Annery
The thing you can't see is the HUGE smile on my face. This little nugget was such a blast and a coming home, but with an MM twist. Delicious. When I started my career as a romance reader I exclusively read historical, mostly Regency, a smattering of Georgian, and for a treat now and then a Medieval. I was a super happy camper. Contemporary MF? Not much. Once I started reading MM we've been fairly exclusive, but I've missed this.In under 50 pages [a:Lisa Henry 5050492 Lisa Henry https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1346826268p2/5050492.jpg] gives us a sweet and sexy story, with a side of kink, between that classic pair in historical: a guardian and his unwanted ward. It reminded me of [a:Jo Beverley 10318 Jo Beverley https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1442141404p2/10318.jpg] or [a:Liz Carlyle 21944 Liz Carlyle https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1215535084p2/21944.jpg] and I enjoyed every word of it. I'd happily pay for more but you can enjoy this for free. Plus how can you not love a man who loves dogs. Why not 5 stars? Because I'm greedy and want more.
RE-READ/LISTEN 7/31/21 - 8/1/21 FULL 5.00 ... WHY PRETEND OTHERWISE
Okay ... I inhaled this and though I meant to skim I didn't. I was caught up in the mystery, some of which I'd forgotten but primarily I was invested in the tug of emotions between H&S.
I also feel like I should apologize to Emery. I was seemingly on a high horse when I did my first read or I've become wiser. The emotional tumult Hazard has been assailed with since returning to his hometown is overwhelming to say the least and he's now living with the man he's lusted after & hated for fifteen years, can you imagine? When they find themselves stranded, in a forced proximity type of situation, and Somers is being more than flirty it's totally logical for Hazard to lose his cool.
Somers's internal battle ain't pretty either. I feel for him.
I can see more rereads in the future but I won't bore you with it. I'm a teensy bit obsessed with these two. ❤️❤️
**FIRST READ/LISTEN 10/28/19 –10/30/194.5“Somers didn't do anything but walk away with that goddamn smirk burning like a very long fuse on a very big bomb.”
Okay [a:Gregory Ashe|1179529|Gregory Ashe|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1561907752p2/1179529.jpg], I see you and raise you comfy lounge pants, bunny slippers, oversized sleeping T, salt & vinegar chips, and Cheerwine soda. I'll wait you out.
[b:Pretty Pretty Boys|36623175|Pretty Pretty Boys (Hazard and Somerset, #1)|Gregory Ashe|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1511094676l/36623175.SY75.jpg|58383961] covered from October 24th [date of Hazard's first day at work for the Wahredua P.D., after having been gone from his hometown for fifteen (15) years] to November 2nd. Book two, [b:Transposition|37569723|Transposition (Hazard and Somerset, #2)|Gregory Ashe|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1513649770l/37569723.SY75.jpg|59181080], hurtles us all the way to November 21st, on the eve of Thanksgiving. Hazard and Somers have settled into being roommates and partners at work. On the surface everything is spiffy, mostly because they're men and avoid speaking about anything of substance. Not surprising. I know quite a few guys in RL like this. Super annoying, but true to life.
Almost at the end of the day they get a call which causes them to be sequestered in a mansion with a killer(s), and no escape due to a paralyzing storm. It's a sort of a ‘locked-room' mystery, with interesting twists and turns, some of which may be obvious to the avid mystery reader or not, but overall fairly well executed. However the purpose of this tale is to move along the Somers & Hazard uphill relationship, one weighed down by their individual and shared histories.
Can I say right now how much I love John-Henry Somerset, and that your enjoyment of this will hinge on your tolerance of grade A aholes, dicks, and general douches, by which of course I mean Emery Hazard? I understand where he's coming from, I do. As a matter of survival he's had to create a hard emotional shell to go along with his physical toughness, that who and what Somers was during their adolescence isn't something easily forgotten, sloughed off or set aside, but still ... let's just say that I wasn't entirely sorry for what happened in the basement. shrug
As a recap for those who may be tuning in now, these can't/shouldn't be read as standalones. They're a separate case per book, but there's an overarching mystery/case and Somers & Hazard's relationship running throughout.
I'm not going for 5 stars because I wanted to smack Hazard one too many times, and his attitudes sometimes belied his vaunted reputation as an excellent detective. In fact, sometimes, his pigheadedness ruined perfect investigative avenues.
I did the audio too and [a:Tristan James|14756687|Tristan James|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] will make you happy.
