Category: Adult (18+)

Posted on

As You Are Audiobook by Ethan Day Narrated by Jason Frazier

Wild City Press Presents:

http://www.audible.com/pd/Fiction/As-You-Are-Audiobook/B00T50SF3U/ref=a_search_c4_1_1_srTtl?qid=1424112874&sr=1-1

as you areBlurb

Operation Danny….

That’s all bartender and recent college graduate, Julian Hallowell has had on his mind for the past year. Julian may have no idea what he wants to do with his life, but he definitely knows he’s in love with the boy next door: the one in the next room to be exact, his roommate, Danny Wallace.

Danny owns a used textbook store just off campus, and while Julian has done his level best to make Danny fall for him, all his hard work appears to have been in vain. Danny doesn’t seem to view Julian as anything other than that–a roommate and friend. So when new guy in town Andy Baker asks him out on a date, Julian can’t think of a good reason to say no.

Julian has already instituted a Reverse Operation Danny plan, which he’s positive will purge all thoughts of love and lust for his roomie out of his head. He’s ready to move on and start looking for his next Mr. Right, and Andy just might fit the bill.

Review

Julian has had a crush on his roommate, Danny, forever, and just when he’s given up on having him – ie moving on – Danny makes a play for him.

There is a lot of humor in this story. Julian is a hysterical gay man with a lot of fun quirks – clumsiness, sugar addiction, a flair for fashion. His mother is hysterical as well, and has a big heart.   Gabby, the female best friend also provides comic relief.

Danny – well, I just never liked Danny. As the story progresses we see and finally “understand” more about Danny and his motivations, but it was really hard for me to forgive him… and that, ultimately influenced my opinion of the book.

I think that this is one of those books that will either hit it’s mark and make you a fan, or it will count as a miss. For me it was a miss (not enough to deter me from trying another Ethan Day book). The romantic in me was just so unsatisfied by the ending. I really needed Danny to do more to win Julian back and the lack of “making up” left a sour taste in my mouth. (It is a HEA, though.)

Writing/Editing 3

Romance 2

Sex/Heat   4

Storyline 2

World Building/Characterizations 5

Humor 5 – it is really funny!

Overall for the book 3.5 of 5 hearts

3.5

Audio

Jason Frazier, hands down is one of THE BEST narrators of this genre. He is a PERFORMER. He gets inside the heads of all the characters and makes them all unique and outstanding.

I had read the book before and was not impressed by the story overly much (as you can tell by review) but when I saw that Jason Frazier narrated the book I had to have it anyway.

I’ve said it before and it still holds true, Jason’s narrations remind me of the old days of radio soap operas in that he can create this entire “movie” without pictures for us just by how much personality he puts into each one of his characters.

There are a few truly gifted performers in this genre who bring a story to life more than just tell a tale and Jason is one of them.

I adore his narrations and give this one a 6 out of 5 hearts.

amazing

10805469_1500047746947637_197599976_n

Posted on

Three The Hard Way by Sydney Croft

Riptide Presents: http://riptidepublishing.com/titles/three-the-hard-way

three hardBlurb

This title is part of the ACRO universe.

Lovers Taggart Brody and Justice McKinney possess special abilities that make them valuable to agencies who employ—or enslave—people with extraordinary talents. When tragedy tears them apart, Justice finds purpose working for the good guys: ACRO, the super-secret Agency for Covert Rare Operatives. But he never forgets Taggart or the past they once shared.

Heartbroken, Taggart runs from who he is . . . right into the arms of Ian Bridges. But Ian, battling his own demons, betrays Tag to the terrorist organization Itor. After months of torture, Tag manages to escape, but kills an ACRO agent in the process.

With nowhere left to turn, Tag disappears into the Alaskan wilderness, but it’s only a matter of time before his enemies track him down. He reaches out to Justice, and somehow Ian finds him too, hoping to right his wrongs. With ACRO and Itor both bearing down, the three men must figure out how to forgive, how to work together, and how to love each other—or the coming battle will destroy them all.

