Annery

This was sweet surprise. Thank you Audible Romance Package. :D Those allergic to vaginas might not warm to this, but for me, this being the story of two bi guys who find each other made it perfectly appropriate. At 15 Colt felt the stirrings of attraction for a male friend, but like most kids, he didn't feel comfortable, or know how to pursue those urges. Ten years later he's living life as a straight guy, casually dating a girl who thinks it would be hot to see him with another guy. Colt, being an accommodating boyfriend, and perhaps due to the lingering memory of his teen attraction, decides to do a video with a guy he finds on line, as gift for her. Life of course throws him a curveball in the form of a scorching attraction between himself and said guy, Jake/Sean.I liked how Colt worked out in his head, honestly, though not flippantly, what he was feeling and the author didn't rely on the everyday “oh no! I'm gay now, what will I do?” trope. Colt was understandably cautious, even while lusting, and embraced his bisexuality with minimum fuss. For his part Sean already new himself to be bisexual and was just primed for someone to waken him from feeling numb inside. Colt is that person. In this short novella the author did a good job of giving full and authentic lives to both MCs without overselling the story and [a:Tristan Josiah 17525309 Tristan Josiah https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] does an excellent job of the AB.

2.5
I've thought long and hard about this review. What to say, that doesn't come off as harsh or petty, because really there isn't anything objectionable about the story. It's constituent parts are like a list of some of my favorite things, including a flipping of expectations when it comes to D/s relationships. Maybe I'll start there, with what I liked and what worked for me. Small mercies.

Lars and Jonah are what Lars himself calls “lifers”. Their moms are best friends who were pregnant at the same time leading to the guys being BFFs since infancy, though their romantic involvement didn't come until they were twenty-five. When the book starts they've been together for 10 years and are everything but married. Lars is a veterinarian and Jonah is an emergency room doctor, they share a home, a life, and a deep love rooted in friendship and familiarity of the best kind. Jonah is a big strapping ginger, a head taller than Lars, but he's also bit of a playful goof who likes to dance around the house and ruffle his partner's more serious personality. Perhaps it's a way of letting off steam from a stressful job, but it's also an aspect of their, heretofore, unacknowledged D/s relationship, as Jonah says:
“I'm nearly twice Lars' weight and more than a head taller than he is. Granted, I do top more often than not, but that doesn't mean I'm in control.”
Lars is fairly regimented. He likes order and everything in its place, but he also loves Jonah fiercely and makes sure of his well being. The love of between these two is another check in the plus column but it's also is a good starting point for the this wasn't for me column.

If you like your characters to have pretty much zero conflict between themselves and the world at large, this book is for you. If you like your MCs to say “I love you” and “anything you feel or want is good, valid, and I'm on-board with it” every five seconds, this book is for you. If you believe that the introduction of a major life change should present zero ambivalence in an established couple, this book is for you. I'll have to demur.

One sunny day Lars & Jonah go to a Pride Parade and they come across some Puppies and their Masters. Jonah is more than a little intrigued by the group:
“One of the men is dressed in a dog mask with black leather harness on his chest, and a pair of underwear with a bone on the ass and the word woof printed inside the bone. He's naked aside from that, but honestly, that's not the part that shocks or draws my attention, he's hardly the least dressed person in the crowd. It's the joy shining in his eye as he wiggles and starts to wrestle with another man dressed similarly. It's the absolute inhibition as he lets out a happy bark like he doesn't have a care in the world, and it's the way the man holding his leash smiles at him with warmth and love. (btw, I'm pretty sure it should be lack of inhibition)

So that's fine, right? Sometimes we suddenly find something that just clicks with us, but Jonah takes this to a whole new level. It's suddenly the thing he always needed but never knew about. There's reference to him having dabbled briefly in BDSM during college, before he and Lars became an item, but apparently he never pursued it further and puppies had never been on his radar. Really? Odd, I know all about them, but okay, I'll buy it. That's not what made me have to read this with a squinty eye, it's the fact of his immediate quasi obsession with the kink and then his reluctance to talk to Lars about it. After the almost diabetic coma inducing protestations of love and acceptance between these two it was a tough pill to swallow. Sure, Lars makes an off the cuff remark about puppies being weird, when they first spot them at the parade, but wouldn't anyone who isn't into that lifestyle? They are weird. I think that is, and should be, a point of pride for folks in the kink community. And this is the heart of my dislike of this story, it's so eager to tell us it's okay to like what you like and be who you are (not a point I disagree with) that it treats kink like apple pie, chocolate chip cookies, and vanilla ice cream. It's that thing where you take something you love and try to tame and polish it to the point where you can't recognize in it the reasons you loved it in the first place. The weirdness, uniqueness, and non-conformity are domesticated to unobtrusively fit in with square or proper society. It's taking a cat, a creature that's two meals away from being feral, having lost none of its shared traits with larger felines, you make it a housecat, neuter and declaw it for good measure. Utterly sad, senseless, and kind of infuriating. I'm fairly sure the folks who participate in the Folsom Street Fair are happy to be active participants of what society deems the margins and aren't dreaming of that spot on the PTA or the white picket fence house in the suburbs. Perhaps they do belong to those two groups, but their love of kink isn't something they're going to try to mold like a square peg into a round hole.

On with the book. There might be a few spoilerish comments, although there is no mystery or conflict to spoil. Sorry.

There isn't much more to tell, but fairytale fantasies. Before telling Lars about this new obsession, Jonah writes to an online advice columnist voicing his fears of Lars' reaction and HE USES Lars real name! Umm ... wow. In the end Lars finds out and .... crickets. Nothing happens. Acceptance without a single doubt. Sure. Granted Lars had always been somewhat dominant, but I'd think jumping to wanting a puppy sub would merit a teensy bit of self reflection. But that's just me. These two go full swing into the lifestyle, taking classes, because they're just super dot the i's cross the t's kind of guys, and go off into the sunset in bliss.

