Annery
4.5Score another victory for the #blurbswhatblurbs camp. This was my first John Inman book, though I've had my eye on him for quite a while, and based on this read it won't be my last. I chose this book solely based on the cover, quite beautiful IMO, and the title that led me to believe it was a gentle romance, which in a way it is, but it's also something deeper, and sometimes darker. Grittier.[b:Dilly and Boz 48224910 Dilly and Boz John Inman https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1569105611l/48224910.SY75.jpg 73158037]is the story of two unremarkable people, the kind who are maybe side characters in other books, but never protagonists. Dilbert ‘Dilly' Allan Jones is 5' 6”, 25 y.o., skinny, klutzy, miopic, has almost pathological anxiety, and he works as the sole clerk at the Retro Record Shoppe. He's as lonely & poor as a church mouse, having only his cat Grace for company, but yearns for even a spark of human contact. Bosley ‘Boz' Maurice Jenkins 27, is not much more physically imposing than Dilly, and has a painful recent past, but he's marginally better off because he's got a stable job as a waiter, has his little dog Leon, and despite intense shyness, is willing to risk going after what he wants, which thankfully is Dilly. When these two get together it's the beginning of a sweet, beautiful, and tender romance which makes you yearn to wrap them up in cotton wool and sprinkle fairy dust on their road to HEA. You never doubt the veracity of them as men falling in love, the scents, and tactility of their physical attraction is clearly, and to my utter delight, written from a male perspective. I loved it.Supporting characters to the Boz & Dilly show are Leonard ‘Puffer' Moran, Dilly's octogenarian boss who's rarely without a joint, and his equally, young-at-heart, girlfriend Estelle. They provide not only comic relief but a grounding in the real world, unencumbered by inhibitions or fears. I'd say they're a sound mirror for Dilly & Boz to imagine themselves into a future of joy. So why wasn't this a 5 star read for me? Read on.The other prominent character is Bobby Mayfield. Outwardly he's a poster boy for both gay & heterosexual paradigms of masculine male beauty: tall, stacked, and a former soldier. But currently he's a methhead, with a violent, and sadistic streak who also happens to be Boz's ex, and won't accept that the relationship is over. While he plots, schemes, and threatens to get Boz back he snorts meth in massive quantities and has the unsexiest sex with Angel, an undocumented Guatemalan young man, who deludes himself into believing that there's a future with Bobby. The author does a tremendous job depicting both of these characters and the downward spiral progression of their story, which is necessarily dark, but at some points I felt like it almost overwhelmed the romance part.Though intricately woven, they form a sort of unhappy marriage. Boz & Dilly's story is a refreshing and unexpectedly engaging romance between two ordinary guys with no billionaires, blinding beauties, (save for how the MCs see each other), or six-packs in sight. But the Bobby appearances shift it into suspense territory, and it just threw me off a bit. My other quibble is of the greedy variety. Dilly & Boz grew on me and I'd really like to know more about them. We know nothing of their families, where they came from, or where they're going, and they seem to have no friends. It's almost as if they just sprouted in situ. shrugRegardless of my minimal complaints I'd recommend this as a nice change from the common MM romances currently in vogue, and I'll absolutely be reading more from this author.
3.5
Gorgeous writing, really beautiful, but it somehow didn't meld well with, what in my mind should've been a straight up procedural. For one thing, the whole thing is pretty preposterous, so the less time we spend on it the better as far as believing in the doppelgänger contrivance on which the plot hangs. Secondly, when the reader (myself) hates the victim, kind of strongly dislikes the good guys, i.e. the police, and is rooting for the suspects? You've got problems. Thirdly, it shouldn't have taken me a month to read this, but was interest was easy swayed by any new shiny thing. Not a good sign. shrug
Anyway YMMV and as I said the writing is worth the ride.
4.5 Because I wanted a little bit moreI'm on a winning streak with my Christmas reads/listens, the fact that this one is by the Queen of Holiday novellas [a:Amy Lane 151973 Amy Lane https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1429039455p2/151973.jpg], and delivered in a, as usual, stellar performance by [a:Gomez Pugh 8435087 Gomez Pugh https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] is just icing on the cake. Hank, Justin, and Bunny will steal your heart.
I confess I've been in a sentimental mood, and I may have teared up more than once. not sorry For me, Ash Davis is one of those characters that live outside the page.If you've read [b:A Walk Through Fire 32881371 A Walk Through Fire (Through Hell and Back, #1) Felice Stevens https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1478431955l/32881371.SY75.jpg 74277260] or the rest of the Through Hell and Back series, you'll want to visit with the gang, and enjoy some Hanukkah miracles. As a plus we get Jonah & Gideon from [b:Learning to Love 30068688 Learning to Love (Together, #1) Felice Stevens https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1462122199l/30068688.SY75.jpg 49982474].
3.5A heartwarming treat from [a:Kim Fielding 4105707 Kim Fielding https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1311898535p2/4105707.jpg] delivered by [a:Joel Leslie 13846511 Joel Leslie https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/m_50x66-82093808bca726cb3249a493fbd3bd0f.png], and no feats of strength are required. heart eyesThis is a story about finding your bliss, the chosen family who will support your choices, and the love of your life when you weren't even looking.
