NSFW Review: Wrestling For Top Part 1 by Jack Stevens

Handsome wrestler Terry ‘Kid Bacchus’ Ryan is popular with the fans in the ring and with the men in the bedroom. But faced with dwindling audiences and fierce competition in Britain, Terry gambles on a tour of Europe with ‘uncle’ Doug, three wrestling buddies, and an unexpected sponsor, the masked wrestler Johnny Deuce.

Abroad, Terry and his team score on the mats and between the sheets, catching the eye of influential wrestler/promoter Yves Montaigne, who is eager to make Terry a star and lover.

But even as success beckons, Terry is drawn into a world of dark and dangerous sexual fantasies, and to save himself and his wrestling family, Terry must find out who his real enemies are. Are they linked to the death of his father years ago? What part did Doug play in that? And above all, who really is the man behind the Johnny Deuce mask?

Wrestling for Top is an erotica serial in seven parts.

Ding Ding Ding! Stroke fic winner!

This was such a hodge podge of things I enjoy from Tom of Finland and Naked Combat to Fight Club with maybe a dash of Ray Donovan thrown in to class up the joint, minus all those blasted weighty topics. Wrestling for Top isn't PWP, but it's also not meant to be taken seriously. I have a feeling the rest of the series is going to involve a fuck ton of man meat, probably some questionable choices and maybe a wrestling championship. 

If you're looking for a book that's profound, this isn't the book for you. If you're looking for a book that's DEEP, this could be a book for you. If you don't enjoy a lot of sweaty, hairy men fucking without feelings, this isn't the book for you. If you're someone who enjoys bears plowing horny, hungry twinks, come sit next to me and let's talk about all the monster cocks that rain come in this novelette.

What I appeals to me so much about Tom of Finland is how exaggerated everything is-the cocks are monstrous, the come geysers, the men are beefcakes and there seems to be an undercurrent of power dynamics wrapped up in a leather clad, hyper-sexual, homoerotic fantasy. What Jack Stevens has done is translated that fantasy to the page.

His version of that fantasy is set in the exaggerated and oftentimes comically theatrical world of pro wrestling. There are two competing promotors-POWer Productions where Terry 'Kid Bacchus' Ryan is the star and Critical MASS Promotions who are luring away all of POWer's wrestlers. They're also trying to woo The Kid, but he is loyal to POWer mostly because his uncle runs it. I think. It's too early to tell what motivates him aside from his cock. There is a hint of a backstory involving his father who was a wrestler himself as was his uncle and there might be A BIG SECRET. All of the "adults" in this story struck me as burned out, a bit desperate and would probably sell their first born for a fifth of Jack. 

Mansfield is MASS's owner and cast as the villain. He's likely running an underground Fight Club/Naked Kombat and The Kid is a hot commodity that no doubt would be lucrative draw. Plus "The Kid" is packing a python in his unitard and he is not afraid of using it either. Or being used for that matter. I like em flexible. I also like how much Kid likes himself.

I really could quote the hell out of this thing, but I'll limit myself to two:

With a savage thrust of his hips, the man drives his scimitar-like cock up and in. Mario howls, and all around them there is an answering sound, almost as feral, from the assembled men, as each one vicariously shares the pleasure of shafting the beaten, beautiful boy.

Publicly vanquishing the fallen by monster cock with only spit for lube? Yes, please.

"My God, that is a great arse," he breathed.

"Fucking well fuck it then!" Mark cried out.

It could've used an edit to avoid moments like, "unconsciously Doug ran his head over his shaven head", and the telling of it in certain points gets a little difficult to follow, but overall I thoroughly enjoyed this fun romp and will likely continue on with the series in the future. If for no other reason than to see if there is an ultimate fighting orgy. 

Please baby jeebuz.

Recommend for those who enjoy veiny clubs, fuck muscles, jackhammering, oily and/or shiny bears, twinks and face fucking.

A review copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Find out more on Goodreads & Ninestar Press.

Review: Stray by Kari Gregg

With a lycan father, a human mother, and the human side of his genetic makeup dominant, Luke left his birth pack to try living among humans, but he felt awkward and uncomfortable isolated from the culture that raised him. He’s still searching for where he fits in.

After losing his family in a vicious attack, Dean rebuilt his pack by accepting loners, rejects, other survivors, and even ferals. He and his ragtag group of strays made a warm and welcoming home.

Luke believes he’s finally found where he belongs. Meddling parents and a neighbor who isn’t as human as he seems won’t sway him. Luke wants Dean to take in one last stray...him.

Content Warning: Shifter knotting/tying, mating heats (yes, plural), and jerky!

"The human," Dean said, rubbing his cum into Luke's ass cheeks, "is mine."

I have now returned to The Gregg's Planet Fuckatron. All unicorn bot systems engaged.

If you're not familiar with The Gregg, know she writes erotica really, really well. And if non-con & dub-con are your kind of kink, she really excels in writing those kinks.

