Category: Age Group

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Even the Innocent by DW Marchwell

Dreamspinner Presents http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6208
EventheInnocentBlurb
Salvatore Terranova is a teacher at the local high school. He used to live in the big city of Charlottetown, but never did meet the man of his dreams. Jaded but not defeated, Sal returns to Montague, completely unaware that the mysterious new neighbor in the old Victorian across the street is much more than he seems.

Having uprooted himself, Behr Kincaid settles in a small town, thousands of kilometers from everything and everyone he’s ever known. And with good reason, because he wasn’t born with that name. Behr always knew his brother was a criminal, but when Maurizio killed Behr’s husband of ten years, Behr gave up the life he had in order to see justice served. Despite his new identity, Behr knows the inevitable showdown will come when Maurizio tracks him down.

As Sal gets to know Behr, he realizes the man is lying about more than his name. While Behr wonders if there’s room for the truth, Sal wants to know who he’s falling in love with and must decide if it can lead to anything but a broken heart.

Review

I really, really love DW Marchwell’s writing style. I love her choice of character development and how loving her men are.

Because I’m a fan, I don’t like writing a review of anything less than stellar, but this book just didn’t do it for me.

Behr (David) is in hiding from his brother who killed Behr’s husband and is now in jail, but has outside connections. Essentially Witness Protection.

Sal is his neighbor and the two have an almost instant attraction to one another. Their romance is slow to take hold though, because of the secrets. Sal is reluctant to be involved, again, with someone not entirely truthful.

In fairly short order, Sal learns the truth and the two become lovers.

Over the course of only 3 months, it becomes clear that Behr is in danger and may need to move again, or risk his and Sal’s life.

Fortunately things resolve in a way that allows the men their HEA.

**
What didn’t work for me:
I never felt that Behr got over his first love, even though, by the end marriage looks to be on the horizon. It felt just a little too convenient, rather than an epic love.
The second thing I didn’t care for was the resolution at the end. I really thought there would be some angst and danger and life threatening moments or separation – and we get a small moment there at the end, but it was rather anti-climactic.

So – if you are a fan of DW Marchwell, you may still want to read this. Her writing is still wonderful. But I was a bit disappointed by the story and not as moved as I have been in the past by her books.

3 of 5 hearts

3

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Love Has No Expiration by C.S. Poe


Dreamspinner Presents: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6563

Daily Dose Short Story

LoveHasNoExpirationBlurb

There’s more to life than work, and love has no expiration, even for those approaching their forty- fifth birthday.
There’s more to life than work, and love has no expiration, even for those approaching their forty-fifth birthday.
Daniel Richards is a private chef in New York City who has committed over a decade to his skills and passion. He has carved out a name for himself in the industry and has bookings for parties and dinners months in advance. Now that he’s in his midforties, however, he’s come to the realization that he’s lonely and desperate for companionship. Two days before Valentine’s Day, he meets Keith Maxwell at a farmer’s market and can’t keep the much younger man out of his thoughts. Keith is eager and willing to take a chance with someone older, but Daniel’s reluctance stops Keith’s every attempt. Worried his career will suffer if he dedicates time to a serious romance, or that Keith won’t be satisfied with someone so much older, Daniel nearly thwarts his own attempts at finding happiness.

Review

This is a short story that does a nice job of setting up our MCs, showing us a lot about how lonely and cynical Daniel has become and then introducing him to an intriguing younger man.

We don’t really get to know much about Keith, other than he likes older guys, he’s also really busy and he loves animals.

I liked the MCs, and felt their HFN but I’m not sure I felt there was a HEA in their future. Neither seemed willing to address the fact that both were so busy and really in different places in their lives.

That being said, like Keith says, if it’s important you make time for it and both were definitely willing to try.

The writing was nice and well paced given the length of the story.

3.5 of 5 hearts

3.5

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Spellbound (The Warlock Brothers of Havenbridge book 1) by Jacob Z Flores

Dreamspinner Presents
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6425

SpellBoundBlurb
Mason Blackmoor just can’t compete with his brothers, much less his father. They represent the epitome of black magic, strong, dark, and wicked, and though Mason tries to live up to his respected lineage, most of the spells he casts go awry. To make matters worse, his active power has yet to kick in. While his brothers wield lightning and harness the cold, Mason sits on the sidelines, waiting for the moment when he can finally enter the magical game.

