Aaron Seavers is a pathetic mess, and he knows it. He lives in terror of incurring his father’s wrath and disappointing his mother, and he can’t stop dithering about where to go to college—with fall term only weeks away. Ditched by a friend at a miserable summer farewell party, all he can do is get drunk in the laundry room and regret he was ever born. Until a geeky-cute classmate lifts his spirits, leaving him confident of two things: his sexual orientation, and where he’s headed to school.
Giles Mulder can’t wait to get the hell out of Oak Grove, Minnesota, and off to college, where he plans to play his violin and figure out what he wants to be when he grows up. But when Aaron appears on campus, memories of hometown hazing threaten what he’d hoped would be his haven. As the semester wears on, their attraction crescendos from double-cautious to a rich, swelling chord. But if more than one set of controlling parents have their way, the music of their love could come to a shattering end.
Warning: Contains showmances, bad parenting, Walter Lucas, and a cappella
Review
Finally!
That’s what I said when I found out Love Lesson’s was to finally have it’s sequel!
I knew it had been planned for a long time and was super excited to finally read it! Let me tell you that I was NOT disappointed!
This is another long book of the new adult variety, in keeping with the Love Lesson’s theme. Fever Pitch takes place at another university in the mid-west, small and liberal arts oriented – but no gay swans, mores the pity.
Aaron and Giles actually attended high school together their senior year. It is in their last days there that Aaron begins to give in to his cravings for male romance and Giles is happy to help him explore this side of his personality. Unfortunately, both boys are really quite scarred from past experiences and the relationship is over before it really begins, leaving Aaron tentatively in lust/love and Giles really pissed off.
Aaron follow Giles to St Timothy’s University, mostly in stalker fashion, and over the course of many months they eventually forge a friendship through their mutual love for music.
During this bonding process we get to see our friends Walter and Kelly again – woot! Walter ends up helping Aaron deal with his new feelings and helps him to “get his man”.
Once the boys get together the drama doesn’t stop. There are other crazy parents involved and other sad gay boys to be saved. We see parents who can help save lives and those who set out to ruin them. There is lots and lots of music being played, composed and sung. And finally there is a wedding. Sigh. Walter and Kelly get married in what has to be my all time favorite gay wedding to date.
I just loved these two books so much! This second book is even stronger than the first. The side issues are more serious and the tragedies more tragic. If I’m being honest… the sex is hotter too, but don’t tell that to Walter or Kelly.
I loved how the book furthers the lives of people we met in book one, but if you didn’t read the first book, no worries, this stands on its own quite nicely.
Again Heidi has given us a love story interwoven with some serious, coming of age issues and the result is a rich tale, full of well developed characters and satisfying story lines.
I highly recommend this book and give it a 5 out of 5 hearts.
Today we’re welcoming Shae Connor to the blog. She shares her thoughts on the setting for Unfortunate Son, a delicious excerpt, and there’s a giveaway! Thanks for stopping by, Shae!
Five years ago, Evan Day lost his lover in the Afghan sand, and in the fallout, he lost his military career and his family. With help from friends, he reinvented himself as porn star Trevor Hardball, but his scars are hidden, not healed. When Riley Yeats falls into Evan’s lap in a bar, he awakens a part of Evan he’d thought was dead and gone. Evan’s fascinated by the blond and twinky Riley, even though he’s the opposite of Evan’s usual type.
Then Evan’s family reappears his life, and Evan soon learns Riley has his own family-inflicted wounds—ones that make it hard for him to be there for Evan. A disastrous confrontation between Evan and his parents leaves Evan’s mother injured and Evan overcome by anger and fear. Losing his tenuous hold on his emotional control, Evan makes one bad decision after another, but maybe his final fall will be the wake-up call Evan needs to set things right—with his parents, and with Riley.
Atlanta as Setting in Unfortunate Son
By Shae Connor
When I started writing Unfortunate Son (lo, these many years ago), I knew the setting was never in question. The bulk of the action would take place right where the story was originally conceived: in Atlanta’s Midtown district, and specifically in the heart of the “Gayborhood,” which is anchored at the intersection of 10th Street and Piedmont Road, just down from the edge of Piedmont Park. It’s an area I’m very familiar with, and I knew it wouldn’t take much effort to make its character shine through.
