Audiobook Review: The Innocent Auction (Innocent #1) by Victoria Sue

London 1810.

Their love was a death sentence.

Deacon, Viscount Carlisle, was aware of the slums and gin-lanes of London. Just as he was aware of the underground traffic that furnished the brothels and bath houses with human innocents. He was also aware that the so-called justice system would hang the accused without much of an attempt at a defense, unless the unfortunate had deep pockets to pay for it.

He just hadn’t expected to be directly involved in any of it.

It started with a plea for help and ended with forbidden love, the love between a Viscount and a stable-boy. An impossible love and a guarantee of the hangman's noose.

Will Deacon fight for Tom? Will he risk the death sentence and take that fight from the stately halls of his English mansion to the horrors of Newgate Prison and the slums of London?

Or will he realize that if he doesn't, death will be a welcome end to the loneliness of the sentence he is already living?

Narrated by: Joel Leslie
Listening Length: 6 hr 44 mins

I'm not sure how I got it in my head that this was slavefic but I did. I'm guessing I saw what I wanted to see. Because weirdo.

If your brain works like mine and you see the word "auction" and automatically think "slavefic" this is not that book. But it's still really good

Deacon gets wind that his cousin Beau has gone to an innocent auction and hot foot's it after him. Beau has a tendency to be impulsive and his being there could sully the family name so Deke to the rescue! An innocent auction is, apparently, where young boys are sold to god knows who for god knows what reasons. Why Beau went to this thing in the first place eludes me. I'm thinking maybe he was drunk and therefore suggestible. Because YUCK! Just yuck.

At the auction Deacon spots a boy with the bluest eyes on stage, eyes that pierce him and is consumed with a visceral need to protect him from what's surely coming to him if he's auctioned off. So he buys him in a melee just prior to the police busting up the whole thing. The boy's filthy, malnourished and terrified and Deacon wants to wrap him up in bubble wrap and make it all better. He sends him to his father's country estate with his trusted employee Joe where he'll be safe and out of London.

Four years later his father dies and when Deacon arrives at the estate to get his ducks in a row he finds it on the brink of bankruptcy. There's also a boy who's all grown up now.

Tom reminds me of Westly: sweet, devoted, earnest and a hardworking stable boy. Tom hasn't forgotten Deacon. The longing they both have is intense with UST galore. The age difference matters not to either of them, but the class difference is another matter altogether. Plus there is the issue of Deacon needing a sizable amount of money to get the estate back up and running. For that he'll likely need to marry Harriet to acquire her 30 pieces of silver.

I thought the class difference was handled well as both men seem evenly matched in all other aspects and well suited to one another. There's no discernible power differential aside from the obvious, but Deacon treats all his servants with respect.

Both are virgins which doesn't really do much for me but I thought it was sweet that they lost their virginity together. Their relationship is fluffy without being saccharine and a dash of smut thrown in to keep things lively.

There is sadness to this narrative though by way of Beau which segues to the action plotline that maybe was a tad OTT but entertaining nonetheless. The Harriet thing is the only plot point that I thought was weak though it did lead to a heartwarming HEA. So whatever.

The brightest of the bright spots however was Joel Leslie. He knocked this out of the park! Breathing life into these characters, giving them each their own distinct voices and bringing a passion and vivaciousness to this story. Hell, he even threw in a Scottish brogue in there on top of the kagrillion British voices he had going. Incredible. Really incredible. I'll definitely be on the lookout for more of his work in the future.

If you're in need of a sweet historical give The Innocent Auction a try.

A review copy was provided.

Review: Switch Hitter (Shifter Hardball #3) by Cheyenne Meadows

Tucker Wilde’s life is in a tailspin. Twenty-four hours ago, he was one of the top second basemen in the all-shifter professional baseball league. Now, he’s lost his starting spot to a rookie, been dumped by his girlfriend, and had a night of explosive passion with a man—a teammate at that. He can’t get Dixon out of his mind—even though Tucker still believes himself to be straight. With his career in jeopardy, he’s unsure where to turn or how to fix the mess.

Dixon Foxx is a baseball prodigy, though a perfectionist father stole any joy he might find in the game. He only sticks with it because it’s all he knows—and because of Tucker, the man Dixon’s wanted since they met. His dreams come true one night, only to turn into a nightmare the next morning when Tucker blows off their incredible time together as a drunken mistake, never to happen again.

The life of a switch hitter is all about mixing things up. Tucker excels at it. Only this time, the game isn’t on the line—his heart is.

This was another fun read in the Shifter Hardball series!

Told in the dual POV’s of our resident second and third basemen for the Preston Predators, we meet Tucker Wilde - a wild dog and Dixon Foxx - a gray fox as the teammates fight to win a game.

We know from go that Dixon has had a thing for his teammate since the gray fox saw the wild dog take his position on the diamond at second base. But Dixon has always known Tucker was straight with his revolving door of women and self-regulated himself to the friend/teammate zone. But when things go south for Tucker, it’s the friend in Dixon, the caring what happens to his teammate that may possibly get him everything he’s ever wanted.

Tucker loves playing baseball and being part of the Predators. The team has become his home and his family which is important since Tucker is a shifter without a pack. But, Tucker is slipping and his game is off. When Coach Banner calls him on it and benches him from his starting position until he can earn it back, Tucker takes it hard and so does his girlfriend. Well, his girlfriend takes it like an opportunistic bitch, but I'm glad she's gone.

Anyway.

