Review: Changes Going On (Changes #2) by Kaje Harper

Three men, one summer of media, mentorship, and murder. 

There's a reason Scott Edison came out as gay and poly on national TV— now no one can try to push him back into the closet. But as his men and his hockey team deal with the fallout from fans and paparazzi, moving forward isn't as easy as he'd hoped. 

Will Rice was looking forward to a quiet summer, sharing the work with his guys and giving Scott a refuge from the spotlight. He's hired a couple of young ranch hands, and finally feels ready to give back some of the mentoring that turned his life around decades ago. But good fences won't be enough to keep trouble off the ranch. 

Casey Barlow left the Sheriff's Department on his own terms, out and proud. But when the new sheriff is murdered— and Casey's one of the few with a watertight alibi— he's asked to investigate, and he can't resist. He's determined to solve the murder, and still take care of his men on the home front. Then one murder becomes two… 

It's a summer of risks and challenges, and working together is the only way they'll make it through.

Changes Coming Down, the first in the Changes series ended on a bombshell that closed all the loops but left the door wide open for more. I do appreciate when that happens when I’m committing to a series. Not to mention committing to characters that I’ve become so enamored with. Scott, Will and Casey are such perfect pieces that fit into their relationship puzzle in the best way. I already knew I was in for the Changes series, maybe a quarter of the way into the first book. Kaje Harper built the foundation so well, it’s a true character driven story, so I want to read about them for the long haul, regardless of what’s going on in their lives. 

And hey, what do you know, there’s a lot going on in their lives. Given how Changes Coming Down ended, with Scott coming out to the world, it’s no wonder. Sometimes it can be tough to pick up where you left off while waiting for the next installment of a series, but the recap was just enough and melded with the beginning of Changes Going On seamlessly. 

Three characters with three story arcs that intersect and weave could be overwhelming, but on the contrary, the stories complimented one another and added even more depth to the already fully fleshed out story. Scott is dealing with the PR fallout of his coming out. Will is finding his place and reconciling with his childhood. Casey is back to work in law enforcement in a role that suits him well. I love how the author builds up each character individually, so I feel like I know them as independently as well as in the context of their relationship. And given they are in a throuple relationship, the separation is so important to be able to take them seriously as characters and not just a vehicle for a three-way.

Each one of the guys bring many things to the table in their relationship. Scott is the light that Will and Casey need. Casey is intense and Will is stoic, they need Scott to remind them to enjoy the little things. Will, oh my sweet, wonderful Will, is a rock. We should all be lucky enough to have a Will in our lives in some capacity. My hear always aches for him a bit and I was so thankful to be able to read his history. It explained why my hear ached every time! I knew he had a rough start, but damn. The fact that he grew into such a good human says so much about his strong character. I just want more people to see him like Scott and Casey do. Casey is the great protector (not that Scott and Will need that necessarily in a literal sense) but everyone needs to feel safe and I think Will and Scott need that especially. 

There was bonus action and mystery to go along with all the evolution happening in the relationship. Like I said, the series is character driven, but there is still plenty of plot to round out the individual stories. There is plenty of conflict, but it’s external and to be expected considering everything happening. The positive and negative are there, anything else would have been, unfortunately, unbelievable. Especially for Scott. The relationship between the three of them is solid. They communicate verbally and physically, so that no matter what is happening, there is confidence that, at the end of the day, they can come home both physically and metaphorically.

The secondary characters are strong, they added to the plots organically and the young ranch hands were the perfect vehicle for Will to define his purpose beyond ranching. His heart is too big and needed more outlet. Did I mention that I love Will? I love Will. 

Everything wrapped up well in Changes Going On and I don’t know if there will be a third book, but I do hope there will be. In the meantime, I’ll just hope that the series shows up in audiobook format so I can revisit the guys in another way.

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

Review: Changes Coming Down (Changes #1) by Kaje Harper

For three gay men in love, opening the closet door could be a risky move.

Sheriff Casey Barlow has a slick, media-savvy challenger out to beat him in the upcoming election. Casey's damned good at his job, but he hasn't kissed the right asses, and early polls suggest voters like his opponent's style. Coming out now, let alone revealing his relationship with two men, could sink any hope of keeping his badge.

Scott Edison has a real shot at the NHL. He's playing the best hockey of his life. Whenever he can, he travels home to his gruff sheriff and their laid-back cowboy, but there are no out gay players in the NHL. As a rookie working his ass off to be called up, he can't afford to make waves.

Will Rice always figured he'd live alone, managing Graham and Annmarie Slater's cattle ranch, but a hot, young hockey player and a compact, muscled lawman rearranged his plans. Even though he's older and lanky and ordinary, he's been sharing their lives and their beds. He doesn't need to be out— isn't sure he ever wants the Slaters to know about him. Life's good the way things are. 

