A year after deciding to share their lives, Matt and Evan are working on their happily ever after–which isn’t as easy as it looks. As life settles down into a routine, Matt finds happiness in his role as the ideal househusband of Queens, New York, but he worries about Evan’s continued workaholic–and emotionally avoidant–ways. Trying to juggle his evolving relationship with Evan and his children, Matt turns to his friend, former Seattle homicide detective Jim Shea.
The continued friendship between Matt and Jim is a thorn in Evan’s side. Jealous and uncomfortable with imagining their brief affair, Evan struggles to come to terms with what being in a committed relationship with a man means and the implications about his love for his deceased wife, the impact on his children, and how other people will view him. His turmoil threatens his relationship with Matt, who worries Evan will once again chose a life without him. But now,the stakes are much higher.
Review
(Though this is book 3, it follows right after book one and you don’t need to have read book 2 to read this.)
Matt and Evan are starting to get used to being a couple. Matt is more or less a house-husband and this is both wonderful and somewhat alarming for him to accept. It’d be easier if Evan wasn’t being so difficult – working all the time, jealous of that one time affair with Jim, unwilling to call himself “gay”.
The in-laws aren’t making things easier either. They are threatening to take the kids from Evan.
Luckily, Jim and Griffin give great advice to the couple. Evan finally figures out his priorities and Matt finds something else to do with his time.
**
I really loved this installment of the series. These are real problems these guys are facing – whether you are gay or straight – we all face similar issues.
I loved the intimacy and the closeness the couple now shares. It’s very satisfying to see how their emotional and physical relationship evolves.
Having this “sequel” really adds to the series and helps to cement these guys in the hall of fame of m/m MCs as far as I’m concerned. I really feel like I “know” them and am part of their familes.
Audio:
JP Handler narrates this as well. I still feel that, for me, he’s not to my taste as far as narrators go. I find his narration too emotional and it sounds like he’s on the verge of tears throughout the story. He excels at dialog, however, and does that very well.
Bryce has been a firefighter for ten years, but when a horrific house fire leaves him reeling, he moves to a new city, hoping to shove those memories behind him. As he adjusts to his new station, Bryce keeps to himself until Matt and Toby, two hot young men in his unit, throw temptation in his path. Bryce knows better than to mess around with men he works with, especially two newbies who are in the closet. But after a difficult day, Matt and Toby offer him compassion and friendship, which slips so easily into sex Bryce finds the combination irresistible.
Matt and Toby want to expand their relationship to include a third, and they’ve set their sights on their sexy bear of a lieutenant. Their first night together is a scorcher, and, more than that, it feels right, to all of them. But since Bryce refuses to hide who he is, and dating men on his shift is against the rules, all three men are going to have to make some tough choices if they want to stay together.
Review
(This can absolutely be read as a stand-alone book.)
Bryce is a friend of Mason (from books one and two) and a fireman. He meets two new guys on his crew (they are clearly a couple already) and is enthralled.
Matt and Toby subtly begin to flirt with Bryce, and though he thinks this will all end horribly, he can’t say no.
They begin a month long affair and everything seems wonderful when there is an accident that puts Matt in the hospital. Suddenly Bryce feels worried that they are all about to sacrifice their careers and breaks up with the boys.
When push comes to shove, Gray (of all people) gives Bryce some great advice and we get a very happy HFN/HEA.
**
This was a lot different than books one and two. It has MUCH less BDSM in it, more commanding and less humiliation.
The emotions were very sweet in this book and though there are some hot sex scenes it wasn’t the main focus.
I really enjoyed this and was rooting for this threesome to make it!
Reeling from the recent death of his wife, police officer Evan Cerelli looks at his four children and can only see how he fails them. His loving wife was the caretaker and nurturer, and now the single father feels himself being crushed by the pain of loss and the heavy responsibility of raising his kids.