******************

Twenty percent of all proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to the It Gets Better Project.

The It Gets Better Project’s mission is to communicate to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth around the world that it gets better, and to create and inspire the changes needed to make it better for them. Visit their website for more information and to find out how you can get involved.

Review

Tag and Justice are boyhood friends with special powers. They become lovers but separate when their mothers are killed by the evil Itor and they don’t agree on how to get even.

While separated Tag meets and falls in love with Ian who ends up getting Tag kidnapped and tortured by Itor.

Finally Tag is free, Justice has found Tag and now Ian has found Tag and Justice. Both men want Tag but Tag isn’t sure he wants either man back.

A huge blizzard and an avalanche lock all three men together in a cabin in Alaska, forcing them to make decisions about the rest of their lives.

**

Threesomes can be hard to write/read. The romantic soul in me finds it hard to accept Tag and Justice opening their relationship to Ian, but Sydney Croft does a pretty good job of selling it.

There is a lot of detail covered in this relatively short story. Action. Explosions. Intrigue. Special powers. And a fair amount of sexy times too.

If you are a fan of threesomes you will find this very satisfying. If you love secret agent/ x-men type paranormal stories, this has a lot to offer. If you are a romantic purist, you may be disappointed.

Writing/Editing 4.5

Romance 3

Sex/Heat 4

Storyline 4.5

World Building/Characterizations 5

Overall 4.2 of 5 hearts

4

10805469_1500047746947637_197599976_n

Posted on

Hungry for Love Audiobook by Rick R Reed Narrated by John Solo

Dreamspinner Presents: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5914

hungry loveBlurb

Nate Tippie and Brandon Wilde are gay, single, and both hoping to meet that special man, even though fate has not yet delivered him to their doorstep. Nate’s sister, Hannah, and her kooky best friend, Marilyn, are about to help fate with that task by creating a profile on the gay dating site, OpenHeartOpenMind. The two women are only exploring, but when they need a face and body for the persona they create, they use Nate as the model.
When Brandon comes across the false profile, he falls for the guy he sees online. Keeping up the charade, Hannah begins corresponding with him, posing as Nate. Real complications begin when Brandon wants to meet Nate, but Nate doesn’t even know he’s being used in the online dating ruse. Hannah and Marilyn concoct another story and send Nate out to let the guy down gently. But when Nate and Brandon meet, the two men feel an instant and powerful pull toward each other. Cupid seems to have shot his bow, but how do Nate and Brandon climb out from under a mountain of deceit without letting go of their chance at love?

Review

Brandon is an “almost-virgin” who is looking for a permanent guy. He decides to try his luck with online dating and posts an ad on what he hopes is a “sincere” site. His ad is answered by, what appears to be, a great guy named Nate. Little does he know that “Nate” is really Hannah, Nate’s sister, disguising herself as her brother.

There are a few twists and turns, but eventually Brandon wants to meet “Nate” and so Hannah convinces the real Nate to meet Brandon and “let him down gently” since she feels so bad for interfering in sweet Brandon’s life.

What happens next, however, is not on Hannah’s script at all! Nate and Brandon really hit it off and it seems like the two might just be made for each other after all.  Until… Brandon discovers more than one secret Nate’s been hiding and he must decide if he can really trust Nate with his heart.

**

I have found that, though I really like Rick Reed’s style of writing, I don’t ever quite bond with his characters very well. This is his third book that I’ve read and though I am always impressed with his writing and creativity, I don’t feel attached enough to the MCs to feel “involved” with the story.

In this case I just had such a hard time with both Nate and Hannah that it colored my enjoyment of the story. Hannah was beyond “quirky” and landed straight in “psychotic” land. There is no way any sane person would either act like she did or put up with her meddling. Her friend Marilyn, also seemed borderline crazy to me as well. Nate came across as bi-polar or severely wishy-washy. He was the man-whore with no deep feelings for most of the book with occasional “outbreaks” of romantic idealist.