3.5A little nugget from [a:L.A. Witt 3185029 L.A. Witt https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1552223709p2/3185029.jpg] about an established D/s couple getting through the stressful Holiday season in creative ways. sweet [a:Michael Ferraiuolo 13467952 Michael Ferraiuolo https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1498214961p2/13467952.jpg]'s rendition makes it a perfect gift.
3.5
A little morsel of sweet with a dash of tang for a Holiday treat.
On location at a quaint B&B for an erotic photoshoot, Jamie a shy photographer, meets Wyatt, the son of the owners, a slightly older, and rugged building contractor. Sparks fly right off the bat, a storm brings them forced proximity, and isolation which leads, unerringly to insta love. I wasn't mad. It's what one would expect in a short novella, and a Holiday one to boot.
Though Jamie & Wyatt have some sadz in their background, familial, and relationship-wise, their romance is pretty low-angst, and drama free. Jamie feels comfortable with Wyatt and freely admits to wants he doesn't even acknowledge to himself in the light of day. Wyatt sees in Jamie an opportunity sent by fate for a new beginning. A Christmas miracle.
I liked their easy rapport, willingness to talk openly, and that their kink was confined to the bedroom. I have no quarrel with the 24/7 style peeps but this seemed more realistic and doable.
Color me seduced, swayed, and surprised by [a:Roan Parrish 14070842 Roan Parrish https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1592486118p2/14070842.jpg]'s dreamy, story. Why surprised? Because I thought I was way over magical realism, whimsy, and faery tales, and here I am, utterly invested in the fate an almost elfin-like woodland creature. Okay. I exaggerate. But that is the vibe.Corbin Wale is a highly sensitive and artistic man, who from childhood was dealt shitty cards. He was raised by relatives who, though well intentioned, didn't give him the tools to live in the world, which in turn made him the favorite target of bullies, and left him isolated in a world of his own. Alex Barrow is a baker come home to regroup after a sojourn in NYC kitchens and the breakup of a relationship, which he doesn't really lament. He transforms his parents old cafe into a bakery and one of his first customers is Corbin. The spark is immediate, true, and I believed every word. Roan has a way with words, almost poetic, but not precious, that makes the story have a beat of its own, and [a:Chris Chambers 3059129 Chris Chambers https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] is a masterful interpreter of it. Go ahead, take a chance and enjoy this Hanukkah story, full of magic, or as we call it: LOVE. ps. Be prepared to be hungry.
A shorter version of this was included in [b:Come Play: An Erotica Charity Anthology 46024897 Come Play An Erotica Charity Anthology Quin https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1558966752l/46024897.SY75.jpg 69870229] and I really liked it. This expanded version? I love. These were my thoughts about the short:I like how [a:Tanya Chris 15067939 Tanya Chris https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1477705931p2/15067939.jpg] a.k.a. [a:T.M. Chris 17061754 T.M. Chris https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1501426458p2/17061754.jpg] does BDSM stories that aren't prescribed by a rule book and this was no exception.Jake is sort of a big brute of a guy, who's been floundering since ending his stint in the Marines. He wants, craves, and needs discipline to center his scattered life, but being a Hulk sized brat, who doesn't submit easily, has garnered him zero Doms wanting to take him on. One day at a BDSM bar he overhears a conversation that leads him to believe there is someone out there who can be his Sir, if only that Sir would be willing to take a risk on Jake. That Dom is Eduardo. I love Eduardo. He is very clear on what is done for discipline and what is done for sexual pleasure or fun, he doesn't give up, and he isn't wishy washy about rules. In fact he and Jake, at first at least, engage in a quasi domestic discipline relationship, without naming it so, because that is exactly what Jake needs. Jake with his ceaseless mental complaints, self sabotage, but utter need to have someone quiet his brain, take him in hand, and hold him safe.The author has expanded and extended the time of the story, with Jake and Eduardo moving toward being an actual couple, beyond Jake's need for discipline, though that aspect remains an integral part of what Jake needs, and probably will be so for a while. Eduardo is happy to comply. I liked his calm and consistency, how he never blurred the lines of what was play, and what was for Jake's benefit, and that he was utterly human. A bossy one. His physical description and his demeanor had me in mind of Cesar Milan.If you like BDSM that doesn't color within the regular lines, is more authentic to everyday experiences, this will make you happy.
Ummm ... well ... this one kind of didn't work for me. Sorry. Catching up with the others, who populate this world, was the best part for me. The thing is that the main couple? I didn't particularly care or was invested in them, through no fault of their own. We just didn't click. Perhaps it was a case of too much and too little at once.
Brandon, like his brothers, Luke & Ash, fled to NYC, and overcame steep odds, becoming a teacher. However due to trauma and fear he hides, alone, and isolated. When a fellow teacher urges him to volunteer at the youth outreach center he meets Tash and it's love at first sight. There's much protesting from Tash: their age difference, lingering self doubt, and trust issues from a past relationship etc. There's also a non stop barrage of well meaning friends & relatives who are just busybodies adding their two cents when no one asked them. That's family, I guess. The problem is that between these other people, the wrapping up of story lines that came from bks. 1 & 2, and Tash & Brandon's long internal monologues, ruminating on the past or speculating on what the other might think, drowned out any possibility for caring or believing in them as a couple. I didn't hate them. I just didn't care about them.
