Annery

Before writing this I reread my previous reviews of books 1 & 2 in the series (and maybe a little or a lot of the books themselves) to make sure I didn't come off as a sycophantic nut. That ship has sailed but I did realize that I'd failed to mention that these should definitely be read in order. There. I said it. I guess better late than never. This is a series that absolutely builds on each previous installment and what a thing of beauty it is. starry eyed sighs If you need to break open your piggy bank or use a precious Audible credit to get the AB of this don't give it a second thought. Do it. Yes, I am feeling bossy today, but you'll thank me later. Once again [a:Hamish McKinlay 17402882 Hamish McKinlay https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] gives a flawless rendition of [a:Joanna Chambers 3080608 Joanna Chambers https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1448012889p2/3080608.jpg]'s perfect book. Am I going overboard with the superlatives? I don't think so. The point of romance, IMHO, is to go on a journey of discovery with a couple, or any denomination that floats your boat, from that first meeting, that first spark of awareness to seeing our lovers set on the road to their very own HEA, whatever that may mean to them. It just has to be honest. True. Believable within the world of the story. This checks all the boxes.We pick up six months after the events in book 2, and David has been recuperating at Laverock House, Murdo's Perthshire estate. Even though Murdo would like to wrap him in cotton gauze, idleness doesn't sit well with David and little by little he's begun sorting through the legal entanglements pertaining to Murdo's estate and business dealings. They're becoming a couple in all the ways that count, meshed in each other's lives not just sexually but in every meaningful corner. And that thrills and terrifies both men. They now know what they have. Something precious. Real. How to be satisfied when it must inevitably end? How to make it last? I love how JC shows David & Murdo living as a real couple, sharing not only a bed, passion, and sexual chemistry, but also working together, exchanging ideas, and supportive of each other's endeavours. Imagine that! How novel to have a healthy adult relationship in any genre. But don't worry about stultifying domesticity, the sexy times between these two are still scorching, I'd be tempted to say transcendent. I know I'm hoping Murdo can give me a liniment massage for my aching joints, if David can spare him of course.When the book starts both David and Murdo know that they want more. They want to stay together. But how can they even dream of that when their brand of love isn't even acknowledged, much less accepted? Fear not. You're in the hands of a talented writer, one with vision. I'd be loathe to ruin the story but I will say that JB knows that sometimes you have to explode your life to be able to start anew. A tabula rasa. The way in which they go about it is both fortuitous and inspired. There are sad endings and new beginnings, story lines from previous instalments are revisited and satisfactorily resolved; even David's drinking. He's a bit of a lush when he's feeling low. I loved seeing Murdo so gaga over David, wanting to protect him but at the same time proud of his achievements and acumen. And David getting to see the true Murdo, what makes him tick, what got him to be the man he is, wants to be. But what really shines in every sentence of this story is the true love between these two. The rightness of it. How they make each other whole. And what kind of world wants to deny this joy, this beauty? I refuse to live there. Here are some quotes that made my heart soar.“And right then, David felt a bolt of unexpected gratitude. Gratitude that he and Murdo were alive. Alive and together, now.A profound understanding settled on him of what it meant to be alive. What a privilege it was. What it meant to share the moments of his life – even difficult moments – with someone he loved. ... He lifted his head, knowing his face would give everything away. He didn't even try to disguise his feelings, though. He just let Murdo see it all, the despair and the grief, and the sharp, pressing desire. Because what was the point in hiding it? What was the point in having the gift of life – and the gift of knowing how precious it was – if he couldn't share it all with this man?”Or this“They watched each other like that for a long time, till the joyful expression on Murdo's face softened into something more reflective, almost poignant.‘I didn't know I wasn't happy before,' he murmured.‘Before what?'Murdo gave a lopsided smile. ‘Before you. Not that I was actively unhappy. I had plans. Objectives. Things to acquire or achieve. But –' He paused, then said simply, ‘You make me happy, David.'”leaky eyes. againMurdo's detestable father finally makes an appearance in the flesh. He's as horrible as advertised and dealt with accordingly. A fitting comeuppance for a real villain. I won't go on. I loved all of it. Deliriously. When I finished I kept going over and over in my head the things I liked/loved and why and then an aha! Moment happened when I realized that David & Murdo embody probably my favorite couples dynamic. One is older, larger, world-wise or weary, maybe a bit of a cynic and the other MC is perhaps more idealistic but not naive, with a strong ethical backbone, that can bend but won't break. They live in a world that's not always welcoming, but they manage to make a space of their own, without pretensions to Edenic perfection. Perhaps the prime example of this type of couple for me are Jake and Adrien from Josh Lanyon's Adrien English Series. When I say that David and Murdo reminded me of those two I mean it as the HIGHEST compliment. This scene, besides being swoon-worthy romantic, crystallized everything. Murdo is applying liniment and massaging David's leg: “David watched, unprotesting now, as his injured limb, pale and somewhat wasted still, was laid bare. ... He made a face, not liking the sight of his weakness. ... ‘What's wrong?' Murdo asked. He missed nothing, damn him, ‘I hate the look of it,' David said shortly. ‘It's ugly.' Murdo's brows drew together in a puzzled expression. He turned his head to the offending limb, caressing the length of it with his hands while David watched. ... ‘It's not ugly,' Murdo murmured. ‘Nothing about you could be ugly to me.'”When I read that I almost died because my mind immediately harked back to this passage from [b:The Dark Tide 13366989 The Dark Tide (The Adrien English Mysteries, #5) Josh Lanyon https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1353179773s/13366989.jpg 9219132] when Jake and Adrien finally get together after Adrien's open heart surgery:“He undid the last button, pushed the shirt back off my shoulders. He glanced down at my chest.‘Ugly, isn't it?'I heard the rough intake of his breath. ‘Is that what you think?'‘Oh it is,' I said easily. Somehow I knew the ugliness didn't frighten him any more than it frightened me. He bent his head and kissed the curve of my neck, said against my flushed skin, ‘Nothing about you could be ugly to me.'”Happy Dance/Happy Sighs It's like hearing echoes of a favorite song in a new one. It made me joyful and love this series harder.I'd recommend this to everyone and it will surely be one of my go to re-reads. Forever. Downside is now I'm afraid to jump into any other historical for fear of a let down. Problems of a Romance reader.