But...there is none of that in her latest, Stray. Triggers: past abuse (off page)

If I had to describe Stray in few words: softer erotica in a alternate universe/paranormal world where werewolves are known.

And KNOTTING.

Ahem, KNOTTING with lycan penis that is always hard. Did I just hear simultaneous grunts through the screen?

Set in Maryland, Luke is a thirty-six year old human/lycan hybrid accountant who is short, a little paunchy in the middle area and tired of fitting in the human world. He checked out a local pack known for taking in strays and he wants to be their latest one. Luke has hangups but he bravely enters on territory he might get run off since the pack's leader has a horrific past with humans. But nature doesn't care about potential problems. You see the blurb. *leers*

Stray has good characters, the most developed were Luke and Jeremy, Luke's neighbor. The story explains a lot about werewolf society and how they survive in modern day USA. While helpful, the story came across as info dumpy in parts. And The Gregg can set up suspense and great thrillers. Stray is more about explaining the world and the other parts include a mating couple who possibly have crosses to bear.

I think the problem with this story was the plot was underdeveloped. It had potential - pack-born human who was getting over past abuse, touch starved and human enough to live in human society meets lycan who doesn't trust humans and had some of the worse crimes committed against his family and land. It could have been mega angst central. But not so. This was closer to romantic, definitely softer. It was more about courting and mating. It didn't really expand on either men getting over their baggage, or striving how to learn one another. It was more like - move in, sex, mating, done.

Strongest parts? 

The dialogue when it did finally happen in between the explanation was good, at some parts really great. The entire dialogue between Luke, his mother, and Jeremy about their sex lives? Comedic gold. I felt for Luke especially when his mother started to discuss her vagina and lube. Just...yeah. Moving on!

The world created was super interesting. Werewolves live in modern America where prejudice is heavy. There are rights on paper for anti-discrimination but it depends on the part of the country you live in to expect it actually followed. And even if it is, their rights are still tentative in a human dominated world. While on one hand the story is heavy handed with explaining just about all the history of werewolves, it also was a great idea. As usual, the world Gregg created would be a place I'd love to revisit, maybe with one of those ferals? (I won't hold my breath)

The smut was hot as hell.

"You're a skittish little thing for a pack-born human.""Nervous.""You should be nervous. Undress."

It hit my kinks: exhibitionist sex (lycans don't care where they fuck or who is there) and KNOTTING. Lots of semen, swollen holes and growling. Hot. So while the story isn't in my Gregg favorites *coughs* I, Omega, Pretty Poison, that really long title with space cats*coughs*, the erotica is worth a gander. Dean was a considerate patriarch (alpha) of his pack. And it also applied to his mate. He fucked Luke thoroughly. Put that permaboner to great use but never let his wolf behavior dictate how he treated Luke.

The ending was kinda expected, so it didn't really surprise. Usually, I'm left with wanting more at a Gregg story ending. This one it wasn't as urgent.

Still hot though.

Because KNOTTING.

And since the strongest parts were favorable, I'll go with the higher end of my 3-3.5 Hearts rating range.

Check out on Goodreads or Booklikes!

Review: Be My Valentine, Sir by Elizabeth Coldwell

Jason has planned a perfect night in — good food, fine wine, a sensual shared bath and a naughty BDSM scene. But when his master, Adrian, goes into the office instead, Jason won’t be taken for granted any longer. Discovering a dominant side he never knew he possessed, he’s about to give Adrian a Valentine’s treat he’ll never forget.

My penchant for meaningful kink is the worst kept secret on the interwebs. I'm always looking for authors that will blow my doors off, so chances are if there's a BDSM tag that's usually enough of an enticement which is what brought me to this series. What I'm looking for is substance but in the absence of that I'll take OTT, possibly hella fucked up, great characterizations, snappy dialogue OR smutterrific PWP. So many chances to impress me.

Unfortunately... none of that was on offer here.

What was on offer was a whole lotta lead up to a whole lotta fizzle. Odd fizzle that didn't jizzle or sizzle for that matter.  Too much time was wasted on minute details that didn't contribute to the plot or infuse depth to the characters.

It would probably be best to read the predecessor (Happy Christmas, Sir) prior to reading this to get a sense of these characters and because those events are referenced here. But in a nutshell, Adrian and Jason are in a committed D/s relationship. Jason had more experience with kink when they got together and, evidently, Adrian has expressed some desire to put the shoe on the other foot, so to speak. 

I actually do think this is a good idea. If you're going to dole out a beating then it's not a bad idea to know what it feels like. What I don't see happening is having your sub do it. That doesn't work for me. Don't muck with the power dynamics. The whole story started to go sideways from then on for me.