Midtown stretches between Atlanta’s historic downtown and the flashier, richer neighborhood to the north called Buckhead. The area’s crown jewel is Piedmont Park, which is to Atlanta what Central Park is to Manhattan: a huge, open, green space in the midst of an urban location. Piedmont Park is home to the annual Atlanta Pride Festival, in addition to dozens of other local events, and it’s surrounded by both residential and business areas, most of those populated by members of the gay community. Restaurants, bars, clubs, and stores of all types cater to young urban professionals, many of them gay men.
I’ve spent a lot of time with friends in Midtown the past few years, and while most of the businesses named in Unfortunate Son are fictitious, nearly all of them are based on real locations. Piedmont Lofts, where Riley lives, sits in a real building at the edge of Piedmont Park, though it doesn’t actually house lofts like Riley’s. Piedmont Diner, where Evan and Riley have brunch with Evan’s best friends, Cory and Jimmy, similarly doesn’t exist, but it’s an amalgam of several similar restaurants in the neighborhood. And Panther, the dance club the guys visit, is very loosely based on an Atlanta club that I’ve been to, though mostly in the general vibe, rather than any specifics of layout or even clientele.
One business in Unfortunate Son that’s almost exactly like its real-life counterparts is Bernhardt’s, which plays host to Cory’s performance as drag queen Coco Lamé, a member of the Stilettos drag troupe. The real bar, Burkhart’s, is a frequent hangout for me and quite a few of my friends. Burkhart’s hosts regular drag shows and until recently was home to weekly performances by the Armorettes, also known as the Infamous Camp Drag Queens of the South, the troupe on which the Stilettos were based. Most of the time, though, Burkhart’s is a relatively quiet, pub-like location that serves great steak dinners and has an awesome, friendly staff. In fact, Burkhart’s is hosting a release party for the book, and they’ve been awesome.
For today, I’m offering up an excerpt that gives a peek at Bernhardt’s and the Stilettos. At this point in the story, Riley’s friend Mikey has just moved to Atlanta, and they’ve joined Evan to see Cory (Coco) perform. (You’ll get more of Mikey, Cory, and Jimmy in Wayward Son, which will be out in a few months.)
Excerpt:
Another performer finished her Lady Gaga lip-synch with a flourish, and the crowd erupted into cheers as she collected the last of her tips and waved her way offstage. The emcees reemerged and launched back into their trademark banter, laced with suggestive comments and pop culture references. Evan pulled his phone out of his pocket to check the time. With only fifteen minutes left in the advertised performance window, Cory should be up next.
Sure enough, the bearded emcee in the pink dress—cupid’s bow lips painted to match—smiled and spoke louder. “And now, ladies and gentlemen, without further ado—”
“Ado, ado, to you and you and you-ooo!” the other emcee singsonged, earning a laugh from the crowd and a backhanded slap to the stomach from her cohort.
“…without further interruption from the peanut gallery, the Stilettos are proud to present, in her debut headlining performance—the fabulous Miss Coco Lamé!”
The music started back up, lights flashed, and then out came Coco in all her flashy glory. She wore a gold sequined vest with matching fringe over a white, midriff-baring top, though as she moved, Evan could see that the midriff was actually covered with flesh-colored spandex. Her cowgirl-style hat, tight skirt, and boots shimmered with black glitter, and on one hip, she carried what appeared to be a holster trimmed in even more shiny gold.
Evan was too busy trying not to laugh at the overkill to notice the music, but when Riley lifted a carefully groomed eyebrow and leaned closer, Evan leaned in to catch his comment.
“I wouldn’t have figured Cory—excuse me, Coco—for a Pointer Sisters fan.”
Sure enough, Coco launched into an energetic rendition of “I’m So Excited.” She shimmied, she twisted, she pointed and flirted, and the crowd went crazy for it all. Hands waved money at her in all directions, and Coco collected it with hands, cleavage, and that holster, its presence clearly meant for more than just show.
Coco came closer to their end of the bar, and Evan shared a smile with her as she took the fiver he held out and leaned in to give him a kiss on his cheek. She took Riley’s tip the same way, and then turned to Mikey, who stood as if in shock, staring.
