Sunday Funday: SheReadsALot's Favorite Books of 2015

Are you ready? I'm going to release the fuck force upon you! 
Prepare your body! 

j/k

I'm going to discuss my favorite reads of 2015! Relax!

No prep necessary. I'm just going to gush.

2015: I was stingier with my favorite list last year. It's my smallest ever. Just 13, lucky 13. I have repeat authors, a good chunk are books released from previous years and there was one hetero book BUT listen to me, this book is a book I think MM Romance readers could try.

If you don't know, I review for two blogs which forces me to read new releases. If not, I'll be forever trying to conquer my unconquerable TBR that has ten zipcodes at this point. (How do I keep up? Unicorn glitter, coffee and sass)

This is how a few of my fave books made it on there (Hansen, Charles, Elsborg, Deckard), and how a few of the authors on this year's list caught my eye years before. Pair that with my love of freebies, which is how I discovered one of the other authors (Vargas) and well...this girl loves to read.

So in no specific order, they're all on my list. I think it's ranked enough. ;P

The Newcomers

Melanie Hansen's Everything Changes

The story has a lot of winning ingredients to appeal to MM readers and it doesn't tilt the boat. It's contemporary, friends to lovers. Add a soldier and a rock star, you can see the check cashing itself in the bank. Though it has tried and true tropes & ingredients and it's safe, the story is pretty good. This was the author's debut in 2015 and she is already onto book #3 this month. I haven't read her recently to see if her writing improved, but from what I remembered it was solid. Yummy characters, some drama and flair and hot vanilla sex...delicious.

 Emory Vargas's Rock Rod Series (Entire series. All!)

Ask any unicorn, they'll tell you, if I find an author that I think is worth your read, your dollar...I'm going to crow about it until the stable closes. I am guilty of hoarding freebies but I do try to crack them open. So of course, I make time for the Daddy kink. It's my shit. And there was Vargas's "Waiting For the Right Boy" waiting on my Kindle. And it had an extra surprise of MANTIES. A Cupcake & Baby special. We don't get that too often. And the thing is the writing is good. Better than average freebie writing, so I had to snap up everything else I could find that I got for free by the author.

And did. Liked that too. And I don't like reading the same author so close together, I get to notice their signatures in their work.

But she released Alex Undone in May 2015 and...holy shit. It was like my spirit animal wrote a story about a clueless butt virgin becoming a gay porn star.

This series just won my snarky loving heart. And then some.

Alex on Top

Where Palex finally comes full steam ahead.

Yes, I created a 'ship name for them.



Emory gave Palex to the world. And I thank her ever so kindly. #assinator3000FTW

The Authors You Might Not Have Heard Of (But I Think You Should)

P.T. Denys - Violence Begets...
Check out the snazzy new cover!

The ratings are fairly decent and I think the warnings and triggers might scare potential readers but it's a powerful book. I don't know why reading broken people fascinates me so but...this author blew me away. I demolished this book and then had to go sit down for a few. This doesn't have a happy ending. It's pain and abuse up the wazoo and you can discuss it for days as to why the characters put up with it. But there are many people who do. Not excusing anyone but it is what is. I can't wait for the author's sequel to this. Though it's going to be a tough one to try and top, I'll be there on release day. Excellent debut. This is a first time writer's dream book: evocative and lingers on the brain.

Douglas Black - Port in a Storm

I'm not sure 2015 had a theme for me, but 2014 sure did. It was the year of the male author. And I raved about a couple of D's: Deckard, Devon McCormack and Daniel de Lorne but I might've forgotten one. Or not. Douglas Black. I really like his tone and I found myself really enjoying the hell out of his books. But this book? I refuse to remove it from my Kindle because I'm in heavy like with the quotes. The plot is a simple one, but the story is so romantic. *gushing* Yes, sex fiends, there's a jizz-tastic amount of sex as well, but the story about an average guy who was sinking in his mundane life and taking a chance on this larger than life character? It was a great read. Maybe you're a reader like me who tries to avoid those buzz books while they're still buzzing (sounds bad right? But if a book has too many people swarming around and raving 5 stars the house down...I'm looking for the nearest exit) Read this blurb, maybe give this a chance.

L.H. Cosway - Killer Queen - The Hetero Book O_O

Why this book kicks ass?


This is a companion to Painted Faces. And I frown on companion books usually. Why in the hell do I want to read what the other character was thinking if I already read it first hand? Whelp, not only does it feature a drag queen hero that is straight...the story is still as good the second time around from Nick aka Ms. Vivica Blue's POV. It was like meeting with an old friend again and talking about the good old days. I didn't bitch, moan or skim.

That's why it kicks ass. Read the series if you get a chance. It's good great.

The Repeaters

Barbara Elsborg - The Demon You Know

Third in an unrelated paranormal/urban fantasy series based in London, this featured one of my favorite paranormal beings as a main character...a demon. A demon with a twist! I still think the previous book was slightly better, this book still was a strong contender.

And the cover is one of my faves of the year. I want to lick it.

K.J. Charles double whammy - get ready for the verbal sledgehammer

A Fashionable Indulgence

I want to start a Julian Norreys fan club! And I want to be the co-president. I do love the dandies. And he reminded me of some my favorite Regency/ Georgian acerbic tongued dandies *cough*Sebastian*cough*Simon*cough*...the book was good but Julian stole the show, owned it, rewrote and slapped the fuck out of it.

 A Seditious Affair

The secondary characters! The sedition! The return of Julian Norreys! The main characters! O.M.G. I thought I was going to get the filler book before the main event that I know book #3 will be.

Nothing doing. This book had everything and more.

And kink!

Nothing more to say to that.

Bey Deckard - Bringing in the visual. He's excellent with setting the scene.