Jason has big plans for Valentine's Day that Adrian's ruined by working! That bastard. Yes, the word brat came to mind which was another step in the wrong direction for me. So he mounts his Schwinn armed with Adrian's Valentine's Day "present" and peddles for his office. SPOILER ALERT: the punishment is a spanking. Six whole swats with a paddle. After four Adrian is "writhing, gasping and sobbing" with a rock hard cock, of course. *throws shade*

"Ride the pain," Jason urged him. "Go with it, and it'll turn to pleasure, I promise. That's what makes everything worth it." He caressed Adrian's buttock, savoring the heat given off by the tender flesh. Then he moved his hand lower, wrapping it around Adrian's cock. "Do you feel it?"

*throws ALL THE shade*


Here's the thing IF you're going to role reverse wouldn't you be nervous as a sub punishing your Master and all? And wouldn't the master still pretty much be in charge rather than flipping a switch and becoming "uncharacteristically meek" and falling apart after six swats? To be fair (in a sense) these characters are flat, so I really couldn't say what's right for them one way or another but... something in the milk ain't clean is all I'm saying.

After the spanking they make the seeeeex but I had tapped out by that point and no amount of finesse is going to make the word "channel" sexy. One anemic sex scene does not a stroke fic make, so...not the first time I've struck out with a sexy cover and enticing tags and probably won't be the last.

It is cutesy in a superficial way and if that's your jam, this is a book you'll enjoy.

A review copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Find out more on Goodreads & Ninestar Press.

Guest Review: Wolf, Becoming by Rory Ni Coileain

Volyk learns very young that he has to hide what he is—oboroten’, shape-shifter—after his father is killed and skinned by a hunter, and the pack that takes in his pregnant mother is hostile to his kind. When Volyk is ordered to fight the pack’s beta to prove his fitness, but instead obeys his hormones and tries to mount him, he’s declared an abomination and forced to flee.

Ilya, too, hides a secret. Being young and gay in modern Russia is dangerous, and he knows it. But the truth eventually gets out, and his brothers lure him into the forest to kill him. They’re stopped by Volyk, who hides the mortally wounded Ilya in his den. The only way to heal the human is to turn him into an oboroten’.

Unfortunately, Ilya’s gentle nature is ill-suited to the life of a wolf. But when Volyk’s old pack returns, seeking to take away Volyk’s magickal den, Ilya will have to embrace—truly become—the wolf Volyk made him to save both his mate’s life and his own.

Guest Reviewer: Chelsea

This is such a unique story! I love when authors make it their own, and play with the ideas of what a shifter can be and do. Coileain definitely did this, and did it beautifully!

Ilya and Volyk are both exiles in their own way, and both got there by very brutal and sad means (there are definitely a few characters I would have happily seen murdered). The first 30% of the story shows glimpses into Ilya and Volyk’s separate but slightly intertwined lives over the course of 18 years. It starts from the day Ilya’s dad kills Volyk’s, until the day Volyk saves Ilya from his brothers attempt to murder Ilya (hint: these are the characters I wanted to see dead).

As stated previously, the uniqueness of this story comes from the idea of what a shifter can do. Volyk is born Oboroton (shifter) and that means he is born a wolf and will stay a wolf until he can find a place that holds the magick that can change him into a human. He will only be able to change into his human form while in this place of magick and not elsewhere. While in their Wolf form they can communicate telepathically to other Oboroton as well as understand human and standard Wolf communication. I don’t want to waffle on, but as I’ve said I find it so incredibly creative when authors do this! Loved this concept.

This story is told almost in a fairytale type way, which felt very appropriate with snowy Russian landscape as a setting and the Russian language interspersed throughout the story. The Oboroton have an interesting way of talking as well, which makes it feel more historical.

“You take my breath, wolf-mine.”

Which brings me onto the important stuff, the love story. Volyk has seen and thought about Ilya a few times since his father's death, and already cares a great deal for him and protects him as he would a mate. Therefore he wastes no time in getting ‘closer’ once Ilya is revealed as Oboroton. The sex scenes were very sensual, and very very sexy!

These two connect hard and fast as mates tend to do in shifter stories, and confessions of love are spoken rather quickly. I would call it Insta-love for Ilya, but because Volyk knew more of Ilya and felt a connection before their official introduction. Their desire for each other is plain to see and the connection between these two isolated people as they form a new and safe home together is beautiful.

“I need to hold you.” “And I… need to be held.”

One thing I really didn’t like was we never saw Ilya’s brothers get any comeuppance. I may be a little blood thirsty but I seriously wanted them (and his dad) to be mauled by all the wolves… that ever lived…. ever!!

I definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes shifters and mates stories. It was a very easy and enjoyable read with such a unique concept!

For more information, check out:

Dreamspinner Press
Goodreads
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Guest Review: The Sun Dragon (The Sun Dragon #1) by Annabelle Jay

The Sun Dragon: Book One

It’s been many years since the beauty of dragons riding the wind disappeared from the skies, destroyed by the corrupt King Roland and his greedy minions.

Or were they?