Riley’s eyebrow rose again. “Mikey, honey, you’re supposed to tip the nice lady now,” he admonished.
Mikey snapped back to attention, a blush rising high on his cheeks as he held out his offering. Coco slithered closer, taking Mikey’s wrist and giving an assist for him to deposit the cash directly into her cleavage. Maintaining her grip on Mikey, she pulled him in close for a gentle kiss on the mouth, leaving behind a swipe of bright red lipstick to go with the now deep red of his cheeks. She gave him a final lingering glance and a wink and went back to working the rest of the crowd.
Evan couldn’t help smirking at Mikey, who just stared after Coco, dumbstruck. He leaned closer to Riley. “I think your boy might have a little bit of a crush.”
Riley laughed softly. “I can’t imagine where you could have gotten that idea.”
Author bio:
Shae Connor lives in Atlanta, where she’s a lackadaisical government worker for a living and writes sweet-hot romance under the cover of night. She’s been making things up for as long as she can remember, but it took her a long time to figure out that maybe she should try writing them down. She’s conned several companies into publishing her work and adds a new notch on her bedpost each time another story is unleashed onto an unsuspecting universe.
A member of the Romance Writers of America and the Rainbow Writers chapter, Shae was first published in 2010 and has a lineup of short stories, novellas, and novels available from Dreamspinner Press, Wilde City Press, MLR Press, and Amber Allure.
Shae is part Jersey, part Irish, and all Southern, which explains why she never shuts up. When she’s not chained to her laptop, she enjoys cooking, traveling, watching baseball, and reading voraciously, and she’s an annual volunteer for the Dragon Con on-site publication, the Daily Dragon. You can find her hanging out on Twitter most any time @shaeconnor, but for the more direct route, you can email her at [email protected] or visit her website at shaeconnorwrites.com.
Connor Roth is a fire mage who’s going places. He’s powerful, popular, and he has a plan. But his plan for fame and glory is disrupted when the Oracle sticks him with Landyn Glendower for Senior Trial. This is an act unprecedented in their school’s history. Landyn is a water mage, and everyone knows mages with opposing elements can’t work magic together.
Connor is left with a choice: work alone and fail or swallow his pride and work with Landyn to find a way to combine their magic in a display the Archmages will never forget—if they don’t get kicked out of school in the process.
Review
So, I’m sure I won’t be the only one to see a little Harry Potter in this story…
Connor is the “hot shot” son of a famous sorcerer who has to prove to the school his prowess in a grand tournament at the end of the year. He is paired with Landyn, someone with opposing magic skills, a loner, and a dark horse.
At first both Connor and Landyn are miserable with the pairing (for differing reasons) and are certain they will fail. Connor’s fair weather friends abandon him and Connor’s hubris rubs Landyn wrong over and over. When Connor finally breaks down and admit he needs Landyn’s help, the tides begin to turn. And… over time the boys learn that opposite magic might just be the perfect “recipe” for winning and the old adage about attraction… yeah that’s true too.
**
This is a short story and YA so not my favorite things right off the bat. But… it’s about magic and young love and a possible GFY so…totally redeemed!
It was wonderful! The set up for Connor to look like a jerk then turn around and be a sweetheart was perfect. Landyn was snarky and bittersweet the entire time. The enemies-to-“lovers” was very well played and there was just enough sexual tension to keep the pages smoldering.
I really enjoyed the world Agatha Bird created and hope we see more of it. I would especially love to see a longer, more fully played out story where our boys are over eighteen… if you catch my drift 😉
Falling for a coworker is rarely a good idea, especially for a man getting a last chance at salvaging his career. But from the moment Dwyer Knolls sees the beautiful but socially awkward Takeo Hiroyuki, he seems destined to make bad decisions.
Takeo’s life is a string of failed attempts to please his traditional Japanese father. Unfortunately, succeeding in business turns out to be just as difficult for Takeo as changing from gay to straight. In fact, the only thing Takeo seems to truly excel at is taking notice of Dwyer Knolls.