I thought Brandon was awesome and I felt bad for him the entire time. He had a crappy self-esteem but seemed so sweet I was really hoping he’d get someone truly amazing to make him see how wonderful he is. Nate never seemed like that guy.

I thought the end was rushed and awkward and very unsatisfying. I didn’t feel at all comfortable that they’d make it as a couple, though the impression is one of a HEA.

Audio:

John Solo does most (all?) of Rick Reed’s books and is always a steady performer. He tries hard to differentiate the characters with differing voices and I enjoy his narration.

Writing/Editing 4

Romance 2

Sex/Heat 2

Storyline 1

World Building/Characterizations 3

Audio 4

Overall 2.5 of 5 hearts

2.5

10805469_1500047746947637_197599976_n

Posted on

Macarons at Midnight by MJ O’Shea and Anna Martin

Dreamspinner presents http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5537

macaronsBlurb

Tristan Green left his small English town for Manhattan and a job at a high profile ad agency, but can’t seem to find his bearings. He spends a lot of time working late at night, eating and sleeping alone, and even more time meandering around his neighborhood staring into the darkened windows of shops. One night when he’s feeling really low, he wanders by a beautiful little bakery with the lights still on. The baker invites him in, and some time during that night Tristan realizes it’s the first time he’s really smiled in months.

Henry Livingston has always been the odd duck, the black sheep, the baker in an old money family where pedigree is everything and quirky personalities are hidden behind dry martinis and thick upper east side townhouse facades. Henry is drawn to Tristan’s easy country charm, dry English wit, and everything that is so different from Henry’s world.

Their new romance is all buttercream frosting and sugared violets until Tristan’s need to fit in at work makes him do something he desperately wishes he could undo. Tristan has to prove to Henry that he can be trusted again before they can indulge in the sweet stuff they’re both craving.

Review
(Spoilers at the end)

Tristan and Henry meet over sweets and start a very slow-burning, very sweet and tender love affair. They are gentle with one another, sincere, and then a little hot and sexy for each other, too. Neither wants to presume anything and they are very cautious and tentative as their relationship evolves, even though no real hurdle seems to stand in their way.

Tristan knows it’s getting serious when Henry takes him home to meet his very rich family. Though Tristan knows the family will never “approve” of him (unless he makes them richer, there’s nothing to approve of) he’s still falling in love with Henry and willing to let that go. In fact, he’s making plans to bring Henry home to meet his family.

Suddenly (and I do mean quite suddenly) something happens at Tristan’s work which forces him to use their relationship to gain an advantage at work and Henry finds out.

What, if anything, can be done to make Henry understand it was all a mistake?

**

I was very disappointed when I started seeing mediocre reviews for this book. I really like the authors (both separately and together) and had been looking forward to this book. But… I knew I needed to judge for myself, so I dug in.

Like many things, there are parts that I really loved and parts that just plain pissed me off.

I loved the set-up: The two quiet/nerdy guys. The American meets English. I loved the recipes in each chapter. I loved the two MCs. They were soft, sweet, tentative, compassionate… so caring of one another. In a way, the quiet way their love blossomed was part of the reason the abrupt clash felt so out of line. It took a full 33% of the book for them to kiss and like 75% for them to have sex. It was a very slow-building romance full of kisses, cuddles, and sweet talk. At about 80% everything was feeling very warm and fuzzy and just getting to that point where you know it’s all going to be wonderful and cozy and happy and WHAM! Suddenly, literally out of nowhere, a sudden change in the plot throws our lovers into a tailspin and they barely – I mean barely – recover by the time the story is over.

It felt like being mugged!

It was like walking around in a sugar-coated-love-haze and then having someone slap you and say “Wake up!”

I’m not sure why the story had to end like that. Perhaps the authors felt it was little too “easy” without some major crisis at the end, but it felt so dissonant. The abrupt change from cloud nine to a (kind of ridiculous) misunderstanding of epic proportions just felt off.