Instead of killing the dragons, Roland transformed them into humans so they could mingle with his people and breed him an army. Teenage Allanah saves her friend Victoria from falling victim to his scheme with newly manifested magical abilities. Another surprise comes when Allanah’s first high school crush, Jason, reveals he’s been sent by a clandestine council of wizards to test Allanah and Victoria’s arcane talents. No one is more amazed than Allanah when, during her trial, she produces the world’s first light dragon.

Allanah might be the only hope not just for her best friend but also for the survival of all the world’s dragons. In addition to her monumental task, she struggles to understand her feelings between her new attraction to Cormac, the wizard general, and her emerging desire for a beautiful, forest-dwelling Igreefee girl named Dena.

Guest Reviewer: Fantasy Living

Allanah is fifteen and spends her days reading fantasy novels, not able to stay mentally present in school, or life in general, always getting in trouble for not paying attention to things around her.

When King Roland, an evil wizard, calls out his dragons on national television, Allanah is thrust into the magical world, where her reality is completely turned around and things make even less sense to her addled mind.

Allanah quickly discovers that she is a powerful witch, and has been tasked with saving the magical world from the evil King Roland, while navigating her strange new world, and her feelings for Cormac and Dena.

This was a struggle for me. There was just too much information in the beginning of the story, and none of it really made sense. A teenager is suddenly the most important person in the magical world, and is giving counsel to adults, in a world she just learned about, yet she is not amazed, not frightened, and seems to just go along with the new reality. Most of the ideas she has are just blurted out thoughts and everyone goes along with it. There is no questioning her thought process, it just seems like the most logical option available because she cracked open an egg with a light dragon. No training, no guidance, let's just all do what this teenager says, even though we’ve been doing this for decades, and she walked into the room moments ago.

Once the second part rolled around I was much more comfortable with the storyline. Allanah is finally being taught something, she is finally being guided, and it is heading in the right direction. I liked the world, although the worldbuilding was somewhat lacking, it was enough to grasp what was going on. The relationship development between characters was poorly executed, and flimsy. I would have preferred more time spent fleshing out the relationships with all the key characters. Too much time was spent inside Allanah’s mind, and not enough spent on giving me more of the important people in her life.

Which brings me to the relationship between Allanah and her mother. I have a teenager….. he’s thirteen, and very headstrong. He is independent and flighty in school. So I get it. I’ve yelled at him about his education, and it has not hit the thinking brain yet. But we still have a relationship. He hasn’t run away (yet?), and he still defers to me when things really matter. I just do not understand how Allanah’s mother pretty much says ‘Oh, you’re a Level Five witch, and you’ve been pulled into this Council that I hate, but sure, go live somewhere else, and do your witchy thing, because I don’t use magic anymore so I won’t be helping you on this journey’. No! That is not how parental guidance works. It was completely unbelievable to me. Maybe it would be more believable to the teenagers who will be reading this story, and this book would definitely be best placed in the 9-13 category, but if my kid is reading about how he can just say ‘Oh, I’m going to go live in this little village in the woods and learn from these magical beings, that I’ve just met’, you can bet on me tagging along, if I don’t say ‘Absolutely not’ before the sentence has left his lips.

All those issues aside, I think this story would be good for pre-teen/young teens. It’s an adventure story, and the ‘romance’ element is completely G rated. There is suggestion of liking Dena and Cormac, but there is no real romantic development. I would be comfortable with my 11 and 13 year olds reading this (not that they would because they prefer video games). It may make more sense to children who are not advanced readers yet, and won’t get hung up on grammar, context, and misuse of metaphors.

The third part of this story flopped for me. Even though it tied everything else in, it missed the mark. It may make more sense in the second book, but it was a completely unsatisfying ending to this book. I hope that the second book improves the author’s writing, because the ideas are actually really great. More time needs to be spent developing the world, characters, as well as tightening up the writing.

I wouldn’t recommend this to an adult who enjoys YA reading, but I would recommend it to previously stated 9-13 age group.

Harmony Ink Press
Goodreads
Booklikes

Review: Reasons to Love a Nerd Like Me by Becky Jerams

Scotty Williams is the nerdiest 17-year-old at Havensdale College - and proud of it. However being a nerd can have its downsides, particularly when you're constantly being targeted by the school bully Taylor Raven and his cronies. As Scotty tries to navigate his final college years with the aid of his best friend Olive, he also finds himself on the radar of the mysterious and intimidating Vincent Hunter, toughest guy in the Sixth Form. Is Vincent really as bad as he seems? Will Scotty's darkest secret ever be revealed? Can he ever just finish his last few college years in peace? But most importantly... will any guy ever find the reasons to love a nerd like him? 

You know the books where you have a lot to gripe about? But, at the same time, you can't put the book down? Yeah. That's where I am with Reasons to Love a Nerd Like Me.

Let me start with saying that on the surface this book was made for me. Scotty is geeky and adorable and out. Vincent is hot and loving and doesn't give two craps about how dorky his boyfriend is. Anyone who knows my reading tastes knows that I am all about the adorableness and these guys had it. 