RE-READ 6/2021I'm reading & rereading GA's books set in the Wahredua/St. Louis ‘verse in the author's suggested chronological order. Some of the characters timelines overlap, sometimes inadvertently or sometimes interact. It's a hoot. However I would recommend, if you're a first time reader, to enter this world precisely with this book. Hazard & Somers are the perfect intro to this world and to the author's tone and style. ABOUT THE RE-READ: I loved it. I loved seeing situations and characters again from the vantage of knowing all that has come later, not only in the this book, but in this arc and the subsequent in the series. I loved watching Emery confront the painful past and have to recalibrate what he thinks he knows, how he perceived things, because ultimately that's all any of us really knows. What things looked like to us. How we saw things. How it affected us. John-Henry trying to drown so much pain in alcohol but also a fighter, unfailingly generous, and kind. Shrewdly self-aware despite the image the world sees. I appreciated how the author sets up the rest of the players, limning their characters with small details to which he'll add over time. I still hunched my shoulders when I saw some of them and found myself being a smidge more generous of thought to others (looking at you Nico) and overall admiring of how GA brings a whole fictional town to life, full of quirks and history, to the point that I'm looking for it on a map.I'm also starting a Google Doc for the documentaries Hazard watches. No titles where mentioned here but my fellow Hazard ‘stans know they get hilariously good. In this outing there's one about glue manufacturing and one on the history of Canadian buttons. Riveting stuff.IN CONCLUSION(for now): If you're a fan of epic, hard fought, non-cookie cutter love stories take a seat, carve out some time and patience and wade or dive into this. You won't be sorry. I'm not and this likely won't be my only reread. *****************This is one of those series I've seen popping up with regularity in my feed, I've added to my TBR, and owned a few installments for a while. Why the procrastination in the reading? No clue, but I'm glad I've waited until it's finished.If you're a romance reader, with expectations of HEA or even HFN, this isn't for you. In fact marketing this as an MM romance is a disservice to all involved. Luckily it lands squarely in my wheelhouse and I loved it, probably, for many of the reasons it won't work for others. I also admit to being a generous rater when the story, writing, or characters engage me. #notsorryAfter being booted from the St. Louise Police Department, for reasons, Emery Hazard has returned to his hometown of Wahredua, a place he never imagined he'd see again. Emery doesn't hold fond memories of his childhood/adolescence there, and the unpleasant memories are roiling just below the surface of his skin. As fate would have it one of the main reasons for his teenage torment, John-Henry Somerset, town pretty boy & high-school bully, will be his new partner. The case(s) in the book is fairly well done, and though I guessed where it was going, I liked the journey. I liked that there were extremists on both sides, and not just for the sake of balance or being PC, but because these are recognizable figures from our everyday lives. Of course the real story here is Somers & Hazard's relationship, how the past is this picture that refuses to remain fixed, how it won't release it's hold on our imagination, or in the words of [a:William Shakespeare 947 William Shakespeare https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1586700347p2/947.jpg], “What's past is prologue; what to come, / In yours and my discharge.” Hazard has returned with a truckload of baggage he wants to unload but it turns out, that while he was gone, transforming himself, Wahredua and it's inhabitants changed too. No one more so than Somerset. I loved that [a:Gregory Ashe 1179529 Gregory Ashe https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1561907752p2/1179529.jpg] was able to, credibly redeem, or kick start the redemption journey, of a character that's routinely (rightfully so) vilified. I like that GA doesn't lose sight of the ages of his characters, the passage of time, and how it doesn't leave any of us unchanged or unscathed. Unless we're sociopaths. I think given the span of time covered in the book, roughly a week, the relationship went as far as it credibly could. A lot of ground work was laid and I fully expect to reap the rewards in future installments. For those who do audio [a:Tristan James 14756687 Tristan James https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] did a nice job and helped me out with some of the pronunciation i.e. Wahredua? Also it's on the Audible Escape package, so you don't have to commit if it doesn't work for you. I liked it.And finally, I got to meet [a:Gregory Ashe 1179529 Gregory Ashe https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1561907752p2/1179529.jpg] at GRL2019 and he was nothing but nice, gracious, and participated in a very informative and moving Q & A.
