Annery
This was perfect short and it surprised me by being more than the PWP I thought it would be (and I have nothing against those reads either). Sure it's all very convenient, giant elephants get glossed over, and it's mostly propelled by wishful thinking but I enjoyed it, liked the writing very much, and am kind of bummed that it's not the teaser or prologue for a longer book about Max & Griff. Exploring that relationship, in an honest way could be great and
[a:Roe Horvat 16958818 Roe Horvat https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1498125222p2/16958818.jpg] continues to gift us with Walter's “notebooks” in which we get glimpses of the clients he helps during their heat. Walter is scrupulously professional and caring for his clients and their needs, respecting boundaries at all times. If guiding a couple through the process cranks his motor he takes care of it in private. He's a good guy. Thank you Roe for these little gifts!
Joe Talbert from [b:The Life We Bury 20758175 The Life We Bury (Joe Talbert, #1; Max Rupert, #1) Allen Eskens https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1437077793l/20758175.SY75.jpg 40090621] is all grown up. He's a bonafide reporter for the Associated Press, his live-in girlfriend is about to sit for the Bar exam, and they're defacto parents to Joe's brother Jeremy who has special needs due to his autism. In the midst of regular life drama Joe's hit with the news that maybe his his father, who he thought had been dead for years, was in fact living a few towns over. The past tense is operative because he's just been found dead. Likely murdered. And Joe is on the case.I've enjoyed this series, primarily because I've consumed them as audios and they've been great. This one, like the first Joe Talbert book, is narrated by [a:Zach Villa 7463493 Zach Villa https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] and he did a fantastic job. The story itself is good, well paced, and through Joe we get to experience the inner turmoil and growth of an individual, who though technically an adult, is still growing into his own skin. I think if we're healthy individuals we never cease taking on new experiences and reevaluating given new information while retaining a core truth. I'm once again reminded that I'm a nice or generous person vis a vis Joe's relationship with his mother. As always my favorite character was Jeremy. ❤️❤️
3.5
Sean Cambell moves from Atlanta to Harmony Creek, a small town in the mountains of Tennessee, hoping that a change in geography will shake him out of the overwhelming grief he's drowning in. The death of his child and the consequent demise of his marriage at twenty seven is a heavy load to bear.
Trying to engage in a normal life Sean begins to frequent a local diner where he meets and befriends the owner Jonah Wright.
At one time Jonah escaped his hometown to go to college in NYC but his father's illness and premature death forced him to come home. At thirty seven he has settled in his own skin and feels comfortable among a group of friends who are family. All he needs is someone to love.
Jonah is a natural caretaker and Sean is someone who desperately needs taking care of. Jonah is unequivocally gay and Sean, though shy at first, is not averse to exploring that side of his sexuality. But can it be more? Can Sean open himself up to the love Jonah has to give while still drowning in grief?
I really liked the first half of this book. The story deals compassionately and honestly with a subject matter that doesn't always get much attention, particularly not from the perspective of the grieving father: the emotional toll of a stillborn child. The writing is beautiful and evocative.
My problem was that things, including the imagery & writing, started to get repetitive. Sean is continually storming out of rooms, shutting down, and refusing to speak to Jonah or anyone about anything while Jonah bends over backwards trying to be what Sean needs. Maybe this should've been more about Sean finding his way back to a new life instead of a romance? Don't get me wrong, Sean & Jonah have some sweet moments and the sex, Sean's firsts are hot and IMO read true. Very good.
My other problem was how Katie, Sean's ex wife, was dealt with. I know this is Sean's tale but I felt (perhaps mistakenly) that her sorrow gets a short shrift or is deemed less than Sean's which I can't imagine being further from the truth. Furthermore she's presented as being dismissive of Sean's confession of bisexuality. I didn't feel that was true or fair either, given when this happened. She's not a villainess.
I'd still recommend this. Read with patience and enjoy the lovely cover art. Maybe have some tissues handy.