Then Graham and Annmarie are killed in a hit and run that may not be an accident. As Will grieves, and Casey investigates, the coming changes will shake all their lives.

I’ll be the first to admit I can be a big ol’ baby when it comes to books sometimes. I love me some horror, thrillers, the whole mess. I like to read them late at night alone to amp the freak out factor. But, my romance? I need it to be swaddled for me in fluffy clouds and baby bunnies. Some of my absolute all time favorite books are heavy on the angst, but I really have to work myself up to them. I never regret reading them in the end, but struggles in love are tough for me to deal with.

I am obviously a huge fan of LGBTQIA romance, and there are a few plot points that kill me to death and I turn extra Pollyanna about reading them. One of the biggies that hits me hardest is the characters who live in the closet, for whatever reason. Reading about the injustice of anyone not living their best life because of the potential fallout is tough for this big ol’ baby. And that’s just my privileged self sitting on my couch, reading about a struggle I will never know but want to learn to empathize with.

So, reading the blurb for Changes Coming Down, I was thinking, “Ann, this is so going to kick your sorry ass.” And it did, but honestly, I’ve read enough Kaje Harper to know that she is going to hit me with way too many feelings, but they’ll be really well balanced with some humor, hope and MCs that have me hooked from the first page I meet them.

Three closeted guys in a committed relationship is a tall order of a story. Throw in some murder mystery and that’s a lot of real estate to tie together and make flow comprehensively. But the author did it and it read so smoothly, I kind of forgot there were so many separate elements going on. Because all those elements ended up tied together very logically, the book read smoothly and it was truly hard to put down.

The biggest strength of Changes Coming Down is the bond between Scotty, Will and Casey. They all have very strong and distinct personalities, but their conversations and inner musings showed how much they cared for and needed one another. They were already established when the books starts and their history is told in bits as the story progressed, which worked completely fine for me because I already was sold on the three of them being together.

There are plenty of tense moments as their futures shift them out of their comfort zones, and there were times when I wanted to put my Kindle in the freezer to save me from potentially heartbreaking scenes, but the guys supported one another so well, since they had each others back, they basically had mine too.

They each had their moments to lose their cool too and that helped keep the story grounded. Casey had a temper that got him into trouble on more than one occasion, so Will and Scotty knew how to deal with him well. They had each others numbers througout and that strength made it all work.

The book doesn’t end on a cliffhanger, but it does end with some major changes for the three of them that sets up the second book coming soon. And thankfully it’s coming soon, because I am all kinds of invested over here. I need to know what’s going to happen with all the things, and there are A LOT of things I need to know and read more of.

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

Review: But by the Grace of Dog (Four Legged Friends #1) by A.F. Henley

Thom Baron has been struggling with social anxiety his entire life. He's taken the medications, gone to the therapists, followed the programs, and concluded his best life is a solitary one. When he comes across a dog in obvious need at his local market, it rekindles the desire to have some company around. It may come with a dishevelled coat, a notched ear, and a refusal to respond to anything but its given name "Ugly," but it could still be a friend. 

However, Thom's new fur buddy has no such need to keep to itself and immediately befriends the man Thom has secretly coveted since he moved in -- Justin, Thom's gorgeous, bright-eyed neighbour. No matter how Thom tries to evade the man, the dog keeps drawing them back into each other's lives, and it doesn't take Thom long to recognize it's simply pursuing the demands of Thom's own heart. With the dog giving him the courage to try, Thom reaches out to return the love being offered. 

Until a stranger shows up insisting the dog is his and demanding its immediate return ... a loss Thom knows will take all of his efforts and newfound confidence with it.

Oh Dog, I would give you all the treats. All of them.

But by the Grace of Dog hits on some heavy topics in an approachable and honest way, given the level of Thom’s social anxiety, it really should have read more heavy than it did. Being in Thom’s head wasn’t always easy, but the author sure made the journey enlightening and worthwhile.

Thom has a severe case of social anxiety, being Thom isn’t easy and reading about what he went through to accomplish everyday tasks I handle with ease was a real eye opener. It was heartbreaking and exhausting just to read, so I can’t truly deem to imagine what it’s like to live like Thom on the daily.

Thom is destined to stay in his stressed out bubble until he meets Dog at the farmer’s market. Dog is a stinky stray, well, dog, whose future is the shelter where he probably won’t survive. Thom is a good guy to his core and there’s no way he can let that be a thing, so he adopts Dog and the two begin a journey that’s messy, ridiculous and just the absolute best.