Tucker decides to drown his sorrows and after far too many drinks even for a shifter with a fast metabolism, he’s rescued by his friend and teammate Dixon who decides the wild dog needs to sleep it off at his house. But when a simple request for keys opens Tucker's eyes to something he never thought of, we get one hell of a hot night. I won’t spoil the night for you but I will just say there is ass virginity lost, there is one man who is born to be a power bottom, there is KNOTTING, alpha behavior, begging and it’s so fucking hot. All of it.

If this wasn't shifters I might have an issue with the first night Tucker and Dixon spend together but shifters and the inner beast that rule the men in this series get a pass. They get a pass and get a pat on the butt because that was ridiculously hot. I don't care that Tucker's gate only swung one way before he finally notices Dixon and his inner beast begs to be claimed.

By the way, the shifters having chats with the inner beasts is one of my favorite things about this series. It cracks me up when they talk to their beasts and then get all snarky and argue with them.

So, when the morning after brings in new light and Dixon wrapped around Tucker, he has a hard time with this new side to his sexuality and runs farther than a shot to the gap. He can admit he loved what he did with Dixon but doesn’t quite understand never being attracted to a man before and how all of the sudden he and his beast were sitting up and panting like it was mating season. At least Tucker has an understanding team, a very understanding friend in Dixon and two mated pairs on the team with one who is bisexual.

It was great to see Ram and Wiley again as well as Trigger and Graham. I like that Tucker was able to talk to Ram about being bisexual while also doing a bit of research on it. It was clear that he was sexually attracted to Dixon and liked being his friend but getting his mind wrapped around the fact that he isn’t as straight as he thought he was would take a bit of time. It’s a damn good thing that Dixon has wanted Tucker long enough that after getting a taste of him, he’ll wait for Tucker go unfuck his shit and decide what he wants.

Both Tucker and Dixon had less than stellar childhoods. Tucker’s mom was kicked out of her pack because Tucker was a hybrid and Dixon has a famous baseball player for a dad so he ate and slept with the diamond. The bond between the shifters of having what each wanted while lacking, fuels the friendship and adds to the slow burn to the teammates being mated.

This really was a fun read. The shifters on the Predators are always a blast to hang out with and loved the moments they would all shift and chase each other around the field. Tucker is lover of pranks and he brings fun to the team while letting them remember playing the game is supposed to be fun but that doesn’t mean Tucker isn’t ready and willing to work his ass off to earn his starting position back. When Dixon offers to help him and they develop a pre-practice and pregame ritual, the shifters begin to get even closer as friends and Tucker starts to take his walls down piece by piece.

This does have fast and hot kind of one night stand in the beginning of the book but from there I would call this more of a slow burn. We get Tucker with his new bisexuality and really taking in what that means to him and we know that Dixon is there and will be there when Tucker is ready.

Switch Hitter… that title implies exactly what it should both on and off the field. Tucker and Dixon have a great friends to lovers to mates romance that really shows that, fate is a fickle thing, but sometimes she does nail it on the head.

Review: Patience (Forbes Mates #2) by Grace R. Duncan

Jamie Ryan was almost ready to accept he’d never find his destined mate. They’re uncommon to begin with and same-sex versions downright rare. Since his gay best friend found a destined mate, Jamie figured he was out of luck. Until end of semester stress forces him to go through the full-moon shift early. Stuck in wolf form, he runs into none other than his destined mate. Who’s human.

Chad Sutton has always had good instincts. They served him well as a detective and continued on when he went private. Those instincts tell him there’s something about the dog that comes up to him while running away from animal control that isn’t quite right. He works to put the pieces together, but is unsuccessful until his dog turns into a human before his eyes.

Jamie has no idea what a shifter mate bite will do to a human. He’s terrified to try—and possibly kill his mate. They hunt together for answers while working together on a case for Chad. It’s easy to see they belong together, but Jamie fears the gods gave him someone he can’t keep.

Poor Jamie is so stressed because of finals that he is forced through his shift earlier than expected and completely unprepared. Stuck in a city and away from safety, he's unable to shift back, and knows it will be days before he'll be back to walking on 2 legs again.

Life is about to get more complicated for him when he's running from the dog catcher in broad daylight, only to run smack dab into his mate. Jamie has always been doubtful that he'd find his destined mate. Odds stacked against him, he's more than surprised when he accidentally runs into his Mate on the street.

First things first, he'll have to get the dog catcher off his back. Luckily for him, his mate is a quick thinker, and able to save Jamie from the dog pound, just in the nick of time.

Chad wasn't expecting to bring home a new dog when he went out for coffee, but it looks like he has one now. He can't put his finger on it, but he knows there's more than meets the eye when it comes to "Murray"/Jamie. This dog is way too intelligent, and there is nothing normal about a coffee drinking dog, who answers his questions by nodding yes or no.

His suspicions are confirmed when one moment he's watching Murray use his toilet (neat trick) and the next there's a gorgeous man in Murray's place.

Now there's talk of Mates and shifters; all of which Chad takes in with calm acceptance. He doesn't know what's going on between Jamie and himself, but he feels the attraction, and knows he doesn't want to give it up.

Jamie and Chad are all for strengthening their bond, but a wolf's bite is fatal to a human, and they'll have to go on a road trip to find out the answers they need. And by road trip, I mean fly, train and drive their way to Rome. Which is not as fun as you think. In fact, this is the one thing that really slowed down the pacing of an otherwise very well written story.

There are, however, several little side plots to this book that keep it interesting. From the mysterious search for Quincy, a man who determined not to be found, to the secret hidden in Chad's past, and all the politics behind human mates and wolf shifters, there's a little bit of something for everyone.

