Category: Era

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Him by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kenedy

Rennie Road Books Presents http://www.amazon.com/Him-Sarina-Bowen-ebook/dp/B011LSLI9G/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1438406497&sr=1-1&keywords=him+sarina+bowen

himBlurb

They don’t play for the same team. Or do they?

Jamie Canning has never been able to figure out how he lost his closest friend. Four years ago, his tattooed, wise-cracking, rule-breaking roommate cut him off without an explanation. So what if things got a little weird on the last night of hockey camp the summer they were eighteen? It was just a little drunken foolishness. Nobody died.

Ryan Wesley’s biggest regret is coaxing his very straight friend into a bet that pushed the boundaries of their relationship. Now, with their college teams set to face off at the national championship, he’ll finally get a chance to apologize. But all it takes is one look at his longtime crush, and the ache is stronger than ever.

Jamie has waited a long time for answers, but walks away with only more questions—can one night of sex ruin a friendship? If not, how about six more weeks of it? When Wesley turns up to coach alongside Jamie for one more hot summer at camp, Jamie has a few things to discover about his old friend…and a big one to learn about himself.

Warning: contains sexual situations, skinnydipping, shenanigans in an SUV and proof that coming out to your family on social media is a dicey proposition.

Review

Jamie and Ryan have been friends since they were 13 and playing with one another at an Elite summer camp for up and coming hockey players. Ryan was the “bad boy” always pushing Jamie’s limits, and Jamie was glad to come along for the ride.

At the end of their last summer, before college, Ryan pushes Jamie one last time and the results are disastrous. As a result they haven’t even spoken for the last four years. Now they face one another in a championship setting at the college level and Ryan is determined to mend fences.

Jamie, being the awesome guy he is, though he was hurt and confused by what happened, forgives Ryan and the two start their friendship again. This time as coaches at the same summer camp.

Over the ensuing 6 weeks of camp, Ryan can’t hide his ever present love for his best friend, and strangely Jamie is receptive.

They spend the time exploring one another with the caveat that it all has to end at the end of the summer because Ryan can’t be out in his first year as a professional hockey player and … lots of other reasons.

But… there’s a surprise waiting for you… and a happy – very, very happy- ending!

**

WOW! This has to rank as one of the best books I’ve read this year and that’s saying a LOT!

It was full of humor, sports, warm moments with teenagers, super – I mean super duper- hot sex, tenderness and fun.

I highlighted so many phrases because the wit was outrageous!

My favorite is this:

Jamie chuckles. “You sure you don’t want to go the bisexual path? ’Cause I’m pretty sure you won’t have any trouble in the chick department.”

“S’all good. Wouldn’t be fair to the straight guys if I threw my hat in the pussy ring. They wouldn’t stand a chance.”

Another is:

Wes pushes his finger in deeper, rubbing that spot that makes me see stars. My prostate. Why hasn’t anyone ever told me the prostate was some kind of magical pleasure zone? Are there unicorns and orgasm fairies dancing around in there?

It’s so refreshing to see the bi-curious guy just go for it. I truly believe he’s an honest-to-God bisexual and that’s uncommon for this genre.

The ending was awesome – realistic, touching, sexy and sweet.

I can’t rave about this enough and I hope this writing duo make many more books for us to enjoy!

6 of 5 hearts!

amazing

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Striped and Bear by Artemis Wolffe

Amazon Unlimited Presents
http://www.amazon.com/Striped-Bear-Shifter-Romance-Furbidden-ebook/dp/B011HW3KTC/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1437871006&sr=1-1&keywords=striped+and+bear&pebp=1437871007821&perid=0Q1S16TBN6K78B097RFR

striped and bearBlurb

Matthew Bruner is a bear shifter destined for greatness. Or so, that’s what he’s always been told. As the next in line to become alpha of his clan, Matthew’s days of singlehood are drawing to a close. Long since committed to a prearranged mating, Matthew finds himself feeling trapped and, worse, afraid. In a desperate attempt to prolong his freedom, Matthew flees his family’s ancestral home and heads to the nearest city. It’s there that he meets Ezra Tier, a tiger shifter with a bad streak the size of a mountain.

