Review: Austin (Man Up #1) by Felice Stevens

I can make it by myself. The only rules I follow are my own. Love? I learned that lesson the hard and painful way it wasn’t right for me. Sure, sometimes it gets lonely and I wish I had a man to hold. Who’d love me. Want me. Treat me with respect. Yeah, I dance in a club but that doesn’t mean I’m easy. Or a fool. So you, sitting in the back, watching me? I know what you want. You want me. In your bed. Under you. But I say no. It doesn’t matter how many presents you give me.

I’m not falling for you. I know who you are. But you don’t know me. You don’t know Austin.

This is a 14,000 word CLIFFHANGER story. It is a start to a new series, entitled Man Up. The followup book, Rhoades-Undeniable will be released a week after Austin.

What an amazing start to a series full of characters that have you wanting more and wanting nothing but the best for them in only four chapters.

I’ve read this twice now and it’s still not enough for me. I fell hard for Austin immediately and I am kicking myself that I didn’t meet him sooner in Tyler and Marcus’ book, but trust me that I will fix that error and fix it soon.

Austin is a young man whose love for dance has him working between two worlds, that of a dance instructor to children and as a go-go dancer at Man Up, a gentlemen's club. Austin knows who he is and knows what he wants and that's someone to love him and accept him for who he is. You see, Austin doesn’t have a good relationship with his family, his very affluent and rich family, since he came out and he is doing what he has to so he can live on his own terms. He’s created a pseudo family with the boys/dancers at Man Up and has a wonderful best friend in Frankie Marone. But Austin has someone at the club who has taken a strong like to him and with the gift he was given, we see Austin off on a night to remember.

I absolutely adored this book and even though it’s short, the reader gets a good grasp on who Austin is and has the chance to develop a crush on his friends, namely Frankie and Cort for now. They are a part of Austin’s life and are there for him in any way he needs, even if it’s protecting him from the man who turns him on and also scares the crap out of him with his want. This mysterious stranger, Mr. Tall Dark and Doesn’t Ever Speak has been watching Austin dance at Man Up for some time now and after a night of Austin teasing the hell out of him, and then his handsome stranger seeing how Austin can take care of himself, we finally get a glimpse into who the stranger is.

Wow. Let me just say meeting Rhoades was amazing. Yeah, he is totally going on my Swoony McSwoonster shelf that is hard to get on with me but damn, Rhoades has a way with words. There is so much we don’t know about him and so much I want to know about him and it’s not just how he is with Austin. It’s the mystery behind the man I want to dive into and marinate in until my fingers are pruny. I know Rhoades will be fantastic and how he and Austin will be together will be amazing… but I have to wait until the next book is out so I can cure my reader blue balls.

I’m going to stop here before I ramble too much but this was a great start to a new series I am sure I will be glued to until it’s over and then I’ll pout.

A review copy was provided.

See the Austin (Man Up #1) release blitz HERE!

Guest Review: Breaking Free (The Den Boys #3) by A.T. Brennan

“I would never forgive myself if something happened to another man I cared about because I’d been careless and given in to temptation.” ~ Zander

The last thing I was looking for was a relationship, then I laid eyes on a dancer at a nightclub and my entire world was flipped upside down. Kai is everything I’ve ever wanted, but shouldn’t have. I’m haunted by a past I can’t seem to break free from, and I’m not sure I can be the man Kai deserves. He makes me want to try, but I worry that I’m broken beyond repair.

“There was already a big enough stigma attached to being a go-go dancer, but add being a webcam model to the mix and people tended to assume things about me.” ~ Kai

School, dance, cam, repeat. My life was on a constant loop as I struggled to keep my head above water. After seeing Zander in the crowd while I was dancing, I knew I had to meet the handsome stranger who took my breath away. I don’t know if I’m the right man to help set him free from his pain, but I’m going to do everything I can to try and help him see that the past doesn’t have to define his future.

*This is Book 3 of The Den Boys series, but can be read as a standalone. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and trigger warnings are listed in the book before the table of contents.

*This 74,000 word book is intended for an 18+ audience. It is a story of male/male romance and love. There are graphic depictions of man parts doing naughty and sexy things, so please be sure this is the kind of book for you before reading.

Reviewer: NeRdyWYRM

Most Bestest

This whole series has caught me by surprise. The angst remains low-key and the characters are very believable.

In this installment, we get to see Zander's story. The big, protective guy we got a peek of here and there in the first couple of books gets his time to shine here. I wondered what his story was, since he seemed so reserved all the time, and now that I know I kind of wish I didn't. It's some seriously sad shit.

I absolutely loved Skylar/Kai. He was unapologetic about who he was, what he did, and he went after what he wanted. He was strong, and astute, and had a freaking adorable personality to boot. He and Zander were perfect for each other.

There were some bumps in the road, sure, but no OTT craziness to speak of. These guys communicated after a little bit of a hiccup in the beginning and worked on their relationship. What a concept!