And sex. There's a lot of sex.

These two take every opportunity available to reinforce their mating bond. But it's also sweet and fluffy and all kinds of adorable. Especially when Jamie calls Chad pup.

If you like shifter books, then you'll enjoy this. Especially because these wolves are on the playful side, and don't take their wolfy side too seriously.

Check out on Dreamspinner Press or Goodreads!

Review: The Innocent Auction by Victoria Sue

London 1810.

Their love was a death sentence.

Deacon, Viscount Carlisle, was aware of the slums and gin-lanes of London. Just as he was aware of the underground traffic that furnished the brothels and bath houses with human innocents. He was also aware that the so-called justice system would hang the accused without much of an attempt at a defense, unless the unfortunate had deep pockets to pay for it.

He just hadn’t expected to be directly involved in any of it.

It started with a plea for help and ended with forbidden love, the love between a Viscount and a stable-boy. An impossible love and a guarantee of the hangman's noose.

Will Deacon fight for Tom? Will he risk the death sentence and take that fight from the stately halls of his English mansion to the horrors of Newgate Prison and the slums of London?

Or will he realize that if he doesn't, death will be a welcome end to the loneliness of the sentence he is already living?

"Their love was so forbidden that their very touch could wrap a hangman's noose around them. The very reason they had come to London should send a warning racing through his veins, but it wasn't fear that warmed his blood, it was desire that snaked such a salacious path."

If I have to describe "The Innocent Auction" by Victoria Sue in a few words: passionate, intense, forbidden and well plotted.

This is a story about forbidden love between a Earl and his stablehand that would have never happened if not for circumstances, or a fine writer's hand pulling the strings. The story begins with an innocent auction, a private sale of young "virginal" boys to molly houses. Caught your attention? Let's get the triggers out the way: attempted non-con, death (minor character), kidnapping. This tale mixes grit, some realism and snapshots of the persecution gays faced in the Regency era - imprisonment, pillory, hanging. Horrific.

Deacon is a rescuer. He is the heir to an earldom that is up to its ears in debt. But he will fight for what is right. He is kindhearted to his staff, he truly was a good man. A rarity in the gentry. Know what else he is? A closeted homosexual. He didn't acknowledge that part of himself until later in life, late twenties. It was a young man, eighteen year old Tom, whom he rescued from the innocent auction nearly five years ago, that gets him to finally realize something. The reason why he was perfunctory (if that) with hetero sexual relations, had to close his eyes to get hard...was because he was attracted to the same sex. And he is very attracted to supple, blonde Tom. For Tom, it was likewise.

The attraction happens very soon in the book, like before 20% kind of soon. When that usually happens in books, I get nervous. Can the author have enough talent to carry the story for a novel length? I had nothing to worry about. The Innocent Auction had twists, turns and action. And it's also not a PWP, it has plot for days. Some subplots got a little indulgent and angst happy (my biggest quibble is the last action/suspense subplot in the the final 10% before the epilogue - how could that happen so easily?) But the intensity of Deacon and Tom's attraction was the main plot pushing this story.

"How had it got to this? [...] That feeling that there was something missing. That everything you wanted in life was condemned as a sin. Who were other people to judge?"

The story alternated in POV, it waited a little long in the beginning to get to Tom's POV but it improved somewhere toward the middle, it's not a 50-50 but it definitely gets the points and subplots across. Tom had a harsh life, at first I thought his attraction was just misconstrued gratefulness from being liberated from the evil pimp, Samson. But thankfully his POV finally kicked in.

In between the harsh realities for both characters, fighting their feelings though it's apparent they're made for each other, Tom not thinking he is good enough, Deacon trying to rebuild through an unwanted marriage proposal (he needs cash that bad) and trying to save his family and their reputation, the romance is yummy, a little quick especially for two men who have never acted on their attraction to men before. It could be considered insta-love but they had the depth of feelings to back it up.

"I want you desperately. I want to feel your skin, naked, beneath me. I want to hold you in my arms while I taste every inch of your body. I want to sleep in your arms. I want yours the last face I see tonight, and the first one I see tomorrow. I want to wake up in the middle of the night and be able to kiss you while you sleep, because I can. Because tonight society doesn't judge us. We owe nothing to no man, except to each other."

When the sex did finally happen, it was hot - erotic, great dirty talk...delicious.

What kept this from being a 5 Heart Read for me? The neat ending and insta-love (hey it's a double edged sword). The men struggle and at a few points, I could not see how a HEA could ever happen (it does) but after all of that, it felt like the chips got stacked pretty easily for that epilogue. There were a few editing mishaps for me like how one prisoner's sentence changed from hanging in one chapter to deportment in the next.

The story does a very good job of convincing the reader about Deacon and Tom's intense connection. They have a brief history where it was instrumental in making Tom into the man he became. His ending would have been far different and sad. I think the story's strongest points are the way the research didn't read like an info dump. We're taken to Newgate prison, we get to see the harsh realities for the poor and working class. We get to glimpse Regency London's underbelly.

Victoria Sue is a new to me author. And after reading The Innocent Auction, it most certainly won't be my last. I do love finding good MM Regency when I can, I think Regency period lovers might need to check this out...soon.

For more information on Goodreads or Booklikes!

