This year's event was named Love is an Open Road and they started releasing the completed stories on June first. Here at BMBR, we've been following along on comment threads, anticipating the stories from our favourite prompts, and now greedily reading the stories as they become available.
This hurt/comfort little gumdrop of squishy goodness is... just so damn feel good!
Dylan thought he'd be with his HS sweetheart forever. They had the American dream-house with a white picket fence, cute dog, good jobs. They were happy. Weren't they? Dylan thought so until Eamon came home one day and said it wasn't working then moved to Ohio with a guy he met at work, leaving Dylan with a mortgage he couldn't afford on a HS teacher's salary and a broken heart.
At least the SOB left the dog.
Dylan and Bender, the golden retriever, down size and Dylan exists over the next 3 yrs. He's got great friends who also make humorous secondary characters, Jack and Maggie.
Jack and Maggie talk Dylan into seeing some indie bands and Metropol where he meets Eli, the "roadie" for Mei Long; his brother's band.
Eli is easy going, laid back, but he see Dylan and he has a purpose. He's not pushy or overbearing. He just knows. He doesn't go declaring his LUB, but they make plans and keep making plans and spending increasing amounts of time together, getting to know each other, talking about everything and, yes, having some sexy times. All of it felt so organic.
No stilted dialogue. No awkwardness. Just good relationship development that I settled into with a glass of iced tea and just enjoyed the ride. I particularly enjoyed the addition of Chinese folklore. That was a nice touch.
There are a few tell tale signs that Eli may not be your average human, but the truth doesn't come out until circumstances force it to the fore. I also am truly grateful that there was no melodramatic antics. Dylan doesn't freak out or make a big production. He just needs to think on it because dragons bond forever.
"“What do you want?” Dylan asked.
“You,” Eli said. “It’s always been you.”"
I do wish there was more dragon-ness, but SO MANY SQUISHY FEELS!!!!!!
AND A DRAGON!!!!!!!!
Thanks to the author and her team for participating in the LOR event.
*****
SheReadsALot: Atle's Saga by Kit Edwards and Lifeboat by Rob Colton
Need convincing?
Olof is the young prince and sole heir of Funir. His father Christian King Sigurd is a lazy tyrannical bastard who wants the neighboring land, Granbyr. The land is ruled by Jarl Atle, viking warrior and considered a heathen to the Christian king. But the people of Funir love Atle and for good reason.
He thinks with his head and doesn't lash out for greed. He gives tot the people, a Robin Hood of sorts. An approaching Danish army makes the king call a truce since he doesn't have the manpower to fight...and neither does Atle's people. The king sends his son to fight and hides in his cushy kingdom. Olof knew who he was...or so he thought until he met Atle face to face.
"And shall I tell you something else? Girls and boys are not so different from each other. You know the way a girl looks away and pretends she doesn't know you're watching her? When you can tell that although her eyes are on something, anything else, her mind is only on you?"
"Yeah?"
"Boy's do the exact same thing. As do men," Atle added. "And it's beautiful."
Atle picks up on the need inside of Olof. The prince wants to be taken and wants Atle inside him. But the young prince, he struggles with his desires internally. Should he follow what he's been taught? That is wrong to lay with another man?
Atle's seduction of this kid?
Delicious.
I love when the main character takes their time and nudges the other character to realize where their desires lie.
Every sex scene was awesome but the butt virgin deflowering? I'm still grinning. Nothing better than two warriors fucking like warriors. Hard, rough, thrusting....desperate needing. And someone's a bit of a power bottom. *growls*
And you know what was equally as good as the sex?
Each time a sword sliced or axe beheaded. These aren't soft men and the author went full throttle without going overboard. Did my blood-lusty reader's heart good to read every one. The twists and turns! And the final twist? Totally didn't see it coming. So happy with the outcome.
A joy to experience the full potential of this prompt and then some!
*****
Rob Colton is a god of delivering delicious bear romances. (Okay there wasn't a bear tag for "Lifeboat" but I pictured both main characters to be bears. ;P)
Sci-fi reunited lovers with a light touch of inner turmoil for not saying the big 'ILY' in time because you still have your head stuck in your ass? Who knew he could get that from this prompt and pic?
Loved it!
In less than 7K, Colton packs a punch. Charles aka "Chuck" is a space engineer who is in a relationship with his boss, Sergeant Jack. Chuck likes to keep their relationship a secret. Who knew that a matter of life and death help him realize what he always knew? It touch a smack (a serious one) on his noggin to make it all clear.
I loved the hallucinations. I loved the reunion. *growls*
Wish there was more (of course). But for what was given, the story does its job and more! Even if it's science fiction.
Sci-fi reunited lovers with a light touch of inner turmoil for not saying the big 'ILY' in time because you still have your head stuck in your ass? Who knew he could get that from this prompt and pic?
Loved it!
In less than 7K, Colton packs a punch. Charles aka "Chuck" is a space engineer who is in a relationship with his boss, Sergeant Jack. Chuck likes to keep their relationship a secret. Who knew that a matter of life and death help him realize what he always knew? It touch a smack (a serious one) on his noggin to make it all clear.
I loved the hallucinations. I loved the reunion. *growls*
Wish there was more (of course). But for what was given, the story does its job and more! Even if it's science fiction.
*****
I'll review properly when it's not 3.47am...but this made me laugh hard. Given that one mc is a complete bastard, and one is a wet noodle, the fact that I really enjoyed this tells me the author has skills!
Thirty-two hours later...
Still chuckling!
This story shouldn't have worked. As I said the MC, Maris, whose POV this story is written from, is a complete doormat. I wouldn't have been surprised to look at him and see WELCOME written on his forehead. The other MC, Jonathan, is a complete and utter arse-hole. Like, seriously, the man is mean.
As the readers, we are able to see just how much Jonathan is stringing Maris along. We know from page one that the outcome is not going to be pretty, at least for a start. It is blatantly obvious. All of this should have turned me off, made me put down the book - yet I continued to read at stupid o'clock in the morning.
Why?
Because this story was hilarious. I swear I thought I was going to wake the rest of the household up as I read.
I can't help comparing Maris and Jonathan to Baldrick and Blackadder.
The relationship for most of the story was pretty much the same. Let's face it, Blackadder is a pompous arse, and Baldrick is as thick as shit. Yet I still love them. There is no way I'm turning over the channel once Blackadder starts showing.
It may not be quite what the prompter was after, I'd never have seen the prompt going in this direction. I thought I'd be disappointed with not getting a hot 'n' steamy office encounter. However, I can't deny I loved Alp Mortal's interpretation of this prompt...even if it did interrupt my sleep!
*****
Though technically Wiley is David's brother, Derek's, best friend, he has been a family friend for so long that he's good friends with David too. So, basically, I'm counting this as friends-to-lovers - which floats my boat.
It had it all, yearning, feelings, hot 'n' sexy times and oh-so-yummy romantic moments. The whole kit 'n' caboodle of what I want to read in a short story was found in these pages. Perfect!
*** All stories are available for download at http://www.mmromancegroup.com/***
All are on my list, just haven't had a chance to read them yet, but I will!
ReplyDeleteI know. There are still stories from last year I've not got to yet!
ReplyDelete