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Review: Corruption: A Bureau Story (Bureau, #1) by Kim Fielding

Once a proud demon of the night sky who carried nightmares to humans, Tenrael has spent decades in captivity as the star attraction of a traveling carnival. He exists in miserable servitude to men who plunk down ten dollars to fulfill their dark desires.

Charles Grimes is half human, half… something else. For fifteen years he’s worked for the Bureau of Trans-Species Affairs, ridding the country of dangerous monsters. When his boss sends him to Kansas to chase a rumor about a captive demon, Charles figures it’s just another assignment. Until he meets Tenrael.











All proceeds from the sale of this story go to Doctors Without Borders, so rest assured your reading addiction can now be classified as philanthropic!

Can I just say how much I LOVE THIS COVER!?!?? That cover plus the blurb rendered me speechless. Wings FTW!


"Corruption" is darkish. It's Fieldingesque in its darkness meaning darkness with a heart. Fielding is in a class all her own when it comes to AU and this series centers around a world that has a retro feel with a noir flair.

Charles Grimes is an agent with the Federal Bureau of Trans-Species Affairs and is called upon to track down a captured demon in Kansas. He specializes in this sort of job which is why he's being called out of his California region.

Within the confines of a story this length it's difficult to get a bead on Charles. He's cunning, intelligent and not completely human. He tracks down the carnival that boasts a being "STRAIGHT FROM THE PITS OF HELL!" with relative ease.

Tenrael is a demon but not a malevolent one. He actually seems sweet and wholly undeserving of the treatment he's subjected to night after night. He's beaten and tortured nightly on stage then sold at an hourly rate for... whatever. It's not pleasant but the details aren't delved into, more implied, however this story is certainly not for everyone.

I like dark stories and I know Fielding is going to deliver the romance. Charles is bewitched by Tenrael immediately; there is some sort of connection between them that defies explanation. What transpires between them in that squalid trailer in such a short amount of time was very powerful and affecting.

The ending was strong and I believe it to be an HEA. I bought into their cosmic connection hook, line and sinker, but I suppose it's open to interpretation.

It would be disingenuous of me if I didn't admit that I wish it were longer. I also wouldn't have minded a few more details of that last scene. Because someone seems to be a sadist.

"If I had you, I'd want to mark you. I'd want to make you cry out."
#GoTeamPainGo

Regardless, this story flows beautifully in that classic Fielding way where she can take darkness and infuse it with a coziness that's heartwarming and infinitely readable.

Recommended to darkish romance fans.



A review copy was provided.


Audiobook Blog Tour: One Call Away by Felice Stevens


Felice Stevens released One Call Away on audio, narrated by Seth Clayton! Don't miss today's blog stop for more information!

One Call Away Audio Banner
ONE CALL AWAY
FELICE STEVENS
M/M ROMANCE
RELEASE DATE: April 28, 2017
AUDIO RELEASE: August 31, 2017
NARRATOR: Seth Clayton
One Call Away Cover
BLURB
When a brutal attack from a jealous competitor leaves Noah Strauss, darling of the modeling world, physically scarred and emotionally damaged, he quits the runway to become a psychologist. Using his contacts from his time in the spotlight, he creates One Call Away, a radio show dedicated to gay men looking for love, advice or someone to talk to. But with secrets of his own and a mother who refuses to understand the career path he's chosen, the one person Noah can't seem to help is himself.
On a drunken dare from the senior partner's grandson, Oren Leavitt calls Noah’s radio show, pretending to be gay. Only Oren isn't certain if he's pretending. He's left his strict Orthodox Jewish upbringing behind, but the guilt remains. Guilt that his actions have prevented his sister from finding a husband and guilt that he's failed his parents. Talking to "Dr. Noah" helps, and as he finds himself calling the man again and again, he knows he must be honest. But Oren is unsure if he's lying to Noah or himself.
For Noah, trust is paramount; he's been deceived in his personal and professional life and while he desperately wants to help Oren, he also finds himself falling for the sweet and tortured man. Oren is trapped: he risks losing his job and more importantly the love and security of his family but knows he can't hide if if wants to be with Noah. When unresolved heartaches from the past rise up to control the present, Noah and Oren discover that love often comes from the most unexpected places, and sometimes a call for help not only saves a life, it can be a new and beautiful beginning.

One Call Away Teaser 1
One Call Away Teaser 3

EXCERPT
"I told you already, I’m their charity case, their token Jew.” When he took the job, Oren thought he could brush it off, but lately the sense of ostracism was proving harder to handle than he’d imagined. Isolated by his religion and his sexuality, the only time lately Oren found himself able to be free was when talking to Noah.

“Every year they make a show of how diverse they are with their one black first-year hire, and their Asian and Latino associates. We’re paraded around to the legal community as DeWitt and Wynters’ ‘new generation’ of lawyers who are breaking the mold of the white, Christian elite, upper echelon when in reality they give us the grunt work or the impossible-to-win cases. The special outings are at golf courses, which have no members like us, and we don’t know how to play, so we sit around doing nothing, while the others have a great time bonding. Either that or they schedule firm parties on Jewish holidays when they know I can’t attend. They put on a good show, but we know we don’t belong, and we’re too afraid to complain or say anything because jobs are so hard to come by, and the firm’s name still opens so many doors.”

Stunned at his bitter outburst, Oren smiled faintly at Noah. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to let it out on you.”

“I’m glad you did.” A twinkle lit Noah’s eyes. “Sounds like something you’ve been holding back for a while now.” He sobered up. “I’m sorry you have to go through that. Isn’t there another place you can work where you’ll feel safe?”

“Safe?”

“I’m sure if they are as bigoted as they sound against people of color and other religions, they are also intolerant of gays.”

Not in a million years would Oren ever speak of his sexuality to Harlan or Toby. Even the fact that Harlan had spoken to Noah freaked him out a bit.

“It isn’t something I plan to discuss with them. It’s none of their business.” Agitated, Oren turned away from Noah and fumbled in the drawer for a corkscrew. With quick, angry turns, he opened the wine.

“It was only a thought. I’m not saying you should.” Noah’s soothing voice steadied the rapid thump of Oren’s heart. “What was his name again, the guy I spoke to on the phone?”

“Harlan.” The sound of that name sent a sinking feeling into the pit of Oren’s stomach. “He’s not only in charge of my group; he’s the great-grandson of one of the firm’s founders and can do whatever he wants. And he does.”

“See, that’s what I thought. His voice…it sounded cunning. Like he was trying to figure something out and use it against you. I got worried and thought of how upset you might be. I’m so sorry you have to put up with someone like him. You deserve so much better.” Noah’s eyes searched his, and Oren couldn’t break away from the pull of their blue depths.