Thom has a huge crush on his neighbor, Justin, and Dog manages to “create” scenarios where the two end up having to spend time together. It’s definitely not easy on Thom and the author did a really good job of balancing charmingly awkward moments with the true struggles Thom deals with. There was no magical peen that made everything miraculously better. Thom and Justin would take two steps forward and a step back, three steps forward and four back and so on and so on. But, they did move forward and the hard earned steps were like reading multiple meet cutes in one story.

Justin was the ONE for Thom, right from the get go. And the story could have been so full of angst if Justin weren’t so open, it was refreshing to read and was what made Thom and Justin (and Dog) work. I believe in these two (three) for the long haul and same goes for this series. If the next critter I meet in book 2 is half the critter Dog is, I’ll be a happy reader.

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

Review: The Scarecrow and George C by Mia Kerick

High school senior Van Liss is barely human. He thinks of himself as a scarecrow—ragged and unnerving, stuck, and destined to spend his life cold and alone. If he ever had feelings, they were stomped out long ago by his selfish mother and her lecherous boyfriend. All he’s been left with is bitter contempt, to which he clings.

With a rough exterior long used to keep the world at bay, Van spooks George Curaco, the handsome new frycook at the diner where he works. But George C senses there is more to the untouchable Van and refuses to stop staring, fascinated by his eccentricity. When Van learns that George C is even more cold, alone, and frightened than himself, Van welcomes him to his empty home. And ends up finding his heart.

Their road to trust is rocky and, at times, even dangerous. And looming evil threatens to keep them apart forever.

Fair warning: You may want to strap in. It’s going to be a bumpy ride.

This is a unique story that I got along with really well. I’m not big into YA novels, but I have read Mia Kerick’s stories before and I know I’ve enjoyed reading every one of them very much. Given that Van is in high school it sounded YA at first, but it isn’t, don’t let Van’s age fool you. He’s seen some shit and to protect himself he “becomes” a Scarecrow to keep people at a distance. He adopts a prickly persona and even his tone at the beginning is trying to push the reader away in a sense. While it comes across a little off putting at first, his voice is that way for a reason and there was enough of Van peaking through to intrigue me.

George C is the perfect foil to Van’s Scarecrow. George C is smitten in his own way and while Van is absolutely not having it at first, his curiosity is piqued and that alone would make for a cute story. But, cute is not the aim here and while it may not seem like it at first, George C has also seen his fair share of the aforementioned shit and his life is, well, his life is rough.

I don’t want to go into detail because the evolution of these two opening up and sharing with one another needs to be read because the give and take was really well done. It’s safe to say that there are a few triggering points that will break your heart, but they won’t kill you to death because there is an underlying air of hope throughout that kept me reading and rooting for them both.

Van may be the more dramatic and extreme of the two but he fully came into his own for George C and while all appearances in the beginning would lead you to believe that George C would be saving Van, it was in fact, the other way around. And Van needed that, he needed someone to see him. He needed someone to see beyond his walls and see that he was worthy of healthy love. So, George C did save Van too, by letting him be strong and in turn letting Van get himself back.

While there were definitely difficult parts to digest, the MCs had significant amounts of baggage to deal with, but man, they were meant to be together. The tough parts were tough, but the little moments and quirks the two of them developed as their relationship progressed balanced the story out perfectly. LIke I said before, there was an underlying hopefulness that I read into the story and the organic subtle moments between Van and George C were more valuable than any grand gesture ever could be.

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

Review: Home Improvement - A Love Story by Tara Lain

Romance on Aisle Sixteen—opposites attract amid the hammers and screws of the home improvement store.

Gabe Mason became a father at seventeen, and his daughter, Ellie, is the most important thing in his life. But being the parent the courts demand means Gabe has given up most of his dreams—education, making furniture, a gay social life—to be a model dad with a steady, reliable job in a home improvement store. Life’s predictable until Jerry, a shy, eccentric guy in a hat and sunglasses, begs Gabe to oversee the renovation of his run-down mansion.

Gabe loves the house and the work, and Jerry's pretty lovable too, but when Gabe discovers Jerry’s secret identity, he fears their passion could overturn both their lives forever.

Home Improvement is exactly what I expect when I read a book by Tara Lain. There’s likable characters I want to root for, relationship dynamics I get sucked into and just enough melodrama to be super entertaining.

She also writes great “every man” type characters. Gabe is just such a good guy who has sacrificed his own future when he was young to raise his daughter in the best way he knew how. He’s in his early thirties and his daughter is now 17. He works at a home improvement store and is liked by pretty much everyone.