There's a dangle for the next book but I'm not sure I'll go along for the ride. This was like reading the diary of your most boring cousin. You still love them but you don't need to know about that day they reorganized their sock drawer. Also I didn't care for this sort of present tense continuous? thing the author had going. shrug On the plus side this is one more book to add to my growing Vanilla Kink shelf. I'm not sure that's a good thing.

This didn't work for me, and I'm probably in the minority, but it might for someone who wants zero angst, conflict, and a super cautious, and perhaps inaccurate, peek into kink. It has likable characters, it's well formatted, and has a cute cover.

***3.75This another “already in my Kindle” purchases and I paired it with the Audio, by [a:Bryce Chadwell 15249138 Bryce Chadwell https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] which needs some polish or editing to fix some bugs, but they're not egregious. The story is a bit of an oddity: a world populated by beastly Alphas who toil and grunt in mines and fight in their off time for “fun” or for the right to mate with Betas. There is a capital city where things are more civilized, but in the outer confines, think the mythical Wild West, it's all brutality and strife with no Betas in sight. Harsen, a runty Alpha, somehow finds himself pregnant, unwilling to be changed he runs and finds refuge with Kemper, a lonely Beta, who has himself fled an abusive relationship. Overall I liked this take on mpreg. It serves as comment on domestic abuse and the function of society in taming humanity's boorishness, while also sucking us into a harsh and unforgiving landscape. Don't expect roses, romance, or words of love. Survival, a kind touch, and sexual compatibility are all that's needed to forge ahead. It works. I would be amenable to see some epilogue about how these two have fared but my imagination will have to do.

This is a combined review of Audio & the bookI'm thinking it's more like 2.5 for the poor audio, but the story was holding at a respectable 3.5 when one of the MCs, Owen, did the stupid talk at around 90%, luckily it was brief, but the author seems to side with him. No. Just no. It'll have to be 3.00.This book started out promising and then it just ... fizzled out? I dunno. The first half spent too much in the MCs heads, with a “is he gay?”, “will they, won't they” inner monologues. We also get a lot of promises of what Owen is like as a lover, a big bear who will pull you apart and lovingly put you back together, and I guess he is but he's also wee bit of a “woe is me” navel gazer. Colin, on the other hand is pretty much as billed, a Mark Zuckerberg type, though I prefer to think a blond Jack Dorsey, super smart, always too much going on in his head, which spills out at inappropriate times, and I kind of loved him. He accidentally lands in Owen's backyard and is pretty much the sole reason to read this book. There are some sexy times, an idyllic coastal Maine town, and a few colorful locals. There are also some unwelcome comments from the MCs about women and vaginas in general, nothing too horrible though, but still annoying. As for the audio, I absolutely hated it. I actually stopped listening halfway through in order to salvage the story. [a:Noah Michael Levine 7056713 Noah Michael Levine https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] makes Owen sound like some stodgy retiree reading something he disapproves of, and while [a:Chris Chappell 13037199 Chris Chappell https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] fares better with Cole, it feels more like an audition read. There is minimal to zero emotion infused in any of this and needless to say it makes the sex scenes sound like a laundry list. Big loss.

Along with [b:Vicious 30839185 Vicious (Sinners of Saint, #1) L.J. Shen https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1481945407s/30839185.jpg 51437887] this was my favorite of this quartet. The same dual P.O.V. narrated by [a:Savannah Peachwood 15436851 Savannah Peachwood https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] and [a:Christian Rummel 2725838 Christian Rummel https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1532289458p2/2725838.jpg] works like gangbusters, mostly because the characters are more interesting, their problems relatable, and also more believable. Trent is one of the fourth of the Hot Holes, and the outline of his life has been seeded throughout the other book. He's the biracial kid from the wrong side of the tracks who made in to the inner circle due to his sports prowess, though it didn't take hime as far as he hoped. In the end if was his smarts and the fierce, almost brutal, loyalty of his friends that landed him a millionaire partner in FHH (Fiscal Heights Holdings), the company they all founded. Being a wealthy, tall, handsome, former football player means Trent has been around the block more than once, one of those trips has made him the single dad of Luna, an adorable four year old, who chooses not to speak. Challenging. Edie is 18 and the daughter of Trent's business partner. Trent hates him, for good reason, and by extension he has some ideas about Edie. It turns out they're all wrong. As fate would have it Luna takes a shine to Edie, bringing her into Trent's orbit, and sparks fly. Delicious. The age difference between the H/h is never weird, it feels right. Because of her family Edie has had to grow up fast, she's the kind of kid who's had to be a parent to her parent and is carrying way too much on her shoulders, but manages not to come off saintly, just a fighter. I liked her. Trent and Edie complement each other in every aspect and their imperfect perfect HEA gave me all the feels. Sweet.

4.5Like the previous installment, I did this in audio form, and as such I had fun with it. [a:Savannah Peachwood 15436851 Savannah Peachwood https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] and [a:Christian Rummel 2725838 Christian Rummel https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1532289458p2/2725838.jpg] do a fine job with the characters and I had a blast. The rest are details. **DETAILS*Dean Cole is one of the self described Hot Holes from Todos Santos, “the richest town in California”, that the LeBlanc sisters met when their parents moved to California 10 years ago. Like her older sister, Rosie has all sorts of objections to the lifestyle of the rich, or filthy rich in this case, while “somehow” always managing to land in their orbit and fall in love with them. Rosie is living in the apartment she and Emilia occupied in NYC, which makes her Dean's neighbor. She's a free spirit, works as a barista, volunteers at a neonatal clinic, and wears band t-shirts. Quirky, right? She only pays $100 dollars rent in a luxury building but somehow manages to have no money to fly out to her sister's wedding and is throwing a fit over accepting a $200 upgrade to make a direct flight. I know NYC is expensive but ... nope, this is a bit fantastical. It seems to me that the author makes too much of the saintliness of these girls because they don't have money and “don't care about it”, and yet they're true loves are conveniently billionaires. Sure. Why not. *shrugDean, and a later appearance by Vicious, saved this book for me. He's foul mouthed, self-aware, self-critical, and yet vulnerable. Dean and Vicious are obverse sides of the same coin, even though allegedly they're the least close of the group, perhaps that is because they're the most alike. Dean has a pretty interesting back story and it surprised me. Overall I had a great time and you will too (with the AB), just squint your eyes at all the unbelievable stuff and Rosie's sometimes annoying opinions & comments.

