Annery

Oh wow! I was in the mood for some sweet and this delivers with a hefty helping of EXTRA on the side. I'm not complaining. If you're feeling like a lush for mush, and I was, this is the story you need right now.Weber and Cyrus are men from different sides of the track who, immediately upon meeting, had a case of the INSTA-LUST. Over the course of three years they have continued to burn the sheets whenever they can spend a couple of days together. The thing is that in the course of time Cy is pretty adamant that he loves Weber and wants them to be together. Weber feels undeserving or lesser than Cy, a frog to Cy's prince. Cy is a neurosurgeon in San Francisco and Weber is a now retired rodeo cowboy who works at different ranches when opportunity arises. On his way to yet another temporary job in Alaska Weber calls Cy and comes to see him after they'd parted in less than good terms. Cy jumps at the opportunity to have Weber back and fate conspires to make Web stay in the form of Cy's sister who has just been left by a cheating husband with three small boys in need of a “nanny” which tug at Weber's innate sense of honor and what's right. Because that's Web: the guy with perfect manners, unerring moral compass, and a capacity to make all of those around him feel safe and cared for and yet ... he doubts or dismisses his self worth allowing and thinking it comes from money or social position. Like in a classic fairy tale Web has no family, he's lost it all and yet to the Benning clan, Cy, his sister, parents etc. Weber is the mountain around which they build a home. A stalwart foundation that won't waver. And here comes my niggle ... everyone says and shows to Weber constantly how much he is loved and wanted, Cyrus has spent years literally begging him to stay as an equal and yet he dithered and protested his “aw shucks I'm no good” a bit too much. I know hearing something and knowing it are different things but sometimes I wanted to give Web a shake if not jus a light slap on his behind. I mean these guys are in their 40's! In any case he got with the program pretty quick after this visit and all was forgiven. I forgave him too.Prepare to be enveloped in a warm blanket of marshmallow, a hot toddy on a winter's day and everything nice you can think of even HOT SEX. Turns out Web is the axis upon which the world spins. I loved it. The audio by [a:K.C. Kelly 2748905 K.C. Kelly https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] is nice except sometimes it has a bit too much of a drawl and had me in mind of Wilbur Brimley and his oatmeal commercials and neither one of these guys is that old. Plus it made a quick read kind of languorous which could be good or bad depending on your mood.Recommended for when you need a love bomb.

