Category: cop/crime

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Creature Feature 2 By Poppy Dennison and Rhys Ford

Dreamspinner Presents:

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5478

creature feature 2Blurb

Two Men. One Apocalypse.

Rise of the Revenants by Poppy Dennison
Vampyres are on the loose in Detroit, and novice hunter Taz Cohen is on the job. The mission seems simple: stop the vamps. But Taz knows nothing about the mythical creatures, so he’s in for the fight of his life. Then he meets insanely attractive construction worker Darren Foster, who jumps into the battle with both feet. Sparks and bullets fly as they struggle against the vampyre horde and their attraction to each other. Avoiding gruesome death from the undead might be easier than shielding their hearts from each other.

Legacy of Blood and Death by Rhys Ford
For Javi Navarro, Detroit will become another blood-splattered city in his rearview mirror after he puts its dead back into the ground. Expecting an easy hunting job, Javi instead finds a kiss of ancient vampyres on the hunt for a descendent of their long-dead creator.

Reclusive Ciarnan Mac Gerailt abandoned his family legacy of blood and death magic after it nearly destroyed him. Unfortunately, the Motor City can only be saved if Ciarnan resumes his dark arts and joins forces with Javi Navarro, the hunter who brought the vampyre apocalypse—and hope for the future—straight to Ciarnan’s front door.

Review

(From Previous Site)

Rise of the Revenants:
Taz is a hunter of werewolves (not shifters) and now vampyres (kind of like zombies but with more reasoning ability). Some old and powerful witches made these vampyres and now it is up to Taz (and later Javi) to clean up the mess.

Darren is a construction worker who happens to be working on sites that these vampyres are haunting. We find out there are no such things as coincidences, and there’s a reason for the vampyre’s location choices. Darren has lost a friend to their attacks so he is devoted to the idea of taking them down. It helps that he and Taz are super attracted to one another and that by chipping in he gets to help keep Taz close and safe.

This story “bleeds” into the next and at the end Darren and Taz have won the battle if not the war and are headed toward a future together.

Legacy of Blood:
Javi is a hunter of vampyres and is hot on the trail of one of the descendants of the witches that created the monsters. When he meets him he finds a powerful witch who no longer practices because he’s afraid of what his power can do. He convinces him to help as a layman and the two plan a trap for the “ticks”. Along the way, the two manage to find lots of common ground and chemistry together. When the final battle occurs, our boys are victorious and Javi and Ciarnan plan on sticking together to fight for Detroit’s future. We also find that Taz and Darren are still together and planning a future in Detroit as well.

Both stories were pretty detail oriented, laying lots of back-story, and focused a lot on the battle/action. I am hoping this is because there is a series planned? (Would be awesome!) The ending certainly leaves it wide open for such an occurrence.

Taz and Darren’s story isn’t as sweet or loving as Ciarnan and Javi, but you definitely feel their feels, and trust that they have a future together.

Rhys, in the way that she does so well, manages to throw the Kincaids (Hellingers) into her story and maybe we can see a cross over in the future.

There are also lots of “hunter” references, both boys drive Chargers and Javi can’t understand why anyone would drive an Impala unless it was to get busy in the back seat.

Both stories are funny, full of action and some hot sex and all around fascinating tales.

I highly recommend it with 4.5 of 5 hearts

4.5

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Winter’s Wolf Audiobook (Tales of the Harker Pack Book 3) by Tara Lain Narrated by Max Lehnen

Dreamspinner Presents http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6309
winter's wolf audioBlurb

Winter Thane was raised on the two cardinal rules of werewolf existence: don’t reveal yourself to humans under penalty of death, and there’s no such thing as a gay werewolf. It’s no surprise when his father drags him from his wild life in remote Canada back to Connecticut to meet his old pack in hopes it will persuade Winter to abandon his love of sex with human males. Of course Dad’s hopes are dashed when they come face-to-face with the gay werewolves in the Harker pack.

Winter takes one look at FBI agent, Matt Partridge, and decides bird is his favorite food.