As the song faded out, our lips parted and Vincent let out a contented sigh. My glasses had steamed up slightly and I quickly took them off and wiped them with my shirt. Vincent laughed out loud. "Hey, it's not funny," I said with a smirk. "I actually can't see!" He wrestled me playfully onto the bed behind us, "Stop being so God damn fucking cute, because I can't take it anymore!"

See? Cuteness everywhere. Everything about them was so sweet and perfect. I loved the build up between them. Scotty was a little dense, but he's only 17 and without much self-esteem, due to the horrible treatment he received at school.

Vincent couldn't have come into Scotty's life at a better time. Scotty was being bullied by the tennis star player, Taylor. The bullying was only getting progressively worse. Scotty was at a loss with what to do and couldn't even confide in his bestie, Olive. Then Vincent came along and ended up being there for Scotty. He boosted Scotty's confidence in a way nobody else had and helped him move past the bullying, even if Taylor wouldn't relent. 

Most of my problems with this story were with the writing style. THERE WERE A LOT OF CAPITALS AND EXCLAMATION POINTS!!!!!!! There was loads of drama going on, and the yelling and excitement only exaggerated an already melodramatic story. I kept wanting to tell everyone to just calm down for a minute. There was no reason to get so excited all the time. The characters were young, so I suppose that can explain all the unnecessary angst, but it all felt like too much. There was so much going on that my eyes started to roll towards the end. 

Then, after everything that happened with this group of kids, the end was wrapped up very neatly with a perfectly tied bow. Again, too much.

In the beginning, I loved it all and it was everything I expected from a YA romance. But eventually, things were bogged down by silly drama and it was overkill.

A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Find out more info on Goodreads.

Guest Review: Night and Day by Rowan Speedwell

Nate Pederowski is about as far down as he can go when he’s tipped to a job as a singer in a speakeasy. Dishonorably discharged for being queer, broke and homeless during the Great Depression, Nate is embittered and lonely. The club’s handsome owner, Rick Bellevue, and his sister Corinna are wowed by Nate’s voice and offer him the job.

But the Starlight Lounge is much more than an ordinary supper club, and Rick and his sister much more than just the owners. It’s not ’til Nate gets caught up in a gangster’s plot that he discovers just what secrets they’re hiding. Nate’s life is going to change in ways he can scarcely imagine, let alone believe.

1st Edition published by Dreamspinner Press, 2010, in the Myths and Magic: Legends of Love anthology.

Guest Reviewer: Fantasy Living

This was surprising. I’m still trying to wrap my head around what I just read.

Historical fiction isn’t usually my thing. I mean I like it sometimes, but mostly I get bored of the language, and tend to distract myself with shiny things instead.

This story, even though it was short, has been absorbed into my brain. Completely. And what is most surprising is that I was completely thrown by the Second Person present tense, but it worked, and now I can’t think of reading it any other way.

This is my first Second Person fictional piece. Maybe Ever! So I’m really pleased that the story was good, ensuring my experience wasn’t traumatic.

I thought the character development was very thorough. For a short story, this was very detailed. It flowed really well, and I liked all the characters that were presented to me. I felt Nate’s emotional wounds, and they felt like mine, even though I’ve never been to war.

The plot was really interesting, and I’m not going to give one single piece away. This is something a reader should experience for the first time, without any spoilers. Okay, one spoiler, there is no on-page sex, but there is a mysticism in this story that is compelling, so it makes that okay for a smut-slut like me.

Romance - oh yes, it is romantic. And clever. Very clever. I’m disappointed it wasn’t longer.

The worldbuilding was great. The end of Prohibition is imminent, in a speakeasy club for exclusive clientele who may not be what their outer package shows, this is the warning Nate gets, but who cares because Rick! Rick is all sunshine and light, and his sister is all mysterious and vague. It’s a lovely combination, and their dynamics were very clear, even if I didn’t quite understand them. That was the fun part. The mysterious nature of the story. Very cloak and dagger, hidden in the shadows, hushed whispers, and ambiguous statements. I know I’m rambling now, but it truly was great.

The way the writer wrote Nate’s singing….. Brilliant descriptions!! I was completely drawn into that, and wished there was more. I think that was my favourite part of it all.

“The intro comes out like a Gregorian chant, mystical and religious, and when you swing into the first chorus it’s like bells chiming on Christmas. The song is smooth and rich as wine, and thick with hopeless longing.”

Some historical references that went over my head; being from a different country, and a different time, but otherwise this story was easy to follow, and had some great little twists.

Don’t be put off by the Second Person point of view. Seriously, it only took me two pages to get used to it and then I couldn’t stop reading until I finished.

The story felt much longer than the state page count, but not in a bad way. This story was rich, and full of descriptive text that carried the story, without the need for excess dialogue.

The author has definitely piqued my interest in her writing, and I’m off to check out the rest of her work.

Recommended for everyone who enjoys MM Romance.