An unfamiliar ache of longing built up inside him, painful yet sweet. A need to touch and be touched with meaning. He found himself drawn to Noah, much more so than to any person he’d ever met. Was it wrong of him to want Noah? He considered him his doctor, his therapist. Most importantly, Noah was his friend. In these past few weeks something between them changed, and Oren found himself thinking of Noah as a man and not merely a risk. And staring into Noah’s eyes, Oren knew that wanting Noah might be worth the risk he was finally willing to take.


Felice Logo

I have always been a romantic at heart. I believe that while life is tough, there is always a happy ending just around the corner. I started reading traditional historical romances when I was a teenager, then life and law school got in the way. It wasn’t until I picked up a copy of Bertrice Small and became swept away to Queen Elizabeth’s court that my interest in romance novels became renewed.
But somewhere along the way, my tastes shifted. While I still enjoys a juicy Historical romance, I began experimenting with newer, more cutting edge genres and discovered the world of Male/Male romance. Once I picked up her first, I became so enamored of the authors, the character-driven stories and the overwhelming emotion of the books, I knew I wanted to write my own.
I live in New York City with my husband and two children and hopefully soon a cat of my own. My day begins with a lot of caffeine and ends with a glass or two of red wine. I practice law but daydream of a time when I can sit by a beach somewhere and write beautiful stories of men falling in love. Although there is bound to be angst along the way, a Happily Ever After is always guaranteed.

Review: Maybe This Time by Annabelle Jacobs

Moving into a new home starts with a bang when Ryan Blackwell celebrates turning thirty. Being hungover means he’s bleary-eyed and clumsy the next day, but even in that state, he can appreciate how sexy and fit his neighbour is.

Matt Thomas isn’t looking for anything long-term—one and done is usually his life rule. Why settle down early, like his sister, when casual relationships are so easy? With Ryan living in the same building, chance encounters are inevitable. When one night together becomes two, a friends-with-benefits deal seems a natural progression.

There’s only one problem: sex with no strings relies on matching expectations, so Ryan can’t help worrying. His huge heart always wants more, but Matt’s been clear about his limits. As passion leads to caring, they’ll have to make some tough decisions—maybe this time, breaking some rules will be worth it if that means they’ll get to share a future.

This book was CUTE! It's a quick, easy read that absolutely hits the spot as far as I'm concerned. 

Neighbour meets neighbour and they have a one night stand. Then another one night stand. Then friends with benefits... I loved watching Ryan and Matt slowly slip into each other's lives and how their mutual, sexual, attraction becomes more. 

Despite this book being written around the sexual attraction these guys have for each other, it really felt like a book about friendship, and damn do I like that! It's in the quiet moments, the running and drinking and helping that the story forms and the characters stole into my heart.

As with all good easy-reads, there is a great collection of friends and family making up the secondary characters, a good dose of wit, a better dose of friendship and some niiiice sex. And that's nice spelt YUM. Oh and a cat, because what's a meet-cute without a cat or dog. Nothing, that's what!

This book is bound to leave a smile on anyone's face, well written and thoroughly enjoyable.

A copy of this book was given in exchange for an honest review.


Group Review: Marc's the Spot by Meg Harding

Marcus “Marc” Lacroix, a red panda shifter, knows who Lucas Grayson is, and up until playing with him during the world cup of hockey, didn’t much care for him. But when he finds out the jaguar shifter with the hot body has a personality to match, he’s a bit blown away. A night of celebration leads the two of them to the bedroom, and they discover that one night might not be enough to finish this thing between them.

Passion grows to love and more than a little kink, and the two make things work despite the obstacles standing in their way. Lucas plays for the Aces and Marc for the Hares, the distance and crazy schedules of a pro-hockey player keeping them apart. Lucas discovers it's harder to let go of things than he'd thought. When ill-fate strikes, Lucas spirals and Marc has to try and hold them together. It's one match Marc doesn't know if he'll win.

Average of 4.3333

Sara - 4.5 Hearts

Call me biased. Call me a fangirl. Call me whatever you will but I simply adore Meg Harding’s work.

I remember reading To Arizona and falling in love with a league of shifter hockey players. Not only was the couple – Dustin and Chandler – adorable but the entire team of Arizona Hares stole my heart with their shifter ways. I clearly remember how much I loved Marc when he would shift into his Red Panda form and cuddle with his teammates, so I was beyond excited when I learned Marc was getting a book and he was gonna fall in love with a Jaguar on an opposing team.

Oh yeah. This was good.

The book starts off with Marc and Lucas, who normally play on different teams, playing side by side during the World Cup of Hockey for Team Canada. We get the game and they win and everyone goes out to celebrate. Marc has always noticed the veteran hockey defenseman Jaguar shifter that is Lucas Grayson even when playing on Marc’s biggest rival’s team. But when drinks start flowing, when Marc’s hand randomly falls on Lucas’s thigh and Lucas likes Marc’s hand there… the two leave the celebration to have a party of two. Goodness, the first night was hot and it was also all sorts of adorable because these two are simply made for one another.

The story is told in what I will call vignettes. We get the first night with Marc and Lucas and the interest of seeing one another again but they are professional hockey players on different teams living in different cities so we get pieces of them along the way. The beginning of their situation gave way to texts between the men and the few times they can be together when they are in the same city. It also gave way to teasing from Lucas’ teammates when he is late one morning and to Marc’s when they catch him smiling at his phone. I adored the time the men spent together and that they recognize what they have may have started as a one night stand but when they consume each other’s thoughts, it’s hard to think once would ever be enough.

I love the shifter time we get in the story as well though it wasn’t as much as To Arizona and yet, I was completely fine with that because while the men are shifters, the story is about more than their animal forms. That may sound odd for a book with shifters in it but it fit for me, the story was about the romance between Marc and Lucas, about both men accepting changes in their personal and professional lives. They are shifters and we do get moments between them but just like some shifter romances that focus on pack politics and less of the human side, this was a good balance of both to me. Plus, if you’ve read To Arizona, the world building kinda happens there. *shrugs* Oh and I would LOVE to see a copy of the pictures the men took IN their shifter forms for the photo shoot for NHL All-Star Weekend… because OMG HOW FREAKING CUTE!

But as I was saying the story is told through moments of time, sometimes months, before Lucas and Marc can be together yet trust me when I saw each time is so worth it. Not only are the men hot in bed, the way they start to develop and acknowledge real feelings was amazing. I felt terrible for Marc after a devastating loss with his team but how he shows up at Lucas’ and what he learns that night was so memorable and emotional, to me his loss was worth what he gained.

