Category: May/December

Posted on

Promises 3 (Bounty Hunters) A.E. Via

??Reviewed by Kiwi??

 

TITLE: Promises 3

SERIES: Bounty Hunters

AUTHOR: A.E. Via

PUBLISHER: Via Star Wings

RELEASE DATE: July 1, 2017

 

BLURB: A bounty hunter’s partners to lovers’ story. The hunt is on… and he’s the prey.

Bradford (Ford) King was sure he had the rest of his life mapped out. Though he was no longer a SEAL Lieutenant, his brother was home safe and he had a job that still allowed him to satisfy his hunger for hunting bad guys. Life was simple, no distractions or complications – at age forty-six – that’s all Ford wanted. What he didn’t want was his work partner, sniper/watchman, Dana, giving him s**t all the time.

Dana Cadby had grown up labeled a roughneck from the wrong side of the tracks. He’d fought, scrounged, and survived despite a father that constantly told him he couldn’t. Dana pulled himself up by his own boot straps and made a name for himself in the marksman community. He’d been Duke’s bounty watchman for five years. It was his job to ensure their safety, watch their backs. At thirty-three, he was trusted, well respected by his peers, his bosses, his friends… so why couldn’t he earn the same respect from his partner?

Dana knew he was bisexual before he graduated high school. He also knew he was attracted to the huge, 6’3”, SEAL from the moment he and his brother came to join their team. It wasn’t easy for him to tamp down his immediate reaction to Ford’s thick muscles, full beard, and dark eyes. Still, Dana exhibited nothing but professionalism towards him, not wanting to make his ‘straight’ partner uncomfortable. So why did Ford constantly give him hell?

After Dana took back his ex-girlfriend, he’d noticed an intensification in Ford’s bad attitude. One that turned aggressive and downright antagonistic, and Dana was damned if he’d just lay down and take it. He was gonna make that man respect him if it was the last thing he did.

When Duke sends Dana and Ford out to track down their most dangerous bounty yet, they both embrace the fact that they make one hell of a team… but they fight tooth and nail against the powerful intimacy brewing between them.
Beware: If Ford and Dana connect completely, god help the fugitive who’s in the sights of the hunter and his watchman.

This story is a part of a series but can stand alone. It does not end on a cliffhanger and has a HEA.

 

REVIEW: This is the third book in this fantastic series by this author. And when I tell you that it’s amazing, I mean it. This book continues with Dana and Ford’s story. This story, as with all this author’s work was such a pleasure to read. It was also a pleasant surprise because I wasn’t expecting this pairing.

Dana is the youngest on the team and in my opinion, the most vulnerable, emotionally speaking of course. I loved Dana’s character. His personality was an interesting juxtaposition of vulnerability and strength. He was shy yet…not. He was confident yet insecure.

Ford was a gruff and tough former Navy Seal. He’s loyal and fiercely protective of his younger brother. He’s also stubborn. Well, both men are stubborn. So much so that I wanted to reach in and Gibbs smack both of them at the backs of their heads to knock some sense into both of them. I especially wanted to snap Dana’s girlfriend like a twig. The ole bony, salad eating wench that she was.

You know a book is good when the characters make you yell at your reading device. I was yelling at, smacking and positively howling at my iPad, these characters are just that vivid.

I love her writing style. You’re not going to get any pretty lavender words or flowery dialogue from the men in her books. I also love the fact that her characters are men of a particular age and everyday working men. What I also appreciate is the fact that she’s not afraid to use the word bisexual. These men are BISEXUAL. Not ‘gay for you’, ‘out for you’ or any of the other tropes that  erases the bisexual identity. 

I can’t express how excellent this book is. I equate reading this author’s work to mama cooking in the kitchen and when she’s finished, you end up with the most delicious meal. Yes, she has truly put her foot in the pot with this book.

This book, heck, this series is definitely highly recommended.

 

RATING: ??AMAZING??