At the urging of his partner, Evan celebrates a coworker’s retirement and meets disgraced former cop turned security consultant Matt Haight. A friendship born out of loneliness and the solace of the bottle turns out to be exactly what they both need.
The past year has been a slow death for Matt Haight. Ostracized from his beloved police force, facing middle age and perpetual loneliness, Matt sees only a black hole where his future should be. When he discovers another lost soul in Evan, some of the pieces he thought he lost start to fall back in place. Their friendship turns into something deeper, but love is the last thing either man expected, and both of them struggle to reconcile their new and overwhelming feelings for one another.
Review
The blurb sets this up nicely. Evan and Matt are two lonely cop/ex cops who become friends. Then, very slowly, they become more. Neither has ever been with or thought about being with another man, so their feelings hit them from out of the blue.
They have their own doubts and insecurities and then they face the challenge of telling others about their partnership and that threatens what little peace they’ve managed to find.
Suddenly Evan is shot and Matt is in charge of the family. He’s doing great, but Evan’s inlaws want to take over. When Evan finally heals, he runs, scared, away from Matt and their relationship, back to familiar territory.
Both are miserable. It takes Miranda getting into trouble to show them what they were missing.
By the end, they’ve decided to officially “try” this relationship on for size… but there’s still a lot to overcome.
**
Tere Michaels is an amazing writer and her character development is so thorough and so well done. All the players, the MCs and the secondary characters are all very three-dimensional and real people. The romance is spectacular and moving and the real life issues are authentic and believable.
This was one of the first m/m books/series I’d read and it set a very high standard. Double GFY. Family drama. Slow, slow burn. Intense emotions. Two cops. Very hot, very sweet sex. Real emotions and real problems.
Fortunately the next book was already out when I had read this or I’d have been so impatient to see what happens next. The real nitty gritty of being a couple starts in book 2.
Book: 6 of 5 hearts – one of my all time favorite series
Audio:
I was so psyched when this came out on audio! I love the series so much! However… I know from reading other reviews that JP Handler is a very polarizing narrator. Some people just adore his work, others hate it. For me, he’s too much. His voice sounds like he’s on the verge of tears the entire time. There are times I really appreciate the emotion he puts into his work, especially the dialog, but for the rest it is hard to listen to.
Audio: 2.5 of 5 hearts. Because the book is so good I can tolerate the narration, otherwise I’d have returned this and never gotten the rest in the series.
“So, anyway, Brian,” he said, ending a not uncomfortable lull in the conversation. “I’m looking forward to the ride to airport. I want to hear more about your work, and London, and whatever. But,” he gestured toward the window, “here comes Sonny and Luki and Bear. I’ll get more coffee on.”
He rose, but before he turned toward the kitchen, he faced Brian and leaned forward, kissed his cheek swiftly and softly. He intended to step away, but Brian caught first one of his hands, and then the other, and held them both in one hand.
“Jackie, thank you for that. But what I’d like even more is if you were to kiss me—” Brian lifted the index finger of his free hand and touched his own lips. “—just here. Will you?”
“Yes,” Jackie whispered, and without any conscious decision to do so, added, “Yes, sir.” He leaned forward and touched his open lips to Brian’s, found them soft when he added a bit of pressure, and sent his tongue darting just inside for a taste. They broke the kiss together, but as it ended, Brian sucked and then nipped at Jackie’s bottom lip.
Brian smiled, and after he let go of Jackie’s hand, stroked once over Jackie’s shoulder and arm—a comforting touch, Jackie thought. “Thank you, Jackie,” Brian said, his eyes sparking with something like mischief. “That was lovely.”
Author Bio:
Lou Sylvre lives and writes on the rainy side of Washington State, penning mostly suspense/romance novels because she can’t resist giving her characters hard times but good love. Her personal assistant is Boudreau, a large cat who never outgrew his kitten meow, and he makes a point of letting her know when she’s taken a plot tangent too far. He (Boudreau) invites readers to give their feedback as well!
