterizations 3

Audio 5

 

Overall 3.6 of 5 hearts

3.5

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Emergency Contact by Elle Brownlee

Dreamspinner present: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6124

emergency contactBlurb

When Liam’s best friend has to leave town on business, he asks for a favor—be an emergency contact for his cousin who is new in town. Liam doesn’t think twice before he accepts. He’s great with numbers and confidently plays the odds, because nobody ever uses those emergency contacts, right? Wrong. The very next Sunday, cousin Garrett shows up at Liam’s apartment, fresh-faced, devastatingly gorgeous, and nothing like Liam had dismissively assumed.

Garrett arrived in New York City hoping to make it in the modeling world, and Liam isn’t sure what to do with him. While he eventually warms to welcome the distraction, he’s not prepared to have his steady, predictable world overturned. Liam is sure Garrett will soon tire of him and find someone closer in age and less eager for the quiet, settled life Liam prefers. But Garrett is too sweet-natured and naïve to recognize Liam’s dismissal, and he’s not as shallow as Liam presumes.

Although Garrett sees a future for the two of them, Liam manages to push him away. It is only then Liam sees the Garrett-shaped hole in his life.

Review

Liam is an old man in a young, hot body. He doesn’t do the club scene anymore and he’s set in his ways. His buddy sees the opportunity to play matchmaker and sets Liam up with his younger, also hot (model hot) cousin, Garrett.

Garrett is from Iowa, new to New York, here for a modeling job for extra cash between stints at college. He meets Liam pretty much on day one in the city and the two instantly hit it off.

Though Liam and Garrett are pretty immediately a couple, some questions remain. Can Liam open up and form a long term relationship? Is Garrett prepared to live in New York forever? Can Liam share Garrett with the admiring public now that his modeling career has taken off? Is Garrett too young for Liam and too young for a permanent relationship?

Things get dicey when Liam gives up hope and takes a job in Seattle, abruptly abandoning Garrett, but true love prevails and we end up with a solid HEA in the end.

**

I loved the promise of this story and was captivated by the first chapter. Liam is sort of a curmudgeonly character, set in his ways, quiet, always doing a puzzle, very in-his-own-head type of guy. Garrett is Pollyanna – very open, sunny and a great foil to Liam.

I got a bit nervous when the couple became a couple within the first chapters. There wasn’t a lot of build up to them becoming lovers and the anticipation that can bring was definitely missed.

As the story progressed it became more about the established couple dealing with Garrett’s fame and Liam’s insecurities. Because of this, it was not exactly the story I was anticipating by reading the blurb. It was almost more of an established couple book, and as the book references, a “Dreamgirls” type story, where Liam has to deal with Garrett’s fame more than I was expecting.

On the one hand I really appreciated the care and skill the author took with her writing. It is clear that she chose her words carefully. However, I sometimes had trouble with the flow and struggled to stay fully engaged. One thing that kept throwing me out of the story was the dialog. I thought that Liam sounded like an old man, and that fit his character. But so did Garrett … and everyone else. The language used felt very formal and high-brow and though it’s a stereotype, I just never saw the Iowan in Garrett. His character just never rang true.

Because the simmer of anticipation was blown out so early in the story, I found myself slogging through the remaining angst of the story with a minimum of interest.  Neither MC had a past to get over, hurt to heal, former lovers to remember… the story felt a bit flat.  And though I really liked the MCs, toward the end I just wasn’t that invested in their HEA.

Writing/Editing 3.5
Romance 2
Sex/Heat 3
Storyline 2
World Building/Characterizations 3.5

Overall 2.8 of 5 hearts

3

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Shawn’s Law by Renae Kaye

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Blurb

Shawn is a frequent victim of Murphy’s Law. Can he and Harley stumble toward love despite insecurity and epic bad luck? Shawn is single, twenty-nine, the full-time carer of his Alzheimer’sstricken mother, and a frequent victim of Murphy’s Law—although his family calls it Shawn’s Law. Other than caring for mum, his day consists of painting nude men and spying on the guy who walks his dogs along the street every day at four o’clock. When Shawn takes a spectacular fall on his front steps, who is there to witness it other than the man of his dreams? Harley doesn’t believe in Shawn’s Law—but he soon changes his mind. The two men make it through a memorable first date and Shawn’s sexual insecurities to begin a relationship stumbling toward love. But when Shawn’s Law causes Harley to be injured, Shawn is determined to save Harley’s life the only way he knows how—by breaking up with him. Not once, but twice. Throw in a serial killer ex-boyfriend, several deadly Australian animals, two dogs called Bennie, a mother who forgets to wear clothes, an unforgiving Town Council, and a strawberry-flavored condom dolly, and Shawn’s Law is one for the books.

Review

Shawn is a HOT MESS. If you can think of someone who’s a klutz, that’s Shawn… times a thousand. He’s so accident prone the ER staff knows him by name. He’s got the auto club on speed dial and the Ambulance driver’s are his friends.

But he’s also super adorable with a giant heart. He loves his mother and cares for her as she suffers the last stages of Alzheimer’s. He helps his sister with her budding family and he thinks nobody could want to (or should want to) be involved with him in a boyfriend-type-way.

Harley, aka “Hippy Hotpants” is Shawn’s new “neighbor”. He’s actually going out of his way when he takes his daily walks to be seen by and to see Shawn working in the garden and when yet another accident throws Shawn literally at Harley’s feet, it’s the start of a wonderful, if rocky, relationship.

Between Shawn’s own insecurities, his numerous accidents, his family and his need to “protect” Harley from Shawn’s law they don’t exactly have smooth sailing … but when they do connect it’s mind blowing.

Finally, after what seems like the true and final last straw, they do manage to come together at last for a very, very HEA – well a well-bandaged HEA.

**

As you know I’m a huge Renae Kaye fan. Her writing keeps improving with each book she puts out. This story is definitely a bit different from her others in that it relies far more heavily on humor than her other books, but it still provides us with the tenderness and a loving relationship that we have come to expect.

As usual, she also gives us a host of amazing secondary characters, fully developed, who are rich additions to the story – Shawn’s mother with the Alzheimer’s, his sister- with no verbal filter, Harley’s dad- a true ex-hippy, and Shawn’s best friend- who talks to Shawn in verbal short hand as though they share a brain. To name a few.

I devoured this in one afternoon, I couldn’t put it down. The humor was contagious and Shawn and Harley just had me wrapped around their proverbial little fingers right from the start.

If you’re looking for a book with almost no angst, but plenty of substance, this is the book for you. It’ll brighten your day and lighten your heart.

5 of 5 hearts

5

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