Partridge is embroiled in an investigation into drug dealing and the death of a fellow agent. He can’t let himself get distracted by the young, platinum-haired beast, but then Winter proves invaluable in the search for clues, a move that winds them both up in chains and facing imminent death. Winter quickly learns his father’s motives are questionable, the pack alphas are a bunch of pussies, humans aren’t quite what they seem, and nothing in the forests of Connecticut is pure except love.

Review

(Book reviewed previously on this site.)

Winter and his dad, Damon, move from Canada (back) to Connecticut to join the Harker Pack. Damon thinks Winter needs the influence of a pack (they’ve been more or less living as lone/wild wolves for years) to settle him down and to find himself a mate. Of course, Damon means a female mate, he doesn’t believe in gay werewolves… HA! He chose the wrong pack, because the Harker pack is FULL of gay werewolves!

Winter catches the smell of someone amazing at the bar the Harkers frequent, it’s Matt, an FBI agent working with the pack on a series of crimes involving murder and drugs.

Matt is a human who suspects something is “off” with the Harkers, but he doesn’t know what. He suspects they are somehow involved with or know more about these drug related crimes, but he’s not sure how or what.

Winter and Matt are immediately attracted to one another but feel they can’t be together for several reasons. Winter: it’s against the rules to mate a human. Matt: he’s hiding a secret and a sick father and those don’t blend well with commitment.

Matt and Winter are put on the same task force, trying to track down drug runners and their attraction flares nearly out of control.

But… there are forces out there trying to stop their progress both romantically and professionally.

As a side note, there is some pretty fun family re-union stuff going on in the background that leads to an amazing new alliance and possibly some long-needed rule changes.
**
This, by far, was my most favorite of the three Harker Pack series and possibly my most favorite Tara Lain book to date!

The story line behind the romance actually kept me totally involved (which I admit is not always the case) and I loved seeing the earlier couples actively involved in this story.

Matt’s status (it’s a mystery – I’m not spoiling it!) was done so well! I thought it was very clever and fit in great with the overall story.

The sex between these guys is super hot and their love is also really, really sweet.
Overall a great book I highly recommend. But… you MUST read all three books to really appreciate it, which only makes sense because they are all awesome!

Audio
Max Lehnen. *Sigh.*

He has done the narrations for all the Harker Wolf Series by Tara Lain and unfortunately there is just something about his narrations that drive me crazy.

I find the way he enunciates to be rather garbled, like he’s got marbles in his mouth. I also didn’t like the way he chose to portray Matt – sort of an effeminate southern belle. I like the way he does the “wolfy thinking” – sort of growly and punctate, but the rest of the time I’m not that into it.  As a narrator he isn’t my favorite and it bums me out because I LOVE this series and would have loved to listen to it over and over but I find myself being thrown out of the story over and again by the way I dislike Max’s narration.

I still love the book and if you don’t mind Max Lehnen (I’d suggest listening to the sample before you buy) you might enjoy the audiobook as well.

Overall, with the book earning 6 of 5 hearts and the narration 3 of 5 hearts, I give it 4.5 hearts.

4.5

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How to Howl at the Moon Audiobook (Dog Shifters of Mad Creek #1) by Eli Easton Narrated by Matthew Shaw

Pinkerton Road Presents:

http://www.audible.com/pd/Romance/How-to-Howl-at-the-Moon-Audiobook/B00UVVHOTI/ref=a_search_c4_1_1_srTtl?qid=1427652540&sr=1-1

howlaudioBlurb

Sheriff Lance Beaufort is not going to let trouble into his town, no sir. Tucked away in the California mountains, Mad Creek has secrets to keep, like the fact that half the town consists of ‘quickened’—dogs who have gained the ability to become human. Descended on both sides from Border Collies, Lance is as alert a guardian as they come.

Tim Weston is looking for a safe haven. After learning that his boss patented all of Tim’s work on vegetable hybrids in his own name, Tim quit his old job. A client offers him use of her cabin in Mad Creek, and Tim sees a chance for a new start. But the shy gardener has a way of fumbling and sounding like a liar around strangers, particularly gorgeous alpha men like Sheriff Beaufort.

Lance’s hackles are definitely raised by the lanky young stranger. He’s concerned about marijuana growers moving into Mad Creek, and he’s not satisfied with the boy’s story. Lance decides a bit of undercover work is called for. When Tim hits a beautiful black collie with his car and adopts the dog, its love at first sight for both Tim and Lance’s inner dog. Pretending to be a pet is about to get Sheriff Beaufort in very hot water.