What an odd little read, and I found it in the strangest place, my Kindle!

This is not a romance. Rather it's the story, a sad one, of a very sick man. Interesting writing and nice play with the audience's P.O.V.

The short story is I enjoyed this bit of nonsense, particularly because of the narrators. Namely [a:Christian Rummel 2725838 Christian Rummel https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1532289458p2/2725838.jpg], who sounds like he's related to Sebastian York (that's a good thing), and [a:Savannah Peachwood 15436851 Savannah Peachwood https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] less so, she sometimes sounds a bit breathy, or maybe that's just the character. It's a story we've all read in some guise or other, but you may still be entertained by one more iteration. No one was hurt while listening to this book. My commute time was a happy one.The Long StoryThis is the first in a series about four, possibly five, a#*holes. Good times.In this installment we have the story of Barron “Vicious/Vic” Spencer and his relationship with Emilia “Milly” LeBlanc. The story is told in dual P.O.V., alternating chapters, and jumps between 10 years ago, when the characters were seniors in high school, and present day.Vicious, his name is an homage to his perceived personality and his Sid Vicious look, though I had in mind Carl Barât from The Libertines, in any case our Vic is a grade-A prick, almost verging on sociopath territory. Of course he has “reason”: terrible father, step mother physical abuse & dead mom etc. and there's some validity to his grievances, but he's also just your garden-variety, entitled boy/man, who assorts women into two categories: disposable receptacles to pleasure him and The One he likes. He's also a shit to his friends. They have a Fight Club type thing going called Defy, in which they beat each other bloody, again for “reasons”. He's not warm and cuddly by any stretch of the imagination and yet he was the character I liked the most. He was honest, even if brutally so, and didn't wallow in self pity. Though he fights it, once he realizes what he wants, he doesn't fight it, even though it's against everything he thought about himself or his future. I appreciate that. He made me laugh.Our Emilia on the other hand, though dressed in the garb of an artist, has none of these traits. She lacks agency, things “happen to her”, she takes forever to admit to sexual desire, or anything else. The story falls back on the conventionality of a hundred bodice rippers where the hero has to grovel to soothe the heroine's ego and not just to prove he's sorry. I also feel like the story relies on what I call “poverty porn” to paint the heroine as saintly and the monied class as crass, evil, or shallow. I kind of found it hard to believe in Emilia's level of poverty, given her education, where she lives, her looks etc. also this notion that Vicious needs a scholarship for college when his dad is ultra loaded doesn't fly But despite all of my griping, which you can ignore, these are more like personal notes. Just get carried along with these lovebirds on their rocky road to HEA. I had a good and I'll surely do the rest because they're on audio and I'm an audio junkie.

... ... ... ... my toenails are dry, yay! oh and this story is over too ...So here's the thing, I don't have anything horrible to say about this book. It's a nice, low angst story about two post-college guys who used to play on rival hockey teams during high school. That's the extent of the purported rivalry and it may be part of the problem: unmet expectations. I rarely read the blurbs, not really, and I'm cool with being surprised by how the story progresses, but when you have a name like Rivals and a cover with two guys who seem to be twins (hello twincest!), or brothers, or maybe even the same person a gal gets expectations. Sue me. I was a bit bored.The narration is by [a:Derrick McClain 13845656 Derrick McClain https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1431050448p2/13845656.jpg] and that too was ‘fine' but not enough to rescue the story from the blah

Right of the bat I must make it clear that this is NOT m/m romance or erotica, rather it's a collection of short male erotic fiction written by men and from a male perspective. Overall I really enjoyed them and the audios were uniformly good. As a plus most of these stories were written in the 80's and 90's and it's interesting going back to pre internet/social media relationships and some even touch Vietnam War veterans.
My ratings are just rambling opinions based on what I remember as I consumed these in small doses and I'd recommend you do too. Some, even the shortest ones, pack a punch that should be digested slowly.

The Hit by Steven Saylor a.k.a Aaron Travis / AB by Christian Noble 4.5 stars
This is a dark and gritty tale about a bell boy, Kip, who gets what he wants from an unsavory hotel guest and then way more than what he bargained for. Up to about 90% of the story I was angry as hell and plotting revenge scenarios but by the end I felt righteous vindication. The writing never relents or softens to appease the reader and thank f@ck for that. I understand there are two more entries in the adventures of Kip and I intend to seek them out.

Citre et Trans by Samuel Delaney / AB by Stefan Rudnicki No rating because this was an excerpt from a larger book and I can't say if it's representative of the whole.

The Trade by Lars Eighner / AB by Stefan Rudnicki 4.00
A funny and horrifying piece, with a touch of sci-fi, that flips the script on the fear homophobes claim to have of gay folks. What if heterosexuality, the ugly version, can be transmitted like a disease?

Indio by Al Lujan / AB by Mirron Willis 3.00

The Queen of Exit 17 by Ernie Cornick / AB by Stefan Rudnicki 4.5
An bittersweet and beautiful story about finding love, even if it's ephemeral, in the most unexpected place and with people you'd otherwise not give a second glance to.

The Maltese Dildo by Adam McCabe / AB by Steve Hoye 5.00
I freakin' loved this story and it's exactly what you imagine: a clever, witty, and sizzling retelling of that other story, complete with hardboiled PI. The nice twist at the end had me laughing like a loon.