Fated

Third in the Baal's Heart series, my favorite pirate triad is back in action and revisiting a certain troubled pirate's past. It's darker and quieter but a great conclusion for the triad.

Better The Devil You Know

For the ones who love it darker and without a HEA. Though in my warped head, it sort of was. A book featuring a character I like reading about in fiction and a serial killer have a walk down memory lane.

Twisty. Filthy. Bloody. Clever. Fun?

And that cover still gives me the vapors. Also a fave of mine.

The Book Everyone and Their Father's Barber's Barber Read...Except for Me

Jill Knowles - Concubine

CANDYLAND THUNDERDOME'd = me. I had this book for who knows how long and I would have probably let it languish among the many in my TBR K2. Thank goodness for the THUNDERDOME.

Purple Jism. Sweet Lavender Semen and Raspberry flavored cock heads, you feel me? I would drink it all day and ride it into the sunset. This book was magical. And there was a demon MC, so you know I was excited times a zillion!

BIDGAFFIEHBILI (or Book I Don't Give A Flying Fuck If Everyone Hated Because I LOVED It)

Mercy Celeste - Out of the Blues

I love her writing. And I also know when it's not up to snuff. But this one was like old school Mercy. Her fans know what I'm talking about. This was the jam and jelly. The bees knees. It knocked me out of my book slump right when I needed it. Loved those two dudes. 

Didn't like it? *shrugs*
Didn't think it was believable? *shrugs*

Don't. Give. A. Shit. Loved. It.


So while my list isn't that long, I think it had a good number of strong writers and excellent storytelling. Definitely entertaining. A little bit for everyone's taste? *shrugs*

I did try a good number of new to me authors (like Lisa Henry through her free stuff or authors from our anniversary event's flash fics - Suki Fleet)...wait, I think that could possibly be my theme - the year I finally tried those authors I been meaning to get to.

I think my 2016 list might end up a little longer. We're barely half a month into the new year and I already have 2 faves.

Whoa.

The fuck force is strong, unicorns!

Any books on here that you loved? Any books you loved you want to shout out for 2015?

Try to rub my horn. I dare ya!

SRAL out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *drops mic*

Fangirl Moment: Parting Shot by Mary Calmes

Life has never been easy for Duncan Stiel. His childhood was the stuff of nightmares, and his day job as an undercover police officer forces him to hide his true self and occasionally lands him in the hospital. So when he finally meets the perfect man, it comes as no surprise that everything falls apart around him. What Duncan doesn’t expect is that the hardest hurdle to get over before he can make a life with Aaron Sutter is the one inside himself.

Everyone thinks Aaron has it all—looks, money, fame, and success beyond measure. Everyone, that is, except Aaron. At the end of the day, the cameras stop flashing, friends go back to their own lives, company business is handled, and Aaron is always alone. The moment he meets Duncan Stiel, Aaron knows he’ll do anything to hold onto the larger-than-life detective. But when he realizes money won’t buy him the ultimate happiness, Aaron needs to find the strength to give Duncan something much more important—his heart.

God, where do I even begin? Of course I loved this book. I adored this book. I want to marry this book and have its babies. Why, you ask?

BECAUSE IT’S MARY FREAKIN’ CALMES, THAT’S WHY!



You either love her or you don’t. Me? I’m a lover of all things Mary Calmes. I can always count on Mary for my fix of perfect MC’s and the alpha males who love them. She’s reliable; she never strays from her formula. Except this time she did.

And it was awesome!

She took two, count ‘em, TWO alpha males and threw them together. You’ve got Aaron “I’m Better Than Everyone Else” Sutter and Duncan “Like I Give a Fuck” Stiel. And it worked. It worked so well that I’m absolutely blown away! Don’t worry, there was still plenty of classic Mary in the story. There were the eye squints and the topcoats and the easy dialogues. But then she threw in all the extras and the new stuff. It was fantastic!

Poor Duncan, he’s had a rough life! I wasn’t too sure I liked him when I met him in Acrobat but I sure as hell do now! He’s big and strong and a total dick but in a loving, caring way. And Aaron! I kinda liked him by the end of Bulletproof but not really. I thought he was way too arrogant. He’s still arrogant, but in an incredibly endearing way.

These two were a match that came completely out of left field. I loved their banter. Yes, there was a lot of sweet moments but remember, these are two tough guys. Their declarations of love were more along the lines of “Oh, how fucking unromantic of you to say that,” and flipping each other off than the classic “I love you”. And don’t even get me started on the sex! Guh and unf and all those other words to describe the hotness. I am so glad that I was gifted with this tale. My only wish is that there was more. I want more. Scratch that – I NEED more.

Please Mary, please will you write a ton more books like this?

Fan Girl Review: The Red King by Rosemary O'Malley

A man abused and discarded is left to rebuild himself with naught but vengeance in his heart. A youth cruelly torn from all he knew and loved is cast adrift with no hope for the future. What will happen when Fate thrusts them together?

He is known as Ruaidhri and his extraordinary strengths and stamina are said to be born of the Devil. His ferocity is matched solely by his ruthlessness. For seven years, he has sailed his ship the Taibhse with one goal in mind: to avenge the years of torment he suffered at the hands of a depraved Danish lord. He has one final plan to succeed, but he searches yet for the implement.

His family destroyed by violence and his body enslaved to a brutal master, Andrew’s future promises only misery. He is saved from this desolate fate by a pirate captain with fiery hair and an ultimatum; help him achieve his revenge and go free, or be sent to a horrific, painful death. As Andrew struggles with the choice of slave or assassin, he finds that all is not as it seems aboard the corsair’s ship.

Pain is tempered by pleasure and loss consumed by love in the flames stoked by

…The Red King.

Warning: this is an erotic m/m romance intended for mature audiences. It contains explicit sexual situations, frank language, torture, and non-graphic descriptions of abuse of a minor. 