Good news! If you liked the last two books, “Drifting Sands”, “Crashing Waves” or even the third, “Roaring Waters”, you'll be reasonably happy with this brief holiday themed installment. The folks are all here and I do mean everybody.

It's been three years since the last book and Peter, Sally and their daughter Lily are living at Warfield Manor. Peter wants to gather all the near and dear ones around the Christmas hearth and he will get his wish and some extra too but first ... some bumps in the road. It makes sense. Life is full of ups and downs and to be fair that is something this author manages to capture fairly well.

The biggest snag is the rift that has come between our main couple, Justin & Marcus.
Dunno if it would be considered a spoiler to say but here goes: Marcus has asked Justin to marry him and Justin has said no. Knowing these folks from the last books I can't say that I was surprised or even really annoyed. I kind of understood Justin's reticence if not his reasons or the subsequent radio silence. Marcus has decided to stay in Atlanta, effectively bringing about a separation that's going on two months when Christmas rolls around. In the meantime he keeps busy working, and one assignment comes from Daisy Lee Brooks & Robert Brooks who find themselves not only estranged from Alexander, the son they had just recovered, but he also seems to be missing. In the meantime Justin broods, takes long walks on the beach, and cinematically misses Marcus but can't seem to put his ass in gear to get his man back or even call him. Why??? Adulting is hard but our man is 43. sigh

Meanwhile Damien and Robert are still together and apparently Damien has recovered from being the insufferable a#%hole he was in “Roaring Waters”. In fact he has turned out to be a real stand-up guy in Robert's time of need. These two are here to remind us of life's fleeting nature and they're quite touching.

Needless to say everyone does gather for Christmas at the Manor, families and couples are reunited and perhaps reconfigured, marriage proposals are made and accepted, some tears are shed, lots of hugs and kisses, cute kids, puppies, hot cocoa, presents, a surprise pregnancy, and true love among good people. It's all here plus a bag of chips.

I can't say I am/was an ardent fan of the series but this Christmas novella stays true to the spirit of the previous books. Make of that what you will and a Merry Christmas to all.

I read/listened to this last year and must have been in a grumpy mood? I'm not super versed in [a:Mary Calmes 3152411 Mary Calmes https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1473696272p2/3152411.jpg]'s style but I don't think this is too far off the mark and apparently I like it. In any case up one star because [a:Greg Tremblay 8108759 Greg Tremblay https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1484561919p2/8108759.jpg] deserves all stars.Charlie Ryder has been working for Leo Foster's construction company for three (3) years, making his way up the the ladder by learning every aspect of the business. What was he doing before? That's what Leo finds out at the beginning of this story and it sets in motion the events of the next couple of days. I'll say no more about the plot. I will say that I loved Leo, his family, and his work family too. Loved how blind/oblivious he is but will innately do the right thing. I loved that he's exactly what Charlie needs and how he doesn't even know he's in the running. I also think there's quite a bit of food for thought when you dwell on Charlie's former life, how young he was, and the events that transpired. Sadly I couldn't go 4 1/2 or 5 stars because, though I got that he had to act that way almost out of desperation in the face of Leo's obliviousness, the Charlie of the last act was too ... out of character? Dunno. He just didn't seem like the Charlie we'd been presented with during the rest of the story. Also I would've liked to know more about Charlie. Maybe adding another “day” so that things could develop more organically would've been better IMO. In any case I enjoyed it.

For me [a:Josh Lanyon 359194 Josh Lanyon https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1289326144p2/359194.jpg] novellas & short stories are a problem. I can never stop as just one, especially not with the added bonus of having [a:Jason Clarke 18581543 Jason Clarke https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] narrate them.To say this is only my second time reading this story would be an untruth. This story is a bonsai of things I love: relationship dynamics, old Hollywood, cold cases, murder mystery etc. To boot Jack & Tim are early versions of Adrien & Jake

I don't even know what to say about this. I was kind of not loving it, but I didn't get to decide one way or another because IT JUST ENDS AT 50%!!! The next half is advertising for other titles!Yep. Things were sort of ambling along when suddenly .... “sign up here for part 2” .... whaaat?I don't mind if something is short. I've paid for 30 pages. False advertising is just one of my pet peeves. Speaking of which, contrary to what the cover leads you to believe, there is but one, 3 stroke, school punishment paddling. There may be more of this in the next installment but I won't be around to find out. Don't care. This is doubly annoying because I did like [b:UnPrison 23591642 UnPrison Yamila Abraham https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1438667585s/23591642.jpg 43194228], [b:Warlord's Enigma 33414902 Warlord's Enigma Yamila Abraham https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1482121203s/33414902.jpg 54174724], and [b:The Eidolon's Conquest 28560965 The Eidolon's Conquest Yamila Abraham https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1452816955s/28560965.jpg 48721150]. It seems that maybe this author's strictly Yaoi ventures aren't for me.