I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Check out the blog for more reviews
We finally get to Max's story and I think if like myself you've followed his appearances throughout the series you'll be satisfied.Max's hunt for the murderer of his wife bears fruit, he goes through his own dark night of the soul, is visited by ghosts of his past, and manages to throw out some of the garbage. I'm happy I kept up with series which is more about a place/world shared by the recurrent characters. I hope to see Max again. He's an upright man and hopefully happier times are in his future. The AB by [a:R.C. Bray 6478373 R.C. Bray https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] is excellent.
3.75Nominally this is a series. The connecting thread is Det. Max Rupert and he does appear here but his participation is almost tangential? The story centers on the murder of an heiress and who killed her. While the story serves to further the ongoing story of Max's wife's murder the bulk of it has to do with the murder and the trial.If you don't know much about the criminal justice system you'll have a good time. sentences are not handed down directly after verdicts [a:Allen Eskens 7832387 Allen Eskens https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1402189882p2/7832387.jpg] delivers a good story for the crime neophytes and the AB will keep your ears happy. However if like myself you've trod this ground via RL, other murder mysteries, or even movies like Primal Fear then you'll be in known territory. Not a bad thing. But no surprises either. Hopefully the next book will have Det. Rupert more center stage as he seems to be good cop but a flawed individual. I'm intrigued.
I tell you that WINTER WONDERLAND giveaway is the gift that keeps giving. ❤️❤️❤️This is a forced proximity, age gap story that, due to time constraints, is pretty insta everything but did I care? Nope. Not even a little bit. This short is another romance with at least one blue collar MC and takes place within the same universe as [b:Laying Pipe 54862957 Laying Pipe Kiki Clark https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1596987487l/54862957.SY75.jpg 85603290], actually it takes place sometime before the events in that book but you can read them in any order. A snow storm forces Beau, a sweet & soft accountant a fan of wearing lacy underwear to seek shelter in an isolated cabin where he encounters not a bear but Coop, a bearish sort of man and his dog Trucker. Sparks fly at first sight and a good time is had by all involved. I hope to see them in future installments of this series.
3 stars for the overall sweet story & 1 whole star for the AB*This is a Hallmark movie complete with the virtues & flaws that implies. I likely wouldn't have read it (though I'll gleefully watch any number of movies like this) but [a:Teddy Hamilton 15007880 Teddy Hamilton https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/m_50x66-82093808bca726cb3249a493fbd3bd0f.png] is audible kryptonite for me. It's hard to ignore his siren call. Luckily it's part of the Audible Plus catalog so technically it didn't cost me anything and even if it had I enjoyed it more than not. This author also did [b:When Harry Met Harry 53711756 When Harry Met Harry Sydney Smyth https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1590958724l/53711756.SX50.jpg 84029896] and shows the same deft & light touch here. I had fun. Ignorable niggles: why does it seem like Cooper has never been back home in 10 years since presumably leaving for college at 18? he's not at odds with his family over anything, did he really not come home for Thanksgiving or Christmas? Ever? He is completely ignorant of what's been going on in his hometown where his family still lives despite having regular calls with his bestie! This is a mystery wrapped in an enigma.
The conclusion to Aaron and David's story or rather where we leave them on their very own patch of well deserved HEA.
Close calls have our guys making decisions that may perhaps seem precipitous but what is there really to wait for? Life is short, our time here brief, live while you can. It's a one-way ticket.
A happy continuation of Aaron and David's story. I was a happy camperDavid and Aaron are dancing around the fact that their feelings for each other are maybe more than you'd expect after such a brief acquaintance. Is it too much too soon? Are they reciprocated? What will others think? Does it matter? The answers are: no, yes, who cares, and no.The bulk of the story centers on Aaron's unresolved issues with his ex, on forgiveness, and letting go. These things trigger Aaron's PTSD which was only alluded to in the first book and now David gets the full picture. Luckily David is a lover made to order, by no means perfect, but pretty close and just right for Aaron. Perhaps because I just came off reading about characters who felt unrealistic at best or unhealthy at worst I was super happy and pleased to read the story of two people who though they have issues like we all do manage to navigate life without undue histrionics and relate to each other as equal human beings. They love each other authentically, with respect and care. I also loved that David and Aaron are recognizable gay men and not characters concocted from the current, accepted, in vogue list. Their behavior is not beholden to what romance readers/writers want to think of as correct or proper. Refreshing. The audio by [a:Vance Bastian 14157996 Vance Bastian https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1441311704p2/14157996.jpg] will pull you through if you can't physically read it.