When Dwyer and Takeo head to Mangrove, Florida on a real estate buying trip, their tentative friendship combusts and becomes much more. Is their sudden connection real enough to bank their futures on, or should they chalk the whole thing up to the daze inspired by the blue ocean breeze?
Dwyer is stuck in a job that he may or may not be great at, but that may not be important because he may or may not hate it, anyway. One thing he knows for sure, his new co-worker turned boss makes going to work every day a dream come true.
Takeo is Japanese to the nth degree. He takes everything literally, rarely understands social cues, knows he hates his job, knows he hates his dad, but doesn’t know that the man of his dreams harbors an attraction for him, as well.
Things at the company go steadily down hill, everyone wondering when their axe is going to fall, leaving them without a job. Dwyer is never worried. Why? Well, he just doesn’t worry. Takeo isn’t worried. Why? Well, his dad owns the company.
However, things are about to get really shaken up when Dwyer and Takeo take a business trip to Florida for damage control on a deal gone sideways. Neither man realizes it, but their lives will change from that moment forward, in ways neither saw coming.
**
Oh Mary. I just love, love, love your books. Takeo is so damn cute! So bumbling and stuffy. The perfect mate for Dwyer, who falls asleep in meetings and makes doodles to pass the time. Of course, everyone loves Dwyer. He can literally do no wrong. And of course, nobody, and I mean nobody, likes Takeo. Except for Dwyer.
The secondary characters are also wonderfully created. From Mak, who secretly wants to run a nightclub. To Gretchen, whose husband proposed to her at a picnic table by the ocean.
Mary never disappoints. The sex is super-hot. The love is a slow burn, but so tender and touching, you just know they’re going to last forever.
And then you get the cross-over! We get to hear about, briefly, Aaron Sutter and Duncan Steil. I won’t spoil the surprise but it’s as lovely as it was expected.
I highly recommend this book (and all of Mary’s books) 5 of 5 hearts.
Audio:
Greg Tremblay is one of my very favorite narrators and he does a super awesome job here. His version of Takeo is perfect! I just love how “straight man” he is played – by the books, literal, conservative and then how utterly delicious it is when he lets go and shows his true emotions. Greg does an amazing job with the emotion, letting us feel like we’re there and really getting in to the story.
5 of 5 hearts for the narration as well
Quiet elevator installer Joe Taylor craves more stability in his career, but not in his personal life. Casual sex suits him, and when he meets fitness center owner Bill Evans at a mall where they are both working, they agree on no-strings-attached weekend hookups. Both men have fought hard to escape their pasts and are afraid to commit, so the agreement works well for them—at first. But when the sex gets hotter by the weekend and a deeper connection forms, Joe and Bill wonder if a relationship is feasible, especially since Joe’s work makes it impossible for him to settle down. Joe must consider his changing priorities and decide if he can take a risk on something beyond the physical.
Review
Joe has a low self-esteem and not much experience being a gay man. He’s had some bar encounters but no real relationships. He works construction installing elevators and escalators for a diabolical boss who only wants to cut corners.
Bill is a personal trainer who is opening up a new gym (in the mall Joe is currently working on) and also has a low self-esteem. Bill doesn’t want a relationship because he’s too busy trying to prove himself with his new gym.
Bill meets Joe at a club and the two hit it off right away and agree to a no-strings affair for the duration of Joe’s time spent building the mall. But… Joe gets injured and Bill rides to the rescue to help him recover and to get what’s coming to him in terms of compensation from his evil boss (who fires Joe for being injured).
**
I didn’t love this story. First, though it’s a pretty solid HFN, it isn’t a solid HEA and I like those better.
Second, the writing isn’t great. It’s a bit sophomoric and not very polished. (Though the editing is good and there aren’t a lot of glaring grammar mistakes or typos.)
Third, I didn’t quite understand the general motivation of either MC. Sometimes they did things that didn’t make sense (like Joe not fighting for his rights when his boss fires him in a ridiculously obvious illegal move or when both men agree to move in with one another after only knowing each other for a very short time).
Fourth, I didn’t find the sex particularly hot or exciting.
So… I was glad these two sad and lonely guys found each other (that made me very happy) and it looks like they’ll probably work out in the long run (I would have liked to see more evidence of this – maybe the “L” word here and there), but I didn’t find this story to be that enthralling or wonderful.