Review

(Book review previously done on this site.)

Lance is a fourth generation “quickened” shifter, hailing from a long line of Border Collie shifters and the Sherriff of Mad Creek.  A “quickened” shifter is a dog (born a dog) who was so beloved by his or her master that they receive the “gift” of turning human at will.  That ability is then transferred to their off-spring and thus a shifter is born.

Tim is a horticulturist whose hybrid plant ideas were ripped off by his ex-boss.  He’s currently living on the last of his money and hopes to build back his business with the help of a friend.

Tim also is very nervous in front of alpha-males and Lance is ALL alpha.

At first, Lance thinks Tim is growing an illegal crop and stoops to using his shifted form to spy on Tim.  But the lonely and sad and socially inept Tim cracks through Lance’s tough shell until both the dog and the man can’t get enough of Tim.

However, how is Lance going to break it to Tim that the dog he loves is really the man he fears?  And… is Tim’s boss going to make trouble for Tim in his new home?  And someone really is growing illegal drugs near Mad Creek and they don’t like competition.

**

Through a combination of  amazingly astute observations on the various dog breeds and imagining them to be humans, Eli has managed the unbelievable – a unique shifter story!  Sure, there are some common threads, but by and large this is a truly unique look at shifter lore.

Because they were dogs first the transition to being human is both touching at times (Roman’s devotion to his past master) and hilarious (the friendly and chatty Mr. Beagle).

You know that since it’s Eli Easton, the writing is impeccable.  The sex is hot.  The emotion is deep and abiding.  And the humor is sharp and witty.

If I could describe a perfect book it would be this:  Eli Easton writing a shifter book.  And yet, it gets even better because it’s going to be an entire SERIES!  It’s true – there is a heaven!

The slow burn between Tim and Lance is delicious and when Lance finally “comes out” to Tim it is both hysterical and touching.

I loved the meddling mother and the “vindictive” vet scene.  Superb!

All in all I can’t wait for the next book, am so excited the audio book is on it’s way and will likely have read this book at least three more times before I get my hands on the audio version.

PS

Look here for fun facts about writing the book and a sample of the audiobook.  http://elieaston.com/

Audio

Matthew Shaw did a fantastic job of narrating Eli Easton’s new shifter book.  From interviews, I know Matthew voiced some of Eli’s games in the past and so he’s a new narrator to the m/m genre.  He did great!  He was funny and easy to listen to.  His voice is rich and flowing, with the right amount of emotion and “acting”.  I really enjoyed listening to this story and will be listening to it again and again!

6 of 5 hearts!

amazing

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Creature Feature Audiobook by Poppy Dennison and Mary Calmes Narrated by Jeff Gelder

Dreamspinner Presents:  http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5457

CreatureFeatureAUDMedBlurb

Diagnosis Wolf by Poppy Dennison

Thanks to his good-for-nothing brother, Andrew Hughes is up to his eyeballs in debt and needs a job fast. When a nursing position opens up in Myerson, Arizona, Andrew has no choice but to take it, despite a warning about how difficult a patient Caleb DiMartino can be. Andrew can deal with a little trouble—but Caleb’s strange family, the armed guards, and the unknown cause of Caleb’s mysterious illness may be beyond his skill set.

Landslide by Mary Calmes

For three years, paranormal courier Frank Corrigan has been working for incubus demon Cael Berith. Cael knows Frank is his mate, but Frank is pretty sure Cael doesn’t even like him, never mind want to spend the rest of his life with him, so their personal relationship is at an impasse. When Frank’s sister, Lindsey, gets bitten by a werewolf she’s sleeping with—and possibly witnesses a murder—Frank rides to her rescue. If he’s lucky, he might just save his love life too.

Review
(From Previous Site.)

Diagnosis Wolf:
Andrew is a nurse sent to the house of a shifter (not a werewolf) who has been possibly poisoned by enemies of their family. Caleb (the shifter) finds Andrew to be very attractive and it’s his protective instincts of Andrew that help him to start the recovery process. Andrew’s brother has gotten into deep water and is hoping to use Andrew’s connection to the rich DiMartino family to get out of debt. When push comes to shove, Caleb and his family manage to solve the medical mystery and defeat the bad guys (with Andrew’s help, of course.)