A Puja to Ganesha by Simon Sheppard / AB by Mirron Willis 4.00
A meditation on grief, loss, and letting go of what we can't control. Touching, heartbreaking, and uplifting.

Semen in a Bullet by Scott / AB by Jeff Paul 3.00
A tale of unrequited love dressed up in an erotic romp.

Spurt by Kevin Killian / AB by Stephen Hoye no rating/it didn't linger in my memory

Champagne Tastes on a Crystal Budget by Gary Rosen / AB by Stefan Rudnicki 4.00
Sadly a well know tale about party boys who are going to do just one more trick, and then another, and another etc. An endless cycle fueled by crystal an a sort of incestuous circle of friends and acquaintances.

Dr. Fell by Michael Bronski / AB by Richard Brewer 5.00
Dark and almost relentlessly sad, but no less compelling. A man remembers his former boyfriends and partner, now deceased, their sexual practices cutting/blood play and the love they shared. I liked the story and the literary device used to tell it: an essay and a diary about writing said essay.

Calcutta by Bob Vickery / AB by Steve Hoye 4.00

Sink by Matthew Bernstein Sycamore / AB by Stefan Rudnicki 3.00
Erotic comedy.

Sunday by Dan Taulapapa McMullin / AB by Mirron Willis 3.00

Queer Punk by Bob Vickery / AB by Richard Brewer 5.00
Dirty, gritty, and truly punk in spirit. There's no love here but certainly a good and unapologetic f#@k. Bravo.

That's Awful, That's Nothing by Wade Kreuger / AB by Mirron Willis 2.50
Just guys talking.

In This Corner by Charles Flowers / AB by Stephen Hoye 3.00
A guy fantasizes about Oscar de la Hoya. Fitting.

The Whole Bloody Story of My Life from Beginning to End by Shaun Levin / AB by Stephen Hoye 4.00
Funny, sexy, and poignant.

In Deep by Simon Sheppard / AB by Stefan Rudnicki 4.00
Sexual tourism with dose of danger, courtesy of “the mysterious stranger”. A case of ‘careful what you're looking for'.

It's Never Too Late in New York by Nelson George / AB by Nelson George 3.5
I liked this little snippet, but again it's part of a whole and I'm not quite too sure how it fits in to this collection.

High Risk by Bob Vickery / AB by Ian August 3. 00

Excerpt from “The Sluts” by Dennis Cooper / AB by Stefan Rudnicki no rating because as part of a novel, which I don't is meant to be erotic, more like American Psycho, I can't form an opinion based on this piece alone

Blue Light by Steven Saylor/Aaron Travis / AB by Stefan Rudnicki 4.00
A very nice turning of the tables on a “stud” with a paranormal touch. My rating isn't higher because the audio cuts off when things are getting good! I ended up buying the story separately in order to finish reading it.

3.5

A bite size morsel to while away an hour. Suspend disbelief and enjoy.

I hoped it would veer into the bad/wrong territory but it barely flirts with the notion. Rather it's just your everyday, lost-in-life, 22 year old lusting after his former step-dad with a side order of daddy kink. Sweet. And pretty hot.

I liked that Logan is no virginal twink by any stretch of the imagination. he's even into fisting, though not on pageHe knows what he wants, what he likes, what he needs, and to an extent he's the teacher at the outset of the relationship. Craig is harder to swallow, pun intended, he's a bit of a pill. Also his turnaround or learning curve from hetero guy, to gay or bi, to gay kink aficionado is pretty quick. Like a day. Anyway I can ignore all logic for a quick and tasty entry to the spank shelf. You should too. You won't regret it.

ps. I could've done without the epilogue but I also don't hate it. shrug

I confess myself surprised. This being the third foray into this world [a:Drew Hayes 268858 Drew Hayes https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1544587408p2/268858.jpg] could've just cruised on autopilot and I'm sure I would've been suitably entertained, however he chooses to go deeper. This installment explores the widening or deepening of Fred's character: who is he when it matters? what is it to really be brave? the nature of chosen family etc. and he approaches these themes with humor and generosity of spirit. I'm delighted to have been derailed by this series, and the narration by [a:Kirby Heyborne 2740918 Kirby Heyborne https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1361505917p2/2740918.jpg] continues to be perfect.

Well this is what happens when I go scrolling around in Audible. sigh I'm not mad at all. I'm loving this series, but there goes my “reading plan” and my credits and we're barely in January! And yet ... I wholeheartedly recommend this series.

This second installment surprised me. In a good way. While it continues in the same vein of “individual” comic adventures, somewhere along the line it goes deeper. The characters grow in emotional depth, and concepts like “chosen family”, love, or what it even means to be alive are broached artfully and without preachiness. I don't want to spoil anything but I'll just say that Albert and Gideon are characters in completely opposite ends of the spectrum but just as compelling. Quite a feat.

Let's hear it for the B-Team, accountants, beta heroes, unbreakable bonds of friendship, and finding your tribe.

I'm forging ahead, broke, but happy.

As usual I'm late to the party but this was a much needed breath of fresh air.Fred used to be a more than mild mannered and somewhat overweight accountant until one day he found himself part of the undead. The thing is vampire or not, besides weight loss and enhanced abilities, he's the same Fred and that's a beautiful thing. The book is told in a series of vignettes that Fred is writing for “posterity” and in each Fred acquires knowledge about the other paranormal creatures that inhabit our world and picks up a chosen family along the way: Krystal, Fred's former high school classmate, now a kick-ass agent for The Agency, and an unexpected love interest, Albert, the sweetest zombie accounting assistant ever, Bubba etc. But most of all there's Fred who's nerdtastic and makes accounting heroic. I loved it! Super fun. I feel like I'm burying the lead. I did this as an audio by [a:Kirby Heyborne 2740918 Kirby Heyborne https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1361505917p2/2740918.jpg] AMAZEBALLS. You won't regret it.

