Audiobook Review: Home Work (Life Lessons #3) by Kaje Harper

Murder, trauma, and raising children—who said love was easy?

Mac and Tony thought the hard part was over. They’re together openly as a couple, sharing a home and building a life with their two kids. It’s what they dreamed of.

But daughter Anna struggles with the changes, Ben is haunted by old secrets, Mac’s job in Homicide still demands too much of his time, and Tony is caught in the middle. It’ll take everything these men can give to create a viable balance between home and work. Especially when life refuses to give them a break.

(This is a lightly edited rerelease of the 2012 original novel.)

 

Listening Length: 10 hours and 28 minutes
Narrator: JF Harding

Reviewer: Annery

This is book 3 in Kaje Harper’s Life Lessons series. Can you start here? Maybe but you’d be missing the richness of these characters, how they came together, and the depth of their love. Do yourself a favor and read or better yet listen to the first two and then this one. KH and J.F. Harding won’t let you down. 

The story picks up shortly after where book 2 left off. Mac and Tony are now living together, getting the hang of being full time parents to two kids who have issues of their own, navigating the expectations of cohabitation plus Mac being a publicly out cop in 2011. It’s not easy but the author portrays it all realistically and beautifully.

As in the previous installments there’s a murder mystery, Mac is after all a police detective, but the victim(s) & suspects are fairly dislikable or outright heinous people. I for one couldn’t have cared less about them except as to how they affected Mac & Tony, and did they ever. To me it was a frame to tease out the day to day life of our MC. This volume pretty clearly spells out the realities of Mac coming out as a cop in 2011/12 or even now. I liked how the author didn’t dress up or minimize the facts of this new life they are forging together while never losing perspective that this is after all a romance. About adults.

On the homefront we have Tony who is infinitely patient and understanding but not a doormat saint. Meanwhile Mac is learning that he’s no longer alone in the journey of life and that companionship requires reciprocity. He’s happy to learn. Meanwhile work throws a rather big spanner into their lives but seeing them wade through the hurdles is both painful & beautiful.

I love how Mac & Tony were with each other. How despite the humdrum or excitement of everyday life they were always there for each other in friendship, romantic, and carnal ways. This was a very satisfying read and highly recommended. I’d also follow up with Compensations, which is kind of a longer epilogue to Home Work. I’m very much looking forward to book 4, particularly if it’s narrated by J.F. Harding.

I was given a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Audiobook Review: Breaking Cover (Life Lessons #2) by Kaje Harper

Sometimes one moment defines a man.

For homicide detective Mac, it's been a good year. Having Tony to go home to makes him a better cop and a better person. For Tony, it's been hard being in love with a man he can't touch in public. Evasions and outright lying to friends and family take a little of the shine off his relationship with Mac, but Tony is determined to make it work.

As the Minneapolis Police Department moves into a hot, humid summer, Mac is faced with a different challenge. A killer has murdered two blond women, and the police have no real clues. Mac hates to think that another murder may be the only way they'll make progress with the case. But when that murder happens, it hits close to home for Tony. And suddenly Mac faces an ultimatum: Come out into the sunlight and stand beside Tony as his lover, or walk away and live without a piece of his heart.

Narrator: JF Harding

Listening Length: 9 hours and 46 minutes

Reviewer: Annery

This is Bk.2 in the Life Lessons series and I can unreservedly say that it’s a welcome addition along with the continued narration by J. F. Harding. I would however add that to really appreciate this volume you should read Bk.1, “Life Lessons”. You won’t regret it.

About a year has passed since the events in the first book and Tony & Mac have settled into a kind of half life. Tony is still a teacher and Mac continues working as a Homicide Detective. In the privacy of Tony’s apartment they’re like any other new couple, learning each other’s ticks, foibles, and contours but this discovery is only possible away from prying eyes because Mac is decidedly still in the closet and with no immediate plans for coming out. This situation cannot hold and a case lands in Mac’s lap that will change both of their lives irrevocably.

What I like best about Kaje Harper’s books is that while adhering to the tropes of romance she manages to keep her stories grounded in the material reality of when & where the MC live. In this case I’m sure many readers will have issues with Mac being in the closet and Tony, despite being “out & proud”, acceding to essentially being a dirty secret. To make matters worse (or maybe it’s a logical side effect) Mac can’t even say the three magic words. It’s a lot and I appreciated the realistic depiction of a same sex couple living in this world.

The things they have in common, their sexual and emotional compatibility, what makes them a couple, are the things that keep Tony clinging to a relationship that goes against everything he’s fought against. He’s infinitely patient and accommodating to Mac’s work and frame of mind but something happens and Tony can no longer extend such largesse. Mac must make a choice and I’m happy to say he comes through in shining color when it matters.

I liked how things developed fairly organically. How Mac’s reasons for staying closeted, for having his daughter in the care of his cousin, were absolutely logical without being melodramatic.I also liked that though there are two children who are integral to the story they don’t overshadow Tony & Mac. Yes, the children are perhaps a bit idealized, but we already have enough drama to go around. It’s also worth noting that this was originally published in 2011 and it seems like the story takes place around that same time, Marriage Equality hasn’t been decided, and that reality necessarily informs the mindset of the characters. It’s almost historical!

