Category: Established Couple

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Grand Adventures Audiobook by SA McAuley

Dreamspinner Presents  http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5318


GrandAdventuresAUDMed 2Blurb for the Anthology

On September 1, 2011, TJ Klune wrote, “…it’s not about the ending, it’s about the journey…” in a review of Eric Arvin’s Woke Up in a Strange Place. With those words, two men began a journey of love and invited us to ride along. TJ and Eric have shared so much with us: their wonderful books, their smiles, their humor, their lives, and their inspiring devotion to each other. In December of 2013, their journey took a detour when Eric was taken to the emergency room. He survived the surgery to remove a cavernous hemangioma from his brain stem, but the challenges TJ and Eric face are far from over.

The authors in this anthology donated their talent as a way to support Eric’s continued recovery, to help bring strength to TJ, and to show both of them just how much love surrounds them. Grand Adventures is a diverse range of stories about the journey of love. We’re going on some grand adventures for a great cause. Thank you for joining us.

One hundred percent of the income from this volume goes directly to TJ and Eric.

 

Reviews
Teeny Tiny Blurbs:
(Audio chapters)

3-Prologue by Brandon Witt, Narrator Andrew McFerrin
Touching explanation of the book, the situation with TJ and Eric and blessings for the future.

4-An Unexpected Thing by John Amory, Narrator Peter B Brooke
Established lovers travel to Seattle and find unexpected kindness.

5-The Twinkie Ignition by J.E. Birkm, Narrator Nick J Russo
A super cute story about a guy who never had a birthday party and how his amazing friends give him one – after they set fire to a bunch of Twinkies!

6-Simple Desires by Tempeste O’Riley, Narrator Aaron Pickering
This is based on her previous stories, but is a stand alone.

7-What You Will by Tinnean, Narrator John Solo
Another snippet from the author’s previous works.

8-Air (Roads #1.75 million) by Garrett Leigh, Narrator Finn Sterlin
A trip with Ash and Joe to the park.

9-Object of Care by Zahra Owens, Narrator Andrew McFerrin
Flynn and Gabel and a kitten.

10-Water Under the Bridge by Mia Kerick, Narrator Nick J Russo
A sweet story about two young lovers and a bridge.

11-From Fantasy to Friends by CR Guiliano, Narrator Aaron Pickering
A man goes back to college and re-visits a fantasy about a straight professor who turns out to be gay.

12-That Place Across the Hall by C.C. Dado, Narrator John Solo
A really cute short story about a guy who falls in love with his neighbor.

Josh has a (typical-for-him) one-night-stand-guy in his apartment when someone (his June Cleaver-eque) neighbor bangs on his door to invite him to a party for one of the other tenants. John isn’t a joiner. He has tattoos. He sleeps around. He doesn’t do relationships.

Brandon is all about relationships and has “fancied” John since day one.

The brief meet and greet at the party leads to a complete change in John’s thinking and Brandon manages to capture the heart of the lone wolf.

13-Mistaken MD by Phoenix Emrys, Narrator Peter B Brooke
Two people meet over a stethoscope.

14-When Friendship Becomes More by Sophie Bonaste, Narrator Nick J Russo
Two friends find love on a camping trip.

15-The Exhibition by Andrea Speed, Narrator Finn Sterlin
A short story from the Infected series Roan and Dylan.

16-Holding Court by Cardeno C, Narrator Peter B Brooke
An older guy has a one night stand and years later finds out there are still fires burning between the two lovers.

17-Cops and Comix by Rhys Ford, Narrator John Solo
A cop falls in love with a nerdy comic store owner after discovering a dead body coming through the ceiling.

18-For Dear Life by Mary Calmes, Narrator Nick J Russo
A GFY short story of a divorced man and his best friend. (Warning some sad stuff too.)

19-Witness Protected by Dawn Kimberly Johnson, Narrator Finn Sterling
A US marshal falls in love with someone destined for the witness protection program.