Review: The Art of Hero Worship by Mia Kerick

Trembling on the floor, pressed beneath a row of seats in a dark theater, college freshman Jason Tripp listens to the terrifying sound of gunshots, as an unknown shooter moves methodically through the theater, randomly murdering men, women, and children attending a student performance of Hamlet. Junior Liam Norcross drapes his massive body on top of Jason, sheltering the younger man from the deathly hail of bullets, risking his life willingly, and maybe even eagerly.

As a result of the shared horror, an extraordinary bond forms between the two young men, which causes discomfort for family and friends, as well as for Jason and Liam, themselves. And added to the challenge of two previously “straight” men falling into a same-sex love, are the complications that arise from the abundance of secrets Liam holds with regard to a past family tragedy. The fledgling passion between the men seems bound to fade away into the darkness from which it emerged.

Jason, however, is inexplicably called to rescue his hero in return, by delving into Liam’s shady past and uncovering the mystery that compels the older man to act as the college town’s selfless savior.

The Art of Hero Worship takes the reader on a voyage from the dark and chilling chaos that accompanies a mass shooting to the thrill of an unexpected and sensual romance.

"Why do I need you so much? Why am I addicted to your arms and your voice and your sound and your smell?"
"I... I don't know"
"You saved me."

Right out of the gate, we're thrust into this intense scene where our MC's are victims of a theater shooting. Jason panics, and then freezes. He makes decisions he'll later regret and the only reason he got out of there alive was because of Liam. A stranger that protected Jason and got him to safety.

During this scene and shortly after, Liam and Jason make some stupid decisions. I was ready to put the book down. I was not about to read an entire novel featuring these two morons. But I eventually found my heart and realized these guys were just involved in a shooting. They panicked (of course!) and made some silly decisions. Nobody can predict how someone would react in a situation like that. We'd all like to think we'd keep our heads and be smart. Well, that's what Jason thought, too.

Jason had many regrets from that day and had a hard time dealing with the aftermath. He found comfort in the short time he spent with Liam, before he had to go back to reality. He became a shell of his former self, refusing to go out. Until he met up with Liam again and he found a glimmer of hope that he might be able to feel normal again. Jason isn't sure of why he feels this way for Liam, or what his feelings are exactly, for that matter. He's never looked twice at another guy before, but there was something about Liam that Jason needed.

"I want to worship my hero, as he so deserves. I want to show him with my body the tangle of feelings inside me. Because my emotions are all caught up like a fish in a net... and the more I struggle to escape them, the more they entrap me."

Liam needed Jason just as much, but in a different way. He saved Jason that horrible day in the theater, and wanted to always keep him safe. He felt a strong urge to keep Jason protected and for Jason to be his.

This is a double GFY story and the guys bring the emotion in spades. They had a lot of chemistry on a emotional level. They (especially Jason) have so much turmoil in their lives and struggle to move on from the shooting they witnessed. They rely heavily on each other for comfort and support. Even though both of them always thought of themselves as straight, they never tried to deny the strong feelings that developed between them.

"I think I told you this last night, but I'm going to say it again. I couldn't feel the way I do for anyone but you-- male or female. I feel so much... I think I could fall in love with you."

Emotionally? They were really great together. Physically and sexually... not so much. It's a double GFY, for goodness sake! Where was the sexual tension? They were definitely more connected on an emotional level rather than physical. I don't need sex in a book in order for me to enjoy it and I have plenty of favorites that don't have any sex scenes. But if there's going to be on page sex, I'd like some chemistry and tension. Please and thank you.

Some of the characters were OTT, especially the women. They were painted in a particularly negative light. Every once in a while it's fine with me, but most of the women in the story? No thank you. 

The dialogue felt too formal and stilted. I admit, I highlighted the crap out of this story and there were plenty of scenes and quotes that I loved, but sometimes there were quotes that I just can't picture anyone saying, let alone a college student. 

As always with Mia Kerick, there was a beautiful message in Jason and Liam's story. The Art of Hero Worship really focused on labels... and then chucking them out the door. They don't matter. Love is love.

A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Find out more info on Goodreads.

Review: Northwest of Normal by Laura Gomez

On a solo road trip home from college, Ben wakes up to find his car stolen, with him still lying in the backseat. Driving his car are two redneck brothers on the run from the police; Randall - a terrifying thug with a gun, and his little brother Murphy--a sinfully beautiful man with the bluest eyes Ben's ever seen.

Being captured by a killer wasn't part of Ben's plan. Nor was falling for Murphy. His tough exterior hides someone sweet, vulnerable, and dangerously sexy. But this redneck can't be gay, can he?

Tied to Murphy with his wrists bound, forced to share a motel room and even a bed night after night, Ben's not sure he wants to escape anymore. He and Murphy slowly turn from enemies to secret lovers. Secret being the operative word. If Randall finds out he'll kill them both.

But it's hard for Ben to keep quiet when he's having the most amazing sex of his life with the man who might just be his one true love.

Being a city girl and raised in a family filled with females, this premise is like a deepest nightmare wrapped in horror filled kisses - being kidnapped at gunpoint in your vehicle. I know this is fiction because Ben would have failed my family's tests of traveling alone 101 - lock the fucking car doors especially at night.  He made a lot of questionable decisions throughout "Northwest of Normal".

Then again he shouldn't have parked where he parked in the first place. *sigh*

Imagine you're a college aged young man running away from responsibilities, and decides to take an impromptu road trip. And on said road trip, you're tired and instead of parking somewhere like a rest stop, you park on the side of the road with your doors unlocked at night. Just leave an invitation why don't you?