The short and long is that if you liked [b:Jared's Evolution 36412928 Jared's Evolution (Jared & Kieran, #1) Riley Hart https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1508008097l/36412928.SY75.jpg 58108407] you'll probably like this one. On the flip side I didn't love the first book but I'm a completist, wanted to see this through, and had similar results to the first book. The Cliff Notes on this story is how Jared is “liberated” by Kieran to be his true self. The method? BDSM. Showing Jared that his true nature is being a submissive and more specifically a Boy. Humiliation, spankings, kneeling, domestic servitude & discipline, impact play, being shared and played with by others at your Daddy's will & command are not my thing but if it gets your ya ya's off more power to you. Congratulations. But when the dynamic encompasses daily life? Not so much. I wasn't sold on this so called liberation. Exchanging a cage for a pair of cuffs, to be beholden or more accurately dependent on another's approval and direction not only in the bedroom but in all aspects of life seems like no liberation at all. I wouldn't mind the hyperbolic way in which these two relate to each other if this were an A/B/O or shifter story. It's not. Perhaps Daddy/Boy relationships like this one, where the relationship bleeds beyond the bedroom, just aren't for me. Jared is supposed to be freed to be his true self by embracing his role as Kieran's Boy but is he really? To my mind Jared was a guy who'd clawed his way out of a neglectful childhood and foster care to become a successful criminal defense attorney. One that's so highly thought of that he's asked to become a partner. Pretty good by any measuring yard. While Kieran's “liberation” does bring Jared sexual fulfillment it seems that the rest just makes him dependent on Kieran's advice, orders, or approval to the point of paralysis even when Kieran doesn't want to give it. If I were a cynic I'd say that Kieran conveniently gets himself a houseboy/errand boy along with a sexual partner. I'm also amazed that Jared, being a trial attorney and now a partner at a law firm has a fairly regular 9 to 5 schedule which allows him to pick up dry cleaning, grocery shop, and cook dinner for his man like a 1950s housewife. Is it some kind of time portal? Also I feel like Jared's embrace of a myriad kinks in a pretty short amount of time felt rushed. More like the author wanting to represent different kinks and not the natural progression of someone's journey of discovery. I'm not saying he wouldn't/shouldn't like these things but I would imagine it would take him longer to try so many. Just a thought. Still I did not skim, I like the author's writing style, and was invested enough in the story to mentally argue with the characters and their decisions. I just couldn't love them (Kieran specifically) and mostly wanted to shake them. So going by GR's rating system I'm comfortable with 3 stars. As usual YMMV.
This is loosely connected to [b:The Life We Bury 20758175 The Life We Bury (Joe Talbert, #1; Max Rupert, #1) Allen Eskens https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1437077793l/20758175.SY75.jpg 40090621] but you're like me, a stickler for recurring characters and timelines, this is BK.2 in the Det. Max Rupert & Joe Talbert series. So far when it comes to these books the word series can be seen as a suggestion. Det. Alexander Rupert, who briefly appeared in a heroic role in the first book, gets the full treatment here. It turns out that like most humans Alexander is more than one thing: an up and coming brilliant and ambitious detective and a deeply flawed individual. Both of these qualities are on full display here leading him from professional highs and personal lows. He also makes some pretty dumb, fatal mistakes while thinking with his little head. There's a mystery, femme fatales, and a cast of villains straight out of central casting. The AB by [a:Jonathan Yen 7237123 Jonathan Yen https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] gets the job done and I had a good time. I won't miss any of the main characters.Luckily I feel like both of these books were a long introduction to Det. Max Rupert. Here and in the first book he played a tangential role but we're left with the impression of a loyal, stand-up guy with a tragic story that only got worse here that I'm looking forward to exploring in the next books.
some ranting ahead
I'm not sure how I came to own both books in this series but clearly it means I wanted to read them. I do love the covers and I like this author but this was a struggle. Why? I hate Kieran. Hating one of the MC is a bit of a hurdle to overcome.