Ezra Tier has spent the better part of his life not giving a damn. He goes where he wants, does what he likes, and answers to no one. Leading a life as a globetrotting rogue has its perks, and for Ezra one of those perks has been the ability to pick up and move on whenever things get too complicated and messy. So when he encounters a simple mountain bear shifter with broad shoulders and a shy personality, it’s all Ezra can do to maintain his unattached persona.

When a familiar and dangerous presence shows up in search of Matthew to bring him home, Ezra must change his ways in order to keep his newfound love by his side. Failing that, Matthew will be forced to go through with his prearranged mating and Ezra will lose him forever. Can these two shifters from different worlds come together in time to save their budding relationship? Or will the experience leave their hearts stripped and bare?

Review

Matthew is a bear shifter whose clan has him slated to mate for political/business purposes. He runs away because he can’t mate a female and doesn’t want to be tied down to the family business anyway.

On his travels he meets Ezra, his destined mate, and a tiger. Ezra and all tigers are footloose and fancy free, so at first he fights the mating because he can’t see himself tied down to a mate, especially bears who like to build a den and stay in one place.

In the end there is a grand battle with the evil father and the two mates end up HEA.

**

This is a very short, free read on Kindle Unlimited. The sex is super hot and the story pretty sweet.

I enjoyed it for what it was, a light, fluffy, fun read.

4 of 5 hearts

4

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Out in the Deep End by Lane Hayes

GoodReads Presents
http://www.mmromancegroup.com/?p=277346

out in the deep endBlurb

Dear Author,
My water polo team is the most LGBT friendly team on campus. Literally half the team is queer and it’s ok, you can be jealous. One of the reasons I was hella excited to come here, ha! But I don’t care about the rest of the team right now, because all I can think about is this new freshman with the mad skills. Zev.
He has this gorgeous lob shot and makes our intense practices seem effortless. I swear if I hadn’t just played an entire game, I would have gotten hard at the backhanded skip shot he scored last week. Seriously. It was amazing. And why does Zev have to be just as stunning out of the water? He’s all dark hair and heavy brows and these hazel eyes that make me stutter like a fool.
I don’t know why he’s warmed up to everyone on the team but me. I’m the main driver, and he’s a leftie, so we should clearly work together… I mean, aside from the fact I want into his pants.
Fuck it.
This is California, and it’s college— it’s pretty much the definition of fun. So what happens when we’re assigned roommates for the three-day tournament in Long Beach?

Photo Description:
Two fierce competitors lunge up out of a pool of placid water, only their bare torsos showing. Their athletic bodies are bronzed and toned, and each of them wears a swim cap. They face each other, reaching up with arms extended aggressively. One player holds a ball in his left hand while the other, facing him, moves to block with his right hand. Their actions send sprays of water, foaming about them.

This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group’s “Love is an Open Road” event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story.

Water polo plyer
Water polo plyer

Review

Out and proud Adam has a small crush on the new guy to the water polo team – Zev. Zev, however, does everything he can to give Adam the brushoff.

Adam and Zev are put together in a hotel room when the team travels for a tournament and it turns out that Zev has some very deep feelings for Adam after all.

**

This is a short, sweet, hopeful OFY story of discovery and possibly a long term connection.

I really wish it had been a longer story with a fully finished happy ending because I was really enjoying Zev and Adam as a developing couple.

This is very fun, hot and sweet for a short story and definitely enjoyable.