When a dead body is discovered on the football field of his high school, Mason meets Drake Carpenter, the new kid in town. Drake’s confident demeanor and quick wit rub Mason the wrong way. Drake is far too self-assured for someone without an ounce of magical blood in his body, and Mason aims to teach him a lesson—like turn him into a roach. And if he’s lucky, maybe this time Mason won’t be the one turned into an insect.

Not surprisingly, the dislike is mutual, and Drake does nothing to dispel Mason’s suspicion that the sexy boy with a southern drawl is somehow connected to the murder.

If only Mason didn’t find himself inexplicably spellbound whenever they are together, they might actually find out what danger hides in the shadows.

Review

Wow – this is an amazing new genre (I think) for Jacob Flores! He did a terrific job with this new series (Yay – a new SERIES!).

Mason and Drake are both high school seniors (over 18) when they meet. Mason is the leading “bad boy”, a warlock of black magic (not bad, just a different energy). Drake is the new guy, Southern drawl sticking out in the North East town in Massachusetts.

They have an instant attraction and as the book suggests, they may in fact be Spell Bound, or soul mates.

There is some dancing around their attraction but they pretty much hit it off right away. What keeps them separate is the fact that humans can’t know about Warlocks and there is something about Drake that strikes Mason as “otherworldly”.

Between making googly eyes at one another, both boys are involved in the mysterious deaths that keep popping up around town.

When push comes to shove and the danger arrives at Drake’s door, secrets get revealed and some really hard decisions have to be made.

One other big wrinkle – Mason doesn’t actually have control over his magic – though being around Drake seems to make it easier – the question is why? What will happen when Drake finds out? Will the two even be allowed to be together? What will happen to his magic if Drake and he can’t be together?

**
Though this at times feels like a YA book, it is filled with adult issues and the smexy times are pretty “adult” though not very numerous.

I think I’d call it New Adult and feel comfortable with that as a category.

The paranormal stuff is outstanding in this book – magic everywhere! I love it when the author actually USES magic in their storylines rather than having the magic only be important as regards a “mate” or significant other.

The dramatic murders and that mystery move the story along quickly but don’t overshadow the romance.

I was very impressed by this book and look forward to reading the next book SOON!

5 of 5 hearts

 

PS LOVE the cover!

5

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Forever Promised Audiobook (Promises Book 4) by Amy Lane Narrated by Paul Morey

Dreamspinner Presents
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6432

ForeverPromisedAUDMEDBlurb

Crick has been home from Iraq for five years, Jeff and Collin are finally married, and Shane and Mikhail are quietly making lives better for the dispossessed teenagers who come their way. Everything is right in Deacon’s world, but nothing ever stays the same.

When Deacon’s best friends, Jon and Amy, answer the call of an opportunity in Washington, DC, Deacon figures that’s life. You love people, and they leave you, and you survive. Even Benny, Crick’s little sister, is close to grown and ready to start her own future. But Benny loves Deacon, and she owes him—she may move beyond The Pulpit and Levee Oaks one day, but not without leaving something of herself behind. And so she offers Deacon and Crick an amazing gift… and a terrifying decision.

Benny’s offer forces Deacon and Crick to dredge up every past mistake and offer of redemption. And not just the two of them—everybody is forced to examine the chances they’ve been given and the promises they’ve made. In a real family, a child is a promise, and to the men and women of Promise Rock, keeping that promise will change their lives forever.

Review

It took FOREVER for this to come out as an Audiobook! (Did you see what I did there?) Thank you, thank you, thank you Paul Morey for doing this and to Dreamspinner for finally producing it!

This book nicely joins all three of the previous books for a last(?) look at their lives as couples.

Without giving away too much – Benny wants to give Deacon and Crick a baby to help complete their family. She knows how important children are to Deacon and she knows that with her DNA and Deacon’s she can do the next-best-thing to having Crick and Deacon actually make a baby together. Of course this is FULL of drama and hand-wringing and of course, tears – Amy always makes me cry!

Mickey and Shane are dealing with their own house full of crises. Kimmy and her fertility problems. Two of the girls in Promise house are not getting along – one is Crick’s sister and the other is a sweet girl Martin has eyes for.

Jeffy and Collin are adjusting to married life and making their own decisions about family.

Jon and Amy have their own bomb-shell to drop and it, too, shakes up the Promise-universe.