Jared Reynolds is a 33 year old man who after a difficult childhood has clawed his way to a successful career as a criminal defense attorney. He's only just recently admitted his true sexuality to himself and has never allowed himself a relationship believing himself (erroneously) some sort of island. He doesn't seem to even have acquaintances much less friends. One day his next door neighbor, Kieran MacAuley, (46) asks him over to dinner and so begins a sort of grooming. I am using the word on purpose.
Kieran gets an inkling that Jared may be a submissive (you know that superpower that Doms have for detecting subs in the general population) and starts giving him chores, orders, & schedules starting with the invitation to dinner, before they ever talk about anything. It's clear that Jared is fairly ignorant about the dynamics in this kind of relationship but ... that's how Kieran rolls.
Doms are always my stumbling block or the hard limit I strive to overcome. Kieran was a complete failure for me. Jared may think differently and we'll have to agree to disagree.
Kieran informs Jared that they're going to enter into a relationship where Jared will kneel and be subservient to Kieran, be punished when Kieran feels it's appropriate, and that Jared will address him as Daddy or Sir, though he prefers Daddy. Furthermore he gives him a safeword. Yes, you heard it here first: a Dom tells a person who knows the cliff notes or FSOG version of BDSM what they'll be subjecting themselves to and as the cherry on top rewards them with a safeword of the Dom's choosing. No consultation needed.
He doesn't ask, explain, or have a conversation with Jared as two adults on an equal plane. From day one Kieran is the all knowing, superior imparting opinions and information to Jared not only about his views on BDSM but also about what Jared needs & wants. At every turn he's telling Jared to trust him, almost demanding it. Telling him he'll always take care of him, that he does these things, punish him, use him sexually, have Jared do menial tasks for him etc. because he knows what's best for Jared. I kept wondering how? He doesn't know Jared. They barely start having conversations about Jared's background and history towards the end of the book! How can he know what might trigger Jared? What might give him joy? Pleasure? When Jared expresses disinterest in certain things it's clear that Kieran intends to push him. Why?
The story is all told from Jared's POV and yes, it's true that he initially has societal or knee-jerk negative reactions to things and later changes his mind, thus referencing the ‘evolution' of the title but Kieran gave him very little room to think of these things for himself. They even go on a TPE weekend pretty much right off the bat! To my admittedly poorly informed mind this is something for people who are well versed and deep into the lifestyle.
Kieran is a psychologist and has a degree in sexuality which IMO gives him knowledge he uses to ‘guide' Jared to what he, Kieran, wants Jared to be and by the end Jared is convinced that being a Boy is the identity he never knew he needed. Is that true? Maybe. He never really has a chance to actually think about it. Sure he gets sexual gratification and Kieran uses techniques to quiet noise in Jared's head but conveniently these things also serve Kieran. Gratify him sexually.
I have nothing against kink. Clearly I love to read books where relationships like these are explored but I can't get with kink used in lieu of other solutions for a problem. I know it's likely a reality but I don't have to like it. Jared had an intense childhood. Kieran is a psychologist but what he offers Jared is a tightly structured Daddy/boy relationship. I was almost offended except that he offered this or almost imposed it as their relationship before he really knew anything about Jared. Of course he presents it in such a way that Jared feels like every rule, chore, or use of himself as a sexual object is a gift that Kieran, out of the goodness of his heart, is bestowing on Jared. I felt differently.