 

BUY LINKS:

Amazon (Promises 3) 

Amazon (Promises series)

https://kimichanexperience.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/image2.jpg
Posted on

Nothing Special 5 (Nothing Special) A.E. Via

Reviewed by Kiwi

TITLE: Nothing Special 5

SERIES: Nothing Special

AUTHOR: A.E. Via

COVER ARTIST: Jay Aheer

PUBLISHER: Via Star Wings

RELEASE DATE: December 12, 2016

BLURB: The boys are back and fiercer than ever!

“We were a unit tonight, moving as one. Even apart, we are deadly, but when combined – we are f**kin’ unstoppable.” ~~ God ~~

Atlanta’s notorious narcotics task force is at it again. They are stronger, bigger, and better than ever. Especially when a city councilman sends RECON Marine, Edwin Steele – who’s been blacklisted from his Oakland department – to join the team. God and Day weren’t recruiting. They have a lot on their plates, like the fact they’re supposed to be getting married soon. They don’t have the time or the patience to integrate a decorated war hero with a slight chip on his shoulder into their well-oiled machine.

A hothead that’s uncontrollable and terrible with authority… but wasn’t that their team motto?

Steele was ready to hang up his shield. He was done fighting with bigoted bastards that couldn’t respect the job. He was good at fighting; he just needed the right team to fight with. When his uncle – City Councilman, Rasmus Steele – shows him a video of God’s team in action, he knows right away, it’s where his nephew belongs in order to restore his faith.

Steele pointed to the driver, a behemoth of a man wielding those massive firearms like a true beast… like a soldier. “And him. Who the hell is he?”

“That’s your new boss. Lieutenant Cashel Godfrey… they call him… God.”

Steele was skeptical about his new placement, but when he meets God’s technology specialist/computer genius, “Tech,” he’s willing to give it his all, and he definitely shows and proves.

Tech is stunning. His sweater vest and khakis, a stark contrast to the blue-jeaned roughnecks he works with. A beautiful sheep amongst the wolves. Steel thinks there’s no way the brilliant man would be interested in a hardhead like him, but Tech has a few badass hidden talents of his own and manages to surprise him… surprise all of them.

This story is a part of a series but can stand alone. It does not end on a cliffhanger and has a HEA. There are no multiple pairings in this novel.

EXCERPT:

Steele’s hands ran up the length of his triceps and around his arms. Tech tried not to shiver at the light touches. Thoughts of what Steele could do with those hands that were now on his body were causing a lot of feelings that’d been dead for a long time to spark back to life. Steele kept his fingers on his forearms and ran his thumbs down the insides until he reached his pulse. Steele pressed both thumbs there and Tech felt his knees weaken. “Your pulse is erratic.”
Of course, it is.
“You may not be afraid… but are you comfortable?”
Was he comfortable? That wasn’t something he could answer. Now, if Steele asked was he confused in his company… fuck yes. However, he was also pissed at himself that he’d admitted to this FORECON Marine that typing made his wrists hurt sometimes. He didn’t want Steele to treat him like a baby. “I’m not scared,” Tech growled.
Steele dropped his arms and caught him around his waist, spinning Tech fast enough to make him dizzy. His breath caught in his throat when he stopped only a couple inches from Steele’s face, having to slightly tilt his head up to look into those penetrating gray eyes. “You keep saying that. But your body is telling me different,” Steele hissed.
Tech didn’t dart his eyes away. He didn’t want Steele thinking he was insecure. Instead, he held those blown pupils and majestic irises with his own interested gaze. Inching in closer, Tech fought down his tension and gently placed both hands on Steele’s tight stomach. Maintaining eye contact, he slowly moved them up Steele’s chest, gliding over the defined pecs. Steele’s nostrils flared but he didn’t stop Tech when he gripped his collar and pulled him down closer to his mouth. Just before their lips could touch, Tech inched over and whispered in Steele’s ear. “I can’t control the way my body trembles when you’re near me, but trust me when I tell you… it’s not fear, Ghost.”
Tech used Steele’s classified identity, hoping it didn’t backfire like hell. But the way Steele’s hands tightened on his waist, he didn’t think it had. He’d taken the gamble, hoping it’d pay off. He was confessing to Steele what he’d learned from those documents, information revealing what the lieutenant colonel had to do – had to become – to keep himself and his men safe. Yet Tech was still standing there in the man’s arms, his cock as hard as a missile, flirting with danger… hoping he’d flirt back.