Overall I give it 3 of 5 hearts for having some sweet moments and nice editing.
Dare Buckley has come home—or at least, he’s come back to Palladian, the small town he left as a teenager. After a major lapse in judgment forced him to resign from the Seattle PD, Palladian is the only place that’ll hire him. There’s one benefit to hitting rock bottom, though: the chance to investigate the mystery of his father’s suicide.
Dare also gets to reacquaint himself with Finn Fowler, whose childhood hero worship ended in uncomfortable silence when Dare moved away. But Finn isn’t the same little kid Dare once protected. He’s grown into an attractive, enigmatic stranger who neither wants nor needs what Dare has to offer.
In fact, Dare soon realizes that Finn’s keeping secrets—his own and the town’s. And he doesn’t seem to care that Dare needs answers. The atmosphere in Palladian, like its namesake river, appears placid, but dark currents churn underneath. When danger closes in, Dare must pit his ingenuity against his heart, and find his way home the hard way.
Kimi’s review:
This was one of those books whose pieces simply fell together into one cohesive whole, making a picture you didn’t expect but are utterly in love with. Dare moved away from Palladium as a teen following his father’s suicide. Once grown up, became a police officer with the Seattle P.D. After falling from grace, he returns to Palladium to lick his wounds and start over, working for the sheriff’s department. It’s not an easy thing, as there are those who think he’s gotten the job they believed they should have been promoted to, people feeling awkward over the cloud the family left town over, and other small town issues. Dare doesn’t care as much about that as one might expect because he’s determined to ferret out the truth of his father’s suicide while he’s there.
He runs into walls that surprise him, not the least one being whatever Finn seems to be keeping from him. Finn isn’t the same kid who had a case of hero worship back in the day, but someone is still most definitely bullying him. It’s not all empty threats either, as mysterious events unfold tat could have lethal consequences. Mix in the sexual tension between Dare and Finn, add in a bit of fairly light BDSM play, and you have a cop who’s heart is smitten and hopes like hell that he can figure out just what is really going on with Finn and the town of Palladium. When the truth leads back to a long ago night and Finn’s own deceased mother, who’d been known as the town whore, secrets are revealed that rock the town and Dare to their core. I know I certainly was taken by surprised as hadn’t seen that coming. Recommended.
The Flesh Cartel: an international, multi-billion-dollar black market that trades in lost souls. Or more specifically, their bodies. The Cartel trainers are masters at breaking a human mind. Fortunately for their ultra-rich clients, they’re just as skilled at putting people back together again—as perfect pets, well-trained and eager to please.
Two orphaned brothers caught by the Cartel learn just how far the human spirit can bend—and how badly it can break. But with support from each other and a determined FBI agent, they may also learn how to live—and love—once again.
***
This is a serialized story now available in five novels in print and ebook.
Reader discretion advised. This title contains the following sensitive themes: explicit violence, forced incest, non-consent, dubious consent, drug use, kidnapping/abduction, self-harm.
Kimi’s review:
Holy shit. To say this wa not an easy read would perhaps be the understatement of the century. It’s not a romance, so put that idea right out of your head. It’s a taut psychosexual thriller that takes you on a bareknuckle ride through Hell and gone. I won’t say back, because there is no coming back from something like this. There is an out and forward, but no way back.
Big brother Mat has sacrificed a lot in order to make a home with his brother and put him through university. Doug, or Dougie as Mat still calls him, is close to completing his PH.d in psychology. Unfortunately, Doug has caught the eye of some unsavoury types who decide to take him as he fits the profile for being some one they can disappear easily enough- orphaned, alone except for a brother who’s an MMA fighter on a downward spiral, barely keeping their heads above water, and very, very attractive. When an exceedingly rich man puts in a request for a certain body type and look, wheels are set into motion to make his disappearance one that doesn’t raise any suspicion. Unfortunately for Mat, he comes home a bit earlier than they had anticipated and finds he too is grabbed.