The kicker for me was that a relationship like this, one that requires so much trust is initiated not by like minded people seeking it out via app, club, etc. but by one virtual stranger to another. There was no original date date, there is no romantic spark that leads to something more. In fact Kieran is clear and adamant that there will be NO LOVE between them. Kieran is not looking for a romantic relationship and he tells Jared that as soon as that changes he'll pass Jared off to a different Dom. So again we have a Dom who cares for his sub like anyone would care for a THING that is of value to them but not as person equal to themselves.
Presumably this will change in the next book which I'll have to read because this doesn't conclude the story, I own it, and that's how I roll. Also I like RH, I like the writing, and I know somewhere out there there are people making decisions I'd like to save them from but can't so the least I can do is serve as a witness.
Wish me luck.
If you're reading/listening to this series (you definitely should) this is a must. It parallels the events in [b:Beard Science 23337872 Beard Science (Winston Brothers, #3) Penny Reid https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1412692519l/23337872.SY75.jpg 42897371] but from the viewpoint of Beau Winston and what's going on with him, his own story. I'm almost reticent to call this a romance, though there is a romance, because IMO it's mostly or more specifically Beau's trajectory of finding his path after four of his siblings, including his twin Duane, are heading on their own HEA. I think the author, via her narrative choice validates my opinion. I'd say 70% of the book is told from Beau's POV. Not a complaint. Visiting Green Valley and more importantly the Winston clan is an unalloyed pleasure. The love and camaraderie is vibrant, palpable, and true. In this installment they deal with growing pains, some revelations, couples from previous books, including from Knitting in the City, show up and ad texture to this world. The romance you ask? It's sweet and heartfelt. Shelly is a brilliant mechanic, an artist, and someone whose been living with OCD that can at times be crippling. Luckily she's taking strides to help herself and she meets Beau Winston.
If I took this seriously I might be slightly appalled at myself for enjoying it so much however my serious button is broken and I'm glad.[a:Honey London 20189638 Honey London https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1586496474p2/20189638.jpg] effortlessly combines scorching smex, tenderness, and funny. Julian has always been a daddy's boy, pampered, and coddled to his heart's content. His heart is about to discover that he needs something more from his boppa. Unbeknownst to him his dad is also struggling with new, confounding, and overwhelming desires. Some suspension of disbelief is required but it wasn't difficult or a chore. Julian's voice alone is worth the price of admission. HL imbues such good humor and emotion into the characters and story that you can't help but cheer for them and wish them well.
The shorfest continues at mi casa!!!
The length doesn't matter. This is brief but it perfectly achieves its goal with minimum fuss. You'll be clutching your pearls while sighing in satisfaction.
Nicki's a thirty something year old guy, a go-to-swap-meets car enthusiast, leather scene fetishist, and an enthusiastic sub. He's found his dream counterpart in Jeremy, a 6'7” Dom that shares his passions, all his passions, and then some. See? I got all of that from a couple of pages. That's good writing.
With an economy of words but wealth of information the author gives us a day (not even a whole one) in the lives of two people and yet I can extrapolate how it is between them and how (employing my romance reader optimism) it's going to go.
This series has been a bit of a rollercoaster for me, loved some of the installments and others are have been ... meh. Color me surprised then to have really liked this short story featuring characters who have appeared in prior books but who haven't been major players. Jacob, Robby's older brother from [b:Exasperating 51886962 Exasperating (Elite Protection Services, #3) Onley James https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1582921325l/51886962.SY75.jpg 76401393] wakes up in a slutty elf outfit next to a bear of a man dressed as Santa. Santa turns out to be Connolly, one of Elite's bodyguards and an MMA fighter. The stage is set for smexy deliciousness: size difference, age difference, snowed-in forced proximity, Christmas and it's hopefulness, a soft hearted man-boy who won't even curse wanting to punch his V-card, and a man whose suffered loss and was just existing. I really liked how the story developed and how these two relate to each other. Though it's set some time in the future I could've done without the epilogue. I felt that the story stood well on it's original ending, if anything I would've welcomed a flashback scene of what led to Jason and Connolly in the cabin. This was FREE, part of the Winter Wonderland Giveaway
2.5 rounded down disappointment stars
Scrolling through the shorties in my Kindle I found this. Frankly I'm kind of confused ... this isn't a short story or novella, it ends right when it's getting started. It's more like like the beginning of a story, one that I can see being porny fun or maybe more. As it is? I'm wondering why it was published.