To recap: I really liked it, loved J. F. Harding’s narration, and will definitely be looking forward to the next volumes on audio.

Unimportant Niggles That Will Bother No One But Me: As I said, the book/story was originally published in 2011 and in a sense is an artifact of a certain time & place. I own copies of the 2011 publication. There’s been an effort (IMO misguided) to change some terms and even more to align with 2022 standards. It is/was unnecessary and at times just makes the story read anachronistic as the rest remains rooted in the past and the reader is pretty aware of it, i.e. Tony & Mac can’t get married in their state.

I was given a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Guest Review: Out: The Complete Collection by Cara Dee

In this 150,000-word complete collection, Zach and Henry bare it all. You’ll get wild Los Angeles nights, the overwhelming emotional roller coaster of discovering yourself, plans gone awry, adventures, laugh-out-loud moments, and sizzling romance.

I had two things on my list when I arrived in Los Angeles. One, track down Henry Bennington, the uncle and guardian of my little brother’s best friend Tyler, and tell him to get his ass back to Washington—because his nephew was getting out of control. And two, figure out just how non-straight I was.

Nowhere on this list did it say, “Get Tyler’s uncle into bed and fall for him.”

Nowhere.

This is the complete collection of every story revolving around Zach and Henry. All 150,000 words of them, starting with the first novel, Out, continuing with the holiday sequel, Out for the Holidays, and followed by a novella previously only available to Cara’s newsletter subscribers, Out Cruising, as well as brand new content titled Out and About.

 

Averaged

Reviewer: Annery

Out - 4.5 Hearts

Zach grew up fast, became a parent to his brother and a caretaker to his mother. At 25 he got an inkling that perhaps he wasn’t as straight as he thought. Two years later, he came from his small town of Camassia, WA. to Los Angeles to confirm his suspicions, and to do something about it. Fortuitously he meets Henry Bennington, almost 20 years his senior, everything Zach is not and his life comes into clear focus. Zach just needs to convince Henry of the rightness of them as a couple and that Zach isn’t just sampling at the gay buffet.

This story is a breath of fresh air & sunshine. Yes, there’s age-gap, coming out, some familial strife, and yet the prevailing sentiment while reading it and once you’re done is a smile. The author astutely keeps the villains, such as they are, off stage and the bad things have already happened. The story is centered on Zach & Henry’s relationship & told from Zach’s P.O.V. which is genius as Zach is great company. He’s open and honest, particularly about himself, what turns him on or what he wants, and he’s funny too.

Things move fast. Pretty much from the moment Zach lays eyes on Henry his suspicions of gayhood are confirmed completely, skipping bi as a possibility. I liked it, no half measures for our Zach. Henry takes some convincing, even after he succumbs to Zach’s charms. He doesn’t see them as a lasting thing, lacking confidence in himself, he can’t fathom that Zach, his junior and a complete virgin to gay life, will want him, a guy who albeit handsome, educated, and of economic means, has shut himself in an obscure bookstore and a hamsterwheel life. Luckily, Zach is charming and persistent.

Fear not. Henry’s doubts about a lasting relationship don’t translate to the bedroom, their sexual chemistry is akin to Habanero Orange or Red on the Scoville scale. However for me the bigger draw was their quotidian interactions, how friends & family are at the heart of this story. I really enjoyed this slice of goodness and it lightened up the winter doldrums.

Recommend :D

Out for the Holidays - 4 Hearts

Henry and Zach are back. It’s their second Christmas together and plans go a bit haywire but not in any kind of tragic or drastic way. We just get to visit with a beloved couple, see how their imperfect, bumps, warts and all, fairytale plays out. As a plus when these two get together fun and smoldering sex are on the agenda. Sweet.

Zach has a successful modeling career but an unexpected work trip is threatening to derail his Christmas plans which entail nothing but being a homebody pampered by Henry. Fortunately the guys are resourceful, they turn lemons into lemonade, and get a chance to deal resolutely with a persistent pest. If that means smoking hot sex with Zach in the driver’s seat and certain people seeing them, what can you do?

I will note that though done organically, the story is populated by characters from other books in the author’s catalog, but they don’t in any way hinder or take over the story. They’re just part of the world Henry & Zach inhabit. I do think the reading experience would be richer if you know these stories too, and I’ve enjoyed the ones I’ve read.

Out Cruising - 3.5 Hearts

The guys, Zach in particular, need a distraction. A gay cruise with seven of their closest friends is just what the doctor ordered. Zach continues to have firsts as an out gay boy, and a fun time is had by all. You too, reader!

This short really just pushes Henry & Zach’s story, where they are in terms of friends & family, and defining what the borders of what life will look like. Fret not, certainly there are some creative sexy times, but the heart of the story really has to do with the couple’s desire to become parents and making that wish a reality.

Two things kept this under a four:

1) knowing the stories of the three other couples that feature, somewhat prominently, is highly recommended. If you’ve enjoyed reading this series, these others wouldn’t be a hardship.

2) in the bedroom Zachary & Henry have had since the beginning this Daddy/boy dynamic. To my eyes it was just a playful, erotic thing they did for play, but now it seems to be more front & center and the prevalence of it didn’t seem organic, more like everyone has a kink which … not necessarily true? Sometimes vanilla is just fantastic without any sprinkles. Obviously just my 2 cents and YMMV.