20-Fall Train by Jaime Samms, Narrator Andrew McFerrin
Finding love on a train.

21-Stripped by Shae Connor, Narrator Peter B Brooke
Finding love on Valentine’s Day … in a strip club!

22-Stalking 101 by Moria McCain, Narrator Aaron Pickering
Cute story about finding a hot construction guy.

23-Under the Full Moon by Ellis Carrington, Narrator Andrew McFerrin
Love between a vampire and a werewolf who were never supposed to be together.

24-Isle of Waiting by Sue Brown, Narrator Finn Sterling
A short story with the characters from the series.

25-An Atheist and a Yoga Instructor Walk into a Bar by Rowan McAllister, Narrator John Solo
A funny blind date story.

26-Last First Kiss by LE Franks, Narrator Peter B Brooke
A hard story about love and loss.

27-The Jogger by KC Burn, Narrator Finn Sterling
Danger forces a shut-in out in the open and together they find love.

28-Kid Confusion by Madison Parker, Narrator Nick J Russo
Funny story about penises and TJ and Eric.

29-Tomorrow by John Goode, Narrator Andrew McFerrin
A short story about the importance of communication in a relationship.

30-A Gentle Shove of Human Kindness by Amy Lane, Narrator John Solo
Super sweet story of an angel playing cupid in a Starbucks.

This is a great book to listen to because each “chapter” is it’s own short story, perfect for when you only have a minute here or there and don’t want to get involved in a full length novel.

The narration is all the guys we’ve come to love from The Falcon Sound company who we’ve met reading our favorite books: Peter B Brooke, John Solo, Nick J Russo, Finn Sterling, Andrew McFerrin.

These are the authors we all love, some writing snippets from their series, some coming up with something completely new. Each story is complete in itself, and all very touching and well written.

I really loved these short stories and was amazed at how so few words can tell such big stories and move you so deeply.

Of course, it also helps that this book helps out two such amazing guys, TJ and Eric!

I highly recommend this book and it’s audio version.

(I purchased the book for review and received the audio from the publisher for an honest review.)

5 of 5 hearts

5

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The Little Things Audiobook by Jay Northcote Narrated by Matthew Lloyd Davies

Dreamspinner Presents http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6415

LittleThings[The]AUDMEDBlurb

There are lots of things that brighten Joel’s life. His three-year-old daughter, Evie, is one. His close relationship with her mother, his best friend from university, is another. Joel’s boyfriend, Dan, adds spice to his child-free nights, and Joel is pretty happy with how things are.

Then one cold and rainy night, everything changes. Joel’s life is turned upside down when he becomes a full-time dad to Evie, and his previously carefree relationship with Dan cracks under the strain.

Meeting Liam, who acts as if getting hurt isn’t a foregone conclusion, shakes Joel to the core. Their attraction is mutual, and Liam makes no secret of how serious he is about Joel. But Joel is wary. He tells himself he’s keeping Liam at a distance for Evie’s sake, when really he’s protecting his own heart. Taking a chance on this new relationship with Liam may seem a small step—a little thing—but is it one Joel can take after losing so much already?

Review

Joel is a newly single parent after having lost the mother of his child. He’s young and struggling with grief and parenting alone.
In the first part of the book Joel is with his partner Dan and it’s Dan’s inability to be a full time parent and commit to a monogamous relationship that eventually leads to their break-up.

In the second half of the story Joel meets Liam. Liam is just who Joel needs, older, steady, loving, caring, interested in parenting.

Though there isn’t as much time as I’d like with the couple as a couple, what there is, is very sweet.

What I appreciated about this book was that it showed a different side to Jay’s writing. She is always a very fluid writer, giving us well-developed characters who are, more than anything, real.

This is the most “angsty” of her books that I’ve read, and it showed her talent for drama as well as light-hearted comedic romance.

Though I would have liked more time with the new couple and perhaps less with Dan, I can see how showing us more fully what happened in the past made Joel who he is now and why he makes the decisions he does.