Where to find the author:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LouSylvre
Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorLouSylvre
Twitter: http://twitter.com/sylvre
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Reese Dante
Rafflecopter Prize: Any Vasquez and James book, plus a $10 Dreamspinner gift card
Rafflecopter Code: a Rafflecopter giveaway
Jack, Gray, and Mason have accepted that loves comes in many flavors and settled into a three-way relationship. Things haven’t been easy, and now that Mason has gone back to school and Gray is interested in a detective position, Jack is feeling lonely. His lovers aren’t around very often, and he misses lying around in bed, enjoying the benefits of living with two hot men. But Jack has secrets. He’s uncomfortable every time he puts his uniform on. He’s never recovered from seeing Mason held hostage, and he’s no longer sure he was meant to be a cop.
While stressing over his own future and facing pressure from Gray and Mason to bring their relationship out of the closet, Jack is severely wounded in the line of duty. His recovery, both physical and emotional might be more than their unconventional relationship can bear. Jack is going to need all the courage and support his lovers can give him if he’s going to bring himself back from the dead and create the life he wants to live.
Review
In this, the sequel to Fitting In, the boys have been living together for a few months. Mason is in school, Gray wants to become a detective and Jack gets injured and has to re-evaluate his life.
There is a lot of angst in this book (as compared to book one), almost all from Jack. He’s feeling insecure in his life, his work and at times his relationship.
There is more BDSM sex, ménage style, and some tender moments between the guys.
Jack finally gets some good advice – from a seventeen year old kid! – and the guys out themselves at last.
**
I didn’t like this as much as book one, simply because there seemed to be only two main foci in this book: aggressive sex or Jack’s angst. I wanted to see more from the other guys’ perspectives and maybe a bit more tenderness and less whips and ropes.
But… if you’re a fan of BDSM you will really like it and I try not to judge the story based on that aspect alone.
Two cops walk into a bar. Mason, the bartender, waits for the punch line, because no way in hell are these ridiculously hot men real cops. They’re straight out of a cop-fetish fantasy. But he quickly learns that Jack and Gray are the real deal, and they want him in the worst way.
What starts as a night of hot, three-way sex becomes a lot more. The two cops fulfill Mason’s submissive fantasies, but they also meet a more basic need, comfort. They want to take care of Mason, to offer him unconditional friendship, but their concern for him unnerves Mason more than even the kinkiest sex.
To find happiness with his new partners, Mason must change his belief that love is as much a fantasy as a pair of gorgeous, handcuff-wielding cops landing in his bed.
Review
Mason is a bartender and gets picked up by established couple Gray and Jack. Both Jack and Gray are pretty dominant and Mason is to be more the more submissive partner in their three-way relationship.
At first Mason is reluctant to get involved with an established couple because he’s been hurt in the past. But… Gray and Jack are very persistent, the sex is hot and both guys seem sincere when they convince him they both care about Mason.
There is a bit of BDSM in this… not a lot, but enough that if this isn’t your thing, you might skip it. Mason is very submissive. (I’d have rated this higher if it weren’t for the BDSM, so keep that in mind.)
I liked Jack and Gray and found them funny and sexy. I didn’t love Mason… he was a bit to insecure and frustrating for me to find him as an equal in this threesome.
Overall, I thought it was a fairly good ménage story and it caught my interest enough to pick up the second book in the series.
Cole Renzo thinks his greatest challenge is to behave for the remainder of his term at Halfway House. Until he meets his new boss, Ty Calloway, a man who ticks off every box on Cole’s list of interests.
A sought-after restorer and customizer of exotic and collectible cars, Ty had enough confidence to command what he wanted in life, until one fateful night changed everything. Almost two years later, he’s slowly rebuilding his life with great control. He’s defied the odds and works tirelessly to be the man he once was—but he still feels broken.
