Review: World Turned Upside Down by Elyse Springer

After three winters in Antarctica, Simon Bancroft is an old hand on the ice. The harsh weather and extreme isolation aren’t for everyone, but he enjoys the tight-knit community at McMurdo Station… and lately he’s enjoyed watching the hot new researcher, Asher Delaney, who’s recently arrived to study the aurora. But Simon’s just a janitor. Asher doesn’t even know he exists.

When Simon’s friends propose a wager, he gets a chance to introduce himself to Asher at last. But Asher defies all of Simon’s assumptions, and suddenly he finds himself reevaluating everything he thought he knew about Asher, himself, and falling in love at the bottom of the world.

I powered through World Upside Down in one sitting, I couldn’t put it down once I got started as I was hooked on the geography and the characters right from the start. “Power through” is probably a little dramatic as the book is 105 pages, but still.

This is my first book by this author and I’m a big fan of her writing style and the way she writes conversations between her characters. Simon is a treat, I felt like I got to know him pretty quickly and organically, I wanted to hang out with him and I loved being in his head when he was mooning/lusting over Asher.

And I think that led to my favorite aspect of the story. The author really nailed the getting-to-know-you phase between Simon and Asher. And from there, the reconciliation Simon went through as he got to know the Real Asher vs. his Fantasy Asher. It was actually very sweet, and very realistic, to read. Not everything is insta-lust and fireworks, reality is more about getting to know and more importantly, getting to appreciate the other person. I loved it.

The author also made Antarctica a character in and of itself. I wanted to know more and dive in deeper. That was obviously impossible for a novella, but it did pique my interest and it will make me seek out more about the locale.

My only issue, and it stressed me out to no end, was the bet. It was meant to be somewhat innocuous and wasn’t meant to be cruel in any way, but it was out there and I knew what was coming the whole time. It tainted the wonderful feels I was having a smidge, and mostly because I love Asher’s sweet, sweet heart so hard. It was the conflict that the story was plotted around, but again, Asher!!!

Anywho, the evolution of Simon made the ending work and his honesty went the whole way and back in making Asher feel all the things he deserved to feel. While I loved this as a novella, I would also love to read it as a full blown novel. The elements were high quality and plentiful enough to fill up hundreds of pages. I always figure that’s the sign of a great novella too, nothing was missing but I’m left wanting more just because I don’t want to let the characters or the setting go just yet.

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

Review: Fox Hunt (Shifter U #4) by J. Leigh Bailey

Outfoxing their enemies will be a bear of a task.

Aspiring journalist and fox shifter David ends up with a target on his back after hacking the Moreau Initiative, the shifter world’s greatest enemy. But he won’t let that stop him from the campus tour road trip that’ll help him become the next Anderson Cooper… even if his family insists he travel with a grumpy grizzly bear bodyguard. 

Buddy Brady is older, sexy, and too damn distracting for David, and as the sexual tension builds, so does the suspicion around the repeated attacks—first in Chicago, then in New York. Someone is tracking them, and all clues point to a traitor in the shifter ranks. Worst of all, they could be after David’s family....

The fourth book of the Shifter U series delivers the action, mystery, snark and romance I’ve come to expect after reading books 1 - 3. I’ve been wanting Buddy’s story/HEA since he was introduced and the story did justice to my anticipation. I love a literal bear of a man with the personality to match and it’s always been obvious that there was more to Buddy than his size, loyalty and curmudgeonly ways. He just never got the page time to prove it. Until now.

Buddy gets hired to be a bodyguard to fox shifter David after David gets popped hacking into the dark web which in turn open the door to the Moreau Initiative to get access to the shifter servers. David doesn’t have a malicious bone in his body, he’s just a little young, a little naive and a little inexperienced to see far enough ahead and the negative repercussions of his actions. It sucks, and it was an honest mistake. David was trying to help a friend and he figured his journalistic sleuthing skills would serve him well. Instead they got him into trouble, again.

David feels he plays second fiddle to his perfect brother and being the son of the pack alpha doesn’t lighten the pressure on him in the slightest. So, he tries harder than he needs to, but it’s understandable.

Buddy owns his busy and bustling coffee shop, but for the most part he keeps his head down and to himself.There’s definite attraction between Buddy and David, but Buddy keeps David at arms length. He’s there to do a job (he comes from a long line of Enforcers) and David is just too young and beautiful.

The two of them get closer as they spend more time together. They open up to one another and the conversations between them were by far my favorite parts.David is pretty much an open book, but Buddy is more guarded and his background emerged organically as he began to trust David more and more. And the bestest part? The little “moments” they had. I love and am a complete sucker for “moments”. When Buddy spoke to David about his given name and his dreams and David’s reaction made me swoon pretty freakin’ hard. It’s good stuff and speaks to the marshmallowy part of my heart.

The mystery and bad guy kept the tension at just the right level and David’s family dynamics added to it all in a good way. The resolutions were good and not rushed which is always appreciated. The door is open for additional installments of the series, but this book could be read as a stand alone. The series is great fun with memorable characters so I’d definitely recommend the whole shebang though.
David and Buddy are an absolute treat and the coming together of characters like them is a favorite trope of mine. I had high hopes for this story and I’m so happy with everything the author gave these characters and then some.