And the ending was so unsatisfying. It was a complete 180 degree turn around from the previous 180 degree turn around and it left me feeling a bit dizzy and disoriented.

(Spoiler part here)

 
I think that the party itself (where Tristan arranges people from his work to meet Henry’s family) could have provided enough friction between the two lovers without having to rely on the misunderstanding to create tension in the story.

Also I think that once Henry forgave Tristan we really deserved to see them together and re-connected again to cement their relationship. As it was left, it still felt iffy to me and I didn’t feel as comfortable calling this a Happily Ever After.

 

 

 

Writing/Editing 5

Romance 3

Sex/Heat 3

Storyline 2

World Building/Characterizations 5

Overall 3.5 of 5 hearts

3.5

10805469_1500047746947637_197599976_n

Posted on

Black Dog Blues (Kai Gracen #1) by Rhys Ford

 

BlackDogBluesFrom Dreamspinner:

Ever since he’d been part of the pot in a high-stakes poker game, elfin outcast Kai Gracen figured he’d used up any good karma he had when Dempsey, a human Stalker, won the hand and took him in. Following the violent merge of Earth and Underhill, the human and elfin races were left with a messy, monster-ridden world and Stalkers were often the only cavalry willing to ride to someone’s rescue when something shadowy and dark moved into the neighbourhood.

There certainly were no shortage of monsters or people stupidly willing to become lunch for one.

It was a hard life but one Kai liked. And he was good at it. Killing monsters was easy. Especially since he was one himself.

After an accident retired Dempsey out, Kai set up permanent shop in San Diego, contracting out to the local SoCalGov depot. It was a decent life, filled with bounty, a few friends and most importantly, no other elfin around to remind him he wasn’t really human.

That was until a sidhe lord named Ryder arrives in San Diego and Kai is conscripted to do a job for Ryder’s fledgling Dawn Court. It was supposed to a simple run; head up the coast during dragon-mating season to retrieve a pregnant human woman seeking sanctuary with the new Court then back to San Diego. Easy, quick and best of all, profitable. But Ryder’s “simple” run leads to massive trouble and Kai ends up being caught in the middle of a deadly bloodline feud he has no hope of escaping.

No one ever got rich by being a Stalker. But then hardly any of them got old either. The way things were looking, it didn’t look like Kai was going to be the exception.

kimisig

Kimi’s thoughts:

This is a reissue of a book previously self published by the author, and it comes with a shiny new cover which is very, very nice!

It’s setting is rather dystopian so if you don’t like that sort of thing, feel free to move on, but I’ve gotta tell you, you’d be missing out. Kai’s had it rough. The guy who won him in a poker game seemed like the biggest asshole ever. leastways he did until I ran across his biological father and brother int he latter half of the book. They made what come before look practically leave It to Beaver by comparison. Definitely a case of a mysterious past that you wish hadn’t come back to haunt anyone. Of course, if it hadn’t, we’d not have had such a cracking yarn, even with the weird changes to the landscape from our reality being invaded by Underhill, the dragons out looking for a snack during mating season, and a luscious Sidhe lord named Ryder who seems to rather have a thing for Kai.

It’s a full on urban fantasy tale filled with danger and intrigue galore, plenty of action (there’s even a high speed car chase of a sort), more than enough danger, and just enough romance to keep it palatable. The world building is rich and its population diverse and as incredible as they are amazingly believable. Th story drew me in so deep that it was over far too quickly despite being a very respectable 246 pages long. I’m very much looking forward to the next instalment.

Rating: 4.5

Lastly Kimi wants to bring to your attention that the 15th of feb, 2015 is the last day you can participate in Rhys Ford’s Black Dog Blues contest. More info on that here.