If you've read the other two books in the series there's a nice, extended epilogue, with codas for the couples we've met along the way. That was very nice and heartwarming.
When you think you're going to read a fun Christmas story, with a dash or a bucketful of kink, and then remember it's [a:Leta Blake 6425833 Leta Blake https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1497015011p2/6425833.jpg] style BDSM. It is fun, romantic, and there's definitely a HEA, but you'll be surrendering your pound of flesh. No worries. The aftercare is on point. If you read [b:Mr. Frosty Pants 42734237 Mr. Frosty Pants (Home for the Holidays, #1) Leta Blake https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1541734687l/42734237.SY75.jpg 66389443] you heard about Aaron Danvers a.k.a. Mr. Danvers, Joel, Casey, and RJ's former high school teacher. Due to ‘reasons' he is now teaching middle school, a bit on the fussy, or on the prissy side, but when his pressure cooker of a life gets too be too much he likes to cede the reigns to someone else. The problem is he can't really do that, not at home, not openly, because he's not out or so he thinks. He makes do with anonymous hookups that leave him unsatisfied. An early Christmas miracle is set in motion when he gets stood up by TWO potential dates, and meets R.J. These two, despite their outward differences, and possible roadblocks, are perfect for each other. I like how the author uses the frame of a hook-up-for-the-holiday story to explore the wider aspects of both character's lives, their families, how assumptions are subverted, how despite their individual doubts or fears, these two young guys were able to talk out their expectations, take a leap of trust and grab for a HEA. I like that their bedroom roles didn't bleed into their outside lives, and I loved how honored, grateful, and respectful RJ was of Aaron's submission. He's a Dom I can like without ifs or buts. Merry Christmas.
4.5I usually don't do Christmas Christmas books, by which I mean that it can be set around Christmas, the characters can be all in with the Christmas spirit, but I'm not keen on the whole Christmas Miracle thingy. (yes, that's the technical term). This was a book set at Christmas and it melted my iceberg heart and I shouldn't be surprised because it's [a:Leta Blake 6425833 Leta Blake https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1497015011p2/6425833.jpg]. This a sweet story of two boys kept apart by prevailing social conventions, economic class, and some pretty shitty parents. Casey Stevens left his hometown of Knoxville at 18 for college, and to feel safe from familial disappointment when he came out. He left behind dear friends and true love. At 22 he's back home, if only for Christmas break, and wondering if perhaps he can be brave and come out to his his crush/love, Joel Vreeland. Joel is the Mr. Frosty Pants of the title and he comes by the moniker honestly. He's naturally cautious, more liable to bark than smile, mostly because he's been dealt a shit hand in his father, a loathsome and vile individual, who I hated all the more because I know he's not a figment of the imagination for some people. The whole story takes place in about a week, with Casey slowly but surely chipping away at Joel's defenses, and when those crumbled it was gorgeous. Joel is someone in need of love and Casey is the loving type. A match made in heaven. I loved how caring, and understanding Casey was of Joel's very valid feelings, I loved that they're bedroom dynamics where not what you'd expect, given their public personas, and I loved that once they expressed what they liked, the author didn't push a flip to fit current norms. essentially one likes to bottom and the other to top and they were both okay with that. I feel like many authors like to do the flip just for flip's sake, because maybe readers like it, but most guys I know have their preferred positions and stick to them. I also feel that by making the usual top bottom, so he's now somehow submitting to the otherwise regular bottom, belittles or tacitly implies that bottoming is somehow a lesser thing, kind of like women are lesser because they are the penetrated ones? Ignore my ramblings.Go ahead, have some eggnog (they make almond milk variety too), sing some carols, and believe in true love.p.s.I forgot to add that I also did the audio for this by [a:John Solo 7935034 John Solo https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]. I was a little unconvinced in the first two chapters, but then he took off like gangbusters. The sweetness he imbued in Casey's voice, and when Joel was trying to be a grump but failed? Dreamy.
I've sat with this story in my head for a quite a few days, trying to figure out if I was just on a story high, and would just end up being be too gushy, which would be something the MCs of this story will never be, and hate, gushy. Ultimately the more time passed, and after talking it out with friends I'm just going to accept that I loved this, and revel in finding a story that unexpectedly grabbed me and dug deep.
*I'll try not to spoil anything in my review/thoughts, but if you want to just savor a story that's different from our regularly scheduled Romance/HEA program, and be pleasantly surprised, don't even scrutinize the cover or continue reading. I won't be offended. I only looked closely at the cover after I was done. Can't say I'm sorry. If you have triggers, tropes, or kinks you'd rather not indulge in, maybe read the blurb.***
In broad strokes this is the story of two young men who are almost at the end of their college years. They've known each other from the days of summer camp, and though geographical distance created a wedge in adolescence, since starting college they've lived together, shared their lives, and become inseparable. They're your average bro/dudes: Luke is the embodiment of the California surfer boy, all golden hues, and laid back personality, while Preston is a bit different, a bit of a book nerd, who's majoring in French, reads Balzac, and prefers wine over beer. Despite these surface differences they almost share a brain. One of their favorite entertainments, during the scorching days of summer, when Preston only has one class and Luke just surfs, is to play at being spies. Somehow, probably due to boredom, the game changes into ‘kidnapper & his victim'. The results are surprising to Luke and Preston, and they were for me too.