I thought Evie was well portrayed too and enjoyed the relationship between her and Joel very much.

If you are looking for a more “realistic” take on romance, with some hard twists and turns to the story, this is a great book to check out.

Audiobook

Again I love that we are given a British narrator. He does a great job giving each character a unique voice and he does a great job with the emotion.

I loved his Liam and even thought Claire and Evie were nice (women and kids can be difficult to voice but he did a great job.)

I think his work continues to improve with each narration and I think this is my favorite of his narrations so far.

Overall, 4.25 of 5 hearts

4.5

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Rise and Fall Audiobook (Thirds # 4) by Charlie Cochet Narrated by Mark Westfield

Dreamspinner presents http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6600


Rise&FallAUDMEDBlurb

After an attack by the Coalition leaves THIRDS Team Leader Sloane Brodie critically injured, agent Dexter J. Daley swears to make Beck Hogan pay for what he’s done. But Dex’s plans for retribution are short-lived. With Ash still on leave with his own injuries, Sloane in the hospital, and Destructive Delta in the Coalition’s crosshairs, Lieutenant Sparks isn’t taking any chances. Dex’s team is pulled from the case, with the investigation handed to Team Leader Sebastian Hobbs. Dex refuses to stand by while another team goes after Hogan, and decides to put his old HPF detective skills to work to find Hogan before Theta Destructive, no matter the cost.

With a lengthy and painful recovery ahead of him, the last thing Sloane needs is his partner out scouring the city, especially when the lies—however well intentioned—begin to spiral out of control. Sloane is all too familiar with the desire to retaliate, but some things are more important, like the man who’s pledged to stand beside him. As Dex starts down a dark path, it’s up to Sloane to show him what’s at stake, and finally put a name to what’s in his heart.

Review

Wow. Just wow. This book is sooooo full of good feels.

Sloane and Dex are so wonderfully gushy and sweet in this book. Their relationship is definitely cemented by the end.

We get a peek into the mystery that is Hobbs and an amazingly sexy and funny scene between him and Calvin.

Ash is looking like less and less of a hard ass and more and more like the love of Cael’s life.

All of the relationship stuff is amazing. The dialog, like always is hysterical. The spying done is both naughty and funny. The danger… well this isn’t really that “tense” of a book.

The biggest “hurdle” in this story is Dex trying to avenge Sloane’s attack. Predictably, Sloane doesn’t want him involved, and in fact, the team has been ordered to stand down. But… Dex is determined to capture the culprit himself, in Sloane’s name.

I kinda wanted to shake Dex, and totally understood Sloane’s feelings about it. I liked, however, that this was the first time we saw Dex as the guy who might screw up the relationship, and Sloane was doing everything “right” for a change.

All in all this totally appealed to my every romantic sensibility and tickled my funny bone.

I can’t wait for the next installment and I really hope Calvin and Hobbs get their own book ☺

Audio

I really enjoy Mark Westfiled’s narrations. He does a great job differentiating the different and myriad characters. He adds extra touches like altering his voice for telecom and intercom communications. I love even his female characters and his accents are wonderful!

6 of 5 hearts

amazing

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Wayward Son (Sons book 2) by Shae Connor

Dreamspinner Presents: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6286

WaywardSon

Blurb

Family isn’t just about blood—it’s about heart.

After his move to Atlanta and away from the influence of his conservative parents, Mikey O’Malley finally feels free to be himself: art student, aspiring animator, and out gay man. He has friends, a new job, and not one, but two men interested in him. Cory Lassiter and Jimmy Black have been a happy couple for years, occasionally bringing a twink into their bed, but only for a brief roll in the hay. When Mikey meets the pair, the attraction is immediate, and it runs three ways. Mikey just can’t believe they’d have room in their lives for a permanent addition.