 

REVIEW: This is book 5 in the Nothing Special series and it is just an amazing read. Every book that this author has written has been nothing short of excellent. As always the case with her work, you’re awaiting her releases and when it happens, you find that it was well worth the wait. Nothing changes with this book. I don’t know what I love the most about her work; the reasons for me are many. Her characters are vividly portrayed in each of her books. The technical aspects of her work are always perfectly executed: the plots, storyline and dialogues; everything is an exercise in excellence. Her covers are always beautiful and with her series, neat and uniform which satisfies my OCD tendencies.

In this story, she introduces a new character (Steele) while staying true and showcasing the older characters. And the way she brought in Preston, Ric and Blair, the characters from You Can See Me, the prequel to the Nothing Special series was absolutely brilliant.

I loved Tech and Steele together. The chemistry between these two characters was palpable. Tech’s character was this wonderful mixture of sexy geek genius, shy guy and tough detective, innocent yet sexy temptation.

Steele is a rough and tumble former Marine and detective who ran to the ATL from another city after a friend and former partner was killed. Angry at the betrayal of his former department, Steele decided to leave law enforcement. His uncle refuses to let him give up on a career that he’s made for. He comes up with an alternative and moves him to God and Day’s unit. It’s there he meets Tech and sparks immediately fly between the two men.

These men find their footing after a couple of rough starts. The relationship they develop is a beautiful one filled with sweet heat. This relationship is the focus but what goes on between the other characters is equally engaging. The author does an amazing job of having numerous storylines going on simultaneously. There were no defined MCs in this story but that is perfectly okay as each side told was brilliantly done. There were multiple POV shifts but this too, was expertly executed. There is not confusion as to whose POV you are in at any time; the shifts are just that seamless. This author does an amazing job of maintaining her characters: she incorporates the past characters and introduces a new one.

I can’t say enough about how well this book is written and how much I enjoyed reading it! This author is truly a master of her craft.
 RATING: ??Amazing?? 

 

AUTHOR BIO:

A.E. Via is an author in the beautiful gay romance genre and also founder and owner of Via Star Wings Books. Her writing embodies everything from hopelessly romantic to adventure, to scandalous. Her stories often include intriguing edges and twists that take readers to new, thought-provoking depths.
When she’s not clicking away at her laptop, she devotes herself to her family—a husband and four children. Adrienne Via has tons of more stories to tell, but she really would like to hear yours. Via Star Wings Books is currently accepting submissions for established and aspiring LGBTQ authors.
Visit my site to learn more! Go to A.E. Via’s official website http://authoraevia.com for more detailed information on how to contact her, follow her, or a sneak peak on upcoming work, free reads, VSWB submissions, and where she’ll appear next

Links

Amazon Buy Link: https://goo.gl/LXaMrW
All Romance: https://goo.gl/M6JYv9
Barnes & Noble: https://goo.gl/DVKJ5O
Smashwords: https://goo.gl/psjFiu
Goodreads: https://goo.gl/e0aytf

Author Official Website: http://authoraevia.com

A.E. Blog: http://authoraevia.com/blogfann.html

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/aeviaauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorAEVia

 


a Rafflecopter giveaway

https://kimichanexperience.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/image2.jpg
Posted on

Promises (Bounty Hunters 1): A.E. Via

PUBLISHER: Via Star Wings Publishing

LENGTH: 229 pages

SUMMARY: Duke Morgan owns and operates one of the largest bail bond companies in Atlanta. Not only does he bond criminals out of jail, he and his notorious group of bounty hunters will also track them down and ensure they show up for court.