 Arg!! *waves sword and tweaks fake beard*

Before I begin, let me warn ye...there's both sweetness and darkness in this epic treat by Rosemary O'Malley. Declarations of love are made and licentious acts are made (even of the minor M/F variety - tis brief). There be mentions of child abuse and scenes of rape/torture/abuse, so if ye be soft of stomach, please exit via the plank! Tis not the story for ye!



Yawr har har!!!!

Rosemary O'Malley's debut novel tis an epic historical pirate tale that travels through and land on a quest for revenge. The sweet sea of love, the crashing tide of learning the depth's of oneself and murky waters of angst are all traveled with a fine tuned hand in this humble temporary pirate's opinion.

A fine tale with blood, guts, piss, vinegar, seduction, hurt, comfort, woe, damage, shit, lion sex (yes there be actual mating in the wild), battle, pillaging, true love and even a eunuch! Tis a pirate's tale split into two POV, young Scotsman Andrew, the young orphan raised by priests who's been captured and Rorik aka Rory aka Ruaidhri (pronounced Rou-ar-ree) aka the Red King!

Aye, the Irish, ginger haired young captain of the ship Taibhse is hell bent on thwarting the evil bastard Dane, Maarten, Rory's ex-master. Rory's childhood was a painful one, aye, one full or sorrow and pain. His crew helps rescues the seemingly timid, virgin Andrew who is not wordly but has a calming quality that calms people, pulls people to him. Could be a religious or a philosophical undertone, depends on who is reading this, ya savvy? I enjoy Andrew and his nuances/intricacies. A bashful, fainting flower, he is not. And he proves himself wondrously. More on him soon, aye?

I shall break down the things I enjoyed:



The story-A swashbuckler's delight

- Tis a long, well crafted one spanning sea and land, settings of Africa and Europe. I give it 4 stars some parts may seem drawn out but tis necessary for the entire portrait the author paints, ya ken?

The Red King-This ginger lover's wet dream found in a pirate



- The slave who turns into a master of his own rights, he is, he is! He's second to my #1 love of Captain Jack Sparrow. He's a mix of dark and light though his light was never recognized until he learned to see himself and his self worth through Andrew's eyes. Oh please, Ruaidhri is naughty and has tales to tell but when he falls...he falls hard and loves even harder. He defies so many things to hold onto that bit of happiness.

Even a little bit of:

I rooted for him to persevere and crush any insubordination. I was not disappointed in the Red King. He deserves the title. He has my 5 Stars.

Andrew-The little engine that could!
- Have I mentioned that though my little wolf, Andrew did not enter the story as a warrior he leaves as the bravest of the brave? I'm sure if Davy Jones himself came upon, little Andrew, he would smite with a few words and nary a weapon. He's martyr-ish but for this story it works. He gets 10 out of 5 stars!

The sacrifices made and angsty road traveled by Andrew...I love him even the more. The little non priest has teeth, he does. Grrr!!

“I am not your dove," he ground out, barely loud enough to hear. "I am a wolf.”

Do not underestimate him, arg!

The Secondary Characters J'adore a French pimp named Etienne and many more

- Etienne, the brawny, sweet giant of Malik and wordsmith that be Fleming any many others more (Privateer Ortega, brave Laurent...crewman Yousef) There was an ease with each character, I wanted to know their back story, I wanted to fight and laugh with them, live in their world.

Especially brothel owner and masterful pimp Etienne...



Aye, the mayhem he would cause would be divine and I ken he's deviousness. All secondary characters get 5 stars but Etienne, he shall get 6 or it'd be a sword to the gullet of naysayers! Argh!

Maarten -He's the villainous hostess with the mostest

- 5 stars- vile, repulsive, murdering, disgusting, evil, mad, fucking bonkers pedophile rapist and somehow I kept picturing Maarten like this, just a younger version:



(Yes, Vigo from Ghostbusters 2 as the blonde Dane villain) Do not think I don't ken the dark, mateys...I do. Maarten goes balls to the wall in the darkest of evils, tis makes him a better villain, it does.

Alas he was with us for a small time, though his grey shroud choked the first half before his appearance around 65%. He gets 5 Stars! I hate him and curse him down to Davy Jones' locker but I appreciate his evil for the purpose of the story.

Surprisingly, the story navigates itself towards the sweet promise of happieth of ever after...but there are some pain filled bumps along the way but worth it.

So how many stars to give thee, "The Red King"? Let me average out me stars...



More than 5, arg! For the purpose of this wizardry known as goodreads the highest I can gives is FIVE Stars!

So, I loved this book. Definitely in me top favorites for the year. So much so if everyone else dogs it:



All the way to me pirate lovin' soul, ya savvy?

For more information on Goodreads!

Fangirl Moment: Review: Dirty Kiss (Cole McGinnis #1) by Rhys Ford

Cole Kenjiro McGinnis, ex-cop and PI, is trying to get over the shooting death of his lover when a supposedly routine investigation lands in his lap. Investigating the apparent suicide of a prominent Korean businessman's son proves to be anything but ordinary, especially when it introduces Cole to the dead man's handsome cousin, Kim Jae-Min.

Jae-Min's cousin had a dirty little secret, the kind that Cole has been familiar with all his life and that Jae-Min is still hiding from his family. The investigation leads Cole from tasteful mansions to seedy lover s trysts to Dirty Kiss, the place where the rich and discreet go to indulge in desires their traditional-minded families would rather know nothing about.

It also leads Cole McGinnis into Jae-Min's arms, and that could be a problem. The death of Jae-Min's cousin is looking less and less like a suicide, and Jae-Min is looking more and more like a target. Cole has already lost one lover to violence he's not about to lose Jae-Min too.

