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The Missing Butterfly Audiobook by Megan Derr Narrated by Paul Morey

Less than three press presents: http://www.audible.com/pd/Fiction/The-Missing-Butterfly-Audiobook/B00KLF3JGG

butterflyBlurb

Cassidy Monarch had dreams to sing, to be famous, to tour the world at the head of his own rock band. Then his parents were killed in a tragic accident, leaving him to raise his two siblings. Determined to hold on to what remained of his family, Cassidy settled into an ordinary life, his dreams of fame reduced to occasional nights of singing at karaoke dives. But his careful, ordinary life began to fray with his new job, and the beautiful, charming boss who reminds him of all the things he tried to stop wanting.
Malcolm Osborne is a classic rags-to-riches story, a foster child who wound up with the perfect family and more money than he knows what to do with. He’s wealthy, beautiful, successful, and completely miserable. Then he hires a new worker for his office, a young, hardworking man with a sadness in his eyes that Malcolm aches to banish, hoping that in doing so he will be rid of his own loneliness as well.

Review

I don’t know why I haven’t read this sooner!

It was fantastic!

Cassidy is an amazing vocalist on the cusp of setting the music world on fire when his parents die and he’s left in charge of his younger siblings. He ends up getting one crap job after another – for years – and is only now working at an office job that seems to appreciate him.

Malcolm is a foster kid who struck it rich. Now he and his other foster siblings work together on various projects – including an entertainment enterprise.

At first there are some questions: Is he gay? Can I get in trouble fraternizing with a fellow employee? Are we too different? Etc.

Eventually coincidences collide and the two meet and then are forced to deal with these questions AND their attraction.

**

I loved Cassidy and his story. Up until the very end, his was a real and very authentic story of struggle and “doing the right thing”. There were a few instances about the ending that felt a little rushed or set up to keep the lovers apart, but they were small. (IE the coincidence of the band, the sudden change of heart, his unwillingness to see his siblings as adults…)

Malcolm’s story was more fantasy than anything else. I would have liked it a bit better if his story held some more realism in it… but again, a minor complaint.

I am looking forward to the upcoming sequels and frankly couldn’t put this book down once I started it!

Audio

Paul Morey is a favorite of mine and I loved his narration here as well. I still think his “Spanish accent” sounds a bit too much like his Russian accent, but it still gives the story that exotic flavor and helps to differentiate the characters so well.

All in all I give both the book and the narration 4.5 of 5 hearts

4.5

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

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

lovesbloodBlurb

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

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

Review

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

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

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

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

3.5 of 5 hearts

3.5

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Murder and Mayhem by Rhys Ford

Dreamspinner Presents
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6468

murder mayhemBlurb

Dead women tell no tales.

Former cat burglar Rook Stevens stole many a priceless thing in the past, but he’s never been accused of taking a life—until now. It was one thing to find a former associate inside Potter’s Field, his pop culture memorabilia shop, but quite another to stumble across her dead body.

Detective Dante Montoya thought he’d never see Rook Stevens again—not after his former partner’d falsified evidence to entrap the jewelry thief and Stevens walked off scot-free. So when he tackled a fleeing murder suspect, Dante was shocked to discover the blood-covered man was none other than the thief he’d fought to put in prison and who still made his blood sing.

Rook is determined to shake loose the murder charge against him, even if it means putting distance between him and the rugged Cuban-Mexican detective who brought him down. If one dead con artist wasn’t bad enough, others soon follow, and as the bodies pile up around Rook’s feet, he’s forced to reach out to the last man he’d expect to believe in his innocence—and the only man who’s ever gotten under Rook’s skin.

Review

This another amazing work by Rhys Ford! Rook is a thief, trying to get clean, but stuck in the middle of family drama “that keeps pulling him in”!

Dante is the cop on the case – at first determined to put Rook behind bars, but later determined to keep the man in his bed.

It’s a wonderful story of enemies to lovers with that special, emotionally charged twist that Rhys infuses into all her work. Rook is such a great character – warm hearted, giving, loyal, and totally unaware of how awesome he is.

Dante is the tough, alpha figure who knows a gem when he sees it. He won’t let Rook slip through his fingers and he’s lucky enough to get Rook’s crazy family, too.

The sex scenes were amazing, the love story so sweet and the action/mystery compelling.

I enjoyed the pop-culture references and laughed out loud many times. It was great seeing Alex again and catching up with him a bit. I also LOVED the pet names they had for each other… so adorable!