3.5 Damn GR and it's lack of 1/2 stars

I enjoyed this and I'd recommend it to fill a couple of idle hours. It's a short read, the story actually ends at about 80%, about a two guys in a kidnap fantasy with testosterone flying hither and thither. Boys. snorts I can't say it's a ‘thing' for me, my only prior reading experience in that realm is Willing Victim by Cara McKenna (amazeballs) but that's really a whole other, less formal kind of play. (Loved it)

Our MC's, let's call them The Boxer and The Dom, reasons are set up on a play date by the Dom's matchmaking boss. They meet, sizzle, and burn everything around them. It was ... nice? Don't get me wrong, I did have to unbutton the top of my coat while on the train, but it all had a whiff of ‘set up for a series' feel, which I don't mind, but it did require the reader bringing a lot to the party: what brought The Boxer to this point? How or when did The Dom become a Dom? It all takes place that one day/night and then we skip ahead 6 months and ... I'll stop here. Don't want to ruin it. It was fun and it was free. End of story.

A special woozy heart for that cover! faints

I had one particular niggle, but it might be an entirely personal taste/idea kind of thing: The Dom is only 24 and The Boxer 30ish. That's cool. However the level of wisdom and also brokenness exhibited by The Dom stretched my credulity a bit. At 24 I was a dumb idiot. *Shrugs*

4.5In the second volume of the B-Sides Series we get the story of Richard Gold, Henry's friend from [b:The One Thing I Know 35693990 The One Thing I Know (B-Sides, #1) Keelan Ellis https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1500306027l/35693990.SY75.jpg 57182259], which is one of my favorite reads from last year. These could be read as stand-alones, but are absolutely complementary. Do yourself a favor and enjoy both. I really liked this book, though I'm not sure if you have to be past a certain age to really feel the story in your bones. This story is about new beginnings and second acts, about trying out a new skin when the old one no longer fits or does the job. “I was just thinking of how a person can get an idea in his head about who he is, and let it get so ingrained that it closes him off to so many other possibilities.”The story takes place in California in 1978. Richard is a former record producer and full time bon vivant. While in the midst of one of his regular sexual trysts he's interrupted by a phone call informing him of his father's death. While the news in itself isn't shocking, as his father was elderly, it does mark a before and after in Richard's life.Richard is a “been-there-done-that”, “do-your-own-thing”, “go-with-the-flow” kind of guy, very much a product of the late 60's early 70's California free-love culture. No shame in that and I'm happy that the author doesn't indulge in a moralistic repudiation of the era. However Richard is 43 and what worked before is now so much meaningless blah. Into this chasm comes Clifton Merriweather. Cliff's an attorney and the executor of the late Mr. Gold's estate. He also happens to be recently divorced and looking for something new. What new might mean is unclear to Cliff. He doesn't think of himself as gay, in fact the attraction to Richard is a complete anomaly on another level. “I think ... I've never felt the way other people seem to about this sort of thing. I mean, in general. I don't usually see people that way. Men or women. I don't see a beautiful woman and think about what I might want to do with her.”****“It takes a lot for me to be intimate with someone. It's not an easy thing for me, the way it is for you. It's not comfortable.”For his part Richard is feeling more and more detached from his everyday, like a spectator to his own life. He realizes that what he's been doing isn't cutting it anymore and Cliff might be his ticket to a new life too. WASP, private school, country club Cliff and freewheeling, rock ‘n' roll, Jewish Richard may be a winning combination. Cliff can tell Richard to shut it or rein it in when necessary, and Richard can help destarch Cliff's shirts. Though Cliff has zero experience with men he's no prude or shrinking violet. In fact he's willing and able to be the somewhat dominant partner Richard wants Cliff to be. Who new?I liked that this was a story of two adults and it developed accordingly. Aside from the original physical attraction there was no overwhelming insta-lust or sudden declarations of love; there were no histrionics, tantrums or miscommunication, there were no super human sex hijinks. These guys are 43 and 48! In fact I didn't realize, until my second read, that there was no penetrative sex on page. I didn't miss it. There was plenty of other sex and it was intimate and hot. I liked that [a:Keelan Ellis 13923273 Keelan Ellis https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1529410669p2/13923273.jpg] doesn't retroactively impose current mores, morals, and socio-political views on the era but keeps a clear eye on the future. I loved the author's sure grasp of time and place. I loved that though in the eyes of society Cliff is the one making a drastic change and taking a leap, Richard is on his own equally life altering journey. Reconciling his past to what his future can be, saying farewell to a former lifestyle while not completely shutting it out, in part because it's not what Cliff wants. I loved that by the end of the book these two have embarked on a decidedly non-white-picket-fences romance, but one that is absolutely suited to them. They're learning as they go along and would love to see more of them. Selfishly one my favorite things was a visiting with Henry & Terry five years into their relationship and seeing how they've evolved as a couple. I love the honesty that KE brings to Terry's sobriety, how it has not always been smooth sailing but rather a work in progress. I was insanely happy to see Henry growing into his talent as a musician. I think I may be a bit in love with them and that's partly because, though fictional, they're the people on whose shoulders the success of the modern LGB stands.When you're in the mood for an adult, realistic, low to zero angst romance this can definitely hit the spot, but I'd strongly recommend book one first. It will make this read a richer experience and I shamelessly waste no opportunity in pushing TOTIK. smooches