The most mundane things can change your life. For Arthur Drams, a mid-level analyst at “The Agency”, it's wondering if the ficus trees at his job are real or plastic. After four years Arthur feels a promotion is due, along with better plants, so he requests one. What he gets is a lateral move to a higher floor but in the same position largely because he's a bit of an invisible man at work. No one knows him. But all that is about to change.This book has zero sex, no extended conversations about feelings or people being struck by Eros or Cupid's Arrow, what touching there is could be termed accidental or even clinical, there's no on page action, or even intrigue and yet ... it's perhaps one of the most romantic and emotionally satisfying books I've read in a long time. I liked it so much I read it twice. This is a first installment fingers crossed in the story of a relationship between Martin Groves, who is possibly ace, and Arthur Drams who begins to identify himself as demi. Ultimately Arthur's friend Carol puts it best:“... no one ever said you have to define yourself. I mean, some people feel better with a definitive definition, others don't. You're you, first and foremost, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.”[a:Ada Maria Soto 5321801 Ada Maria Soto https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1509765088p2/5321801.jpg] is a ‘new to me' author and one who I'll be eager to follow. The story is told from Arthur's P.O.V. and what a great head to be in. Arthur is funny and self conscious but also brave in all the ways that really matter. He has a family background which I won't go into but that did touch very close to the bone for me and thus endeared me to him and I immediately knew that appearances to the contrary he was no shrinking violet but rather a male version of a steel magnolia. Coming from a family that can best be described as complicated Arthur has learned to compartmentalize, keep secrets and make-do which comes in handy when he meets Martin Grove, a colleague on his new floor. His person.Martin is a mystery wrapped in an enigma inside a safe stored in an arctic underground bunker. At work he is known as The Alien. He speaks to no one and in turn no one knows him. By the end of the book you could say that patient and resourceful Arthur has thawed him out without ever violating Martin's trust or crossing any lines. Impressive.After working for over two months in his new department and trying to make friends or at least acquaintances with varying levels of success Arthur strikes up a what could generously be called a relationship with Martin which consists of sitting at the same lunch table, Martin reading and Arthur having his lunch, offering some food and watching Martin:“It would often be in silence, but Martin never told him to leave. On ‘conversation' days he could get maybe four sentences back and forth (not counting the offers of food), on whatever Martin was reading.”All this changes when Martin has a health crisis which allows Arthur to become more intimately involved in his life and later when Arthur needs it Martin has a chance to reciprocate. The relationship evolves to the point that the two are sharing social time outside of work and though prickly Martin continues to be a coiled cypher the reader wants to unravel, Arthur and Martin form a meaningful connection. Martin is decidedly less overt in expressing his emotions but they are there to be seen in his actions. These aren't people prone to grand declarations, particularly not Martin, so when he approaches Arthur and does this I had palpitations and almost swooned because it's more affecting than the much bandied “I love you”:“... he raised his hand and touched his fingers to his forehead. “I can give you this.” He lowered his hand and pressed the tips of his fingers to the center of his chest. “And I can give you this. But not the rest. It's not who I am. Or what I am.”I don't want to say much more because Ada Maria Soto has done an excellent job of deftly and elegantly telling a different kind of love story, one I was completely drawn to and 100% invested in. I'm eagerly awaiting a second installment which will hopefully delve into the evolving relationship between Arthur and Martin and hopefully Martin's past. Unless it turns out that Ms. Stoto is a delicious sadist in which case we have just enough story to let our imagination fill in the blanks and dream these two into a beautiful HEA. In a few short pages she has managed to make Martin a man of mystery akin to James Bond without all the extraneous nonsense and bring Arthur to life as a full fledged individual and she does so in ingenious ways: Arthur's love for cooking and where it comes from which leads to his family history and even touches on his past relationships, how he uses food and the cooking of it as a place for peace but also as a way of talking to Martin when words are too dangerous or not adequate. Perfect. Just perfect. Also the food descriptions left me craving some Vietnamese spring rolls. I may try my hand at them or more likely just go to a Vietnamese restaurant. Another big plus is Carol, Arthur's friend from work, who brings levity with her caustic sense of humor. Here she is describing Arthur's courtship of Martin:“IT'S LIKE a weird version of that scene in Lady and the Tramp where he's shoving the last meatball at her.” “I doubt he'd appreciate that analogy,” Arthur told Carol as they both stirred their coffee. “Unless you two spend an hour on the phone chatting each knight, I doubt he's said more than two hundred words to you.” There is more than one way to communicate,” he stated, Carol hitting uncomfortably close to the truth. “I'm sure there's a culture somewhere where silently shoving finger food at someone is an acceptable form of courting. Hobbits maybe.”Those who are questioning what love is and what should it look like, particularly in a society where we are continuously bombarded with certain images from films, IG, books, music etc. about what is sexy or desirable here's proof that there are other ways to be and love that are just as valid and satisfying and Arthur and Martin are on their way to finding it.“Better than a fumbled kiss or faked affection. It was strong and true. And it was theirs.”I'd recommend this book to everyone. And as for those ficus trees, what is the difference between the real and the plastic? They look the same to the point of being indistinguishable. So what does it matter? Maybe there is no distinction. They are the same.Suggested soundtrackI received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I hadn't read a fun not super dramatic m/f in a long while and this book remedied that. I'm sure that a very large part of my enjoyment came from [a:Shayna Thibodeaux 6860289 Shayna Thibodeaux https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]'s fantastic narration. I listened in a state of bliss. A beautiful and heartfelt performance with clear and perfect voice distinctions for each character. For me the icing on the cake is that the spoken French sprinkled throughout the book was equal to the English.Mia is a shy girl who though done with college and heading for graduate school is floundering through life after having had to let go of her dream of being a dancer. On graduation day she sets off with her best friends, Lola and Harlow, for a wild Las Vegas weekend. And it's wild indeed. At a bar they meet three hot dudes, one French, one Canadian and an Australian thereby setting up a series. Nicely. Just because it's been done doesn't mean that a new and well done iteration is not appreciated.Our girls wake up married to said three guys after a night of booze and olympic sex for a couple of them. Come morning Lola & Harlow and their respective spouses are ready for annulments. No harm no foul. Mia and Ansel? Not so much. Ansel proposes Mia go to Paris and spend the summer with him before school starts in the fall, improbably and after some vacillation she does. What follows is a warm, sexy-hot and deftly told story of two people who've been pierced by Cupid's arrow getting to know each other, first via lust and later finding ingenious ways of talking to each other because they can't ignore the gravitational force that's brought them together. I enjoyed it and was invested in their HEA.Was Ansel too perfect? Not really. He was figuring things out too. He was just better at faking it, more decisive and got the ball rolling when Mia wanted to shut down. Mia suffers a bit from insecurities but she's young and has reasons but she also rallies fairly quickly from setbacks. I'd call her brave. Their sexual chemistry is off the charts and I believed every word of it. Bonus points for having strong female friendships on page. Friends you can cry with and count on for bail money, whichever comes first.Complaints are minimal While in Paris why didn't Mia seriously pursue learning French, why was moving on a more permanent basis to France not an option. Being together was all contingent on Ansel moving back to the U.S. It made her seem provincial. I would've liked to see Mia's father upon her return but the way it ended I'm guessing that the following book is about the next friend and we'll have visits with Mia and Ansel to see how they're coping and further developments in their path to HEA.I enjoyed it and would recommend it.

So how did I come to read this? Oh! That's right. I bought it. LOL. Also this seems to be a Sage Whistler specialty and we are in good hands. The story is what it claims to be and not anything else. I appreciate honest advertising.

If you're feeling mildly naughty and have a couple of hours this sweet little nugget of twincest fantasy will get you over the hump. And it is a total fantasy ... in a good way. There are no major emotional struggles on the part of either twin, more like destined mates, and they sure are delicious in their stetson hats and cowboy gear. Their brother and sister and law are totally accepting of their love. Really.

So kick back, have a long neck and put on some Merle Haggard. You'll be as happy as Josh & Jaime. ;)

Oh my what sweet story! Unfathomably this is my first [a:Taylor V. Donovan 4959678 Taylor V. Donovan https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1480953309p2/4959678.jpg] book. It tugged at all of my heartstrings and even when I knew where it was going I happily followed along. The story of Manny and Richard, an MVP ball player and a successful actor who met in the 60's had me swooning. What they and people of their generation had to go through just to be considered fully human beings and be happy brought a lump to my throat but ultimately filled me with joy. Mary Elizabeth is lucky to exist in the realm of fiction because I was set to smack her around, her age be damned. The other aspect that I very much loved about this book is that most of the events are narrated through Richard's journals which almost makes it an epistolary novel. I adore epistolary novels. I would love to know what's next for Michael and Charlie and I'm going to scour the the author's page to see if there are any follow ups with them but I'm also happy to imagine them in each other's lives well into the future.