Out and About Briefly - 3 Hearts

This is an epilogue included in this collection of the OUT stories. It takes place eighteen months after “Out Cruising” and we’re on another cruise in December but this one is absolutely PG. Zach & Henry are fully immersed in parenthood and loving it. When they get home we get a Christmas & family love bomb. Enjoy xoxo

FINAL NOTES:

a) these should definitely be read in order
b) if you already own the first three books I’m not sure that buying the box set for the final story is absolutely necessary, though I understand completists' impulses. It’s probably 15 pages of Henry & Zach being happy.

I was given a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Audiobook Review: Life Lessons by Kaje Harper

Mac's three goals: keep Tony safe, catch the killer, don't come out.

Tony Hart's a dedicated teacher, though he's not much older than his high-school students. Between his profession, a few good friends, and plenty of books, he's content with his quiet life. Then the murdered body of another teacher falls into the elevator at his feet, and Tony's life becomes all too exciting.

Jared MacLean is a homicide detective, widowed father to a young daughter, and deeply in the closet. But from the moment he meets Tony's blue eyes in that high school hallway, Mac can't help wanting this man in his life. Mac's not out ― can't afford to be out ― but Tony makes him want the impossible.

Mac isn't the only one with their eyes on Tony, though. As the murderer tries to cover their tracks, Mac has to work fast or lose Tony, permanently.

(This is a rerelease of the 2011 original with light editing.)

Reviewer: Annery

If you’re looking for a bit of fantasy, where true love & good sex are a magic potion that solves all of life’s problems this isn’t that book. If however you want a realistic portrayal of two people falling in lust, love and forging a relationship despite life woes you’ve come to the right place. A beautiful audio rendition by J.F. Harding is just icing on the cake.

Tony Hart is a high school teacher, an easy going guy, comfortable in his skin as a gay man. One day he has the misfortune of kind-of-sort-of witnessing the murder of a work colleague wich brings him into the orbit of Det. Jared “Mac” MacLean. Mac is Tony’s polar opposite in every way. Mac is a gay man who due to life, society, family, reality or take your pick, has never been out, in some aspects even to himself. You know what they say about opposites.

Tony is attracted to Mac from the beginning but mostly in the “hot guy alert” sense, while attraction is not something Mac allows himself to enjoy, not at home in Minnesota, but the investigation brings them into frequent contact, Tony gets hurt and … the real stuff begins.

As I said before, for the romance purists or those wanting candy cane and rainbows this will disappoint. For one a good portion of the book is dedicated to the investigation, a fairly accurate portrayal of police procedure, which can seem irrelevant and menial but to my mind enriches and informs where Mac is coming from, his worldview. Part two of the possible let down is that, realistically, this ends in a HFN, and it leaves Tony in an unenviable position, but one he chooses. To me it was painfully realistic. Also while Mac’s story does flirt a little bit with the dramatic I’m taking into account that, though the audio is new, the book itself is from 2011, eons ago. Obergefell v. Hodges had not yet been heard making marriage equality a reality, so things we now take for granted were very much not a thing.

On the plus side Mac & Tony’s relationship is beautiful and scorching. They just get each other on a physical and mental level. A beautiful thing.

I’d definitely recommend this and follow it with two shorts: “And to All a Goodnight” and “Getting it Right”.

Ps. I already owned the original books and thus followed along a bit. It seems that inconsequential parts have been altered but nothing major.

I was given a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Audiobook Review: This is Not a Horror Movie by Sara Dobie Bauer

Emory Jones loves two things: horror movies and Connor Nichols.

For the past four years, Emory, Connor, and their families have vacationed side by side on Longboat Key, Florida. Eighteen-year-old Emory has pined for his neighbor from behind the covers of Stephen King books, but college boy Connor has never noticed him. Probably because Emory looks like Jack Skellington with good hair.

Emory anticipates another predictable summer of sunburn and disappointment. Instead, he ends up with a mystery on his hands when a beloved beach bum goes missing, and Connor volunteers to help with the search. Turns out it’s not just scary movie cops who are worthless, so the boys start an investigation of their own—leading them straight to an abandoned beach resort.

Despite the danger, Emory and Connor grow closer, but as Emory’s gay dreams start coming true, so do the horror movie tropes he so loves. Even though he knows that sex equals death in slasher flicks, Emory can’t keep his hands off the guy of his teenage dreams.

This is Not a Horror Movie is a 78,000-word new adult gay rom-com… with a monster.

Reviewer: Annery

This is a lesson in trusting your friends, who seemingly know you better than you know yourself, and taking a chance on authors who’ve been good to you. Neither horror nor NA are preferred genres for me and yet … I was a happy camper.

I took this on as an audio review and on that front I couldn’t be happier. Blake Lockheart, a NTM narrator, did a fantastic job creating characters with his voice and breathing life into a SCREAM style story. Sampling the audio and a friendly nudge, where what got me to read/listen to this. I’m not mad. His voice pleasantly reminded me of Jason Clarke, could it be him branded for M/M narrations?