REREAD 8/18/23I've been in a sort of romance funk so I thought to myself that rereading/listening to a short classic would be just the thing and I couldn't have been more right. I won't add anything to my original review save to say that the fates had me read this story on 8/18 (completely arbitrarily) a date which has major significance in the story. I paired the reading with the audio by [a:Jason Clarke 18581543 Jason Clarke https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] included in [b:Male/Male Mystery and Suspense Box Set: 6 Novellas 22758024 Male/Male Mystery and Suspense Box Set 6 Novellas Josh Lanyon https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1420757466l/22758024.SY75.jpg 42308307]. Perfect. He can read me anything.Also to say this is only my second read of this story would be an untruth. 7/15 - 7/16Another perfect story from [a:Josh Lanyon 359194 Josh Lanyon https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1289326144p2/359194.jpg] and narrated by [a:Jason Clarke 61221 Jason Clarke https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1442452932p2/61221.jpg] who is capital ‘P' perfect for this mist shrouded & moody mystery. Think “Rebecca” off the coast of Maine.I love how Josh is able to convey a whole family history and limn small town & big city characters in a few deft strokes: Martha & Hiram, the loving caretakers, Thomas, the absent minded uncle, Miss Minton, town eccentric, Paul, the flamboyant city boy with unexpected depths of feeling, and Finn & Fitch, The Barret Boys, so close that Finn confuses himself for Fitch in a photograph yet with such distinct personalities that outsiders can tell them apart just by looking at them. I won't say much else so as not to spoil the story but I'll say that despite his past hesitancy Con is the guy everyone needs loving them.

This is the second book in the Enlightenment Series and I'm thrilled to say that [a:Joanna Chambers 3080608 Joanna Chambers https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1448012889p2/3080608.jpg] is a true talent, sticking unflinchingly to a vision. On the audio front [a:Hamish McKinley 17112307 Hamish McKinley https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png], once again, delivers a masterful performance bringing the principals, David & Murdo, to vivid, distinct, and electrifying life. If I didn't know better I could be persuaded that there are two narrators. As a bonus he fleshes out another handful of characters, including women, without hitting a false note. The story picks up and takes place in August of 1822, two years after the events in [b:Provoked 34933997 Provoked (Enlightenment, #1) Joanna Chambers https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1492846745s/34933997.jpg 24803651], and once again the ‘action' is firmly rooted in historical fact. George IV, commonly known as Prinny, the ne'er-do-well heir of George III, had been Regent for 10 years during his father's bout of mental incapacity. A year after his ascension to the throne he embarked on a historical trip to Scotland, the first by a British monarch in almost two hundred years. The trip was stage managed by Sir Walter Scott and was full of pageantry on an epic scale. Here's a brief article on the visit. https://georgianera.wordpress.com/2015/08/04/one-and-twenty-daft-days-in-1822-king-george-iv-visits-scotland/This is the setting for David and Murdo's reunion. In the two years since we last saw him David has made something of a name for himself as an advocate, under the tutelage of his patron and now friend, Patrick Chalmers. He continues to be the same David, dedicated to his profession almost to the exclusion of everything else but a good hearted and loyal friend. On the personal front, while he's resigned to a solitary life with the occasional stolen moment for passion, he's not as apt to see his desires as reprehensible. “It used to be, when he heard people sneering about sods and buggers, his chief reaction was shame. Self-loathing. But more recently – like when the scandal of the bishop came out – he'd found himself growing angry when he heard such comments. Angry that people seemed to think they had a right to know what others did behind closed doors. Angry that they wanted to rip people apart for it, even blamed the state of the nation upon it.”Meanwhile Murdo has ostensibly come to Edinburgh representing his father, the Marquess, as part of the King's entourage. The two meet by accident or fate at the tailor's shop and the kindling is set. There is so much wonderful going on in this book and Joanna Chambers conveys all of this without ever ‘telling' or crowding, but rather by conversations, thoughts, and actions. She not only steps up the story between our two protagonists but also sets them firmly in their time and place, which is a Scotland that was shedding its feudal past in favor of the business and educated classes. We also get a precis on the rights of women (none) via Elizabeth, Patrick Chalmers daughter, now prisoner of an unhappy marriage. However the author never loses sight of the story at hand, which is that of David and Murdo. This time around they're not so much dancing around each other but falling head first into something they can't or know to call love, because the world sucks, and that's not something available to men. Or is it? This is the book in which these men really get to know each other. In every sense.The real dark horse is Murdo, who's come back to Edinburgh, among other reasons, to get back into David's life in any way and for however long it may last. He's the character who has changed the most. He's searched his heart, realized, and admitted that he wants more of David. What that more is he has not named. Not yet. He's that person we all want at the end of our HEA and there's a scene, which replays in David's head (and mine too), where Murdo invites David to his house by saying: “You know where my house is. Come anytime.” The memory of that invitation is like an ear worm in David's head, insistent and persuasive.Hamish McKinley's rendering had me on my way to Murdo's house. heart palpitations I don't know how much or little to tell because you should really just immerse yourself in this whole series, and yes I mean the audio too. Your heart and brain will thank you. I found myself highlighting and rereading whole passages but quoting them all here would be obnoxious. As an alternative I suggest you go to Chapter 9 of the book. This is the core of the book and of David & Murdo's story; the themes it explores, and the predominant dynamic. I'll wait.David and Murdo have left a tavern and Murdo, gentleman that he is, walks David to his rooms. It starts: “Murdo followed David ...” and that's what's happening, to one degree or other this August of 1822. The rooms are dark and Murdo is ‘lost' but David is there to guide him: “Sorry. Here, give me your hand.” David starts to light the fire and, while still in darkness, they begin to talk. It's one of those conversations you have in the refuge of darkness. Like a confessional. But slowly the light gets stronger, the room warmer. Once the room is lit and warm they've exchanged painful remembrances and shared a moment of honest intimacy that surpasses ‘just sex'. I'll just come right out and say that Murdo is a prince. It ends like this, with David sitting on Murdo's lap, after offering to suck him:“Murdo's eyes glittered. ‘Yes, but stay like this awhile longer. I like you here.'“So David did, enjoying the warmth of the fire and the feel of Murdo beneath him, around him. Enjoying the tentative intimacy that was growing between them and that felt almost tangible, here, in this warm, secret corner of the world.”The rest of the book carries through with this theme. David and Murdo deciding that being together is right or at the very least no one else's business, but trying to find a way of making that possible and figuring out for how long? Murdo shines brightly, being there for David and his ‘causes' even when he doesn't know he's doing it and with deeply romantic moments like this: “Another good-natured chuckle, then lips at his temple in a brief kiss. A sigh. “David.” Just his name. Not a question but a statement. Or maybe an answer.”David. Was ever a man more aptly named? Always willing to fight for what's right even when he's scared or in the face of daunting odds. But he has Murdo: “He kissed Murdo, and it was like water. Like something necessary and life-giving.”Even if I hadn't read (totally did) the third book I would've been happy with this ending. Our men are on a believable path to a HEA that doesn't rehash the same tired roles of other historicals, jump into anachronisms or require leaps of wishful thinking. **I'd recommend this to everyone. Period. If you can definitely get the audio. Worth every penny. **