Landslide:
Frank is a special human, immune to most effects of paranormal power and as such acts as a liaison between the various “species”. On one mission he meets Cael, a demon of great power, who claims to be his mate. Frank doesn’t believe him and makes the poor demon wait 3 years before finally succumbing to seduction and finding true love. In the meantime they defeat some bad guys and mostly make you giggle.

**

This is the first time I’d read anything by Poppy Dennison and it was wonderful. It is a full story, richly detailed, and though it lacks the “fated mate” scenario in some shifter stories, it has enough of those elements to keep my sappy heart happy. The love was sweet and the sex was hot and the action exciting.

And then there’s Mary’s story… how can you NOT love a Mary story. Frank is hysterical. Ever the doubting Thomas, he thinks Cael (like the vegetable Kale) is “repulsed” because he’s not a twink and therefore not Cael’s type. Of course, Cael is ridiculously patient and let’s the misunderstanding go on for three years… three years! (Mary must have a thing for three years… remember Sam and Jory?!? ) But when they do get together it is sweet and sexy and very, very satisfying.

Audio
Jeff Gelder does a nice job with both narrations. The recording takes a minute to get used to, there is a vague tinny sound to it, but it kind of lends itself to the creepy nature of the stories and it blends into the background after awhile.

He didn’t do any over the top voices or any serious “acting” but he doesn’t distract from the stories themselves either and it was a nice listening experience.

I give the book a 5 of 5 hearts, the audio a 4 of 5 hearts and an overall 4.5 of 5 hearts. I highly recommend both the book and the audio version.

4.5

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All Kinds of Tied Down Audiobook by Mary Calmes Narrated by Tristan James

Dreamspinner Presents

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5618

AllKindsofTiedDownMedBlurb

Ian has always resisted being tied down. His partner, Miro, just has to convince him that getting tangled up in heartstrings isn’t so bad.

Deputy US Marshal Miro Jones has a reputation for being calm and collected under fire. These traits serve him well with his hotshot partner, Ian Doyle, the kind of guy who can start a fight in an empty room. In the past three years of their life-and-death job, they’ve gone from strangers to professional coworkers to devoted teammates and best friends. Miro’s cultivated blind faith in the man who has his back… faith and something more.

As a marshal and a soldier, Ian’s expected to lead. But the power and control that brings Ian success and fulfillment in the field isn’t working anywhere else. Ian’s always resisted all kinds of tied down, but having no home—and no one to come home to—is slowly eating him up inside. Over time, Ian has grudgingly accepted that going anywhere without his partner simply doesn’t work. Now Miro just has to convince him that getting tangled up in heartstrings isn’t being tied down at all.

Review

(From previous site)

Mary Calmes is my hero because she could write a book about anything and make it work. However, I love her for her “A Matter of Time” series, which is probably one of her most popular, and this book brings many of those characters out to play!

This is a book about US Marshals Miro and Ian who are best friends and partners. Miro has been pining for Ian for years, but since Ian is “straight”, Miro has put his feelings on ice, for the sake of the friendship. In a nutshell it’s a GFY (gay for you) romance where Ian and Miro have to overcome their fear of losing their friendship and partnership to get together as lovers. But it’s so much more than that, because Ian has some issues he needs to resolve that not even his best friend knows about, and we also have other obstacles on the path like wayward prisoners, gunfire, broken bones, and Ian’s mysterious “second job”.

In the meantime there is a lot of sexual tension. Mary knows how to do sexual tension well and it runs hot between these two boys. We are kept on needles and pins waiting and wanting for Miro to get his chance with the hot, if somewhat awkward Ian. When the two do get together (not a spoiler right?) it is hot! Smokin’ really. But oh so sweet, and tender. Just as we have come to expect from Mary.

I loved how Mary brought in characters from Acrobat, A Matter of Time, Where You Lead and Parting Shot into this story because there are bits and pieces of those characters in Ian and Miro. It’s always fun to see these old characters re-surface, but they do not overwhelm the book and if you have never read even one of her books (shame on you!) you won’t be confused about a thing.