This was exactly the Fantasy Island with a dash of crazy town sauce I needed after some recent reading disappointments. Is the story plausible? Probably not but anything is probable and between [a:Maris Black 7222957 Maris Black https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1381280754p2/7222957.jpg] story telling and [a:J.F. Harding 8279965 J.F. Harding https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] narration I was sold.For those who've basked in the joy that is the Kage Trilogy we are back (or did this come before?) in the familiar territory of jaw-droppingly beautiful men who once they meet have eyes only for each other. One was heretofore heterosexual but finds himself irresistibly attracted to the other and struggles to come to terms with his new fixation. Our gay virgin is Dr. Ben Hardy, a general hard-ass, who like most doctors thinks a bit too highly of himself. He's the chief of staff at a small town hospital outside Atlanta where apparently he is the grand prize for every woman in town. His current girlfriend proposes a three way with the new EMT and the rest is history. Ben promptly divests himself of said girlfriend (who turns out to be a schemer) and has the walking sex God Corey move in. As a friend of course. One thing leads to another and another and I for one was thoroughly entertained. though I could've done without the mafia boss come to town and the adoptionIt turns out that Corey is more than a pretty face and comes with a history that takes some mending giving Ben a chance to shine. The crazy train comes to town but I went with it and enjoyed the ride and I think if you're in the mood for some harmless hot fun this, especially the audio, is the right ticket. Mind you all of this life changing drama happens in like two weeks! This is fantastic madness and I gobbled it up. The book doesn't pretend to be anything but sexy fun and heightened emotions. I appreciate the honesty and it delivers on the promise of the premise. Brava Maris!

3.5You know when you read the ingredients for a dish or a cocktail and your mouth just starts to water because HELL YES I love lavender and lavender flan must be off the hook and then .... no. Just no. You won't gag or anything like that but you're disappointed. That's this book for me. Good on paper.I'll start with the first obviously annoying thing, the rendering of D's vernacular speech. Fine. He's southern or and Okie or something like that. We don't need to be reminded at every turn. It became exhausting to read which is when I resorted to the audio by [a:Alan Smith 235551 Alan Smith https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] who does a phenomenal job. However at some point even he realized that this book goes on FOREVER. It clocks in at 13 1/2 hours of audio. I think whenever he looked at the script and saw how much he had left to go he sped up his reading which then made things sound rushed and I had to switch back to the text. It was a back and forth struggle. Next up is Jack. I hated more than loved him, which is a problem, though hate is maybe too strong a word. I disliked him and wanted to smack him around a bit. I disliked his perfection, hissy fits, and sanctimoniousness. D is literally laying his life on the line for Jack and he finds the balls to judge what D has done or is willing to do to keep him alive. Ungrateful much? Also I know Jack has been uprooted and is going through a harrowing experience but we are regularly reminded of the fact that Jack is an excellent maxillofacial surgeon and the surgeons I know tend to have nerves of steel. I don't know. Sometimes I felt that the choice of Jack's profession and specialty where to highlight his perfection and goodness, after all who doesn't love the Operation Smile doctors. Also later when circumstances separate them Jack vacillates a little too quickly in my book in his faith to D. We come to D. Why couldn't he just be a hard s.o.b felled and brought to his knees by love. I'd be drooling all over that. Instead D has a whole back story of “reasons” and other “stuff” because if he were a bad guy he somehow wouldn't deserve a turn around and love? WTF? Then there was everybody else: the super villain straight out of a 70's Bond movie; the minor villain (the drug dealer) who is somehow speaking like Yoda towards the end and who gives me reason to gripe at the writer because Raoul is the French spelling of the name. If you are Latin it is Raul. Also if you're going to have three words of Spanish said maybe get a native speaker to look them over and within context? Was Carida meant to be “querida”, Spanish for dear in the feminine form or the name Caridad just missing the d as a typo? etc. Another stock character is D's quasi guardian angel, X, who seems to be at times omniscient. I'll stop. Because in spite of all this I can't say I hated it. The writing was quite good and the writer clearly knows her way through a court proceeding and medical descriptions, be it by experience or research, either way it's appreciated. However I feel like she checked off all the points on a PC list instead of going for flawed people doing their best. I myself like f**ked up people who fail and try again over angels whose feet don't tread the ground.I think that with some editing and tweaking I could love this story or maybe I will at some other juncture in my life. It surprised me at times with beautiful flights of writing like this:“The ridges of scars passed beneath his palms. A knife wound here, some road rash there, markers in the haunted moor of D's body, what it had done and what had been done to it.”I wouldn't discourage anyone from reading it because it may just be your jam. In spite of everything I'll check out some shorts about D & Jack on the author's website.

... and this is why I read fiction. Because a good story teller can take me into someone else's world and make me empathize or maybe even identify with situations and life experiences not only outside the scope of my experience but way out of my personal interest or predilections. I shouldn't be surprised, this is [a:Anah Crow 2225255 Anah Crow https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1314820532p2/2225255.jpg].Rase Illion, a forty-something captain of industry finds himself no longer able keep the tight lid he's had on his deepest darkest desires, “He'd hated what he was for so long, he didn't know who he'd be if he didn't.” and is overwhelmed and giddy by what it entails.The reason for his downfall comes in the form of the angel Gabriel or in his case his namesake Gabriel Chariton, a maybe stockboy/poolboy/lawyer who bursts into Rase's life as a harbinger of change and revelation, much like the angel himself.The blurb for this book and the many other reviews have pretty much covered what happens or the gist of the story but what the story is about is something else entirely probably best summed up by Rase's son Takis when Rase reveals he's gay:“The best thing that can happen to anyone is that they get to be themselves.”The relationship between Rase and Gabriel is anything but uneven, rather they satisfy each other's needs on a visceral level. That these two engage in sexual practices that are perhaps outside normal or common, that there's a significant age difference is beside the point. What matters is two people who are the Yin to the other's Yang. This is the beauty of a writer like Anah Crow. A great prose stylist? No. Can the text use some polishing, editing, proofreading etc. Sure. Did I care about any of these things? Absolutely Not. I believed and was drawn in by Rase & Gabriel and read this in an almost breathless tear. I'm sure I'll be doing a reread of this in the very near future.I found that the story developed at a credible pace and the ending without grand declaration but yet brimming with hope had me in mind of [b:Katrakis's Sweet Prize 9301855 Katrakis's Sweet Prize Caitlin Crews https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1349073095s/9301855.jpg 13565306] where actions and not words speak the feelings of the MCs. Thank you Cupcake!