When an odd customer shows up at the store one day and seems to only trust Gabe when it comes to his home improvement project. Gabe is strangely intrigued, but also very practical so he’s not too quick to jump at the opportunity to help renovate Jerry’s (weird dude) classic home. But Jerry’s shy and sweet demeanor quickly breaks down Gabe’s defenses and Gabe agrees to tackle Jerry’s home. 

Jerry sees some of Gabe’s handmade furniture and falls in love with it, which was pretty much the way to Gabe and his daughter’s hearts. Ellie, Gabe’s daughter is his biggest champion and I really liked the relationship they shared. As Gabe and Jerry spend more time together, I got to see that Gabe wasn’t the only really good guy here and while it was obvious Jerry has some secrets, he was good to his core.

There was the prerequisite angst that came with Gabe’s ex, Ellie’s mom. She’s not always been the most dependable, but they’ve always gotten along well, keeping Ellie’s well being in mind first and foremost. But, she’s hooks up with a religious man who is anything but good (and this is where the melodrama comes in). He’s OTT enough to be a caricature more than anything else but he does add the necessary villain that is fun to hate. He’s too ridiculous to win anything here, but he does galvanize the rest of the characters together.

I don’t want to go into who Jerry was outside his home, that’s not for spoilering, that’s for reading and it’s a fun revelation that isn’t overly surprising, but is written so that the discovery is a fun ride. I liked the whole unwrapping of Jerry, theatrics, declarations and all. The ending is sweet, fluffy and perfect for Home Improvement.

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

Review: The Mage on the Hill (Web of Arcana #1) by Angel Martinez

The Web of Arcana: Book One

A young magic user who wants desperately to live. A jaded recluse who has forgotten what living means. They’re each other’s only chance.

Toby’s wild magic is killing him. The mage guilds have given up on him, and it’s only a matter of time before he dies in a spectacular, catastrophic bang. His only hope is an exiled wizard who lives in seclusion—and is rumored to have lost his mind.

The years alone on his hilltop estate have not been good for Darius Valstad. After the magical accident that disfigured him and nearly drowned Pittsburgh, he drifts through his days, a wraith trapped in memories and depression. Until a stricken young man collapses on his driveway, one who claims Darius is his last chance. For the first time in fifteen years, Darius must make a choice—leave this wild mage to his fate or take him in and try to teach him, which may kill them both. The old Darius, brash and commanding, wouldn’t have hesitated. Darius the exile isn’t sure he can find the energy to try.

Yes, this boooook!

I had such a good time reading The Mage on the Hill and it has a secure spot on my all time favorites shelf. The bulk of the credit for my love goes to (well, besides Angel Martinez, obvs) Toby. Oh, that sweet, sweet boy, I just loved him.

I’m getting ahead of myself a smidge as I owe you the reasons I swooned so hard at this book and its characters before I get to the actual swooning. There were really so many reasons and the fact that everything came together in such an easily cohesive way makes it hard to pinpoint a handful of things, hence my babbling.

All the characterizations, from the MCs to the secondary and on down the line were so well constructed. There’s always a physical description of characters and good books will show the reader more depth, but this author always goes further and I always get a sense of her characters more deeply than I do with most stories. All the subtle movements and idiosyncrasies add up to create not just a sense of personalities but of their lives and motivations. It seems to all happen effortlessly which is why this authors books are so satisfying to read.

Toby is a firecracker with very little future to look forward to. Darius is a broken man after a seemingly failed attempt to teach control of wild magic to another mage ended tragically. Toby sees Darius as a last resort to save his life and for a guy with a likely apocalyptic future, he has the best sense of humor and attitude. It sounds a little weird considering, but he’s just that kind of guy and I absolutely loved him.

As much as Toby is an open book, Darius is a little tougher to get to know. He’s quite the enigma at first and I had the sense that he was much older than he actually was. It made sense given what happened and how his life has been. As an ostracized mage he’s been living like a hermit for years. At first it was a little off putting as I knew he wasn’t the man being portrayed so vividly, but as the story progressed and Toby gave Darius purpose (in a lot of ways) again, who I met at the beginning began to reconcile with who he became.

On the road to save Toby from the fate wished upon him by the mage guild, I got to meet three acquaintances of Darius and that was a treat. Arden, Elias and Zubayr are completely unique individuals and I can’t wait to read more about them in upcoming books. These guys are great and I loved the chemistry amongst all of them.

The premise of the story is fascinating and the worldbuilding had a great balance between focus on Toby and Darius and setting up for a full series. I’m anxiously awaiting the next one and I can’t decide which of the characters I want more of first. I mean, as long as I get them all (plus more of Toby and Darius), I’ll be a happy reader.