Reread/Listen 4/19 - 4/22 & Rating upped to 5.00The release of this gem on audio and said audio done by [a:Kirt Graves 15936299 Kirt Graves https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/m_50x66-82093808bca726cb3249a493fbd3bd0f.png] was my impetus to revisit this, that I loved it more the second time around is a joy. Through KG's voice the characters shine. The easy way in which Miguel navigates his sexual awakening or acceptance of his bi side is refreshing and is proactive pursuit of something with Aldrich is everything from sweet, romantic, and all about acceptance. Miguel accepts, more importantly, respects Aldrich's boundaries, and it pays off beautifully. Aldrich's slow but steady melting into Miguel's care is a thing of beauty. Miguel's family, Luna, and Dev where just icing on a love story that makes room for the different without preachiness or condescension. 4.5Sadly I had no time to review when I finished reading, so this will be brief. sighThis is my third? [a:Lynn Van Dorn 17110627 Lynn Van Dorn https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1504541277p2/17110627.jpg] read and I think I like her. A lot. I think this story is being marketed as an age-gap, D/s relationship, and it is, but only as an expediency to get around Aldrich's social inadequacy problems, and it works for Miguel. Win. Win.Miguel has come out of the Navy and decided to go to college to become a radiologist. Aldrich is one of his professors and coincidentally his neighbor. A neighbor who lives across the street, and likes to watch. It turns out Miguel likes being watched. More winning. I loved how infinitely patient Miguel was with Aldrich, how he went, doggedly, for what he wanted, and how, in the end, Aldrich is powerless before the force that is Miguel. My other favorite thing that I love, love, love about Lynn Van Dorn is what I call her “casual inclusiveness”. Her characters represent the spectrum of current American society without belaboring the point, which IMO packs more of a punch than many other books/authors who want to push a social agenda in detriment to the story. Recommend.
4.5 / Because I greedily wanted an epilogue. Happy Early Christmas! I'd read this story before but the audio, by [a:Alexander Masters 59822 Alexander Masters https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/m_50x66-82093808bca726cb3249a493fbd3bd0f.png] just came out, I couldn't resist, and I'm not sorry. No one does XX Century historical shorts quite like [a:Josh Lanyon 359194 Josh Lanyon https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1289326144p2/359194.jpg]: nuanced and layered. Fully formed characters in a few deft strokes. She doesn't ignore the realities of time and place, but knows that people have always found a way to just be. Merry Christmas. xoxo
When is an age gap story not an age gap story, not really? When it's by [a:Lane Hayes 7125719 Lane Hayes https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1559106511p2/7125719.jpg], and that's a good thing. Justin Cuevas is 26 y.o., starting yet another band, and trying to make it in the L.A music scene. One night he meets Grey Robertson, and what's meant to be a one-night stand slowly and organically develops into a low-angst, supportive, and believable relationship between people who speak the same language: music. Grey is a veteran songwriter of jingles, movie soundtracks, and songs for big name stars. He's also about doubles Justin in age, making his life experience different, but it's inconsequential in how they relate to one another. If you're looking for a low angst, low key story, set in the music world, that rings true this will definitely satisfy. Also Justin & Grey are the perfect blend of sexy, likable, and relatable. It's a promising start to a new series and I enjoyed it.
I don't even know what to say anymore that won't make me sound like a member of some sycophantic #VictorBayne club. I can only say that with each outing, [a:Jordan Castillo Price 268722 Jordan Castillo Price https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1325364144p2/268722.jpg], against the odds, has managed to deepen and widen the world these characters inhabit, without resorting to improbabilities or schmaltz. In [b:Murder House 44785199 Murder House (PsyCop, #10) Jordan Castillo Price https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1554394789l/44785199.SY75.jpg 69432192] Vic has decided that gaining access to his redacted past can't be left to others, it's too dangerous. To earn a higher clearance he volunteers for undercover work, and the experience is not at all what he expected. The mystery is inconsequential to the point of being inexistent, but it doesn't matter. JCP is laying out the organic progression of an adult relationship, how we don't know what we have until we don't have it, how much or how little we know about people close to us? As I said: adulthood, even if it arrives in jolts & spurts at 40!To work the case Vic has to go live in a house where, maybe a ghost still resides, deal with nosy neighbors, pose as a writer, and half of a married couple with Jack Bly, the empath. I was in stitches seeing Vic try to navigate The Douchebag's (as he calls his persona) taste in clothing, and pretentious socio/political essays, and I was touched by the things he missed about the Cannery, his life, Jacob. Every emotion rang true without betraying who Vic's always been. Externally, a bit of a hard ass who had to get that way after life manhandled him one to many times, while inside he's just someone trying to find his place in the world. Cautiously. I think he's found it. And maybe he's starting to know it too. Normally I'm one for wanting series to end on a high point, but incongruously, I feel like with this one JCP is just hitting her stride. The scene with the coffee mug? GOLD.It goes without saying that [a:Gomez Pugh 8435087 Gomez Pugh https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] has to do whatever other books come in the series. It's a new law. A good one.