I can’t wait for this to be an audiobook – it’s going to go up with my Cole McGinnis stories as those books you just read/listen to again and again.

5 of 5 hearts

5

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Little Wolf (A Beings in Love Story) by R. Cooper

LittleWolfFrom Dreamspinner:

On the run from his old-blood werewolf family, Tim Dirus finds himself in Wolf’s Paw, one of the last surviving refuges from the days when werewolves were hunted by humans and one of the last places Tim wants to be. Kept away from other wolves by his uncle, Tim knows almost nothing about his own kind except that alpha werewolves only want to control and dominate a scrawny wolf like him.

Tim isn’t in Wolf’s Paw an hour before he draws the attention of Sheriff Nathaniel Neri, the alphaest alpha in a town full of alphas. Powerful, intimidating, and the most beautiful wolf Tim has ever seen, Nathaniel makes Tim feel safe for reasons Tim doesn’t understand. For five years he’s lived on the run, in fear of his family and other wolves. Everything about Wolf’s Paw is contrary to what he thought he knew, and he is terrified. Fearing his mate will run, Sheriff Nathaniel must calm his little wolf and show him he’s more than a match for this big, bad alpha.

Marieke’s thoughts:
Tim, aka Little Wolf is on the run. He’s a wolf shifter but only half and that makes him smaller and weaker than most full wolf shifters. He came to Wolf’s Paw because someone he trusted sent him there. But the first day he arrived he made a foo out of himself with the Sheriff. Luckily Sheriff Neri is his mate, and a very powerful yet controlled wolf. He tries to show Tim that he can be patient and trustworthy.

Tim slowly gets used to Nathaniel, even starts to look forward to his visits to the café/ souvenir shop where Tim works. He’s still scared shitless though, and freaks out with every little thing that happens.
But when his room is breached by magic, he runs straight to Nathaniel––without knowing why. Nathaniel takes him home, stating can protect him better there.

Of course then the whole ‘starting to get to know each other’ begins, and Tim learns a lot about Nathaniel but also about himself. He lets himself shift for the first time in years, which is quite the victory for him. The sexual tension is overwhelming and the two end up having sex. But that’s not the end of the problems Tim has.

I loved how Nathaniel cares for Tim, even if I sometimes wished he’d just hurried up and claim the guy already. Tim is frustratingly slow in understanding anything to do with shifters, and I often wanted to hit him on the head. But when you hear his story, you understand why. He’s in denial and his brain won’t let him out of that.
It’s a slow burn book, and you really have to love that to be able to read this. I happen to do love it, so this book was great for me. If you like action and fast paced stories, you better skip this one though.

Little spoiler alert
In the end there is action, and suspense so you do get it. But you have to wait for it. Tim’s uncle, who you think is the evil bastard in this story, ends up kind of stealing my heart….kind of, because he’s still an ass. But, not an asshole like his right hand, who I truly wanted to end up dead…alas, that wish didn’t come true. Thank God he did get some sort of punishment.

In the end, this was a very pleasant read for me, even if it sometimes was a bit too frustrating that Tim was so clueless and Nathaniel so reluctant to force the issue. Another good story in this series that I adore.

Rating: 4

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Top Me, Maybe? (Sexy Secrets Short #1) by Jay Northcote Excerpt and Review

Excerpt and Review

top me

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From Blanket Fort Press  Availble only on Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/Top-Me-Maybe-Secrets-Collection-ebook/dp/B00YVE2T0U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1433441937&sr=81&keywords=top+me+maybe+jay&pebp=1433441939247&perid=04X1XV62C3X05YT74SS9

 

Free for Kindle Unlimited Subscribers!

The Secrets Collection

The Secrets Collection are sexy short stories by four different authors. The stories are linked by the common theme of secrets.