Roman ‘Quick’ Webb is Duke’s business partner and best friend. Both men are in their forties and have given up on the happily ever after with the ranch-style home, and white picket fence. They’d both tried it and failed miserably. But they have their friendship and they have the business.

When Quick’s son, Vaughan Webb returns – after seven years – from studying abroad with his law degree in hand, he’s back to claim what he’s always wanted…his fathers’ best friend… Duke Morgan. Vaughan has always claimed to be a classic gentleman with an old soul. He didn’t party and screw up in school like his buddies. He was focused and dedicated to becoming the man worthy of Duke’s love.

It’s a complex and messy situation as Duke and Quick figure out how to still be best friends when one of them is sleeping with his friend’s one and only son. But when Duke is hurt on the job, all the unimportant trivialities fall to the wayside and Vaughan and Quick put their heads together to save Duke.

Part I of the Promises story is about Duke and Vaughan. Part II will be about Quick and his realization that it’s not too late for any of them to find love.

REVIEW: I love A.E. Via’s books like a fat girl loves cake. And it just so happens that I am a chubby girl who loves her pogey-bakes.

Her books are filled to capacity with tough, rough and tumble, kick ass and take names, no-nonsense, testosterone fueled hot bodied, sexy MEN. There aren’t any pretty boy twinks in her books. These are grown ass MEN.

Duke is a bounty hunter who’s trying really just getting over a heartbreak. He’s surviving but not really living. Sure, he had his businesses and his friends but he goes home to an empty bed every night.

This is where his best friend’s son, Vaughan comes in. In my mind, I was thinking that Vaughan was going to be this inexperienced young guy who is seduced by the father’s best friend. Of course, this was prior to reading the blurb. Then I mentally smacked myself. I mean, come on now: this is an A.E. Via story, so they’re full grown guys between those pages.

Vaughan was in no way a boy. He was a man who knew at an early age that Duke was his. He waited patiently, biding his time getting himself together basically becoming the man that he knew Duke wanted and needed. Always mature for his age, Vaughan was up front with his father about his plans for Duke from the beginning when he was a teenager.

Duke wasn’t expecting Vaughan to be the hot and sexy adult man that he is now. He remembers the mature teenager and I think he expected Vaughan to be interested in men his own age.

I don’t want to give too much away but when I tell you that this book is deliciously written, I mean it. These characters, dialogue, storyline is very well written. What I particularly love about this book was that neither man didn’t play these silly little live games with each other. Vaughan was clear about who and what he wanted and he went after it and Duke, first thought about how his best friend worried was going to take it. Once Duke received the okay from Quick (as if Quick could stop his 30 year old son from being with him), he didn’t put up a fight.

What I especially loved was how you knew how much Vaughan loved Duke. Vaughan did one of the most tremendously selfless act of love I’ve ever read in a book. When he did this, you knew that (if you weren’t 100% convinced already) that Vaughan Webb loved—LOVED him some Duke Morgan.  Talk about dropping the mic and walking off the stage!

As usual, Mz. Via cooked up some fierce words in this book. She served us a full course Sunday dinner of fierce with this book; every word was delicious.

Take off that apron, come out of that kitchen and take a bow. You put your ‘foot in the pot’ with this one.

I for one can not wait to see what happens in book 2 with Quick and the sexy Dr. Chauncey.

image

RATING: ???AMAZING???

BUY LINKS: 

Amazon

Via Star Wings 

https://kimichanexperience.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/image2.jpg
Posted on

Here For You Audiobook by Skylar Cates Narrated by Paul Morey

Dreamspinner Presents

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6753

HereForYouAUDMEDBlurb

Life is a thread connecting us. One pull and it all unravels.

Cole Gannon arrives in the seaside town of Ocean Vista to work as a bartender and finally find a place to belong. Determined to make a home for himself, Cole lives happily with his four colorful roommates, whom he considers brothers. The only problem is Cole’s attraction to Ian Stark—a guy all wrong for him. He wishes he didn’t keep running into the sexy lawyer.

