Review: The Dishevelled Duke (A Little Bit Cupid #4) by Catherine Curzon and Eleanor Harkstead

Will a photographer be swept off his feet by a duke who’s more dishevelled than dashing?

It’s Valentine’s Day and it’s Billy last shift at The Chelsea Bunn. His photography career never took off, so it’s time to leave London, parcel up the leftover heart-shaped cakes and head back home to Hampshire.

Rumpled Charlie and his two mischievous dogs are Billy’s favourite customers, so when Charlie turns up at closing time with a mysterious wrapped gift and the offer of a whirlwind trip on the London Eye, Billy can’t say no. But Charlie is keeping a secret that could turn Billy’s world happily upside down.

As the snow falls over London and the big wheel grinds to a halt, Billy discovers that wishes aren’t just for Christmas.

This charming little love story knocked my knickers clean off with its cuteness. It’s just the story I want to read for Valentine’s Day, it’s ultra romantic and has loveable characters. Plus, no real angst to speak of! Let’s all hug.

Billy is a photographer giving up his dreams of the London art scene and is heading back home to Hampshire. Of course he’s sad to be leaving his aspirtions behind for now, but another thing that breaks his heart is that he’ll be leaving his favorite customer from the coffee shop where he works behind, without having a chance to say goodbye.

Charlie comes into the coffee shop with his beloved pups on the regular and he and Billy are quite obviously smitten with one another. But, they are both a little shy, and it takes a kick in the booty by Cupid to bring these two together.

Charlie makes the first move and honestly, reading the banter between these two is freakin’ adorable. It’s sooooo sweet, but also balanced with realistic chat so it’s not sickeningly sweet, it’s just . . . just right.

The story makes a turn toward fairytale status via the London Eye when Charlie convinces Billy to go for a spin, literally. As the two share leftover heart shaped treats from the coffee shop, Billy gets a call from the gallery owner where his photos are hanging that will change his life. Once he hangs up, Charlie and Billy get to chatting, confessions are made and it’s like Cupid himself shot all the arrows at them at once because from here on out, the two of them are bombarded with happy accidents and I didn’t care how realistic they may or may not have been, I wanted all the arrows. All of them.

This tale goes on my ‘reread’ holiday shelf.

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

Review: Four (Love by Numbers #2) by Tia Fielding

A Love by Numbers Story

When unlikely attraction blossoms between a twentysomething genderqueer tattoo artist and an older, small-town veterinarian, both are forced to face their pasts for a chance at a loving future. 

Four years ago Padraig Donovan lost his husband, the only man he’d ever been with. Now his life consists of the work he loves, a big empty house, and the possibility of a lonely future.

Kaos’s experiments with makeup landed him in the hospital at the hands of his disapproving ex. With nowhere else to turn, he flees to Acker, Wisconsin… and runs into a sexy widower and the kindest man he’s ever met.

Padraig and Kaos know there’s something worth exploring between them, and as they raise a puppy and deal with the ups and downs of their respective jobs, they fit into each other’s lives in ways they never expected. Being with Kaos—who is so different than the guys he’s always been attracted to—opens up an exciting new world for Padraig. But can he convince Kaos to trust another man with his body… let alone his heart?

While I enjoyed reading Four and getting to know Kaos and Padraig very much I will say that the book is really not a standalone and I would say you should read book one first to get the full layout of character dynamics. I didn’t read book one first and that’s my bad. There was enough info to be able to get a good gist of what was going on when characters would refer to their histories, but I know I was missing chunks of material that would have made the story more fully fleshed out for me. 

Individually I liked Kaos and Padraig a lot and as they spent more time together I liked reading about their impending couple-hood. They were an unlikely paid and those couplings are usually my favorite. The differences have a tendency to bring out hidden treasures in each character and reading about them exploring and being true to themselves is a treat. That was especially true for these guys. Kaos is escaping an abusive relationship and struggling to honor his true self. Padraig is coping with grief and that almost always leads to feelings of guilt. So, these two had a lot to work on both separately and together.

The thing that threw me off a bit was the secondary characters. I’m going to chalk some of that up to not reading book one, but even if I had backstory, I think the supporting characters were just, a lot. Like, a lot, a lot. Everything felt incredibly dramatic and over the top and it’s slightly shitty of me to say that considering basically EVERYONE has some serious trauma but honestly it became exhausting. The distractions of meltdowns would drag me out of the burgeoning relationship between Kaos and Padraig so I felt like was losing their momentum more than once.

An HEA was inevitable, but man, they had to earn it. Both Kaos and Padraig got in their own way of their happiness multiple times and I believe that there was just too much for one story to be able to resolve it all organically and with enough balance so that I could really feel the happy ending. I totally bought into it, don’t get me wrong, I was just hoping it would feel more satisfying when it finally came around.

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

Review: His Steady Heart by Nell Iris

Ashley “Buck” Buchanan moved back home to take care of his sick mother when he was 22. That was the first time he met Pippin, the neglected 6-year-old boy next door. Fifteen years later, Buck, a caretaker by nature, offers up his couch for Pippin, who needs a break from his mom and a quiet place to sleep.

Pippin Olander is a ray of sunshine despite his emotionally lacking upbringing and works hard to make a better life for himself. Even though he’s fiercely self-sufficient, he learns to accept help from Buck, his rock and the only steady presence in his life.

Their friendship deepens and grows into something more as they spend time together. But when other people try to throw a wrench in the works, when Pippin’s independence is triggered, can Buck and Pippin trust in the love they’ve found?

Sooooo, super cute. Basically what I’ve come to expect from a Nell Iris story, I got with His Steady Heart.

Ashley and Pippin have known each other for years, Ashley watched Pippin grow up way too fast and has always felt protective of him. I love May-December romances where the MC’s are on equal footing and the dynamic that grew between Ashley and Pippin showed that aspect of their relationship really well.

Because Pippin’s mom has many nights of extracurricular activities with gentleman callers, Pippin begins spending more and more time at Ashley’s house. Ashley works nights and Pippin works two day jobs to save for college. Their interactions consist of them crossing paths at the beginning and ending of work days/nights and I loved their little quiet domestic rituals they fell into.