Ben wakes up to "redneck" criminal brother pair Randall and Murphy driving his jeep out of Georgia. The author makes a point to stress Randall is the mean, ignorant one (warning: he uses offensive terms) and Murphy is the thoughtful, gentle one from the very beginning. Murphy is scarred, lived a sad life of abuse, follows his older brother since Randall is the only one to stick up for him.

But...deep down Murphy hides who he is which is a gay man. And he's resigned himself to a sad lonely life of crime even though he has a conscience and it shows itself a lot in the debut novel. Murphy seems drawn to Ben and vice versa. During the road trip/kidnap themed romance, the two come together and have a weird adventure.

There are pros and cons with "Northwest of Normal".

One pro being it most certainly not predictable. It also works against it at times.

I had to remind myself to turn off the brain while read more than once because I did not understand Ben's reaction to being kidnapped. He was so okay with it. His fear was barely there even after being punched. He's making googly eyes at Murphy. The author does try to explain it away with Ben being the type to fall immediately but I question his lack of self preservation. It had to have kicked in during his week of being kidnapped. But he was more worried about Murphy. I can't even say it was Stockholm Syndrome because it was just too soon.

Another thing, the kidnapping. Um...Randall kept leaving? I get he was in the way for giving Murphy & Ben page time. But it also made the kidnapping kind of shoddy. Why would you: 1) keep dead weight on the road for so long? 2) leave him alone? Plus, he had trust issues with Murphy being alone with Ben. So why? All left unexplored. Randall's portrayed as homophobic so I get why Murphy kept his mouth shut. But there were missed opportunities.

Some chapters ended oddly, there were plots points left unresolved like the change of heart and there is something about Ben's character that was off. Or like them walking into a dead gay man's hotel room. (random as hell; also could have been a decent parallel for Murphy's closeted life if explored differently)

The stronger points? Murphy was the best character out of the entire book. Murphy's odd hot and cold, 'I'm not gay but let me kiss you' nature was a little frustrating to read in the beginning but after a while I sort of got used to it. I did like that Ben was a Korean MC. And I liked his family

The sex was hot (surprisingly not abundant). I pouted when there was a gun play tease and nothing came of it. But a certain someone's penchant for rough sex, big guy butt virgin bottoming was nice way to make up for it. Almost. There were tender moments interspersed the odd bits and it ends with a HEA. But I was surprised that's how it came to be. We start with criminals and we end with...that?

Northwest of Normal is supposed to not only be a romance, but also plead a case-if you will- as to why the characters ended up the way they did. It's slightly suspenseful so I won't give away plot twists. I wished for something a little more concrete for the brothers. It wasn't bad overall. But I think I expected a different outcome.

And lastly can I talk about the cover? It's no bueno from the neck up and so not how either main characters are described especially Murphy (other than having broad shoulders and being blond). Unfortunate.

Recommended? I'd read a sample first. The plot is interesting. I wouldn't reread this again but I would probably read something else from this author. There was an ease to the story since I zipped through it in less than a day.

For more information on Goodreads or Booklikes!

Review: Sightings by Kari Gregg

Love longer than forever.

Quinn Laramie moved to Mill Valley to care for his sick Aunt Betsy. After her recovery, he invested hours once spent in hospitals hiking and exploring the surrounding hills rather than returning to an empty apartment in the city.

Patrick, a photographer and self-proclaimed paranormal expert, saved Quinn from tumbling into a flooded creek where a bridge had washed away years ago, taking a pair of doomed lovers with it. Quinn and Patrick meet for other creepy jaunts thereafter: a derelict one-room schoolhouse, an abandoned cemetery, the burned-out shell of a home… Quinn hasn’t seen any ghosts yet, but Patrick’s shy kisses haunt him after each paranormal adventure ends.

Quinn wants more, and with their next spooky tour set to begin, Patrick is finally ready to give in. But what surprises wait them in the eerie manse atop Warner Hill?

Happy Howl-loween!!!

Ghosts.

I'm like Scooby Doo at their very mention. Not interested to watch them in movies or read about them, most definitely my least fave paranormal being. I try to avoid most ghost romances

But this is The Gregg.

For her, I'll break my "no ghosts" rule.

And I enjoyed her spooky, sexy, sweet novelette.

Quinn, a medical transcriptionist who remains in a small Pennsylvania town, searching for possible haunted places with a possible new love, Patrick. The story starts in typical Gregg fashion. The reader is thrust into the thick of things while she slowly doles out the twists and turns. And for 11K, there are twists!

It's not as graphic as I've read from the author in the past. And I've read Gregg..."sweet" before, this is leaning to the romantic side. It's not sugary and the lone fuck scene proves that she most certainly can write a hot scene with filthy words (it's not in my Gregg top 5 though). Though fans of big guy bottoming and butt virgins might delight and coo from it. I did.

On one hand, I wished I got a chance to read and experience that month of Patrick & Quinn's dating. I think maybe getting a chance to watch them fall in love, instead of being thrown into the romantic declarations (amidst the twists). It read insta-love. And though when I read paranormal, insta-love can vary, I wish the time was given because it would have made the declarations...sweeter? More believable? I dunno, it was so fast.

And then on the other hand, it didn't pussyfoot around. Gregg is known for introducing her characters, giving just enough to tell their tale and that's it. "Sightings" does exactly that. I get what happened, why it happened and that twist actually surprised me. I liked it. I can't say this was dragged out. The mystery part helped for me. I do question how quickly everything is accepted but overall, I enjoyed.

I enjoyed a ghost romance. LOL What's the world coming to?

