Audiobook Review: Pent Up by Damon Suede

PENT UP: Mix business with pleasure and take cover.

Ruben Oso moves to Manhattan to start his life over as a low-rent bodyguard and stumbles into a gig in a swanky Park Avenue penthouse. What begins as executive protection turns personal working for a debonair zillionaire who makes Ruben question everything about himself.

Watching over financial hotshot Andy Bauer puts Ruben in an impossible position. He knows zero about shady trading and his cocky boss lives barricaded in a glass tower with wall-to-wall secrets and hot-and-cold-running paranoia. Can the danger be real? Is Andy for real?

What’s a bullet catcher to do? Ruben knows his emotions are out of control even as he races to untangle a high-priced conspiracy and his crazy feelings before somebody gets dead. If his suspicions are right, Andy will pay a price neither can afford, and Ruben may discover there’s no way to guard a heart.

Length: 12 hours 46 minutes
Narrator: Christopher Kipiniak

Reviewer: Shee Reader

Ruben is a recovering alcoholic divorcee with a target for a face. Damon Suede really knows how to craft a character that is full of flaws, but eventually lovable nonetheless. Andy is also a charmer. A dodgy dealing financial whiz with enemies in every shadow. His cocky fine-boned face draws Ruben from the outset.

The story is written from Ruben’s POV and I found him hard to like at the start, but he did grow on me. Andy wasn’t that likable at first either, but he redeemed himself in the end, mainly by how he treated Ruben. There is so much conflict and angst in this book, but it was still a fun listen. At times the story felt to be moving far too slowly, but the HEA was worth the wait!

There were some great supporting characters in Pink (Ruben’s sponsor in Florida) and Charles (Ruben’s brother who gives him a job and couch to sleep on in NYC) among the horribly unlikeable ones.

Christopher Kipiniak was a new-to-me narrator and I found his style agreeable, but more inflection to distinguish Ruben’s almost constant inner monologue and his audibly spoken words would have helped me follow the story much more easily.

In all, not one for the low-angst fluff moments, but enjoyable.

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

Blog Post: Bristol Romantic Suspense Writing Workshop: Calling All Authors!

Attention Authors!

A brand new writing workshop is coming to Bristol this November! Writers of romance, crime, romantic suspense and mystery novels at any stage in their career are invited to join bestselling author Damon Suede and federal law enforcement special agent Geoff Symon, who recently began offering his experience and expertise to authors with his Forensics for Fiction series of books.

Over two days writers will have the chance to stretch their skills with practical workshops and engaging classes in the beautiful surroundings of Armada House. Spaces on the workshop are limited, allowing attendees more opportunities to ask their own questions and gain feedback on their current ‘work in progress’.

This is the first time Damon and Geoff have travelled to the UK to teach, so be sure to sign up and don’t miss this fantastic opportunity!

Click here to register!

Review: Lickety Split by Damon Suede

Lickety Split: Love won’t wait.

Patch Hastle grew up in a hurry, ditching East Texas for NYC to make his name as a DJ and model without ever looking back. When his parents die unexpectedly, he heads home to unload the family farm ASAP and skedaddle. Except the will left Patch’s worst enemy in charge: his father’s handsome best friend who made his high school years hell.

Tucker Biggs is going nowhere. Twenty years past his rodeo days, he’s put down roots as the caretaker of the Hastle farm. He knows his buddy’s smartass son still hates his guts, but when Patch shows up growed-up, looking like sin in tight denim, Tucker turns his homecoming into a lesson about old dogs and new kinks.

Patch and Tucker fool around, but they can’t fool themselves. Once the farm’s sold, they mean to call it quits and head off to separate sunsets. With the clock ticking, the city slicker and his down-home hick get roped into each other’s life. If they’re gonna last longer than spit on a griddle, they better figure out what matters—fast.

I have a feeling that this book is going to get some mixed reactions. It’s very character driven, so your enjoyment of it will probably depend on whether you connect with the characters.

When we’re first introduced to Patch Hastle, he’s on his way to Hixville, Texas, a town he ran away from when he was sixteen. Patch’s return isn’t happy, as he’s going back for his parents’ funerals and to wrap up business at their ranch.

Anger’s a tangible thing in this book. Patch is angry at the town that almost crushed him, at the parents that couldn’t accept him for who he was, and at himself for never being able to really put it all behind him.

And he’s angry at Tucker Biggs, Patch’s father’s best friend, and the man who Patch has measured every other man against.