I think the little “moments” were my favorite parts of the book. Ashley, who isn’t a fan of his own name, goes by Buck to the world. The only one who calls him Ashley is Pippin and that was my first little nugget moment that I thought was just so sweet. All the time they spent together, just living their lives and becoming more intertwined as they shared morning cocoa spoke volumes organically for them. I didn’t have to be told they were falling in love, I could see it in everything they did.

The only thing I found a little off putting was the disconnect between Ashley’s inner dialog and his external speech. In his head he was relatively eloquent and his voice matched what I knew of his personality. When he spoke out loud however, his speech was more ‘sloppy’. Words were run together like “whaddaya” and “wanna”. Every word that ends in “ing” loses the “g” and is just “in’”, like “nothin’” and “sayin’”. It’s distracting and the two distinct voices made it seem like there was a third MC in the relationship sometimes.

There is minimal angst, but just enough conflict to keep the relationship more real and keeps the sugar to an acceptable level. A level of sweetness that works for a book that is based on the welcoming honey goodness of the beginning of a relationship between two people who are meant to be together.

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

Audiobook Review: Service with a Smirk (At Your Service #2) by Ariel Tachna

Pascal Larocque, a waiter at a high-end Montréal restaurant, knows what it means to love—and he knows what it means to lose. He buried the man he expected to spend his life with years ago. He’s perfectly happy with his solitude, or so he tells his friends. But a chance encounter in a neighborhood bar followed by a run-in at his apartment building turns his world upside down. 

Mathias Perras is twenty-four, newly arrived in Montréal, and works two jobs so he can live on rue Sainte-Catherine in the heart of the gay district. During the day, he’s on a fast track to management at the Banque de Montréal. At night, he waits tables at a gay bar down the street. He’s burning the candle at both ends, but it will be worth it when his career takes off and he has the life he’s always dreamed of. When he meets Pascal, one more piece of that dream slots into place. Pascal is everything he wants in a lover: older, self-assured, established in his life and his career. But Pascal doesn’t look at him twice. What’s a boy have to do to get a little action?

Narrated by Jeff Gelder
Listening Time: 6 hrs. 51 min.

Based on the title alone I was expecting something light hearted with a meet cute and a delicious May/December romance to sink my reading teeth into.

Based on the blurb, I was expecting the above, with a side of angst as Pascal has lost the man he thought of as the love of his life and Mathias was going to have to put the time in to convince Pascal to live again.

Cool. I'm in.

And I got that, but the journey was a lot more painful than I expected. By painful I mean, Mathias had to work too hard and I was never really convinced that Pascal was the man for him. Between Pascal’s reticence to give love another go and the formal narration of his speech, I just never really warmed up to the guy. I couldn’t see what his appeal was beyond his physical description and Mathias’ attraction to older men.

Mathias was a good guy. He was constantly being referred to as being too young for basically everything, but he worked his ass off for his goals and I don’t think he got nearly the respect he deserved. His flirtations towards Pascal were very normal and Pascal pushed him away at every opportunity. And then, Pascal would pull him back in. I honestly felt bad for Mathias. Pascal took a long time to explain to Mathias why he was gun-shy to the whole relationship thing and while it is Pascal’s private business, when it gets in the way of a possible relationship and effects how you treat another person, well, Mathias deserved to know. Instead Mathias was left swinging in the wind on more than one occasion.

When they finally got some things out in the open and agreed to take it slow-ish, it was a relief. Mathias unexpectedly got off work early one night and paid Pascal a visit, one thing led to another and an extremely hot encounter was had. Finally, these two were connecting! And then, after it all, Pascal scolded Mathias for moving too fast and for not respecting Pascal’s wishes. Excuse me, my dude. You could have said no at any point, you did not and you encouraged the encounter. Please stop putting your baggage on Mathias, that's not fair. I love, love, LOVE, the May/December trope when it works, but frankly, this pissed me off and killed it for me.

Things took a turn for the weird when Mathias met Pascal’s family and then later when he saw Pascal interacting with some regulars at the restaurant he works. Those reactions were off putting, especially the restaurant one. It was oddly thrown in there and while it made Mathias seem just as dramatic as Pascal it was a balancing act I could have done without.

The narration seemed to fit the characters and maybe my perception of Pascal was put off by his formal French tone, I can’t be sure, since I’ve listened to and not read the story. Either way I never felt an HEA was in the works for these two even though I was told otherwise. They were portrayed as happy though, so good on them.

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

Review: Father of the Groom (Love and Care #1) by Silvia Violet

Avery has a good life. He loves his job as a makeup artist, and he’s ecstatic about being Twink of Honor in his best friend’s wedding. He’s more than capable of supporting himself, but that doesn’t stop him from longing for an older man who’ll take care of him.

Graham Hillingdon has finally repaired his relationship with his son, and he’s thrilled to be part of his son’s wedding day, though he wishes he had a plus one to bring with him. Sadly, he has yet to find a man who appreciates both his dominant and nurturing sides; maybe even someone to call him Daddy.

When Avery and Graham meet at the wedding, attraction sizzles between them, and they end up spending an insanely hot night together. Graham makes sure Avery knows exactly who’s in charge in bed, but afterwards, he’s exquisitely gentle. This is just what Avery needs, and Graham is certain he’s finally found a man who desires what he has to give. Neither of them wants to part the next day, but between their age difference and their reluctance to reveal their relationship to Graham’s son, they wonder if they have any chance for a future together. But as perfect as they are for each other, shouldn’t it be worth the risk?

If daddy kink makes you swoon and purr, Father of the Groom is your catnip. I love me some daddy kink done right and by that I mean I want more than just some gratuitous PWP. Not that gratuitous PWP doesn’t have its place, it does, but then it can’t really be a thing for more than 30 pages or so. After that you’re probably just being ridiculous.

Father of the Groom has both P . . . AND . . . P. So, it wins! It’s plenty filthy, which is what you should expect from a Silvia Violet book about a twink and a daddy, May/December story. But, there is character development and motivation behind the kink that makes the story interesting and made me feel invested in a future for Avery and Graham. Seriously, how great are the names Avery and Graham for these two? One guess as to which dude is which.