THE STORY:

For four (4) years Emory Jones and his family have been coming from Ohio for a yearly two week vacation at the seaside resort town of Longboat Key, Florida. Their neighbors during these summer idylls have always been the Nichols family, a blessing and a curse for young Emory as he’s harbored a secret (maybe not so secret) crush on Connor, the Nichols’ only son.

Connor is twenty (20), a former HS football star, current college student, and all around nice guy. He’s always treated Emory like a beloved pet or an amusing younger brother, this year things are different, Emory is different. He’s turned 18, finished HS, gotten into NYU, and shot up to six feet, something that irks his fraternal twin Liz to no end. To add insult to injury, and at Liz’s suggestion, he’s grown out his hair and is now officially hot. Connor notices. Big time.

At first there’s some bumbling about because neither knows about the other’s attraction. Emory in particular, who’s still growing into his ‘new’ body, and was bullied in HS, can’t see himself as appealing to someone like Connor, the almost hyper masc jock, and much less fathom that Connor isn’t straight. He’s not. While navigating this new relationship Connor & Emory become embroiled or rather are the only ones interested in the disappearance of a local homeless man. It would seem that some super natural occurrences at a local abandoned resort are germane to the case which falls into Emory’s, and to a lesser extent Connor’s, wheelhouse. They’re both fans of scary movies and Emory, an aspiring writer, is never without one or two horror classics by his side.

THOUGHTS:

I’ve read four books by Sara Dobie Bauer. Loved two of them, BIG TIME, one was okay, and the other was a pretty decisive no. I came up with an unscientific thesis that her Ohio set books or characters were catnip for me and that the others were not. TINAHM happily marries both aspects: Emory is from Ohio, Connor is from upstate New York, and the story takes place in Florida. Win.

Another aspect of SDB stories, which she holds true to here, is the characters, their physicality. Connor is big, strong, and protective, but also sensitive and caring. Emory is thin, tall, almost gangly looking, impossibly beautiful, and seemingly frail but with an unbreakable hidden inner strength. It works for me.

I’m happy to say that the supernatural or horror aspect is kind of light and doesn’t really come into play until the latter part of the story. The bulk of it deals with Connor & Emory navigating this budding romance, which I’m happy to say has very little to no angst, no undue histrionics, and no villains opposed to the couple on the basis of their sexuality. In standard NA style there’s some heavy petting but sex is off page, which is fine. I didn’t miss or need it. The relationship is sweet and snarky and completely adorable but only covers the two weeks of vacation. I’d be curious to see them some years down the road, hoping they’ve made it and matured and grown together.

As a plus the author surrounds the MC with a nice supporting cast not least of which are both sets of parents which made me happy. There are good, great parents out there and it’s nice to see them celebrated.

My ignorable niggle is one I have with most NA or just MM in general (which is what I tend to read). The MC tend to have frames of cultural reference which IMO don’t seem to match them, their age. Golden Girls, X-File, Lady and the Tramp etc are all things that roll off the tongue quite easily for Emory & Connor. I know they’re film buffs and perhaps pop culture enthusiasts but I just spent a week with my 20+ y.o. niece & nephew and 80’s & 90’s references required some explanation. They weren’t averse to learning, just didn’t know them. Maybe they’re outliers?

In any case enjoy a sweet, funny, and well developed story delivered in fantastic AB form. You’re welcome.

Don't miss the review tour stop HERE

Guest Review: The Blacksmith and the Ex-Con (Farthingdale Ranch #2) by Jackie North

“If anybody ever needed him, Ellis did. Ellis was broken. Jasper liked to fix things.”

Jasper has the perfect life. He’s a blacksmith at a small guest ranch in Wyoming. The last thing he needs is to have that perfect life interrupted by a shifty-eyed ex-con, but the ranch needs the tax benefits the ex-con program will bring.

Traumatized by his time in prison, Ellis can barely speak. He’s about to be offered parole. He knows he will hate working on the guest ranch, but what other option does he have?

It’s not love at first sight. It’s not hate at first sight, either, but something in between.

A gay m/m cowboy romance with age gap, hurt/comfort, opposites attract, forced intimacy, emotional scars, trauma leading to mutism, grumpy/grumpy, and baths. A little sweet, a little steamy, with a guaranteed HEA.

Reviewer: Annery

This is the second book in the Farthingdale Ranch series and while reading Bk.1 is absolutely not necessary it kind of does set the tone for the theme(s) of the story and the world it inhabits: redemption and acceptance. Perfectly admirable and yet … I was underwhelmed?

Jasper is thirty-two (32), outwardly the curmudgeonly blacksmith/farrier of the Farthingdale Ranch but in fact harbors a heart of gold, one with strong caretaker tendencies. That’s a lucky break for Ellis Bowman, twenty-four (24), a recent parolee whom the ranch has taken on as part of a work release program which awards tax incentives which the ranch sorely needs. Ellis arrives at the ranch exhibiting a kind of selective mutism, unable to speak due to recent trauma suffered in prison and his personal life. Fortunately, he’s assigned to be Jasper’s apprentice/helper and Jasper, having been in the army and seen this kind of PTSD in colleagues, quickly grasps a way of communicating with Ellis and allowing him space to breathe.