Each story is like a legal brief or theory and the book the author writes is the supporting argument. This one was lacking. A case of something being less than the sum of it's parts. [a:Nicky James 1407757 Nicky James https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1457112244p2/1407757.jpg] traces a taboo relationship from cradle to inception, and it's both too much and not enough. Generally, unless it's a PWP story, taboo narratives strive to justify or explain the validity of the relationship. I'm willing to be convinced, but this fell short for me. The first 30% of the book is Rykker dealing with becoming a teenage father to a child who suffers from behavioral & learning issues, coping with uncaring parents, judgmental quasi in-laws, and a disinterested co-parent. The next 30% or so is teenage Creed dealing with a mother who has abandoned him to grandparents who are unwilling to give him the proper medical care he needs, because ... who knows? Perhaps they don't believe in science? It's never quite clear why. Finally our two MCs meet, things happen, and they struggle, mostly Rykker, to understand, and finally accept what they are to one another. More than they ought to be. I felt like Creed's condition, was used as a means of “justifying” his need of Rykker. I never quite saw or believed how Rykker's love mutated from one to another or for that matter why or how did Creed's affection mutate. The final scene, with Toby's gift, was just a step too far in turning a taboo story into a HEA romance with rainbows and roses. My rating reflects the strong writing, the serious research, as relates to Creed's condition, and I really, really liked that this story involved blue collar guys. Not a millionaire in sight. This was my first Nicky James, and though I didn't love it, I'd give this author another go.
Umm ... I think that the less I say about this the better, as surely part of the problem is my fault in choosing this book. Luckily it was on KU, so no big loss.
In a fit of madness, I read book #6 in a series having not read any of the others. If you like this style of book: a zero angst, Lifetime/Hallmark Style romance, which wants to present a sort of précis on kink, declawed of actual kink for people who don't do or even like kink or as I call it vanilla kink, this book could work for you. Following all of the friends who drop in and have had their own stories in previous installments isn't difficult, perhaps it's rewarding for those who have followed the series. It didn't affect me one way or another. My big problem is these written-to-market-research stories. They leave me cold, can't remember a thing about them once I'm done, and I don't believe a word of them. I won't go any further because clearly those who are fans of the series will get something more out of it and perhaps enjoy it. It wasn't for me. The writing, while not bad, is uninspired, and more telling than not, and the story is just one of the myriad popping up here and there populated by needy boys and take-care-of-everything Daddies.
As usual YMMV.
This is when you know you're in the hands of a real artist, a writer with a vision, and a unflagging grasp of the world they've created. We're 9 (nine) books into the PsyCop world and [a:Jordan Castillo Price 268722 Jordan Castillo Price https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1325364144p2/268722.jpg]'s stories are as fresh as day one. Victor Bayne is now a full time agent for the FPMP, and life is different. In a good way. Seeing Vic navigating his new status as someone wanted and appreciated for his talent is revelatory. As in recent entries to the series the past comes back, perhaps not to bear directly on the case at hand, but to stir memories all but lost to Vic, and have him see cast new light on relationships he had cast in stone. I love that. How JCP knows that the past isn't a static thing, how it breathes into the present, but we can also learn to let it go, without forgetting. The mystery isn't too complex but it isn't meant to be. The genius of it is that threads that have been teased some entries back come together seamlessly and we get to see an adult relationship flourish and develop. Bearing witness to how utterly Jacob loves Vic, how they navigate their day to day life, how sometimes (mostly) Vic is the strong one, and then cats? Sheer joy.This is a world that I'm happy to revisit again and again. It hasn't gone stale. The relationships have gotten stronger, they run deeper, and true. I'll eagerly continue this journey. As usual [a:Gomez Pugh 8435087 Gomez Pugh https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] provides the perfect audio companion to this series. He is Vic's voice.