Avery is the “twink of honor” at his BFF’s wedding. He’s also an amazing cosmetologist and makes the bridal party almost as pretty as he is. Graham is the father of the groom who’s coming out caused a huge rift in the family, but he’s worked hard to repair the relationship he has with his kids and it’s actually quite sweet to be in his head when he thinks about them. He’s incredibly respectful of their feelings and that said a lot about Graham as a person. The author is consistently good at giving characters added depth through their relationships with secondary characters. I’m being shown who they are, not told and when you have a book full of kink it helps to have that added to dimension so you can take the MC’s seriously outside of the sex.

The two are attracted to one another from the moment they lay hungry eyes on each other and they figured out they both hit the jackpot with their kinks within the first few sentences of dialog between them. The whole, I’m-at-my-son/BFF’s-wedding-and-I-shouldn’t-be-thinking-so-much-about-my/his-dick/ass-right-now-but-I’m-still-going-to-bone-the-night-away thoughts happened, but that was cool, because these are grown ass men having a good time, but their concern made sense for them and their relationships with the bride and groom.

What I appreciated most was the communication between Avery and Graham. As I mentioned, they hit hard on each others sexual needs, but they also communicated beyond that. Meaning, they both were on the same page when it came to how far the daddy play goes in real life. Sometimes the kink can overwhelm the story and the MC’s are too one dimensional to take seriously beyond the aforementioned 30 pages, but Avery is adamant about being self reliant and Graham recognizes and respects that. When Avery says he wants someone to take care of him he doesn’t mean it in a Sugar Daddy sense. He wants someone he is going to take over and he can trust them enough to completely let himself go in the bedroom. Graham needs to dominate and care for a lover, so they complimented each other completely. They even spoke of not having to “play” every time they had sex. It made the whole scenario way more believable in the vanilla light of day.

Just because Avery is self sufficient doesn’t mean can’t be a big old drama queen when things go slightly askew. It fit his personality and his need to be able to trust completely and let go. The dust up was really not that big of a deal, but for Avery, trust is the whole deal and again, drama queen, so a snit was had. A snit was needed to keep the story grounded and shake off some of the perfection that had been going on so far. The drama was short lived, which I liked, and Avery and Graham had a serious chat before Avery hopped back on the daddy dick, proving that he is pretty good at the adulting thing after all.

The story ends on a very optimistic HFN with more to come in the series (of which I will be partaking of every story). I came for the kink but stayed for the characters and I feel pretty invested in their happiness now. Their dynamic is fun and will be worthy of a reread or two at least.

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

Tag Team Review: A Chance at Love by Silvia Violet

Can a confident younger man help Darren learn to let go?

On the flight back home to San Diego, Chance Emerson meets an intriguing older man. They flirt, and Chance hopes for more, but the man never calls. Months later, they meet again at a charity auction. Chance decides this time he isn’t walking away.

Darren Walsh can’t stop thinking about the gorgeous grad student who almost had him joining the mile-high club. When Chance suggests they hook up, Darren says the only thing he can—yes. 

From their first moments together, Chance and Darren know there’s more between them than lust, but their differences in age and income make a real relationship challenging. They decide to keep things secret, yet as they learn more about each other, Darren realizes he wants something real and open. To have that, he’ll need to convince Chance that he has a place in Darren’s world, and Darren will have to take some risks of his own.

Collective Heart Love Score!

Shee Reader - 5 Hearts

Oh my gosh, where do I start? I just loved this book!

Chance is living his best life, then he meets a stuffy but hot guy on the plane home to San Diego, and realised he wants this guy too. Darren finds Chance annoying and do very attractive but fights the attraction. On arrival, Chance gives Darren his number, but despite wanting to call, Darren doesn’t. When he meets Chance again at one of his foundation’s charity events, he can’t resist a second time.

This story is charming, sweet, sexy and real. The writing is terrific with believable, well rounded characters, smart dialogue and even an annoying best friend. There’s food, an adorable dog, a lonely older man and a young, spirited PhD student. This book has everything.

I loved that even though there was drama and angst, the characters mostly tried to talk things through, but after a little separation, Darren cals Chance when he needs a friend, and Chance comes running. The ending is perfectly sweet and satisfying and includes a giant Toblerone from the airport gift shop. There is nothing not to love about this book!

Highly recommended!

Ann - 4 1/4 Hearts

Well, wasn’t this just a delicious little nugget of May/December dirty talk wrapped up in mounds of perfectly sweet fluff.

I love May/December stories when the characters make sense together and complement one another beyond what I expect and A Chance at Love did that quite well. The meet - cute was in fact, quite cute and I believed the attraction between Chance and Darren. I also liked how Darren didn’t call right away and that chance brought them together again. It read realistically for where Darren was in his life and added some necessary tension to the story without resorting to too much angst. Not that some angst didn’t come later though . . .

Both guys were on the same page from the beginning with where the relationship was going, or not going. Thankfully the reader is on on their thoughts and knowing that they were both falling hard was such a treat. I loved that both characters spoke their minds and were openly affectionate and shared their feelings with one another when they were alone. When they were out together as “friends” they weren’t fooling anyone with their moony eyes at each other.

These two have chemistry that is off ALL the charts. All. The. Charts. Their complementary needs are so good and everytime they were together they’d learn a new little something and push another new button. They totally got off on one another and Chance opened so many doors for Darren. Darren’s most hidden fantasies are laid bare by Chance and Chance is a master at the dirty talk, which I am a big, Big, BIG fan of. When dirty talk is done right it can take a love story to another level for me, it can take a sweet relationship to extra spicy and give it a level of depth that can otherwise be lacking. This is me justifying my love of Chance and his deliciously filthy mouth.

The angst I mentioned before was reasonable and kind of necessary. Everything couldn’t be too perfect considering they did have some misgivings about the difference in their ages, but the issues that had weren’t only about age but about socioeconomics. That last bit was all external, but it was something they’d have to deal with and that would take a strong foundation in a relationship that they just hadn’t had time to build up yet. But, they had too many things going for them to not give it a go and the ending was perfect for them. I was worried the ending would be rushed considering I was getting up there in percentage count on the old Kindle and resolution still needed to be had, but I was pleasantly surprised with how it all worked out.