What follows is a regime of sexual and mental abuse designed to break the men’s minds and spirits, with a lot of what happens being helped along by other victims of the cartel. Nor are they the only victims currently being broken and sold, which they discover to their horror, as both male and female victims are heard in the cells and seen in various locations at the facility. Auctioned off as a pair at an auction that quite frankly made my hair stand on end, they are bought by a trainer. Nicolei is a consummate professional in training sex slaves. It’d be easy to hate him as we watch the mind games he plays with Mat and Dougie, but rather than give us a completely unlikable villain, the authors gave us a complex man who has genuine regrets and affection for his charges. It’s quite a conundrum, made all the more tragic when it all starts to come apart for the cartel. I couldn’t bring myself to feel affection for him, but my heart did break for him and for his right hand man. In another life, given very different circumstances, their lives would have been very different instead of being warped beyond all reason.
The story doesn’t end when the brothers are at last sold by Nicolei to their master either. FBI agent Nate Johnson has been a long time fan of Mat, and he has been following his instincts that something doesn’t add up with the MMA fighter and his PH.d candidate brother’s disappearance. he’s like a dog with a bone, and he doesn’t stop until he has the answers he’s looking for. Of course, the truth is much, much bigger than he’d ever dreamed, and it makes for an explosive climax when law enforcement pulls off their operation. Following up on what happens afterwards was a rare treat, but it was not a ready made HEA. Nate and Mat connect on a personal level, which was indeed very romantic, but Dougie was straight and his head is having a hard time separating out sex and affection and feelings of well-being. Given that his mind and body have been conditioned to associate sex with a male master as “happiness”, he’s in a bad place. The authors manage to showcase how his sexual traumas cause this, and his finding his way out of it, without demonising the LGBT community.
It’s a very well written series, but one I could only read in VERY small doses and with a lot of happy in-between as it is simply so vividly depicted that it crawled right under my skin and wormed itself into my brain. The abusive pseudo BDSM (it’s NOT BDSM of course, despite the twisted lies the masters tell themselves, it’s abuse) in particular is brutal, and of course anything but safe, sane, and consensual, so readers should be warned that a rather strong stomach for those scenes alone is required.
This title can be purchased as a serial or as a series with three seasons (volumes) from Riptide.
After surviving ten years in prison, Cameron Pierce is attempting to put the past behind him. He tries to adjust to his newfound freedom with a place at the halfway house and a job. But one lesson he learned in prison keeps him guarded: hope is a dangerous thing.
Hunter Donovan, Assistant State Attorney, is a man of justice who loves a challenge. After a lifetime of putting his career first, a milestone brings him to a harsh realization—he’s lonely.
Hunter’s world changes when he meets Cam. The wary young man intrigues him and awakens a desire unlike anything he’s ever experienced. When Cam’s past resurfaces and threatens to rip them apart, their budding relationship is challenged and Cam’s hope for a future begins to dim.
These outside forces hunting Cam will stop at nothing to send him back to prison. But they’ll have to get past Hunter first.
Review
Cameron is a young 27. He’s been in prison for the last 10 years and he’s been pretty emotionally stunted as a result. He only knows how to protect himself, and is very wary of letting anyone in. Luckily he’s found the amazing guys at the halfway house (yay! I love that we get to see Matt and J again!) to show him how to be “on the outside” again.
Hunter is feeling all of his 40 years and needs someone to shake him out of his lonely rut. When he sees Cameron at “his” diner his world is soundly shaken.
I loved these two together. They were sweet and sexy and clearly fit the other’s needs perfectly. I loved how Cam won over the folks at the diner and managed to turn them in to his new family.
Jaime Reese is an amazing author who knows just how to pair tragedy with devotion to make for a really outstanding romance. I also loved that we got to see the guys from book one again – the continuation of their story is like a little bonus epilogue! (And you know how I feel about epilogues!)
I can’t wait for Cole’s story (coming in February!!) and hope we see more and more from this author.
(And of course – wow – the cover – just beautiful!)
After years of no contact, Oliver “Olly” Grey was finally able to reunite with his cousin Aiden. He’s surprised to find that Aiden now has a mate—a male, shifter mate—named Lex. And it’s Lex’s pack mates that Olly is there to help save. What he hadn’t expected was Lex’s brother Ryan.