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

Audiobook Review: Love You So Special (Love You So Stories #3) by Tara Lain

Can a man’s secret yearnings be revealed in a tank full of fish?

Artie Haynes knows he’s nothing special, with just-your-regular-brown hair, a solid plumber’s job, not much education, and a family that can barely get off the couch. But Artie has quirks—like his love of tropical fish, a landlord who’s a professor of existentialism, a passion for the amazing piano music he hears at a concert hall while he’s fixing the bathrooms—and the fact that he’s never come out as gay and probably never will. But when he’s hired to build a guesthouse for the pianist whose music enchanted him, Artie is swept up into an unimaginable world.

Francois Desmarais may be famous, rich, and revered as one of the world’s great classical composers and pianists, but he’s soothed and challenged by the inquisitive, stalwart, protective man in his back yard. When Francois’s terrible fear of crowds turns into a dangerous plot, Artie can stay in the closet or prove just how special he is.

Narrated by Ry Forest
Run Time 5 Hours, 18 Minutes

Oh my.

 This story (and the narrator) spoke to the squishy underbelly of my heart. The bit that soaks up all the romance candy regardless of realism, in fact, that’s the bit that thrives on the fantastical OTT bits of romance. Tara Lain knows how to write those stories for me. They aren’t crazy OTT by any means, but they are heavy on the rom-com feel so they are really fun to escape into and just flow with the love. The Love You So series is all of this in a pretty, pretty nutshell.

Firstly, there is Artie, he is one of my favorite kinds of MCs. Artie is humble, solid and his heart is too big not to be in love. He’s a plumber by trade, but an overall handy and responsible guy who ends up being the foreman on a remodel at the home of Francois. Francois is a world renowned composer and pianist whose mother is his manager and he lives under her heavy control of his career and life. Artie is in the closet out of fear of disappointing his family (who he supports financially) while Francois is out with no apologies about who he loves. If opposites attract is your treat, then this is your story.

Artie first falls in love with Francois’ music and as the two spend time together he begins to love Francois the person and the feelings are reciprocated. I loved reading about the two of them together. Artie is so protective of Francois, but in a sweet and respectful way that allows Francois to still have strength and pride. Francois is endlessly supportive of Artie when he considers coming out in his own time. The two of them really were made for each other regardless of their different backgrounds.

The narrator owns these characters so well. This is the first time I’ve heard Ry Forest, and after I listened to Love You So Special, I filled my audible cart with the rest of the stories he narrated, all by Tara Lain. It was a lovely week of bingeing. He captured the sweet charm of Artie and his Francois was a kick that kept with the spirit of the series. Francois has a French accent (stating what is pretty obvious here, but I want you to know where I’m going) and it is slightly reminiscent of Jean Girard talking to Ricky Bobby in Talladega Nights which amused me to no end. It wasn’t so much that it drew me from the story, but it was just enough to keep in the vein of the rom-com, slightly OTT theme. I loved when the two of them would banter, it was a kick to listen to.

The story took a weird turn with some stalker fans of Francois and honestly it didn’t need to go there. That was the only moment that was legit OTT and the story had enough meat without it. I didn’t need that distraction from Artie and Francois as a couple.

The family angst that could have been, on both sides, wasn’t and that was fine. That’s where the realism isn’t a thing, but I wasn’t here for that and I wasn’t expecting it, so I mentally acknowledged it and went back to wallowing in Francois’ accent and Artie’s sweet, sweet heart.

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

Review: Death by Dick by James Cox (A Cox Club Story #2)

The day a hooker dropped dead on Kyler’s dick changed his life forever…

When Kyler graduated high school, he wanted to give himself a gift and that was his first blowjob from a sexy male hooker. Then said hooker drops dead in his lap. Yeah, he has that kind of bad luck. Now, the police are after him, he can’t go home because of an abusive father and he ends up working at The Cox Club, a small town gay gentlemen’s club.

Seamus is on his first undercover mission for the FBI. The problem is that he doesn’t think their terrorist suspect Kyler is guilty. Oh, and there’s also the matter of giving Kyler a hand job … on the FBI’s hidden camera. His first field mission may be his last.

When bullets start flying it’s up to Seamus to find out the truth and he has to do it before Kyler becomes a victim.

The COX is a man of impactful sentences and not many can title a book “Death by Dick” and have said death be a major vehicle for one of the MC’s actions. Plus, the dick has a plural meaning so the title alone has way more depth than just the pleasure of an initial chuckle at the COXloquialism. 

Kyler had my heart from the beginning of the story, I knew I’d be protective of him and rooting for him right away. He’s young, not dumb, but a little naive and ending up in a Gentleman’s Club could have been all measures of wrong for him, instead though, he ends up at The Cox Club with a wonderful group of secondary characters, save for one enormous asshole, and they all (except for the asshole) take Kyler under their proverbial wings.