I really liked these aspects of the story, the care and sense of comfort Jasper readily provides for Ellis, an absolute stranger. It may be Utopic, thinking that humans can and do deal with each other in such a way, but one can dream. Also, this being a romance, there is an attraction but it’s not a thunderbolt & lightning immediate thing. In fact IMO the sexual part of the relationship between Jasper & Ellis starts off as more of a comfort thing for Ellis, something he learned to do in prison to make himself feel better while keeping the peace with fellow inmates. No spoilers but Ellis does have a bit of an oral fixation. Jasper, though surprised, is willing to accommodate him. I enjoyed their carnality quite a bit. They were a good match.

I liked that Ellis, at least in his own mind or the author’s narrative, isn’t ashamed or shy about admitting to the sexual encounters he had while in prison, that some were involuntary but necessary for survival, and that, right or wrong, he came to crave these “relationships”. I also liked that there was no “Ellis was wrongfully convicted for a crime he didn’t commit” aspect. I appreciate the honesty.

What didn’t work so well for me:*maybe slightly spoilerish?*

Ellis’s whole journey from teacher to convicted drug dealer to parolee having served two years in prison seemed to be a lot for someone who’s only just twenty-four. The timeline doesn’t bear any kind of scrutiny.

Like the first book everything happens in a week which is way too brief a time for all of what transpires in the book relationship wise for Jasper & Ellis and everyone else in the ranch.

There’s also an unnecessary debacle with the town villain which adds nothing to the story save maybe to show that the ranch will go to bat for Ellis which is fine, but going back to the narrative time thing, I don’t know that he’d earned that yet.

If you’re not fussy or just want a warm, cuddly, “there’s good in the world & everyone finds their person/place” read this could fit the bill quite nicely. Just squint a bit.

I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Audiobook Review: Unbreak Me by Maria Vickers

They were supposed to be together forever. That was the plan, but through a cruel twist of fate the night before their three-year anniversary, Tex Davis lost the one man he would ever love, Memphis King. A year has passed and he still hasn’t been able to move on. Everyone tells him it’s time, but what do they know? Memphis was his partner in love and life. Losing him, broke Tex.

Tex has been given an opportunity to move from New York to Seattle. His friends and family are encouraging him to take it, but he has already decided to decline the offer because that would mean leaving Memphis behind.

Then something happened.

Whether it be fate or something else, Memphis came back to him. Tex’s first love is supposed to help him move on, but not even Memphis can bring himself to force Tex to let him go.

Is it so wrong to want to spend forever with the person you loved most? Both hearts are begging to be unbroken.

Listening Length: 6 hours and 14 minutes
Narrator: Andrew Joseph Perez

3.5 for story + 5 for narration

Reviewer: Annery

I’ve procrastinated writing a review for this because I loved so much about it but then things happened, narrative choices were made that flipped the story that was being told and I wasn’t best pleased. But let’s start with the good which was very good.

When the book opens (post prologue) Tex is still reeling from the sudden death of his boyfriend, Memphis. It’s been a year but Tex is doing the bare minimum to be counted as among the living. His grief runs deep and though both his and Memphis’ family try to keep him going it seems to be a losing battle. He’s resentful of anyone who even hints at the idea that it may be time to start moving on and frankly I can’t blame him. Though they were only together three (3) years when Tex and Memphis met they discovered the yin to each other's yang. It was a beautiful and special thing.

The author and the narrator are both NTM and though ultimately I had issues with how the story was resolved I wouldn’t be averse to trying something else by Maria Vickers. The narrator, Andrew Joseph Perez, was a definite success and I’d unequivocally listen to him again.

The bulk of the story is told from Tex’s POV (Memphis being dead and all) and I think the author, along with the narrator got the tone of grief just right. Tex was always a prickly pear and being a widower hasn’t changed that, in fact he’s more pissed off than ever. He’s mad at Memphis for leaving him, at the world for cheating him out of his slice of heaven, at friends & family who think that he can go on living without Memphis, and at anyone who would assume that they can replace Memphis in his life. He’s also unbearably sad, can hardly get up from bed in the mornings, has lost a ton of weight, and now seems to be having hallucinations. About Memphis. At first it’s just a feeling, later they become aural, and finally visible, vocal, and tactile. He can see and talk to Memphis. Joy!

This part was very good. The naked portrayal of sorrow with all it’s thorns. It’s not pretty and it doesn’t follow an A B C path. What I also enjoyed was the relationship between Tex and Memphis, they read true and unique to themselves, it even bleeds over to their after life dealings. Tex doesn’t miraculously change just because Memphis is dead. I loved that. I’m not a particular fan of ghost stories or any other kind of spirituality but this was handled in a special and also matter of fact way that made it comprehensible and believable. Even if only Tex heard or saw Memphis the love was still real. Valid. Another thing that is exquisite? The cover. It’s gorgeous and a perfect portrayal of the MC.

Now for the hard part, the things that didn’t work and give no joy to dwell on, but I have to admit. Small things that were annoying but not a deal breaker were the almost too cutesy names for the MC, which are explained, but still warranted an eye roll. Then there was the narrative head hopping which I learned to live with but think would annoy the average reader. And then the thing that pulled the rug out from under me. I’ll indulge in no spoilers but I’ll just say that at chapter #18 or 89% a Dallas situation happens. I was flabbergasted and hoped it was just a wishful thinking situation on Tex’s part, but it wasn’t and I just felt like this twist betrayed the point of the story I’d been reading. I’ll say no more because everyone will have their own take and YMMV but it made me sad and not in the good way.