For more information on:

Dreamspinner Press
Goodreads
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Guest Review: In Allegiance by Kate Islay

Mathias commands the Cortesian army, but what he most longs for is home. When his king gifts him with a slave from a conquered princedom, Mathias is intrigued—even as he resists the king’s machinations. But Reve soon tests Mathias’s allegiance and his heart.

Once the son of a prince, now a slave in a foreign land, Reve has few allies in his goal to protect his younger brother from the king. He’s forced to navigate the treacherousness of Cortesa and his own conflicted feelings for his captor. Faced with what he most wants, Reve has to make a choice—and Mathias has to make his. An empire stands against them, but Mathias’s loyalty to the king may be too much for Reve to conquer.

Guest Review: Chelsea

Holy mother of all things heart-pounding and nail-biting THAT was a good book. I feel a bit like this after reading it though.

I’m sorry to say it but I put off reading this for ages. I think it was the cover honestly, but I absolutely devoured this book.

This book is set in an alternate universe, but one very closely related to the time and period of the Roman empire. It reminded me a lot of the movie Gladiator, but without the Gladiators, just all the politics, corruption and war.

Mathias is the Commander of the army of Cortesa, which is an empire similar to Rome. We meet him just after his army have successfully conquered the northern kingdoms. Mathias is gifted with a pleasure slave for his victory, one of the northern Prince’s sons, Reve. Reve’s eight year old brother is also taken by the king of Cortesa to be fostered by him to become an eventual successor.

As you can imagine Reve and Mathias have a fairly shaky start as Reve wants to rescue his brother and return home, while Mathias is loyal to his king and empire. I really really loved the way their tentative truce and relationship developed. They both felt just in their respective causes, but developed respect for each other and obviously there was also that undercurrent of attraction sizzling away between them.

Seeing both Reve and Mathias’ POV was what made this book so much more enthralling and complicated. Mathias’ loyalty to his king and country made so much sense and I could see where he was coming from, but at the same time we saw Reve’s hurt and how much the war had affected him and his kin. I had no idea how this would end or what would happen to any of the characters in the meantime.

My nerves slowly but surely increased as the King of Cortesa’s motivations become more dubious and conspiracies started coming from all angles. I was so scared for Reve and his little brother. I ached for Mathias as he started to fall in love with Reve and felt weight of his loyalty starting to divide.

Goodness, this book was brilliantly written. Despite all the different names and places I never felt lost. In a story this intricate and with this many characters, this takes a lot of talent!

The reason this is a 4.5 and not a 5 hearts is that the romance does take a back seat to the story and conspiracies, which is never a preference of mine. The romance is there though, it's just subtle, and yes there are a couple of sex scenes, which I was highly grateful for. The build up of sexual tension was delicious and when it did finally get satisfied.. .. it was satisfied well!!

If you don’t mind sweating a little and you enjoy historical, conspiracy or war stories I would highly HIGHLY recommend this one. Even if you don’t, just try this, I think you will find you’ll get glued to the story!

Check out on Goodreads or Booklikes!

Review: Pup Love by Kenn Dahll

Brett loves Dave and enjoys being a power bottom to his dominant Master. Although the couple has an open relationship, Brett had not taken advantage of the option until he met Jose and his friend Pedro during an extended business trip. His experimentation with the pair opens his eyes to the pleasure of being dominant, yet he relishes his submissive relationship with Dave. With new experiences under his belt, will Brett be able to embrace his new-found dominance in the presence of his Master?

I enjoy reading PWP.

I've read all types:

- the ones that get straight to the point - cock's out, time to start stuffing those hungry holes;

- the ones that try to tease - a hint of sexy, then story and then a big sloppy finish;

- the ones that try to impress you with the author's thesaurus skills - nothing says sexy like a thick toothsome tumescent protrusion;

- the ones that are weird - *coughs*Dr. Chuck Tingle*coughs*;

- the ones that are just bad from jump...

For me, "Pup Love" by Kenn Dahll just was a miss, from the first page.

It's not the kinks written that irks me (okay, maybe the BDSM practiced was off for me), it's the writing style.

"His armpits promise olfactory sensations beyond belief as the strains of his workout manifest in droplets of perspiration most certainly perfumed with his masculine pheromones"

or

"Fuck, one of his burgundy tits is poking through a tear in the wet material! I can barely concentrate on my spotting responsibilities. My rigid prick aches to peek out of its confinement in my jockstrap's mesh--the angry-red tip, protruding from its crinkly snout, reaches into the wide elastic waistband."

Really? Cocks and snouts?

Pup Love is a PWP that is stuffed with sex scenes. And I'm sure there are readers out there who can find this erotic. Any muscle porn lovers out there? Or puppy play fans? *waves hands* Readers who don't mind erotic stories that feature open relationships? I thought that was the best thing about the book. The couple was fully upfront about their extracurricular activities.