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

Review: Larry Boots, Exterminator by John Inman

Kenny Long is living a new life. Blinded in an accident, he has taken control of his unexpected reality the best way he can, and it’s working out better than he hoped.

Of course Larry Boots doesn’t know any of that. All he sees is a beautiful man sitting on a park bench.

Larry has a few problems of his own: his mother. His job. The lack of romance in his life.

His job. In the course of that job, Larry strikes up a friendship with Kenny. The next thing he knows, he’s so head-over-heels in love, even his mother doesn’t seem so bad. Of course his career is still a problem, but he’s working on that. Hopefully he’ll have the problem resolved before the man he’s being paid to murder succeeds in murdering him first.

And before the man he loves finds out he’s a cold-blooded killer.

This John Inman mashup was such a treat. Any Inman-phile knows he writes 5 heart books in a multitude of genres and Larry Boots, Exterminator brings together two of my favorites, sweet, sweet romance and horror. It really doesn’t get much better than that for me.

I wasn’t sure how this was all going to come together, the dichotomous paths the author wanted to bring together (based on the blurb), merging them sounded like an awkward impossibility. But of course, it wasn’t and the two pieces melded together perfectly.

Larry is an assassin (don’t call him that, he hates it), but he’s dedicated his life to delivering justice to those who were let down by the system. He’s living to avenge others in his twin brothers name. His brother was the victim of a violent crime and in his “honor” he’s turned into a vigilante. He’s a good bad guy though, he’s likable and sympathetic. He loves his crazy mama and his two dogs, he falls in love with Kenny.

Kenny is a teacher at the blind center in San Diego. He lost his sight in an accident a few years prior and has since relearned how to live his life and support himself. He’s such a sweet man wearing his little sweater vests and bowties, I couldn’t help but fall for him myself as Larry described him and got to know him.

They have a very interesting meet-cute in the park one day. Kenny is there to sit in the sunshine on a park bench and enjoy his lunch. Larry is up in a tree scouting out his next mark. Larry climbs down from said tree and the two strike up a slightly flirtatious exchange. If you didn’t know what Larry did for a living, it would just seem like a set up to a love story that I wanted to read. But, and this is a big but, Larry kills people for a living and there’s really no way to just kind of forget that’s a thing.

Told from Larry’s point of view, he was either practicing his chosen profession or falling in love with Kenny.When Larry was with Kenny I was completely wrapped up in that part of the story. Then the page would flip and Larry would be back to work. Larry’s clients and their stories were truly heartbreaking, so there was a gamut of emotions to run throughout the book. The warm fuzzies with Kenny and the frustrating hopelessness of the families put the reader through the wringer. The author brought the two pieces of the story so well, he really made them mesh in a way that made me buy into every nuance of it.

And then 80% happened. Up until this point Larry’s work and his personal life were pretty well separated, never the twain shall meet. Larry’s lastest mark makes him uncomfortable, he seems to have put his eye on Larry, but Larry can’t be sure. Does he think that because he’s falling in love and finally has someone else to worry about or is this guy really wise to him? Insert tension here.

At 80% Larry is off to do his job, leaving Kenny home alone. That’s all I’m going to say because I want you to ride the tension wave like I did. I loved and hated every bit of the last 20%. The author is a master of the last 20%. He gets me every time and this time it was a little different. I was in romance mode, I was in love with Larry and Kenny’s love, but Larry’s pesky job was hanging over their heads and the resolution was coming. In romance mode, and in the author’s purely romantic books I would just be wallowing in the love pollen. However, Larry Boots, Exterminator has a horror element that won’t be denied so I honestly wasn’t sure how this would play out. I mean, I know what I wanted, but that doesn’t mean I was going to get it.

Larry Boots, Exterminator has so many great pieces that come together beautifully. While I loved the tension and Larry’s work life. His personality, his relationship with his mom, his reasonings, they all made for a fascinating character. But his relationship with Kenny was pure gold. The two of them together were simply lovely in their intimate moments, and not just the tingly, sticky bits, I mean the conversations and declarations between the two. Yes, Kenny was blind and vulnerable to an extent because of his circumstances, but he was also strong and fiercely independent. I loved how fully fleshed out his character was and how well he and Larry complemented one another.

Larry Boots has a permanent spot on my reread shelf. I know I’ll want to visit Larry and Kenny again.

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

Audiobook Review: The Other Book by Roe Horvat

It was supposed to be just sex... Famous last words.

Tyler doesn't overthink pleasure and avoids complications. He knows it might be stupid to get involved with his closeted boss, but the temptation is too great. At first, the cold and beautiful Joel Sandstrom seems to loathe Tyler's guts.

Except one late night at the office, his reasons become clear...and his control breaks.

Every time they touch, Joel's stony face comes alive, harsh lines smooth out, and for a minute, he looks serene. Happy, even. Just sex - dirty, intense, spectacular sex.