Ian knows Cole is attracted to him, but the younger man keeps him at arm’s length. It only makes Ian more determined to be with Cole and learn all his secrets. But while Ian has built a successful law practice, he hasn’t done too well with relationships.

When a sudden and devastating tragedy occurs, it shatters Cole’s world and throws Cole and Ian together in unexpected ways. In an instant, everything between them changes forever.

Review

Cole’s biological family was never there for him, so he created his own family with a group of friends in a house of their own. It wasn’t always easy but they were there for one another.

Tragedy strikes and Cole loses one of his “family” – Brendan. He takes the loss hard. As does the rest of the “family”.

Ian was Brendan’s boss, and is older than Cole or his friends. Complicating things is that Cole had a crush on Ian, as did Brendan, before Brendan passed.

Ian, however, has only ever had eyes for Cole.

When Cole turns to Ian for comfort, the couple begins their long dance of courtship. It’s a slow burn, there are a lot of emotional hurdles to be jumped before they can achieve their HEA. But… they do.

This is the first in a series and there are many roommates who undoubtedly will have their story told in the future, they are well developed and each add their own unique flavor to this tale.

**

Skylar Cates is a phenomenal writer. Her prose is crisp and clear, without a lot of unnecessary clutter. I enjoy her characterizations and she has a real knack for the “slow burn” style of romance. By the time our MCs finally “commit”, the reader is as invested as they are!

I do recommend that you prepare for the long haul, because there is all that sadness to wade through – it’s not a quick, light or fluffy read. For me, I had to be in just the right frame of mind and so it took quite awhile to get through. (And I was listening so that made things more complex – see Audio part of review.)

I also warn that since it is the first in a series be prepared for a lot of background information – there are a lot of guys we need to meet.

That being said, it’s a really well done book about love and loss and friendship and family.

Audio

I love Paul Morey. I think he’s one of the better narrators out there, and I always enjoy his reading style. This book definitely challenged him because there are so MANY characters and he has to keep in mind that they are gonna keep showing up. I think he did a valiant job in giving them distinguishing voices, though I did have to go back and forth between book and narration if I stopped for any stretch in time to get re-acquainted again with who is who.

I also didn’t like Tomas’ “voice” it was a bit like a mix between a Hispanic accent and Paul’s Russian accent.

For the Audiobook I’d give this a 4 of 5 hearts, with the book maybe earning a 4.5 on it’s own.

4

10805469_1500047746947637_197599976_n

Posted on

Water and Fire by Rowan McAllister

Dreamspinner Presents http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6206

WaterandFireBlurb

Aiden Flanagan has spent his entire life fighting who and what he is. After losing control of the power within him one time too many, Aiden flees to his parents’ vacation home on Nantucket to lock himself away as punishment and to protect the people he cares about. Getting nowhere on his own, Aiden fears he’ll never have enough control to join the world again—and perhaps he doesn’t deserve to—until an act of kindness brings Murphy Mizuuchi into his life.

Though still grieving the loss of his partner, Murphy’s own gifts won’t allow him to ignore the strongest projector he’s ever encountered or deny the beautiful soul behind Aiden’s drama. Drawing on his own recovery, his empathy, and years of practicing meditation, he shows Aiden not only how to find a safe outlet for who he is, but to value his abilities.

But Murphy isn’t the only one drawn to Aiden’s fire. Someone from his past followed Aiden to the island, and it will take both Murphy’s and Aidan’s powers to protect him from a man who won’t stop until he takes all Aiden has.

Review

This book is the second in a series but can absolutely be a stand-alone novel.

If you read book one, you remember that Aiden was the firey ex of Adam’s that caused so much strife between him and Jay. (If you were like me – you didn’t like him much at all! Which is why it took me forever to get around to reading this!)

We find Aiden right after he’s run away from something tragic – something to do with Adam and Jay. He’s in his head a lot and it’s a mess in there. He keeps fighting and fighting the fire that lives within him and he also wants and needs someone to help keep him grounded but he’s determined not to be all clingy like he was with Adam and scare the next potential lover away.