It’s also set in my hometown, America’s Finest City, thankyouverymuch, and that’s always fun. The author did a great job of representing San Diego.

The romance and steam in this story guarantees is a spot on my re-read shelf.

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

Review: The Mistletoe Kiss by Ruby Moone

Widowed bookseller Lawrence Fenton has spent a lonely lifetime hiding who he is. He has convinced himself his feelings for his far too young, gorgeous, but troubled assistant Christy Shaw are nothing more than pride in his protégé and concern for his plight. 

Christy’s life involves walking fine lines: one between his mother and his abusive stepfather, one where he must keep his needs hidden, and hardest of all, one where he must keep his feelings for his serious employer to himself.

Lame since birth, Lawrence cannot imagine anyone wanting him, least of all Christy. But when Christy’s life threatens to spiral out of control, Lawrence steps in. Then Christy’s emotions spill over into a kiss under the mistletoe at Christmas. Will Lawrence be able to face the long-buried truth about himself and keep Christy by his side?

I am absolutely ridiculously in love with historical holiday romances so I had to snag The Mistletoe Kiss when it came through. It completely delivered on every little nuance that speaks to me and I ate up the atmosphere and the characters the author created. 

Lawrence is a stoic widower with a sad history. He’s now owns a small neighborhood bookshop and while he comes across as a solid businessman, he doesn’t really seem to be as strong on the customer service side. Not that he doesn’t do everything for his customers they ask, he just doesn’t have that charisma that customers in a close community love. He hires an assistant, Christy, who turns out to be just what the shop (and Lawrence) needed. Christy has a tough life, he’s dirt poor and has to be very careful trying to support his mother while avoiding his abusive drunkard of a stepfather. 

I enjoyed reading the dynamics between Lawrence and Christy. Technically, there’s a May-December thing happening, but the balance between the two of them never felt off with the power tilting too far towards the older of the two MC’s. The only way that came into play was that Lawrence was Christy’s employer, but that made sense. Christy held his own with his ambitions and loyalties, Lawrence gave him the warm fuzzies from tops to tails, but he also had his pride as a grown ass man, and was plenty mature for his years. I think what really made the thought of a relationship between them work for me was the respect they had for one another. The author did an excellent job of showing me the admiration beyond just the physical and it gave the story more depth beyond Christmas fluff. 

The little moments between the two came along with more frequency and the bookshop provided safe common ground for them to connect. Lawrence gave Christy more responsibility and Christy ran with it. He brought warmth to the shop and to Lawrence and it was so sweet to read as they slowly opened up to one another. 

There was a prominent subplot happening the whole time, Christy’s mother and the aforementioned stepfather from hell are constantly on Christy’s mind so naturally Lawrence gets pulled in as well. That brought plenty of ugly moments into an otherwise relatively angst free story. It did add some grit that kept the story from being too pretty-perfect. My only complaint was that line of the story didn’t end up being resolved. I wouldn’t expect it to be completely wrapped up in a story of this length but I would have liked it to be at least solidly heading in a direction of resolution. 

The MC’s are heading towards a pretty solid HEA though and that makes me exceptionally happy. They really found their footing with one another and when they took their relationship to a physical level they were verrrrrry compatible and I love, love, loved their potent connection and romantic banter. It was exactly why the holiday books get to me so hard.

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

Release Day Review & GIVEAWAY!: My Dragon, My Knight by John Inman

Danny Sims is in over his head, torn between his abusive lover, Joshua, and Jay Holtsclaw, the bartender up the street, who offers Danny the one thing he never gets at home: understanding.

When Joshua threatens to get rid of Danny’s terrier, Danny knows he has to act fast. Afraid of what Joshua will do to the dog, and afraid of what Joshua will do to him if he tries to leave, Danny does the only thing he can do.

He runs.

But Danny isn’t a complete fool. He has enough sense to run into the arms of the man who actually cares for him—the man he’s beginning to trust.

Just as their lives together are starting to fall into place, Danny and Jay learn how vengeful Joshua can be.

And how dangerous.

Hey all! So, Mr. John Inman is one seriously good guy, as anyone who has ever had the privilege to converse with him knows, but did you also know, he's very generous?? And he's very generous to YOU! We'll pick a commenter at random to win an ebook from John's backlist on April 7th, courtesy of John himself, so drop a comment with your email address below and good luck!

On to the reviewing  . . . . 

You know what would be super cool and make me super happy? If there was a channel that actually made movies I wanted to watch. It would have to be cable because there would definitely be tingly bits on screen and I’m hoping the language would be of a questionable nature. Every once in a while I’m reminded why I really want this to be a thing and it usually happens after reading a book like My Dragon, My Knight. This book would make a perfect addition to the scheduling on my fantasy network. I’d curl up on my couch in my onesie with an adult beverage in one hand and a bowl of something I shouldn’t be shoveling in my face in the other and I’d binge watch the hell out of this flick.

My Dragon, My Knight has all manner of elements that I love in a story. There were really likable characters, one that I could loathe unconditionally, second chance love and pets. I love when an author can work pets into the family organically and John Inman is a master of it. Danny is in an abusive relationship with the loathsome Josh and all the scenes with Danny and Josh together were pretty stressful. I could feel how torn Danny was, it wasn’t like Josh changed from the loving, care taking boyfriend at the beginning of their relationship to the tyrannical control freak he became overnight. I felt Danny’s hopelessness and fear grow as the story progressed. Danny’s one safe space is the bar down the street from the condo he and Josh live in. The bar in owned and tended by Jay Holtsclaw, he’s a bit older than Danny but something about Danny brings out the protective side of Jay.

Jay has heartbreak in his background and my heart hurt as his history was revealed. The two didn’t open up to one another right away, but they did build a tentative friendship and looked forward to the bit of time they did get to spend together.