Tucker’s a deadbeat cowboy who never strayed too far from the ranch. Or so Patch thought. But once Patch lets his guard down a bit, he realizes that Tucker’s the only one who’s ever seen and accepted all of Patch.

I think it’s worth noting that Tucker isn’t the romanticized version of a cowboy that readers are probably used to in romance books. He’s a real cowboy - rugged, crass, and dusty. Everything that Patch craves.

The sexual chemistry between Tucker and Patch was through the roof. From the moment Patch returns to the ranch, the heat begins building between the two. And when they give in, it’s hot.

The emotional connection between the two is less clear. They have history, but I thought that at times their relationship was reduced to hot sex. Even so, by the end I was convinced they belonged together.

I really liked how Tucker and Patch built each other up. Tucker convinces Patch that it’s okay to let go of his anger and grieve, while Patch shows Tucker that he’s more than a country hick.

However, I didn’t like that Tucker’s past was just swept over so easily, especially all of his abandoned kids. I get second chances and all, but I would have liked to see some remorse and amends on Tucker’s part.

Also, I thought Patch’s repetitive inner monologues took up too much page time.

Overall, ‘Lickity Split’ hit a lot of high notes. It’s quite a sexy read, and Patch and Tucker were definitely two halves of a whole. If you’re looking for a slightly angsty read with flawed characters, give this book a try.

A review copy was provided.

Find on Dreamspinner Press or Goodreads!

Review: Bad Idea by Damon Suede

Some mistakes are worth making.

Reclusive comic book artist Trip Spector spends his life doodling super-square, straitlaced superheroes, hiding from his fans, and crushing on his unattainable boss until he meets the dork of his dreams. Silas Goolsby is a rowdy FX makeup creator with a loveless love life and a secret streak of geek who yearns for unlikely rescues and a truly creative partnership.

Against their better judgment, they fall victim to chemistry, and what starts as infatuation quickly grows tender and terrifying. With Silas’s help, Trip gambles his heart and his art on a rotten plan: sketching out Scratch, a “very graphic novel” that will either make his name or wreck his career. But even a smash can't save their world if Trip retreats into his mild-mannered rut, leaving Silas to grapple with betrayal and emotions he can't escape.

What will it take for this dynamic duo to discover that heroes never play it safe?






I went into this story with some idea of what to expect and boy did it deliver!

This story was in turns silly, sweet, heartfelt and laugh out loud hilarious. It was dork-tastic! Geek-alicious!  Nerd-tabulous!

“Powers of Sodomy, activate.”

Trip is a mild mannered comic book artist and writer. A Peter Parker if you will; and he found his He-Man in Silas. Silas, the sweetest, most adorable meathead I have ever read about. I am naming Silas my newest book-boyfriend.

Damon Suede is a man of many words. He writes in excruciating detail but never falls into the trap of purple prose. His words are those of the every day man or woman. The average Joe (or Jane). His characters are relatable and inviting. I never feel as though I need a dictionary to understand what he is trying to say. It’s as though he gets me. He speaks to me through his storytelling in words and phrases that I might use in my day to day life.

He conducted a symphony of words that sucked me right into the story. I felt as though I was right there in the living room with Trip and Rina when they first got the idea for the character of Scratch. I was included in that brainstorming session. I felt the love that Trip had for Silas, really and truly felt it as though I were the one who fell in love and maybe I did.. I was right there, inside his head as he came to the realization that this man was his life. They say that love is blind but Trip never saw anything as clearly as he did when saw Silas. And Silas’ imperfections only enhanced his beauty.

This was a wonderfully touching story about two real men who had real issues and real feelings. And the sex was scorching hot! I felt like a voyeur when reading the scenes. I was already sitting in the corner with my opera glasses. All I needed was a bucket of popcorn and a large drink and it would have been perfect. I saw in someone else’s review that they thought this should be made into a movie and I agree. This is perfect book-to-film material.

So why only four hearts? Well, that’s easy. I didn’t really care for the MC Trip. I felt he was selfish and immature and scared of his own shadow. He treated Silas so poorly that while I hoped for an HEA I would have been just as fine with Silas telling Trip to fuck off and leaving him for good. Some things cannot be unsaid and there are some things that I don’t think should be forgiven.

This book is certainly not going to be for everyone. There are a lot of comic book references. Hell, what am I saying? The entire story is one big comic book reference, even down to the written sound effects. But I grew up on graphic novels and comics so I was perfectly OK with all of that and found it kinda cute and endearing. And the POV switch gets confusing sometimes. But all in all I was completely invested in this story and I would say to give it a chance because there really is a beautiful story behind that intriguing cover.

ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review