Perhaps you've guessed what the game leads to, and I won't go into details, but I promise you'll still be surprised, and in my case, it was a good surprise. Though I read lots of MM, I'm well aware that a giant chunk of it is written by women, and I'm always looking for good male authors because I'm interested in a male POV and [a:Thomas Carver|10289466|Thomas Carver|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/m_50x66-82093808bca726cb3249a493fbd3bd0f.png]'s writing really worked for me. He delivered a story written from the perspective of his characters who are young men. He didn't try to make them or their journey fit into a romance trope, MM or otherwise. There are no grand declarations of any sort, just two young people stumbling into something that they'd probably not contemplated before, but just might work for them, on their own terms. It was liberating. I'm all for people not being aholes, being SSC, and all that jazz, but I also know that RL doesn't hold to a guide book, I like stories that reflect that, and this one delivered in spades.
I like that though these were young men the author didn't dumb them down or make them wise beyond their years. This is a bit of a chamber piece, where only one other character is really seen on page, and the narrative oozed that whole close quarters vibe, so apropos for the story, in which you can only really see and feel what's in front of you, a yearned for isolation of two. Other than that I was giddy and delighted by some beautiful turns of phrase and images like this one, where Luke, at the beach, and gets a hug from a friend:
“He twisted in her grip and returned the hug. The stripped-back arms and back of his wetsuit spun with him, like a neoprene shadow of his upper torso.”
... or here's Preston describing their friendship:
“We didn't talk about games, or about girls, or about hide and seek. He talked about surfing. I talked about French poetry. Neither of us really understand much of the other's interests, but that, too, was a kind of friendship: letting people talk about what you didn't understand, and caring anyway.”
... and this one, which I'll add to the nuggets that make me understand BDSM relationships, not being a practitioner myself:"My heart swelled with a strange feeling, not cruelty but something else. I wasn't sure what it was, not at first, until I traced a line up his side into sparse, long hairs of his armpits, and watched him thrash like a dying fish, coughing the desperate and humorless laugh of the tortured. I was proud of him, I realized. Proud of him for taking it."
Short story is I loved it. Along with [b:Thrown Off the Ice|43233514|Thrown Off the Ice|Taylor Fitzpatrick|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1544806708l/43233514.SY75.jpg|67083406], this is one of my favorite standalone reads this year, and I'm not talking just romance. I like how the author went for truth over tropes and told a story that felt authentic to the characters and the snippet of time we spent with them. Sticklers may not see it at first, but to me, this is a romance that will pass the test of time. Surely our greedy selves want to see more on page but I had no problem imagining them with a HEA on their own making.
4.5“That's exactly what I want, Char. Crowd me, overwhelm me. I don't want space. I want you.” [a:Lane Hayes 7125719 Lane Hayes https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1559106511p2/7125719.jpg] delivers a romantic book without schmaltz, pretense, operatic drama, or false angst. Sure, there's Charlie who may be some folk's idea of ‘too much' but is really just an authentic person in a sea generics. I say do yourself a favor and read this series in order because it's really the story of a rock band in the modern world, from soup to nuts. Each installment delivers the love story of a member of the band and brings the next step in the band's progress. Here we have Ky, the bassist, former skater boy, and generally aloof SoCal guy who's really more than what you see on the surface. He's been covertly eyeing Charlie, the band manager, who's learning on the fly, and doing a bang up job. Charlie who doesn't know the meaning of the word plain, and can overthink any situation like a champ. Charlie isn't unaware of Ky and neither is a simpering Miss. In other words this is “Opposites Attract Heaven”.I don't know what LH's plans are for the next installments, but I'm hoping for a story for Sebastian, Charlie's father, and Grey's former partner. He's not a member of the band but ... hmm? What about Sebastian & Tegan? Too much?