I'm sure you'll find far more competent and insightful reviews anywhere so I'll just say that this is a second reading for me and a radically different one. I first read this in my college years and some water has gone under the bridge since then. My sympathies for each characters altered pretty drastically, and I'd like to stress that Helen is a pill. There. I said it.On a practical level I'd recommend this to any fan of good writing, particularly in the [a:Jane Austen 1265 Jane Austen https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1380085320p2/1265.jpg] or [a:Henry James 159 Henry James https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1468309415p2/159.jpg] style. [a:E. M. Forster 19551289 E. M. Forster https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] is subtle but weaves ripples that reverberate long after the book has ended. Also if you have any interest in pre-WWI European society, British in particular, this fits all the cracks that history books leave intact. I'd follow it up with [b:Parade's End 777824 Parade's End Ford Madox Ford https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1450231478l/777824.SY75.jpg 2244425], for the full horror of what was lost and how our world became irrevocably changed while we weren't looking. The other reason I chose to revisit this gem is because I'm seeing [b:The Inheritance 38600016 The Inheritance Matthew Lopez https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1525882920l/38600016.SY75.jpg 60206005] soon. It's meant to be a reworking of [b:Howards End 38374795 Howards End E.M. Forster https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1518837828l/38374795.SX50.jpg 1902726] set in modern times and amongst gay men. Color me intrigued.
If you're a fan of health care professionals who act the part, adults who display a modicum of sense or restraint this might no be for you. If on the other hand, like me, your up for a front row seat on how low or far someone will travel from safe and staid to what some might call depravity or others freedom, you've come to the right place. Dennis Crane is a man in need of liberating and Max is the right person for the job.While I'm pretty over the omniscient and omnipotent MC, and wanted to smack Dennis upside the head with a cast-iron skillet to stop his stupidity, spinelessness, and claims of victimhood, I also had a blast with this made in Dark Heaven couple.There are some things I could complain about but won't because [a:Bey Deckard 7855471 Bey Deckard https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1550179961p2/7855471.jpg] is my bae. The soundtrack he lists at the end is gold and perfectly captures the book:David Bowie -“The Heart's Filthy Lesson” Soft Cell -“Sex Dwarf” Revolting Cocks -“Da Ya Think I'm Sexy” Hawksley Workman -“Striptease” Stiltskin -“Inside” Jane's Addiction & Diamanda Galas -“Sex is Violent” Boredoms -“Hachi” Front 242 -“Headhunter (Funker Vogt)” Rob Zombie -“Run, Rabbit, Run” Drivin' N' Cryin' -“When You Come Back” Miles Davis -“Générique” Dope -“You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)” Gravity Kills -“Guilty” Michael Kamen -“Central Services / The Office” Luis Alberto -“Estar contigo”I also did the audio by [a:Nick J. Russo 8141120 Nick J. Russo https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/m_50x66-82093808bca726cb3249a493fbd3bd0f.png], and though I love him, there were a few idiosyncratic pronunciations that had me doing a double take but not enough to deter my enjoyment. Take a plunge. The water is warm.
Unabashedly romantic and full of feeling, without being trite. I really liked this.When we first met Geordie, in Bk.3, he's still reeling from his partner Mike's death. In the subsequent books we've gotten to know and spend a little time with Geordie: show tunes belting glamour queen and also a Mexican kid from L.A. who had to flee and reinvent himself after his family's rejection. Geordie is now in his 40's and, though he doesn't know it, perhaps ready to love again. His second chance at love comes in the person of Levi, former baseball player and all around masc guy who nonetheless thinks nothing of riding around in a pink Vespa, and is more than awe struck by Geordie's fabulousness. Perhaps Levi is a dream made to order, endlessly patient, and accepting, but sometimes (hush cynics!!!) life gives us what we need, particularly when we're not looking.This is a satisfying ending to a great series and as usual [a:Nick J. Russo 8141120 Nick J. Russo https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/m_50x66-82093808bca726cb3249a493fbd3bd0f.png] knocked it out of the park.