I'm duly impressed with this author's reinterpretation of some fairly common themes. Rather than being predictable or formulaic, what you get with this series and this book is the road less traveled, and it is:

It's not all rainbows and unicorns, no worries! There are a few niggles. It could be a little more polished. I get the sense that maybe the author is just catching their stride here ... these titles are getting progressively better, and quickly. I can see the positive changes from book 1 to now, so I have no doubt things will continue to improve. Given that the writing didn't start off at anything resembling an extreme disadvantage, I'm excited to see any further growth.

Sometimes the pacing is erratic; it's occasionally too rushed in some areas and almost meandering in others. And although I'm enjoying (immensely) the low-angst reads, in the world these guys live in things are almost too easy.

I know that's a little contradictory given what I said about the themes vs plotlines being refreshingly 'outside of the box' but I think kicking things up a half a notch would make the series more believable over the long term chronologically speaking.

Even if there was just a single continuous thread running through the series, something that plagued the group as a whole across the series, that would make these 5 star reads. I think it's a classic divergence of standalone vs continuity. While these are fantastic in that they can be read separately, I think they'd be better with an overarching theme.

Maybe I'm on crack (not!) or maybe I'm tired (always!) but I'm standing by what I've said here. I realize I'm a bit of an outlier amongst other reviewers of this title who fell more in the 'average' range, but these books—this one in particular—really appealed to me.

Is it earthshattering? No. But it's been a week since I read it and I've forgotten very few of the details. That is not common with my brain (TBI) and nor is it the norm considering the number of books I read every week. The fact that it's sticking with me so easily means it resonated as an overall fantastic read.

I'm excited to see what comes next. I recommend this book for anyone who wants a relatively stress-free read with well-developed characters and relative real-world authenticity.

More reviews by NeRdyWYRM can be found on Goodreads here.
Images (when present) may be subject to copyright.
An ARC copy of this title was provided for an honest review.

Review: Here for Us (Us, #1) by A.M. Arthur

Cris Sable doesn’t walk into popular gay bar Big Dick’s expecting to find more than a casual hookup, so he’s surprised by his instant attraction and intense chemistry with go-go dancer Jake. Jake’s sexy as hell and a firecracker in bed. The sparks between them are undeniable, and what starts as a hookup evolves into something deeper, possibly permanent—until Jake dumps Cris flat on his ass for no good reason. 

Angry and confused, Cris finds comfort with his longtime friend and employer Charles “Chet” Greenwood. Cris’s emotional state stirs up Charles’s long-buried feelings for Cris. Feelings he’s denied for eight years, because Cris is his employee and therefore off limits—not to mention two decades younger than Charles. Cris admits he has feelings for Charles, too, but he’s still getting over Jake and both men agree nothing can happen between them while Charles is still Cris’s boss.

Jake Bowden knows he doesn’t have anything to offer a guy. He’s a go-go dancer with no degree and no real career aspirations. He’s also used to everyone who loves him leaving, so it makes sense to cut Cris loose before things get too serious. Cris is kind, passionate and totally deserves a guy like Charles—wealthy, owns a home, successful businessman. Jake can’t compete so why bother? They’re better off together. But when Jake has a serious personal crisis, Cris and Charles unite to pull him back together, and the three men discover it’s possible—maybe even inevitable—to fall in love with more than one person at a time.

Welp. This could've gone better so I'll be quick about it.

I've seen this author's works in my feed since forever so when this landed in the clubhouse it seemed like kismet-ménage, age difference, a little hurt/comfort... what could go wrong? Famous last words.

It's not that the book is bad. The premise is great and I was hella excited to get my mitts on it. What had happened was we didn't click. I knew early on this writing style wasn't going to be my cuppa. I persevered thinking I was either being too harsh, that things would improve or wasn't giving it a fair shake. But the truth of the matter is I need bells and whistles! A little angst, some zhooshing, frills are the things I like. Hell, I'll even read purple! This style is very dry, straightforward, no muss, no fuss and I was bored. 

I had trouble connecting with the characters. I found their journey a little too convenient and I'm still on the fence as to whether or not the dialogue is exceedingly authentic or tipped over into a stilted permutation of authenticity. All the components are there from backstories to character and relationship development but it lacked emotionality, thus I never invested in this narrative or these characters.

The sex is decently hot. I do appreciate a dude who's good with his hands and Cris is. And he likes to wreck his lovers. Not mad. Not mad at all.

This is the beginning of a new series but there are A LOT of characters introduced that I felt like I should know somehow. Later I learned this is a spinoff of the Perspectives series. I don't think it's necessary to have read that but you'll probably get more out of this if you have. Also, almost all of these characters are involved in the porn industry and have a porn name and a real name. I thought my head was going to explode trying to keep up with all of them. Did I mention that they're used interchangeably? 

Lastly, there is a mental health issue with one of the characters. I'm not going to belabor the point since this isn't a textbook or a peer reviewed article, but I will say I would've preferred for this particular plot device to be well researched OR a more generic 'there's something up' rather than the label being used willy-nilly.

Sometimes you win. Sometimes you lose. Sometimes... it just doesn't work out and Here for Us is one of those times. Still, it's got a fairly high rating on GR so I'd encourage all to check out the other reviews before deciding.

A review copy was provided.

Find out more on Goodreads.