The story spans three years of their lives together and we get to a point where Lucas’ career goes in a direction he wasn’t ready. But the direction allowed Marc to be there for Lucas in a way he never had the opportunity before and it gave Lucas a chance to see how strong and sturdy his goalie is off the ice and in his life. The men have a few bumps along the way but with amazing teammates – loved seeing Chris again and knowing him and Dustin still float – who support them on and off the ice and this world that accepts shifters, the book was nothing short of a fantastic read.

Marc’s the Spot is a wonderful addition to the world Ms. Harding had built of shifters in the game of hockey. It’s a story where the men not only find themselves, but find new strength and vulnerability in loving one another. That end was so damn good and I couldn’t have asked for anything more.

Well, I could ask for more in the series but as I said, I am biased to the author.

SheReadsALot - 4.5 Hearts

"I want to take you apart," admitted Lucas, spreading Marc's cheeks, then pushing them together. "I always want to take you apart."
*growl*

Did you see that quote?


Marc's the Spot backs it up and then some. Meg Harding returns to the AU world where shifters are the ones playing contact sports. In To Arizona, we met the Arizona Hares, a popular hockey team with a menagerie of animal shifters.

In Marc's the Spot, we get red panda shifter goalie, French Canadian Marcus aka Marc as a lead! Spanning about three years, the story starts at closer to the beginning of Marc's career as a goalie. (Forgive me sports people, because I will surely bungle up some sports term) Marc and a hockey rival, older jaguar shifter Lucas play together in a world cup sort of hockey game for their home country, Canada. Once the game is over, teammates go back to rivals...but not quite.

See the two guys have chemistry. And a little booze and flirting leads to a hot hook up.

What was supposed to be a one night stand, stays as one since Lucas plays for Las Vegas and Larc is in Arizona. Their teams are bitter rivals. But they never delete the other's phone number. And they never forgot about each other. It's gotta be the sex right? So if they happen to be in the same town, playing a game against each other, afterwards, they can just hook up again. No one needs to know.

Then the hooking up, when it was convenient, moves into something more. And that's the magic of this story. I found To Arizona to be more cuddlier than this one. And for good reason. Harding delved deeper into Marc and Lucas's background. The story is told through dual POV, we get to read about the important connections they have in their life, the sacrifices they've made for a sport they love.

And parallel to their relationship is the peaks and lows of each man's hockey career. The story is told in a pattern of vignettes through the most important moments for the guys and it really got the point across. It was a character driven romance and I bought it hook, line, and sinker.

There is a good amount of sex! Lucas is dominant and demanding. And Marc is eager to please.


Cum marking, spanking, D/s, rimming... Baby was happy!

Lucas loves a good ass. And I can't blame him in the least. He's obsessed with the ginger panda's ass.

Thing of beauty, I say.

I liked Marc and Lucas separate, but I loved them together. The time the reader spends with them makes their relationship believable. No insta-love here. They communicate when they're faced with problems, be it through use of mouths or bodies. (Love and lust hard) I don't think either of them were looking for a relationship but that chemistry is the glue, their love of hockey the cement.

The story is low angst, heavy of the sex and blends paranormal really well with contemporary. If I had to say I had a gripe, it would probably be the lack of in between, meaning I wouldn't have minded reading some more about couple learning each other rather than cutting to this highlight and the next. The story works. But I think it's partially from me being a greedy reader.

I think this is beginning to be a new fave trope of mine: fuck buddies to more. I am enamored with this world Harding created - it's a sports romance that this non-sports person can get behind. I wasn't lost. And I really like the ease to her shifter stories. I can easily see myself binge reading her books. I haven't been disappointed in what I've read so far. I think this was stronger than To Arizona and I really dug that, so I have to rate higher.

Recommended.

P.S. I hope there's a certain otter that will have his story in the future! *fingers crossed*


Optimist King's Wench - 4 Hearts

I really want to review this book properly but all I can think about are RED PANDA CUDDLES!!!!


DFGHJIOPLKJHGTRT56Y7UIOP#$%^&**&^$@#$%^&!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Get directly into my pocket, please. R.T.F.N.

And squirrel...

When I was but a mini-cupcake I went to the zoo and saw my first red panda. I fell in love. I remember being perplexed as to why I couldn’t get to it-for the cuddles-and thinking my parents would quickly remedy this situation and that lil bundle would be coming home with me. Imagine my astonishment when they told me that the animals at the zoo lived at the zoo! Wut? Why would they live at the zoo? When they. Could live. With me!?!?!? I still find this logic faulty.

Anyways. There I go again. Digressing and whatnot.

So. Marc is a red panda shifter and he embodies all the things I envisioned a red panda would want. Specifically: CUDDLES! That’s right. Marc is a cuddle monster and he usually shifts to do so. He cuddles in his regular form too and usually still sleeps on top of Lucas. So cute!


He’s also an NHL goalie in the AU world Harding has created wherein all sorts of shifters live amongst humans. Marc’s the Spot is a follow up to To Arizona but can be read as a standalone if you must, but whyyyyy? Why would you do that? One word: otters. 🙌🏾

Marc meets Lucas and is immediately hot for the jaguar shifter who plays for a rival team as a defensemen and is slightly older (10 yrs). He’s also BIG. YUM! And bossy in the bedroom! Double YUM! The boom boom scenes are stellar: mild D/s, begging, spanking, drooling cocks, begging, face fucking, rimming, begging. Did I mention begging? He also has a tendency to carry Marc around a little bit. #dead And someone had a hands free orgasm! #DEADISAY!!!!!!!!

Their story is told over 2 yrs with them progressing from fuck buddies to exclusive to living together. There is no instalove nor is anything contrived about their relationship. How relatable Harding’s characters are is what I like best about her writing. She crafts imperfect characters and Marc and Lucas occasionally get it wrong. After an unexpected hardship forces them to redefine their relationship, they have to work out how they’re going to fix it and sometimes that requires outside help. Where everything was easy before, everything is hard after and they traverse those ups and downs together. This is where Harding shines, in capturing those ebbs and flows while still maintaining their connection. When an author can show me unwavering devotion even through the shit times, that goes a long way towards convincing me of their longevity.

She also does hockey really well and I loved all the team stuff. The Hares shift together, piddle around in the pool and have each other’s backs. Plus there are some SUPER CUTE shifters on this team. A chipmunk! I so hope there will be more from this universe. Specifically Chris’s story, because something is amiss betwixt him and Eli and I’m hoping it might could involve some hate sex to work it out.