Jenni Lea and the Ebook:

Rarely does a book have the ability to surprise me. It's the reason why I don't really like reading mysteries. I always, ALWAYS figure out whodunit way before I ever finish the book.

This book though, shocked me. Here I was, thinking I was so smart to have figured out the perpetrator when something happened to bring me to a screeching halt.

I was wrong.

I didn't know whodunit! I was left with my mouth hanging open and grasping at straws to try and figure out who else it could be. And when they were finally revealed it was the last person I would have ever suspected.

I liked other aspects of this book as well. I really connected with Cole and his dry, almost self deprecating humor. I liked Jae-Min as well. He's no Miki but I really warmed up to him.

There were a few cringe-worthy descriptions used during the sex scenes but I knew about them prior to reading (I peeked at a few reviews beforehand) so I was able to brush past them fairly easily.
 

Ann and the Audio:

I read this one a long time ago and when I started my Audible account, this was at the top of my list of books to listen too. I had already listened to Sinner's Gin and fell in love with Tristan James. I figured at that point I had hit the pinnacle of audiobooks. Then, I listened to Greg Tremblay as Cole McGinnis. Dammit, that man can read the WORDS. You know how the movie is never as good as the book? Audiobooks can be the same way. Then you see/listen to one that does justice to the words you love and you fall in love with the stories and characters all over again. That's how I felt with Dirty Kiss.

I would imagine this would be a tough story to narrate. It's an intricate story, with lots of characters and a bevy of twists and turns. The things that made it a great story to read could make it a tough story to listen to with the wrong set of pipes. Thank grilled cheezus Rhys Ford's words were paired up with Greg Tremblay's narration. The character voices were all unique and he nailed the moods perfectly making the story easy to follow. I lost all kinds of hours listening to this one, I just couldn't turn it off.

Just a warning, well a couple actually. Be aware of your surroundings when you get to the smexy parts. You don't want to get cockblocked by RL in the middle of a Rhys Ford written sex scene as read by Greg Tremblay. Secondly, be ready to queue up the rest of the series because like all wonderful indulgences, you can't stop at just one.

Review: Handsome, Hard, and Delicious by James Cox (Handsome Heroes #2)

Travel the universe, meet new people, and find some nice ass...what was wrong with that plan?

Layden had to take it one-step further and fall in love with a man his complete opposite. Lavender was of the Feline clan while Layden of The Golden Wolf Clan. The sex was fantastic. It was everything else that was the challenge. Although, every big fight ended in a world-class romp.

Even with all the yelling, Layden fell in love with the lanky, finicky Lavender. Until the day their past came to find them and Lavender is kidnapped by his own people. Now Layden must find his problematic mate and save him before Lavender is lost forever.

Prepare for some epic failures in escape plans, frottage in a space suit and a handsome twink that plays dirty.

Get your own Handsome, Hard, and Delicious Here

Hey Kids! Welcome to Sunday Funday!

Remember way back when . . .  when BMBR first started, you were there, we were there, it was awesome! Our very first Author of the Month was the very Handsome, very Hard, and very Delicious James Cox. What a very brave man he is. After thanking him (and probably apologizing) to him profusely for coming to play in the clubhouse, we learned that he is just as awesome as his sentences.

Our very first Happy Hour Chat was for Handsome Hero Wanted, hop on into the way-back machine to check it out. Now, we Unicorns don't agree on everything, or much for that matter, but we ALL agreed we wanted more. More handsome, more heroes and mostly a story for Lavender and Layden, the sexy canine and sassy feline from Handsome Hero Wanted. The hero gods listened and this happened.

A SEQUEL TO HANDSOME HERO WANTED

may I present . . . drumroll please . . .

HANDSOME, HARD, AND DELICIOUS
Lavender and Layden's story!!!!

*group hug and inappropriate groping to sequel*

Before we get to the reviewing though, I have to share something that really blew us away. We are not an easily shocked bunch, but when we saw the dedication page for Handsome, Hard, and Delicious? I'm not gonna lie, we were floored. And so very, very flattered. Thank you James, you have touched us right in our cynical little hearts and we LOVE you!!

Yes - THAT just happened!



Sunny - 4 Hearts

I had so much fun reading this story!

Snarky humor + steamy sex + charming sweetness = classic James Cox story :)

Some unanswered questions/plot holes, but I didn't even care, there were too many great lines that kept me laughing.

“Happy?” Lavender practically hissed the word. “Or do you want me to get on my knees and suck you off?” Actually, I did, but I had a feeling Lavender was being sarcastic.

Enjoy this for the silly, sexy, sweetness it is :D

Breann - 4 Hearts

"I'm going to save you for three reasons; your handsome, always hard, and fucking delicious."

Ahhh, yes. The words. They make me giggle.

So, I'm kind of in love with Layden(!) and Lavender. In HHW, I really enjoyed Lavender's snarky character but, for me, it was Layden who really stole the show in HH&D. Lavender was an annoying little brat in the beginning (...and throughout most of the story). He needs a good spanking, he does! Luckily, he has Layden there to deliver.

Amongst their arguing and banter (of which there was plenty) Layden just loved Lavender and it showed from the very beginning with the crappy house he bought for his mate. Yeah, crappy house is crappy, but it was sweet and thoughtful and I was a goner for Layden right then and there.

Their adventure was well written and fun. I love that they stopped to have sex when they were being hunted down by the enemy. I guess there's no better way to go, huh?

The romance was much more developed than the first in the series and was more relationship focused rather than smut focused (of course, there's definitely some fantastic smut!).

I can't wait to see where the series goes from here!

Ann - 4.5 Hearts

“Big balls on a cock!”