From the beginning Kyler thinks he has one major problem, a major problem he’s been running from (keep the title in mind). While that problem isn’t his actual problem, he does have another, much larger problem he doesn’t even know about. Yet. Enter Seamus; undercover FBI agent sent to investigate Kyler as a possible terrorist threat. You know he didn’t do anything, I know he didn’t do anything, Kyler has no clue what’s happening and Seamus is very quickly a smitten kitten with everything about his suspect.

Throughout the story, Seamus is not a very good undercover dude. He breaks the rules right and left, but if you throw the FBI procedure manual out the window and enjoy the investigation for the launching point it is for a relationship between Kyler and Seamus, you’ll be good.

Seamus’ lack of clandestine skills and his inability to keep his dick to himself when it comes to Kyler is not lost on Seamus. He gave undercover work a shot and he knows it’s not going to be for him long term, so he just needs to finish this assignment and move on. He’s gotten way too close to Kyler, in soooooo many ways and he’s convinced Kyler is innocent. The undercover thing does add a ‘just right’ touch of conflict though. All this nonsense has to come crashing down at some point, but by the time it all does, I was sold on the relationship between the two of them, pack of lies and all.

Kyler may have been younger, but he really had a level head on him, especially in comparison to Seamus. Seamus just couldn’t pull it together professionally when it came to Kyler and it was honestly really sweet. And dirty. Because, COX. I enjoyed reading the two of them together a lot and their conversations read organically even though they were keeping so much from each other. The details didn’t seem to matter since they clicked on a higher level and I think that’s what made me believe in them when the “shit got real”.

Special Unicorn shout out to the secondary characters, mainly Sebastian, Coco and Seamus’ da. I loved every bit of page time these three got. Seamus and his da though, those moments were the best.

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

Review: Blyd and Pearce by Kim Fielding

Born into poverty and orphaned young, Daveth Blyd had one chance for success when his fighting prowess earned him a place in the Tangye city guard—a place he lost to false accusations of theft. Now he scrapes out a living searching for wayward spouses and missing children. When a nobleman offers him a small fortune to find an entertainer who’s stolen a ring, Daveth takes the case.

While Jory Pearce may or may not be a thief, he certainly can’t be trusted. But, enchanted by Jory’s beauty and haunting voice, Daveth soon finds himself caught in the middle of a conspiracy. As he searches desperately for answers, he realizes that he’s also falling for Jory. The two men face river wraiths, assassins, a necromancer, and a talking head that could be Daveth’s salvation on their quest for the truth. But with everyone’s integrity in question and Death eager to dance, Daveth will need more than sorcery to survive.

Blyd and Pearce is a lot of things; it’s a tale set in an alternate universe with a medieval noir feel with MC’s I am completely smitten with, it’s an action packed mystery with a healthy side of romance and it’s everything I want in a fantasy.

Once I started, I didn’t want to put it down even though I did drag out the last 20% or so just because I wanted it to last longer. I can only hope this is the start of a series because Daveth and Jory have a lot more stories to tell and I feel like we are just at the beginning of their relationship. Which, to be fair, they’ve been on the run from evil Lords, unscrupulous guards and river wraiths, so the getting-to-know-you phase of their love was a bit harried and I want more of it.

Daveth is one of the best characters I’ve read in a long time. I was completely charmed by his dry wit and sage wisdom. He has virtually no education besides what he has learned so he could survive in the Low and support himself. He has no illusions about himself. He knows his strengths and his weaknesses and he’s incredibly pragmatic about everything. He has to be in order to get by. But, that’s pretty much all he’s been doing his whole life, surviving and getting by. And he’s ok with that. 

Then Lord Uren comes to him requesting his professional skills as a gothic private investigator. Lord Uren hires Daveth to recover a “stolen” ring. The Lord gives him plenty of clues to work with and is generous with payment. It sounds like an easy gig until Daveth tracks down the perpetrator of the alleged crime in one Jory Pearce, a singer and possible whore with the face of an angel. Daveth is a smitten kitten from the get-go and once the two started with the banter it was obvious that there was much more to the story than a stolen ring. Daveth is not overly thrilled with this easy mark turning into an adventure for the ages, but he’s with Jory and it’s not long before Daveth would do anything for the man. And vice versa.

The mystery is fun. The fantastical beasts even more so. The author is a master at showing and not telling with the world building and while it is an entirely new environment, it’s easy to get immersed and not at all overwhelming. The city is a character in itself and the social structure is fascinating to read about.