#DYINGOFCUTENESS

Recommend to red panda and shifter romance fans!




Review copies were provided.
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Blog Tour + Giveaway: On the Way to San Jose by Jere' M. Fishback


Jere' M. Fishback and IndiGo Marketing visit on the On the Way to San Jose blog tour today! Check out the author's interview, excerpt and NineStar eBook giveaway!



Title:  On the Way to San Jose
Author: Jere' M. Fishback
Publisher:  NineStar Press
Release Date: September 25, 2017
Heat Level: 2 - Fade to Black Sex
Pairing: Male/Male
Length: 53900
Genre: Contemporary, LGBT, College, bi, gay, contemporary, road trip

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Synopsis

Terrence, a socially inept clarinetist whose driver’s license is suspended, needs his panel van driven from Orlando to San Jose, where he plans to start a new life. Levi’s a Stanford University student with Asperger’s Syndrome who answers Terrence’s Internet drive-away listing.

The two start out as strangers, but as their journey westward progresses a friendship is kindled, one that will change both boys’ lives in profound ways.

Excerpt

On the Way to San Jose
Jere’ M. Fishback © 2017
All Rights Reserved

Chapter One

Levi McKane studied an Internet drive-away listing:

Need vehicle driven from Orlando to San Jose, CA. We can split the gas. I want to leave ASAP.

The listing provided a phone number.

Levi was twenty with an athletic build, cobalt eyes, and sandy hair that grew to his shoulders. He would start his third year at Stanford University in two weeks. He’d earned himself a full academic scholarship to the California school after graduating second in his class from Merritt Island High in Brevard County, Florida two years before.

But his life was not perfect.

When Levi was four years old, a child development specialist diagnosed him with a mild form of Asperger’s Syndrome, a disorder causing difficulties in social interaction. So, despite his high intelligence, Levi had never mastered the art of human communication. At school and home, he said little. He kept to himself and avoided eye contact. Conversations, even with family members, seemed like thickets to Levi. He had no close friends in either Brevard County or California, and until recently had never dated. In truth, he felt the happiest fishing by himself on his parents’ dock with a six-pack of beer at his side.

“Leave him alone,” his dad must have told Levi’s mother a thousand times. “It won’t be long before he figures himself out.”

Over summer break from Stanford, Levi had saved up three thousand dollars while working at his dad’s auto repair business on Merritt Island. He could have flown to California if he chose to, but didn’t want to waste part of his summer earnings on airfare, not with the problem he faced.

He’d met a girl named Taylor back in June. She waited tables at a beachfront grill that Levi sometimes patronized after surfing at the Cocoa Beach Pier. Taylor wasn’t the subtle type; right away she let Levi know she liked him. And Levi, being a socially artless boy, let her take him down a path he hadn’t walked before. One thing led to another, and now Taylor was pregnant.

While he studied his computer screen, Levi thought of the phone call he’d received from Taylor a month before: “As of yesterday, I was late on my period two weeks. I knew something was wrong, so I bought a testing kit, and now it’s for certain. What’ll we do?”

“We?” Levi said. “Are you even sure it’s mine?”

“Positive, asshole.

They discussed abortion. Taylor wasn’t inclined, as she was Catholic. Then they discussed marriage. Levi wasn’t inclined, as he was due back at Stanford. And though he didn’t tell her so, Taylor wasn’t exactly someone he’d want to share life with. A girl of limited intellect and shrill voice, she was rough around the edges, and Levi knew she’d wear the pants in whatever marriage she made—a union he wanted no part of.

So, the pregnancy floated in limbo.

Levi studied the Internet offer again. He had drive-away experience. At the end of last school year, he’d driven a retiree’s Crown Victoria from San Francisco to St. Petersburg. The old guy even kicked in two hundred bucks for gasoline. Levi made the cross-country trip in five days and delivered the car to the owner’s Florida condo where Levi’s mom picked him up and drove him to Florida’s east coast.

Making the three thousand mile trip by himself had not bothered him. He liked listening to the Crown Vic’s radio while traversing the never-ending brownness of southern Arizona and New Mexico, and then the ceaseless hill country of west Texas. The whole experience made him feel like the characters in one of his favorite books, On The Road by Jack Kerouac.

Now, seated at his parents’ kitchen table, Levi swung his gaze to a pair of double-hung windows with a view of the Indian River. He scratched his chin stubble while watching a shrimp boat cruise past his family’s dock, likely headed to Sebastian Inlet. The boat’s gauzy nets fluttered like dragonfly wings. Sunlight reflected in the boat’s wake that ruffled the river’s otherwise glassy surface. The time was close to 9:00 a.m. and already the day was heating up. By noon, the temperature would hit ninety-two; the relative humidity would likely reach a similar level, and Levi was glad he wasn’t working at the garage that day. He could stay in the air-conditioned comfort of his parents’ home.

When Levi punched up the phone number in the drive-away ad, a boy answered on the second ring, his voice a scratchy tenor. He answered Levi’s questions in a rapid-fire cadence, as though he couldn’t get the words out of his mouth fast enough.

“It’s actually a van, not a car.”

“No, it doesn’t have air-conditioning.”

“Yeah, I’d be riding with you to San Jose. I can’t drive; my license is suspended.”

When the boy asked Levi how soon he could make the trip, Levi said, “I can leave the day after tomorrow. I’ll still need to pack my things.”

They talked money.

“The whole trip’s 2,800 miles,” the boy said. “The van gets twenty miles per gallon on the road, so we’ll burn about three hundred dollars’ worth of gas. And then we’ll need to rent motel rooms for at least four or five nights, so I figure—”

“I don’t do motels,” Levi interjected. “I tent camp in parks and cook my own meals on a propane stove; it saves a lot of money.”

The boy was silent for a moment. Then he said, “I guess I could sleep in the van, but I don’t really know how to cook.”

“We can split the cost of food,” Levi said. “I’ll cook and you can clean up afterward; how’s that?”

More silence, this time for about thirty seconds.

“Are you still there?” Levi said.

“Yeah,” the boy replied, “I’m just thinking.”

“About what?”

“Are you somebody I can trust? I mean, I’ve never done this before. How do I know you’re not some kind of psycho?”

Levi drew a breath and then let it out while he fingered the edge of his cell phone. “I go to college in northern California. I can show you my university ID. And I’m a good driver—I’ve never had a ticket—so you don’t have to worry about me. I’ll get you and your van there safely.”

They traded names and e-mail addresses. The boy’s name was Terrence DeVine; he lived in east Orlando, not far from the Orange Blossom Trail.

“I’m moving to San Jose,” he said, “to live with a friend.”