COMBINED REVIEW WITH [b:Broken Bonds 17182020 Broken Bonds (Souls in Bondage, #1) Lex Valentine https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1370503280l/17182020.SY75.jpg 23628942]Sometimes, when I'm going to spend the day cooking or other activity needing my hands but not so much brain activity, I like to check out narrators, though not necessarily on a book I really want to read and get lost in. The Audible Romance Package is a nice resource for this and many times I've been pleasantly surprised by the narrator and the story. This time it was a bag of nuts. I had a vague idea that this was a BDSM story but not much else. It is a story of people who are allegedly in this community, but I think most BDSM practitioners would be hard pressed to identify any real characters here. The first book, Broken Bonds, is surprisingly Christmas adjacent, in that it takes place on Christmas Eve, and has to do with a sh*tbag who calls himself a Dom, using mourning trauma to ill treat his current sub, kicking him out into a snowy night. Said sub, Haven, is a sort of naif who, though he's been through every Dickensian cliche, from foster home bullies to rape, keeps a hope filled heart but is woefully unprepared to face the outside world without his Dom, which leads him to the brink of death. I laughed so hard I almost peed my pants. Yes, I know. I'm a terrible person, but no one can take these seriously. Each book starts with two angels, watching over our Dom & subs, and losing feathers, which indicates that something is going wrong, and that the angels must intervene. It's a Hallmark/Lifetime Holiday movie 80's style. You watch/read these with liquor & the comfort food of your choice. I had fun, maybe it wasn't the author's intention but ... Book 2 Bitter Bonds revisits with the folks from book 1, but centers on Jake, a Dom with such an angelic voice that people are mesmerized when they hear him sing. However Jake is not pursuing a singing career or having a sub. The singing I get, dreams and plans change, and Jake is now in his thirties, the no partner? Romance nonsense of the “I've had no luck with relationships” variety which will be rectified when Finn, a Nordic version of an anime character, shows up at Darkness, the club where all the cool BDSM kids play. Finn is not only another badly used, helpless, holding-on-by-a-thread, sub, he's also a musical prodigy. What are the odds? Jake's buddies contrive to set them up, and voila. I don't want to rag on these books because I did listen to them, they got me through a long Sunday, and I laughed, but most of the credit goes to [a:Chris Chambers 3059129 Chris Chambers https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]. The man almost spun gold out of straw, he even sang! My problem with these was that if I turned on my RL button I would've been saying WTF???, wanting to smack the subs for being TSTL, and having the so called Doms whipped, and not for fun. The literal “Angels watching over us” thing does afford these a fable or fairy tale flavor which could work if your feeling sentimental or in a [b:A Christmas Carol 5327 A Christmas Carol Charles Dickens https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1396055652l/5327.SX50.jpg 3097440] kind of mood, which the first one does reference. My big problem is that the whole D/s dynamic is treated in an almost fantastical way. The subs are continuously referred to as The Sub, as if that sexual kink described they're whole being, and at times it was close to true. All the want to do is obey, submit, and be collared. To my liking this would've worked better in a non-shifter ‘verse where these dynamics are plausible, believable, and justified. As it was the subs seemed like people who need intensive years of therapy to repair self-worth issues that run deep. Anyway ... if you have the AB Escape package this is free. ;)
Does reading only one story in an anthology count as reading a book? I'm going with yes. All these other stories are surely fine but I know nothing about them, I came for EPIC the Wesmie story a.k.a the Jamie & Wes from [b:Him 25686927 Him (Him, #1) Sarina Bowen https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1436433289l/25686927.SY75.jpg 45514970] and [b:Us 29475332 Us (Him, #2) Sarina Bowen https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1457596574l/29475332.SY75.jpg 47775179]. It's a nice piece of fluff visiting with a favorite couple, moving them a bit into the future, and it made me smile. A win. If you're curious, going by the cover, the Wesmie story really has zip to do with Christmas. I didn't care.
REREAD 8/9/21 – 8/13/21Yes, I'm still in love with this one. I sipped it and enjoyed every painful scene. How each man, independently, wonders or suspects that the other has smoothed things over. How Hazard, due to his history, desperately doesn't want to be alone and makes excuses for Nico.How Cora has to lay out the truth for Somers, one he thinks is a secret, but it's really not. And this scene: "Hazard remembered shifting during the night and feeling Somers inside his arms, and he remembered the heat from his body - not sexual, not completely, but not brotherly either - and he remembered at the edge of consciousness, in the moments before oblivion, that this was home, that this was maybe the only home he would ever know." that just goes with the spoiler in my original review. They perfectly bookend each other. swoonps. I was remiss in praising [a:Tristan James 14756687 Tristan James https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]'s amazing audio version. He embodies Hazard & Somers and does a fantastic job of voicing all of the characters that come into the story. Just perfect. ****************1st read **11/24/19 - 11/27/19*HEART EYESTake all my money [a:Gregory Ashe 1179529 Gregory Ashe https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1561907752p2/1179529.jpg]! After having put us, and his characters, through the literal and figurative wringer he delivers on the promise of the first book in a spectacular, and yet suitably quiet way. Hazard & Somers once again find themselves in the midst of an investigation that made me think of [b:Murder on the Orient Express 853510 Murder on the Orient Express Agatha Christie https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1486131451l/853510.SY75.jpg 2285570], how the plot manages to touch on many of the characters and overarching stories in the series. I was a happy camper. For those who are here for the romance ahem you can take a breath. I'm not saying that Hazard has suddenly developed observational skills or finesse, but he does comes through when it counts. As for John-Henry I just want to swaddle him in cotton batting for a spell, he's been living on tenuous ground, but that last scene?"Somers studied the room around them one last time before closing his own eyes. He'd been seeing an apartment, yes. And now he saw a home." If that doesn't pierce you to the bone are you even alive?The rest is as follows: *Nico, please develop a personality, be a little less self-centered, and stop trying to hold on to someone who clearly isn't into you. *Thank you Gregory Ashe for the character of Cora.