And the sentences just keep on coming! While I absolutely LOVED Handsome Hero Wanted for all its sexy fun times and brilliant sentences, I may have loved this even more. Why? One word – LAYDEN! No one writes a hero full of sexy snark like James Cox. I thought Kallan from The Triple Towers series was my new book boyfriend, but then I got to read all about Layden. Don’t tell Kallan, because I do love him, but Layden – oh hell! Layden is big, wolfy, possessive, sweet and so snarky, he’s basically walking swoonage. Plus, he’s head over heels in love with Lavender.

Lavender is the feline brat that drives him crazy with frustration and lust. Their battles and banter were great to read. The adventure in this one is really ramped up and while Lavender likes to drive Layden crazy just for kicks, he also has some reasons for not wanting the crappy house that Layden bought for them and for making Layden nuts. As it turns out Lavender is pretty protective himself which turned him from a brat to a hero with the revelations that came to light. The continuation of the world building just keeps getting better and knowing that this series is continuing makes me one happy unicorn.

Probably my favorite thing though, was the romance. Not ridiculous hearts and flowers schmaltz, but flawed heroes who really love each other; faults and all. That aspect really made this a fully fleshed out story for me and made me appreciate these characters all the more.

Besides the romance I loved:
1. Space Suite Frottage, seriously!
2. This sentence:
“I tried to get my head working, the bigger one, and despite rumors, that was not the one between my legs.”

Audrey - 3 Hearts

I enjoyed this little action-adventure story that let me revisit the characters from Handsome Hero Wanted. Layden (POV narrator) was so incredibly in love with Lavender that it made me all warm and fuzzy inside. I kind of would have liked to see them fall in love, but I took what I got and enjoyed it nonetheless. The book could've used another pass through by a close-reading editor who would have caught things like excited vs. exited or titled vs. tilted. That said, this one is fun, and the adventure is imaginative and exciting. Silly, sweet, with sexy smut, too, Handsome, Hard and Delicious will put a smile on your face. :)

Lorix - 4 Hearts

Handsome, Hard and Delicious is good James Cox fun in a nutshell. It's PWaLP - Porn with a little plot, and the smexin' is hot. Before I go any further can I just say, that cover....it's smokin'! Oh and the dedication. MWAH!

If you like your MC's to have sex at every available opportunity - even when they're on an escape mission, then this is the book for you. Throw in some rope play and a foursome and you're good to go. Wink, wink.

JC's sexy, sarcastic sense of humour comes through in Layden and of course, everyone's favourite, Lavender. A fun and sexy little read.

Justin - 4 Hearts

Thank you, James, for writing Layden and Lavender's story! I know we begged for it, but I'm still humbled by it and the awesome dedication!

Handsome, Hard and Delicious is an action-adventure romance between Layden, our wolf bad boy and Lavender, the feisty twink with the feline bloodline. It's a kickass fun book to read yet it was so damn HOT I kept taking breaks to let my eReader cool down. Ok, maybe it was me that needed to cool down. o_O I'm talking frottage, ropes, spanking and a foursome with a dual dick dude....can you say SCORCHING!? And the snark, OMG I loved the snark between Layden and Lavender. Picture Lethal Weapon with Danny Glover and Mel Gibson fucking between every shootout and that's HH&D.

This wasn't perfect (how in the hell did Lavender escape Vishtar once they were on Felintasion?) but it was so much fun, I loved every crazy minute of it anyway!

****************************

So, there you have it. Thank you again to James for always being such a good sport, a gentleman and a Unicornian Hero!

* a copy of this book was provided by the author for an honest review *

Find more info on BookLikes and Goodreads

Fangirl Moment: Review: At His Throat, A Promise by Lilith Grey

In the slave city of Spire, Ellis has been discarded. His former master, a man who was supposed to teach him and take care of him, passed away, leaving Ellis alone and in danger of being taken to the Facility. Ellis is desperate to avoid that fate. He seeks a master to take him on, guiding him into adulthood as well as a profession. Ellis has had desire stolen from him—he’s been trained to blush, to submit, to give in. He doesn’t know how to cope with William, a man who wants the real Ellis.

William is a Master, a man born in a neighbour city that does not deal in slavery. He has had bad experiences with slaves in the past, but all that changes when he rescues Harte, a young slave whose abusive master had all but destroyed him. Together, they are content in their mutual roles, not looking for anything more. But when Ellis catches the eye of Harte, and by extension, William, their relationship changes in ways for which they are unprepared.

Harte is a born submissive, a young man who lives for his role. He’s bratty but genuine. William, his master, is his entire life. Harte never expected to have room in his heart for another, but Ellis is beautiful and different and fills a place in his life that he hadn’t known was empty.

If only Ellis could learn to ask for what he desired, what he needed, then maybe William and Harte could help him. But Ellis is trapped inside himself, insecure and afraid. To stay with William, he only has to ask...but that’s the one thing Ellis cannot do...






First: I love slave fic.
Second: I love sweet slave boys.
Third: I love a master who tends to his slave boys.

So, this book and I?

I don’t know what it is about these slave stories but, gawd, they get to me. They make me have all sorts of feels. The idea of having to rely on someone so completely, having no choices be your own is fascinating to me. On the other hand, being in such control over someone else’s well-being is equally as fascinating. There’s always such a complex relationship and I just wanna get all up in the angst. Dip it in chocolate and rub it all over myself.

Ellis. Sweet Ellis. His master has just died and is now looking for a new one. If he can’t find someone to take him in he gets sent back to the Facility where unowned slaves are kept. Ellis finds Harte - another slave - and they hit it off pretty quickly. Harte convinces his Master, William, to sponsor Ellis and to help him find a permanent master. William, who can’t deny Harte anything, sponsors Ellis and takes him home. But, William never intends to have a second slave so the plan is to find someone for Ellis. Harte is enough for William and is all he wants. He is a submissive to the core. Yeah, he can be a pain, speaks out of turn, can throw a little fit, but he thrives in submitting to his Master. It’s obvious to Ellis from the beginning that Harte and William have a deep connection with one another and don’t have the typical master/slave relationship. Unlike Harte, Ellis isn’t a natural at this and really has to work at it, but he desperately wants to. He wants so badly to be wanted.