As one would expect, shit got seriously real for Danny with Joshua and he had to make a break for it to save himself and his beloved pooch when Joshua went on a rampage of a proportion that even Danny hadn’t seen to that point. Danny goes to the only person he believes he can count on, Jay. Initially Danny only wants Jay to dog-sit, Danny has no way to support himself on his own suddenly and has only the clothes on his back. Jay is having none of that nonsense and the two become roomies at Jay’s secluded mountain cabin in the hills outside of San Diego.

I’m a native San Diegan, so I knew exactly where Jay’s cabin was and there couldn’t have been a better haven for these two to get to know one another, blend their furry families and heal. The environment became another character in the story for me. Jay and Danny’s time on the mountain is a story in itself and I ate up their moments together. This is way more than just one man making an escape and starting a new life. All the characters introduced had depth to them that made them integral to the plot and development of the story. Jay wasn’t just a savior to Danny at the right time, I had no doubt he truly cared for Danny and vice versa. The respect Danny showed for Jay’s past was very touching and spoke volumes about Danny’s character.

Of course, Josh couldn’t just take a big fucking hint and leave things be, crazy people don’t do that and just as things were getting cozy and happy, shit got real yet again. The pace all worked out for the best though, I mean, the second coming of Josh was inevitable but before then there was plenty of the author’s brand of romance and “bonding” that I absolutely love. The characters actually talk about their feelings and fears and it always makes me believe in the HEA between the MC’s.

When Josh does show up, it’s in a truly epic way that makes for great drama in the book and in my fantasy movie. It’s at about this time I really need to make sure my beverage is topped off. The ending is dramatic, emotional and over the top. For an ending that is going to make or break some lives, I’m not gonna lie, it was entertaining as hell to read and again, brings me back to the cable movie feeling that I love to indulge in. Josh’s destiny in My Dragon, My Knight is . . . not pretty and not realistic, but at this point I’m over reality, I want Inman’s brand of comeuppance, that’s what will satisfy my comfy couch self who at this point is sporting a good buzz and needs revenge! And, that’s what I got.

My Dragon, My Knight runs the gamut of emotions, but it’s balanced throughout and I really liked how Danny was more than just his relationships. I wouldn’t have enjoyed the whole story nearly as much if he was just that one note. While the impact Josh had on him was undeniable, it didn’t define him and I think that’s what made me able to believe in a relationship between he and Jay, I never got the impression that Jay was a convenient hero for Danny. Jay had his own history and it was given the right amount of page time so that Danny could be there for Jay too. So, get comfy, pour a cocktail and settle in, because My Dragon, My Knight is quite an emotional ride that is worth every comfort calorie you’re going to ingest along the way.


Head over to Dreamspinner Press for more information and to pick up a copy of My Dragon, My Knight.

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

Audiobook Review: Breakaway (Scoring Chances #1) by Avon Gale

Drafted to play for the Jacksonville Sea Storm, an NHL affiliate, twenty-year-old Lane Courtnall’s future looks bright, apart from the awkwardness he feels as a gay man playing on a minor league hockey team. He's put his foot in his mouth a few times and alienated his teammates. Then, during a rivalry game, Lane throws off his gloves against Jared Shore, enforcer for the Savannah Renegades. It’s a strange way to begin a relationship.

Jared’s been playing minor league hockey for most of his career. He’s bisexual and doesn’t care if anyone knows. But he’s determined to avoid another love affair after the last one left him devastated. Out of nowhere a one-nighter with rookie Lane Courtnall gives him second thoughts. Lane reminds Jared why he loves the game and why love might be worth the risk. In turn, Jared hopes to show Lane how to be comfortable with himself on and off the ice. But they’re at different points in their careers, and both men will have to decide what they value most.

Narrator: Scott R. Smith
Listening Length: 7 hrs 33 mins

Breakaway gave me so many things I love and wrapped them up in a delicious package. I’m a lifelong hockey FANatic but I generally steer clear of hockey romances as I turn into a picky pain in the ass and that’s honestly not fair to the stories. So, I typically keep my loves separate as there haven’t been too many times the streams crossed successfully for my aforementioned pain in the ass self.

Breakaway though, is a completely different story. There’s a good bit of hockey sport, rules and regs throughout and the author did a stellar job of being true to the sport while keeping it accessible to hockey and non-hockey folks alike. That’s not an easy feat as hockey fans have a tendency to be rabid and a little off when it comes to their love of the game, so I get why it doesn’t always work. This one works. The game itself, as well as the ins and outs of the league became an integral part to the story and the vehicle for the relationship between Lane and Jared.

Lane and Jared are at two very different points in their respective careers and I really enjoyed listening to Jared’s views as he made decisions for his future based on his achievements, his overall career and his relationship with Lane. Jared was such a strong character based on his history and maturity, I really liked him. I know Lane is so very popular with fans of this book, I mean, you can’t not be in love with the guy as you get to know him, but Jared’s strength is what did it for me.

It’s the differences between the two characters that gave them so much appeal though. So I can’t have my Jared without Lane and vice versa, which it completely fine by this reader. Lane was just on the border of being too much, but the author knew how to redeem him when he was being clueless and how to rein him in before he went too far. The narrator nailed the voices for these two perfectly. They were distinctive and he was able to capture the subtle nuances of their dialog well so I never got lost in conversations no matter who was speaking.

The playoffs became another character in Breakaway and it was a lot of fun to listen to. Listening to the guys with their game faces when they were on the ice and then how they came together after was perfectly hockey and made me respect them both even more.

I have to give a shout out to Lane’s mom too. She wasn’t portrayed well through the bulk of the story, not awful, but not what I wanted for Lane either. Then when she makes her appearance in the story I loved her. The two of them did some actual communicating and she’s basically a female version of Lane. It’s no wonder they were both kind of lost. Lane makes all kinds of sense after you meet his mom and she and Jared clicked in the best possible way for their future.

There’s setup for the next in the series and I’m pretty hooked on the audio versions as the narrator is a great fit for the characters and when I read the blurbs for the rest of the series, I hear his take on the characters I’ve already met and I want to hear more from them.

For more information on Scoring Chances, check it out on Goodreads and over at Dreamspinner Press.

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

See our eBook review here!