I was given a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Guest Review: Dark Mire (Kildevil Cove Murder Mysteries #2) by J.S. Cook

You never know what trouble will rise from the bog.

When the body of an unidentified woman is found in a Newfoundland bog, Inspector Danny Quirke must scramble his team of investigators to find her killer. But what initially seems like a straightforward case soon becomes mired in a tangled web of lies and deliberate obfuscation.

With the strange mutilation of the body—one eye gouged out completely—evidence seems to lead to a fringe religious group with bizarre beliefs. But while the pathologist indicates mushroom poisoning as the cause of death, Danny thinks circumstances point to something more sinister—especially when he begins to receive anonymous messages with links to horrific pictures of damaged human eyes.

Three more bodies join the first, with seemingly nothing to link them but a little girl in a yellow party dress who flits in and out of the mystery like a creature from the old legends. Then an old friend from his childhood reappears, and Danny is forced to confront uncomfortable truths about his own nearest and dearest.

On an island, everyone is a suspect…

Reviewer: Annery

J.S. Cook firmly brings us back to the world of Kildevil Cove, amplifying it and its inhabitants. I think reading Dark Water first will aid in your enjoyment of this as would be properly aligning your expectations. What I mean by this is that this isn’t really romance, M/M or otherwise, even though three same sex couples feature to one degree or another in the story. It’s just set in the XXI century.

Deiniol Quirke is now permanently back in Kildevil Cove as an Inspector for the newly established local constabulary. And not a moment too soon. Kildevil Cove may be an outback community steeped in its own peculiar culture and social mores but it’s not isolated from the modern world and it’s attendant evils. A series of disappearances and later deaths land on Quirke’s lap. Are they connected? Is it one killer? Are they even murders?

As in the previous book the author, through beautifully evocative language, the author immerses us in this world, with its characters and local mythology. As a mystery the story works very well and the author does a good job of presenting the story through the eyes of the participants and not via an omniscient narrator. We know what the characters know. I also liked that though the story is set in modern times the past isn’t far behind and it’s grip on local life is palpable. This part worked very well for me. What didn’t work for me were the personal relationships.

A good portion of the first book was dedicated, albeit in a roundabout way, to establishing the relationship between Danny and Tadhg, former adolescent friends who reconnect as adults. However in this outing Tadhg’s participation is almost like a cameo and to my mind whenever they are together they seem more adversarial than not. Danny’s quick to snap at Tadhg and think badly of him and vice versa. It’s all washed over by the requisite “I love you” and I know that relationships between grownups, with adult problems and preoccupations, are vastly different (rightfully so) than those of younger couples but even so I had issues with these two as a couple. Don’t know if their longevity (a given in romance) will be more due to practicality than to all consuming love.

Some interesting new characters were introduced and others filtered in from the previous book but their stories are left … open? I can only surmise that they’ll play a role in future stories set in this world. We’ll see.

Recommended with the aforementioned caveats.

I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Guest Review: Dark Water (Kildevil Cove Murder Mysteries #1) by J.S. Cook

They say trouble comes in threes. Detective Danny Quirke is already mourning his wife and mired in an internal investigation that will likely spell the end of his career. Now he must return to the Newfoundland fishing village of his youth to bury his abusive grandfather. At least his three are up. Right?

Then the bones of local boy Llewellyn Single, drowned thirty years before, wash up on the beach, and secrets Danny thought were buried forever rise violently to the surface. Only two people know what really happened: Danny Quirke and his former best friend, millionaire Tadhg Heaney.

Danny and Tadhg have been bitter enemies for years. But when Danny is accused of Llewellyn’s murder, he needs Tadhg’s help exposing the truth—before those who believe he is responsible get their revenge.

After all, on an island, nothing stays secret forever…

Previously published by Dreamspinner Press as Wind and Dark Water, March 2020.

Reviewer: Annery

The blurb for this book needs to be rewritten. It sets up expectations that are not met by the narrative thus turning off some readers. That would be a shame because this is a very well written and engaging story about adults reckoning with the past that shaped them and isn’t quite past.

Deiniol Quirke returns to his hometown of Kildevil Cove in Newfoundland to bury his grandfather and dispose of his earthly goods. His plate is full. He’s dealing with recent events in his professional life, the still painful loss of his beloved wife, and a fraught relationship with Tadhg Heaney.

Danny and Tadhg were bosom buddies for a few years as teenagers. A misunderstanding/secret changed that and for thirty years each went in different directions living lives full of both satisfaction and disappointment. Danny pursued a career in law enforcement which has given him great highs and disheartening lows. Tadgh is a businessman, mostly a real estate developer, not well loved by the community.

I really liked this story, I liked the writing which had the flow & ebb of a good literary novel. Flashes of memories are seamlessly integrated without jarring you out of the present story but more than anything I loved how beautifully and atmospherically the culture of Newfoundland is limned. I went on deep dives, learned a whole bunch of stuff, and was overall delighted.