Cole’s candor and unfiltered personality awaken Ty’s barely-remembered desire to greet each new day with a smile, while Ty’s unwavering acceptance of Cole’s quirks and brash humor makes Cole feel as if he fits in for the first time in far too long. When a nemesis threatens Ty’s personal restoration and the things he holds dear, Cole is determined to protect their relationship, even if that means sacrificing everything he’s worked so hard to achieve.
But Ty will have to let his guard down, surrender control, and admit he needs Cole first, even if that puts himself at risk of breaking beyond repair.
Review
This is book three in The Men of Halfway House series. I think, technically you could read this as a standalone with no problem, but why the heck would ya? The other two books are amazing and really give you the background for this book. So… I’m going to assume you’ve read books one and two…
We met Cole in book two. He’s loud, impetuous, impractical, mouthy and in a word – Trouble. He’s also an (ex) car thief who is at the HH after spending 2 years in prison for stealing a car and refusing to “rat out” his co-conspirators.
Cole has a hard time transitioning to a legit life because of his impetuousness. Finally, Aidan comes through with the perfect job for him, doing custom restorations for his brother Ty. The deal is this: Hunter gave Cole a sweet car if Cole can manage to do his time at the HH in four months. Nobody thinks that will be easy.
Ty is Aidan’s brother. He’s in the family business (Aidan is the black sheep!) of car restoration but he’s still recovering from a serious car accident that took the lives of his parents and put him in a coma for 6 months. Ty is the opposite of Aidan. He’s shy, reserved, blushes at the drop of a hat and has a dark cloud hanging above his head.
When Ty meets Cole there is instant attraction on both sides. So much so that Cole puts his foot in his mouth – again – and Aidan puts his fist in Cole’s face for it! Though Ty makes Aidan apologize for it later, Aidan makes it clear that if Cole hurts Ty in any way losing the car will be the least of his worries.
Well, as it turns out, Cole took to the work at the shop like a fish to water. He’s found his groove at last and things look great from that perspective. His only glitch: Ty. Ty turns Cole on like nothing else and makes him crazy.
Ty wants to keep things between him and Cole professional – of course – but he just can’t stay away. Cole attracts him like a moth to a flame. They dance around each other for weeks until finally giving in to their mutual desires.
There is more than just the romance going on in this story. Cole has some family issues to resolve and Ty is dealing with survivor’s guilt, physical limitations and an ex-employee trying to blackmail him.
And then there’s Aidan… I’m hoping his story is next… he’s got something going on with Hunter’s former partner Jessie and it looks to be a great story!
**
So I am a huge Jaime Reese fan. Her first book was amazing and frankly every book since has only gotten better. The thing that amazes me about this book in particular is the length. It is a fairly long book and there is not one word that could be edited out! All of it is wonderful and important to building this beautiful story.
The romance between Ty and Cole is both a slow burn and an instant wildfire. They flirt and tease and touch and torment each other endlessly, but the final coming together takes weeks and when it does happen it is really moving and powerful.
I love seeing J and Matt again (wish we could hear about Cam and Hunter too, but seeing as they’ve disappeared…). I love the “hint” that maybe J and Matt might one day expand their little family!
Cole has to be my most favorite character so far. Man! He’s funny, honest, charming, adorkable, can do ANYTHING (and he knows it), cocky, insecure, sweet, raunchy… just a perfect mixture of everything. Ty is his perfect foil because he’s so shy, yet subtly aggressive, confident but tentative… another delightful mix.
I have to admit, in a lot of books the “non romance” part is just boring to me and it takes effort to pay attention to those parts. Not true here. The blackmailing, the family drama, the events in the shop… these are all captivating.
I really feel that Jaime’s writing has gotten better and better as the series has progressed and her world building and characterizations are top notch. I had to stop and slow down several times when I was reading this because I just wanted to savor how good it was.
I really appreciate how Jaime handles the sexual tension and the sex itself in her books. It’s so romantic and yet scorching hot at the same time. Her word choice, especially, helps to create this setting and I love that I’m not ever thrown out of the story by phrasing that doesn’t seem to match the characters for the sake of “making the sex hotter”.