June 5, 2015: Top Me Maybe? by Jay Northcote
June 12, 2015: Cheeky Hipster & Jocks by Posy Roberts
June 19, 2015: Toy With Me by Annabelle Jacobs
June 26, 2015: (to be confirmed) by Teegan Loy

Please visit Blanket Fort Press for full details on the other stories in the Secrets Collection

 

Excerpt:

“What do you want to talk about?”
Tyler thought for a moment then answered, “Sexual fantasies.” They hadn’t had that conversation yet. Not in any detail anyway.
“Okay.” Duncan sounded a little dubious. “You can go first then. Seeing as it’s your idea.”
“God. I have loads… where to start? Okay, one of mine is deflowering a Catholic priest or a monk or something—someone who’s taken a vow of celibacy, but in the fantasy I’m so hot they can’t resist me.” Tyler’s cheeks heated at the admission, but somehow it was easier having this conversation in the dark when Duncan couldn’t see his face. “Another is having sex in public…. Not in the park or something—that would be a bit skeevy—but somewhere people have come expecting to see it, like a live sex show. Or maybe being in porn, knowing that people were watching me and jerking off watching me fucking someone else…. That would be hot.” He stopped because Duncan hadn’t reacted. “Well? It’s your turn now.”
“I feel really boring in comparison,” Duncan said. “Your imagination is wild.”
Tyler chuckled. “Yeah… well I was a late starter in the practical side of things. Didn’t even kiss a guy till I was seventeen, so I spent a lot of time wanking in my bedroom thinking about stuff like that. Anyway, come on. There must be something you fantasise about. It doesn’t have to be something you actually want to do for real. I don’t think I’ll ever actually shag a priest or make a porno, but it’s fun thinking about it. It turns me on.” He wriggled a little closer to Duncan, pressing his thickening cock against the curve of his arse and combing his fingers through the hair on Duncan’s chest.
He waited for Duncan to respond, and the silence stretched out long enough to get a little awkward.
“Hey, you don’t have to if you’re not comfortable sharing,” Tyler said. Suddenly he was worried. Maybe Duncan was into something really kinky? Maybe Tyler didn’t want to know what his fantasies were. “Don’t worry about it, we can—”
“I think about being fucked.” Duncan’s voice was quiet, a deep rumble that vibrated in his chest under Tyler’s hand.
Surprise hit Tyler at the admission. It wasn’t what he’d expected to hear from Duncan at all. But he didn’t react, waiting for him to elaborate. But he didn’t, so Tyler prompted, “And?”
“That’s it.” Duncan took a deep breath, his ribs expanding under Tyler’s arm. “I’ve never bottomed. But I… I fantasise about it. About being fucked by another guy.”

Author Bio:

Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England, with her husband, two children, and two cats.
She comes from a family of writers, but she always used to believe that the gene for fiction writing had passed her by. She spent years only ever writing emails, articles, or website content. One day, she decided to try and write a short story–just to see if she could–and found it rather addictive. She hasn’t stopped writing since.

http://www.jaynorthcote.com

Rafflecopter Giveaway!  https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b2e9f9047/?

Blurb:

Duncan has a secret fantasy, but is Tyler the right man for the job?

Tyler’s new policeman boyfriend, Duncan, is gorgeous. Tall, broad, and über-masculine, he’s the epitome of the dominant top—in appearance at least.

When they discuss their sexual fantasies, Duncan confesses to a secret desire that surprises Tyler. Luckily for Duncan, Tyler’s happy to oblige and is determined to give Duncan a night to remember.

Review

This is a super sweet short story about two guys in the very beginning stages of their relationship. Neither is comfortable asking for what they want and both are trying to be what they think the other wants.

Once they begin to trust each other they get EXACTLY what they dreamed of!

I liked it because it felt authentic and real, yet had the kind of “fantasy” feel to it as well. Very well rounded and developed for such a short story.

The sentiment is very sweet and the sex is very hot and my only complaint is that it’s so short! But it is very satisfying and I loved it!

4.5 of 5 hearts

4.5

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Bindings and Books by CM Corett


Daily Dose Short story from Dreamspinner http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6550

BindingsandBooksBlurb
James Connell is adamant—he’s not getting involved. The forty-two- year-old bookstore owner’s life is governed by respectability, order, and a dash of OCD—just the way he likes it. There is absolutely no place in his life for a way-too-young, sexy, carefree guy like Ash. What would people think?
Ash Bradley-Mills is determined—he wants James. Traveling the world testing snowboards and sports equipment has been great fun for Ash, but he’s ready for something more. He wants an adrenaline rush of a different kind, and tall, dark, handsome, and older James fits the criteria perfectly. Now all Ash needs to do is break through James’s defenses and lifelong fear of judgment. Easy! He’s got the perfect plan to push James out of his comfort zone and into his arms.

Review

James is 42, trying to learn to ski for the first time ever, when he is rescued by the very hot, very young adventure-enthusiast, Ash.