They agreed Levi’s mom could drop him off at Terrence’s house at 9:00 a.m. two days hence, a Thursday. “We can hit the road as soon as I load up my stuff,” Levi said. “We should make it to Alabama by dinnertime.”

“Sounds good,” Terrence said. “I’ll see you then.”

***

Levi and Taylor faced each other in a booth at Taco City in south Cocoa Beach, just a mile from Patrick Air Force Base, where Taylor’s dad served. The restaurant was a Brevard County institution; it served tasty Mexican cuisine and draft beer so cold it numbed the back of your throat on the first swallow. The crowd that night was a mix of surfers, condo dwellers, young families with kids in high chairs, and servicemen sporting crew cuts.

Taylor looked nice enough in her short shorts and a tank top. Her straight brown hair was parted in the middle; it draped her shoulders. Her dark eyes focused on Levi while she toyed with her uneaten burrito.

“This is both our responsibilities,” she said. “I can’t believe you’re running off to California while I’m stuck here with this…situation.”

Levi lowered his gaze and rubbed his lips together while his brain churned. Why hadn’t he used a condom? He’d never even asked Taylor if she was on the pill before they started having sex. He’d just assumed as much, and how stupid was that?

“I’m on scholarship,” he told Taylor. “I can’t just not show up.”

Taylor glanced here and there. Then she said, “You could enroll at UCF’s campus in Cocoa. At least that way you’d be here when the baby arrives in April.”

Levi shook his head. “It’s not going to happen.”

“Why?”

“Stanford’s one of the best schools in the country. I won’t walk away from there just because you’re pregnant.”

Taylor squirmed on her bench while she twirled a strand of her hair around a finger. “You’re dumping this whole thing on me, you know, and it’s not fair.”

Levi wasn’t in the mood to argue, so he didn’t respond to Taylor’s last remark. Instead, he told her, “I’m leaving tomorrow, but I’ll call you from the road Friday night. Think again about an abortion; I’ll pay half.”

Taylor didn’t say anything; she only stared out a window at traffic passing on A-1-A.

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Author Interview

How much of yourself do you put into your books?
Oh, there are little parts of me that appear in my characters. And certain experiences I've had in my life will also appear in my books. When I wrote my novel, Kevin Corrigan and Me, I included many experiences from my childhood and adolescence. I was surprised at how much I remembered from those years.

What books have influenced your life the most?
Gone With the Wind and Too Kill a Mockingbird in my early years. All of Kurt Vonnegut's books influenced me during my college days, as did the books of Herman Hesse. One book that really blew me away several years ago was Yann Martel's The Life of Pi. And ack in my thirties I found John Irving's The Hotel New Hampshire terribly inspiring.

Is it true that anyone can be a writer?
I don't think so. The vast majority of people don't have the kind of imagination it takes to write fiction. And writing fiction is hard work. It takes years to learn the craft. I've been writing full-time since 2004 and I still learn new things from my editors every time I write another book. Also, writing good-quality fiction takes a good deal of courage. A writer's putting his innermost thoughts and feelings onto the pages of his/her book, for all the world to see.

Do you reply back to your fans and admirers personally?
Oh, yes, I always do, unless it's some hate-filled psycho. I have a website and a contact form for people to use if they want write to me. Most messages I receive are positive, people letting me know how much they enjoyed one of my books. I always take the time to reply and say thanks. It's only polite.

Which of your books took you the most time to write?
I wrote a very lengthy novel titled Dodging a Pearl. It's 120,000 words and right around 500 pages. I rewrote the entire book about four times before I got it right, and that process took place over the course of five years. I'd put it away for several months, then go back to it.

Have you ever taken any help from other writers?
Oh, sure. Several years ago I attended a writer's conference where my workshop leader was Tom Franklin, who's a great author and a very nice guy. Tom taught me so much about the process of creative writing, and also the craft of fiction writing. He always said, "The difference between good writing and mediocre writing is detail." I try to keep that in mind every day that I write.  

What is your motivation for writing more?
I love telling stories and I like to write books that people will feel inspired by. I think the best book I ever wrote was Tyler Buckspan, which is an edgy YA novel. It met with a lot of critical acclaim and ended up in public libraries all over North America.

Meet the Author

Jere’ M. Fishback is a former journalist and trial lawyer who now writes fiction full time. He lives with his partner Greg on a barrier island on Florida’s Gulf Coast. When he’s not writing, Jere’ enjoys reading, playing his guitar, jogging, swimming laps, fishing, and watching sunsets from his deck overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway.

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Group Review: By Fairy Means or Foul (Starfig Investigations #1) by Meghan Maslow

The last thing half-dragon, half-fairy private investigator Twig Starfig wants to do is retrieve a stolen enchanted horn from a treacherous fae, but there’s no denying the dazzlingly gorgeous unicorn who asks Twig to do just that. Literally, no denying, because compelling the reluctant detective is all part of a unicorn’s seductive magic.

To add to his woes, Twig is saddled with the unicorn’s cheeky indentured servant, Quinn Broomsparkle. Dragons are supposed to want to eat humans, but Twig’s half-dragon side only wants to gobble up Quinn in a more . . . personal way. Making matters worse, it’s obvious the smokin’ hot but untrustworthy sidekick is hiding something. Something big. And not what’s in his trousers. In the PI business, that means trouble with a capital Q.

Throw in gads of zombies, a creepy ghost pirate ship, a malfunctioning magic carpet, and Twig’s overbearing fairy father’s demands to live up to the illustrious Starfig name. Naturally, an old but abiding enemy chooses this time to resurface, too. Those inconveniences Twig can handle. The realization he’s falling for a human who isn’t free to return his affections and whose life may hang on the success of his latest case?

Not so much.

It's a unicorn group review, of course!!!

Lost in a Book - 5 Hearts All the Hearts.

excite

I just wanna make it rain with them. I loved this book SO hard that I wanted to savor it and hurry up and read at the same time. The struggle was real y’all. I apologize in advance that my brain is jumbled from ooey gooey feelings that may lead to a jumbled mess of words. In my defense, this feeling doesn’t happen often but I just clicked with this book.

Were some parts OTT? Uh-huh!
Were some parts silly? Yep!
Did I care? Not. At. All. It was funny AF and captivating and sexy and amazeballs. It was a well written story with a lot of moving parts so I will try my very best not to reveal anything that will ruin your reading experience.

I’ll also attempt to string some coherent thoughts together while I silently SQUEE.