This story fell flat in just about all the other departments for me. Granted, doms written like Dave who yell and speak in exclamation points turn me the hell off, so I wasn't going to like him. He's an example of a bad dom to me. And Brett wasn't any better as his sub. The story is written from Brett's POV in first person.

"I'm gonna fuck your ass. You better make it tight. I don't like loose fucks." I don't do fifty Kegel clenches daily to be a loose fuck. Focusing on my sphincter, I contract my anus and hold it clenched against the onslaught of his indomitable bludgeon.

Brett is a "power bottom" who serves his Master/dom Dave. They have an open relationship. He goes on a business trip and fucks the help staff, finally getting a chance to top. And this makes him more dominant. *yawn* As you can see, Brett tries to impress with his synonym skills.

Using both palms, I spread his butt cheeks until I see the rubicund beige center into which I deliver a glob of spittle.

Mmmhmm...that "rubicund beige center" got a pounding. But the way the person who it's attached to was written pissed me off a little. Pedro, the Mexican waiter, who couldn't speak the best English but somehow got it right while being sexed and went back to not speaking good English in conversation. Something was off about the way the Latino characters were written. But then again, they weren't written to be people, more as sex toys.

And once Brett declared,

"Take it amigo! Take my whole fucking cock up your ass. Shit! Damn! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! I'm filling your hole with my gringo salsa!"

I was over it.

Didn't care about the threesomes. Didn't care about the main character. Didn't care about the kink.

Didn't.

Care.

For stroke fic, it's not sexy. If there was a point, I missed it. You can tell me PWP doesn't need a point, but I've read better fuck scenes without the thesaurus thrown in shorter amount of words.

It could have been sliced in half (lengthwise), lose the unnecessary business trip and just portray Brett discovering his dominant side with the "Nebraska twink". I'm all for interracial PWP, but the awkward word choice, flat characters and not sexy sex...it makes all the story's missteps stand out.

Unless this was the intention for the entire story, to be a satire of bad porn? Or the reader is supposed to laugh instead of cum? Then, this got the job done in spades!

Find on Goodreads or Booklikes!

Review: Our Place Among the Stars by James Cox

Sequel to Dick, It's What's for Dinner.

The pleasure ship is coming to your area...

I’m Mickale Stone, coming to you from the middle of space. The famous Three Guys Pleasure Ship will be coming to your planet in one week! We have some of the best dance shows in the entire colonized planet system, a delicious three-course meal by the famous Vernon McSpire and all your servers will be stripping. There are stunning views as you dine over your planet. You can even book a room for the night so you can make love among the stars. (Limited space, must bring your own lover as one will not be provided.)

Have a romantic, once in a lifetime experience on The Three Guys Pleasure Ship. Book your tickets today!

Breann - 

Short. Sexy. Fun.

Vern, Ale, and Rei finally achieved their dream jobs with The Three Guys Pleasure Ship. Vern gets to cook for their guests, Ale serves the drinks, while Rei gets to pilot the ship. They rolled all their passions into one business and get to do what they love best. Besides each other, that is.

It was awesome to see the guys post-HEA and really living out their dream and what they set out to accomplish together. I really enjoyed them getting together in the first book, Dick, It's What's For Dinner, so of course I wanted more of these guys.  

Not everything ran completely smooth and there was a bit of action and sci-fi adventure, but this was mostly a sexy and fun ride. I love that the story doesn't take itself too seriously. There's world-building and I got a clear picture of the setting and story, but it wasn't bogged down with details. I think James Cox does consistently does this really well. 

This is perfect for something quick and can be read in one sitting. I do recommend reading book one first, but I'm pretty sure that won't be a hardship. 

 
Ann -

What to do after having delicious Dick for Dinner? Hmmmmmm . . . You head to the stars with The COX that’s what you do for dessert. Our Place Among the Stars is a the perfect epilogue to Dick, It’s What’s for Dinner. The guys had a lot happen to them at the end of their story, so this installment let me wrap my brain around their HEA and wallow in the feels a bit. I like how James writes feelings for his character. He says a lot with a few words and it really sounds honest for how his characters would speak.

There was still excitement, that’s what James does, but he balances the story with the setting really well. I got a great visual but the story wasn’t buried in detail which is pretty necessary for a short story. The ending was so good and James really knows how to write a menage scene that’s yummy dirty and still gives the connection between the characters.



For more info on Our Place Among the Stars, check it out on Goodreads.

**a copy of this story was provided for an honest review**

Guest Review: Mute Witness by Rick R. Reed

The abuse of a little boy turns a community against a loving gay couple, and nobody comes out of it unscathed.

Sean and Austin have the perfect life: new love, a riverfront home, security. Their love for one another is only multiplied when Sean’s eight-year-old son, Jason, visits on the weekends.

And then their perfect world shatters.

Jason goes missing.

When the boy turns up days later, he's been so horribly abused he’s lost the power to speak. Immediately small town minds turn to the boy’s gay father and his lover as the likely culprits. What was a warm, welcoming community becomes a lynching party out for blood.