Recommended for non-ghost romance lovers (it's not too heavy). It's Gregg-lite.

P.S. The lube bit was worth the laugh.

For more information on Goodreads or Booklikes!

Review: Star Quality by Ajax Bell

ON-SCREEN PASSION AND OFF-SCREEN INTRIGUES

Kevin Kaisho plays gay on the popular nighttime TV drama Shadow Lane. Kevin's on-screen love interest is his long-time friend, the out and proud (and married) Nick Jantzen. After spending a press junket flirting with Nick to titillate fans, Kevin's feelings become complicated: Nick's husband Andrew shows up, making suggestive overtures. With unexpected desires invading his dreams, Kevin must discover what kind of starring role he really wants.

Andrew Walker is successful in his own right as a fashion designer, and he's quite happy with his life, even if he and Nick are often kept apart by their work. But when he sees a picture of Nick and his new co-star Kevin cozied up for the camera, he's intrigued. Can he coax Kevin--and Nick--into seeing that starring together in real life can be richer and more complex than a TV drama?

"Kittentits"

A term of endearment in Ajax Bell's "Star Quality". I renamed this story "Kittentits" in my head though.

Kittentits? The formerly straight MC, Kevin is called this by one half of the married gay couple in "Star Quality". When I first read it, I misread kittenitis. I wondered if it was a new disease that caused kittens to sprout when you're sick but no...it's "kitten-tits". Um...I hated it in the beginning and by the end, it made me laugh. Unexpected comic relief score!

Set in Vancouver, the novella is about straight, Hapa actor Kevin and his co-star, Nick. Kevin finally hit the big time scoring a lead on a popular nighttime soap, as Nick's romantic lead. Nick is openly gay and married to Andrew, famous fashion design. The married couple are still in love after being together for over a decade. They have a strong open relationship and bring in thirds in their bedroom from time to time. Andrew sees the way Kevin looks at his husband and wants that straight, virgin ass spread on his bed and filled with he and his husband's cock. He manipulates Kevin into their bed for a night of fun...and unexpectedly into their hearts?

I was going to DNF this. The beginning wasn't strong. I couldn't get a sense of any of the characters. There was a miasma of superficial that I tend to disconnect from in stories. I don't care if Nick is so beautiful he's like a star in the sky or water in the ocean. (The water/ocean metaphors--*smh* I will gripe about this soon) Or that Nick's pale skin and blue eyes are so orgasmic that they look great against Andrew's dark skin or Kevin's amber eyes. I don't know if the shallowness of the main characters was supposed to add to the story's tone. If it was planned, it succeeded. If it wasn't...then everyone is two dimensional.

The story is basically PWP that played in the erotica romance(?) sandbox. PWP works best when kept to the sexy bits. This story would have worked better if it stuck to the sex, it pretty much covered about a third of the story anyway. Warning: there is a detailed M/F sex scene. I also don't think it was necessary to the story. Kevin really didn't struggle opening his anus to thick fingers, cocks or both at the same time. I'd have rated this higher if this just stayed in the PWP lane, the sex touched 4 Hearts range. I had to suspend reality a little to believe an ass virgin could handle not one but two cocks at the same time...just with some fingering and rimming and a "three-quarters hard" cock.

Even one of the sex partners thought this during the DP scene:

"He didn't think Kevin could take Nick's full size right now. He wasn't sure how Kevin was taking any of this at all."

While I love a good double penetration scene as the next smut loving gal, I just couldn't buy it. Maybe if the attempt to try to make Kevin have a semblance of depth didn't get in the way. I mean snowballing, felching and virgin double penetration menage doesn't grow on the smut trees overnight! And it sure isn't anything to sneeze at.

I think Andrew the manipulator was my favorite out of the three. I like my triads to have equal sides but it's clear Andrew has one more brain cell than those other two. They just bring a ready mouth, asshole and cock when needed. Andrew planted the seed of lust in both Kevin and his husband's heads and got exactly what he wanted.

The ending is HFN with a possible HEA. It wasn't bad. Kevin is readily open (ha!) for more and the couple seems to want to jump into permanent triad status. I just wished the filler was kept to a minimum. The waves and water analogy? Andrew or Nick or Kevin took turns are being waves and the ocean or a sea...I don't need metaphors in the smut. No thanks please. The filler diminished the impact the smut made.

The filler was 2 Hearts. The sex? Mmmm...I'll rate it 4 Hearts.

My rating is the average. :)

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Review: Shift in Time (Out of Time, #1) by Mercy Celeste

True love’s first kiss will not break a curse.
 
Everyone knows that. Even a Normal like Morgan Monstros knows that. But Fane Llewellyn isn’t everyone. He’s like no one Morgan has ever met.

Small, fragile and fierce, Fane doesn’t remember who he is or where he came from. He remembers pain and loneliness. Decades of pain and loneliness. And Morgan Monstros. He could never forget Gan. Gan was his from the day he came to the island. And Fane would fight to the death to keep Morgan safe. Even if he has to fight the whole world to do it.

Take one powerless witch, a sassy Siamese familiar, a panther shifter with amnesia, a meddling wolf clan, and a coven of witches hell bent on war, swirl all together and you get the perfect spell for all out mayhem…..oh yeah and there’s chocolate cake too.

Before reading: Mercy Celeste? Cat Shifters?

It's going down!

After reading: As a Mercy Celeste fan, I can say this is one of the lightest stories I've read from her. Not saying it's bad or good. It was different. When I see a Mercy Celeste story, I know to expect hot, Southern men who love hard and scorching sexy times.