Review: Detective Fox and the Christmas Caper (Dick and the Sidekick #1) by Isobel Starling

Every good Dick needs a sidekick…

Actor Tom Lewis’s world came crashing down when a honey trap and tabloid exposé outed him and put pay to his flourishing career. The housewives favourite was most well-known for his role as ‘Detective Fox’ in the quaint British series Malmesbury Murders. But after the media speculation about his sexuality, the show is in hiatus and Tom hasn’t worked six months.

Now things are getting serious, the money he made from M.M is running out and he needs a job desperately. So when Tom’s agent offers him a six week seasonal acting job, he reluctantly agrees… and takes on the role of Santa for a top London department store. 

This decision changes Tom’s luck. Not only will he have an income for the holiday season, he’ll also be working with a very sexy young elf that he spotted at the auditions, named Eli Mason. 

While on a break Tom overhears two unidentified store workers discussing a ‘job to get a little Christmas bonus”. He realizes the job is of the illegal sort. Now, Tom could call the police, but then again, wouldn’t it be great for his flagging career if Detective Fox saved the day.

So Fox is on the case, and as every good Dick needs a sidekick, Tom decides Eli will fit the role, in more ways than one.”

I had a lot of fun reading this Christmas novella. It’s got humor, steam, a bit of mystery and did I mention steam? Detective Fox definitely read like the first in a series to me. Not that that is a bad thing, but there was necessary setup to the characters, plus the mystery plus the lead in to further episodes to cover in a novella length story, so much was touched on without a ton of detail. Again, not a bad thing and I’m hoping the bits I want more of will be further explored in coming tales. If they are, then I can see this as being the kind of series you want to reread once you get to know everyone and the whole series will end up balanced and complete.

The mystery isn’t overly mysterious and for me that worked considering the detectives here were not detectives by any means, so anything more complex would have been too unbelievable considering the time that was dedicated to solving the Christmas crime. The fun was in Tom, Eli and their band of merry elves working together to figure out how to be heroes so they can get a little face time. Tom is an actor after all and while I wouldn’t exactly say he’d been disgraced, he did have a serious slump going on with his recent scandal in the press.

I liked reading about Eli and Tom together and feel like we are just at the beginning of something with them. That pacing worked well even though that is a big part of the bits I want more of. If their relationship evolves how I’m hoping, the progression of their togetherness will be better than any mystery, and then the mystery can be a fun vehicle to move these guys forward. There is some delicious kink that the author tapped into that was a total treat and I most definitely need more of that. What I read was complete but because I loved the unexpected avenue the author went down with Tom and Eli, it felt like such a tease which has got me hooked and ready to read book two.

For more information on Detective Fox and the Christmas Caper, check it out on Goodreads.

Buy Links

Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M1889QP

Barnes and Nobel

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/1124865786?ean=2940153783772

ibooks

https://itunes.apple.com/id1166116268

Smashwords

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/672621

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

Review: Settling the Score by Eden Winters

Outed and dumped on national television by his rising star boyfriend, Joey Nichols must face the bigotry of the locals in his small Southern town alone. His dreams of a happy ever after lie crushed at his feet.

Novelist Troy Steele has an axe to grind against Hollywood heartbreaker types. Transforming Joey into a gorgeous, unobtainable hunk would be payback worthy of Troy’s poison pen. It's a brilliant way to get back at Joey’s image-obsessed ex-boyfriend and the movie producer who’s mutilating Troy’s novels.

What begins as simple revenge may tangle them together in something far more complicated. Living well may be the best revenge, but Troy and Joey could rewrite that to loving well.

Another fun one from Eden Winters.

The premise was interesting to me. I don't know that I've read a love story quite like this one. I've read the fake boyfriends trope, but nothing quite like Settling the Score. While I didn't love everything about it, it was nice to read a M/M romance with a little something different.

Joey was outed on TV by his long time boyfriend. Not only was he outed to his family, but also to everyone in the small town he lives in. His ex (who is an actor) got big time publicity for this stunt, and it helped his career. Basically, the ex is an asshat. 

In comes Troy. He's a writer and wants to use Joey's situation as his muse. He hires him, gives him a makeover, and uses him to write his newest book. And uses the new-and-improved Joey to get revenge on his own ex.

Lots of revenge happening here! It was fun and different... if a little much. The revenge thing got a tad old, but I liked how it all worked out in the end. And it did bother me how much Troy was changing Joey. He stressed that Joey didn't need to change but... then he went on doing it anyway? Eh. Rubbed me wrong.

That being said, I really liked Joey and Troy together. They made a for a fun couple to read about. While they were both seeking revenge on their exes, they were able to see what was right in front of them. 

Settling the Score is full of fun shenanigans with a lighthearted romance. Definitely recommended for some easy and relaxing reading. 

A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Find out more info on Goodreads.

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Audiobook Review: To The Highest Bidder (A Planet Called Wish #1) by Caitlin Ricci, Narrated by Jean Samson

The Intergalactic Star Pilot Academy has accepted Thierry Leroux into the elite class of sky year 2231. But the academy comes with a hefty price tag, and there's no way he, a poor Sythe orphan, has the credits the academy requires. Thierry’s brother, Corbin, a high-class companion, suggests Thierry sell his virginity for the cost of tuition. It seems like a ridiculous idea, but it may be Thierry’s only shot, so Thierry asks Corbin to arrange a meeting on the pleasure planet of Wish.

On Wish, Thierry meets Corbin's boss, Monroe, and they agree to auction off Thierry’s virginity. Thierry is grateful to the masked buyer he knows only as “Dragonfly,” and Dragonfly is gentle, making Thierry’s first time a good memory. When Dragonfly requests to see him again, and pay for the pleasure, Thierry returns to Wish. But in this game, falling in love is dangerous for the heart, and Thierry might not like the man behind the mask.

I’m a sucker for a good sci-fi love story and To the Highest Bidder ended up being a surprisingly sweet coming of age tale of intergalactic lust and love. This was my first time listening to Jean Samson narrating and I really loved his voice. His Thierry is perfect. Honestly, I could just listen to him say his name over and over again. . . .Jean Samson . . . .Jean Samson . . . .Jean Samson. The accent made me swoon.