I'm not generally a YA reader but I decided to give this a go in no small part because of [a:Michael Crouch 838493 Michael Crouch https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/m_50x66-82093808bca726cb3249a493fbd3bd0f.png] and unsurprisingly he delivers a swoon worthy narration. Of course this would not be possible without a pretty excellent book by [a:Becky Albertalli 7579036 Becky Albertalli https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1392414949p2/7579036.jpg]. This is perhaps a commonplace story of coming of age in a modern America with all its complexities and trivialities. What I enjoyed the most was that in spite of or because of the attention to all of the modern details and specificity in Simon's story his voice as a character resonates with anyone who had a “normal” teenage life: the first crush, the defining of one's sexuality, the familial relationships, the heaven and hell of school etc. I loved all of it. The book is populated by non-cookie cutter characters and that was a breath of fresh air, the characters who in other stories might just be antagonists or villains i.e. Martin or Taylor are well rounded and evolving young human beings with faults but also heart. I liked that unlike in every other YA book or teen movie the parents are not clueless uninvolved buffoons.Extra icing on the cake for me was that this was essentially an epistolary novel and I have a weak spot for those and I was pretty much surprised by the identity of Simon's correspondent. Sweet.

2.75

Suspend disbelief all ye who enter here and I don't mean about the ghosts. Maybe I should be better versed on what certain imprints put out, this was a Harlequin, but I really can't be all that bothered with those distinctions so I kind of go with blurbs, covers and a little bit of reviews here on GR and elsewhere, but just a bit. In any case this turned out to be something way different than what I was expecting or hoping for.

Danny became blind after an accident and has since been able to see ghosts, particularly those with unfinished earthly business. This leads him to on more than one occasion work closely with the Police Department which has garnered him some notoriety which makes a publisher send a writer to expose him in the guise of writing a book about his abilities. Either the tell or the working with the police were good enough premises to have me hooked and I was enjoying the ride for about the first half of the book ... and then I felt like the rug was pulled out of me.

THIS MIGHT BE SLIGHTLY SPOILERISH BUT I CAN'T HELP IT

Danny solving crimes with his ex brother-in-law cop or proving his abilities to Logan, the writer who's trying to debunk them, gets dropped by the wayside or is merely window dressing and what we get is a story about a love so INSTA your head will spin and a guy so perfect that the Madonna pales in his presence. Danny is so beautiful and almost saintly that in spite of having been blind for like 2 years preserves clear hazel eyes that don't look sightless. WHAT??? Also though he's still basically stumbling along, learning how to move with a cane etc. he has some how kept a rock-hard gorgeous body. Uh huh. Sure. Once he and Logan meet all they can think about is humping and how perfect and gorgeous the other one is. I believed it for about ten minutes if I'm being generous. These are two guys who had both been denying their sexuality to the world and are now so over the moon for each other that while being chased almost naked from a house by a vengeful and powerful poltergeist and having to hide out in a motel bloody and bruised can only think about how hard they are for each other! Sweet baby Jesus that is one powerful erotic pull. These guys would be happily humping in The Exorcist house.

I don't know. I just didn't buy it. I don't mind INSTA but you've Gott tomato me believe it. Danny's perfection, beauty, and general Princess in need of rescue thing. Perhaps some of my meh factor had to do with the narration. I did an Audible by Malachi Mars and while he was very good there was also this whole southern Tennessee Williams vibe, a Blanche DuBois in need of rescue tone that just made me crazy after a while.

To sum up: according to Amazon this is 175 pages but to me it felt like a tome. I was hoping the poltergeist would win and as a side note I don't think the poltergeist was entirely wrong in wanting revenge.

This was a sweet surprise. In a very good way. Going by the title and the cover, which apparently is how I choose books, you'd expect some smexy times with a guy recently discovering his love of bottoming and that he has skillz in said area too and [a:Rowan McAllister 4231749 Rowan McAllister https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1302713485p2/4231749.jpg], new to me author, delivers in spades but she goes the extra mile and throws in some welcome twists and turns to boot. Before I go any further I'll say I did most of this as an audio courtesy of the brilliant [a:Nick J. Russo 8141120 Nick J. Russo https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] and he can officially take all my money. Always.Adrian is sweet and ordinary guy who after being dumped on by life one too many times screws up his courage to try and get back a bit of his own. And does he ever! He meets Wyatt, a wet dream in the form of a mysterious, sex god, biker dude who is smitten by Adrian. I won't spoil the fun for others by telling much more but I'll say HURRAY FOR ACCOUNTANTS and a big shout out to Beverley, a friend everyone should have.It wasn't a five star for me because Wyatt is a tad dramatic, but I guess I can't blame him.

3.5 Re-listen on 7/3/18 and rounded up because ... I did go back for seconds. That speaks for itself, right? Perfect little interlude for a trip to the supermarket or when you're out for a walk. My review stands.********This was going so good and then just ended. At the very least one more chapter was needed. I'm quite content with a HFN but this was just a prelude to what could be an interesting story. We're left with more questions than answers: what's Ryan's story really? what does he do? where are these two headed?A few good pages that suddenly end are way more annoying than a whole bad book. This is like a tease and denial situation. Still the audio by [a:Klaus von Hohenloe 15425372 Klaus von Hohenloe https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] is perfect. small joys

3.75

Delightful little fantasy with which to spend an hour, particularly as performed by [a:Greg Tremblay 8108759 Greg Tremblay https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1484561919p2/8108759.jpg]. Very much hoping that it's the opening for a longer book or series because Dimitri in particular seems to have a back story that can yield treasure. Plausibility=ZeroEnjoyment=100%

3.5

Short and sweet story about when you just have to stop running, not because the road is over but because you've come home and there's no need to go further.