Ryan Shepherd was happy to have found his brother Lex, and even happier to know that his brother was happily mated. But there is something about Aiden’s cousin Olly that Ryan doesn’t trust, especially when he also smells like the man currently holding his pack members captive. Yet that doesn’t stop Ryan from wanting to hold and comfort the man, and eventually he realizes why—Olly is his mate.
Now the four of them need to plan a rescue mission, but what happens when they run into the two men that had held Lex captive and those same men come to the cabin in the middle of the night?
Review
This takes place right after book one: Aiden’s Shepherd. Olly is Aiden’s cousin and a wizard. Olly is running from his father who is holding a bunch of shifters in cages. Olly runs to Aiden to get his help to release these shifters but is a little nervous when he meets Lex, Aiden’s mate and Ryan, Lex’s brother.
Ryan is leery of Olly because he smells like the man holding the shifters hostage and distrustful of him because he’s a wizard, but he can’t help being attracted, too.
Olly, Lex, Aiden and finally Ryan decide to work together to free the shifters, but have to wait 3 weeks for Olly’s dad to go on a trip and leave the shifter’s unguarded. During those 3 weeks Olly learns more about his own magic and Ryan learns more about Olly.
In the end Ryan discovers Olly is his mate, Olly discovers he is a “special” wizard and all four find ways to work together to free the shifters from Olly’s dad.
**
I liked Aiden’s Shepherd a bit more than this, mostly because the romance here was a bit rushed. I loved that Olly got to be a “super wizard” and that he needed to lose his virginity to do so!
I like this world Beany Sparks has created and am enjoying the series.
Blake has absolutely nothing in common with his ex’s annoying hippie roommate. So why are they hanging out together?
Blake is totally not still hung up on Jeff, his hot ex-boyfriend. And he’s so not sleeping with Bob, Jeff’s annoying hippie roommate. Except he is. And even though they have absolutely nothing in common, Bob might just show Blake that there’s more to their relationship than just sex. If Blake can share some of his secrets and let his guard down just a little bit.
Review
Blake just got dumped by his ex – for a straight guy! Bob is Blake’s ex-boyfriend’s roommate. He’s straight, a hippy, and has the worst fashion sense Blake has ever seen, but… he’s there when Blake is feeling horny and lonely and it’s his birthday and since Bob is showing some “curiosity” about being gay… Blake decides to take Bob home and show him just why gay sex is the best sex there is.
Bob is a laid back hippy raised by two moms with dread locks and a penchant for wearing sarongs and t-shirts. He finds Blake fascinating and beautiful and when Blake agrees to fool around with him he finds that he really likes gay sex… in fact… he thinks he might even be gay!
As the semester goes on, Blake and Bob find that their “one night stand” is becoming a regular thing and they are spending more and more time together – even time together not naked. When it looks like they might even be starting something “real”, Blake subconsciously sabotages things between them.
Fortunately Bob is amazing and patient (so are his moms!) and after some time and some real communication it looks like our boys will get their happily ever after.
**
I have to admit the cover threw me – I was kind of expecting Blake to be an emotional, whiny, twink. And he sort of is – but he’s mostly a snarky, sad, funny, sweet, jaded, old soul who has had a rough start and not enough love in his life.
I LOVE BOB. I love him! He is such a real character! I can totally imagine a guy like him at a small, liberal arts school in the north-east or even the mid-west. I love his two moms and his house in the country. What I really appreciated about his exploration into being gay was how open he was and yet how appropriately trepidatious he was about committing to the idea of actually being gay.
I found the slow, easy, gentle way the two began their relationship to be fascinating, real, and so touching. It was almost like their love just snuck up on them. I was sad the story ended where it did, because I would have loved to see more of them as an established couple, but that’s how you should feel when you’ve met a great fictional couple.
Blake’s history was so well played out – the subtle hints leading to the reveal about his childhood boyfriend was great.
I also really loved that Blake never asked Bob to cut his hair – they both just accepted one another for who they were – even though they didn’t like it. It felt so real to me.
I haven’t read anything by this author before, but I will definitely be looking into future and past works. I really enjoyed this and highly recommend it.
Book Two of the Love Lessons Series