Ash is immediately attracted to James, who has reasons for avoiding younger guys.
Ash ends up running into James over and over at his bookstore and eventually James gives in and dates Ash.

Things look like they might be working out ok, though James is always waiting for the other shoe to drop, when Ash is in a terrible accident and it looks like James may just lose Ash for good.

**

This is a novella, a bit longer than some of the other shorts in the Daily Dose series. It tries to do A LOT. We have older guy/younger guy, past issues of shame and hurt, a jealous ex, a serious injury, vastly different lifestyles… the list just goes on and on.

I was seriously compelled by the blurb and really enjoying this story – right up until the point where James and Ash begin their relationship. Suddenly things are feeling a little too much like a soap opera and outlandish. I’m not sure why there needed to be SO MANY obstacles for our poor couple, it almost feels like the author wanted to try out all these different story-lines and they all just got jammed together in this one novella.

I thought the writing was nice and the editing good. In fact, I really enjoyed James as a character, as well as his sister. However, I didn’t feel like I understood Ash very well, nor did I appreciate his rather obvious ex/friend. I could have given these issues a pass, and was inclined to give a rating well above a 3, but the injury Ash receives at the end and the way it’s handled, including the conclusion, just didn’t work for me.

Without spoiling the ending, I want to say that I appreciated the unique take on a common story-line the author attempted and I appreciated that Ash “fell in love again” with James as proof of their “rightness”, but it was too much for this short story to handle with sufficient grace.

2.5 of 5 hearts

2.5

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Kage by Maris Black

Reviewed by Tracy

Maris Black Books Presents http://www.amazon.com/KAGE-Trilogy-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00VMX9MSK/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1432830745&sr=1-1&keywords=kage+maris+black

kageBlurb

My name is Jamie Atwood, and I’m an addict. I never thought I’d say such a thing. Never had a problem being overly-attached to anything in my life. I came from a perfectly middle-class family, made good grades, and had a hot cheerleader girlfriend… but the truth is, nothing ever really moved me. So how did a guy like me become an addict?

I met Michael Kage.

Kage is an MMA fighter. A famous one. I like to think I helped him get that way.

He’s charming as hell, with looks to rival any movie star and talent to back it up. So why did he need to hire me as an intern Publicist? Simple. He has a darkness in him– like a black hole so deep it could swallow him, and me, and everyone we know– and that’s not good for business.

The first time I met him, I felt the pull. I think the addiction began at that very moment. And even if I’d known then what I know now, I would have fallen for him. How could I not?

For me, Kage is everything.

Review

I have to start out by saying “oh god the ending” That was not what I was expecting…

Jamie Atwood is a 20 year old college student with a girlfriend who he just can’t seem to really connect with. He gets an opportunity to attend an MMA fight as part of his Journalism project. He then meets MMA fighter Michael Kage who is there as a spectator. Jamie notices him right away and is drawn to his commanding presence. They engage in some conversation and Jamie mentions that he really hopes to be a publicist.

Kage shows some interest and some time later Jamie finds himself being invited to Las Vegas to act as an intern/publicist for Michael Kage. Jamie is so pumped and jumps at the chance to go to Vegas for the summer and get hands on experience. He definitely gets more than he bargained for.

Michael Kage is one intriguing character. He has so many layers. He is funny, gorgeous and mysterious. I loved how descriptive the author is in describing Kage’s looks. I definitely had this lovely picture in my head of muscles on top of muscles with gorgeous skin. We get glimpses of sweetness and anger. He’s pretty vague about his background and drops little bits of information about himself that leads the reader to believe there is more to him than meets the eye. He’s not just a fighter and he’s not just a hot guy with a great body. He seems like he knows what it is to struggle and work hard to get what he wants.

Jamie and Kage have such great chemistry when they are together. Jamie can’t help but check him out and study him at every opportunity. I liked the banter between them and I enjoyed their “work out” sessions.

Jamie has always been aware of how good looking he is and isn’t averse to using his looks to his benefit whether it be with women or men. I think that awareness of how his looks affect men made him not freak out so much when Kage and Jamie find themselves having a sleep over with one of Kage’s old friends. When their relationship becomes physical the hotness literally leaps off the pages.

Jamie’s way of describing Kage’s physicality rang true. He admired every muscle, every drop of sweat on Kage. Jamie is so accepting to being physical with Kage once he decides to go for it. He’s never been with a guy before and that really turns Kage on. The first time they actually have sex is off the charts hot. It was hot, hard and dirty.