4.5 of 5 hearts

4.5

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Against the Grain (THIRDS #5): Charlie Cochet

Dreamspinner Press

BLURB: As the fiercest Defense Agent at the THIRDS, Destructive Delta’s Ash Keeler is foul-mouthed and foul-tempered. But his hard-lined approach always yields results, evident by his recent infiltration of the Coalition. Thanks to Ash’s skills and the help of his team, they finally put an end to the murdering extremist group for good, though not before Ash takes a bullet to save teammate Cael Maddock. As a result, Ash’s secrets start to surface, and he can no longer ignore what’s in his heart.

Cael Maddock is no stranger to heartache. As a Recon Agent for Destructive Delta, he has successfully maneuvered through the urban jungle that is New York City, picking up his own scars along the way. Yet nothing he’s ever faced has been more of a challenge than the heart of Ash Keeler, his supposedly straight teammate. Being in love isn’t the only danger he and Ash face as wounds reopen and new secrets emerge, forcing them to question old loyalties. 

REVIEW: This is book 5 in a series that is off the charts amazing. THIRDS is the FBI of sorts of law enforcement. This elite branch of law enforcement is specifically comprised of Therians and humans that was formed specifically to fight crimes that involve Therians. The first four books we saw the development of Dex and Sloane’s relationship with some really great action and adventures but in this we get to see Ash and Cael’s relationship development. 

Cael is the sweet Recon agent for Destructive Delta. What I really liked about this is that we get to know and understand him a lot more. He’s not as innocent as we originally thought in the first four books. He’s been through a lot and has emotional scars and secrets from his past that he hasn’t fully recovered from. 

Ash is the crap talking, bad tempered, tough, gruff, huge lion Therian of the team. Underneath his gruff and grumpy exterior is a man who like Cael, carries  deep emotional scars from his past. 

What you’re going to get in this book is action, suspense, intrigue, spies, covert operations with a developing romance between two agents. In this book, you see both Ash and Cael face their demons and fight them successfully. 

What I love about this series is that the author is able to strike the perfect balance of action and suspense, mystery, intrigue and humor. These agents aren’t mere colleagues; they’re family whose love and loyalty for each other is conveyed throughout the book. There are very few sex scenes written in but this is quite alright as the plot and storytelling more than makes up for it. This series is definitely worth picking up. In fact, I highly recommend it!

RATING: ???Amazing???

Buy links:

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

ARe

  

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Ask, Answer, Look, Kiss by Livia Frost

GoodReads Presents http://www.mmromancegroup.com/?p=277843

ask lookBlurb

Dear Author,
We’ve been friends forever. Best friends in school. Roommates and best friends in college. Partners and best friends in business. He was the first person I told when I realized I was gay. He just said, “Me, too.” Yet somehow, in all those years, through all the ups and downs, we never even thought of being lovers. We were always best friends.
Then one day, something changed. What happened? How did we end up here?

Photo Description:
Two unclothed men stand side-by-side at the railing to a ship, their backs to us, facing the ocean. The man on the left has his arm around the waist of the other and their heads are tipped together affectionately. Both men are similar looking: wide shoulders, shaved heads, shapely butts, and golden skin. The one major difference is their tattoos. The man on the left has two tribal bands across his right bicep and shoulder. The other man has a swirling tribal design that covers most of his back, with smaller designs on his lower back and upper right thigh.

This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group’s “Love is an Open Road” event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story.

ask look listen (1)Review

This is a best friends to lovers story. Travis and Ben have been friends and business partners forever. They are both gay but – due to * reasons * – they’ve never even kissed.

When a wacky friend does a strange “intimate speed dating” event, the two participate and it launches them from friends to lovers.

**

I never quite bought into this story. If you look at the picture – two burly dudes all tatted up – it never really jives with the personal caterers that we have in this story. I also never bought that for 16 years the two never got a smidgen of attraction and then suddenly – POW – instant forever love.

Sure, it’s a short story, but it can be done and in this case it isn’t done very effectively.

I liked the idea and the writing was fine, but I didn’t think the picture matched the story at all and I didn’t buy the intimate speed dating thing at all.