So you're minding you're own business, or trolling GoodReads, whatever ... and you come upon an update from Cupcake, and you think “oh some manties action? yes please!” and then you read this treat and it is so much more.

This is what I love about this genre: authors who can deliver romance, sexiness, and adventure with a nice side order of historical/political commentary. Marie Sexton has created a world, that though supposedly sci-fi, reflects some current geopolitical conflict quite closely. One person's villain is another's hero, depending from what side of history or interest you look at it.

Fear not. This was still sizzling wrapped in honey. Tristan with his needs was sweet, brave, and moral but the big reveal was Valero, a pirate by need and circumstance and a man of true honor who's only too happy to indulge his “pretty's” needs, and he's got some “hardware” to share. Fabulous.

“I liked the way his tongue brushed the roof of my mouth, and the way he cupped the back of my head with one hand to hold me in place. I liked that hint of dominance. I liked the way his other hand caressed my arm, like a reward. He wasn't demanding my submission–he wasn't even asking for it–but I knew it would be accepted if I chose to give it. The firmness of his grip on my head, the softness of his touch, told me he'd not only accept it, he'd recognize it for the gift it was. He'd reward me for it. He wouldn't make me submit. He'd make me want to submit, and suddenly I wanted more than anything to do just that.”

I'll say no more but add that John Solo does a perfect performance.

I don't know if I'm a Christina Lauren fan, but so far I'm really enjoying this series, which I'm doing in audio. Shayna Thibodeaux and Sebastian York do a great job of bringing the characters to life but, and here I'm going to commit heresy, I think this would have been just fine with Shayna Thibodeaux as narrator. She does an excellent male voice and, though not egregious, I didn't feel that Sebastian York brought his ‘A' game in terms of Finn; I much preferred him in Shayna's voice. Moving on.

I really like how these authors write girls/women who own their sexual agency and aren't hung up on the usual damsel in distress role. I really liked Harlow, her sense of humor, her refusal to wallow in self pity. I love that the authors chose to present an American girl of Hispanic descent as just that: an American girl. The fact that her father is Spanish is just part of her like other characters having German, Irish, or Italian ancestors is a part of them, but not the whole of them. Kudos.

The romance itself, the relationship between Finn & Harlow, is emotional & unsentimental at once, also surprising in the most delightful ways; let's just say Finn is a real fisherman and knows his way around some rope. wink

I was all set to give this 5*** but then this thing happened: Finn gets his panties in a twist and his man ego hurt after Harlow does something, which in my eyes was a good thing, but which her parents and everyone else kept saying was not. In any case, getting mad is not horrible but his reaction was a bit too much for my taste and later there is zero groveling as in a barely voiced "I'm sorry". I'm all for equality of the sexes but in the end it's Harlow making the trip and reaching out to Finn, both figuratively and geographically.. Ultimately the combo of not loving one half of the narrating audio duo and the aforementioned “thing” dropped it down a star. Too bad because I really enjoyed this until “that” happened and I'd still recommend it. The authors do a pretty excellent job of setting up the next story without being too in your face and they people the story with fun and believable characters. I love Not-Joe and I'm gearing up to read his story.

The morning after Sweet Filthy Boy, told from Ansel's P.O.V.

Sweet. No new ground is covered but it's nice to be in Ansel's head and the narration by Jason Carpenter is perfect.

Comment: Why does the narration have to be in English but with a French accent when Ansel is just inside his head having an inner monologue? I guess it's meant as a signal to the reader that he's French, but we already know that.

How much did I love this book? I want a small dragon as a familiar and a hellhound. My love for this book can be counted in vampire years and I'd come up short.

In this second outing for the series S.J. Himes continues to develop the world inhabited by our favorite necromancer, Angel Salvatore, and succeeds phenomenally. The world of Beacon Hill is one that is immediately recognizable and yet alien. Also I'd move there in a heartbeat.

So much goes on in this book in terms of furthering the story, developing the characters, and deepening the romance between Angel & Simeon and all of it works so well that I'm in awe. I really don't want to say too much because you should just sit down and enjoy the goodness. Simeon is everything one would want in a lover and his devotion to Angel is unwavering, Batiste gets a taste of what it is to get on Angel's bad side, and Milly is just the best. Angel proves that it's his deep reservoirs of love, as much as his talent, that make him a formidable foe to all comers. I read this book along with the audio done by Joel Leslie and he was absolutely brilliant. His accents and the emotion he brings to the characters' voices is truly a work of art.

I'm kind of scared of Bk.3 because it seems that Angel may be put through the wringer but I'll forge ahead ‘cause I love this man.

Let's call this what it is: a perfect short story. I've read this at least five times. It works on so many different levels and to my mind improves on each read. Recently I got In Sunshine or In Shadow which is an audio bundle of Josh Lanyon shorts and it opens with this story. I was floored. J.M. Badger is a ‘new to me' narrator but he shines in this AB, achieving the exact tone for this bittersweet gem.