 

 

Posted on

Air and Earth by Rowan McAllister

Dreamspinner Presents: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5641

air and earthBlurb

When absent-minded video game developer Jay Thurson impulsively follows his intuition westward, he never expects his rideshare to turn out to be a gun-toting madman. In an act of desperation, Jay turns to the gift he’s long neglected and feared for help and leaps from the moving car on a dark and deserted back country road.
Running for his life leads him to the doorstep of Adam Grauwacke, a roadside nursery owner and sometime vegetable farmer, whose affinity for the earth goes far beyond having a green thumb. Adam’s world is ordered and predictable, dependable and safe, but despite having his dream farm and business, he’s always felt something’s missing. When he welcomes Jay into his home, life seems to click for both men, and together they explore their gifts and their attraction.

But harmony has no value if it is easily won, and a crazed gunman and volatile ex might be their end if Jay and Adam can’t learn to trust the strength of their bond.

Review

Jay epitomizes his element, air. He’s scattered, moves around a lot, has ADD, and is impulsive. He decides to take a trip that ends up going very wrong… then very right.

Adam is the earth. He plants roots and stays solid. In the past he’s run into trouble with relationships but he craves stability.

When Jay stumbles into Adam’s world it’s like the two were searching for one another all this time. They just “fit” together. Adam harnesses the volatile energy that Jay brings into the relationship and Jay provides that spark of light that drives out the depression on days without the sun.

The relationship moves quickly forward, but it isn’t all easy. Jay doesn’t trust the relationship and gets balky toward the end. Adam has a psycho ex who tries to drive them apart (who gets his own book next!). And both of the men are the target of a bizarre fanatic waving a gun.

In the end, however, we see that Jay is the Yin to Adam’s Yang and we have a very Happily Ever After.

**

There are parts of this book that just “wowed” me.

*I loved the symbolism of Jay as the Air – his personality, thought patterns, actions… all fit that element to a “T”. Adam was solid, dependable, loving, literally “grounded”, all in line with being Earth.

*When the magicky things were occurring – the thunderstorm, the fire, the gunman… these were really fun and very well written. It was some nicely developed world-building.

*The smexy times were very nice, hot, but not overbearing. You could feel their “elements” in play and it added a unique flavor to this paranormal romance.

There were parts I didn’t love as much:

*The ex and the gunman. These were definitely added to give the lovers some external hurdles and I can appreciate what they added to the story but they were done in such a way that they felt a little out of place and they were not nearly as well-developed as the rest of the story. They pulled me out of the magicky new world we’d created and they felt a bit awkward.

*The fizzled- out ending. There is a big fire toward the end and there are some pretty major things that happen around this event. When the dust settles and the smoke clears (literally) we get a few pagees of re-connection and explanation and then it ends.   Now I know there is a book 2 planned and it may take off from the end of this book and make things feel more complete, but as it stands here, it felt unfinished or rushed at the end.

*As such, I felt the book either needed to be a bit longer and sort of flesh out some of these weak spots or a bit shorter and edit out some of the internal ruminations and character building to make it feel more balanced.

Overall, I was really intrigued by the world-building and enjoyed the characters and their romance very much and am looking forward to the next book eagerly!

 

Writing/Editing 4.5

Romance 4

Sex/Heat   4

Storyline 3

World Building/Characterizations 4.5

Overall 4 of 5 hearts!

4

10805469_1500047746947637_197599976_n

Posted on

The Last Guy Breathing Novel and Audiobook by Skylar M Cates narrated by Matt Baca

Dreamspinner Presents http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5747

last guyBlurb

Henry Clueley doesn’t want to be in Glamour, not after moving far away to overcome a difficult, if privileged, childhood. He’s no longer that pudgy kid desperate to escape his hometown, but it still holds painful memories. When his recently widowed mother needs him, however, “dependable Henry” does the right thing—even if it means leaving the IRS to take a boring corporate position. Things don’t stay boring for long. Soon Henry helps the local sheriff’s department unravel a crime. Posing as half of a fake couple seems like a fun idea… until Henry learns he already knows the deputy playing his other half.

Deputy Locke may be new to the Glamour Sheriff’s Department, but he’s fought his way up in the world and is determined to make a good impression. He keeps his private life quiet, even from his beloved younger brother. Locke knows better than most the need to protect what’s his.