During their covert encounters, Tyler discovers the power he has over the lonesome man, and it's a heady feeling. What if he could set Joel free and give him peace of mind? When Tyler realizes how much Joel needs him, he doesn't regret breaking his own rules.

Gay erotic romance. Contains explicit scenes and sexual interactions between more than two partners. For adult readers only.

Narrated by Vance Bastian
Listening Length: 4 hours and 26 minutes

Well.

Good.

Goddamn.

This book and this narration are a combo platter of pure deliciously filthy goodness. I’ve loved every story I’ve read from this author and I’ve loved every narration I’ve heard by this narrator, so when this came through the blog I was on it. And as I may have said before, good goddamn.

Definitely listen to the foreword by the author at the beginning. After I finished I went back and listened to it again and I loved his message and reasoning for writing this gem of erotica and for the name “The Other Book”. And while I appreciate the thought process behind the author thinking of using a pseudonym for this one, I’m glad he didn’t, it shows another angle to his writing and the quality and flavor are just as appealing as any of his other titles.

So, erotica is fun. Super fun. Some erotica is there to be titillating, some is there to feed a niche, some is just words with crappy grammar and then once in a while some erotica comes around that hits you in more than just your tingly bits. The latter is The Other Book.

The story is told from Tyler’s POV and Vance Bastian’s voice is the perfect mix of worldliness and vulnerability to convey all Tyler’s nuanced emotions. He starts off seemingly crass and a little shallow, but my opinion quickly morphed as I learned more about his dynamic with Joel and was privy to his inner machinations.

The Other Book is chock full of coupling, tripling and quadrupling. Things get very sticky quite often and every encounter ends with happy satiated smiles. The sex scenes are very well written, there is no need for a flow chart or schematic which can sometimes feel like a necessity with multiple partners, but when the writing flows organically, it’s pretty easy to follow who’s doing what to whom, etc.

The Other Book though, offers more than that. Sex is fun and well written sex is even more so, but the thing that elevated this story is the well developed connection between the characters. It takes a book like this to remind readers how important sexuality can be in a relationship. As Tyler and Joel’s relationship progresses Tyler shows Joel everything he’s been missing physically and emotionally while he’s been in the closet.

Joel honestly broke my heart more than once and the cathartic effect the sex scenes had for Joel added an extra level of satisfaction, so to speak, to every one of them. It wasn’t just rubbing sticks together until sparks flew, the times these guys were together were actually quite lovely and incredibly romantic in the most intimate of ways. There weren’t just a plethora of orgasms, there were plenty of epiphanies as well.

Kudos to Tyler’s mom and his besties with benefits as well. The author managed to introduce playing with others into a monogamous relationship and it worked! I purchased Adam Only (book two in the series) and will be purchasing Adam Only on audio as soon as it’s released. The Other Book is a keeper in so many ways. The erotic words portrayed healthy sexuality because the sex worked for the characters, which in the end, is all that matters.

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

Review: Into the Gray by F.E. Feeley Jr.

Life after college is not what Aaron expected. Isn’t he supposed to have what he wants to do figured out by now? David never expected his marriage to be rocky, let alone about to end. How is he supposed to move on from this? December in Detroit is normally unforgiving, but an unexpected blizzard puts David and Aaron on a course toward each other. Despite the frozen ground and battleship gray sky, these men find heat together. It’s intimate and illicit, stretching what was supposed to be a one night stand into something more. Sometimes the touch of a stranger, however forbidden, is just what we need when we enter the gray.

I’ve been a big fan of this author’s stories since The Haunting of Timber Manor and if you haven’t read Objects in the Rearview Mirror, please do yourself a favor and go get it now. So, when I saw that he was writing an erotic romance I was anxious to get my paws on it and get his take. It was honestly what I wanted and expected considering how he writes and how much his style appeals to me. In short, I’m a big fan of this new venture and I plan on following along for every story he releases.

I love me some fluff now and again, but it can also drive me a little nutters because too much can just be too much. It just doesn’t read realistically to me and I have to take it in small doses. Now, give me some fluff with a side of snark, good natured ribbing and a willingness to acknowledge relationship roadblocks and I’m in. Into the Gray gave me all of that.

Into the Gray is a character driven romance between two lonely men who are both at crossroads in their lives. What starts as a one night stand turns into a snowed in weekend full of bonding both physically and emotionally. Reading about grinding of tingly parts is fun and I like fun, but when you add an emotional connection, the sex elevates to something so much more and Aaron and David have this connection in spades. Once you add in where they both were in their lives and their weekend together became even more meaningful.

Aaron is coming off a bad relationship and getting his bearings and David is in the process of divorcing his wife and is finally going to be able to live an authentic life. They both have a lot to navigate and a new relationship, in theory, is probably not ideal, but I have to take a sentence to say how much I appreciated the author making the idea of a new relationship an opportunity and not a burden.