Rather than just a random PWP scene (which I wouldn't frown upon) the writer fills in character background, particularly the narrator, and hints at more than just porntastic fun but it doesn't come. The story just ends. Too bad. IMO it should've been one or the other.
Beautiful, poignant, and evocative. Love in a variety of its manifestations.
... also how am I still accidentally reading Christmas or Christmas adjacent stories? No. I didn't look at the cover and it's not really a Xmas story just like it's not really a romance, though it is a love story. I was happy.
Well, I did it again! Last year I found myself reading [b:The Promise 50638930 The Promise Ki Brightly https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1579829052l/50638930.SY75.jpg 75643370] by this author and now this one. I confess to having chosen both primarily for the covers (they're yummy) and I they're both winners. This is a delicious age gap, dirty talk, almost porntastic tale about Jaxson “Jax” Bell, an ambitious recent college graduate whose flexible moral compass allows him to sleep his way up the political ladder. To this end he sets his sights on Vane Elwood, the deputy mayor of New Gothenburg, a fictional town in NYS. Flint strikes steel and we are off to the races. The age difference is never specified (maybe fifteen years), Jax is no shy virgin and Vane is ruthless in his wants and desires. What he wants includes a kink that I hadn't thought of or encountered before. I won't say what it is, you'll find out or have an idea within the first couple of chapters, he's really committed to it and Jax more than likes the results. I will say that I had the same experience with this as I did when I read my first ABDL, Daddy/little, or even puppy play: kind of funny but surprisingly hot too. To each their own in the privacy of their bedroom and I have some book recs for Vane too. Of course my problem is that I'll have to dive into the rest of these books/series set in the New Gothenburg universe. You don't have to as the standalones really do standalone but I like the writing style, the seriousness, lightness, and smexyness of the books. Sweet.One niggle towards the end there's an exchange between Vane and a Spanish speaking character. She says "Buenas noches, Vane. Comó estas?" he responds "Muy bueno. Gracias." Jax is agog that Vane speaks Spanish and Vane says "Sí. Es mi idioma segunda." He clarifies that he's barely passable (true story) but a few sentences later asserts that he learned it as a second language as a child. Needless to say ALL of Vane's spoken Spanish is off or right out wrong. It may sound like nitpicking and it means nothing in the scheme of the book but my Spanish speaking peeps will understand. It costs nothing to ask a native speaker to read and correct a paragraph. Google translate will get you out of a jam but it's generally bad to rely on it for anything important. That's all.
I was going to say that enjoyment of this could be contingent on your familiarity and appreciation for [b:Peter Pan 34268 Peter Pan J.M. Barrie https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1337714526l/34268.SX50.jpg 1358908] however I'm neither and liked it. [a:Todd Scott 5695037 Todd Scott https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] delivers a really good audio of [a:Bonnie Dee 1166851 Bonnie Dee https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1453816802p2/1166851.jpg]'s clever reimagining of the tale of the boy who wouldn't grow up set in late Victorian days. Peter Woods has decided he wants to remain young and care-free forever until he meets Wendell Rhodes, a staid banker. Each chapter starts with a quote from the original story and (as far as I can tell) it follows the beats of Barrie's tale complete with characters who mirror those in the original. Peter Pan syndrome has never appealed to me and I'm not too sold on why Wendell whose solid, with a deep sense of duty would so immediately and irrevocably be attracted to Peter who's kind of feckless but opposites attract and all that so ... I wish them well.Notes to myself In the AB there were a couple of instances where Peter's surname inexplicably became Rhodes and the voice for Peter himself (while sounding authentic to who Peter was and the times) can make him sound off putting? kind of supercilious or prissy?