Henry resents the arrogant, gorgeous cop, and Locke thinks Henry is sheltered and spoiled. Their secret and steamy encounter only adds to the animosity. As they join forces, Henry thinks a relationship with Locke would be catastrophic, but the white-hot passion between them makes it hard to resist.

Review

Henry is an accountant who moved back to Glamour to help his widowed mother. He used to be chubby and now strives hard to keep his new, more fit shape. His dad was a giant jerk, and he’s had real rotten luck with relationships. Until now.

Locke is a hard-nosed cop who moved to Glamour when he got in trouble for whistle-blowing in Phoenix. His family life was also less than stellar and the only family he knows now is his younger brother. He’s gay, but not out and he doesn’t “do” relationships. Until now.

Locke and Henry get together for the first time at Dean and Anthony’s wedding. (Yay!!!) They have a hot round of sex then Locke treats Henry like crap and they don’t see much of each other except when Locke is handing out speeding tickets to Henry.

There is a suicide and a subsequent investigation into the woman’s place of work, which happens to be where Henry works, conducted by Locke’s police department. It’s decided that Locke and Henry must pose as lovers to gain inside information about the financial planners Henry works for to try to expose the cause of the suicide.

At first things are terrible… well terribly HOT… between Henry and Locke. The sexual tension is nearly unbearable, but outside of the physical, they can’t stand one another.

As they work closely with one another on the case, little by little the defenses crumble and they begin an active “no strings” affair… but Henry is seeing strings and maybe… maybe Locke is too.

There is a lot of intrigue. Some family drama on both sides. Lots and lots of hot sex. Some personal drama with Dean and Anthony. Some more hot sex. And finally… a very HEA.

**

This, by far, is my favorite of the “Last Guy” series. It is a really sweet, very sexy, very exciting, very well-written novel. I can really see the improvement, book to book in Skylar Cates’ writing. Her characters are by far her best asset – they are interesting and well-developed and easy to love, both the MCs and the secondary characters as well.

I think the story line in this was by far the most interesting of the three, the mystery and the drama and all the extra stuff that can sometimes overwhelm a romance really did a nice job of show-casing it instead and keeping the reader enthralled.

I am a definite fan of the series and hope we see more from Skylar soon!

Audio

Matt Baca did the other narrations for this series and like the author’s writing, this is the best of the three. I really like his grumpy Locke and his sweet Henry.

Writing/Editing 5

Romance 5

Sex/Heat 6

Storyline 5

World Building/Characterizations 5

Narration 4.5

Overall 5 of 5 hearts!

5

10805469_1500047746947637_197599976_n

Posted on

The Last Thing He Needs by JH Knight

Dreamspinner presents:  http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5262

last thingBlurb

Tommy O’Shea is raising his seven younger brothers and sisters without any help from his drug abusing father and stepmother. Since he was fifteen years old, he’s managed to keep the children fed and out of foster care. It takes up every ounce of his energy and the last thing he needs is romance complicating his life further.

Rookie cop Bobby McAlister doesn’t belong in Tommy’s harsh world, but Tommy can’t push him out. As their unlikely friendship turns into a tentative relationship, they weather the daily storm of Tommy’s life with a lot of laughs and more than a few arguments.

Tommy isn’t used to trusting outsiders, and he’s never asked for help in his life. But when a tragedy strikes the O’Shea family and threatens everything he’s fought for, he’ll have to learn to do both to recover from the brutal hit.

10805469_1500047746947637_197599976_n

Review

Tommy O’Shea has a rough, rough life. He’s in charge of his 6 younger siblings, didn’t finish high school, has drug-addled parents messing things up, and he’s very, very poor.

Bobby McAlister has been around for most of Tommy’s life. He’s an only child who lives at home with his recently widowed mother. He’s a gay cop who only wants to love and be loved.

It isn’t easy for Tommy to trust, everyone he knows has let him down, so when Bobby comes around, he is immediately treated with a heavy dose of skepticism.