This book, set in Alabama and Florida, most definitely delivered that. Morgan Monstros is a normal in a family of witches. (Think Muggle to Wizards (hey HP fans)) He's in the closet and a virgin, running his family's bed & breakfast on an island in Alabama. His sister leaves her Siamese cat, Starbuck in his care while she returned to the mainland. The cat seems to claim Morgan and has a secret. Morgan and the cat, Starbuck aka Fane Llewellyn have a connection. Through magic, Fane returns to his human form. Both men are fated mates - they face angry family members, witches council and discover Fane's past life before he was turned into a cat.

Human Fane was funny in the first half of the book. I didn't care for the cat speak to be honest but it led credence to Fane's character and the way he was written. His possessiveness of Morgan was a nice touch. And he was supposed to look like jailbait in human form (don't worry about his age - he's legal), so when Fane got Alpha lover on Morgan, it made the scenes more interesting in my head as I read. An Alpha twink? Different. I do like the Civil War angle, anything to do with real historical events always catches my interest. (It was tamer in description than the actual war)

I think Morgan helping Fane acclimate to present day was my favorite, even over the shifter and sex parts. I enjoyed the Llewellyn family reuniting especially the brothers, Falyn and Fane.

Morgan and Fane were a hot couple, sometimes their affection was laid on thick but the sentiment is nice. The story is good. If you like cat shifter stories that are low angst, sassy and dosed with insta-love (paranormal fated mates get a pass for me), you might want to check it out. I prefer Mercy Celeste's contemporary over her paranormal it seems. This was my second paranormal romance I've read from this author.

Great ideas can be found in her paranormal - a Siamese cat shifter who comes from a family of werewolves? Different.  A witch who is ordinary from a family of extraordinary? Cool. The first half stronger than the second half for sure. Once the pair gets to Florida, the focus isn't as sharp as in the first half. More plot lines get introduced, some get lost in the wind.

A few items from the story that wasn't as strong or unclear:

Laurel - villain or not? She's Morgan's homophobic sister who hates magic, seems to be plotting with the evil witch and then she fell off to the wayside. And was forgotten.

Falyn's attraction to Morgan? I won't lie - I was hoping it'd turn into a threesome, a permanent one. Fane's brother started to desire Morgan, he went from homophobe to lusting after a man and not any man, his brother's man. And then it too went off into wayside.

Fane's youthful appearance was explained (mostly) but nothing was discussed as to why he received a new eye and hair color. And the biggest question of them all, how was he able to turn into a cat from his original shifter shape in the first place? The ending made it seem that he could choose any shape so what happened to his original one?

The last 15% - It got a little sloppy with trying to connect the dots with the plot twists. The effect wasn't a big moment which I usually get from this author. The villain had an agenda - what happened with the progeny? Some ideas were introduced and then kind of dropped. The epilogue didn't make much of an impact either - the ghost bit was a little late to the party. When the story focused on just Fane and Morgan without the family members, witches and drama, Shift in Time read great. It ends with a sappy HEA and no cliffhanger.

If the future pairing for the next story is who I think it is, I'm definitely down for reading #2.

For more information on Goodreads or Booklikes!

Review: Touch Starved by Samantha Lau

Recently removed from the life he knew, from his family, and from the land that saw his birth, Rajnish Nayar finds himself lonely. On this new country, on his birthday, what could have been a fatal accident helps him rediscover himself, and perhaps, find a second chance at love.

Erotica writer Stephen Kouris has trouble keeping friends. He has even more troubles keeping lovers, even though all he wants is someone to be by his side always. When he meets exotic Rajnish Nayar, his interest is immediately piqued. Could this shy man be the one? And could he get him to admit his feelings, despite the cultural differences?

I have to applaud the author for tackling a story that features real life characters and diversity. *claps* We need more characters like Rajnish. He's a 43 year old Indian man, divorced from his arranged marriage (to a woman) and has a teenage son. There are a good number of older hero MM but this one is closer to unique because the author chose to go outside the usual main character box.

And the other main character, Stephen is in his late thirties!

If you like older heroes, sweet romance, you might like this one.

Rajnish or Raj meets Stephen on a chance encounter - drunk Stephen nearly gets ran over by Raj. The men befriend each other over a length of time, taking a vacation together where the friends finally become lovers. Rajnish was interesting, a late in life bloomer of sorts - he always coasted along his life, did what was expected of him and finally at 43, takes the reins and lives his life for himself. He finally touches the doorknob of his closet. He has to first accept homosexuality in his son and then later himself.  Stephen was a patient, friend who took his time, didn't freak Raj out because he saw something special in his friend.

Why this wasn't a 5 star rating?

I'd love to rate this higher just for the different type of character used...but I can't. The story was good, not memorable. Even quiet main characters have the ability to remain on the brain if written to showcase the best characteristics. We sort of get this with Raj but I still don't feel like I got to fully know him and Stephen...I barely knew him. Both men were perfect for each other, I believe they will be partners for a very long time. But I wanted to know more of what made them special, what made them tic. Why was Stephen so rip roaring drunk in the first place? Other than the brief mention of Raj reading Stephen's work (MM romance BTW), why didn't we get to learn how Raj started reading this genre?