Thierry has a dream to be a pilot with no means to make that dream happen. His brother, Corbin, works as an escort on Wish, the planet where all the sexy things happen. I liked listening to the relationship between Corbin and Thierry. They’ve been orphaned since Thierry was quite young and Corbin has been his caretaker since then and, as Thierry gets older and more independent throughout the book, their dynamic evolves and I enjoyed all of their exchanges.

The brothers are brainstorming on a way to come up with the credits to get Thierry into the academy when Corbin finds out he’s been accepted and they come up with the wacky, but thoroughly sexy idea to auction off Thierry’s virginity to the highest bidder and letting Corbin’s boss Monroe handle the marketing and transaction. Monroe runs the most successful brother on the planet and if anybody can get top dollar for Thierry’s cherry, it’ll be Monroe.

The world building had just the right level of detail and creativity to keep me engaged and not overwhelmed. The sci-fi aspect didn’t take over the character’s personalities, but added to the overall arc. One of the bestest things about Thierry and Corbin is their heritage. These boys are Sythe and apparently that makes them seriously hot commodities in Corbin’s profession, while also a little feared in the general public. There are not a lot of Sythe around, so the bit of mystery surrounding the particulars of their genetics makes them even more appealing. The Sythe are very sensitive to touch and attention. Meaning, when a Sythe individual opens themselves completely they feel and react to everything x 10. So basically, super hot.

Thierry can’t help but react to Monroe. Up until then Thierry had led a pretty sheltered life, the brothers didn’t have a lot of extra credits floating around to entertain themselves and Thierry’s only dream was to fly. So the interaction between the young and inexperienced Thierry with the more mature and jaded Monroe was tense and sexy at the same time. Not that they particularly get along, but that was part of then fun.

Thierry’s virginity gets auctioned off, he ends up making bank and the man who wins is a mystery from the beginning. He wears a mask and does not speak, and he has a dragonfly tattoo on his side that Thierry finds fascinating. The time they spent together was steamy and pretty sweet. Dragonfly has his good time, but he makes sure Thierry does too and because Thierry feels so intensely, the sex is smokin’.

While that was supposed to be their only encounter, Monroe ends up acting as an intermediary between the two with messages back and forth once Thierry heads off to the academy. Thierry keeps Dragonfly posted on how he’s doing, the two of them sort of get to know one another (Dragonfly is paying him for these letters too along with the additional meet-ups here and there) and the two of them fall into, what I like to call, “Pen Pal Love”.

Pen Pal Love is very romanticized, very sweet, but not very realistic. Dragonfly knows this, but Thierry is young, passionate and impulsive. This is why I referred to the story as a coming-of-age tale as well. Thierry has a lot of growing up to do and when he finds out about Dragonfly he reacts like an immature man would. The author and narrator did a great job of capturing the self-righteous, self-centeredness of youth. Thierry is the least malicious person in the galaxy, but he’s impulsive and has a lot of growing up to do.

I liked where the story went from here. A lot of time is covered and there was no convenient answer. The only solution was time and the author made sure her characters had it. I would have loved to have more of the MC’s together after it all, but what I got was completely satisfying, especially from Thierry’s perspective. The kid turns out all right and by the end I really liked and respected who he grew into.

For more information on To The Highest Bidder, head over to Dreamspinner Press,

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

Release Day Review: My Busboy by John Inman

Robert Johnny just turned thirty, and his life is pretty much in the toilet. His writing career is on the skids. His love life is nonexistent. A stalker is driving him crazy. And his cat is a pain in the ass.

Then Robert orders a chimichanga platter at a neighborhood restaurant, and his life changes—just like that.

Dario Martinez isn’t having such a great existence either. He needs money for college. His shoes are falling apart. His boyfriend’s a dick. And he has a crap job as a busboy.

Then a stranger orders a chimichanga platter, and suddenly life isn’t quite as depressing.

But it’s the book in the busboy’s back pocket that really gets the ball rolling. For both our heroes. That and the black eye and the forgotten bowl of guacamole. Who knew true love could be so easily ignited or that the flames would spread so quickly?

But when Robert’s stalker gets dangerous, our two heroes find a lot more to occupy their time than falling in love. Staying alive might become the new game plan.

Anyone who is an Inman connoisseur knows that his books are more than one note. His library includes a range of genres from comedy to angst to horror to mystery and a mashup of everything in between. In a nutshell, there is something for every reader. My Busboy falls in the funny/mystery/shenanigans categories with a sweet dose of romance that I ate up with a big ol’ spoon.

Robert is a writer with a case of writer’s block. His personal life is in the crapper and he’s a true artist with a flare for the dramatic. Not in an overt way, but more of a “glass is half empty” way. Not being an author/artist type myself, I can only imagine what being inside of their brains is like, but I like to think that many are like Robert when he’s in a state of feast or famine with the word flow. The all-encompassing passion was pretty interesting to be a part of and I liked being inside Robert’s head through his processes.

He’s got a best friend who has been in love with him forever and while on paper, Chaz should be the perfect match, Robert just doesn’t have that THING with Chaz that would make him the one. Chaz would beg to differ on that count and their friendship was a little heartbreaking but very honest. Both sides were very clear and I appreciated Robert’s clarity with Chaz even if it wasn’t easy.

Jealousy rears its ugly head when one fateful evening, Chaz and Robert hit their favorite Mexican restaurant and Robert lays his peepers on one very delicious busboy. Said busboy just happens to have a copy of Robert’s first book in his back pocket and reading about the effect that had on Robert was seriously adorable. The moment was really the epitome of the meet-cute. Chaz is less than impressed, but Robert gives very few fucks about Chaz’s opinion at that moment and makes it back to Sombrero’s to see Dario and a relationship is on its way to happening.

Chaz was sure to point out repeatedly the age different between Robert and Dario and that does weigh on Robert’s mind. Robert is not that much older, but he is pretty set in his ways and what I got out of it was that the dried up well of writing was making Robert feel and act older than his chronological age. The concern that his best work was behind him made him a tad touchy about the whole thing and best friends now how to hit those buttons, especially when they see the object of their affection turn their attention elsewhere.