Review: Bullet (Blue Boy #1) by Garrett Leigh

Levi Ramone entered the gay porn market for one reason, and one reason only–he needed the cash to pay his momma's spiraling gambling debts. Seven years later, he's a veteran with a reputation as one of Blue Boy Studio's most ruthless tops, and when his boss suggests it's time for a change, he finds himself staring down the barrel of a gun. Figuratively speaking, at least. Enter Sonny Valentine, a go-go dancer at Blue's sister club, Silver's. Levi has secretly admired Sonny from afar for years, but there's one problem–he can't stand Sonny and the feeling is entirely mutual. When Levi learns Sonny is to play the third part in a scene he considers his worst nightmare, he figures things can't get any worse. But when preparations for the scene from hell collide with tragic events in his personal life, he finds his fast growing, red hot attraction to Sonny the one thing left between him and a bullet.

I first discovered Garrett Leigh’s work from a review I read on GR from the always awesome Isaac. He had reviewed Gypsy Rain and I bought and read it right away. I fell in love with the story and the writing style immediately. Since then I’ve been reading anything that Garrett publishes as soon as it comes out and this was no exception.

This was a great novella that I would have loved to have been twice as long. It’s the story of Levi, Sonny and the working boys over at Blue Boy Productions. It focuses mostly on Levi and the epic cluster his life has become. Levi is a very popular top in Blue Boys videos and he keeps busy. He also has a full time business of his own, but his life is not an easy one and he spends an enormous amount of energy caring for his self-destructive mother. He works his day job, works the porn job and takes care of his mom. Who, by the way, is a bitter angry bitch who doesn’t deserve Levi and all the sacrifices he makes.

So, I may have accidentally stumbled upon some porn once so I recognize the type of porn top Levi is. He’s the stereotypical alpha male, rough around the edges and definitely aloof. Not cruel, but not engaged at all, just disconnected. He was there to do a job. Nail a twink rough and hard, give the people what they want and be done. There was no kissing, no cuddling, no afterglow. Get the job done and move on to the next. That worked for Levi, he didn’t have the time or energy for complications. He even says he had, “been stuck in limbo for most of his adult life.”

Queue Sonny’s entrance into Levi’s life. Sonny is a go-go boy, sometime porn actor and the two of them don’t even give each other the time of day. They’ve never worked together and don’t have a desire to. Jon, the owner of the bar where Sonny dances and Blue Boy Productions makes Levi an offer he can’t afford to refuse. A three way shoot with Sonny and Rex, the most hung and rough top in the Blue Boy stable. The kicker is, Levi would have to bottom for Rex. Levi doesn’t bottom, ever! Frankly he’s completely freaked about the whole thing, but he needs the money for his worthless mother. The sum offered would take a huge amount of pressure off of Levi and his mountain of responsibilities.

While this could follow what you think is a formula of alpha porn star and twink go-go boy, this is where you’d be wrong. It does start that way, but then the wrench of the 3 way bottoming scene gets thrown in and is when the story gets completely unique. Turns out, Levi has more friends than he thought who are concerned about him and one of them just may be Sonny Valentine.

Sonny approaches Levi and offers to help him ‘train’ to be a bottom. Sonny explains there is no way Levi will make it through this unless he’s prepared and learns how to control the scene from the bottom. Sonny is speaking from experience and he calls Levi on his disconnected ways and makes him start to realize that there is an actual person in the scene with him, not just another twink to top. So, these training sessions start and may I just say, WOW and DAMN, just WOW and DAMN! Levi is pretty surprised and totally unprepared for the feelings he starts to have for Sonny. Actually connecting with another person, much less Sonny Valentine was not in his plans. Throw in all the drama with his mother and poor Levi is overwhelmed with emotion and responsibility. The responsibility he’s used to, it’s the emotion he has trouble dealing with.

When the day of the big scene arrives, Levi has pretty much had the worst couple of days in his life. He is a man of his word though and is determined to follow through, even if he isn’t exactly sure why at this point. There is no way to go on with a review of that scene without going all kinds of spoilery, but suffice it to say, all manner of crazy went down and Sonny emerges the hero. Sonny was willing to take a figurative bullet for Levi and that means the world to him. No one has ever protected Levi before, ever. It changes everything.

You know what broke my heart about Levi? This,

“Though he’d had more sexual encounters this year alone than he could remember, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d kissed a man. It had been years.”

That’s just too sad, seriously sad. The author is good at putting those little thoughts and moments in there that convey a lot without having to tell me in a ton of words about Levi’s loneliness. It kept him from seeming too angsty, that would have felt out of character for him.

Being that this is the start of a series, I’m kind of overlooking what seemingly might be missing. Because it might not actually be missing, just not told yet. I want to know more about Sonny, a lot more. He’s pretty amazing from what I know so far. But ultimately, this was Levi’s story and that was consistent throughout. He taught Levi so much, and not just the sweet heat of the training sessions, but how to actual feel something, a connection to another person.

“Feel that Levi? Feel it all. This is what it’s supposed to be. This is what’s real.”

Who doesn’t want more of that?

I’ll be anxiously awaiting the next installment of the Blue Boys and thoroughly enjoyed this one.