I loved these three. Ellis was so stubborn. He was obviously wanted by both William and Harte. If he just spoke up when asked he could have avoided a lot of his struggles. Ah well, that’s just who he was. He would do anything to just be a good boy, even if it meant leaving William and Harte.

I especially loved Harte. He was such an adorable, slutty little thing. He was very open with his emotions and just a sweet character. Oh, William. Their Master. What slave boy wouldn’t love William? He is basically the most perfectest master ever. There was so much chemistry between all of them. Whether it was all three of them or just two of them, their relationship felt real.

This pushed all the right buttons for me... loving master, slave boys(!), complex characters with an equally complex relationship, angst and some of my favorite kinks. 

James Cox is BACK! An update from our first honorary Unicorn

The Clubhouse is a safe place, a haven of judgment free discourse and a place to open up and share your deepest darkest secrets.

Most of that statement is actually true, but we do love to judge and tease the hell out of each other, just like any other dysfunctional family. Never let any of them know your Kryptonite, because they, myself included, will use it against you at every turn. It’s hilarious. So, it’s not surprising that we rarely all agree on anything whether it be books, authors, movies, porn stars or embodiments of evil, I’m looking at you Natasha. And that’s OK, it keeps us on our toes and tests our boundaries. Everyone should be so lucky to have friends you can say ANYTHING too and they’ll love you anyway. They’ll give you shit, but they’re still going to love you.

There is one thing we all agree on, James Cox is the man.

He was our first Author of the Month and we couldn’t have been luckier to have him agree to come and play. Handsome Hero Wanted was our first chat (and my personal favorite). That book made BMBR official, we were galvanized by Handsome Heroes. Some of us were more appropriate about our appreciation than others (Justin), especially after reading James’ first Q&A with us. That led to some interesting placement of James and Justin’s unicorns, because the Clubhouse is also incredibly immature. It’s no accident that James’ unicorn is the only one that has been drawn standing up. When we read on FB that James was continuing the Handsome Hero storyline, we may have lost it a little and couldn’t resist hitting James up again for a visit. He is ALL kinds of gracious and came back to answer questions about his writing ritual (purrrr), his new series, The Triple Towers, starting with Heart of a Hero, AND the continuation of Handsome Hero Wanted.

Yes, James Cox is the man.

So, grab yourself a refreshing beverage, sit back and enjoy the words of Mr. James Cox . . . .

Hello Boy Meets Boy and all their fantastic readers, It’s my pleasure to stop by the site again. This time I’m here to answer a few naughty questions from the unicorns and talk a bit about my new series.

The Triple Towers is a futuristic world where environment has collapsed, the wealthy thrive and the poor are suffering. Two men find each other from opposite ends of this spectrum. Kallen is one of the poor, spending his childhood trying to survive outside of The Triple Towers. He has a chance to gain entrance into the towers but it calls for a major lie. In the end, he lies and gets his ticket to paradise. However, with that lie he is led on a while adventure that not only changes his life but the future of humanity in a barren world.

This first book in this series was just released on March 18th – Heart of a Hero. And of course, you know how I love adding those warnings! m/m sex, rimming, sex toys, spanking, bondage, here’s a brief peek into this wild adventure:

Lorn walked to the right side of the bed. He had his shirt in his hand and he wrapped the material around Kallen’s wrist then tied him to the short post. Lorn then walked to the left side, using a discarded pair of pants to hold his other wrist in place.

Kallen tugged at the bonds, they were tight enough to keep him there but not to cut into his skin. He lifted a brow and looked at Lorn. The man just smiled at him and planted a kiss on his shoulder. Kallen wasn’t sure what to expect but his dick was ready for anything. A white drop collected in a fold of his foreskin. “Now how am I going to suck you tied like this?”

Lorn clucked his tongue then climbed into bed. He straddled Kallen, their hard dicks inches from touching. Lorn grabbed his cock at the base and wacked it against Kallen’s.

It made Kallen grin and push his hips upward.

“A dick battle?”

Lorn chuckled.

Kallen shifted again. This time their lengths collided and sent a caress so strong Kallen shivered.

I hope you enjoyed that snippet. Book Two – Love in the Land of Blood and Bones is due out in late April. Book Three – A Need for Heroes is due out in late May. Now to the questions that the lovely unicorns asked:

1. Ok, so a quite a few of us are on FaceBook with you and we can’t help but notice that every time you start to write you mention that the pants are coming off, something that we encourage by the way. Give us a glimpse into your writing ritual.

I usually write at home after work, since I have a 9-5 job. For writing science fiction, I like my mind to roam which only happens when I’m relaxed. That means taking off the clothes! What’s better than that?! I live in an apartment so I’m sure someone’s getting a nice view, lol. It’s great to just take it all off, look out over Manhattan and pretend I’m in another world, another time, another universe. Besides, with my sex scenes, sometimes it’s so stimulating the big boy needs to breath. *G*

2. Did you ever have plans to make a sequel to Handsome Hero Wanted? If not, what made you change your mind?

I actually did not have plans to make a sequel. Handsome Hero Wanted was a one-book, fun story that just popped into my head. I loved the erotic world and it was a big hit with readers. Then I got several emails about how much readers loved the characters. What pushed me over was the email from Ann. The lusty Ann at Boy Meets Boy review’s emailed me about forming a group with other readers over how much they loved handsome Hero Wanted and how they were starting a review site. That touched me, (low and hard, lol). I decided then to try a sequel. Of course, then I was hooked on the world again and came up with two more stories. I’m currently writing the much-requested Lavender and Layden’s story – Handsome, Hard and Delicious.