Aiden goes to a party on the beach near his parents house, severely depressed, and meets some guys at a bonfire. A few hours/beers later and there is an older man, clearly distressed out on the beach with them – upset about the fire. Aiden sees some initials carved in old wood and rescues the wood from the fire to bring to the upset man – Murphy – and is initially rebuffed.

Murphy has his own story to tell. He’s a widower – we never did find out how he became one – and is an empath (and something to do with water). He literally feels all of Aiden’s emotions like he’s yelling them and it psychically hurts. Normally Murphy can shield from such a thing, but with Aiden he can’t.

What follows next is the two men learning about one another and helping Aiden with his “gift”. They don’t deny their instant attraction for long and it turns out that Murphy really helps ground Aiden.

Everything looks to be moving in the right direction when suddenly there is a mysterious “bad” guy in town making Murphy jealous and Aiden uncomfortable. Then there’s a storm, a kidnapping, a rescue and some closure.

**

Phew! This book was a roller coaster. Reading Aiden’s thought process is a bit like living in his brain and is energetically exhausting. Poor guy! But that is where Rowan McAllister did such an excellent job, giving us this manic, frightened character and having it bleed out on the pages in such an amazing way.

Murphy is far more solid and serene and that comes through so well. But… he’s got that side of him that feels too much and has to be hidden. Aiden shows him the benefit of letting that side out now and again.

I was captivated by this story and read it quickly but was a bit disappointed by the end. I am hoping it’s a set up for book three because both sets of MCs really, really need to come together like the Fantastic Four and somehow vanquish the evil Richard! I can see the set up so I’m hoping I’m right!

I would also love to see both couples later in their relationship and having mastered their respective skills.

I did however find it super cute that Adam and Jay were blushing while discussing their whereabouts during the latest storm. Tee hee!

All in all it was a wonderful book and I really hope we see the next book soon!

6 of 5 hearts

amazing

10805469_1500047746947637_197599976_n

Posted on

Out of the Rain by Renae Kaye

Renae Kaye Presents
http://www.amazon.com/Out-Rain-Renae-Kaye-ebook/dp/B011EJ012C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1439011680&sr=8-1&keywords=out+of+the+rain

out of the rainBlurb

Mitch never knew what awaited him when he answered his elderly neighbour’s calls. Finding a stranger crying in her backyard was a new one. Little did he know that rescuing Elijah out of the rain was going to change his life.

Elijah is too young, too good looking, and too bruised for Mitch to consider falling in love with. But Elijah is soon in his house, in his bed, and in his heart.

At thirty-eight, Mitch has a lot of experience with life. Elijah is only twenty-three and just starting out. Mitch’s bedroom skills enrapture Elijah. Mitch just hopes it will be enough to make Elijah want to stay.

 

Review

Renae Kaye simply can’t write anything but wonderful stories.

This very short story about an older, gay electrician who rescues a newly outed young man one night from the rain is terribly sweet and touching.

Mitch doesn’t realize how lonely he is and Elijah had no idea being out and gay could make you a stronger and better person.

The story moves quickly, Mitch doubts the young man could possibly be interested in anything long term and Elijah is simply hopeful that Mitch wants him as much as he wants Mitch.

There is some hot, sweaty sex and some moving moments between the two and a very HEA.

5 of 5 hearts- It’d be higher only if it were longer!

5

10805469_1500047746947637_197599976_n

Posted on

Just a Feeling by JH Knight

GoodReads Presents http://www.mmromancegroup.com/just-a-feeling-by-j-h-knight/

just a feelingBlurb

Dear Author,
My name is yours to give, I’m a new father, whose best friend in the world just died and took with her all the magic of being an uncle, leaving only the harsh reality of being a father with no idea how to do that, AT ALL. Thing is, I’m looking for a nanny, my child is a colicky baby trying to wake the dead screaming, I haven’t slept in a while, and this handsome stranger who’s knocking on my door seems to be the answer to my desperate pleas… Only, he seems to know an awful lot of things about me and my baby that even I don’t know, can I trust him? Should I let him near my child?