Sometimes stories take the flux that characters are going through as a chance to have them deny themselves and the manufactured angst of it all can be distracting and I feel like those characters are cheated because of “reasons”. I don’t need extra angst, life has plenty as it is, and it’s the same for MCs (well, it’s usually more for them). Let them take their happiness in a meaningful way, let them talk about and acknowledge what they are going through and then provide one another with support and orgasms. THAT is what I love and THAT is what Into the Gray gave me.

Aaron and David complemented one another so well and it was obvious they were both smitten from the beginning. It started with them being all lusty with lust but when they were snowed in together for a weekend (and I do love the “snowed in” setup very much) and they got to know one another with no outside pressure or influence, just homemade chicken soup, baths, movies and cuddles. I’m a fan of all of those things and when Aaron and David do them all it’s even better.

I read that there could be more coming for Aaron and David and I can’t wait for that to be a thing. I really enjoyed the direction the story is taking and I hope to read more of these guys and meet new characters. Also, major love to the secondary characters, they are fully fleshed out and they added a lot with a minimal amount of page time which says a lot. I’m adding Into the Gray to my reread list, it’s my flavor of erotic romance and I’m anxious to read more.

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

Audiobook Review: Vanilla Clouds by Roe Horvat

“I could spend days listening to you talk about chocolate.” 

Sex and chocolate are the two pleasures Michał enjoys most in life.

His sex life has been nonexistent for some time, though. After a particularly bad hookup, he keeps mostly to himself. That leaves chocolate. Luckily, he works surrounded by the most delicious, extravagant produce in Gothenburg. Beside his job at the chocolaterie, his main source of excitement is his online friend, Magnus, whom he stubbornly refuses to meet in person.

A customer turns up at the chocolaterie one day—tall, shy, and charming. He could be just the right man. If Michał can step out of his overly safe shell, there might be not only chocolate, but sex, too. Maybe chocolate-flavored sex. And if he’s lucky, maybe even love.

Warning: This book contains explicit scenes, adult language, and obscene amounts of chocolate.

Listening Length: 3 hours and 45 minutes
Narrated by Vance Bastian

After I finished listening to the audio for Vanilla Clouds, I listened to it again and then bought a copy for a friend, and then I bought the book so I could pretend like it was all new again.

That’s a lot of things for a 3 hour, 45 minute audiobook/132 page book.

But. But. Oh. My. God. You guys. This is such a little nugget of a treat and I didn’t want it to end.

I loved the approach the author took to tell the story. Michal and Magnus are online buds who have never met in person, but have a real connection virtually. They want to meet, don’t want to meet, push, pull, push, pull. From the inside, they are both a little clueless in a sweet, vulnerable way, on the outside, from the readers view, it’s obvious from the beginning that these two are meant to be. Which makes for a wonderful setup, because I got to enjoy the ride while still sailing on the optimistic high of their relationship evolution.

The story moves along via messaging and then when Michal meets a tall, shy, mysterious stranger in his chocolaterie, path forks a little, but it’s the most adorable deception ever. It’s actually a necessary little bit of tension that allows the rest of the story to be its sweet self without apologies.

I loved the setting, the uniqueness in comparison to so many other things out there added a layer of interest that made me accidentally learn things (which is my favorite kind of learning) and the city of Gothenburg was a character itself. I even Googled stuff and the story made me want to travel.

If you haven’t ever listened to Vance Bastian narrate a book, you are missing out. I love his tone, his character voices and the emotional nuance he brings to every interaction. Everything is just enough without ever being too much. He’s both relatable and swoonworthy which makes him the perfect person to read this book to me. And you.

Vanilla Clouds is a low drama romance that is perfect when you need the fluff, but want thoughtfulness and authenticity. This book is forever and always on my reread, all-time-favorites shelf.

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

Audiobook Review: Coming Back (Belladonna Arms #3) by John Inman

Barney Teegarden knows what it’s like to be alone. He knows what it’s like to have a romantic heart, yet no love in his life to unleash the romance on. With the help of a friend, he acquires a lease in a seedy apartment building perched high on a hill in downtown San Diego. The Belladonna Arms is not only filled with the quirkiest cast of characters imaginable, it is also famous for sprinkling love dust on even the loneliest of the lovelorn.

At the Arms, Barney finds friendship, acceptance, and an adopted family that lightens his lonely life. Hell, he even finds a cat. But still true love eludes him.

When his drag queen landlord, Arthur, takes it into his head to rescue a homeless former tenant, he enlists Barney’s help. It is Barney who shows this lost soul how to trust again—and in return Barney discovers love for the first time in his life.

It’s funny how even the hardest battles can be fought and won with laughter, hugs, friends, plus a little faith in the goodness of others. All it takes to begin the healing is the simple act of coming back.

Narrator: Shawn Hertel
Listening Length: 5 hrs and 53 mins

I have a serious soft spot in my heart for the Belladonna Arms series by John Inman. Every time I read a new one I’m all, “ooooooh, this one’s my favorite” and then the next one comes and I do the same thing. So, the audiobooks are a real treat to revisit, because each one gets a chance to be my favorite again! Total book logic that makes sense. Don’t question it, just roll with it.