What hooked me though was Daveth and Jory. They are on the run and in danger for much of the story, so if you are heavily into more traditional romance, this will be a bit frustrating for you. To me though, the danger element made the stolen moments between the two of them more special. The time they did have was actually incredibly romantic because it read so real. They knew there was a good chance they wouldn’t make it out of this nonsense alive so they appreciated their time together and didn’t bother with any manufactured angst.

Daveth was a man who couldn’t deceive anyone, it wasn’t his nature and it wasn’t a “skill” he ever needed for survival. He was honest to a fault, but people respected him for it and his blunt delivery of information ended up being pretty funny a lot of times. Jory on the other hand, survived, after being disowned by his family, by being able to play the game. Daveth never judged anyone for what they had to do to get by and Jory wasn’t really sure how to process that reaction to his professions. It also meant that Daveth didn’t trust Jory 100% and they both knew it. Jory owned his faults just as much as Daveth did, and while I don’t doubt Jory wouldn’t hesitate to lie, cheat or steal if his life depended on it, I never doubted his devotion to Daveth and completely bought into the idea that Jory would sacrifice himself for Daveth in a heartbeat.

I really can’t gush enough about the two of them together. Daveth really didn’t understand his true worth or appeal. Like, he honestly didn’t get it. But Jory was just as much a smitten kitten as Daveth was and I just swooned with how Jory loved Daveth so hard. He said the sweetest things and without any flowery speech (Daveth wouldn’t appreciate that) it made me believe every word. Especially knowing that Jory could flower it up to hell and back if he had to, but he didn’t for Daveth, he just spoke his truth and I loved it. In turn Daveth saw Jory as brave, smart and strong, words that had never been used to describe Jory in the past, but Daveth saw it and made sure Jory knew.

*SIGH*

While I do love me some cracky fluff, I really appreciate the stories that are more accidentally, or honestly romantic and Blyd and Pearce had that for me. Plus all the fantasy and adventure were a total kick, so this story will be a reread for me for sure. I’ll drop this not-so-subtle request one more time, I really hope there are more Blyd and Pearce books coming, that would make me one happy Peach.

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

Review: Don't Plan to Stay by Kaje Harper

At eighteen, Donnie Kagan's plans for graduation, and maybe even college, were derailed by a beer, a stoplight, and a fatal crash. Now he's twenty-four, out of prison, and bitterly determined to start over. But with the holidays approaching, he can't resist a quick trip home to Tallbridge, North Dakota, and the man he left behind. Just a fast look, to make sure Adam's doing all right, before Donnie starts his new life. He doesn't plan to stay.

Adam Lindberg's been waiting six years to get closure with Donnie. He missed that chance after the accident, fighting for his life in a hospital bed as Donnie pled guilty and disappeared into the justice system. Without so much as a letter back from Donnie in all this time, Adam's tried to move on. And yet, he never found another guy he cared about the same way. So when Donnie shows up in Tallbridge, Adam's ready to fight for more than three words of goodbye. Of course, Adam's brother and dad don't want Donnie to stick around, but it's the busy Christmas season at the family store. If Adam asks for Donnie's help, maybe he'll stay long enough to finally talk about the future, and the past.

There are some things I can always count on when I read a Kaje Harper story; the characters will always have a journey, they will always teach me something and they will always give me honest emotions. I always know I will get wrapped up in the MC’s lives and I will tend to iron man through the story in one sitting because I forget I’m even reading. Everything flows organically and the balance is always perfect from start to finish. Don’t Plan to Stay had all of these things and while the backstory for Donnie was incredibly heartbreaking, the story never went down the melodrama trail but instead had a hopeful edge at even the bleakest points. Being that Don’t Plan to Stay is set at Christmastime, that bit of hopeful optimism gave it the ideal tone for a second chance romance at the holidays.

Donnie’s character is quietly memorable and I had a lot of respect for the man that he had become. He made mistakes, but he was not alone, yet when it all came down he was left to pay the price solo. The tragedy that happened when they were young cost Donnie his maturing years but his strength of character when he comes back home to check on his boyhood love, Adam, before heading off to start his life had me hooked from the moment I met him.

Donnie wouldn’t be Donnie without Adam, the two were imperfectly perfect for one another. They were opposites to an extent, but they were also very alike at their core. They had polar opposite childhoods and Adam’s family gave Donnie the family he never really had. There’s a lot of very interesting dynamics when Donnie returns with a lot of truths coming out into the open. This aspect of the story was fascinating for me in that the emotions were the same as they were six years prior, but the characters had matured by six years as well. Each one of them had to reconcile their relationships with what they thought they knew to be truth but with the benefit of hindsight.