3. Tell us about Heart of a Hero and your inspiration there.

I was just so fed up with how we’re abusing each other, humans hurting humans, hurting animals, hurting kids. I mean, sometimes the news is just so depressing I can’t watch it. So, out of all that, I decide to write something about how our future would look if we continued and how love could heal the wrong. Of course, one book turned into three. It seems to be a theme with me. But, I think over the course of those three books in The Triple Towers, I showcased the hope. Then I added numerous creative sex scenes because my cock likes to interrupt every aspect of my day. Thank God for that or I’d be boring as hell, lol.

Thank you so much for having me on your site again.

 Stay sexy and be naughty!

James Cox Heart of a hero buy links:
Evernight: http://www.evernightpublishing.com/heart-of-a-hero-by-james-cox/
All romance Ebooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-heartofahero-1453026-340.html
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Heart-Hero-Triple-Towers-James-ebook/dp/B00J2JNNCM/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1395191391&sr=1-1&keywords=Heart+of+a+Hero+James+Cox
Bookstrand: http://www.bookstrand.com/heart-of-a-hero-mm

 

A big thanks to James (aka Champion Fair Head) for coming by the Clubhouse again!

Also, just a little thing . . . did you see "the lusty Ann"?
Yeah, me too.
Totally getting a shirt made (and a mouse pad, mug and bumper sticker ).

Review: The Enlightenment of Daniel (Sex in Seattle, #2) by Eli Easton

Sex in Seattle: Book Two

Business tycoon Daniel Derenzo lives for his work until his dying father reminds him life is short. When Daniel starts to reevaluate his world he experiences a startling revelation—he’s attracted to his business partner and best friend, Nick, even though Daniel always believed himself to be straight. In typical type-A fashion, Daniel dissects his newfound desires with the help of the experts at the Expanded Horizons sex clinic. He goes after Nick with the fierce determination that’s won him many a business deal.

Nick Ross was in love with Daniel years ago, when they were roommates in college. But Daniel was straight and Nick patched his broken heart by marrying Marcia. Two kids and fourteen years later, they go through the motions of their marriage like ships passing in the night. But Nick’s kids mean the world to him, and he’s afraid he’ll never get joint custody if they divorced. If he can trust his heart to an awakening Daniel, they all might find their way to a happily ever after.

So the author of the month here at BMBR is the wonderful Eli Easton. Once upon a time a, nay,  the Stallion pointed me in the direction of Superhero, two pages in and I was hooked. Blame it on the Mistletoe came next....wow *fans self*, I mean have you read it, that stuff is HOT. So not only could she do YA brilliantly, she did NA (that's the right term for college student type books isn't it, New Adult?) brilliantly.....but how would I feel about her adult books, would I feel the mojo had been lost? The answer is a resounding NO. So I went on an Eli Easton book buying spree and today I'm here to tell you about The Enlightenment of Tony, Sex in Seattle book 2, (see SRAL's review of book 1 here).

Two hot business tycoons falling in love, what's not to like? It covers many of my favourite themes, friends to lovers, GFY, oh yes and it did all in Eli's inimitable fashion. Nick was in love with Daniel years ago but his super-straight BFF was way off limits, so he does what he thought was right and married Marcia. 14 years on and Daniel has his revelation - Nick is HOT. Nick is waaaaay hot and, by gum, he wants to fuck him. Now though there are two children involved.

I liked how this book explores marriage, separation and the needs of children in divorce proceedings. Is it the ideal situation? - no, ideally Nick and Daniel would have got together in college and had their HEA....but then Nick's children wouldn't exist and that is something he could never regret. No loving parent would ever wish that their children didn't exist so their lives could carry on conveniently. His children are the most important thing in the world to Nick and I really believed this.

Eli writes this well, sometimes Marcia is painted as the horrible ex-wife, and her mother, OMG talk about interfering, but generally I loved it.The romance, as ever in anything by Eli Easton, is super hot. SUPER HOT.

If you've read the first book we meet Jack, Tony and Michael again - but you certainly don't have to have read book 1 to read this, it works perfectly well as a stand alone.

All in all I would highly recommend this book (and to be frank, all her others).

Special Delivery by Heidi Cullinan Re-Release Blog Tour-apalooza!

SPECIAL DELIVERY
Release date: February 4, 2014

Book One of the Special Delivery Series
When your deepest, darkest fantasy shows up, get on board. Sam Keller knows he’ll never find the excitement he craves in Middleton, Iowa—not while he’s busting his ass in nursing school and paying rent by slaving away in a pharmacy stockroom. Then Sam meets Mitch Tedsoe, an independent, long-haul trucker who makes a delivery to a shop across the alley. Innocent flirting quickly leads to a fling, and when Mitch offers to take him on a road trip west, Sam jumps at the chance for adventure. Mitch is sexy, funny and friendly, but once they embark on their journey, something changes. One minute he’s the star of Sam’s every x-rated fantasy, the next he’s almost too much a perfect gentleman. And when they hit the Las Vegas city limit, Sam has a name to pin on Mitch’s malady: Randy.

For better or for worse, Sam grapples with the meaning of friendship, letting go, growing up—even the meaning of love—because no matter how far he travels, eventually all roads lead home.

Warning: This story contains trucker fantasies, threesomes and kinky consensual sex.
Available February 2014 from Samhain Publishing and wherever books are sold.
This book has been previously published and has been revised from its original release.
Buy it from: Samhain, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads
Read the excerpt on Heidi's website

Just some info you should know and why this is SUCH a BIG FREAKIN' DEAL:

BACKGROUND/HISTORY OF THE SERIES Special Delivery was first published in February 2010 by Dreamspinner Press, Double Blind in April of that same year. In 2013 they were re-sold to Samhain Publishing in package with a new third book in the series, Tough Love. Special Delivery and Double Blind have been edited for their second edition, though no significant new content has been added.