This didn’t rate higher for me for a few reasons. A number of narrative avenues really weren’t anything, they were misleading or didn’t go anywhere. Maybe in the next book? It seemed to me that in thirty years Danny and his sister (who happen to be twins) would’ve found time for some much needed conversations. Danny tends to fly off the handle pretty easily, jump to unwarranted conclusions, which is at odds with his reputation as a keen detective. I didn’t see the purpose of some characters or rather the time spent on them. Also for those interested this is neither really an M/M nor a murder mystery procedural. Two men do find happiness together (more of the HFN variety) but the drive of the story isn’t about that and they don’t begin to move in that direction until about the 80% mark. Neither of these were a problem for me but as I said at the beginning, expectations matter.

I’ll happily read the next book in the series hoping the author keeps up the same level of writing and that the dangling threads of this story are dealt with and resolved.

I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Guest Review: Chasing Hope by Gwen Martin

Loss chased him away, Hope brought him love...But is that enough?

Sean is only twenty-seven, but he’s already lost everything that gave him life. On the verge of losing hope for a future, he moves to a town where no one knows about him, the death of his child, or his failed marriage; but when his nightmares and his guilt follow him without the pitying glares, he realizes he can’t move forward on his own.

Jonah has worked tirelessly to keep his father’s memory alive and be a fixture in the small town he grew up in. Now, nearing forty, his dreams have been long forgotten to keep everyone else’s alive, and he doesn’t know how to reclaim his life as his own without losing his last connection to his father.

But when the two men’s lives collide, they’re forced to confront their grief and accept that there can be life and hope after loss—if you’re willing to chase it.

Chasing Hope is a ~70k small-town, second chance at love, M/M Romance. There are subject matters in this book that may act as triggers for some. Readers are invited to check out the complete trigger warning on the copyright page, which can be viewed by clicking on the "Look Inside" preview or by downloading the sample. These triggers contain spoilers for the book.

Reviewer: Annery

Sean Cambell moves from Atlanta to Harmony Creek, a small town in the mountains of Tennessee, hoping that a change in geography will shake him out of the overwhelming grief he’s drowning in. The death of his child and the consequent demise of his marriage at twenty seven is a heavy load to bear.

Trying to engage in a normal life Sean begins to frequent a local diner where he meets and befriends the owner Jonah Wright.

At one time Jonah escaped his hometown to go to college in NYC but his father’s illness and premature death forced him to come home. At thirty seven he has settled in his own skin and feels comfortable among a group of friends who are family. All he needs is someone to love.

Jonah is a natural caretaker and Sean is someone who desperately needs taking care of. Jonah is unequivocally gay and Sean, though shy at first, is not averse to exploring that side of his sexuality. But can it be more? Can Sean open himself up to the love Jonah has to give while still drowning in grief?

I really liked the first half of this book. The story deals compassionately and honestly with a subject matter that doesn’t always get much attention, particularly not from the perspective of the grieving father: the emotional toll of a stillborn child. The writing is beautiful and evocative.

My problem was that things, including the imagery & writing, started to get repetitive. Sean is continually storming out of rooms, shutting down, and refusing to speak to Jonah or anyone about anything while Jonah bends over backwards trying to be what Sean needs. Maybe this should’ve been more about Sean finding his way back to a new life instead of a romance? Don’t get me wrong, Sean & Jonah have some sweet moments and the sex, Sean’s firsts are hot and IMO read true. Very good.

My other problem was how Katie, Sean’s ex wife, was dealt with. I know this is Sean’s tale but I felt (perhaps mistakenly) that her sorrow gets a short shrift or is deemed less than Sean’s which I can’t imagine being further from the truth. Furthermore she’s presented as being dismissive of Sean’s confession of bisexuality. I didn’t feel that was true or fair either, given when this happened. She’s not a villainess.

I’d still recommend this. Read with patience and enjoy the lovely cover art. Maybe have some tissues handy.

I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Audiobook Review: Inheritance of Shadows (Lost in Time #0.7) by A.L. Lester

It’s 1919. Matty returns home to the family farm from the trenches only to find his brother Arthur dying of an unknown illness. The local doctor thinks cancer, but Matty becomes convinced it's connected to the mysterious books his brother left strewn around the house.

Rob knows something other than just Arthur’s death is bothering Matty. He’s know him for years and been in love with him just as long. And when he finds something that looks like a gate, a glowing, terrifying doorway to the unknown, it all starts to fall in to place.

Matty’s looking sicker and sicker in the same way Arthur did. What is Rob prepared to sacrifice to save him?

The answer is in the esoteric books…and with the mysterious Lin of the Frem, who lives beyond the gate to nowhere. It’s taken Matty and Rob more than a decade to admit they have feelings for each other and they are determined that neither social expectations or magical illness will part them now.

Listening Length: 3 hours and 20 minutes
Narrator: Callum Hale

Reviewer: Annery

Audio bliss!

Happy New Year to me! I’ve been on audiobook roll and this one by Callum Hale will certainly be on the winning list.

This is billed as a prequel to A. L. Lester’s LOST IN TIME series and perhaps it is but it can certainly be read as a satisfying novella all on its own. I’d seen this floating around GR and even picked it up a while ago but hadn’t dived in because I’m not a huge paranormal reader. The AB was the push I needed and I’m happy I listened.