I've rarely been so conflicted about rating/reviewing a book, but this has stumped me. Let's see how it goes.I'm not too diligent about reading blurbs, I may skim them a bit to get an idea, but quickly forget them. I'm also not a stickler for tropes, genres, or whatever the categories are. I'm perfectly happy with a HEA, HFN, bi-sexual characters, PWP, light-kink, heavy kink, TPE, murder mysteries/procedurals, pure romance, PNR, sci-fi etc. I just want a story (it doesn't even have to be original) well told, good writing, and narrative drive. I came to this story because I'm always looking for new narrators, and this was on Audible Escape, which is the Audible version of KU. I really liked [a:Alex Alvarez 744192 Alex Alvarez https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]'s narration. The pacing could use some tweaking, but that's a fix for the producer. Overall a very good listen and I'm sorry he doesn't seem to have any more titles, at least not in this name. The book? Issues. The blurb (which I just read) is pretty true but also misleading. I usually don't like to do spoilers, even with tags and I'll try not to do so here but I'll give prospective readers an idea of what not to expect: a romance of any sort. Maybe that's one problem. For some reason it's marketed in the romance category which it's not. I don't even think it's MM or even gay fiction but I'm shelving it as LGB because at least three of the MCs are gay. So there's that. This could more accurately be described as a coming of age story though the leads are in college. Mike Sloan is 24 y.o. senior at IU, a champion swimmer, and contemplating furthering his education through a dual MBA & Law degree. Mike's college has been largely underwritten by Paul Sturgess, a local Bloomington businessman, friend of Mike's parents and he doubles Mike's age (he's 50) and he's Mike's lover. (Not a spoiler, the book opens with Mike & Paul having sex.) I have zero problems with age-difference relationships however IMO Paul is a creep and a predator. He saw Mike grow up, took up the slack in Mike's upbringing including his education when Mike's philandering Dad bailed on his family. When Mike gets to college Paul starts a sexual relationship with Mike. Sure at this point Mike is of age and being a young gay man is more than happy to be with Paul. Paul lets him live in an off campus house free of charge away from crowded dorms. Paul introduces him to the finer things in life, which is fine and dandy, except for the fact that Paul expects in Mike's own word recompense. That's just wrong and unacceptable. Sure he doesn't DO anything to make Mike comply just the sad puppy eyes and guilt trips. Mike isn't repulsed, he feels affection, pity, and gratitude towards Paul. He likes having sex. Win-win, right? It rubbed me wrong. Mike doesn't see Paul as a villain, he's a young man who's basically been groomed to this tit for tatrelationship. What bothered me was that the author seems excuse Paul's behavior because he loves Mike, because he's older, because he's lonely. I call BS. He's a lascivious creepster gorging his sexual appetites on younger men in a predatory way and the author doesn't call him on that. The other MC is Hank Schechter, a transfer student and fellow swimmer who Mike takes an interest in. Hank is “different” and Mike makes it a point of easing his way with the swim team. There also seems to be more to what they can be to each other but that story line is summarily dropped like so many others and that is my GIANT gripe with this book. Potentially interesting storylines are broached and then just left blowing in the wind: what does one owe a benefactor? what are the ethics of a “normal” person having a romantic/sexual relationship with someone “different”? what does the future look like for a gay man living an essentially heterosexual relationship? I'd be interested in ALL of this but the book just stops with zero satisfying resolutions to any of these threads and it's an absolute pity. I liked the non-cookie cuter direction of this story. I generally liked the writing. I liked the flawed characters, their possible missteps unprotected sex everywhere and the mostly unromantic approach to sex. It's just sex, separate from love. But then it's as if the author suddenly got tired, bored, or had no idea how to end this. It just stops in a We'll See What Happens moment. I'm tired of myself ranting too. I'll stop here. I'll just add that despite everything I'm glad this book exists and that I read it. Maybe it will nudge other authors in interesting directions.
3.75Well there's always a slump. Don't get me wrong, this book is fine, but it's my least favorite in the series. The couple, as a couple, are great, particularly Miles, a total sweetheart, who doesn't suffer fools gladly. Perhaps he's too willing to be used and discarded, it's what he's come to expect. Shame on the people who've treated him badly. Grant on the other hand had me holding my hands tightly to not smack him upside the head. But just a tap. Grant is the gorgeous on the outside, mass of insecurities on the inside, nice Greek boy. I can't blame him and ultimately this book is him coming into his FULL adulthood. Let's face it: his parents, particularly his father, are a pill. Yes, I know, THEY LOVE HIM. But it's sort of a conditional love, and a suffocating one too. I know it's real, and kudos to [a:Lane Hayes 7125719 Lane Hayes https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1559106511p2/7125719.jpg] for portraying these sorts of relationships without the rose tinted glasses. The romance progressed nicely, though perhaps these two spent too much time in the land of FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS when it was obvious they were so much more. The brief visits with the other couples are always nice and [a:Nick J. Russo 8141120 Nick J. Russo https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/m_50x66-82093808bca726cb3249a493fbd3bd0f.png] does his usual splendid job.
3.75
A little Christmas short in the Leaning Into series.
Ryan is one of Wes's permanent employees at the winery. He's that annoying guy who tried, halfheartedly, to get between Nick & Wes. He's a bit of a pill and a prickly pear, but I guess we all deserve a chance. Danny is the current intern who may or may not stay as a permanent employee. Danny likes to get a rise out of Ryan and shamelessly flirt at the same time.
Danny made the story for me. He was honest, open, daring, and optimistic. He doesn't sweat the small stuff, and though he's younger than Ryan, I'd say he's more mature. To me Ryan “doth protest too much”, but we all get to a point where we feel hopelessly burned out by disappointments. And that's what Christmas wishes are for. This story is the non-gooey variety.