Luther and Erick meet over the most mundane and inauspicious of circumstances: weak water pressure. Sometimes you can spin gold from straw. I liked how there was no insta anything, hot sex didn't reveal truths or solve answers. The time spent together and the communication, via text, calls or in person was what really cemented a closeness between MC. These two seemed like fairly authentic, hard working, blue collar guys and I liked that their jobs weren't romanticized but rather portrayed in a stark and realistic way.

My rating isn't higher because it is a short novella and things perhaps could've been further fleshed out and quite frankly though the story is Luther's and told from his POV I wanted to know more about Erick. We were tantalized with him being a former hockey player but no more about it and I'm a big hockey fan. Next time?

In brief this is an enjoyable story about finding yourself, coming out and finding love. Sweet.

I remember pretty clearly being 9 or 10 sitting in church while the sermon was being delivered, usually something to do with damnation for all non believers, questioning and ultimately doubting the possibility that our small congregation would be the only saved people by God. Ever since then I've been pretty firmly in the camp of the non believers or in the “does it really matter?” group. Paradoxically I'm a sucker for religious music and am fascinated by stories of people of faith. One of my favorites is [b:Flowers from the Storm 360259 Flowers from the Storm Laura Kinsale https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1275622146s/360259.jpg 788122] and [b:Aftercare 35054591 Aftercare Tanya Chris https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1493780867s/35054591.jpg 56343944] weirdly reminded me of it. People reconciling faith and everyday life.At first blush this may seem like just another MM, D/s, BDSM story but it's so much more. It's a story of loss, grief, regret, second chances at life, rebuilding, questioning one's beliefs and not just religious ones, about cultural integration or assimilation. [a:Tanya Chris 15067939 Tanya Chris https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1477705931p2/15067939.jpg] is a new to me author and I have to thank Cupcake for gifting me with this goodness. Here's her review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2004049855My relationship with BDSM stories and Doms in particular is sometimes fraught as I have a pretty high internal bar as to their worthiness of submission and in this aspect Aayan passes with flying colors. “He couldn't imagine dominating someone not strong enough to resist, but that wasn't Garrett. He didn't lie passive to Aayan's will out of weakness. He chose to submit, to be this perfect creature open to whatever Aayan would have him do.”He doesn't do things just because they make him feel good, he wants and needs his partner's happiness. Aayan is a complex character and a breath of fresh air. Like the intelligent man he is he changes and revises his opinions: how he viewed his brother Syed's relationship with his boyfriend, Jaime, how he realizes the difference between what Garrett wants and needs in the bedroom and what he had thought of as abuse or weakness: Garrett wore a suit like it was armor, hardening himself into the other half of the man Aayan adored. It was that dichotomy he loved—the iron shell that softened to a molten core when his clothes came off. If Garrett had been only softness, Aayan didn't think he'd be so entranced. Anyone could bend, but it took someone like Garrett to yield, to intentionally, consciously, joyously give way, not because he couldn't overcome the force being applied but because he chose to sway with it, to own it by becoming one with it.” Aayan learns to reconcile his desires with what Islam will allow and achieve some a level of peace knowing that in the words of our modern sages:“You can't always get what you want // But if you try sometimes well you just might find // You get what you need”I like that the fact of Aayan and Syed being attracted to light skinned men is laid out in the open. It's not a shameful thing. It's a predilection like any other. I like redheads. ;) I like that Muslims are central characters in a love story that has nothing to do with current world politics but with human emotions.On a technical level I must say that the whole layout of the legal system and how a trial works is pretty accurate except for two little things that bugged me: the use of the word barrister at one point, too British to be in Garrett's voice and the seating arrangement at the trial for the identifying witness, wouldn't happen.I'll stop now because I pretty much liked everything. I loved Dharini and Madeline and am hopeful of maybe a Dashiell/Syed story down the line? fingers crossed

This was a bit of harmless fantasy which I was kind of enjoying in a mindless way but the last twenty pages or so did manage to annoy me.

The story such as it is had one of my favorite tropes: older/younger. Problem is you can't look at this even at middle distance because nothing is explained. The fact that Steve, the older writer, is attracted to the younger man needs no explanation. He's a sprite like creature and in the midst of a summer idle quite appealing. However what Declan, the fae man-child, sees in Steve is anyone's guess.

Too much was elided and we'll say nothing of the fact that this thrice heterosexually married, John Le Carré type writer has no money and questions his new found bisexuality for about 0.5 seconds. It is a short story and no time for heavy angst but nada is just ... wow! Bonus points though for no bi erasure with that GFY nonsense.

If you have an hour to kill this won't hurt you but be clear that it is sheer summer fantasy. Sometimes that's not a bad thing.

This is one of those novellas that for unknown reasons I've had languishing in my queue and what a wonderful surprise!

The “don't judge a book by its cover” adage is perfect for the ... umm cover of this book but more importantly it's narrator Alan Fletcher. Al is a big Hulk like guy of perhaps below average intelligence or rather mental development but he is a sensitive and guileless soul and also a talented, if formally untrained, artist. Laurence Morton, Larry, is a Cambridge Art Professor who happens to drunkenly stumble down an alley where Al has been taking a piss and the rest is romance. sigh

I loved that the story was told from Al's POV which could have made it challenging or limited in scope but it's not and I think that's part of what the author was trying to convey. Although Al is a guy with a limited education partly due to his socio/economic class but mostly due to his mental development he navigates and understands the world quite clearly. It may take him a few extra steps to get to certain realizations but that's not something necessarily detrimental or an insurmountable obstacle. Perhaps some things went over Al's head but the reader is pretty well informed of what the world at large thinks or how they react to Larry & Al's relationship. Being in Al's head also brought lightness and humor to what could've been a ponderous & heavy story about class and economic difference.