I was going to rate these individually but ... let's just say I liked them all and I'd definitely recommend reading them. I'm also adding some other shorts that have been available from the author but not listed on GR.“TICKETS TO THE GUN SHOW” This is takes place on January 14th, about two weeks after the Christmas/New Year's Eve events in [b:Paternity Case 38478348 Paternity Case (Hazard and Somerset #3) Gregory Ashe https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1518288966l/38478348.SY75.jpg 60110759]. Hazard & Somers are deluding each other with the fiction that they're work partners, sort of friends, and roommates. Each is diligently working on separate romantic relationships: Emery trying to convince himself that he's happy with Nico, though realistically the don't exist in the same universe, and John-Henry pursuing a reconciliation with Cora. It's evident to the reader, the MCs individually, that these are doomed pursuits, but still they persist. I love how this story isn't just as side indulgence from the author to the fans, but another window into how much these two care for each other, how they show it in deeds, even when they can't say it with words or face to face. I like the recurring side characters who form the Wahredua universe, and I absolutely love how part of this story neatly sets up the opening of [b:Guilt by Association 39712922 Guilt by Association (Hazard and Somerset, #4) Gregory Ashe https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1522791119l/39712922.SY75.jpg 61372656], which I've started. Color me HAPPY.“WHEN THE ROAD RISES UPThis takes place after [b:Guilt by Association 39712922 Guilt by Association (Hazard and Somerset, #4) Gregory Ashe https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1522791119l/39712922.SY75.jpg 61372656]. It's John-Henry & Emery's first weekend getaway as a couple, and of course trouble follows. It's fun to see them learning to navigate their new status, how they always have each other's back, as a couple and as professional partners.“LITTLE STOICS”My heart. My heart. My heart. After the events of [b:Reasonable Doubt 40408547 Reasonable Doubt (Hazard and Somerset #5) Gregory Ashe https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1528309833l/40408547.SY75.jpg 62730037] seeing Somers being such a knucklehead out of love, and all the other stuff he's been doing? Heart melting. The rest of the book is a series of vignettes that come after [b:Criminal Past 41103639 Criminal Past (Hazard and Somerset #6) Gregory Ashe https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1533944202l/41103639.SY75.jpg 64217590] from August 5th to September 27th, and each cover an hour or a day in their new lives. They deepen and enrich the characters, what they're going through, and my cold heart might have skipped a beat or two. The shorts below are not included in this volume, but I don't see them listed in GR“PRETTY AND PINK AND PERFECT”This story falls in the middle of the vignettes and it's super cute. Emery and John-Henry are hosting Evie's birthday party in their new house. Hazard is trying to make it perfect, and largely succeeds, in spite of the usual miscreants, and the fact that Hazard has no experience with children, family, or healthy relationships. “JOHN-HENRY SOMERSET: SOLD!”Hazard & Somers go to the Pretty Pretty, there's an auction, Hazard doesn't share. Oh! And a Nico sighting too. “PICK UP LINE”The things John-Henry will do for Emery are big and small and mean everything. This is the last short before [b:The Rational Faculty 48145120 The Rational Faculty (Hazard and Somerset A Union of Swords, #1) Gregory Ashe https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1568486069l/48145120.SY75.jpg 73373048] and I suspect Hazard's state of mind, alluded to here, will get full attention in the new arc.
RE-READ 8/2/21 – 8/4/21Well that was ... intense. Thoughts? I changed my rating to 5 because who am I trying to impress with 4.5? I freakin' love this series and trying to parse out ratings for individual books is a fruitless endeavor for me. Others may be able to do it can't. THE STORY: I think in Bk.3 is where the author has really committed to fleshing out these characters and their story and the luggage comes in trunks. This book is just a peek, takes place in a few scant days which leave the reader and the MC wrung inside out. As I said in my original read/review Somers is the character who goes through the most, at least emotionally. His relationship with his parents, with Cora, with his daughter Evie, his past that's inexorably tangled to Hazard, his feelings towards Hazard, the impossibility of them, their unrequitedness. It's a lot. And it's done brilliantly. In the meantime Hazard continues to stumble along, trying to forge a life, one where John-Henry Somerset is only his work partner. He chooses that over no Somers at all. The first read is always the rush to what's next, who did it, but know I was able linger on details and luxuriate in them. I loved it. Even when the blows connected, and they did, I was ready for more.If you do audio [a:Tristan James 14756687 Tristan James https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] will treat you right. ****FIRTST READ 11/19/19 – 11/21/19****Another couple of intense days for Wahredua's most dysfunctional buddy cops. An ill-advised Holiday dinner with their SOs is mercifully cut short by a summons to Somers's childhood home. Once there things go predictably south culminating with Somers' father being shot, which is the least of what happens, externally or internally. And that's the beauty of this series and why I'm continuing full steam ahead.It was evident from the first sentence of the first book in this series that [a:Gregory Ashe 1179529 Gregory Ashe https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1561907752p2/1179529.jpg] had a clear vision of where he was going, both in the overarching ‘mystery' of the series, and in the evolving, lifetime in the making, relationship between Hazard & Somers. Brilliant.Like in the previous books the ‘action', if you will, takes place in compressed time, from Friday, December 22nd @ 6:47 to December 25th @ 11:58 with a sort of coda on December 31st. In that time Somers, who to my mind is the character that's most grown & evolved, has yet more rugs pulled out from under him, he's forced to confront past fears, and misdeeds yet he manages to remain standing or at least get back on his feet. Sure, we wobbles but it's better to bend than break. In the meantime Hazard continues to confront Wahredua's elite. They're an ugly bunch and, sadly, not unfamiliar. The relationship between Hazard & Somers continues in the push & pull but to my mind it has progressed as much as it realistically can, considering their history, the short time that has elapsed since Hazard's return, and the fact that they're both in relationships or something close to that. I'm deeply satisfied. Those looking for a quick fix, insta anything, cookie cutter HEA, or even just regular romance, this is probably not the series for you. Also you should definitely start at the beginning. For my fellow travelers in this saga can we pool our money together to buy Nico a clue? Seriously. The boy has issues. Lots of them.