I usually don't like reviewing bundles because duh? they're a mixed bag and the rating ends up being rounded out. I'll try.This is the story of four brothers who own an insurance brokerage office and also belong to a BDSM club for gay men called Bound and Controlled and how they each find their special someone. Generally I liked it, mostly because I did this as an audio/book combo and [a:Kenneth Obi 17596815 Kenneth Obi https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] has a perfect pitch for these stories, though he does seem to give the subs in D/s stories and almost childlike tone, or is it the story? Dunno. But I don't hate it and his voice works for me. I paced these out over the last week and it wasn't a chore, on the contrary. It was a nice and soothing way to ease in to the New Year. These are the MOST vanilla BDSM stories. They're kind of like a Disney or Hallmark version of a kink lifestyle complete with parents who were in a D/s relationship, and sons who not only each grew up to be gay, but also kinky. What are the odds? We get a little bit of everything. A buffet of kink lite.Here is a less than scientific or exact rating for each book:The Owners 0.5 3.00Nothing earth shattering but it does it's job well, which is to set up the other stories without being too expository. We get to see or meet the principals of the next books through the eyes of Ben and Conner, the owners of Bound and Controlled, and it kind of makes you curious about their story. “Garrett” Bk.1 3.75Wyatt is a furniture designer, specifically kink furniture and he has the hots for Garrett, who he's been eyeing at B&C (Bound and Controlled). Garrett is a Dom but he's pretty oblivious to things that aren't hitting him over the head, which kind of gave me pause to believe in his Dom abilities. But that's just me. Wyatt is pretty shy and skittish but he does the brave thing and goes after his man in the only way he can. He purchases small business insurance from Garrett's company thereby letting him know what he's into and voilà, the big lug figures it out. After that we're off to the races. Both Wyatt & Garrett are on the same page that they want a more “lifestyle” D/s relationship and it's just a matter of Wyatt trusting that Garrett won't balk or find his neediness too much. As a plus the other brothers and they're friend Calen, hovering in the background, provide comic relief and moral support. A running gag throughout the books is the men/boys' fear of their meddling mother, their absolute inadequacy in the kitchen, and the fear of one brother stealing the other's munchies. It's cute. “Brent” Bk.2 2.75I didn't hate this. I just didn't believe in the romance or the roles of the two MCs as D/s. A pity because a good, long time friends to lovers story always has room to explore relationships that were once one thing and in time have turned, even without our conscious thought. This missed the mark. Brent is another of “the brothers” and for variety's sake he's a sub, except he doesn't have or affect a twink vibe, body, or persona. In his personal life he's rather take charge, deliberate, and in control. Calen is a friend and colleague and also a particular kind of Dom. Their relationship could've been the most interesting given Calen's preferences and the aforementioned friendship, but I just never believed the sudden love. The attraction? Maybe. If I'm being generous. But I don't know that I trust the long term viability of the relationship, which I don't mind, but is what we're being sold. shrug In any case this installment does move forward the previous story and pushes along the next one so ... no harm done. “Grant” Bk.3 3.75Carter was introduced in Bk.1 as Wyatt's friend. He owns and antique store and is plagued by a bevy of old cronies who know way too much about “alternative lifestyles” and loving nothing more than to gossip and matchmake. Carter is also an unabashed femme boy who wears make-up and clothing from the women's section and looks gorgeous doing so. He's been interested in a D/s relationship, though not lifestyle like Wyatt, but has never tried anything and doesn't even get to date much because his dates seem to be turned off by his external presentation. They want the femme boy but only in the bedroom. A##holes. The romance Gods are on his side because via Wyatt he meets Garrett's siblings, among them Grant, who looks like a biker but has a predilection for “pretty things”. They're a match made in heaven. The crux of the book is Carter learning to trust that Grant really wants him exactly as he is, in public and in private. Reader, he does! I really liked this but I would've wanted Grant to be perhaps a little more Dom? I know he was easing Carter in but maybe just one more notch in the belt and it would've been a solid 4. There was perhaps a bit too much of the “funnies” with the food business. But Carter was gorgeous. hearts“Bryce” Bk.4 4.00Because you can tell this series was plotted and thought out in advance, we end the series with Bryce's story, which was already been hinted at in the prequel, and alluded to in the other novellas. Ladies and Gents enter Fantasy Island. happy dance Bryce is a switch and he's found his perfect balance with Troy and Oliver, an established D/s couple, who've been looking for a third! What better for Bryce than to be able to submit to Troy, a kind of Norse God, thankfully not gorgeous, just built, and have Oliver, who's a bundle of energy in need of two masters. Heaven. I really liked this final installment, partly because I think we, the readers, had been getting glimpses into this growing relationship so it doesn't feel like it sprang from nothing. Personally I can see how Bryce, though being a Dom, albeit on the lighter side, would need that space to just be carefree and Troy fits that bill. He's dominant but utterly caring. This book also brings full circle Garrett & Wyatt's story and some extras too.