In the end Larry proved that was in fact quite “clever” (Brit speak for smart) in recognizing the true gem that is Al and embracing him and their life together pretty quickly in spite of what friends, family or work colleagues might think. Because to a large degree Larry is the one getting something precious out of the relationship. In Al he finds someone who against all odds shares many of his aesthetic interests or is interested in sampling them, says what he means and means what he says, and is a genuinely good person; to say nothing of their utter sexual compatibility. HOT.

Special mention to Larry's sister Ali and Al's friends Phil and Daz. I'd like to hear more about Phil and Ren.

Joy to finding a ‘New To Me' author, who just one book in, and I already know is going to be a favorite.[b:In the Middle of Somewhere 25687508 In the Middle of Somewhere (Middle of Somewhere, #1) Roan Parrish https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1433927277s/25687508.jpg 45515563] is a hurt/comfort book in the best way. [a:Roan Parrish 14070842 Roan Parrish https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1452817512p2/14070842.jpg]'s authorial voice is distinct and sharp and you know you're in the hands of a writer with a clear vision of where the story is going and arc of the characters.Daniel Mulligan is an all thorns hard shell guy from Philadelphia who is finally making his way into adult life by possibly getting a job as a college professor in a small town in Michigan. Of course the hard exterior is armor developed to protect him from a life that hasn't been so kind. He's a gay boy from a family that was not precisely accepting and had to live with the hard knocks of society too. His one anchor is his friend Ginger and his own fierce intellect. While he's in Holiday, Michigan to interview for the job he gets into an accident and ends up meeting a mysterious stranger in the woods: Rex.What ensues is almost an old fashioned story of a burgeoning courtship and love affair within the course of a year. It could've almost been called A Year in the Life.I loved everything about this story. I love it for phrases like this: “He turns me around by the shoulders again, like he's my rudder.” I love how Daniel sticks out like a sore thumb in the small town of Holiday and though he slowly warms up to them and learns to see beyond his preconceived stereotypes and the town comes to accept him, Daniel continues to be a Philly boy through and through. I love that Rex is the opposite of what he projects physically. I love how each man had a fully realized and plausible back story which informed his actions and reactions. Daniel's musical tastes so aligned with my own it was almost spooky. Rex was such a steady and almost perfect guy that at times he seemed made to order which is why the chips in his armor were welcome if heartbreaking. I loved how he was the calm in the storm that allowed Daniel to feel safe enough to let go and be vulnerable. The intimate scenes between the MCs were besides being erotic and hot, also furthered the growth of the relationship and gave us insight to both men. I was touched and moved by these two and was rooting for them like a cheer leader at a game. This whole story was heartfelt, absorbing and romantic as anything. The good thing about coming into a series later is knowing what other books I have to look forward to and a Ginger book is a giant plus. My highlights were too numerous to quote but here are two:“But my point, Daniel,” he says, his face close to mine, “is that all those things are true. We are good for each other. But not too good to be true. Complementary. That's the word, right?” I nod. “The other night, you said that we mean different things when we say I love you. That you don't know what it means to have someone love you. This is what it means. It means doing things together and learning what each other needs. I give you what you need. You give me what I need. And they're not the same. And that's fine. It's not too good to be true. It's just good.”_____“Baby,” Rex says, putting warm hands on my shoulders, “I can build something else. Something just for us.” His eyes never leave mine. “I came here because I didn't have anywhere else to go. Didn't have anyone. And now.... As long as I'm with you, I'll be home.” My eyes flood with tears. Home.”The Audio was by [a:Robert Nieman 1338008 Robert Nieman https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] which was perfect for when we're in Daniel's head or he's speaking but is otherwise somewhat rushed plus there isn't much distinction between characters voices. Still enjoyable though.