3 of 5 hearts

3

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Never Let Go of Hope by Edward Kendrick

Smashwords presents http://www.amazon.com/Never-Let-Hope-Edward-Kendrick-ebook/dp/B00ZS5298I/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1437867707&sr=1-1&keywords=never+let+go+of+hope+by+edward+kendrick&pebp=1437867709095&perid=1E9MRE83MKNSJVGHK8HE

never let go hopeBlurb

Well-known artist Ellis Williams is in a slump and feeling all his fifty-three years. He’s lost the joy which used to permeate his painting and despairs of ever regaining it. It doesn’t help when he runs into a young man who comes on to him to win a bet, thus destroying more of Ellis’s confidence.

Then, at a party, Ellis meets Martin Lovell, a man his age whose partner died soon after they adopted their son. Will these two middle-aged men learn they should never let go of hope? Or is it too late for men their age to open themselves to the possibility of love and being loved?

 

Review

Ellis is a misanthropic artist, living on his own outside New Orleans. He’s fairly happy to be reclusive, only occasionally feeling that yearning for human (sexual) contact. Lately, though, his art (his true mistress) has been lacking spark, so he finds himself seeking out human contact for the first time in years.

Martin is a widower, father of a 10 year old, and a basically wonderful, big-hearted guy. He meets Ellis after Ellis has just been “played” by a 20-something at a bar and is feeling particularly despondent.

The two start a VERY slow relationship that only very, very gradually develops into something more.

**

This is a slow burn romance that spends more time with developing Ellis than the relationship. It’s terribly sweet, low steam and very nice, but not something amazing or fantastic.

I enjoyed watching Ellis’ art transform as he felt more and more for Martin and I loved that there was no drama with the child.

It’s a nice, short story of love between guys over 50 and I enjoyed it very much.

4 of 5 hearts

4

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By Way of Vegan Donuts by Kay Walker

Dreamspinner Presents http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6668

ByWayofVeganDonutsBlurb

In a tourist town in the Canadian Rockies, Simon is spending the summer working at his sister-in-law’s bookstore. Shy around new people, Simon prefers to keep his nose in a book. When Benji, a local who works at a café down the street, hears Simon is vegan, he figures the best way to welcome him is bake him a vegan donut.

Upon their first meeting, there’s an undeniable burst of chemistry. Simon is drawn to Benji’s outgoing personality and wants to get to know him better. All Simon has to do is figure out a way to get over his nervousness and ask the casually flirty Benji on a date.

Review

Benji has moved to town to help his sister-in-law deal with her grief at losing his (much older) brother who has died from a heart attack at a young age. He is in college and a bookworm, so he spends a lot of time with a nose in a book. He’s a bit shy and a vegan, but enjoys the outdoors.

Simon is a local, very outgoing, very outdoorsy and very attracted to Benji. At first he makes it pretty clear he’s attracted, but his past makes him pull back.

Benji mistakes the inattention for dis-interest and figures the two will be friends. Luckily one of them manages to ask the other out and the two end up with a nice HFN.

**

I enjoyed the writing and the characters in this story very much. I was frustrated by the fact that just as the couple finally gets together, the story ends, and we don’t get much input as to how things will go in the future.

I wish this had been longer, but it was a very nice short story.

3.5 of 5 hearts

3.5

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Trapped by Kenzie Cade

GoodReads Presents http://www.mmromancegroup.com/?p=277502

trappedBlurb

Dear Author,
“That’s me. The one in the hat. Why did I think this weekend away would be such a good idea? Ten of us, all sleeping in one cabin in the middle of winter, freezing our balls off. I must have been crazy, especially as I had to go and wake up [guy on bed] after he drank enough to sink a battleship last night. He was like a man possessed. And now I can’t stop staring at his mouth. What’s wrong with me? I’m not gay, he’s not gay. It’s fucking ridiculous. What am I gonna do?”