**
What I loved about this book was that it didn’t feel like an afterthought. These stories felt like they NEEDED to be told and it was the perfect way to give some of these guys closure.

Now I would absolutely ADORE another book, but barring that kind of miracle, this is a nice way to cap off the drama and leave everyone – more or less – in a really happy place.

As for the narration. Well, you know I just love Paul Morey and his Mickey just makes me so happy! There is a particular moment, when Mickey has gotten some devastating news (it’s and Amy book – of course there’s devastating news!) – and Paul’s voice is so full of emotion and it just feels so damn REAL!

I can’t say enough that the listening to these books makes the amazing stories even that much more amazing and like “being there”.

Though I read them again and again, I also listen to this series again and again because the narration is so strong.

I can’t recommend them enough! 6 of 5 hearts

amazing

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LifeFlight by Alexa Silver


Dreamspinner Presents http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6557

Daily Dose Short Story

LifeFlightBlurb
When winged paranormal Dante is injured in a demon attack, he faces certain death unless he can reach a healing spring just off the Pacific coast. With his strength waning and the demon poison infesting his system, the spring is his only hope. He never expects to find salvation in the arms of the property’s caretaker, a much younger man. Bren is fascinated by the beautiful winged man who arrives at his family’s sanctuary. He’s determined to save Dante’s life, but he’ll have to find a way to help Dante heal without infecting himself with the demonic poison, and time is running out.
Review

Bren and his brother Owen are caretakers for a paranormal healing spa.  One day a large winged creature (Dante) flies in, injured, to use the spa as he’s been wounded in a battle.

Besides finding the spa the perfect spot to heal, he also finds his mate in Bren.  Together they take their LifeFlight, the first flight between mates.

Dante is a little older than Bren, both are over 30.

I loved this! It was short, but sweet, had fun world building, included a snarky brother(Pix/Owen), used lovely paranormal magicks, all in all simply wonderful.

The author really did a great job including so much with such a small word count!  This is a great example of how a short story can really tell a big tale.

I really hope we see more of this world with dear Pixel as the MC.

5 of 5 hearts

5

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Shotgun (Part of the Coda Series) by Marie Sexton

Dreamspinner Presents http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6443

ShotgunBlurb

As a young man, Dominic Jacobsen already suspects he’s gay, and he gets all the confirmation he needs when a rich boy from out of town climbs into the back seat of Dominic’s GTO. One night with Lamar Franklin is all it takes to convince Dominic he’s found the man of his dreams. Unfortunately, that one night is all he’ll get before Lamar returns to Tucson.

Fifteen years later Lamar returns to Coda, Colorado, after ending the latest in a string of bad relationships. He’s alone, depressed, and plagued by late-night phone calls from an unidentified caller. Lamar’s ready to give up when he comes face-to-face with his past.

Since he was seventeen, Dominic has dreamed of a reunion with Lamar, but that doesn’t mean he’s ready for it now. Facing small-town rumors and big-family drama is bad enough, but Dominic won’t risk losing custody of his teenage daughter, Naomi. The only solution is to make sure he and Lamar remain friends and nothing more. Clothes stay on, no matter what.

It seems simple enough. But for better or worse, Lamar has other ideas.

Review

Though this comes from the Coda story line, it is a standalone. However, if I hadn’t read the other books I wouldn’t have found much that I found appealing in this story.

Basically, this is about Dominic and his complete unwillingness to be a gay man because he’s afraid of what people will think. Poor Lamar just gets hurt over and over as Dom chooses everyone’s happiness but Lamar’s time and again.

Lamar and Dom met as teenagers and made out once on the night before Lamar left town.   There is no contact between the two for the next 15 years.

Lamar ends up dating several men with major problems and never finding the “right” guy. He moves back to Coda not realizing Dom still lives there and is in fact teaching his daughter for weeks before realizing who she is.

Dom can’t be gay – he thinks – so he ends up in a failed marriage with a wonderful woman and they have a daughter. For the last several years he’s been raising his daughter and sharing custody with her mother.

When Lamar comes back to town, the attraction is still there. Back and forth we go with the “I want you” “I can’t be around you” but “I want you” but “I can’t be gay” but “I want you” until finally Lamar puts his foot down.

When Matt (from earlier books), the wife, and ultimately the daughter, all finally get Dom to listen to reason, Dom finally admits who he is to his family and reaches out to Lamar, hoping it’s not too late.