I didn't think I would like this as much as I did. Happy SurpriseJosh is one of OG five friends that comprise the stories in the Leaning Into series. To outsiders he would appear to be a bit of an underachiever, as compared to his friends. He switched from engineering to a career in Art, which he pursues, but not with zealotry. He's that underappreciated, but pivotal member of every group: easy going and low angst. In the previous book Nick used him as bait to wheedle information from Finn Gallagher. Unbeknownst to Nick, Josh & Finn fell into a relationship of sorts which ended because Finn was only capable of no strings and that doesn't work for Josh. Not in the long run. This book picks up a year later. Josh is going through some life changes, both on the professional and family front. One night he reconnects with Finn, the attraction is undeniable and they're back. Boom!I liked that though these guys have a sexual history, and pretty much pick up with the smex at the beginning of the story, the rest could almost be called a slow burn. The relationship, the emotional one, the opening up to one another, particularly Finn, is done slowly, and over time, which makes their ultimate connection plausible. I liked how powerless Finn is in the presence of Josh's guileless goodness. He wants nothing from him but himself. I was charmed. This was a great continuation of the series in which we get an interesting couple and the right amount of visiting time with the prior ones. Once again, if you do audio, this is [a:Nick J. Russo 8141120 Nick J. Russo https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/m_50x66-82093808bca726cb3249a493fbd3bd0f.png]. I'll say no more.
This is book 3 in the Leaning Into, and the though it could be read as a standalone, the intro of this group of friends in [b:Leaning Into Love / Leaning Into Always 47148739 Leaning Into Love / Leaning Into Always (Leaning Into #1-2) Lane Hayes https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1563581930l/47148739.SY75.jpg 72203271] is pretty sweet, low angst, and pain free. Nick Jorgensen is 30, and the brains behind EN Tech, a cyber security company. He has the smarts to outcode anyone but isn't so good at interpersonal relationships or filtering his thoughts or his impulses. One of those uncontrolled impulses led to an impromptu engagement and it's quick, predictably disastrous end. Convinced the whole enterprise was cursed he's been trying to return cases of bespoke wine he'd ordered for the wedding. So far he's been unsuccessful but he's willing to try again. Nick is nothing if not persistent. To this end he goes in person to the winery and meets Wes Conrad. Lights out, even if they don't know it right away. Wes is forty-five, back from where Nick's going, and exactly what Nick needs. He's the calm to Nick's usual mental storm, but he also loves Nick for his quirks & unique mind, not in spite of them. I loved how he's so much himself without being a pompous ass or a rigid know it all. He's interested in how Nick thinks and what makes him tic. Nick for his part finds someone who wants nothing from him but himself and also has the patience to wait him out when he can't figure out his own thoughts.I loved everything about this. I liked that Wes doesn't hand Nick solutions to his problems, he can't. But he's a sound port and an anchor. I like that, though he certainly screws up, sometimes spectacularly so, Nick is always willing to try again, whether at work or life. I liked that though there's a pretty immediate attraction, and scorching sex early on (I'm not complaining) the love develops organically and over time. Nick and Wes continue to deal with their professional lives as adults do. Perfect. Do yourself a favor and get the AB by [a:Nick J. Russo 8141120 Nick J. Russo https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/m_50x66-82093808bca726cb3249a493fbd3bd0f.png]. It's perfection.
3.5
Maybe it was me? Wrong time? I enjoyed a good stretch of this, there's some excellent writing, but it did go on forever. Also I don't think you can go into this for the mystery. The mystery is just the frame to hang a larger story, which I generally liked, but also became tedious. Perhaps this was because the narrator, Adam Robert Ryan, is a bit of a twerp. I know he has reasons for being how he is but ... I dunno. I wanted to slap him more often than not, for being a bad cop, for being stupid, and for being a terrible friend. But that's just me.
I'll probably read the next one so I'll just shut it + I want to see the tv adaptation.