The series is set in my hometown of San Diego which is an added bonus since I can picture every locale the author describes and he describes San Diego very well. Belladonna Arms feels like home when you get invited in, as terrible as it sounds aesthetically, the Arms are home to those who need the love pollen, and the Arms delivers.

While I may be fickle with my favoriting, in all honesty, Coming Back is probably my favorite of the Belladonna Arms series. The characters are extra deserving of the pollen, and the arc spans from books one through three, heavier on the one and three.

Barney is an unassuming everyman, he’s relatable and kind and I couldn’t help but want the best for him from the moment he moved in. He and Arthur, the resident owner/landlord/drag queen extraordinaire, bond from the moment they meet and it’s a perfect friendship for what Arthur ends up planning to bring an original member of the Arms back to the fold.

Arthur has shenanigans planned, he always seems to, and he’s his altruistic self wrapped in yards of organza and feathered boas gets Barney in on his plans. Coming Back is more than just a meet-cute and romance, it’s redemption and second chances and it has a depth beyond rom-com that I appreciated on every level.

I don’t want to go into too much detail, because spoilers and all (even though you can read every other review by now and figure out who comes back home), suffice it to say, Coming Back is everything you want in a redemption, second chance, first romance story. There’s laughs, a little bit of angst and lots of love. Coming Back delivers a John Inman trait that I love. He doesn’t wait until the very end to bring his MC’s together and that is one of the things that makes him a go-to/auto-buy author for me. I get to see the MC’s as individuals and as a couple, I get to get lots of time with them together as they grow and it makes me buy into an HEA easily.

The audiobooks from the Belladonna Arms series have different narrators for each story. I actually love that they’re all different, it gives each story its own voice, both literally and figuratively. Each one has been a great fit and Coming Back is right in line with the first two. This is the first time I’ve listened to Shawn Hertel narrate and he has Barney down perfectly. And his Arthur is spot in. I liked his tone very much, he was just enough without being too much all the way through.

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

Review: Phin's Christmas by Bonnie Dee

Doubt invades a fairy-tale holiday.

Excited to celebrate his first Christmas with his true love, Phin Abernathy searches for the perfect gift for Teddy, the artist who saved him from solitude (The Artist). But his happy holiday dreams are soon threatened.

After a year of living on his own, then with his beloved partner, Phin has mostly banished his negative view of himself. He and Teddy are happily saving toward a house they can share, when a chance encounter with a stranger raises Phin’s old ghosts of doubt, anxiety, and self-disgust.

Struggling to quell such negative spirits, Phin focuses on volunteering at a children’s shelter. But when he sees his Teddy and handsome Justin Crump (The Medium) in a suspicious situation, it is difficult to control his racing thoughts. Belief in Teddy’s love for him wars with Phin’s fear his lover wants something more.

Phin must decide how far he is willing to go to keep Teddy in his life, and truly embrace his own worth before he can ever celebrate the season.

Phin’s Christmas is a bonus Christmas treat that is a follow up to the author’s tale, The Artist. I can’t recommend that book enough, especially if you are a fan of historicals, The Artist is a must read. There are plenty of good explanations as the story moves along, so the origin story doesn’t have to be fresh or even read to appreciate Phin’s Christmas, but you’d be doing yourself a disservice by not reading it.

The story picks up after Phin and Teddy have been living in London for a time. Phin has established himself as an English tutor and Teddy’s art is gathering a strong following among the right society people. The two are blissfully happy and are saving for a house that they can share under the pretense they are confirmed bachelor friends who have found a way to live in a home rather than renting rooms and remain respectable among society.

There are appearances from characters from The Medium and I loved reading about Justin again. Justin did unwittingly bring the angst to the story though, but it made sense and it was not overdone. In fact, I would have been waaaaaay more of a mess than Phin and I have to give his character all the credit for becoming such a strong person given the abuse in his background. Teddy may have given him the push, but Phin built his own future and I very much appreciated how the author made that such an important piece of Phin’s evolution.

Phin’s Christmas is told from Phin’s POV which is the only way Teddy’s mysterious shenanigans could stay mysterious and one of my favorite parts of The Artist was being in Phin’s head, so it worked for this extended epilogue to their life story.

Of course there were no bad shenanigans, just Teddy being his impulsive self (all in the name of making Phin happy of course) and the resolutions came about pretty quickly and wrapped in a beautiful bow. And while everything may have been a bit too perfect, it’s a Christmas story with characters who deserve a perfect future, so I was completely fine with it.

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

Review: Fair Isn't Life by Kaje Harper

Luke Lafontaine survived the past year by not thinking about the father he lost, the dairy farm he couldn’t save from bankruptcy, or his way of life that vanished with the rap of an auctioneer’s hammer. Cleaning up city folks’ trash at the Minnesota State Fair is just another dead-end job. But at the Fair, surrounded by a celebration of farm life, ambitions he’d given up on and buried deep start to revive. And seeing Mason Bell in the parade—gorgeous, gay, out-of-his-league Mason—stirs other buried dreams.