Overall a truly amazing book that I know I’ll read again and again. I can’t wait for Aidan’s story and I am ever so hopeful that we will see the entire series on Audiobooks soon.
Lovers Taggart Brody and Justice McKinney possess special abilities that make them valuable to agencies who employ—or enslave—people with extraordinary talents. When tragedy tears them apart, Justice finds purpose working for the good guys: ACRO, the super-secret Agency for Covert Rare Operatives. But he never forgets Taggart or the past they once shared.
Heartbroken, Taggart runs from who he is . . . right into the arms of Ian Bridges. But Ian, battling his own demons, betrays Tag to the terrorist organization Itor. After months of torture, Tag manages to escape, but kills an ACRO agent in the process.
With nowhere left to turn, Tag disappears into the Alaskan wilderness, but it’s only a matter of time before his enemies track him down. He reaches out to Justice, and somehow Ian finds him too, hoping to right his wrongs. With ACRO and Itor both bearing down, the three men must figure out how to forgive, how to work together, and how to love each other—or the coming battle will destroy them all.
******************
Twenty percent of all proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to the It Gets Better Project.
The It Gets Better Project’s mission is to communicate to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth around the world that it gets better, and to create and inspire the changes needed to make it better for them. Visit their website for more information and to find out how you can get involved.
Review
Tag and Justice are boyhood friends with special powers. They become lovers but separate when their mothers are killed by the evil Itor and they don’t agree on how to get even.
While separated Tag meets and falls in love with Ian who ends up getting Tag kidnapped and tortured by Itor.
Finally Tag is free, Justice has found Tag and now Ian has found Tag and Justice. Both men want Tag but Tag isn’t sure he wants either man back.
A huge blizzard and an avalanche lock all three men together in a cabin in Alaska, forcing them to make decisions about the rest of their lives.
**
Threesomes can be hard to write/read. The romantic soul in me finds it hard to accept Tag and Justice opening their relationship to Ian, but Sydney Croft does a pretty good job of selling it.
There is a lot of detail covered in this relatively short story. Action. Explosions. Intrigue. Special powers. And a fair amount of sexy times too.
If you are a fan of threesomes you will find this very satisfying. If you love secret agent/ x-men type paranormal stories, this has a lot to offer. If you are a romantic purist, you may be disappointed.
With all of his scratched and dented heart, Nate DeMarco wants to be two places at once, but he’s been forced to make an unbearable choice. Having barely survived high school, Nate and his boyfriends, Casey Minton and Zander Zane, are ready to move forward. Casey and Zander have left home to attend Boston City College. Nate remains in New Hampshire to protect his volatile younger sister from their increasingly violent, alcoholic uncle. Nate suffers with anger, resentment, and loneliness as what he wants battles against what he feels he must do.
Separated, the young men fight to stay in contact. But they are faced with separate issues. Casey copes with residual fear from having been bullied in high school. Zander obsesses over the establishment of One Voice, the gay-straight alliance at Boston City College. And Nate fights for his sister’s survival. Meanwhile, the intensity of the boys’ relationship increases, both sexually and emotionally.
Nate’s effort to live two lives leads to tragedy, which threatens to blast their relationship apart before they can adjust to the changes in their lives. They must find their way back to a united path before it’s too late.
Review
You have to have read book one for this to mean much to you.
In book one our three MCs have faced bullies and won! Now they are 18 and off to college… well Casey and Zander are. Nate has stayed at home to take care of his [bitchy] sister Cindy and keep her safe from his [evil] uncle.
If anything, book one was Casey’s story and this is Nate’s.
Casey and Zander are in school and there are a few hurdles: Casey is still really nervous in crowds, especially around girls/women. Zander wants One Voice to make it big, right NOW, but has to organize his priorities straight or lose what’s really important.
Nate, however, is facing depression, loneliness and hopelessness and most of it without support.
Cindy just won’t let up. She pushes and pushes and pushes and the results are an abusive uncle who takes it all out on Nate.