Photo Description:
Two men in a cabin room. One is lying on the bed with the other leaning over him. The man lying on the bed is resting with a smile on his face. The other is looking down with a happy smile, seemingly staring at the first man’s lips.

This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group’s “Love is an Open Road” event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story.

trapped real

Review

Though the cover makes it seem like the two MCs are stuck in a cabin together – they really aren’t. Gavin and Drew are real life partners – at work. Their boss sends them to a couples retreat to help them get over their “issues” when one of them almost gets the other killed on the job.

Together they go through the excercises – designed for romantic couples – and nobody believes them when they say they aren’t romantically involved. And then they become romantically involved.

It’s a very sweet, short story about two best friends who become lovers.

4 of 5 hearts

4

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Noah’s Reward (Withowe Forest Pack 4): Violet Joicey Cowen

Siren BookStrand 

Blurb: Lion-shifter Noah Anderson is a broken man when he meets his destined mate, wolf-shifter Astley Donovan. Astley himself is still young, so they have years to get to know each other and for Noah to heal before he will be able to claim his mate. Someone has been watching though, who mistakes Astley for their own mate. When he sees his chance, he kidnaps Astley, leaving a devastated Noah behind.

Astley wakes in a strange place where time moves differently and with no sign of the one who brought him there. He has no idea how he will get back to his family or to the man he is growing to love.

Will the mates ever be reunited? And if they are, what will happen? Because in the time Astley has been gone, everything has changed…

Review: This is book #4 of the Withowe Pack series and finally gives us the story of Noah, a lion shifter and his mate, Astley, a wolf shifter. Noah was introduced in the book one as one of the shifters rescued from a group of individuals who experimented and tortured paranormals. He meets Astley, his mate, at the alpha’s house.

At this time, Astley is a mere boy so of course, Noah waits until Astley’s of age for them to live their lives together as mates. Astley’s taken to another dimension by someone who thinks that Astley should be with him.  In this place, time moves a lot faster and Astley of age to finally be with Noah. 

This story took an unexpected but creative and acceptable turn to move Astley’s age along.   As usual, the author took great care in referencing events from previous books. This enables you to be able to keep up with what’s going on with each character from one book to the next. She also did a wonderful job of maintaining order when writing multiple POVs. You never once lose track of what is going on with either character.  What I also enjoy about this series is that this pack is made up different species and live together, love and respect each other as a family.

If you’re a fan of shifters and vampires with a touch of magic thrown in, this series is for you.

Buy Links:

Amazon

Siren BookStrand

Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️

  

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Must Love Dogs by K Lynn

Dreamspinner Presents http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6669

MustLoveDogsBlurb

Since a mugging a year ago, Ben’s lived with blindness. Despite an art career on hold and a deadbeat boyfriend who left him because of his disability, he’s finally getting his life back on track. Ben is gaining a new sense of independence thanks to his guide dog, Colt.

But Ben’s carefully balanced life is thrown into chaos when veterinarian Dr. Jay Connor hits Colt with his car. While Colt is on the mend and recovering nicely, Ben finds that Jay is not only fond of Colt, but also quite interested in Ben.

However, one overheard conversation might put a stop to their romance before it can grow into something more. Maybe Ben’s destined to go it alone in the dark. Or can Jay help him see there’s still a chance for happily ever after?

Review

Ben was attacked and made blind. His boyfriend left him when it was clear the blindness was permanent. Now he is a painter struggling to find a new outlet for his art. His newly acquired guide dog is bumped into (not really hurt) by Jay’s car when Ben is out one night.

Jay is a veterinarian who falls for Ben and his dog nearly upon first meeting them. He tries very hard to break down the walls Ben has built to protect himself from hurt and is almost “in” when a misunderstanding nearly ruins everything.

**

This is a short, relatively angst-free story of two men falling in love while learning to trust one another. It is fairly low steam, but sweet. The author could do a better job of showing over telling and the “misunderstanding” was a little silly, but overall it was enjoyable.

3.5 of 5 hearts

3.5

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