4.00 for the AB // 4.5 for the storyBaseball is long gone, football season is almost over, and now is the time for hockey. This book will set you right up.The audio is by [a:Sean Crisden 4531094 Sean Crisden https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/m_50x66-82093808bca726cb3249a493fbd3bd0f.png], who I know has legions of fans, and I can see why. I liked the narration very much. The voices for the MCs are clear and distinctly defined, the women are non-campy or cartoonish (which I always fear), in general everything was very pleasant if a bit rushed, and those were my stumbling blocks. The story is told in a dual P.O.V. style, in alternating chapters. I don't know if it was inspired by the character of Ten, who's young, or the writing, but the narration, particularly in the Ten chapters, has a breezy, chit chatty, almost rushed quality, to the point where, at least in the beginning, the emotions seem to be brushed over or elided. I don't know. However once Ten & Mads become an item things, narration-wise, settle to a better pace IMO. As I said I liked most of the choices Sean Crisden made except for that initial speed, which to me, seemed to dilute or diminish the real upheaval, conflict, or turmoil the characters are going through. My final point on the audio is that to my ears SCs voice is maybe a bit old for Ten, who's 22, but then again these are hockey players, “fifteen going on thirty” physique-wise, so take that with a grain of salt. The Book:Tennant Rowe is the youngest of three hockey playing Rowe brothers. At 22 he's looking for a way to get out from under the long shadow of his siblings and the opportunity comes when he gets traded to the Harrisburg Railers, an NHL expansion team, with a still untested roster. What he also gets in Harrisburg is Jared Madsen.Jared “Mads” Madsen is 32, a former defensive player who due to health issues has transitioned into coaching. He still misses playing but has made the best of his options. He's also the father of Ryker, a 17 year-old hockey prodigy, product of some youthful experimentation. And yep, he's bi. I like Jared mucho. Clearly, from the beginning, the authors meant to write a multivolume series and this first book quite nicely sets up a world of friends, family, coworkers, teammates etc. which I won't mind revisiting. They've also cleverly positioned the story within the margins of quite a few tropes: sports, friend of a sibling, coming out, being bi, family dynamics, size difference (a little bit), and age gap. It's absolutely not May/December because there's only 10 (ten) years between our MCs and culturally that isn't much nowadays, regardless of what Mads thinks. Overall this is a low-angst and, much to Ten's chagrin, slow-burn romance. The last time they'd seen each other Ten was 12 and clearly there was nothing, however upon meeting once again there's a spark of lust which in time morphs into something more.Save for Mads' quasi ex father-in-law there are no villains or behind the scenes connivers and I think that fits. Whether they're more cognizant of acceptable mores or have just grown up in a different world, younger people are less likely to be tripped up by someone's sexuality. As for owners & management of sports teams they know where the political winds blow. This doesn't mean that the real downside of coming-out in professional sports is glossed over or candy coated. There are just no hysterics. Just the facts ma'am. Many of the things I liked about this story are will perhaps put others off. The road from lust to love develops at a believable pace. “I love yous” aren't bandied about at the drop of a hat or after the first week of lustful eyeing. Those who want a play-by-play of every encounter by the MCs might be disappointed. I wasn't. There's quite a bit of sport and it's very well done. The authors know their hockey, locker room culture, game dynamics, players and their psyche. I liked that the relationship developed over a few months, the pre-season to just over Thanksgiving, and there are other things going on in the MCs lives, besides the romance, that are equally addressed. Mads' relationship with his son, his son's grandfather, his conflicting emotions about no longer being able to play, his lust, and eventual love for the younger brother of one of his friends are given pretty much equal time because like in RL things overlap. Ten doesn't suddenly cease wanting to be first line because he's also lusting and falling in love with Mads; having the hots for a certain defensive coach doesn't diminish Ten's competitive drive or desire to be the best, to win. Ten can love hockey, Mads, having Skype piano-playing sessions with his mom, and evolve his Pokémon beasties at the same time. Real life. Worry not those who love the smexy times. We have them. True that at first Mads, for valid reasons, limits their interaction to kissing, heavy petting, and some handjobs or frottage, which are plenty hot. Mads is in control but equally gobsmacked by the wonder of Ten, and I was happy that other than getting his son's opinion, he wasn't overly hung up on the age difference. Once they've reached the end of their respective tethers things get beyond lust to outright romantic, in a non-cloying way:“Mads kissed me. I blossomed under his mouth and hands. All this time I'd thought I was so experienced and such a top notch lover, but Mads showed me that making love to someone was vastly different from simply fucking someone.”Heart eyes I can see going on with this series, because though technically it ends in a HEA, there's lots more to be covered as to where the relationship goes and how things evolve, careerwise, especially for Ten. I know the other books have different MCs but I'm optimistic that in the mix we get more of Mads & Ten. I like them. They complement each other in the best ways.

3.75 for the story. The audio is maybe 2.00, if I'm being generous, but the less said about it the better.Sorry. I had to go get a drink to cut a bit of this treacle pudding. I like pudding but I'm partial to a bit of tart, however this being Christmas I'll be nice. It's not a chore. Not really.If you read the blurb (I didn't) you pretty much get the gist of the story, except Kit's whole elfdom is not really all that. He was working as a seasonal elf/Santa helper and left for home straight off work which is why, when he meets Nick, he's still wearing his elf garb. He's not wearing it for long. As for Nick you'll guess pretty immediately what his plans are when he crosses paths with Kit. Keaton “Kit/Kitten” Jeffries is 22 and seems to have sprung from some idyllic pollyanna family (think Kenneth from “30 Rock”), apparently they don't even have cell phones?!?! his speech is peppered by “gee-gosh”, “poopie”, and “golly” but he's not a pushover, he's cool under pressure and a very talented artist. Oh and did I mention he's also a V-card carrier? Nick St. George, yep that's his name, is 32, owns an art gallery and IMO is a bit of a whinny baby. He did have some BAD things happen to him vis-à-vis his parents, and I do feel for him, but it would seem to me he also had some good fortune along the way, both financial and with people in his life, so maybe he's just having a moment of crisis? Let's hope so. Both MCs are having a fairly emotional day. Like in all Holiday novellas everything happens pretty quickly, in this case like a day, which is a bit much for the life changing events that transpire, but what do I know about the human heart? I did like that the ending is more of a hopeful HFN, which is believable in relation to the time span of the story, and the message of acceptance, particularly of oneself, never goes amiss. As for the sexy parts there really aren't any, aside from kissing, despite the MCs being naked in a bed at one point. Everything happens off page. I didn't mind. I would recommend this as an uplifting & positive Holiday read but I would absolutely caution AGAINST the the audio edition. The narrator is [a:Donald Tursman 13763061 Donald Tursman https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png], new to me, and I don't know that I'd try him again on the strength of this outing. He does the story no favors. On the technical side it seemed to have been recorded in a bathroom or someone's closet. On an unrelated note: I'm not a fan of the cover. It makes this seem more like a romp and it's not really, particularly not for Nick.