What do you get when a tiny male fairy has sex with a beast of a dragon female? I’m sure you were thinking epic awesomeness? You would be correct. Twig Starfig, one of the MCs is the result of his 8-inch fairy dad (not the 8 inches you’re thinking of… his whole height was 8-inches) and dragon mom’s coupling. *imagines logistics of that* Twig the half-breed is a private detective in the Elder Realm and helps “people” find things.

Brandsome Nightwind, a unicorn is missing his horn and has come to Twig for his assistance. Unfortunately, Brandsome can’t provide the upfront payment and trades temporary ownership of his “pet” AKA bed slave, Quinn to Twig. Twig, being soft-hearted for indentured servants accepts the deal to spare Quinn and becomes responsible for him. With the contract signed, Quinn is now with Twig as they go in search of a magical unicorn horn.

The journey is epic. They travel from place to place in search of the horn while battling evil, meeting many different creatures, and forming an unbreakable bond. The sexy times were hot. Scorching. They were all growly, claimy, mine, rough, grabby, markings, scratching, nipping…

“His fist held my hair in an iron grip and he yanked me up, breath rushing into my lungs before he shoved me back down."

"My dragon approved, especially when his seed filled my mouth. I swallowed most of it, keeping just enough so that when he shuddered and rolled off me, I sprung up and locked our lips together, feeding it to him.”

Got a wee bit off track there… sorry. *refocuses*

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On the other hand, this book was highly entertaining. I laughed my ass off throughout. I mean, a book titled Fifty Shades of Fae and Slick Dick’s Enchanted Snail Lubricant… *cackle* All of the “good” characters were smart asses and I’m fluent in smart assery with a big ol' side of crude humor. Quinn and Twig have never been accepted for their uniqueness and as they travel, they collect other castoffs to create a little band of misfits.

There were a ton of other creatures present from unicorns, sprites, gargoyles and giants to fairies, parrot ghosts, cyclops and demons. Typically, I would consider that too much going on in one story. But it totally freakin' works. The search for the unicorn horn drove the story and was never forgotten or lost in the shuffle of meeting new characters. The secondary characters were essential in driving the plot and adding to the overall story. It was interesting to see how Twig and Quinn navigate their relationship knowing that Quinn only belongs to Twig temporarily.

The world building was on point. Seriously. Amazing. I would absolutely recommend this book to lovers of fantasy and m/m romance. It was the perfect blend and I really hope there will be more books to come.

My only disappointment was not having Quinn top Twig with all his dominant sexiness. It was hinted as something Twig would dig (see what I did there?) and that’s a carrot that can’t be dangled and then forgotten. Ohhohoho…I demand an extra toppy scene be written. *waiting*

"Well that deflated my cock faster than a werebeaver with braces offering free blowjobs.

*snort*

R *A Reader Obsessed* - 4 Hearts

Lately, I’ve been very lucky, and a bit tickled pink, to find some great urban fantasy M/M and this was no exception. If you like magic and fantastical creatures with plenty of adventure, then this is for you!

This starts off with Twig - a half fairy and half dragon combo. He doesn’t quite fit in with either side of his dual natures but capitalizes on his talents by owning an investigative business specializing in finding things. When a sparkly compelling unicorn asks him to retrieve his missing horn, Twig can hardly say no. To possibly sweeten the pot, he's given the unicorn's human servant, Quinn, as collateral to get the job done. What should be simple and quick is anything but.

Rife with bits and pieces of stuff we all tend to enjoy if we’re fantasy/paranormal enthusiasts, this had it all! Politically correct fairies, horny sprites, scheming unicorns, along with gargoyles, gnomes, ghosts, giants, orcs, demons, zombies and more!. Whew!!

This pretty much had nonstop action, peppered with the push pull of Twig and Quinn as they discover that they’re more “together” than apart. Plenty sexy as they resist their attraction and quite yummy when they didn’t.

Overall, highly entertaining with lots of fun factor. This brought me back to my nostalgic happy place, made all the better being M/M. Hopefully, this isn’t the last we’ve seen of Twig, Quinn, and company - this was a fabulous start to what looks like a great series!!


Sara - 5 Oh my Fucking Fairy Godmother Hearts!

I loved the hell out of this book. Let me keep this short. HEY! Don’t roll your eyes at me! I can do it.

Maslow has created one hell of a world of fantasy with ridiculously randy manipulative unicorns, half dragon-fairy private investigators, humans of extreme talents, giants, Cyclops, ghost parrots on ships, demons of nondescript gender and one hell of a romance that borders on epic.

Yup. This was good.

The blurb sets up this story nicely so I’ll leave it at that and just fan girl on this book.

I loved the hell out of Twig. Sure, he’s gruff because come the heck on; he’s part dragon and fairy, he’s two parts of very different creatures and the master of neither. But what Twig is a master of is his word and his morals and that is what makes him one hell of a romantic lead. He is against keeping indentured servants no matter the reason and immediately dislikes that Quinn has been made the unicorn’s bed slave. Twig makes a promise to Quinn that he will not abuse the power owning his contract now gives him and stays true to his word. It may seem odd that he wouldn’t just take advantage of Quinn, being a bed slave and all, but Twig states numerous times how he feels about indentured servants, how it turns his stomach and turns him off. Twig is upstanding and super romantic and I adored watching him and his dragon fall for Quinn.

Quinn, good lord how I loved this dear human. Quinn is amazing with all he has gone through and still so strong that he will sacrifice himself for the one he loves. He’s the sweetest thing when not under the horn of a maniacal unicorn and all he gives to Twig is simply stunning. Quinn also has a fun sense of humor and is kind to all he meets even if they are dead or a demon. He gives everyone a fair chance even when he comes into his own and could be extremely arrogant he isn’t because he knows what it’s liked to be judged. BUT the way he falls for every bit of Twig is so swoony it turned me into goo.

Wow. There is so much in this story that happens, so many great lines, fantastic adventures, hilarious situations and the names of characters and/or places are outstanding and unforgettable. This book knocked me on my ass hard and I loved every minute of it.

To sum it up, this book is how I look at life. Life is filled with topics that are important, it’s dealt with serious issues that make you aware there are some warped, absurd and dangerous people out there but if you can find something to make you laugh and someone to love who loves you right back. It just might be okay.

Jenni Lea - 5 Freaking Fantastic Hearts

Duuuuuuuude!!!

This is like, my FAVORITE book of the summer! EVERYONE needs to read this!


I adored this story of the curmudgeonly  dragon-fairy (Fragon? Drairy?) Twig and Quinn, the human slave-boy he's sworn to protect.  Twig is a private investigator who is hired by Brandsome Nightwind, a unicorn (unicorn!) of questionable intent, to find his missing horn.  He's a bit strapped for cash and can't pay the down payment Twig requires so he offers his slave boy Quinn up as collateral.  Twig, who can't stand the idea of anyone being a slave, accepts the unicorn's (unicorn!) offer and the two set off to locate the horn.