Photo Description:
A man holds his sleeping newborn. The baby clutches a set of dog tags while resting his chin on the man’s shoulder. The word “family” is tattooed across the father’s back.

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.

feeling real

Review

This is a sweet short but full story about Mark, an ex-military man who helped his friend with her pregnancy when she found herself unexpectedly pregnant. There is no “father” in the picture and when she dies in childbirth, he finds himself as the best suited candidate for the job.

Though he loved his friend and knows he wants to be the best dad he can, he’s overwhelmed and not at all prepared to be a father.

Luckily, he finds Ian, a nanny with loads of experience and hires him to help him with the newborn, Leo.

Ian has the patience of a saint and never takes anything personally, though Mark is more often than not, kind of a jerk.

Over time, the two develop deep feelings for one another and we get our HEA.

**

JH Knight is one of my favorite authors out there. She is amazingly talented and has a way of tugging at your heartstrings like no other.

This short story is a great example of her talent.

Though, there is only a small amount of sex in this book, there are lots of wonderful feels. Ian’s family is amazing, and has a vaguely sixth-sense which helps them to know when to do the right thing… just a feeling they call it.

I loved the growth Mark experienced it and my only wish was that we could have seen the couple in action for more than a little bit at the end.

4.5 of 5 hearts

4.5

10805469_1500047746947637_197599976_n

Posted on

Fixing the hole Audiobook by Katherine Halle Narrated by Philip Alces

Dreamspinner presents: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6656

FixingTheHoleAUDMEDBlurb

Heavy rains and strong winds slammed an uprooted tree through Steve Crowell’s roof, leaving a gaping hole to match the one in his heart. After his ex left him for a younger man, Steve’s not sure he’s ready to handle another disaster. His best friend highly recommended the contractor, but the man’s already late, and when he shows up with his music thumping, Steve isn’t impressed—until Riley steps out of his pickup truck. Personable, gorgeous Riley talks a mile a minute, which Steve finds both ridiculously endearing and terrifying. Piecing together a heart isn’t as easy as fixing a roof, but Riley might just be the right man for the job.

Review
(Book reviewed on previous site)
This is a short book where the ending is the beginning.

Instead of being a book about a relationship, this is really and truly just about the beginning of a relationship. Steve is older, has a thing for younger guys, got burned by the last younger guy, isn’t getting any younger himself, and still has a thing for younger guys.

Riley is a younger guy with a thing for older guys. He’s super sweet, adorable, chatty – very chatty – and he lives at home and tries to keep his dad healthy.

Steve is into Riley, but is worried about being burned again. Riley is into Steve, but worries that Steve isn’t into him.

Most of the book is them dancing around this issue. Then – bam – they go on a date.

The End.

So… the end is the beginning.

**
Ummmm, well. How do I rate this?

It was…nice. I’m sure it was making a statement. It was very well written and some people will like that it didn’t do anything besides start the relationship.

Not me. I was disappointed.

It felt like the beginning of a story that got cut off just when it was getting good! I wanted to see where it went and what happened and … well, all the good stuff that goes with that.

But that wasn’t what this was about.

It was man meets boy. Man wants boy. Man finally gets the balls to ask boy out, and he accepts.

So…

I give the author props for doing something different and for setting up an interesting start to a story, but I can’t really recommend it. However, if you are the sort that just loves the “chase” you will be psyched to read this short story.

I give it 2.5 of 5 hearts for being half a story, good, but unfinished.

Audio
Philip Alces isn’t my favorite narrator, but he does a nice job and is easy to listen to. He doesn’t do much with the voices but he does a good with the humor found in this story.

I think that overall the listening improves the entertainment experience.

3.5 of 5 hearts

3.5

10805469_1500047746947637_197599976_n

Posted on

Safe in His Arms Audiobook by Renae Kaye Narrated by Randy Fuller

Dreamspinner Presents: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6673

SafeInHisArmsAUDMEDBlurb

In the late-night quiet of the caravan park shower room, Lon Taylor washes away the filth of the Western Australian mines. He’s not looking for anyone, but when Casey offers, Lon doesn’t turn him down.