Mason left his hometown for college in Minneapolis without looking back. Student life is fun, classes are great, gay guys are easy to find, but it’s all a bit superficial. He’s at the State Fair parade route with his band when he realizes a scruffy maintenance worker is Luke, his secret high school crush. Luke should be safely home working on his dad’s farm, not picking up litter. Mason wishes he hadn’t fallen out of touch. He’s an optimist, though, and it’s never too late for second chances. Now he just has to convince Luke.

A very dear friend of mine is from Minnesota and we’ve been talking for years about joining her and her family at the State Fair followed by a week at their cabin. Fair Isn’t Life made me call her and talk about actually making it a thing next year. Thanks Kaje!

I can always count on this author giving me characters to read about that have so many dimensions and more realism than I expect. I should expect it though as it’s a normal Harper thing, I just get to re-appreciate it every time.

The realism in Fair Isn’t Life starts out pretty heartbreaking actually. Mason spies the farm boy, Luke, he tutored and crushed on when he was in high school picking up trash at the State Fair. Luke should be working the farm that he loved, not picking up trash. Mason is intrigued (and still attracted) and so begins a campaign to reconnect with Luke.

Luke seems like a stereotype on the surface, but as Mason draws him out we get to see that he is so much more than the dirt poor dairy farmer his peers mocked him for. Growing up, Luke was ridiculed for his perceived lack of smarts and wealth, but he kept his head down and did everything for the farm and the cows that he loved. All the while, he kept his sexuality to himself and the constraint he lives with made me so sad.

Slowly Luke reveals a little bit more and a little bit more and Mason is just a star for him. Luke has never really had Mason level support and while he doesn’t necessarily know what to do with it specifically, he knows it’s a gift and he’s smart enough and humble enough to accept what Mason offers. Luke has lost the one piece of his identity he could embrace fully. His life as a dairy farmer is over and he’s at a complete loss as to who he is meant to be now. His life has narrowed down to living paycheck to paycheck, not necessarily knowing where that paycheck would be coming from.

When Mason comes along Luke is finally afforded, for the first time in his life, the opportunity to explore more dimensions of himself and the courage to have hope for his future. The journey these two went on was absolutely sublime. It was much spicier than I expected and I enjoyed the two of them together muchly. I loved where the author took Luke and his sexuality. It was unexpected in that it didn’t fit stereotypes and isn’t that the point of a great book? We should all expect more from our MC’s and Kaje Harper delivered in spades. The beauty of breaking stereotypes is that the “different” becomes “normalized” and it gives hope that boys like Luke can be more than just a poor dairy farmer and more than just what is expected from him because of how he looks.

The angst in Fair Isn’t Life is external from the relationship between Mason and Luke and that was just as it should be. There was plenty of life going on without unnecessary drama between the two of them, which, given their personalities, would have felt manufactured.

I didn’t really say much specifically about Mason and that is doing his character a disservice, but just know you will love and appreciate him as much as Luke. Trust me, that’s a lot.

I’m going to call my bestie so we can plan a Minnesota vacation.

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

Review: Nothing Serious by Jay Northcote

Mark O’Brien is finally being honest with himself. His relationship with Rachel is over and he’s moving out of the home they've shared for six years. They get along, but he can’t fix a relationship when the person he's with is the wrong gender.

Jamie Robertson, one of the removal men, is huge and ridiculously gorgeous, and Mark is smitten at first sight. When a cardboard box splits, revealing items of a personal nature that Mark never wanted anybody to see, he's mortified. But it sparks the start of a beautiful friendship with benefits.

As Jamie initiates Mark into the joys of gay sex, the two men get increasingly close and “nothing serious” turns into something rather important to both of them. But communication isn’t their strong point. Will either man ever find the courage to be honest about his feelings?

This is my third go around with Jay Northcote’s Nothing Serious and it charms me every time I read it. It’s a wonderful character driven romance and the author really excels at giving his MC’s full dimension and I get invested quickly into their stories. With the setup, the angst and miscommunication could easily go off the rails, but this is another thing the author excels at, stories with balance. The outcome isn’t tooooo easy, but it’s not unnecessary difficult either.

Mark and Jamie are true to themselves throughout, so for them to be anything less with one another wouldn’t have read genuinely and Nothing Serious is all about being genuine to itself. Sure, things may have been a little simple, especially for Mark, but I think he had already gone through so much struggle before we met him, so we got to see him embark on his new life. Even though he was ending his marriage, it was amicable and his new life seemed so hopeful in a realistic way.

Mark was excited to try his new life on for size, but he didn’t have a plan other than settling into his new flat as a single gay man and finally being able to be true to himself. Come moving day, Mark gets incredibly lucky in that one of his movers, Jamie, is a delicious hunk of man who is as sweet as he is easy on the eyes. And bonus! He’s gay and interested in teaching Mark the ways of gay sex. There really is no better meet/cute than the moment these two had when Mark’s box of sex toys busted open when Jamie picked it up. It was an awkwardly adorkable moment that was a precursor to the charm of the two of them together.