I have to ponder this. Review to come soon. I swear.

I came to this because I love getting short ABs to fill a couple of hours and though I do like Derrick McClain sometimes he doesn't work for me. I'm thrilled that on this occasion he was excellent because the story deserves it. L.B. Gregg is a “new-to-me” author and I'll definitely try more.

This is the story of Luke and Winter, a case of opposites attract who turned out to be a perfect couple until they weren't. Winter is one of those company fixers, think Richard Gere in Pretty Woman, who travels for his work. Luke, his younger partner, is fine with staying back and keeping the homefires burning until Winter makes a unilateral decision to move to Germany, which Luke isn't having and they separate. The book opens with Winter trying to reconnect after some months of separation and suitably progresses, as befits a Holiday romance, to their reconciliation by Christmas. This summary may sound clinical but I felt that it was beautifully done, but more importantly, believable.

What I loved about this story is a long list, but primarily I liked that it's a story about adults in an established relationship and that neither the author nor the characters shy away from what that might mean. The author doesn't pretty-up a CEO like Winter. He is ruthless, pragmatic, and used to getting his way. Though he comes around and apologizes, beautifully, to Luke for how he's behaved as pertains to their relationship and we, as readers, are confident that Luke will be well loved and taken care of, we're also sure that Winter will continue to be the successful businessman with all that entails. For his part Luke is honest enough to recognize his powerlessness in the presence of a Winter who wants him back, to see where he himself has been at fault, wether by commission or omission, and more importantly to forgive and hold tight to the good thing they have and not dwell on his hurts, perceived or real.

Those are the other BIG themes in this story: forgiveness, true love, and, more importantly, the willingness to alter or modify our dreams and plans because sometimes, that other life is just as good, just as rewarding. It's just different. Sometimes we are so wrapped up in what we thought our life would be or look like that we can't see anything else, any other options, but they ARE there. And they're not bad.

As for the romance between Luke and Winter, to me, it felt real, lived in, and genuine. And still sizzling.

Well I guess I'm officially an [a:Eli Easton 7020231 Eli Easton https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1425767966p2/7020231.jpg] fan. Who knew? I really, really liked this and [a:Tristan Wright 8421246 Tristan Wright https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] does a wonderful job narrating. Win. Win. As per usual I didn't read the blurb, sold by the gorgeous cover, and I'm glad I knew nothing as I read/listened. If you're looking for hot, sweaty, and sexy this isn't it. This is more of a quiet romance between two absolutely beta guys, but it's not like they're schlubs. Toby is young and beautiful like any 24 year-old and Mr. Miggles, in spite of the whole “older guy” rep, is only some 10 years older and keeps the tall trim fit of a former basketball player, but there is no macho posturing, they're not super buff or anything close. Like good librarians they're good at looking up stuff they don't know and, in Toby's case, asking for help when needed. Isn't that refreshing. I really liked all of the community dynamics, the folks who use the library, and Toby's family. The Bad Thing that happens took me by surprise, as I was settled in for a gentle romance, and then I got pissed off, but not at the book. I felt that Mr. Miggles was too readily believed suspect & shamefully treated by the police not because of the crime he was accused of committing but because of who he is/was. A gay man. Chief Brubaker is quick to arrest him, and as Toby says : "... why did he have to handcuff Mr. Miggles at the library? There was an element of purposeful subjugation about it that made me sick." It made me sick and ragey too. I don't feel that those who rushed to believe the accusation, were apologetic or contrite enough towards Mr. Miggles, and the subject wasn't broached, rather it got folded in to a town board politics scheme, which ... meh. My last niggle is that Tristan Wright, though he gets everyone else perfect, IMO, overdoes, just a tad, Mr. Miggles' voice as an older person. He' really not that old, 34 maybe?What kept my heart warm was the sweet and playful banter between Mr. Miggles and Toby, Toby's literary references and how much he loves his family and how certainly they love him. There's no angst about being gay, in spite of this being a sort of small town story. Yippee!!!

Maybe this wasn't for me? Maybe next Christmas it will work better? Who knows. I know there's an audience out there for this and in the spirit of the season 3**, but if I'm honest it took me way too long to read this short novella. I felt no qualms in putting it down and wasn't in a hurry to get back to it.

Overall it was harmless but overly chatty in the telling, for my taste. It's a rom-com, in the best and worst sense: meet cute, big misunderstanding, “don't talk to me”, “oh, that's what's happening?”, other big misunderstanding, kookiness ensues. Happy Ending.

The why of the insta attraction/love between the MCs, other than physical, was never apparent, and the flirting with taboo is just coyness. No kinkiness or taboo in sight.

The cover is very colorful and cute and Miles' family is quite nice until you stop to think about the whole Beth situation. *shrug Surely I'm putting too much though into a fun Christmas story, so just ignore me and have fun with it.

I seriously loved this. It was a heartfelt story that, though satisfying in the romance department, was primarily about family and familial love.

The Coleman and Sweeney families have been friends for years and as such have shared Holidays and vacations, interweaving their lives and those of their kids. Garrett Coleman got a best friend in Rory Sweeney and in time a lifelong crush on Finn Sweeney, Rory's older brother. Life's slings and arrows have kept the families apart for a few years but it's now Christmas and they're back to spending the holiday together in a cabin filled with memories.