Kage I think is a much darker character than any other character that Maris has written. It kind of threw me off (his aggressiveness) but it was also a turn on for Kage to be so forceful. I think it threw me because as I said I haven’t read a character like this in any of Maris’ books…but it worked because Kage is rough and tough but he has this sweet and fun side to him. He is a huge flirt and he knows that his looks totally push Jamie’s buttons. I loved the glimpses of Kage’s vulnerability throughout the book…It humanized him and made him not be just “the machine”. He is a scary guy when he gets angry and I need to know why he is the way he is.

I was literally squirming in my seat reading their scene together but it was definitely hot and Jamie fell into submission so beautifully. He would do whatever Kage wanted him to and he was ok with that.

I wanted to shake Jamie and Kage towards the end of the story. Some misunderstandings happen and Kage completely blows up… Ugh!

The ending was just ugh! Crazy! I was so upset. I wanted some type of resolution. My heart broke for the both of them and I don’t know how they’re going to fix it.

I loved this book. I really did. I loved that it took me out of my comfort zone a little because it’s not like Maris’ other books and because of that fact I will definitely be biting my nails til August. Ugh! August??!! Really?

4.5 of 5 hearts

4.5

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Making Promises Audiobook (Keeping Promise Rock book 2) by Amy Lane Narrated by Paul Morey

Dreamspinner Presents http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3492

MakingPromisesAudMEDBlurb

All Shane Perkins ever wanted to be was a hero. But after a career-shattering decision to go down fighting, Shane comes home from the hospital to four empty walls, a pile of money, and a burning desire for someone to miss him the next time he gets hurt in the line of duty. He ends up an officer in the small town of Levee Oaks, and, addicted to the promise of family, he makes an effort to reconcile with his flighty, troubled sister. Kimmy makes her living as a dancer, and her partner steals Shane’s breath at first sight. Mikhail Vasilyovitch Bayul dances like an angel, but his past is less than heavenly. Since he left Russia, he’s made only two promises: to stay off the streets and stay clean, and to take his mother someplace beautiful before she dies. Making promises to anybody else is completely out of the question-but then, Mikhail has never met anybody like Shane. Earnest, brave, and self-deprecating, Shane seems to speak Mikhail’s language, and no one is more surprised than Mikhail to find that keeping promises is Shane’s best talent of all.

Review

Book 2 in the Keeping Promise Series is every bit as good as book one – it may be my favorite in the series, and it is certainly my favorite couple of the series.

Shane is a bi-sexual, hunky bear of a man, kind of a doofus, who constantly puts his faith in people who let him down. He almost dies when he’s outed in front of his police force by his no-good-ass-hole-cowardly-double-crossing-“boyfriend”, given a ton of money when it’s found out WHY he was injured, but insists on still working in the dangerous field because he has a deep need to be needed.

Mikhail “Mickey” is an ex-prostitute from Russia who dances in the Renaissance Faire circuit with Shane’s twin, Kimmy. Mickey is cantankerous, cranky, snarky, and prickly – but underneath all that he has a huge heart and really only wants someone to love him.

Mickey does everything he can think of to keep Shane at arms length, but Shane has seen through the prickly exterior to the real man Mickey hides from the world and he’s smitten through and through.

Together the weather the storm of Mickey’s mother’s death, Shane’s innumerable injuries, tragedies at the Pulpit and Kimmy’s devastating break-up with her drug-dealing boyfriend.

In the end the ever doubtful Mickey must decide that he’s worthy of love and let Shane in, or risk losing him forever.

**

Mickey is one of my favorite Amy Lane characters of all time. He is so damn funny and snarky but sweet at the same time. He and Shane are so perfect together because Shane is just too good to be true and he needs some salty to counter all that sweet.

As we see in the later novels, Mickey and Shane make this amazing duo who just give and give and give and they end up being true pillars in the extended Pulpit family.

I also thought the smexy times between Shane and Mickey were some of the hottest in the series. That crazy Russian really knows how to push Shane’s buttons and vice versa.

Amy knows how to make us cry and for me the moment when Mickey eviscerates Shane in a ploy to keep himself from needing Shane’s help and love is it for me. It just gutted me how strong Shane was and how truly viscous Mickey was – BUT it made their reconnection so much sweeter by comparison. It was so REAL – don’t we hurt the ones we love the most because we know JUST how to get them where it hurts the most?