Welcoming the young man in his big, hairy arms, Lon provides a safety to Casey that he has never known, and Casey wants to stay forever. Still reeling from the breakup of his family years ago, Lon’s not sure he’s ready for the responsibility of the comfort and security Casey craves.

But perhaps Lon can risk opening his heart again and hoping for a brighter future. Casey has some pretty big skeletons in his past to deal with. And Lon wonders what Casey will do when he finds out how badly Lon failed at protecting the ones he loved eight years ago.

Book Review
(Previously on this site)

Lon comes home from working in the mines, hot, sweaty, exhausted. After a nice shower and shave he catches the eye of a hot, young, twink staring at him in the public showers. He asks him to either suck his cock or quit staring. Figuring that will make the little guy scamper away, he turns back to his shaving. But what does he hear instead of the pattering of feet? “I’ll take option A.”

Renae Kaye’s book starts off with a bang right from page one and never lets up.

The story is both simple and complex. It’s simple in that Lon and Casey meet and immediately want each other. It’s complex in that both men have a past that is heavily influencing their todays.

Casey has been abused in his past. Badly. Really, really badly. But he’s strong and resilient, and despite receiving some amazingly bad therapy (not abuse, just wrong advice) he’s on the road to recovery. But he still has moments of weakness, of panic and it’s those moments that drive him into Lon’s giant arms.

Lon is a big guy, always has been. In addition to being physically immense, his heart is of equal size. He’s always been the caretaker. That back-fired once and now he’s gun-shy. Casey fits him perfectly, but Lon’s afraid he might let him down, and afraid he might not want him when he knows more about Lon’s past.

Despite their issues, (Lon’s past, Casey’s past, their age difference, family opinion, Lon’s work schedule ) they begin their affair and it burns brightly. Little by little they get to know each other and to cross the hurdles. Fortunately they have great friends with great advice and Casey has a wonderful therapist who helps them to see things clearly.

In just a few months it becomes clear that the couple are more to each other than a casual fling and things really heat up. But the past resurfaces in a couple of different ways, forcing the lovers to face things they hadn’t wanted to bring to light. It seems like things might not ever be smooth sailing, but when pushed, the truth, as always, sets them free.

**
Again, I was delighted with Kaye’s writing. Though her books are both funny and touching, Safe in his Arms is also deeply emotional. It is clear she did some research because the subject matter here is not an easy one. I applaud how thoroughly she addresses the issues of intimacy between partners when one has been abused. There was no quick solution or “magic wand waving” to fix the problem. The couple had to address the very real concerns each had, and face them directly. I also thought it was hilarious how the hurdle manifested for Casey, such a simplistic problem for a nineteen year old but when viewed through the eyes of the therapist it was really a very complex issue.

I also really appreciated the fact that Kaye’s secondary characters were real people, too. They had flaws and talents, none being all good nor all bad. I loved that Casey’s grandma suddenly took a different tack in the middle of the book when faced with Lon as a boyfriend for her grandson. It made her very real. I also loved the intriguing side story about Lon’s brother and sisters. Every bit of the story was important and fascinating and kept me turning pages to see what would happen.

I absolutely loved this book and highly recommend it giving it 5 of 5 hearts.

Audio

I was so, so, so disappointed that they didn’t choose someone with an Australian accent to do this narration. Normally Randy Fuller is hit or miss for me. I have enjoyed some of his narrations immensely, others less so.

In this case he did an okay job. He tried to give some voice differentiation to the characters, didn’t attempt any accent at all, and did a fair job with the intense emotions.

Overall, I wasn’t impressed and was still disappointed with this choice in narrator. If it hadn’t been set in Australia and if I hadn’t heard wonderful narrators (Like the narrator for Blinding Light) I wouldn’t have been put off by Randy Fuller’s narration, it just didn’t “wow” me.

Narration 3 of 5

Total 4 of 5 hearts

4

10805469_1500047746947637_197599976_n