Dario has an asshole for a boyfriend, very soon to be ex, and Robert ends up at the right place at the right time to provide Dario a strong shoulder and a safe place. Getting to know Dario was delicious. I loved his character. The more I read about him, the more I could see his openness and honesty as a perfect balance to Robert’s artistic temperament. While Robert would have a tendency to over analyze the hell out of something and worry a thought to pieces, Dario would cut to the chase, wrap it up and put Robert’s heart and mind at ease.

One of my absolute favorite things is John sets so many of his stories here in San Diego. We’re a big, little city and reading about it from someone who knows how to capture the mood and the setting perfectly is very satisfying. He doesn’t just keep his characters in the city either, in My Busboy, Robert and Dario head out to the high desert of San Diego and being that it’s one of my family’s favorite places to be, I was all kinds of happy and homey reading that part of the story. That whole section just melted me to pieces, it was the perfect vehicle for the budding relationship between them.

Being a relatively well know author, Robert does have himself a stalker. And this is where the mystery follows the characters. John throws in a couple of tricky deflections and a hint of his horror side comes out to play when the stalker ups his game. Especially the part with Clutch (Robert’s cat), holy hell, stress me out why don’t you John?? The stalker is both scary and sad, you have to trust me on that one and while the ending was prophetically fitting, tense and really well done, it was still realistically heartbreaking keeping the story grounded.

I need to take a moment to discuss the epilogue. All I can say, is “D’awwwwwwwww”. So many things made me happy in the epilogue and while everything was wrapped up it was done well and didn’t have an air of convenience about it. The author built everything up to that point to make the epilogue work and give me the HEA I really needed for these guys.


For more information on My Busboy and to get your copy, head over to Dreamspinner Press.

**a copy of this story was provided to BMBR from the publisher for an honest review**

Review: Blue Moon Rising (Coyote's Call #3) by Bailey Bradford

Love can conquer all, if he’ll only believe… 

Roman Jonas has spent years recovering from a violent assault when he was just a teenager. He’s worked hard, and finally found his place in the world. Now, if he can only get his coyote to agree. As a medicine man for his pack, he isn’t able to shift. It’s frustrating to say the least, but not as frustrating—or confusing—as the feelings he has for former Ranger Abraham Evans.

Abraham lost the ability to do his job effectively when he was shot. His right arm and hand are close to useless, and he’s had a hell of a time not dying over the past month. Sometimes it seems like it’d be so much easier to just give up, but a certain hazel-eyed man has captured his heart, and it won’t stop beating.

When Abraham is discharged from the hospital, he moves to Del Rey to be closer to Roman, and because he has no one else in his life who truly cares about him.

Slowly, he and Roman begin a tentative friendship that turns into something more enduring than they’ve ever dreamed of, but enemies from the past threaten everything and everyone Roman and Abraham love.

Reader Advisory: This book contains reference to past sexual assault.

I’ve been following this series since book 1, Off Course and I think the series is just getting better with each book. I’m not a huge fan of shifters in general, but Bailey Bradford writes just the flavor I like. The characters don’t follow a formula like so many others do, so they stay interesting even if the basics are the same. They still have forever mates and moon ceremonies and all that, but each set of characters that get together are unique. One may end up being more toppy than the other, but it’s probably not who you’d expect. One character isn’t the ultra-alpha and the other an uber-twink. It’s the unexpected that makes these books fun to read.

I was anxious to read Roman’s story after all the shite he’d been through as a young man and I was swoony for Abraham since he was introduced because who doesn’t like the strong silent type wrapped up in a Texas Ranger package? Roman’s story was handled well. The author didn’t try to get too deep into the psychology of it all which was good. The story was more about the relationship between Roman and Abraham. Roman’s background wasn’t ignored, it was acknowledged in a meaningful way which gave him back the power over his own life without going into a lot of detail about his therapy that would have been too much for this book. There was a certain amount of magical meanderings to his healing, he is the pack shaman after all, but there were no miraculous cures with the magic. The magical parts were more about spirituality and journeys and what not which fit with Roman’s role in the pack.

The connection between Roman and Abraham was really strong, I think more so than any of the others so far and those guys are all really tight. Something about these two really clicked. I think because the build-up was so well done. Abraham is a strong man inside and out who’s body has been wrecked by his injuries. He knows he’d do it all again if it meant keeping Roman safe, but he’s resigned himself to just admiring from a distance. He can’t comprehend why a man like Roman would be interested in an older man who’s lost his ability to do the job he loved and who’s all stoic and stuff. So, when the two of them started to interact and Abraham got the notion that he may be exactly what turns Roman’s crank it got all kinds of sweet and flirty.

My favorite thing about the whole book was when the two got down to being mates and the the sexy times started. And not just for the sexy times believe it or not, although I will get to that. What I liked was the playful banter between them and the honesty that came from it. There was a sense that Roman and Abraham were really comfortable with one another and that they trusted each other unconditionally. When that happens the dirty talk is just soooo much better. And these two know how to do the dirty talk. Especially Roman, damn dude, you’re good. Very. Very. Good. Abraham thought so too because he was left speechless on more than one occasion, but he came through in the end like a champ and I loved them both for it.

There’s still traction with the mystery in their town as well as their own shifter history they are piecing together. It’s good because all of that keeps the ball rolling for the series, but doesn’t overshadow the character’s dynamics. I still don’t really get the “Fervent 5” and their point. I’m sure that will come forward in the next couple of books. Maybe. Possibly. I just picture the Furious 5 from Kung Fu Panda every time I read it.

And I shall leave you with this little tease. A small sampling of the dirty talk I love so . . .

“This way.” Abraham had him bent over the side of the bed in seconds. “Yeah, open that pretty ass up for me.”
Roman reached back and parted his cheeks.
“Sweet man. Sweet, sweet man.” Then Abraham licked him, right over his hole.
Roman’s world changed for the better then. 

It did for all of us Roman, and we thank you.


For more info on Blue Moon Rising, Coyote's Call #3, check it out on Goodreads.

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