Audio

Paul Morey is my hero in this narration! He does this amazing Russian accent for Mickey that just turns my crank. He is perfect! When he does the growly voice of Deacon and the more crazy voice of Crick or the snippy voice of Jeff I just KNOW he understands and “gets” these characters. Even the girls, Kimmy and Benny sound great.

I make no bones about my devotion to the “Queen of Angst” and I think this is one her finest. This is one of the audio books that I listen to over and over because Paul Morey did such genius work.

Of course I give it 6 of 5 hearts ☺

amazing

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Coffee, Pop, and Bisexuality by Nicole McCormick


Daily Dose Short Story from Dreamspinner: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6549
CoffeePopandBisexualityBlurb
When a stranger runs into Douglas, makes him spill his coffee, and offers to buy him another one, Douglas thinks that’s all it will be. Even though the man is gorgeous. Even though his daughter has other plans. Turns out, the stranger, Anthony, has other plans as well, and Douglas soon agrees to go to a movie with Anthony. It’s absolutely not a date. Douglas has slept with men, sure, but he isn’t gay. Or bisexual. No matter what Anthony says.
However, a late night and a frank conversation with his daughter’s best friend leaves Douglas with a different opinion. Not that he plans on letting Anthony know he considers it a date. It’s too much fun to wind Anthony up. After one not-so-perfect date, Douglas thinks maybe if he keeps Anthony around, turning fifty won’t be so bad.

Review

Doug has never dated a man, though he’s messed around with a couple in college. He’s divorced from a woman and about to become an empty-nester. One day, at a coffee shop, he literally runs into a guy and the attraction between the two men is encouraged by Doug’s 18 year old daughter.

Over a cup of coffee, Anthony, a much younger man than Doug, convinces Doug to at least try being friends and Doug agrees to a “friend date” of a movie.

Feeling awkward, he solicits advice from his daughter’s gay friend and decides to be open-minded about the date.

Things go well on the date and by the end Doug and Anthony are a couple.

**

I love short stories and what they can accomplish. This one tried to make a simple statement – keep an open-mind, you never know how your own prejudices can hamper you.

It was not a terribly convincing move from straight/exploring to openly dating and gay sex. I never really liked Doug, even his daughter calls him an asshole and he kinda is. Other than a basic physical attraction, I never saw what Anthony saw in him and so as a story I was never really “sold”.

I appreciated the moral and the writing itself was good, but I think I needed a bit more time with the characters to make this great leap.

2.5 of 5 hearts

2.5

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Despite the Odds by Chris T Kat

Dreamspinner Presents http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6459

DespitetheOddsBlurb

Never judge a book by its cover.

Michael Campbell can’t hold a job for more than a few days. He’s lucky his foreman is giving him another chance with the solar panel project at an elementary school in Atlantic City. When he spies a man walking strangely in front of the school, Michael laughs, assuming he’s drunk or high. Little does he realize that Joshua Stone, a teaching assistant, has cerebral palsy, and he’s having a bad muscle control day. Taking a tumble right in front of the handsome construction worker is just his luck.

When Michael learns the truth, he feels bad for his cruel behavior. He offers to give Joshua—and his tricycle, the Racing Rhonda—a lift. Joshua accepts the help, and suddenly there’s a gorgeous man breezing into his life, turning his world upside down. But Michael has more issues than his inability to hold down a job, and neither man is sure if they’ll be able to overcome their fears in order to be together.

Review

In a nutshell, Michael makes fun of (sort-of) Josh, but then finds out he has has cerebral palsy, makes up and they begin dating.

Michael is a sweet guy but has trouble keeping a job (for reasons we find out) and has a fairly low self-esteem but is generally laid back.

Josh really wants to trust Michael but he’s been burned before.

This is a book that could have been a touching and profound story to two men overcoming huge obstacles to be together, but instead was merely a sweet, fairly light-hearted romance.

The issues of Joshua’s disability as well as Michaels are mostly glossed over. The couple become a kind of non-sexual boyfriend then suddenly they move in together and HEA.

I still enjoyed reading this, it was short and sweet, but it felt very superficial and I was disappointed that we didn’t get to delve more deeply into these complex MCs. I was also rather disconcerted by how the sex was handled in that it went from zero to sixty and I think that taking some time to really move the couple through their emotions would have made their coming together more poignant.

I give it a 3 of 5 hearts because the writing was nice, the editing was good and I loved the MCs.

3

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