And thus begins an epic story of shenanigans, misadventures and tomfoolery I've not seen equaled in a long time.  This was so much fun!  I had a blast reading this story.  I think Meghan Maslow has found her niche.  I've read her contemporary novel and, while good, it has nothing on this epic fantasy.  Why, the names she thought up for the various characters we meet here are worth reading this story alone!  They were so creative!

There's not much else I can say about this book that (a) won't spoil the plot and (b) hasn't already been said by many others so I'll just say this.  This is brain candy on steroids.  It is over the top and ridiculous in the best way.  It's like a hot fudge brownie sundae with whipped cream, nuts, caramel and chocolate drizzle, sprinkles and a cherry on top.  Super sized.  I recommend this to everyone.

SheReadsALot - 4.25 Hearts

"Twig, you're so much more. Who'd want to be average when you can be extraordinary?"

What can I say that hasn't been said already by fantasy road trip romance, By Fairy Means or Foul?

It was epic and definitely went big, instead of mailing it in, in the fantastical department!


Hm, indeed.
It's been a pleasure reading Meghan Maslow's work. I can attest to reading everything published by her so far, and while her contemporary is good, her paranormal/fantasy is where it's at!

Go on, read the blurb. I'll wait.

It's like a unicorn enhanced acid trip, right? (Those are highly potent, so I hear on the pony paddock.)

In what I hope is first of more to come, By Fairy Means or Foul is Twig Starfig's book. It's told in his 1st POV. Twig is an outcast of both of his parent's communities being as he's not a full blood fairy or dragon. he can't fly, he can't shift and he's puny in dragon standards. He's left the self destructive portion of his life in the past (mostly), and settled down into a job that uses one of his dormant skills, finding treasure or others' missing items. His dragon intuitiveness makes him one of the best trackers.

Which brings an evil unicorn in need of Twig's services. I know, I know, unicorns can't be evil, they're awesome. I agree.

But sometimes what is perceived as beautiful and perfect, can be wicked and evil. And the unicorn reeks of self importance and rudeness. Plus, he's sadistic, all under a polished veneer. And this unicorn foolishly lost his unicorn horn and needs Twig to find it. And he transfers his human indentured servant and bed slave, Quinn Broomsparkle, to Twig temporarily as payment.

Something Twig doesn't want as he has no idea what to do with a mouthy human and certainly doesn't want to bed to the handsome human, no matter if he finds Quinn attractive. Because Twig knows it's wrong while Quinn is still under a contract. In fact, Twig remarks multiple times about not being cool with the indentured servant business. Potential trigger warning: mentions of off page rape.
"I'm not planning to use your services if that's what you're worried about. I like my bed partners willing."
"But... I am willing..." His voice trailed off. He studied my face as if to gauge whether I told the truth or not.
"You're not. Not really."
At the beginning of the story, Quinn and Twig are put together because of this unicorn horn job and Twig just wants to get the entire business over with. He doesn't understand human, doesn't want to. He likes life as it is.

But Quinn gets under his skin and it blossoms as the story progresses. The pair travel all around the world of Elder (where Twig lives) and it was like a shopping list of (mostly) my fave paranormal things:

pirate
demons
magical villains
hipster giants
know-it-all fairies
DRAGON!

I actually fell for a ghost. Me! But Pie is adorbz. Dare you not to think he's cute too.

And there is more magical beings on the list: zombies, orcs, hell, even a mermaid showed up. The world is a modern feel with magic shopping list. It's a lot and I think true fantasy fans would get the most of out of this tale. And while I enjoyed just about all of the characters, I think the world building and the magical meld is the strongest thing about the tale. Road trips force the protagonists together but the chemistry between them and how the author handles it makes or breaks road trip stories for me. I'll admit it's not a fave of mine, but Quinn and Twig gave good snark and cute. They made me enjoy the journey.

And the sexual tension? It's very good. Twig has morals though he might to act like a grumpy, tough guy. He cares. And he's dedicated to Quinn. Even when he doesn't want to be. His like of Quinn heats up the attraction. And when the final line is crossed and both men succumb? (with Quinn taking the final step freely)


"I would breed him so good, so hard, there'd be no doubt it wasn't him."
Breed is still a buzz word of mine. Me-ow!

For the smutsters, there is sex. Not a lot because an epic journey can't be solved if the MC's are humping on each other every page. Plus, the servant deal is a major point of contention for Twig.

There is a lot of fun, the secondary characters a delight (even Twig's pushy dad). I think there were parts here and there that could have had some words shaved off. The pace was good but there were a few lulls, very few. By Fairy ends with a strong HFN/HEA vibe. The guys struggle with a few things about the enormity of life decisions. Cryptic? Maybe but you'd really need to read this to get the enormity of the situation for the two guys.

I like the way it ended a lot. Because the possibility for more is so clear. And with the final set of characters together, it should be magical. I can't wait to read more from Maslow and this world.

I'm enchanted.

If you're on the fence, read a sample and see if this brand of snarky, silly, magical fun is a good fit!

Recommended to fans of Thick as Thieves, fans of campy fantasy fun, unique shifter hybrids and magic.

Lorix - 5 hearts


"Well that deflated my cock faster than a werebeaver with braces offering free blowjobs."



I'm not sure what I can add that the other unicorns haven't covered, to be perfectly honest! This book - well it was a delight from page 1 until the end! Full of snark and sass, it's not necessarily my go-to type of read, but I laughed all the way through -  it was such a fun read! With lines like this who wouldn't?
"I pulled out a pot of Slick Dick's Enchanted Snail Lubricant - guaranteed to give any creature a slick ride."
or you know, simple facts like...
"Giants liked their smut." 
Even the fact that the unicorn was an complete wankerish arsehole didn't put me off! It made me laugh like TJ Klune's The Lightening Struck Heart did, it was the same kind of ridiculous, well-written, laugh-out-loud smuff. Do yourselves a favour folks, go and read this novel!



Review: The Hot Floor by Jospehine Myles

Two plus one equals scorching hot fun.

Dumped by his boyfriend and reduced to living in a grotty bedsit, Josh Carpenter lives for his job as a glassblower. That and occasional glimpses of his sexy downstairs neighbours, Rai Nakamura and Evan Truman.

Whenever he overhears the diminutive academic and the hunky plumber having loud and obviously kinky sex, Josh is whipped into a state of frenzied lust… and a longing for a relationship like theirs.