The Manson Family slammed shut the door on the Summer of Love, The Age of Aquarius, and the ascendancy of Hippie culture, while not only not belonging to any of these groups, but openly disdaining them. The crimes they committed also ushered into the public arena the world of mass murderers and cults, which have become part & parcel of our everyday culture to the point of passing as entertainment.If you're interested in recent American History, cults, the upper echelons of human inhumanity to their fellow species, and IMO, human gullibility or susceptibility to manipulation, [a:Vincent Bugliosi 28828 Vincent Bugliosi https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1299068352p2/28828.jpg] has written the only book you need to read on the subject. To make the horror easier to digest you can listen to it in small doses via [a:Scott Brick 44554 Scott Brick https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1377113754p2/44554.jpg]'s top notch audio. Also, to ease your heart, I'd recommend watching Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Quentin Tarantino's most recent revisionist treasure. At the very least the director gifts Sharon Tate, her baby, and her friends, the gift of life, and a possible HEA, that was denied them by fiends in the guise of humans.
Why did I think this was a shifter book? Why didn't I know it was part of a series, despite owning the other two books in the series? Should I be concerned about my mental health? Let's not get carried away and just move on like nothing's happened. [a:A.J. Thomas 3048880 A.J. Thomas https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] is a ‘new to me' author, but I can see why, probably in some Dreamspinner sale, I bought their books. These are mystery/suspense police procedurals, my go to trope in books or movies and, on the strength of this first installment, well done.Christopher Hayes is a detective in the SDPD, he's made his way up the ranks, overcoming a difficult childhood, and the stigma of being a gay man in law enforcement. He's also had to struggle with a seemingly unrequited crush on his partner. All of these things are set aside when Christopher, while convalescing from a job related injury, is summoned to a small town in Montana to deal with the fallout of his estranged brother's suicide. Along the way he meets Doug Heavy Runner, who has his own luggage to haul: being of mixed race he doesn't fit comfortably in either the reservation or the small town he serves as deputy sheriff. As a bonus he's also gay, deeply closeted, and unresolved issues pertaining to past sexual experiences. This may all sound very heavy, and to be honest it's no bed of roses, but the author does a very good job of eliciting the characters' stories without resorting to undue melodrama or telling. Their individual backgrounds are brought forth in normal conversations and furthermore are not inconceivable for 30+ y.o. gay men. I liked how they talked and dealt with one another, sometimes overriding they're fears, despite or because of the brevity of time they expect to spend with each other, a casual weekend. I liked how they each had things they liked or didn't, things they were attracted to or not, and were allowed to say so. Most of all I liked that the mystery, which though I, and probably most readers will guess at early on, was done in a believable way. By that I mean that the police work described is sound and not the usual fantastical super cops. There were a few hiccups Ray, his whole 'I've been practicing gay stuff before approaching you', and then the almost teenage girl cat fight between Ray & Doug over Christopher *eye roll* but not egregious enough to diminish my enjoyment of the book as a whole. I'll definitely go on with the series, I liked this one, it's only 3 books, and I already own the others.
Umm ... okay, this happened, no one got hurt, it's full of good intentions, and if you're reading it without reference to any actual human beings, depending one your level of chill, you can while away a few hours. The is the story of Michael who at twenty-six is a partner in a wildly successful sportswear company, which started as a college project with some friends, and has made them all rich. Michael is more than shy, he eschews company whenever possible, which is a lot since he works from home. The hitch is that Michael is into age play of the ABDL variety and he wants it as lifestyle, and not just the weekend or occasional playdates most Daddies want to take on. Luck is on our hero's side. He goes to Escape, a club that caters to his special tastes, and there he meets Callum who is exactly the kind of Daddy he dreamed about: lifestyle oriented, 40 y.o., taller & bigger than Michael, and drum roll owns his own successful advertising agency, thereby answering to no boss. I was shocked. Anyway .... I can live with with cookie cutter fantasies but other things just annoyed or bored me to tears.Mikey (as Callum dubs Michael when he's in his little persona) and Callum meet at the club, have instant recognition that the other is the exact, perfect person they've been searching for, and by the end of the week they're in love. Also by the end of the week they manage to have a major issue, which normal adults would've resolved with a two word conversation. There's even a brief separation in which time one of them is with another person. At this point I didn't care enough about the MCs to care. It just seemed like drama for drama's sake and belying the description of the characters as mature & solid adults who knew what they wanted, despite it being outside the prescribed norms. ABDL & Little-hood are kinks that don't appeal to me, what with adults playing with children's toys, constantly drinking milk or juice from sippy cups, wearing children's clothing, and generally reverting to a helplessness I'd rather forget ... gah ... but they don't bug me either. To each their own. I just need to be reasonably convinced of the viability of the relationship, and that the Little can actually function as an adult when need be. Also the Daddy being turned on when his partner is in his Little persona? A bit creepy. sigh In any case this is too much rambling to say that, while painless, this didn't strike one single chord of truth with me. From the first person present tense narration, nails on a chalkboard to me, to Michael's childishness outside of his Little persona, to the daytime soap opera drama, to the fact that I didn't believe for a second that these guys run successful businesses, as they seem to clock out diligently at 5:00 p.m. like any office drone and not the executives they're portrayed to be, to the SUPER EXTRA ULTRA INSTA falling in love at the recognition of someone who may share your same kink, sharing a kink does not a HEA make, but what do I know, it was all too much empty calories for me. A more convincing Daddy/little story, IMO, is [b:Silent Strength 36646189 Silent Strength (Strength, #1) M.A. Innes https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1511423989l/36646189.SY75.jpg 58417409] & [b:Quiet Strength 37507712 Quiet Strength (Strength, #2) M.A. Innes https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1513198791l/37507712.SY75.jpg 59118043]. As always YMMV and who knows? If you're in the mood for cotton candy happy because life has been crap, this could be the answer.