Special Delivery won several awards in the 2010 Elisa Rolle Rainbow Awards, including Best Gay Contemporary, Best Character, Best Writing Style, and Best Overall Gay Fiction. It was a Dear Author pick for Best of 2010 and a finalist in the Smart Bitches, Trashy Books-Dear Author DABWAHA contest in 2011. Double Blind was also a Dear Author pick for Best of 2010 and a finalist in the Smart Bitches, Trashy Books-Dear Author DABWAHA contest in 2011.

Firstly, can we talk about how appropriate the happenings that are happening right now are?

JL has been wanting to read Special Delivery for pretty much ever but being that it was unavailable to buy or lend, she couldn’t. Sunny and I both read it many moons ago and being the awesome friends that we are, we brought that fact up as much as possible. (well, maybe that was just me, Sunny is MUCH nicer than I am). So when the re-release was announced and blog tour signups started happening, the Unicorn Mafia rallied because JL needed to read this series and reading with your pals is the best.

Now for the aforementioned appropriate part:

IT’S BEING RELEASED ON JL’s BIRTHDAY 02/04/14 
WOOP WOOP!!!!!

*tosses penis shaped confetti at JL*

*passes out cocktails with dick straws and penis shaped ice cubes*

Happy Birthday one day early JL!
you are the bestest and we love you to pieces.

Ok, now shove over we’ve got some of the sweetest kink on the planet to talk about . . . .

Firstly, words from Unicorns JL and Lorix who are reading Special Delivery for the first time, then words from Sunny and myself (I'm Ann) and our impressions on our re-read. Collectively we unicorns love the sweet kink and unanimously awarded Special Delivery with 5 big ol' hearts.

From the Birthday Girl - Jenni Lea:

I have been anxiously awaiting the release of this book on MY BIRTHDAY so when I was offered a chance to read it early for the blog I was stoked. Then I got nervous because what if it didn't live up to my expectations? I shouldn't have worried. It was better than I ever expected.

Sam and Mitch were perfect for each other. In fact, I'm not sure I can name another couple better suited for one another than these two. They complimented each other so well! From Sam's fragile innocence to Mitch's gruff stoicism, they played off each others' kinks with exquisite precision.

And Randy! Can't forget about Randy. Even though he wasn't an MC he played a very important role in this story. He may just be my most favorite of Heidi's characters ever!

Little Miss Classy Pants - Lorix:

Lorix here. So Special Delivery, yep I read it....and what did I think? (Okay Mum, this is where you stop reading, alright, go and potter in the garden or something, all gone, okay). Well my first status update was;

"How can taking a photo of someone fully clothed in public seem so subtly erotic?"

My next was;

"I need a cold shower."

So you tell me what did I think? I thought this book was HOT. It was sexy, naughty, erotic, but it happened with feels. It was porn but I cared more about the characters than just whether they got their rocks off. Kudos Heidi Cullinan for that. It also had my favourite erotic scene ever in so far. The Denver bar one for those who have read or are yet to read it.

So what did I learn - well that'd be telling ;) - but also that I've earnt my full on perviness enjoyment badge. But I already knew that, I am after all a member of the UM.

The Sunshine in the Clubhouse - Sunny:

This was a reread for me. One of many, I admit. If I owned this in a paperback, it would be a battered copy with pages falling out. That's how much I love the words in this story.

Words like:
"I like to watch the way you move when another man touches you. You look so vulnerable, and so sexy, and then when you get nervous, you turn to me. Not them-me."

and
"He gave himself to them completely, with no guilt, no shame, no reservation, and in that surrender he found a quiet, shining pearl he had never known existed - himself."

I love how we get such a clear picture of Sam and Mitch, and how everything they say and do fits what we know about them and adds to our understanding of them. The neediness, the emotions, the dirty talk, and all the perviness... they hit all my buttons, and that makes this one of my all time favorite stories :) .

And Me - Ann aka Ann of Ween Gaybles:

When I first replaced the F in my MF with another M, Special Delivery was one of the first full length novels I read. What an initiation! “Come to Mama” I said, “I’m home”. The re-read on this one confirmed everything I remembered from the first go-around. Sam and Mitch are one of best, most meant to be together couples on the planet. The whole love story boils down to acceptance and watching both Sam and Mitch realize they could reconcile their secrets with real love made me melt for them all over again.

My favorite thing, and probably what I had the most fun with on the re-read is one of my all time favorite characters, Randy. I was completely intrigued with him the first read, but I didn’t really know what to DO with him. Special Delivery told me a lot, but there is so much more to him than what we see in this story and it was the ultimate tease. I read Double Blind right after reading Special Delivery and in re-reading this story I picked up a lot of subtleties about Randy and his words that I couldn’t appreciate the first time around. Randy really is Vegas and watching him play the game in Special Delivery (after learning his ways in Double Blind) was really fun.

I also appreciated his relationship, which is really very special, with Sam more on the re-read. I knew how important it would turn out to be so I paid attention to their conversations more and every word between them had more meaning. As much as I loved everything about Sam and Mitch, I think I loved when Randy said thank you to Sam even more for:

“Bringing Mitch here. He wouldn’t have come, otherwise. Or, if he had, he’d have ignored me again. You were our big do-over, and it’d be nice to think we got it right because we’re older and wiser, but we got it right because of you.” He picked up Sam’s hand and kissed it. “So, thank you for giving me back my best friend.”

Find more info on BookLikes and Goodreads