Wyatt Finley is in love with Graham and in a moment of passion, during a camping trip, he has committed the grave mistake of saying it out loud. The problem is that Graham is still grieving the loss of his partner Jase and isn't ready for something new.

“You can't start a stopwatch on grief. Or love for that matter.”

or as Warren Zevon said:

“They say love conquers all You can't start it like a car You can't stop it with a gun”

Life sucks.

The amount information and real emotion that Josh manages to pack into 20 some odd pages without resorting to triteness is awe inspiring, even poor deceased Jase, is vividly brought to life. The story is brimming with beautiful passages and I probably could've highlighted the whole thing but here are two:

“Nah, no dramatics. Hearts got broken every day. Nobody died from that. But it did kind of fade the sunlight and drain the color from the days.And the nights ... the nights would feel too long to live through.”***“My own eyes stung. I couldn't bear for him to hurt so much. I wanted to put my arms around him, protect him. I didn't think he'd welcome it, so I didn't move.Why did we all crave love so badly when half the time it left us annihilated?”

I know this all seems sad but, though the story deals with loss and letting go, it is also about new beginnings and hope and about “... fields of goldenrod that in the early morning looked like a distant golden lake.”, all told from Wyatt's P.O.V. Wyatt who's self deprecating, funny, and wry. Wyatt who has unexpectedly fallen in love with Graham:

“It's not like I had gone looking for this, wanted this, had opted for the pay-per-view gay soap opera with angst in hi def. All I'd wanted was an ordinary relationship with a nice guy. A guy I could share my life with. The good times. The bad times. Maybe even share my mortgage with. A guy who would get along with my friends – a guy who had his own friends. Maybe even a guy I could take home for the holidays. I don't know. Whatever I had been thinking, the pleasant fantasy was so far removed from the vibrant and painful reality of Graham.”

Okay. I'll stop. Just go read this story and thank me later.

Here's a snapshot of Wyatt and Graham from [b:Perfect Day 14673024 Perfect Day (Wyatt & Graham, #1) Josh Lanyon https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1338245259s/14673024.jpg 20318217], which you should definitely read first. A year has passed and Graham has proposed, Wyatt has accepted but as the wedding date approaches Wyatt has a bit of a freak out and a case of “cold feet”. Why do we get married? What does it mean to us as a society? I love stories about what comes after the HEA and this definitely qualifies as one. I know I went a bit overboard with my review for the first one, so I'll keep this brief, but I'll just say that I loved meeting Jase's mother. Formidable lady. Is expecting a Christmas story about these two asking for too much?

4.5 Because you have to hold back a bit. ;) I'm shallow. It's no secret. I got this book solely for the cover and I read it now because it's Halloween. I'm not mad. This was mostly an audio and it was fantastically performed by the inimitable [a:Joel Leslie 13846511 Joel Leslie https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]. JL does great voices and accents for every character, which is why this is a performance and not just a reading. Paranormal is not a genre that I've read lots of but I thought this was really well done. The explanation of vampire society and witches/sorcerers is done just right without overwhelming the reader with tedious detail but setting you firmly in the world of everyday magic and some bloodsucking. Save for being undead and a killing spell here and there, you would expect to encounter some of these people in any of our cosmopolitan cities. I loved Angel. HIs name is no accident, the writer seems to like this idea of an angelic MC, see [b:Saving Silas 28490253 Saving Silas S.J. Himes https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1452295868s/28490253.jpg 48638619], but nonetheless I loved Angel's strength, his inherent goodness, and most particularly his cantankerousness. It's a facet of his always simmering anger which saves him on more than one occasion. Angel has lost everything so it's a good thing that life chooses to reward him with Simeon. True there is the minor inconvenience of Simeon being a vampire, but that's a minor stumble on the road to HEA, the major obstacle is a killer hunting Angel with spells, poison, and demons. All in a day's work for our favorite necromancer.I enjoyed this book immensely. I loved how Simeon, who is an old and powerful vampire, is all but enslaved by his love for Angel. Angel, who is slight, prickly, and so-alone-in-the-world wields enormous power but does it with love and care for all living things and even for the undead. I'll definitely will be moving on to the next book and am wondering where can I get my own Eroch?

3.5 for the story but that cover is an easy 5 stars****

I usually don't read much NA, it can be hit or miss for me, but it's Halloween, it's Santino Hassell and the book has a seriously gorgeous cover so I dove in. I can't say I hated it but I'm also not in love. Can we settle for in-like?

Jeremy Black is clearly a relative of Nate Black from “Insight”, part one of THE COMMUNITY series, however you can read this as a stand-alone.

The author sets up a great southern-gothic ambiance complete with a dilapidated mansion, shrouded in Spanish moss, surrounded by creepy woods, unrelenting heat and gorgeous landlords-cum-suitors who are more and less than what they seem. The band Stygian (note the name) has come from Houston to northern Louisiana hoping to bond with their new drummer, Jeremy Black, write some new material for a sophomore album, and some general R&R. It would be an understatement to say that they definitely chose wrong.

I won't say too much because you'll know pretty quickly what's going on, at least I did, and the enjoyment of the story is in the execution and details. I liked most of the characters but must confess that perhaps they were too Tumblr/emo for my taste. Weirdly, crude and abrasive Brian Watts and his lover/punching-bag Quince, were more appealing to me than our hero Jeremy and his stoic love interest, Kennedy, and there lies my problem with the story. I know and believe Jeremy's back story which is super charged with bad, worse, and tragedy at every corner, plus, if you know about The Community, he definitely carries the Black family genes, but there's definitely too much stomping out of rooms and tantrums. As for the other members of the band there's way too much “let's not talk about this” though the “it” not being talked about is clearly causing all the misunderstandings and problems. This all gives the book a distinct NA feel, though the characters are 21 and 24, and not my favorite kind.