First off thank you Moony for “nudging” me to read this. You know me well. xoxo
I started reading this, was 40% in, and in love, however RL intervened, which means I had time to dwell on some things that didn't quite work for me, but overall I'm happy this exists, and it's leagues better than lots of the published stuff out there.
This story is told from Sylvan's P.O.V. He's a pleasure slave in a universe where the Greek Empire of antiquity is still thriving along with Northern Kingdoms, akin to Anglo/Celtic/Saxon/Vandal reigns of yore, with a touch of Medieval Times thrown in for color. Slavery is just another part of this society along with polytheism. Sylvan is gifted by King Orgud, to his bastard son and commander of the army, Lord Nygell. Nygell is not happy, and not for the reasons you might think.
I like the subversion of the expected roles between Sylvan and Nygell. I very much enjoyed the subtle world building, recognizable, but different enough to afford some credible distance. What didn't work for me is more on the personal taste level so I'll hide it under a spoiler tag. You can and should best ignore. The BDSM in this story focuses on impact play, humiliation, and servitude. Basically this a list of the things that least appeal to me in BDSM. I passionately hate sadists, even when a willing masochist is on the receiving end. However a well told story can make me, albeit begrudgingly, accept any kind of relationship. My issue here was that I didn't quite believe that the Dom in the relationship was as into dominating, punishment, or owning a "slave" as much as purported. He's really doing it to please his sub, which is fine, but it's the sub who ultimately seems to still be in charge. Given their stations in life, even with later developments, it can't be any other way. As for the couple falling in love it seemed that, at least for the sub, a relationship was off the table until the other person acquiesced to being his Dom. Understandable. But a conditional love is ... unromantic? Perversely I did like the fact that it wasn't an anachronistic treatise on actual slavery. Slavery is only an obstacle for MCs given their social standings, but it's not something that's objected to on a moral basis. It's end is alluded to in the same fashion as the inevitable death of polytheism due to the rise of barbarian monotheists. It works for the universe created.
Happy Reading! :D
2.75
Lee Clark is one of those characters prevalent in classic bodice rippers and assorted contemporary romances, regardless of gender or romantic orientation: he's young, beautiful, and talented at everything he does. In Lee's case, despite his youth, he's a top-notch mechanic whose talent, when revealed, garners a faithful clientele which only pales in comparison to fans of his artwork, which wows and leaves dumbstruck those who see it. Lee has no formal training but his drawings are amazing. However it can't all be a bed of roses for our boy. His saintly mom is dead, his father kicks him out when Lee is forced to come out as gay, and his older brother, a cartoon villain, just plain hates and persecutes him. What's a boy to do? Fret not. Prince Charming is around the corner.
Saul Valencia is a retired NFL player, who though out in his private life, has yet to make his orientation public, why should he have to? He'll do it for Lee. Saul meets Lee at a BBQ or rather their eyes meet and Saul knows Lee is the one. That should've been my cue or rather confirmation that this was not a story for me. I don't need or like made up drama but IMO this just coasted on lots and lots of wishful telling with minimal attempt at real world verisimilitude.
The book starts with Lee, having just left home with all his worldly possessions in his truck, interviewing for a job at Everyone's Mechanic, owned by Kirk Smith. Not only does he get hired on the spot, but he gets a place to live, is pretty quickly embraced by a chosen family of friends, and meets the rich, famous, & delectable former NFL star Saul Valencia, who falls head over heels for Lee at first sight. Literally.
We're also dropped in the midst of a world and multitude of characters, which made me think that maybe this was Bk.2 or 3 in a series, but I don't think it is. I had no trouble following, the writing is pretty clean and clear, but I can see how some would be disturbed by all of these folks with pretty extensive back stories popping out of the woodwork. I think it's meant as set up for future volumes in a series, but perhaps it could have been done another way.
Ultimately I didn't care enough about this to form any strong opinion about it. There was no real conflict. Lee is too good for this world, he's a bit tentative or insecure about why Saul loves him, makes him wait or prove himself, and later doubts Saul's affections etc. As I said, a standard contemporary or old style bodice ripper. If you're in the mood for some a forgettable and almost wholesome read this could work for you: there are friends who are family, actual family, little girls, puppies, and a rescued Prince.
It didn't work for me because of my aforementioned terribleness as a human being but YMMV.