Through time, perseverance and a lot of love, Bobby worms his way in and the result is this amazing love story written by JH Knight.

JH Knight a new author to me, but she now goes on my “must read” list.

I was blown away.

The story is so sweet, so tender, yet tough and gritty at the same time.

The problems Tommy and his family face are realistic and heart-breaking and I really loved that the “gay” part was really the least of their worries.

This was a story about trust, devotion, optimism and most of all, family. Despite all the odds and all the reasons why things really should not have worked out, family prevails, and in ways we could never predict.

I really loved the relationship between Bobby and his mother, June. I just think her involvement in the story added that the icing to this delicious cake of a book. She rounded out the family and brought everyone in that much tighter. She reminded us that you’re never too old to need a “Mommy”.

I felt the love scenes were erotic and touching and just numerous enough to add texture to the story without being the focus. The kids were amazing and I really hope we see more of their stories in the future.

I fell in love with this book and will definitely be reading it again.

I highly recommend it, giving it 6 out of 5 hearts!

amazing

 

JH Knight gave us a WONDERFUL present with this “Epilogue”:  https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/7586073-have-yourself-a-merry-little-free-short-read

 

SO WONDERFUL!

Posted on

Pumpkin Rolls and Porn Sounds by Kris T Bethke

Dreamspinner presents http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6033

PumpkinRollsAndPornSoundsBlurb

Will Grant only attends the PFLAG meeting because his mother guilts him into it. But the instant he hears the night’s speaker, Will is glad he showed up. Joshua Rhinehardt is dynamic and engaging. Although Joshua isn’t physically Will’s type, Will can’t get the man out of his head.

Joshua may be comfortable in his own skin, but it isn’t often men like Will are attracted to him, and he’s not comfortable changing for someone else. He wants to make a life with Will, but his own insecurities keep getting in the way.

Will’s unwavering acceptance helps Joshua see that when two people connect, physical appearance just might not matter at all.

Review

This is a super cute, super easy read that is well-written and full of great “feels”.

Will and Joshua meet at a PFLAG meeting and pretty much hit it off right from the start. Joshua is a little insecure and that causes them to move slowly at first, but it is absolutely the right thing for them.

The sex is very hawt. The love is frickin’ adorable. The MCs are really cute, too.

All in all a very full, though short, story with a big heart.

Writing/Editing 5

Romance 5

Sex/Heat 5

Storyline 4

World Building/Characterizations 4.5

Overall 4.7 (rounded up to 5) of 5 hearts

5

10805469_1500047746947637_197599976_n

Posted on

Love is a Mess (A Supposed Crimes Anthology) Blog Tour with Giveaway

SMlove is a mess cover

Viral Valentine by L. M. Perrin
When a Valentine’s Day prank goes badly, Paige’s guilt won’t let her watch the victim walk away without a proper apology.
Date Blind by Geonn Cannon
A woman discovers the worst possible blind date scenario when her date turns out to be someone who bullied her in high school.
The Politician and the Pilot by Amber Kinsey
A politician and a pilot make a steamy connection on Valentine’s Day.
Bar Tryst by Rachael Orman
After her roommate blackmailed her into going to an Anti-Valentine’s day party, Vanessa decided to make the best of it especially when the bartender shared that she was looking to have a good time too.
Quarter Life: Energy Feed by Adrian J. Smith
With strange creatures in her path, Faye is determined to get the information she wants no matter the cost.
Property of Cupid by Eva Lefoy
Will an ancient Greek god give up half his powers to love a mere human? Or will Cupid loose his golden arrow, letting Jeremy fall in love with another man?
Private Dance by A. M. Leibowitz
With Alex’s sexy boyfriend, Phin, gone for three weeks, there’s only one option: let his best friend’s kids lead him on a treasure hunt through town to find his Valentine’s gift waiting for him to unwrap.
The Last Mitzvah by Michael DuPuy
One man seeks salvation over love, death, and ice cream.
About the authors:
A. M. Leibowitz is a spouse, parent, feminist, and book-lover falling somewhere on the Geek-Nerd Spectrum. She keeps warm through the long, cold western New York winters by writing romantic plot twists and happy-for-now endings. In between noveling and editing, she blogs coffee-fueled, quirky commentary on faith, culture, writing, and her family at amleibowitz.com.