I am prostate at the temple of Second Books in a Series and Redeemed Antagonists from Prior Books.In many ways this is a very American, very New York book. Dominic Costigan, previously seen in [b:Strong Signal 28561501 Strong Signal (Cyberlove, #1) Megan Erickson https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1452874221s/28561501.jpg 48722063] is a particular kind of New Yorker: a half Irish half Italian Staten Island dudebro and the the authors [a:Megan Erickson 6879435 Megan Erickson https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1391471662p2/6879435.jpg] and [a:Santino Hassell 4942228 Santino Hassell https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1445991731p2/4942228.jpg] perfectly capture that. Dominic isn't a brain or ridiculously ambitious, he's just a guy who has recently discovered his bisexuality and is eager to explore it but at the same time he's weighed down by limited prospects upon his discharge from the army a scenario which sadly is very true for many returning veterans. As an added bonus of anxiety his family life which was never the best is going through some trying times. Can you blame a guy for trying to find distraction on Grindr? Luckily for our Dominic his first hook up is with Luke and that's all she wrote.These two are pretty much nuclear from the get go when it comes to sexual compatibility. Its the rest of their lives which takes a bit of work and bending.I really loved Dominic. He's funny and and bare and emotionally naked even when he's not sure what it will lead to. He's brave for his sister Adrianna even when he can't be for himself. I totally understood his absolute NO on becoming a cop and not just because he didn't want to carry anymore but probably because he grew up in SI and that's like half the population. He just wants something else and why not? On the other side we have Luke, who is referred to as a Daddy, but I think it's more of playful moniker from Dominic. He is about 14? years older and also a full fledged adult. Luke may come off as somewhat cold at times and that's fair, some people are, but he also has reasons. Among them he is fiercely protective of his family and you can't fault him for that. However his attraction and connection to Dominic is immediate and strong. Following in the theme of this series the characters really start to know each other online, in this case via Grindr. Dominic is a “communicator” as Luke says and Luke finds it easier to talk when not face to face. I love how Luke can tell what mood Dominic is by his use of humor or punctuation, that slowly but surely he starts to bend every rule for the “annoying” hunk who's always sleepy and hungry after sex. But most of all I love the evolution of Dominic, his self awareness, how he acknowledges that he's no longer is Nicky C., the kid who signed up for the Army because he had no other prospects or aspirations, that he questions how he's behaved towards his past female sexual partners which leads to calls of atonement, *glee* we get a bit of Stephanie from the Queens Squad how he jumps with a full heart into his new found sexuality or his burgeoning relationship with Luke.Most of all I loved Luke and Dominic as a couple. They complemented each other in every aspect which is the best thing you can hope for in a relationship. Bonus points for Luke's family Micah and Chelle but also Nadia. I love it when the ex wives are not villains. Another extra is how effortlessly this book incorporates the world and characters from the previous book and lays the groundwork for the next. But overall I just freakin' loved Dominic and Luke is the perfect partner for what he needs: structure, confidence and all the good sex he wants. I was not completely on board for Duffy's sudden redemption. He had been a back of dicks for way long but forgiveness and all that so I gave him a pass. Once again the audio was done by the [a:Eric London 15436852 Eric London https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] Dominic's POV (perfect) but [a:Guy Locke 14318696 Guy Locke https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] does Luke's POV and he's better than in the previous book but still odd narration. Stilted? He even pronounces Micah's name Me-cah instead of My-cah, which to me is the correct way and it's different from Eric London. Weird. They should really coordinate.

A must read for all of the Dominic & Luke fans but also for the Kai & Garrett contingent. It's super fun visiting with the guys, seeing Kai & Garrett settled in their home and how grumpy/protective Garrett continues to be over Kai but also the dynamic between Dominic and Luke. Even though Luke tells Garrett that living with Dominic is sometimes like having a third teenager it's very clear that Dominic's his man and he loves him.
Lovely gift.

[b:Strong Signal 28561501 Strong Signal (Cyberlove, #1) Megan Erickson https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1452874221s/28561501.jpg 48722063] is the first in a series about how we live now: online gaming, text messaging, dating apps etc. are our preferred modes of communication and pretending otherwise is foolish. Luckily [a:Megan Erickson 6879435 Megan Erickson https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1391471662p2/6879435.jpg] and [a:Santino Hassell 4942228 Santino Hassell https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1445991731p2/4942228.jpg] jump in with both feet and the results are fantastic.Garrett is on the last months of his deployment in Afghanistan, bored, fed up (mostly because he's a grump) and anxious about what his post-army life will be. His go to chill-out is playing Fallen World Online where he “meets” Kai, one of the top Twitch streamers. This is a story of how a relationship develops via messages, email, Skype and finally IRL which may sound cold or perhaps detached but HELL no! This story is all out Romantic and Hot.While Garrett is trying to figure out what his post army life will be and figuring out how to escape Rickston, his run down home town, while not abandoning his mom and sister; Kai has trouble stepping foot outside his own apartment. It was wonderful to see these two navigate their individual and common issues and all the support they find from sometimes unexpected quarters: Nicole, Shawn and all of Chat I'm talking about you!The authors make the connection between these two palpable and fierce. They bring out the best in each other:“People wer lucky to get a “good morning” out of me in person, but online? It was turning out real different. Words flowed easier. Words flowed easier. I shared confidences like I hadn't spent years clutching them to my vest. And I didn't know why. Was it because I didn't have to look someone in the eye and do all this talking? Because words formed easier when I was typing them? Or was it because ... in the billions of people in this shitty planet that I'd never be able to meet in person , the Internet had handed me one person who seemed to be absolutely perfect for me?”“Garrett got the Real Kai. Or at least, the best version of me.”I love how both guys are willing to go the extra mile for the other, Garrett being respectful of Kai's boundaries and endlessly patient and Kai really stepping out of his comfort zone to be with Garrett.Totally recommended. I added the audio for this and while [a:Eric London 15436852 Eric London https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] who does Kai's POV chapters is great [a:Guy Locke 14318696 Guy Locke https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] who does Garrett's POV is a bit of an acquired taste. I would've preferred the one narrator Eric London for the whole thing. I'm certain he would've done an excellent job.

The best way to jump into this morsel of goodness is basically blind. Knowing nothing at all about the the story will give you the most enjoyment. So do yourself a favor and get this now. It's free!!!! And I guarantee you'll have a smile on your face by the end and will be 1-Clicking for the whole book.

This was a perfect sweet/bitter for my Sunday morning coffee.