The pacing was sedate. For less than 19K, it felt like I read double that due to the slow pace. Don't get me wrong, for Rajnish - he could only have a believable late in life gay moment if the pacing is slow. There is something about this story that needed a little more to make it interesting. It didn't need to be over the top dramatics, I'd have rated this lower if it there was. But something. Raj is an immigrant in a new land, he barely touched on the cultural differences. There is sort of a parallel story with Raj's son, Arun, but he is only there for a few pages to showcase Raj's acceptance of his own sexuality. Also, there was a sense of formality between father and son that tarnished the validity of their closeness in my eyes. Loosen up fellas. :)

There were a few typos but it didn't detract from the story. There were images in the text that didn't really look great on my e-reader. I don't know if it was only a me thing but I just thought I'd mention it. Story didn't need them.

Overall, it was a sweet and slow, no angst, calm romance. Not as intense or deep as I imagined it could be. But I liked.

P.S. this story is set-your-own price on Smashwords, in case you're curious.

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Review: Moment of Impact (Moments in Time, #1) by Karen Stivali

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Giveaway and Review: No Big Deal by Danni Keane

Still reeling from his father’s death and stuck in a job he hates, the only moments of happiness in Josh Roberts's life are those he spends with his boyfriend, Bradley. The boys are inseparable, and when they lose their virginity together, Josh feels closer to Bradley than he ever imagined.

But Josh’s mum, proud of her son and his biggest supporter, expects Josh to go to university after his year off. He doesn’t want to disappoint her by telling her he’s changed his mind, and struggles to find a solution.

When Bradley moves in with Josh and his mum, Josh truly believes life can be perfect again. But before long, their still-fragile feelings of connection and intimacy are tested when Bradley becomes secretive and distant. Anxious and confused, Josh is desperate to find out why Bradley is rejecting his affections. Bradley finally opens up, but what he reveals will change every aspect of their young love and quite possibly the rest of their lives.

Lori's Review:

What can I say - I loved this book. J and I are both Danni Keane fans so decided to buddy review this. I frankly just love this author's style, she writes in a straight forward way, introduces fabulous characters and manages angst without wallowing in it unnecessarily - it all adds to the story.

This story of first, true love, is wonderful. Since his dad died, Bradley has become the centre of Josh's world. In fact they were the centre of each other's worlds, time together is everything. God I can remember that feeling so well. Seventeen years down the line it's different, not less, just different, but I can clearly remember those days when being apart was awful, where every feeling I had was so intense. My world revolved around Big G - right or wrong, it did - and so I can completely understand how Josh and Bradley felt about each other.

The thing Danni Keane manages so well is to write about real life, without it being boring. Well,obviously it's fiction but it's real. I can utterly relate to the characters. Being a Brit too may help, as I recognise the actions and traits and they have a feeling of familiarity about them - the Christmas scene, yes, a million times yes. THAT is Christmas.

She manages to write that fine line between mundane/real without ever tipping into boring. I adored Josh, I loved his slightly selfish edge. Not horribly selfish just eighteen selfish. I'm in love selfish. I lost my dad selfish. In many ways he was all about protecting himself and his emotions. His love for Bradley just gave me goose-pimples, and his worries and fears, I felt them all.

Josh's mum is also one of my favourite characters. She is just...perfect in a completely unperfect normal way. I want to be just like her! She rocked. His sister is also a fab character and I liked the insight into her life and marriage. Don't judge a book and all that.

Bradley. Bradley was just right for Josh. and I can see how he was trying to hide his fears, trying to protect Josh, trying to deny that anything could be wrong. Sometimes you can have all the logic in the world but feelings don't correlate.

This story was just brilliant. The writing style thoroughly appeals to me and I don't think there was one thing about it I didn't like. Highly recommended.

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Justin's Review:

I’ll admit I was pumped to read this book. I’ll also admit to being a Danni Keane fan. My expectations were high but I was optimistic. Pfft, I should have known. Danni nailed this one! I’m talking ‘knocked it out of the park’.

"No Big Deal" is the continuation of Josh and Bradley’s story. It picks up right where "Not Letting Go" left off. If you’re not familiar with the series “Sunshine and Buttercups (Not Letting Go 0.5)” & “Not Letting Go (Not Letting Go #1)” precede this story. The new edition combines both of those stories into one book; “Not Letting Go”. It’s FREE on Smashwords and ARe. Although "No Big Deal" could be read as a standalone I think you’d enjoy it much more if you had the backstory provided in “Not Letting Go”.

Danni Keane can write a kick-ass romance. Her characters immediately work their way into your heart and you are drawn into their lives. You feel their love for each other and you feel their struggles like they are your own. The struggle here are "real" & relatable and are not overly dramatic like some YA/NA books tend to be. There’s a bit of angst but it’s not overkill and it does not drag on and on.

Something else you should know about Danni Keane is that she does not shy away from sex in her stories. Our MCs are 18 in “No Big Deal" so sex is definitely on their minds. It’s not the focus of the story but it does play a role in it. Everything on the page is done tastefully, seems real & age appropriate and makes you squirm just a tad.

The supporting characters in “No Big Deal” are just that, supporting characters. This is especially true of Josh’s mum and sister. They meddle just enough and it’s done with love and concern not to create drama.

Danni lives across the pond and it’s evident in this book. The setting is very British and the writing is too. That’s NOT a bad thing and in fact was part of the charm of this story.

If you haven’t read “Not Letting Go” what are you waiting for, it’s Free! I’m serious, go read it NOW. Then go purchase your copy of "No Big Deal". It’s romance done right!

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Danni is kindly offering up an e-copy of "No Big Deal" to one lucky winner. The drawing will take place on Friday, February 20th. Please comment below & remember to leave a way for us to contact you (e-mail, twitter, facebook etc). Good Luck!

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

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