When Mikey’s newfound life is shattered by a lawsuit that accuses him of molesting a child years earlier, he’s determined to face his troubles on his own, but Cory and Jimmy are just as determined that he not have to go it alone. To reconcile his need for independence and his desire for love, Mikey has to learn that being a man isn’t just about standing on your own two feet. It’s about letting yourself lean on the ones who love you.

Review

We start the story with Mikey, a young man, living with friends, kicked out for being gay, but making his own life, about to lose his job because he’s being sued for inappropriate actions.
Mikey’s not all alone, however, he’s got good friends and two boyfriends.

Mikey is just starting a relationship with Cory and Jimmy – two older men in an established relationship – and though he cares about them and vice versa, he doesn’t really know where he stands with them. As a result things haven’t moved much beyond the innocent.

Both Cory and Jimmy are big personalities and they have often invited a third to join them, this time they want someone to keep. Mikey doesn’t know how he feels about that, but he knows he wants to explore it and he knows that in this cruel world, he can’t afford his ego and must lean on whomever he can for help.

**

This is a tough review to write. I didn’t read book one, so I know that some of my confusion may be as a result of that fact. However, it’s listed as a standalone. But – the story literally jumps right in the middle of things and while I can appreciate that as a writing ploy, as a reader I really wished I had seen more of the “get to know you” story of Jimmy, Cory and Mikey. I kind of felt like I had missed a chapter or something, what with them already being on the cusp of a relationship but not quite fully involved, right at the beginning of the book.

I really liked the writing and found the characters engaging. I thought the lawsuit part of the story was engaging and well-handled.

As a triad, I’m not sure how successful this one will be. On the one hand, the author did a great job of showing us why Cory and Jimmy live apart, but I never really saw exactly how much Mikey contributed to the triad, other than the sex part. We just didn’t get enough time with them as a triad for me to believe in their success. It still felt like Mikey was more of a diversion than an equal in the relationship, even by the end.

I believe that they have a chance, and that’s a good enough place to leave them, but the whole experience left me feeling like I sort of fell into the middle of their story, not the beginning nor the end.

Overall, it was an intriguing book and for the most part well done, but it felt incomplete.

3.5 of 5 hearts

3.5

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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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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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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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My Favorite Husband (Vampire in Waikiki Book 5) by AJ Llewellyn

Amberquill Presents http://www.amberquill.com/store/p/1962-My-Favorite-Husband.aspx

MyFavoriteHusbandBlurb
(Book 5 of the A Vampire In Waikiki series)
You can steal a man’s heart or you can steal his wallet, but stealing his car?…that’s just asking for trouble. Waikiki Vampire, Divine Thunder, and his husband, Tem, thought that going to hell and back—literally—was an ordeal. Now they’re home and things are a mess. Even Div’s precious car, which he calls his “other husband,” has been stolen. Picking up the pieces of their half-demolished home, they find themselves in the middle of a new and weird mystery.
They’ve employed an art historian who’s a real weirdo, and somebody keeps pinching their good wine and leaving booby traps in their garden. So they decide to hire Francois, a big, beautiful, black security expert to get to the bottom of the twisted events. But wait…now they keep seeing Div’s car, driven by the thief, all over the island. This is gonna give a whole new meaning to “thunder in paradise.”
NOTE: This story was previously published with the ISBN: 978-1-55487-364-7. This reissued version of the story has been revised and reedited.

Review

This is the next short segment in the adventures of Tem and Div. In this “episode” Div’s car gets stolen, they invite a third to share their bed and they consult with Francois about security.

As always there is a lot of hot, steamy sex – ménage this time! – and lots of laughs.

If you’ve been enjoying this quirky series you will undoubtedly want to continue with this. This is NOT a standalone.