To his amazement, Rai and Evan find his embarrassing tendency to blush utterly charming, and the three men grow closer over the course of the long, hot summer. Despite enjoying Rai’s charming flirtation and Evan’s smoldering gaze, Josh is determined never to do anything to split them apart.

However, when a naked Josh falls—quite literally—into the middle of one of Rai and Evan’s marathon sex sessions, the force of their mutual attraction takes over. But just as Josh dares to hope, he senses a change. If the three of them can’t renegotiate the rules of their new relationship, Josh risks losing their friendship—and any chance at love—forever.

Warning: Contains one well-endowed stud with a sexy accent, one improbably toppy bottom boy with an unfortunate owl obsession, and one blushing naïf who can’t believe his luck. Also, the occasional indulgence in mathematical spanking and some shameless armpit sex. Written in Jo’s usual exceedingly “English” English.

Bonus Christmas Hot Floor short story included in this edition!


Whenever Josh hears the hot kinky couple downstairs going at it, he can’t help but dream of joining in. When the opportunity presents itself to join Rai Nakamura and Evan Truman for some fun, Josh jumps right in. When the three men develop feelings beyond good sex, Josh needs to figure out how he fits in with the couple.

I’ll be entirely honest - my reason for picking up an MMM book is almost always because I’m looking for some dirty smut. I don’t read menage romances often, but usually I like them.

For me to buy a throuple, I have to really understand the motivations behind the three men letting go of jealousy and building a menage relationship. Unfortunately, ‘The Hot Floor’ didn’t do that for me.

The book started off well enough. I liked Josh. He was a bit of pitiful character, but I could understand where he was coming from. Sometimes life just kicks you down a few too many times. I wouldn’t say Josh is memorable, but he’s likeable.

Also, I’d probably be fascinated with a kinky couple that serenaded the entire building with their shenanigans as well.

Rai and Evan filled their roles as I’d expected - the small pushy twink, and the big burly top. The two exuded sex from the first page, so I was expecting some good smut when they got down and dirty with Josh.

‘The Hot Floor’ definitely delivers on the smut. There’s some spanking, mild D/s, humiliation kink, and bondage. Josh, Evan, and Rai certainly have sexual chemistry!

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However, what I really didn’t get a good sense of was the emotional connection. Sure, the three men have hot sex and like each other, but I didn’t really feel romantic love between Josh and the existing couple.

I think part of the reason I didn’t get that real sense of a relationship is because the story is told entirely from Josh’s POV, so my understanding of Evan and Rai’s emotions was second-hand.

In the end, my impression was that I was told the three men were meant to be together as a couple, as opposed to actually seeing them build that relationship.

Overall, this was an okay read. There’s a lot of hot sex in this book, but I wanted more from the actual romance.




Review: The Veranda (Lavender Shores #3) by Rosalind Abel

Donovan Carlisle helps countless people in Lavender Shores with his skills as a therapist. It seems, however, that his ability to enable others to live their happiest life only works outside of himself. Donovan truly loves his life, but isn’t able to find a relationship that satisfies his heart’s craving. Maybe the problem is that the only man he wants is off-limits.
Spencer Epstein came to Lavender Shores to find himself. Instead, he married one of the local town beauties. He’d thought his prayers had finally been answered. Then, he met his pregnant fiancée’s brother. It turned out those answered prayers were just cruel twists of fate.
A decade later, after a divorce and crumbling of all Spencer thought was set in stone, he sees his brother-in-law at a masquerade sex party. He takes full advantage of the anonymity and acts on the desires he’s held at bay all those years. The problem is, those silent and frenzied moments didn’t satiate anything. The fire and heat between the two men only grows as secrets are uncovered and they must determine if the cost of their passion is too high.



Once again, Rosalind Abel has written a beautiful story about love, life and the pursuit of happiness without any messy drama or stupid miscommunication angst getting in the way.  Hooray!  I will sing this author's praises til the cows come home for that.

For those of you who have been keeping up with this series, The Veranda is Donovan and Spencer's story.  Donovan we know from The Garden, Gilbert and Walden's story (otherwise known as Book Two).  Donovan is Lavender Shores's resident therapist.  He knows everyone's secrets and has helped many of the town's people through their hard times, most notably talking Gilbert from the edge.  He's older, wiser, quiet and unassuming.  But, he's been harboring his own secret for nearly ten years now.

You see, Donovan is and has been for quite some time, in love with his sister's husband.  Sure, it's unrequited but that doesn't make it any less real.  It was love at first sight that was never acted upon and there's no hope for it to ever become anything more, even if his sister's divorce is now final.  You can't turn a straight man gay; life is not a M/M romance novel, after all.

After a chance encounter at a Pride party, Donovan may have to rethink the past ten years of his life.  Turns out, Spencer may have been harboring a secret of his own.

I really enjoyed getting to know these two men and watching their journey together.  I always love it when I get a story with characters who are older than the normal twenty-two year olds that are in most stories of this genre.  I'm in my early forties with kids who are the same age as most of those characters and it kinda weirds me out to read about the sexcapades of what I consider to be barely adults.

Donovan has a good head on his shoulders and isn't prone to drama.  I really liked that about him.  I loved Spencer more though.  Spencer is a man who knows what he wants and isn't afraid to go after it.  He's got his second chance in life and he doesn't squander it.  He's not repressed but he isn't wild either.  No mid-life crisis for this man!  He's not out to anyone other than his parents and his ex-wife yet but he's working towards it.  I wouldn't say he's closeted, really.  He's got his kids to think about.  He doesn't want to do anything that will hurt them, especially since the divorce is so recent.  Once he makes up his mind, though, hot damn!  He's direct and assertive and, holy cannoli is that some kind of hotness right there!

"I'm not a kid, Donovan.  I'm thirty-nine, a damn good lawyer, a father of two, and I know what I want.  I've known what I've wanted for a long, long time.  Just because I didn't allow myself to have it or act on it doesn't mean I wasn't certain of it."

I've said it before but it bears repeating:  what I love most about this story, this series and this author is the communication.  There's no running away, no miscommunication and no Big Misunderstanding to be found in any of these books.  The characters actually talk to each other; tell each other how they feel.  Communication is so damned sexy!

I love all of the characters in this series.  It was great to see everyone again.  I have fallen in love not only with these two men, but this town and all of it's inhabitants.  Except Erica.  She can take a long walk off a short pier.  That woman has Issues (yes, that's capitalized, because reasons).  She could use a good dose of therapy.  Maybe Donovan could hook her up with a colleague or two.  Or four.  She really needs it.  Bratty woman is bratty.





https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35758328-the-veranda