Mary writes amazing secondary characters, too, and she has given us a gaggle of amazing women who are Miro’s friends as well as some men who should perhaps (hopefully!) get their own books, i.e. Drake, Cabot and Holley.

The story moves along swiftly and I really enjoyed that there was not one single “crime” that we followed but a series of events, it felt more like the real work of the Marshals. The common theme for each event – OUCH – poor Miro somehow ends up injured in each one!

I think Mary Calmes excels in her contemporary fiction, and this book does not disappoint. I give it a 5 out of 5 hearts for a sweet, sexy, scintillating, superb and sentimentally wonderful read.

Audio

Tristan James. Le sigh. I just love his narrations. He does another really great job with this story. I really enjoyed his version of Ian’s voice – just perfect. Tristan’s pacing is wonderful. He has a great vision of how to keep the tension up and how to play the flat perfection of Miro and the vaguely bewildered Ian. His secondary characters were wonderful and I was so sad he didn’t narrate the Matter of Time series – his Sam Kage was amazing!

I highly recommend this narration of All Kinds of Tied Down and give it 6 of 5 hearts

amazing

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Nights Like These by Chris Scully

Dreamspinner Presents
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5935

night like theseBlurb

Starting over sucks. At forty, Miles Koprowski thought he had life all figured out. He had a nice car, a hot young lover, and a cushy job… and then he didn’t. Call it fate, or karma, or a downturn in the market, but this opinionated cynic is now forced to play rent-a-cop in a dying office building in the burbs just to make ends meet. Throw in an unhinged ex, a coworker who hates him, and a hot new boss, and suddenly everything is uncertain.

Miles doesn’t plan on liking the night shift or becoming embroiled in a mystery that reawakens old passions and puts him in danger. And he certainly doesn’t plan on falling for the overbearing head of security, Colton Decker, former soldier and doting dad. But nights like these can change a man, make him start to believe there’s more to life than a high-paying job and a warm body in his bed. With a thief on the loose and his new job in jeopardy, Miles will have to decide what’s truly important. He might discover things he never knew he wanted… as long as he makes it through the night.

Review

Miles is having a rough time. He’s lost his boyfriend and several jobs and is now working as a night security guard where he meets his boss (for the second time), aka Mr. Perfect, Colton Decker.

Colton is an ex-military, widower, single-dad and now in security management. Both Miles and Colton are immediately attracted to one another, but Miles is skeptical that he can ever be in a real relationship and he doesn’t want to lose another job by fooling around with the boss.

In addition to the romance there is a mystery related to stolen art and that consumes the attention of both Miles and Colton throughout most of the story.

In the end, the mystery is solved, and Miles and Colton end up with a pretty solid HFN/HEA.

**

Chris Scully is a great writer. Her character development is top-notch and the wit behind the snark that is the constant hum of Miles’ inner dialog is brilliant.

I thought the action/mystery was fast-paced and interesting, but I thought it detracted from the romance. I really wanted to see more of the pair bonding and maybe more of them once they had become a couple. There is a lot of potential for fun there, considering the daughter, the age-gap, their employment, etc – and just as the romance was really starting to get interesting, the story ended.

Perhaps this is a part–one (she’s done that to us before!) and we will see more of them in the future (I hope!) but if not, the ending left me wanting more.

Writing/Editing 5
Romance 3
Sex/Heat 3
Storyline 5
World Building/Characterizations 5

4.2 of 5 hearts

4

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Rise and Fall (THIRDS 4) -Charlie Cochet

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Blurb: 

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: 

This is the fourth installment of THIRDS and in this part, the THIRDS unit takes a huge hit when team leader Sloane and Ash are out of commission. With both Sloane and Ash facing lengthy recoveries and the rest of their team made targets by Beck Hogan and his merry band of asshats, the higher ups at the THIRDS decide to put the remaining team members on leave and hand the investigation over to Sebastian Hobbs and his team. Of course, this doesn’t sit well with Dexter and he goes against orders and decides to bring down Hogan and his cohorts himself. 