The evolution of their relationship was very sweet and swoon worthy. Having both points of view helped immensely so there was no “does he?” or “doesn’t he?”, I could just enjoy their interactions and watch them get closer and closer to couple-hood as the story progressed.

As always with a Jay Northcote story, two very deserving men received their HEA in a perfectly warm and fuzzy way. And while I’ve already read this story three times, I have a pretty strong feeling that I’ll read it again.

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

Review: Second Chance by Jay Northcote

Everyone deserves a second chance.

Nate and his teenage daughter need a fresh start, so they move back to the village where he grew up. Nate’s transgender, and not used to disclosing his history, so it’s hard living where people knew him before. When Nate reconnects with Jack—his best friend from school and unrequited crush—his feelings return as strong as ever.

Jack’s returned home to get his life in order after an addiction to alcohol caused him to lose everything: his job, his driver’s licence, and nearly his life. He’s living with his parents, which is less than ideal, but rekindling his friendship with Nate—or Nat as Jack once knew him—is an unexpected benefit of being back home. Jack is amazed by Nate’s transformation, and can’t deny his attraction. Trying for more than friendship might ruin what they already have, but the chemistry between them is undeniable. 

Doubting his feelings are reciprocated, Nate fears he’s risking heartbreak. Jack’s reluctance to tell his parents about their relationship only reinforces Nate’s misgivings. With both their hearts on the line and their happiness at stake, Jack needs to make things right, and Nate has to be prepared to give him a second chance.

If I could stick more hearts to this story I would, in fact, I would stick ALL the hearts.

I finished Second Chance two weeks ago and I’m still thinking about the characters. It was like meeting new friends at pivotal points in their lives and I’m still fully invested even though I know an earned HEA was had.

Second Chance read so authentically I forgot I was even reading and I holed myself up for the day so I wouldn’t have to stop absorbing everything that was happening. Both Nate and Jack have returned home as adults and returning home is bittersweet. For Jack it’s definitely more bitter than sweet, but given his recent life choices and his relationship with his parents, it’s understandable. Nate has a solid family in his mom and a teenage daughter who isn’t easy, but who obviously loves him. Nate’s been settled in the village for a bit before Jack returns and when they first meet, Jack doesn’t even realize who Nate is.

Jack knew Nate as Nat back in school well before Nate transitioned and they were the best of friends. Both were loners until they found each other and the author gave a complete picture of their friendship and home lives via flashbacks throughout the book. When flashbacks work like they did in Second Chance, you get a story within a story and every bit of background evolves as it becomes relevant to current events so the reader gets added depth making the story just that much better.

As Jack and Nate got to know one another again as adults, the flashbacks also helped serve to give each of their younger voices the closure they never got when they were kids. Which made sense. Teenagers by nature are pretty self serving beasties in general and neither of them had the maturity to completely understand themselves much less anyone else. Jack was really pretty “normal” as far as teenagers go and he and Nat really had a special closeness. Nate was just beginning to understand why he wasn’t Nat and reading about him having to grow up as a teenage girl in love with her gay best friend is a recipe for heartbreak. As much as I did love the flashbacks, there was a melancholy air to them that got heavier as Nate’s story evolved.

Jack never understood why Nate cut off contact after school, but Nate has learned to be true in every aspect of his life. The honesty has served him well and in all truthfulness the story owes its strength to Nate’s honesty. Nate and Jack form a tentative friendship once again with a heavy dose of chemistry and Nate admits to Jack that he was in love with him back in the day and being best friends while Jack moved through a list of boyfriends was just too hard for Nate to watch.

Jack was honest with Nate too about his issues and the communication between the two of them was refreshing and necessary for this story. As the two got closer and decided to take their relationship to a physical level, Jack’s inner dialog was realistic and really very sweet. Jack was growing pretty smitten with Nate and more than anything else, he wanted to do right by Nate. A big part of that for the two of them was their compatibility sexually. There was no doubt there was intense attraction between them but Jack was in the dark about the specifics of Nate’s anatomy and what he was supposed to do. His naivete was charming and being that his concern was making his partner happy was sweetly impressive. Jack was lucky though, he was with Nate and Nate was open and let Jack know how intimacy works for him and Jack was wonderful about learning how to make Nate happy. The scenes between Nate and Jack were affectionately erotic and beautifully sensual.

The author really knows how to teach readers organically. Humans, being the nosy ass animals they are, are fascinated with what they don’t know. And let’s face it, what goes on behind closed doors or beneath the clothing of anyone is no one’s damn business. It doesn’t make anyone less nosy though and learning about transgender sexuality through relevant context is a pretty effective way to help understand human sexuality overall. No one should be defined solely by how, when or why they have consensual sex, but sexual orientation should always be respected and understanding and knowledge are invaluable to making that be a thing.