Matthew Webber has come back from what was then known as The Great War aka WWI. He’s hoping to return to some sense of normalcy after existing in the trenches of mud and death. It’s not to be. Not right away. Matty comes home to the reality that his older, bookish brother Arthur is wasting away in body and mind. The illness is mysterious and irrevocable. Luckily Rob, a longtime farmhand at the Webber farm, is also back from the war and willing to help shoulder the burden. Of course it helps that Matty and Rob were childhood friends, bosom buddies, and each had yearned for something more even if they hadn’t verbalized it even to themselves. The immediacy of war and death have changed all that.

This novella is 3:20:00 running time, under 100 pages, so I won’t make the review longer than the book. I’ll just list the things I liked (a lot) and the niggles (few).

If you missed it at the top I’ll repeat it: Callum Hale does an excellent job with the audio. He imbues each character with their own individual personalities and proper emotionality. What do I mean by this? The characters are distinctly English (of the time) in the sense that they’re not given to dramatics even in extremis, they keep a level head, sometimes a stiff upper lip, nothing is overly talked about, and a good cup of tea soothes almost anything. Can’t say I disagree. Matty & Rob acknowledge and accept their attraction with minimum fuss. The other things that are going on, the consequences of Arthur’s meddling with magic? They deal with them too, as best they can, with no one doing the equivalent of walking down into a darkened basement at night without a flashlight. They’re proper, sensible, Englishmen. The spirit of Leslie Howard was present. The physical relationship is portrayed in the same spirit without going overboard or the characters being replaced by XXIst century clones. It is nonetheless lovely and romantic.

The niggles or what didn’t work for me was the paranormal aspect. I know this is intended as a foundational or prequel to future installments set in this world but I didn’t see the purpose. IMO it didn’t really contribute anything to the characters or their lives save for the ‘knowledge’ of a coexisting world. I couldn’t grasp any practical purpose of possessing kias and the way the story ends it doesn’t seem like it matters. I would’ve also liked a deeper look at the generation who came back from this terrible war, one that was certainly a seachange in warfare, and ushered in a world that was light-years away from the one before.

Happily you can pretty much ignore the niggles and enjoy a very good AB novella about two people embracing joy, using it as a counterweight to the horrors revealed by war.

A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Audiobook Review: A Boy Made of Sunshine by Colette Davison

A strict Daddy. A sassy neighbour. Can opposites attract?

After taking early retirement, Liam is happy avoiding people and tending to his roses. Or he was, until young film star Felix moves in next door.

With his cheeky, persistent, and very naughty behaviour, Felix gets under Liam’s skin instantly.

Felix needs Liam to teach him how to behave, but will calling the older man Daddy be enough to bring sunshine into Liam’s life?

A Boy Made of Sunshine is a standalone gay romance, with mild D/s play, Daddy kink, a cute Dalmatian puppy, a ridiculous glow in the dark toy, and lots of brattish behaviour.

Listening Length:6 hours and 26 minutes
Narrator: Dan Calley

Reviewer: Annery

There’s something to be said about Truth in Advertising. Right or wrong it makes me feel like not everything is belly up. A promise made and kept goes a long way to warming my cold cold heart. Colette Davison keeps her word and Dan Calley delivers another warm hug to the soul.

Felix is 25 and on the cusp of making it into A list celebrity status but after being a child model and later an actor his whole life he needs and takes a break. Said break lands him, first time homeowner, new puppy in tow, in a seaside community in the north of England. Luckily his house shares a lot with Liam’s, a retired detective, giant barrel of a man with a beard close to his chest and a forbidding countenance. He also happens to grow roses and harbor a deep need for care giving which he tries to hide with growly monosyllabic answers. He doesn’t stand a chance in the face of Felix’s good cheer, easy disposition, and willingness to be cared for.

Can you tell I loved this? I listened to it twice because I thought maybe I was just feeling sappy given our current climate. But no. This is that rare story that manages to check ALL the romance boxes without dipping into made-up drama, faux angst, UST, or being ridiculously OTT. The care-taker Daddy and his willing boy aspect is the perfect dash of savory to cut the sweet.

Liam took early retirement because the world he saw as a London DC left him with a grim view of humanity but the Fates are kind to him and gift him with Felix (was ever a character more aptly named?). Felix is, as Liam realizes, made of sunshine: not syrupy sweet (though he is sweet), treacly, or naive but warm, comforting, life affirming, and a light in the darkness. Exactly what Liam needs. And Liam is what Felix wants.

I loved that Felix wanted Liam’s care and not that he needed it. There’s a difference. Felix is young and has had many of his day to day needs taken care of by others because that’s the nature of the industry he works in but he’s not incapable of doing for himself. He chooses to let Liam guide him and care for him. Perfect.

As for the rest? Some spanking, some voyeurism, some made to order toys and we have a delightful Daddy/boy story with the perfect balance of kink and RL romance.

Dan Calley is pitch perfect in the chosen voices for both MC. His American accent on a female character? Iffy at best but she’s only on page briefly so no biggie. The story centers almost solely on the development of the relationship between Felix & Liam and happily so. It’s like a two person play with some kinky goodness as a plus.

***Recommended to anyone in need of a little sunshine. All of us.***

I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.