**

Marie Sexton and the Coda series was one of the first few books in this genre I read. I LOVE them. I was so psyched to see the boys again that I barely skimmed the blurb and just said YES,YES,YES!

While I was more or less happy to catch up with the guys: all married now, still acting like they did before (ie Jared makes Matt jealous just by breathing, Matt still checks out women more than men, Zach still likes watching Ang with other guys) it wasn’t earth shattering.

I really, really didn’t care for Dom. Not even at the end when he’s supposed to have “redeemed” himself. He just felt like a douche and Lamar could do better.

Though I was happy for the HEA I didn’t feel it as keenly as I had in the other books in this series.

If you’re a fan, you’ll probably be like me and be interested enough in the series to continue with this, but if you’re not I don’t know that this will appeal all that much.

Marie writes really well, and I love her descriptions of life in Colorado (makes me homesick!), but I was disappointed in the love connection between Lamar and Dom.  I just didn’t see them making it.

I give it a 3 of 5 hearts because it wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t nearly as good as I was expecting or hoping.

3

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Take Your Best Shot By Starlight by Yolande Kleinn
Halden

Dreamspinner Presents http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6551

From the Daily Dose Series

TakeYourBestShotByStarlightBlurb

Halden Blake was a good soldier and a good man. He never intended to be a hero, and he definitely never intended the events that landed him in intergalactic politics. Now, three presidential terms later, Halden must decide if running for office again is worth five more years of putting his own life on hold.
Isaac Knox has been President Blake’s public liaison from the start, an ally and friend through difficult times. Halden has always carefully resisted thoughts of more, and Isaac has never given any hint of returning his guarded attraction. But when Halden finds himself struggling with questions about his own future, Isaac makes a surprising offer that could change everything.

Review

So – first thing I missed when I read the blurb – this is about a Space President. So be warned. ☺
It was actually great and had very few aliens or other spacey type weirdness – which I usually avoid like the plague.

Halden is the current Intragalactic President – big, big important role in the universe. He’s been there 15 years, which to a human is a long time but to other species is a drop in the bucket.
He has an assistant who has been with him the entire time, Isaac. Isaac is about 20 years younger than him and his best friend.
We meet up with Hal when he is deciding to re-run for office or get out and take care of his own sad personal life – he’s lonely.
We end with him still deciding.
**
This is a short story and thus has its limitations. However, this isn’t really even a complete story as the main conflict presented: does Hal re-up? is never resolved.
The side conflict: his loneliness is sort of resolved, but barely.

I loved the writing. The world building was amazing, but overwhelmed this short story and took page time away from the actual action or conflict resolution.
This would be better as the intro to a longer novella rather than calling itself a complete short story.

So – I have conflicting emotions regarding the rating – I give it a three because there was much to like, but far from perfect.

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Heart of the Race by Mary Calmes

Dreamspinner Presents http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3930

HeartoftheRaceBlurb

Varro Dacien spends his life riding toward the next adventure. Brian Christie, his best friend and touchstone, the one person who’s always truly seen him, plays sidekick on these madcap adventures and subsequent trips to the hospital until he can’t take it anymore. While Brian can see Varro, Varro has never caught on that he’s breaking his best friend’s heart.

Without Varro, Brian builds himself a life that’s all about just getting by, doing his best to ignore the hole in his heart and his life. Without Brian to balance him, Varro pushes harder and takes more risks to reach that ultimate high. His job racing high-octane bikes on suicide-level courses makes it easy to get that rush… until it’s no longer enough and Varro realizes it’s not the race, but who’s waiting at the finish line that truly matters. Now he just has to convince Brian to be there.

Review

Varro and Brian have been best friends since they were thrown together as foster kids. Varro is wild, crazy, an adrenaline junky and straight. Brian is quiet, studious, a rock and gay. Of course Brian has wanted Varro forever, but not been willing to act on it for the obvious reasons.

Varro is a motorcycle racer and Brian goes out on the circuit to help him stay focused and safe for an entire year. During that year it becomes clear that Brian can’t stay around Varro without completely losing his heart so he opts to leave the circuit to pursue his own dreams.

Varro misses Brian and begins to evaluate his feelings more closely.

When the two get together it is super-nova hot and sweet at the same time.