I had read most of this series last year yet somehow failed to log it into GR, or worse yet I didn't rate or review it. Bad reader. In any case I liked it very much at first read and it's exactly what I needed this week, when RL has been less than dreamy. I'm rating and reviewing this along with [b:Leaning Into Love 34093621 Leaning Into Love (Leaning Into, #1) Lane Hayes https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1486396986l/34093621.SY75.jpg 55110253] because really they're just one story split into two novellas, both excellently narrated by [a:Seth Clayton 14956475 Seth Clayton https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]. Eric and Zane are part of a larger group of men, some straight, some bi, who've been friends since college and now they're ready for the next stage of their lives.Eric and Zane hail from the same hometown but prior to college, travelled in different circles: Eric was a geek and a champion debater, while Zane was/is the quintessential California surfer dude. Now they're 30, and one of their group is getting married, these two seemingly different guys fall into easy, angst free love. I like that the only bumps are Eric's occasional thoughts of “what does Zane see in me?”, but he doesn't dwell on them. I like how uncomplicated Zane's feelings for Eric are, how he doesn't question it, just goes with it. He's can be sexy, commanding, and sweet in equal measure, but doesn't suffer fools or people who mess with his man. Overall this is a great introduction to a group of friends who's stories I'll be happy to follow.
A couple of weeks ago I started seeing this book popping up in my feed, all raving stars. Quite frankly I was already a goner for the cover, it has a certain pop art appeal that's unusual in romance. My mistake was starting it late on Friday night. I got a chapter in and knew I was in the hands of an author with heft and an original voice. I also felt an immediate kinship with Mike. What I forgot was that weekends are generally filled with RL activities. I've never hated a weekend so much. Finally this afternoon was all mine and was able to dive in and finish. I'm so glad I read this and yet I wish it would've gone on forever. My bones are still aching from the raw beauty of this story.The particulars are irrelevant, but if you must know it's about 6'4” Mike Brouwer, professional NHL enforcer, and Liam Fitzgerald, who at 5'8”, is one the smallest players in the league. They meet when Mike is 30, on the tail end of his career, and Liam is an 18 y.o. rookie with lots of promise. What follows is a LOVE story in the real sense of the word. One devoid of the usual romance window dressing, sometimes raw, never sugary, but always authentic. [a:Taylor Fitzpatrick 14742909 Taylor Fitzpatrick https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] refuses to follow genre conventions or follow the beats of generic romance. This is a story that will linger in my veins, and which has had my eyes brimming with tears, even as I write this. I can honestly recommend it to anyone. Good writing, realistic storytelling, and characters who burrow deep under your skin, it's an embarrassment of riches. Absolutely one of the best romances I've ever read. Full stop.
3.75
Does it make me a bad person that a story set in a dystopian future Earth, where humans are living in what amounts to refugee camps, featuring an 18 y.o. virgin being subjected to non-con BDSM with two partners, who each hold very different style of “punishment”, that I found this story sweet and it even made me smile?
I would've rated higher if I got to know more about Black & Silver's world, what their ultimate intentions are, and why do they like human pets. I get how they were helpful to Benji, but what's the future for him? And is this even LGBT? Do we know know the gender of Black & Silver? They are “aliens” after all, and we only have Benji's perception of them as male. Who knows? It definitely made me curious.
I loved it. Epic. Rambling. Dickensian in scope and happenings. I won't lie, it is a commitment, but an immensely rewarding one, speaking to our modern American Age and yet fully tethered to the past through art.It's a story to savor and get lost in. No rush. The painting lost/stolen is just a frame to hang a bigger story where big questions are posed, along with the mundane, and no answer is given. It's not expected. Along with the sadness, is a funny, almost picaresque tale, brimming with life that spans past and present and over 700 pages I still wanted it to go on. Our narrator, unreliable as the best are, is Theo Decker, a boy who at 13 suffers the unimaginable loss of his mother in a terrorist attack. So starts Theo's journey as an orphan, first in a sublimely rendered NYC, with its local uptown & downtown fauna, and later in the mirage dream of the west via Las Vegas. [a:Donna Tartt 8719 Donna Tartt https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1409871301p2/8719.jpg] has created characters that brim with life and live outside the page: Theo, Boris, Andy, Hobie. I loved them all and surely expect to run into them at any moment. I was lucky enough to also pair this with [a:David Pittu 572486 David Pittu https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/m_50x66-82093808bca726cb3249a493fbd3bd0f.png]'s masterful audio rendition. Wow.
I read this a couple of weeks ago and ... it was fine. Good to fill out a couple of hours. Jay is looking to be house slave or wanting a 24/7 TPE situation sans the name, which is fine, whatever floats your boat. Stag seems to be a fairly good guy willing and eager to be SSC. My only thing is that, despite all of the time Jay & Stag have spent eyeing each other, the haven't really spent any time together, let alone spoken. This kind of relationship definitely requires knowing your partner or you could make it a PNR where connections are perhaps different.
As it is this is a good intro to this couple but it also left me with more questions than answers. I did enjoy the writing and wouldn't be averse to more from this author.