In which [a:Santino Hassell 4942228 Santino Hassell https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1445991731p2/4942228.jpg] basically spins gold out of straw. When we met Ashton in [b:First and First 28427134 First and First (Five Boroughs, #3) Santino Hassell https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1457064366s/28427134.jpg 48535333] I for one didn't foresee him becoming one of the leads in the next book much less coming to understand and care about him and his life story. Let's face it, generating empathy for what is basically a poor little rich boy story is hard, but SH does it. The Ashton the world knows, the one that lives on social media is a gay version of Kim Kardashian. Famous for being famous because of a sex tape. Like any survivor Ashton, or A-Town as he is known, has learned to live and even thrive in the fishbowl. In fact there's a not small part of him who enjoys that life and being a sexual being and I think that's one of the things I really liked about the story. I liked that Ashton is up front and honest about his enjoyment of sometimes rough sex with no strings attached and he's not slut shammed by SH. Of course this is still a romance and love will change all of that. And who would be be the Prince Charming for our boy? Valdrin Leka. Our very own Albanian Bronx hero. Half my neighbors are Albanian, in fact there's an Albanian Boys Forever mural down the block from me. Sweet.Val. Poor confused, guilt ridden, stubborn Val. It turns out that our MC have been in each other's lives forever. Val's mother was Ashton's housekeeper/surrogate mother and ever since he has been infatuated with Ashton. Loving and taking care of him when Ashton's own family treated him like a leper. Of course as a teenager he's not quite sure what those feelings mean and later as life throws him some curve balls he just wonders about himself. It seems Val is demisexualWhenever Ashton is spiraling or in distress he calls on Val and Val never fails him, how can they not be perfect for each other? Well they both have issues born from the circumstances of their lives and I think that SH does a really good job of showing that many times love is not enough or the cure all for every situation. Kudos to him!Val is struggling with guilt, overwhelming responsibilities and confusion over his desire for Ash, wether he's good enough or is he just one more person using Ash? All valid and worthwhile questions. I liked Val for having them.Ashton is drowning in his desire for Val but has feelings of worthlessness and doubt. After much back and forth Val and Ash finally have the hard conversations about their relationship and any possible future as a couple but also each has to find his own path to a personally satisfying life ... and this is where I kind of got stuck a bit. I understand that these were hard issues and that these guys are young and basically going through life without a guiding force but roughly the first 65% was truncated conversations, misunderstandings and running away. That drives me bananas. Also I pretty much knew how things were going to resolve themselves early on but I very much enjoyed spending time with the Squad in particular my favorite:“The deep voice came from the side of the room. I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sight of Nunzio Rodriguez looking like Jordan Catalano from My So-Called with his sexy full-body door lean. He was gorgeous and casual with his rumpled curly hair, plaid shirt, dark jeans, and a pair of running shoes.” le sighA good portion of the story takes place in The Boogie Down a.k.a. Da Bronx. So that was good. The descriptions of the Grand Concourse and the rest of the Yankee Stadium and Court House area is spot on. Overall I would've preferred more substantial communication between the MC earlier and the final resolution was a bit wish fulfillment but I'm not mad. Val and Ashton may not be my favorite couple but they're perfect for each other. A case of opposites attract done right. p.s. there was much about Dylan, Ashton's brother, in this book. might he be in the next book? just wondering.

This is what happens after fairy tales end. Real life comes calling with all it's pesky details: Realestate, work, school and time. Time. Time. Time.This is a perfect companion to [b:Sunset Park 25842991 Sunset Park (Five Boroughs, #2) Santino Hassell https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1445081788s/25842991.jpg 45707493] in which we get to see David and Ray still struggling to settle into a life after the honeymoon phase has ended. They're still wildly in love but both are coping with insecurities. David doesn't know where he stands in Ray's life because isn't precisely out. Ray likes to keep to the Rodriguez code of not airing his business and in theory that's cool except that it hurts David and with good reason. Some people have complained that David comes off as whiny and yes he does but Raymond knew who David was when he entered a relationship with him and as David has told him being an out and proud gay man is his primary identity.Meanwhile Ray is feels bombarded from all sides: he's still working at the translating agency, working nights at the dock when he can pick up a shift and taking on the issue of the house in Queens. He's stretched too thin and in typical Rodriguez fashion doesn't want to ask for help. But if you don't bend you break and help comes from an unexpected quarter. All I'll say is that the way [a:Santino Hassell 4942228 Santino Hassell https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1445991731p2/4942228.jpg] weaves prior characters into the story is seamless and perfect. There is so much good stuff here that I can't even begin to pick. Just read it and be surrounded by the extended family of 5Boroughs who are near and dear to my heart because they are my tribe. New Yorkers. Most of us are tough cookies but that doesn't mean we lack emotional and meaningful inner lives. I like how [a:Santino Hassell 4942228 Santino Hassell https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1445991731p2/4942228.jpg] doesn't skirt the real issues of life in The City for a guy like Ray and life in the world at large for a guy like David. He doesn't sugar coat but he's also not a dick. He lets Ray & David find their way through the mire and finally stand on solid ground. But what has me still giddy is the glimpses of Michael & Nunzio. Nunzio ... gah!Here's an encounter he has with Ray:“I wrenched my eyes open and found myself eye level with somebody's cotton-covered crotch. Blinking, I looked up and found Nunzio standing over me, eating an apple. There was something really judgmental about his slow, deliberate chewing. ... “Oh.” Fuck. “Look, I know you probably heard abut the shit at the party—“He held up a hand to stop me talking. “Nope. And I don't want to know.”“If you didn't hear, then how did you know I was out here?”“I didn't. I came to watch the sunrise and found you two curled up together like a couple of street urchins.” Nunzio took the last bite of his apple. “Have you sorted out your drama?”“That wasn't part of the discussion.”“Did you get some ass?”Leave it to Nunzio.“No, man.”“Well, get on top of it. That kid has been high-strung enough to snap in half.” ....“And leave Michael out of the mess.”He's funny, practical and acerbic but as always his main priority is taking care of Michael. And this all leads to one of THE BEST EPILOGUES EVER I won't say anything about it because ... it's all spoilers but I laughed & cried in public and would do it again. I would've also highlighted every line but somehow controlled myself. I love that niño so much.If you've read [b:Sunset Park 25842991 Sunset Park (Five Boroughs, #2) Santino Hassell https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1445081788s/25842991.jpg 45707493] you have to read [b:Interborough 30364774 Interborough (Five Boroughs, #4) Santino Hassell https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1469718502s/30364774.jpg 50875338]. They're part of a whole.