As I said, I liked it, it's just I'd hoped to love it. *sigh Still that cover is heart eyes

4.5

RTC

I won't recap what goes on in this book because the blurb is pretty accurate and others have done a better job at summarizing so I'll just say that this was a punch to the gut and later a nice cup of tea to soothe the pain. I loved it.

This is mainly Joel's story, but how could I not fall for Paulie. He's a man after my own heart:

“‘I'm okay,' I told Paulie. He shrugged, settled into his seat beside me, and arranged a pile of sticky notes and different-colored highlighters.”

I have all the the highlighters!

I felt deeply for Joel and Paulie and there wasn't a false note in the depiction of their emotions. Paulie is lucky in that he's had his aunt Ruth as an anchor, but poor Joel has been navigating without a map long before Diego's death and the dissolution of his family, when Paulie comes along he's pretty much defenseless:

“I couldn't fight it anymore. And it wasn't the punch to my stomach like I thought it would be. It simply was. It didn't matter that I was so fucked up over Diego. It didn't matter that I hadn't wanted anyone except Diego before, not truly, not ever –I definitely wanted Paulie. It didn't matter the the thought of letting someone in was terrifying. Or that Paulie and I were mismatched sexually. Or that losing someone else would absolutely wreck me. I wanted him, and I couldn't contest such a losing battle anymore.

Of course it turns out there's more to Paulie than swish and perceived frailness. He's strong, patient, and wise. He's everything Joel needs and doesn't think he deserves.

Erin McLellan is a ‘new to me author'. She does an excellent job using the geographical landscape to reflect the characters' inner lives: the prairie and the vast open spaces which after the burn can offer new growth and shelter. Paulie and Joel are both ‘refugees' from less than ideal families and backgrounds who together are able to forge something new and perhaps better:

“This meant something. And maybe it was because I had slept with so many faceless men, or maybe it was because I had locked down my emotions for so long when it came to sex, but until Paulie, I had forgotten that sex could mean something. That making yourself vulnerable for another person was a gift, not a perfunctory stepping-stone to orgasm.”

I think the progression of the relationship was perfectly paced, including the bumps in the road. I really appreciated the honesty of how Paulie and Joel's family issues were left. There are no magic cures in life and more often than not people are going to be who they are and choose who they will put first. It's life. It sucks. It's real.

Now I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Travis' story. please come soon

clapsI won't front. I didn't/don't know [a:Isobel Starling 13506480 Isobel Starling https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1469359923p2/13506480.jpg] at all and my eyes usually just gloss over blurbs. What led me to this was [a:Gomez Pugh 8435087 Gomez Pugh https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] as a narrator. I've been hooked on him from the very first PsyCop book, and he didn't disappoint here. Also that cover is like candy, or for my palette, sour apples. Yums However Isobel Starling did deliver a delicious amuse-bouche of a story, sexy & hot and packed with much more story than you'd expect given the length of the book. Matthew is a dancer who's had to give up on his career due to injury. To fill time and explore his sexual desires he has a Tumblr blog under the moniker of Silken. As Silken he's entered into a D/s relationship with an on-line Dom he only knows as Austin. In his civilian life he's earning a living working for a high end real estate company in London supervising the pied-à-terres of the well-to-do. One day, while at work, Matthew decides to mix business with pleasure, meaning that when he goes to check on an apartment he also fulfills an “assignment” from his Dom. I won't give anything away, which will be obvious pretty quickly to any reader, but I'll say some things align pretty miraculously. I wasn't mad. Aside from the kink (some orgasm denial, a spreader, and a riding crop) the story features age-difference, silk stockings, heels, manties, and a steamer trunk plucked out every kinksters fantasies. It wasn't a rough ride kind of story, in fact it's pretty tasteful and that's okay. It had an almost Cinderella quality that I found endearing and had me smiling for the couple of hours that the audio runs. I'd definitely read any follow up story involving Matthew/Silken and Austin.My only niggle, without giving much away, is that I'm not super clear on how Austin became such a well versed Dom in a rather short period of time.

3.75This was a perfect palate cleanser courtesy of [a:Josh Lanyon 359194 Josh Lanyon https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1289326144p2/359194.jpg] and the whiskey smooth voice of [a:Lance Greenfield 6903110 Lance Greenfield https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1420196163p2/6903110.jpg]. The mystery isn't too deep and it doesn't really matter. The story is really about regret and the loss of what could've been if we'd made different choices. It's about how we allow others to manipulate our emotions. It's about second chances. The whole story floats on a sense of ennui. But the real treat is seeing another version of Jake and Adrien, in the form of Mike and Peter. It's almost like a template for the Adrien English series, particularly when it comes to Mike Griffin, the Jake prototype. However the story is enjoyable on its own merit. As usual Josh doesn't disappoint.

I'll confess that I was more than a little bit nervous when Ella Frank announced this new trilogy as a continuation of the first three books. I felt that despite some open ended things that that series had ended pretty perfectly. The reader could very well imagine Tate & Logan living their best life and their own brand of HEA. Well color me happily surprised! I loved it.

Ella Frank takes an established couple a revisits them 4 years down the road, and here is the stroke of genius, there is no big external drama come to rock their love, if anything Tate & Logan are going stronger than ever, their professional careers are on the uptick, and having lived together for four years they now know each other even more intimately and deeper than they did when we last saw them.

The big “events” in this book are mostly internal, some catapulted by external forces. Logan has achieved a measure of success and is growing comfortable in his head with the idea not only of forever with Tate, that's a given, but with making it something visible and tangible to the world. Meanwhile Tate has the foundation of his well ordered life shaken by a visit from his past and as we know “The past is never dead. It's not even past.” Tate is forced to reopen wounds he thought healed, but this is a good thing. That band-aid was only going to last so long.