Remember when I said Jack wanted to do right by Nate? Well he did kind of blow it there towards the end. Jack’s parents weren’t cruel by any means, but they aren’t the most understanding and open either. Jack is in a pretty vulnerable place already and he’s not up to dealing with the feared fallout about their reaction to Jack’s relationship with Nate. Jack also felt guilty for not telling them about Nate, he knew he was being disrespectful to Nate, but he just didn’t have the confidence in himself yet. It really had nothing to do with Nate, but that’s easy to say when you aren’t the one being kept secret. An accidental run in made for an awkward and painful moment, but while the angst was true and earned, thankfully it didn’t last long. Jack learned a lot from Nate, most especially how to be brave. Jack pulled it together and did the right thing through lots of apologies and truth about what was in his heart for Nate.

The ending was a treat and I love where their lives are heading. It really is a beginning for them and I miss them already. This book has a permanent spot on my reread shelf.

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

Review: Ginger Snaps (Belladonna Arms #5) by John Inman

Even with a string of earthquakes jarring the tenants of the Belladonna Arms, rattling nerves and smashing dishes, life still manages to plod along as usual. Love pollen continues to fall, romances continue to flourish, and Arthur, the grand Pooh-bah in residence, continues to plan his upcoming wedding extravaganza. 

In the midst of all this drama fall Gideon Chase and Reed Kelly, two redheaded losers at love who find themselves regrouping under the auspices of the most incorrigible matchmaker in heels. 

Arthur sees hope for the two right away. He leases them adjoining apartments, then continually tweaks their budding friendship in the hope it will slip into love. Just as Arthur’s plans are coming along nicely, Reed’s past shows up to toss a monkey wrench into his and Gideon’s blossoming romance.

With Arthur’s wedding ceremony nigh, and Reed and Gideon on the verge of heartache yet again, Arthur faces one inescapable conclusion.

It will take more than love pollen to sort this mess out.

I don’t know anyone who has visited the Belladonna Arms series and not wanted to stay forever. The Love Pollen gets to everyone whether they want it to or not, and it especially seems to stick most firmly to those who don’t want it, which is always more fun for me as a reader. There’s nothing like reading about a character unlucky in love, down on romance and anti-Cupid to then have them meet Auntie Arthur who love pollens the hell out of them until they became a sappy puddle of goo. I love the goo, it’s my favorite part of the Belladonna Arms.

The couple in the fifth installment of the series are both “failures” at love when they move into the Arms. Gideon has been spectacularly dumped by his douchebag of an ex and is left with nothing but his car, laptop and a small sampling of questionable clothing. Our other MC, Reed has recently come to the revelation that he needs to live as his authentic self, a gay man, and he can no longer keep up the charade of a happy hetero marriage. The two have little in common besides the unlucky in love part and the fact that they are both a couple of ginger peaches.

They both proclaim to not be attracted to gingers but we the readers know from the get-go that these two are lying liars who lie about that subject. I think these two MC’s, well mostly Reed, had more emotional baggage moving into the arms than previous characters. And I’m not talking Ramon level external-forces issues, I mean internal baggage where he needs to figure out who he is in his own skin so that he can learn how to love himself and love a man how they both deserve to be loved. It’s a tough road for Reed because he’s a really good guy, so he feels a tremendous amount of guilt for the hurt he put his wife through and it weighs on him understandably. Gideon has been his authentic self forever and he’s a good fit for Reed. He asks Reed the hard questions and with a gentle, but firm touch, pushes Reed out of his shell. Reed feels happier than he ever had in his adult life and he credits Gideon for getting him there.

They agree to a friends with benefits thing, which technically is a good idea considering their not so distant past romantic entanglements, but it’s obvious the two of them are growing closer. This is where John Inman’s words shine. He is so damn good at showing the reader how two characters come together. I don’t have to be told that they are falling in love, I read it in every interaction and inner musing both in and out of the bedroom.

Throughout the time of the budding romance of Gideon and Reed the other tenants make welcome appearances and Arthur is planning his dream wedding to Tom. I honestly could read that whole story as a book by itself because Arthur is Arthur but with all his settings cranked up to 11. He always had one eye on Gideon and Reed though, he can never get completely sidetracked by anything that will take him away from his self imposed match making duties.

The extra baggage I mentioned previously is heavier and makes a pretty profound return to Reed’s life. This part was heartbreaking and not something I have become accustomed to in my Belladonna books. It made sense for Reed’s character though and while I wanted to punch him in the throat, I also wasn’t at all surprised at his actions. It turns out he’s not just unlucky at love, he’s also none too smart about it either. Sometimes people can take the high road too high out of misguided loyalty and that is Reed in a nutshell. Thankfully he does have his Auntie Arthur to help him get his shit together and it wouldn’t have resolved without Arthur’s interference. Now granted, the dramatics and the resolution were pretty sugarcoated considering, they weren’t made disposable and the author dealt with them at a level that made the whole plot point consistent with the tone of the book.

The ending was perfect and I hope it doesn’t mean the end of the Belladonna Arms series. There was nothing alluding to that but seriously, what does one do after an Arthur wedding? I have faith though because as long as Arthur has couples moving in together he’ll have a vacancy or two for new residents available. I do love these character driven romances and the strength in the MC’s is the bond the author builds between them while we watch. Not every writer can pull that off well, but John Inman is a true craftsman when it comes to connecting two people in the most authentic of ways.

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