This is an awesome series Cochet has here. The characters are absolutely wonderful and I think it’s fantastic how she manages to create storylines for each character without losing sight of the main characters. In this book, you see a different, more serious side to Dex. You get to see the serious, vulnerable, stubborn and determined side of Dex, understand the reason behind his weird 80s music obsession, why he feels he has to try go after Hogan and his army of maniacs on his own, what caused the problems in his and his ex’s relationship and all of that. Not only that, but you also get more of the other characters’ stories and their backgrounds in this book. In this, the author is laying the groundwork for the other books in the series and I for one am eager for the releases of them. I absolutely love Cael and Dex’s father and I laughed so hard at the ending of this book. I can’t wait to see more interaction between Tony, Sloane and Ash. I love how protective he is of his sons. The relationship between this father and his two sons gives me life! This book is filled with bad 80s music, a bizarre Gummy Bear and cheesy doodle addiction, a baseball bat named Old Bessie and an irate father. It was funny and hot and the action was fantastic. I highly recommend this series to everyone.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Amazing⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Getting It Right by AM Arthur

Carina Press Presents:  http://ebooks.carinapress.com/6D174924-1060-4B31-8A76-1BD338605A4E/10/134/en/ContentDetails.htm?ID=6683E311-33F0-4252-B4A8-2E5502D530A5

getting it rightBlurb

Detective Nathan Wolf might just be a junior detective, but he tackles every case with the passion that he lacks in his personal life. A series of failed relationships with women has left him still single at thirty-four—because he’s too scared to admit to his longtime crush on his best friend James.
Dr. James Taggert likes to keep his profession as a psychiatrist separate from his party-animal persona. Known around the gay clubs as Tag, he’s the guy who screws them, leaves them, and never looks back. But James’s drinking is getting heavier, and when bad memories from the past resurface, he’s close to becoming the worst version of himself.

After a drunken blackout ends in a hot and heavy make-out session with his very straight best friend, James has no memory of the steamy affair. But Nathan isn’t sorry for the kisses that James can’t remember. Nathan finally musters the courage to tell James how he really feels, but a life-altering event might force them apart before they can ever be together.

Review

James is an alcoholic psychiatrist who is dealing with his own tragic past by living at the bottom of a bottle and mindlessly hooking up in bars.

At first Nathan is a just James’ best friend who may or may not be sexually interested in James (his first and only man-crush) but then he gets attacked and now he’s also suffering from PTSD.

There are also some secondary characters who are going through A LOT of really bad stuff and this stuff gets interwoven into James and Nate’s story as well.

Nate and James dance around their attraction and then finally commit to trying things out, but there are still obstacles to be overcome.

In the end we get a pretty solid HEA.

**

This was my first book by this author and I’m not sure if this is representative of all her work or not, but for me it was way too much angst and not enough fluffy, sappy, loving to reward me for living through the drama.

I did NOT like the fact that James is a black-out drunk to the point that he has some questionable sexual encounters of dubious consent, especially AFTER he and Nate are beginning to hook up with one another.  Because I couldn’t really like James (he’s a shrink who can’t realize he’s an alcoholic?  Sure, he’s in denial, but really??) I didn’t like him for Nate.

I liked Nate well enough, but thought his straight to gay-for-James was a little bit too quick given all the other drama in his life.

The smexy times were great, but it bothered me that James was seen (on page) with Elliott, too.

Perhaps this is a more “real” type romance in that life isn’t always kittens and rainbows, but for me, I look for books that are chock full of glittery-unicorn-rainbow-filled-love-fests and when those moments happen after an angst filled journey they are the highest reward.  In this case I got the angst but not nearly enough romance to compensate.

The writing was good and the story was interesting, but I was so tired of the drama by the end that I was honestly glad to see the story over.

Writing/Editing  4

Romance  2

Sex/Heat   4

Storyline  2

World Building/Characterizations  2

2.8 of 5 hearts

3

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Lucky Man (Heated Beat #2) by Garrett Leigh

Dreamspinner Presents:  http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6144

lucky manBlurb

As a diehard music fan, a dirty, smoky gig is Vice Squad Detective Danny Jones’s idea of heaven. While watching one of the most popular bands in Northern England, the sight of gorgeous rock star Finn McGovern changes his life forever.