Garrett is now an adult, a successful dancer, and an out and proud gay man and he's decided that the torch he carried for Finn Sweeney is not only undeserved but he's over it, if only his heart got the memo. Meanwhile Finn, having not laid eyes on Garrett in years, begins to see him as a person other than Rory's BFF who was always underfoot. In fact Finn had always noticed Garrett as the sensitive and watchful kid he was, but nothing more, and I was sooooo glad for that.

This whole story is about new beginnings, but buttressed by the past. Garrett's family is getting a chance to breathe again and Garrett, though hesitant at first, allows his heart to open to Finn and something new.

I really like everything about this: the family relationships felt real, lived in, Garrett's hurt & feeling of holding his breath, only to finally open to Finn, let him in. goose bumps And Finn was perfect in his bumbling imperfection. He was a guy trying to figure out what he was missing, stumbling and flailing sometimes, but never with malice and then that gift sigh Also did I mention he's ginger? Yep. Yes he is. :D

On a separate note this is my second snow globe centric story along with [b:Winter Oranges|26117781|Winter Oranges|Marie Sexton|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1440206105s/26117781.jpg|46064738]. I'm on a roll. LOL

What a wonderful surprise! In a sea of Christmas stories a perfectly nice and well balanced Hanukkah nugget.

Lucas is a college freshman whose been through more than most. As the winter break approaches he's feeling a bit lonely and dejected, but lucky for him his roommate is Sam Kramer. When Deanna, Sam's mother (love her!) comes to pick-up Sam for winter break and realizes Lucas has nowhere to go there's no question that Lucas is coming home with them. At chez Kramers he ends up rooming with Nate, Sam's geeky & enigmatic brother, and the rest is Hanukkah goodness.

I alway love when authors get location right and this was extra special because it was NYC done right: from the Staten Island ferry rides to all the touristy outings Nate & Lucas get up to. The boys, though mature, behave age appropriate, which means lust, lust, lust. claps Due to life's curveballs Lucas hasn't had a chance to explore his sexuality and that's something Nate is more than happy to help him with. Conversely Lucas, just by his presence, makes Nate re-evaluate his choices and see that maybe there's a wider, more satisfying, world available to him. It's a beautiful thing.

Aside from the yumminess between a sweet virgin and the glasses-wearing hot geek, whose nothing but sexually confident, we get to spend time with the extended Kramer clan. It's great to see a recognizable modern family. They adhere to all of the Jewish traditions for the season while also eating take-out and watching football. And how awesome is brotastic Sam? Loved him.

It all ends in a very plausible HEA epilogue and I'm sure I'll run into these two on some museum visit or rushing off the train.

Apparently I'm doing a [a:Keira Andrews 1366040 Keira Andrews https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1409084048p2/1366040.jpg] survey course or I had a bunch of her Holiday novellas in my library. Whichever. I'm not mad.I think what I like the most of about Ms. Andrews' books are her characters. Everyone is nice. I mean that as a compliment. Even the villains are pretty much just thoughtless boors as opposed to outright evil, in other words ordinary people. Sure the MCs, like everyone in love/lust, think each other utterly attractive but that's not how she describes them. They're normal, regular folks. Imagine that. Ten years-ago David and Cole were step-brothers when their parents married for a hot minute, they haven't seen or been in touch since. That's about to change. Big time.David is heading on a Holiday break in hopes of injecting some spontaneity to his somewhat rigid life and he does. Just not exactly in the manner he'd planned. Cole, whose studying for a Master's Degree in Ottawa, has broken his hand and, at David's mom's suggestion, has David listed as his In Case of Emergency person. David ends up taking Cole along on his long weekend getaway. That old nugget forced proximity ensues due to weather, the presence of others, and Cole's quasi invalid state due to his broken hand. Fun. Fun. Fun.Of the two David is the one who has growing up to do or more like letting go. On the bright side he isn't a wishy washy person. Once he clears it in his mind he's all in for Cole. For his part Cole never had any issues but hoping for David to notice him. I like how Keira Andrew didn't belabor the “they were brothers” plot, because really the weren't. A filial relationship never had a chance to blossom. I like that once they came together there were no bumps but the inconvenience of Cole's hand cast and the epilogue was super sweet in that it brought it all together. A HEA for these cuties is well on its way.

The Christmas Bonanza continues!

Jason is a child actor who didn't transition well into the Hollywood adult world. Needing a break from the rat race he buys a house near Coeur d'Alene, Idaho claiming he's retiring, but in fact he's just tired and needs to regroup. His biggest problem is loneliness. He has no one special in his life and a non-existent relationship with his parents. The one guy he loves is his friend Dylan, but that hasn't progressed into more than a friends with bennies situation, and it breaks Jason's heart. He's so hungry for connection, for love, for companionship the need oozes off him.

His luck changes when he meets someone and doesn't even have to leave his house to do it. No, not through an app. There's a 20 year-old living in his guest house! Problem is this boy, Ben, is really living in a snow globe. Yep. His sister locked him in the globe to protect him and due to life's ups and downs he's been trapped in the globe for like 170 years. YEARS! His only way out is projecting his image outside but that image is insubstantial, like a hologram. The plus side is Jason can see Ben. The seeds of true love are sown.

I like how Marie Sexton sets up the realities/rules of the world of the globe and the parameters of Jason & Ben's interaction in and out of it and sticks by them. I think that she was really smart in giving Ben a life of sorts before he meets Jason Ben's a tv addict, I love it. It justifies Ben being abreast of the modern world and his ease with current mores & speech, it tones down a bit the babe in the woods aspect that would necessarily be part of a story involving one character from another time period propelled into the present.

I liked how the author worked out the possibility of intimate moments between the MCs in a way that was consistent with story and I liked the ultimate resolution, though I would've liked a little more about Ben's past, his origins. shrug Also, in what may be an unpopular opinion, I liked Dylan very much. He was who he was and was unapologetic about it. He's also a good and true friend proven even through the epilogue. Maybe he'll have his own story? I'd read it.