I liked that things don't get dragged out, everything transpires in about a month, and as I said most of the “struggles” are internal, which doesn't make them less important, but rather greater or to my mind more important. But fret not! Our men continue to be gorgeous to each other and to others, they continue to be the staunchest members of each other's mutual admiration society, and 24/7 lust they feel for each other is unabated. The sheets are still on fire in the Mitchell-Morrison household even when the smexx times don't happen anywhere near sheets.

The story succeeds (and I mean the series as a whole) because it is underpinned by a real love between these two. Also out of the blue your swooned by moments like this:
“Logan melted into the touch, and when Tate raised his head, he whispered, “Thank you.” Logan narrowed his eyes, and Tate said, “You're alway here when I need you most.” Logan let his hand fall away so he could take hold of Tate's, and once their fingers were entwined, he brought them to his lips, kissed them, and said, “Where else would I be? You're where my hear is. So that's where I stay.”
Logan may have started off as some sort of anti-hero but for my money he's the most interesting character, the one with real growth. Don't get me wrong, I love Tate too but Logan is just special.

For those who read the first tryptic Robbie, the barista from the Daily Grind, is back and EF has cleverly sprinkled along crumbs and piqued our interest in a future story for him. I'm already looking forward to it. Also in supporting roles are Cole & Rachel who now have Lila and Thomas, their adorable children, and Will, Tate's father, who has turned out to be an unexpected White Knight.

This ends not in a cliffhanger per se but in a promise for more and since the series is “complete” you can just dive into the next book. I did. Happily.

A Note on the Audio Book: I did the audio for this whole series and it must be said that Shannon Gunn is a bit of an acquired taste. He does the voice for Logan, general narration, Tate in his head, and oddly children really well. At times I loved it. But when it comes to Tate speaking? He sounds like a bit of a dumb jock. Women? Cartoon characters, except for maybe Rachel. And then there are the sex scenes. I would pay good money to see him in the studio recording these. He puts himself through quite a workout, and our ears too. I imagine the idea is that this level of intensity is what one would be feeling at such moments, and I'm sure it's true. The problem is that in audio it somehow translates not into sexy or smoldering but rather exertion sometimes bordering on the unintentionally comical. Still I persist. I'm a completist and I like the non-smexx times in Mr. Gunn's voice. shrug Enter or rather listen having been warned.

Review on the blog and later here.

I like to have short audio as a back up for when I can't read on my commute. Today I chose this. What did it have going for it? It was the right price, the length was commute perfect, and Nick J. Russo was one of the narrators along with John Solo What's not to like? Well ... the story is ...

Cam is an accountant who comes to a resort in Rio to get over having been dumped. While sitting at the resort bar he's picked up by a tattooed, long haired, walking Adonis. Said man turns out to be Brandon Bullet of the band Bullet Proof, an arena filling hard rock band. Brandon is spending some down time while on tour and hoping to be anonymous and he's in luck because Brandon doesn't know who he is or even heard of the band. Boring accountant. In any case they hook up and have life altering sex.

I wasn't mad at any of this. I didn't go into this expecting high lit or anything close to that. The insta-lust was totally fine because it's the raison d'être of a book like this. What got a bit annoying was this back and forth struggle between the MCs to determine who was dominant in any particular encounter and somehow equating bottoming as being submissive but at the same time having Cam be a super dominant/bossy bottom etc. I became exhausting. Also I kind of didn't love Cam. Yes, he's a guy who lives a pretty square life having his first big adventure and I liked that in spite of being the “civilian” in the couple he asserted himself sexually, but I just didn't love him.

I liked this for what it was: a sex romp. I also loved that apparently most of the band is gay and it's not something anyone feels compelled to comment about. Just normal. It got cheesy at times, the last encounter could've skipped the food foreplay, and I didn't believe a word of it. I'm pretty sure I would've liked it less if I'd read it but as an AB it did it's job. Do I want to read the next book? Not immediately.

Giddy Applause

Here's to buying books just based on pretty covers. I got this for no other reason than that I liked the simple yet beautiful cover. It turns out that this is smoking hot fun. Just what I needed to wipe away the sour taste of a bad read.

The pretext of the book is two newly paired cops going undercover as a Dom/sub couple in a BDSM club where the mob is doing business so ... yeah ... umm ... just go with it. The probabilities of any of this being possible are irrelevant. What matters is Rick & Jon and their page singeing chemistry.

I couldn't tell you with any certainty exactly what was being investigated or who the bad guys were and I don't care. If you're not a BDSM fan you're in luck because there's really minimal play. Mostly some D/s done within the context of the undercover operation and one bondage public sex scene with a bit of what could be considered sharing. I don't call it sharing. Rick used another sub as a tool to please Jon. I enjoyed this perhaps more than is seemly and I don't care.

I loved Rick and his inner monologues, how he's at a loss for words even in his own head but feels utterly right once he and Jon are in the club. He feels free and almost compelled to pursue his desire. Jon remains a bit of a cypher, utterly sexy, but mysterious.

Even though the writing suffers from some odd choices in narrative voice I gave it a pass. What brought this down a notch for me is the fact that there is no second book to follow up with all of the threads left dangling in this one. Jon has transferred from Chicago to Rick's precinct and the reasons seem interesting and something worth pursuing. Likewise the story of Rick's former partner or the sub who is a scion of a mob family or the cruel Dom/Mob boss with whom Rick and Jon have “words”. All of these are just left in limbo. I sort of knew, going by the length of the book, that they wouldn't be resolved within this installment but to have no follow up is just cruel. BDSM indeed.