Beneath the tattoos and leather jacket, Finn is kind and sweet, but when he confesses a dark secret to Danny, it tests their fledgling bond. Danny digs deep to accept Finn, but before long, a terrifying trail of death threatens to tear them apart before they’ve even got started.

A monster is killing prostitutes on Danny’s patch, and when a dead girl turns up too close to home, Danny discovers a heartbreaking link between the girl and his bright new life with Finn, a life he’ll do anything to protect.

Review

Danny is a “sort of in the closet” vice detective who meets Finn one night after Finn’s gig. There is instant attraction and some hot sex that leads to an entire weekend of fun. But…

Finn has a secret that keeps him from finding a boyfriend who lasts. When Danny finds out, he’s not really too concerned, but it does make things more difficult.

And… Danny is working a case involving dead prostitutes and it keeps him away from Finn for days at a time.

Ultimately, Finn learns to overcome his fear of rejection and Danny manages to solve the crime and we end with a very solid HEA.

**
This is a short book FULL of subject matter. I really enjoyed the take on Finn’s medical condition. I found it fascinating and a unique subject for the genre.

There was very little angst surrounding Finn and Danny’s relationship. It sort-of flowed forward at a moderately quick pace with spikes of uncertainty mostly rising from Finn. Danny is more of a black box, not nearly as much introspection, but you can tell he cares for Finn deeply.

In a way, the book is almost too full. Since the subject of Finn’s illness is so big, I’m not sure adding in the other “heavy” subject of the dead prostitutes was necessary. To me it detracted from the romance and from the exploration of a disease that hasn’t been covered in this genre much, if at all. I don’t think the sad prostitute stories added enough to justify the neglect to the main theme. I wanted to see Danny interact more with Finn and to see them evolve more as a couple, dealing with the illness and ultimately winning.

I know I am definitely in the minority when I say this, but I loved book one because it was so light and fun, so the return to the darkness was a bit disappointing. I enjoyed the writing, the character building and the emotions Garrett Leigh is so good at drawing from us (she doesn’t disappoint on those fronts) but I had been hoping for a lighter story, similar to book one.

I really enjoyed seeing Will and Jack again – it was funny hearing them described as a couple who didn’t know where to go from here.

Overall, if you’re a Garrett Leigh fan you’ll love this. If you are (like me) a recent reader who loved the light hearted-ness of book one, you may be disappointed in the return to a more dark theme.

4 of 5 hearts

4

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IM by Rick R. Reed Tour with Excerpt and Giveaway

IM-400x600Excerpt:
Lake Shore Drive at night has its own excitement, especially when one is hurtling toward a rendezvous with an unknown destiny. On one side of my car, Lake Michigan bears silent witness to the streams of traffic heading north and south, headlights like glowing insect eyes piercing the night. The other side of the highway is crowded with high-rises, their glass, chrome, and concrete rising into the sky, hives of activity within, quiet sentinels without.

I have a cold bottle of Samuel Adams between my legs, a Marlboro burning in the ashtray. Normally, beer and cigarettes are not my vices. I care about my health, you see. But these are props, the same as the deeper-pitched voice I use, same as my word choices, which are much less sophisticated than someone with an MA in English from the University of Chicago. The beer and cigarettes are part of my costume. Tonight I wear faded, ragged Levi’s 501s, the crotch faded, the buttons moving in an inverted question mark, emphasizing the bulge in my crotch.
When did gay men turn into no-charge prostitutes? Has it always been this way?
Whatever. I’m also wearing a Bulls T-shirt, the sleeves cut off raggedly, the neck cut low.
I take a swig of the beer, letting its cold bitterness snake down my throat, and turn up the tape player. Ironic. Leonard Cohen is singing, “Ain’t No Cure for Love.”

I press down on the gas; ahead is my exit: Irving Park Road.

When I arrive, I see the apartment is a red brick six flat, identical to others all over the city. I ring the buzzer, and the guy doesn’t even bother to ask who it is. No difference. We never exchanged names anyway.

Trudging up the stairs, waiting for the shotgun-cocking sound of a lock being turned, a chain sliding back into place. Someone waits to admit me. Someone I don’t even know.

What a friendly world this is.

A door opens above.

What waits upstairs?