3.5 of 5 hearts

3.5

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Living Promises Audiobook (Keeping Promise Rock book 3) by Amy Lane Narrated by Paul Morey

Dreamspinner Presents http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3370

LivingPromisesAudMEDBlurb

Six years ago, Jeff Beachum comforted a frightened teenager outside an HIV treatment clinic, and Collin Waters has remembered his kindness ever since. Now, after six years of crushing on the kind, brown-eyed sweetheart of his dreams, Collin is feeling adult and together enough to make his move. Too bad fate, which has never been kind to Jeff, has something else in mind.
Jeff’s life had fallen completely apart before that long-ago day, and it isn’t much better now. Jeff has toughened up, become self-reliant, been the funny guy his friends turn to, the one who gives advice and comfort when needed. But every phantom from Jeff’s past is about to come out to haunt him, and the family Jeff has staked his future on isn’t in such great shape either. Collin is more than a starry-eyed kid, and it’s a good thing, because Jeff’s going to need all the help he can get. No one knows better than Jeff that life can be too short to turn your back on honest love, and that living happily is the best promise of all.

Review

This is book three in Amy’s Promise series and it is one of the roughest (IMHO) to read. Right from the start she pulls our heartstrings with the tale of Jeff’s ex, the man who gave Jeff HIV then essentially kills himself rather than deal with the consequences of the disease and his homophobic family.

Then there’s Collin. Young, dumb and full of … exuberance… and not wearing a condom while doing it. He, too contracts HIV and is touched by the caring he receives at the hands of Jeff at the crisis center.

Years later the two meet again and Collin is determined to have Jeff as his own.

Jeff, however, hasn’t really put himself out there and certainly not for a “boy” several years his junior.

The push/pull of attraction goes on for quite awhile but Collin is perseverant and eventually he gets his man.

Meanwhile – lots of things are happening at the Pulpit… Crick is Crick and Deacon is Deacon and Mickey and Shane are adorable and snarky and at their best…

Martin, Jeff’s ex Kevin’s brother comes to town looking for answers and meets Shane and Mickey and learns to love something he was taught to hate.

**

First let me say that I loved all the books in this series. LOVED. THEM. But, this was the weakest in my opinion. (Still awesome, amazing, wonderful, brilliant…) I loved seeing the folks at the Pulpit but sometimes wanted to see more of Jeff and Collin. I never connected with them as a couple as strongly as I did the others and I think one reason why is the lack of page time for them developing their relationship as compared to Crick, Deacon, Mickey, Shane or even Benny and Drew!

I loved the Martin/Kevin storyline though it tore me up… so much.

This was an amazing (and difficult) book and I highly recommend it. It is NOT a standalone.

Audio

Paul Morey did a great, great, great job of giving Jeff a swishy but not over the top voice. I wish he’d made Collin’s voice a little bit more differentiated, but I appreciate the challenge of giving so many “main characters” unique voices. I loved his Kevin/Martin voices and really enjoyed this narration.

5 of 5 hearts

5

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Love’s Blood (Vampire in Waikiki book 4) by AJ Llewellyn

Amber Quill Presents http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/LovesBlood.html

lovesbloodBlurb

Tem and Div, Waikiki’s hottest vampires, are settling into domestic bliss when a tornado hits Honolulu and something sinister blows in. Mysterious forces, hell-bent on abducting Tem and Div’s baby nephew—Akua, a storm demon—whisk Tem away and hold him hostage.

Devastated, Div must fight to rescue the man he loves, which involves a descent into the past, to French Vietnam, a step back in time to undo the deal he made with the devil many, many years ago—a deal to give him a second chance at love. The catch is, Div must choose between the life of the man he loves and the baby…

Review

The blurb explains the gist of it. Jimmy has to fight for the baby against the devil with whom he bartered his soul.

This story is definitely a more action filled story than the previous 2 (which were more sentimental). There is still lots of sex and the “bad guys” and the “good guys” are pretty funny. It’s a bit longer than books 2 and 3 and the complexity of the story is evident as a result.

I like that AJ Llewellyn and the characters don’t take themselves too seriously.

The ending is a nice twist and I enjoyed having all the other characters back in the storyline.

3.5 of 5 hearts

3.5

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