When Nate tries to take time for himself it’s harder to go back each time. He feels pulled in several directions and has no one to turn to for unbiased support.
Finally, things come to a head and Cindy ends up hurt. Nate spirals out of control and the boys think things have actually come to a heart-breaking end.
Luckily their love is stronger than that and they manage to pull Nate back from the brink and keep their “throuple” (a threesome couple) alive.
**
Wow. Book one was hard to read and this one is harder? The emotions are deeper and even more difficult because there is the more “adult” side to their lives.
I absolutely loved the way Mia Kerick handled their growing relationship intimacy. It was, again, suitable to the age (maybe now we’d call it Young Adult) and still felt really authentic and yet very touching.
It was so hard to read Nate’s part in this. He was suffering so much and felt so alone. When he finally gives in and lets the boys back in to his life it’s so beautiful.
I loved Zander’s family and Casey’s family absolutely rocked!
I think there is a book three in the works and I hope it’s Zander’s turn to take the lead.
I can’t wait for the next installment, but this felt very satisfying on its own.
Nate Tippie and Brandon Wilde are gay, single, and both hoping to meet that special man, even though fate has not yet delivered him to their doorstep. Nate’s sister, Hannah, and her kooky best friend, Marilyn, are about to help fate with that task by creating a profile on the gay dating site, OpenHeartOpenMind. The two women are only exploring, but when they need a face and body for the persona they create, they use Nate as the model.
When Brandon comes across the false profile, he falls for the guy he sees online. Keeping up the charade, Hannah begins corresponding with him, posing as Nate. Real complications begin when Brandon wants to meet Nate, but Nate doesn’t even know he’s being used in the online dating ruse. Hannah and Marilyn concoct another story and send Nate out to let the guy down gently. But when Nate and Brandon meet, the two men feel an instant and powerful pull toward each other. Cupid seems to have shot his bow, but how do Nate and Brandon climb out from under a mountain of deceit without letting go of their chance at love?
Review
Brandon is an “almost-virgin” who is looking for a permanent guy. He decides to try his luck with online dating and posts an ad on what he hopes is a “sincere” site. His ad is answered by, what appears to be, a great guy named Nate. Little does he know that “Nate” is really Hannah, Nate’s sister, disguising herself as her brother.
There are a few twists and turns, but eventually Brandon wants to meet “Nate” and so Hannah convinces the real Nate to meet Brandon and “let him down gently” since she feels so bad for interfering in sweet Brandon’s life.
What happens next, however, is not on Hannah’s script at all! Nate and Brandon really hit it off and it seems like the two might just be made for each other after all. Until… Brandon discovers more than one secret Nate’s been hiding and he must decide if he can really trust Nate with his heart.
**
I have found that, though I really like Rick Reed’s style of writing, I don’t ever quite bond with his characters very well. This is his third book that I’ve read and though I am always impressed with his writing and creativity, I don’t feel attached enough to the MCs to feel “involved” with the story.
In this case I just had such a hard time with both Nate and Hannah that it colored my enjoyment of the story. Hannah was beyond “quirky” and landed straight in “psychotic” land. There is no way any sane person would either act like she did or put up with her meddling. Her friend Marilyn, also seemed borderline crazy to me as well. Nate came across as bi-polar or severely wishy-washy. He was the man-whore with no deep feelings for most of the book with occasional “outbreaks” of romantic idealist.
I thought Brandon was awesome and I felt bad for him the entire time. He had a crappy self-esteem but seemed so sweet I was really hoping he’d get someone truly amazing to make him see how wonderful he is. Nate never seemed like that guy.
I thought the end was rushed and awkward and very unsatisfying. I didn’t feel at all comfortable that they’d make it as a couple, though the impression is one of a HEA.
Audio:
John Solo does most (all?) of Rick Reed’s books and is always a steady performer. He tries hard to differentiate the characters with differing voices and I enjoy his narration.
Blurb