Adrian J. Smith, aka AJ, loves to write women, and specifically women who are strong, independent and fall in love with other women. She claims bisexuality but is probably closer to omnisexual. She’s a go with the flow type of person. She loves writing urban fantasy and creatures and powers of all different kinds. She also loves writing women in uniform, because let’s face it, a woman in uniform has an irresistible draw. Most of her stories have a romantic element, but if you want action, drama, plot with a hint of romance, she’s the author for you. Find her at adrianjsmith.wordpress.com.

Amber Kinsey is a part-time federal employee, full-time geek, and occasional writer. She lives in a suburb of Nashville, TN with her three cats: one is the light of her life; the other two are just little stinkers.

Eva Lefoy writes and reads all kinds of romance, and is a certified Trekkie. She’s also terribly addicted to chocolate, tea, and hiking. One of these days, she’ll figure out the meaning of life, quit her job, and go travel the galaxy. Until then, she’s writing down all her dirty thoughts for the sake of future explorers. You can find her blog at writery.wordpress.com.

Geonn Cannon is the author of On the Air, Gemini, World on Fire, The Following Sea, Tilting at Windmills, Only Flame and Air, Confused by Shadows, Chasing Dragons, What Matter Wounds?, Silence Out Loud, the Riley Parra series, Railroad Spine, Gunfire Echoes, the Underdogs series, Girls Don’t Hit, and The Rise and Fall of Radiation Canary. He also wrote an official tie-in novel for Stargate SG-1 titled “Two Roads” and contributed a Stargate Atlantis story to the “Far Horizons” anthology. An archive of free stories can be found at geonncannon.com. When he’s not writing, he’s asleep.

L. M. Perrin is an English major who writes fiction to break up the monotony of analyzing novels. She lives in Leelanau County, also known as Michigan’s pinky finger, with her dog and the occasional stray cat, and in her opinion there is nothing wrong with spending a night binging on Netflix and pizza. This is her first published piece.

Michael DuPuy, while not investigating epistemological dead ends, cultivates a greater understanding of the folly of man most often by recreating as many of such folly’s as possible through no intent of his own. Michael turned to writing as a method of perhaps extending his sanity and to justify his coffee consumption. If anything this tactic has backfired.

Rachael Orman: Mother by day. Writer by night. I spend a majority of my day with my children and reading while my nights are filled with the sound of the keyboard as I work on my next work. 

I have written in F/F, F/F/M, F/F/F and then of course F/M genres…. So, beware, I do not always have the most ‘traditional’ scenes. And one day I will venture into M/M, just have to find the time. 

I love to try new things and learn from every piece of work I write. I’ll write just about anything once to learn from it. I’ve even ventured out of my normal erotica genre into Monster Erotica. Doubt you’ll find me writing anything not erotic as you can barely get me to even read something out of that category, but then again, you never know what I might try next.

About the Publisher:
Supposed Crimes, LLC publishes fiction and poetry primarily featuring lesbian characters and themes. The focus is on genre fiction–Westerns, Science Fiction, Horror, Action–rather than just romance. That’s how we set ourselves apart from our competitors. Our characters happen to love women and kick ass.
“Supposed crimes” refers to the idea that homosexuality is outlawed, and that our authors are being subversive by writing. As times change this becomes more tongue-in-cheek, but can still apply broadly to our culture. Christians writing lesbians and men writing lesbians are also subversive ideas in this industry, and we promote people bending the rules.

Publisher: Supposed Crimes, LLC
Cover Artist: C.E. Case
Categories: LGBT fiction, Romance, Gay Romance, Lesbian Romance
Pages or Words: 35,000 words, 119 pages

a Rafflecopter giveaway