The romantic aspect of the story was sublime. It was the focus for sure, but I liked that it was told in relation to the rest of the characters as well. It gave the overall story more depth and it made all the characters more developed. I loved that Donnie didn’t fight the inevitable just to give the story some unnecessary angst. That drives me nutters when I’m reading a story, when one MC decides he’s not the man for the other and essentially negating the other MC’s life choices. The acceptance that Donnie came to, with some loving caretaking by Adam evolved just right for the two of them.It wasn’t too hard, it wasn’t too easy, it just happened as the two of them fell in love with the more mature versions of themselves.

The supporting characters were great, especially Adam’s dad. He was just such a realistic dad and I appreciated his honesty, his open mind and his open heart. He’s barely getting through the days himself after the loss of his beloved wife and I think Donnie’s coming home came at just the right time to give him a renewed perspective on life that his wife would have wanted.

I was left with a really hopeful HEA for these guys and I had a big ol’ goofy grin when I finished reading their story. Their happy was hard won, but they fought for it together all their lives and deserved every bit they got.

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

Audiobook Review: Five Times My Best Friend Kissed Me by Anna Martin

and One Time I Kissed Him First

When you realize you want to marry your best friend at age six, life should follow a pretty predictable path, right? Maybe not.

As a kid, Evan King thought Scott Sparrow was the most amazing person he’d ever met. At seventeen, his crush runs a little deeper, and nothing seems simple anymore. Scott is more interested in football and girls than playing superheroes, and Evan’s attention is focused on getting into art school. A late-night drunken kiss is something to be forgotten, not obsessed over for the next ten years.

When life suddenly brings them back together, it doesn’t take much for the flame Evan carried for Scott nearly all his life to come roaring back, and Evan discovers that life sometimes has a strange way of coming full circle.

Listening Length: 6 hrs 17 mins
Narrator: Jesse Cota

Five Times My Best Friend Kissed Me is told in a non-linear style that is really easy to follow and all props go to the author and narrator for making the story flow so perfectly.

This is such a purely sweet love story and I loved the build-up of each kiss as these two grew up together. I respected how the author never sugar coated growing up. The story is relatively low on the angst scale, but we’re talking about a time period with teenagers, so it’s gotta happen at least a little bit. BUT, there’s no manufactured drama just because, teenagers don’t need it, they can build up plenty on their own. When you’re a teenager in the middle of feeling impossible love though, like Evan felt for Scott, it’s so important and we’ve all been there to some extent, but to be gay and be in love with your “supposedly” straight best friend is an extreme unrequited love hell. Anna Martin and Jesse Cota nailed those feelings so well and then some since Evan was so in love with Scott and Scott was just . . . growing up and figuring it out. It was never easy, but it wasn’t needlessly painful either and the restraint the author showed to keep the realistic feelings was much appreciated.

Reading/Listening about Scott and Evan growing up made them some of the most fully fleshed out characters I’ve met in a long time. I saw them as little kids, teenagers, young adults and as men and while they grew and changed, they still remained true to their personalities as described throughout. It was really impressive considering how the story is non-linear and the cohesiveness of the characters made it so easy to just, really like these guys and want them to get their HEA.

And, while I wanted their HEA so damn hard, there’s no way I would have bought into it if it had come along earlier than it did. Scott and Evan were best friends since they were little dudes, they had to grow up, grow apart and then come back together, even if the growing apart bit sucked. The easy way out would have been to have Evan be the one to do the kissing throughout, but having Scott be the one who initiated smooches one through five kept the story much more interesting and also made me believe Scott when he declared his bisexuality. And good on Scott for going all in with his sexuality, it fit his personality and everything I’d learned about him. Evan had a bit more reticence in buying into Scott, and that fit his more introverted personality.

A really important thread throughout the story is the friendship between Scott and Evan, even during the angstiest angsty moments when they were apart, I never doubted that they didn’t love each other on some level. When things got real for Scott, Evan was right there and while I don’t doubt the two of them would have gotten together at some point regardless, the reality of Scott’s illness had Evan getting his shit together pretty quickly, putting his introverted self aside and getting to Scott as quickly as he could. I do love me some hearts and flowers now and again, but having a partner step up and be the rock when he’s needed is damn sexy in my book and that’s when the romance really started flowing for me.

This is the first I’ve listened to from this narrator and he did such a good job of giving Scott and Evan the voices the author created for them. He paid attention to the author’s descriptions and brought that to the characters from the time they were kids until the final kiss. I would, no question, like to listen to him again.

I just overall loved the love in Five Times My Best Friend Kissed Me. Angst fests, crazy ass shifters and what not are always fun, but sometimes some grounded characters whose love evolves and grows as they do is just the book hug you need.

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