Though I hate to “spoil” things for you – this is one quote that epitomizes their relationship for me:

“I love you, Brian.” I leaned forward to meet his dark gaze and whisper the words he needed to hear and I needed to say.
“I love you, Varro, so much.”
“Swear it,” he said and held out his pinky with his right hand as he fisted my cock with his left.

“What’re we?” My voice dropped off. “Ten?”
“I am. You’re nine. Now swear.”
I hooked his pinky with mine as he pushed up from under me. “Jesus, Varro, you feel so good.”
“So do you.” His voice sounded like sandpaper as he reached up and hooked a hand behind my neck, drawing me down to him.

So, in my constant bid to bring the books I love to audiobook format, I highly recommend this amazing and wonderful book!

6 of 5 hearts

amazing

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Devil Night (Vampire of Waikiki book 6) AJ Llewellyn

Amber Quill Presents http://www.amberquill.com/store/p/1963-Devil-Night.aspx

DevilNightBlurb

(Book 6 of the A Vampire In Waikiki series)
It’s Halloween in Waikiki, the holiday some call “Devil Night.” Tem and Divine Thunder, celebrating their first Halloween together, invite all their family, friends, neighbors, and former gay-porn co-stars to Trick or Treat. Tem’s gone berserk hiring caterers from every single island, and they’ve even built a spook house on their property for the festivities and planned moonlight pony rides.
Tem’s in full-scale party diva mode when things start going horribly wrong. One by one, their guests start disappearing, and even Tem’s beloved cat, Moontime, goes missing. And then from their mountaintop home on Tantalus, they see that Chinatown is on fire.
Tem and Div throw themselves into action, but are they too late to solve the mystery of what’s happening and stop the madness?
NOTE: This story was previously published with the ISBN: 978-1-55487-407-1. This reissued version of the story has been revised and reedited.

Review

A fun, scary, sexy, and funny way to end(?) the series of Tem and Div.

Tem is out in his Tiara but sad when his party ends in a fire. Ghosts from the past show up to keep things interesting (because a Halloween party thrown by real vampires isn’t enough?!). Poor Moontime goes missing and Div is left to pick up the pieces.

As always there is lots of laughs and steam and another great addition to this off-beat series.

3.5 of 5 hearts

3.5

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Coffee Cake- Michaela Grey

Dreamspinner Press

Blurb:

Bran Kendrick never expected to fall in love. He’s asexual, after all. What chance does he have of finding someone who’ll see past that? So when Malachi Warren catches his eye, Bran tells himself his crush will pass. Malachi disagrees. He has been attracted to Bran for some time, something he is delighted to find Bran reciprocating. They begin to date and feel their way through an intimate relationship that meets both their needs.

Suddenly Bran finds himself juggling a new boyfriend, a demanding job, and a college degree he’s not sure he wants, but he couldn’t be happier—until a series of seemingly random accidents befall Malachi. When they escalate, Bran realizes someone is trying to take away the best thing that ever happened to him, and he must scramble to keep Malachi safe while they search for the would-be killer.

 

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Review:

I must say that I’ve never read a book with an asexual main character. This book is about two college guys who have been admiring each other from afar as it were, who finally enter into a relationship with each other and  fall in love. All of this occurs while someone from Mal’s past trying to kill him. The bones of the story is solid, it’s the meat of it that I felt needed more time to cook. If it wasn’t for the mystery of who had it out for Malachi, this story probably wouldn’t have held my interest. Don’t get me wrong, this book was in no way poorly written, quite the opposite, actually. It was just very bland, very…vanilla, if you will, and that’s just not my thing. One of the MCs being asexual  was interesting and intriguing to me because I had no idea how a person who identified as asexual was able to sustain romantic relationships. So this was a learning experience for me. Normally, the lack of heat in a book doesn’t bother me if the storyline was strong enough to carry the story but in this case it just wasn’t, at least for ME, it wasn’t. Yes, the mystery as to who was behind the attacks against Malachi held my interest but just until the culprit was revealed. Once that was revealed, I lost interest.

This author did a wonderful thing by stepping outside of the box by featuring an asexual MC. It helped me to better understand this sexual orientation but I will more than likely not read any other story where a MC is identified as being asexual. The heat level was simply too low and the story not strong enough for ME make up for it.

Rating:

❤️❤️❤️

  

Buy links:

Dreamspinner Press

Amazon