I round the bend and I see him. Nothing like his description, but who expected different? I am nothing like what I told him. No matter. As long as you’re male and reasonably young and acceptable, you’re in.

The guy has a good body, and his lips curl into a grin as I head toward him, dragging on my Marlboro. He’s wearing a pair of black bikini briefs. His moment of glory, this is what he’s worked for all those long hours at the gym. Finally someone to appreciate the shaved and defined pecs, the smooth washboard belly, the bulging biceps I just know he will somehow maneuver to flex for me.

But he’s much older than what I had expected. Midforties probably. His reddish-brown hair is thinning, and the blue eyes are framed by crow’s feet. A bottle of “eye-revitalizing” cream is in his medicine cabinet, I bet. The goatee, a desperate ploy to make himself look younger and hip, is embarrassingly ineffective. A cougar tattoo snakes down one of his arms.

“How you doin’?” I exhale a cloud of smoke and pass him as he opens the door wider to admit me.

“Great. Now that you’re here.”

The apartment is small, crowded with “contemporary” furniture: a black leather grouping in the living room, chrome and glass tables, spare jagged-looking twig and dried flower arrangements. On the walls, Herb Ritts posters of absurdly pumped-up young men in various settings: a garage, on the seashore.

The guy leads me into the bedroom. Platform bed, comforter thrown back, striped sheets. The nightstand holds the tools of his true trade: a plastic cup full of condoms he probably never uses, a couple of little brown bottles filled with butyl nitrite, a leather cock ring, a metal cock ring, and a large pump bottle of Wet. On the lower shelf, a stack of neatly folded but ragged white towels.
A dresser faces the bed, and atop it, a color TV and DVD combination. On the screen, a wildly muscled dark-haired guy tries to sit on one of those orange traffic cones. Amazingly, he’s beginning to succeed.

I grin.

The guy drops the black briefs and sits on the bed. Hoarsely, “Why don’t you get undressed, man?”

“Why don’t you do it for me?”

Instantly supplicant, he’s on his knees before me, working the buttons on my jeans. I’m sure his eyes are glistening. Already his breath is coming faster.

I push his hand away. “Hold on.” I lift the goateed face up to my own and look in his blue eyes, where nothing but desire and trust mingle. “I want you to lie down on the bed. Lie on your stomach.”

He gets up and does as he’s told. The half moons of his ass practically glow in the darkness. A thin whiter line disappears in his crack, where his thong was. The definition in his arms shows up perfectly as he raises them above his head to clutch the pillow.

His legs are parted, waiting.

“I just need to do something real quick. You stay right there.” I look back at him as I exit the room. “You’re a good boy, right? Do what you’re told?”

“Yes, sir.”

In the kitchen, I go quickly through the drawers until I find the one with the knives. For the first time, I get hard, and I think of the blood pumping, filling the spongy cavities.

The blood. Essence of life.

I strip down, leaving my clothes in a pile on the kitchen floor. I hope I don’t bring any cockroaches home.

I hold the butcher knife I chose to my side, concealing it with my arm, and head back to the bedroom.

He still lies there, waiting and trustful, thinking he’s about to be penetrated.
And he is.

Sales Links:

DSP Publications ebook: http://www.dsppublications.com/books/im-by-rick-r-reed-58-b
Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/IM-Rick-R-Reed-ebook/dp/B00TZ8KD1E/

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About the author:

Rick R. Reed is all about exploring the romantic entanglements of gay men in contemporary, realistic settings. While his stories often contain elements of suspense, mystery and the paranormal, his focus ultimately returns to the power of love. He is the author of dozens of published novels, novellas, and short stories. He is a three-time EPIC eBook Award winner (for Caregiver, Orientation and The Blue Moon Cafe). Raining Men and Caregiver have both won the Rainbow Award for gay fiction.  Lambda Literary Review has called him, “a writer that doesn’t disappoint.” Rick lives in Seattle with his husband and a very spoiled Boston terrier. He is forever”at work on another novel.”

Where to find the author:

Web: http://www.rickrreed.com
Blog: http://rickrreedreality.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/rickrreedbooks
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/rickrreed.
E-mail: [email protected]

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1013435.IM?from_search=true
Publisher: DSP Publications
Cover Artist: Reese Dante
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