As Sean and Austin struggle to stay together amidst innuendo, the very real threat of Sean losing the son he loves emerges. Yet the true villain is much closer to home, intent on ensuring the boy’s muteness is permanent.

2nd edition

1st Edition published by ManLove Romance Press, 2009.

Guest Reviewer: Fantasy Living

This story was intense, dark, and horribly confronting. There is nothing fluffy or dismissive about it.

Sean and Austin live in a small town of 12,000 or so people, and have weekend visitation with Sean’s son, Jason. A frightened midnight call from Shelley, Sean’s ex-wife, reveals that Jason has gone missing, and Sean’s life starts to crumble around him.

When Jason is found, suspicions and suggested whispers start to stir around town, starting with Shelley’s Homophobic mother. Jason has been traumatised, and cannot speak of what happened to him, which puts a strain on the family, and does nothing to dispel the accusations that are being thrown Sean’s way.

As a mother of four, this was an extremely difficult read for me (although I imagine it is difficult for all). But it was riveting, because of the tangled emotions that go along with finding out someone raped your child. I cannot imagine how it is for those families, children, and adult survivors who have been through this. My heart bleeds for all the survivors out there who have been forever changed by a monster, whatever form they take.

Nothing in this story was glossed over, excused, or explained away. We got the full confronting details, and the continued threat to Jason throughout the story. Rick R. Reed handled this story, I felt, in a way that gave the survivors a true voice, and showed the fallout for everyone involved.

Intellectually I know there are people out there who would think gay and pedophile are synonymous, and that is terrifying to me. Even though the story didn’t go into any witch hunt scenario, and most of the accusations were coming from one person, it hurt to see how a father’s love for his child can be twisted into something ugly.

There were some issues with the plot for me. Some of it required me to suspend disbelief, but it wasn’t overreaching. I am a big city dweller, born and raised, so I’m not sure how things work in a small town, which is where my disbelief comes from. There were some important things missing, including mention of therapy, recovery, and additional support from medical professionals. But the short timespan can probably explain that away to a degree. I also know I live in a different country, so things could be different here in that regard too.

I really liked the way Jason was handled. I liked the glimpse into his point of view. I also thought the way this was written didn’t put any pressure on the reader to want Jason to speak. I understood his muteness, his terror, and his trauma, even without the glimpse into his mind. There was no tension from the parents to try and force him to speak of what happened. There was no insinuation that lay blame at his feet, that things were happening as they were because of his inability to speak up. The story lead me through a series of actions and reactions purely from the adults, and that is where the tangled web stayed.

The most terrifying thing for me was the loss of rights Sean experienced at a time when he should have been the one right there taking care of things. I know it happens. It is deeply disturbing, and it was easy to see how things began to really fall apart. The thin threads of a relationship that Shelley and Sean were holding onto didn’t lend favour for Sean to push the way I feel I would push. It was frustrating, but it was honest, and believable.

I want to address the attacker’s point of view - of which we see plenty of. It goes into details of their past, their feelings, and their inability to admit culpability. For me, this was not a way to gain sympathy as a reader, or dismiss the severity of their actions by showing their side of the story. For me, it lent to the articles, interviews, and case studies I have read (many years ago) where the perpetrator tries to explain away their actions, without acknowledging their crimes. Laying blame solely at the victim’s feet. This is a common thread as far as I’ve read (and I admit it isn’t something I extensively studied), where the attacker claims seduction, an inability to control their ‘urges’, or just downright ‘I’m the victim here’. It is the same story that plays out when most documentaries look into the lives of child predators. I did not feel anything but contempt, rage, and an inability to connect, which is as it should be. Be warned, this point of view is intense, horrifying, and deeply discomforting.

The ending was a little too clean for me, but I am also mostly glad it ended the way it did. I would have preferred a little more from the final chapters, but I’m sure Mr Reed has his reasons for leaving it where he did.

This story is not focused on any romance. It is a contemporary piece about life, how pain and terror affects everybody within a family, and how that terror ultimately impacts the abused. It does address how a relationship is impacted by tragic events, but it is not the primary plot. I think the tag on Goodreads of MM Romance is actually doing a disservice to this story’s credibility. It is a suspense novel with LGBT characters and should be tagged under LGBT contemporary fiction, or simply fiction, as it is on Amazon. Confusion of readers when they think they are reading a romance, usually inhibits the experience of reading such a story.

Fair warning, the triggers in this story are through the roof. The most obvious is the rape of a child (off page), the injuries as a result of that rape (on page), but also not covered in the blurb is adult rape, and physical abuse, both suggested and within the story scene. I would be remiss if I did not warn people about that here.

I am definitely now a Rick R. Reed fan. I think he has captured the essence of this story well, and I enjoy his writing style, the difficult subjects he chose to tackle, and the delivery of the content. Definitely a story that will stay with me for a while.

For more information on:

DSP Publications
Goodreads
Booklikes