Review: Trusting Jack (MC Securities #1) by Ruby Moone

With only a few days to go until Christmas, Michael Cross has to admit there is something amiss about his latest employee, Jack Whelan. Quiet, jumpy, thin… he never seems to eat. He is also incredibly gorgeous with dark spiky hair that Michael aches to touch. But as his boss, Jack is off limits. And when it comes to relationships, he…well, he sucks.

Jack Whelan is at the end of his tether. He’s living rough in the middle of winter, and paying off a massive debt, so getting a job with MC Securities is a lifeline. His new boss is also the hottest guy ever. Geeky, broody, and scarily clever.

When Michael stumbles upon the reality of Jack’s life, he offers to help. But as Michael’s feelings deepen, and Jack’s terrible past catches up with him, Michael has to decide between believing in the awful truth that is staring him in the face, or trusting Jack.

For such heavy material, Trusting Jack is surprising light on the angst. I was surprised and pleasantly so. But also a smidge disappointed because the lack of angst also made for a lack of memorability. The story is basically hurt/comfort gold, but it’s hurt/comfort-lite and I was expecting more of a visceral reaction to the characters and their stories (Jack especially, obviously) than what happened. 

Both Jack and Michael are likable characters, the kind you root for and want all the HEA action for. Michael is a regular guy, but more, so regular-guy-who-is-worthy-of-being-an-MC kind of guy. Everything about him is just a little better than your average. He has a shy, unsure side that was appealing and more him more accessible though. He needed that and I needed that from him. I didn’t want him to be a knight in shining armor for Jack, that wouldn’t have worked for Jack’s personality.

It was cool seeing him be all heroic and badass when he needed to be, but his unassuming side was what was so appealing about Michael. Jack has seen some shit. He’s been through a lot and has a lot of secrets he’s hiding as he works to get his life together. Michael is curious about Jack’s story and his curiosity gets the better of him. It’s easy for him to indulge though (even though he says he doesn’t want to - methinks he doth protest too much) as Jack is his employee and another employee is concerned. Jack’s story is tough, which is to be expected, but the bad guy didn’t make a lot of sense for me, and in the end, it still didn’t make a lot of sense.

Jack was a good guy in a bad situation. The whole thing was a little too black and white though, I needed a little gray nuance to make the drama work. Honestly, Jack could have just been down on his luck and the story could have spent more time in the development of Michael and Jack as a couple, built some imperfections in there, simplified the story arc by leaving the bad guys out. Michael and Jack had plenty to work with, their setup had me hooked, their personalities were intriguing and I wanted to get to know them without the noise of the villain(s).

I know this reads like I’m bagging on this story, but, I am a huge fan of this author and her historical novels. My expectations were high and while it wasn’t necessarily what I had hoped for, I still enjoyed the story and the characters and I’ll definitely be reading the next book in the series.

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

Review: Broken, Collared and Ready for Revenge (The Gentlemen Brothers #3) by James COX

The collar comes off and all that’s left is a broken man.

Alexander Gentlemen has spent fifteen years with the collar on, beaten into submission, tortured beyond anything a human mind can survive. He’s fractured around the edges when his brothers finally save him. With the help of ‘One Nut’ Nigel, the collar is removed. He’s starting to remember the faces of those he’s killed and fighting the urge to murder everyone around him. But the one who put that clockwork device on him is still on the loose. With the help of Nigel, he tries to be integrated into a society he no longer understands.

Can he control himself long enough to get his revenge? Will Nigel be his savior or will Alexander embrace his darker side?

I’m really bummed seeing this series end. I’m not ready to let this world go much less these characters. James is a master of world building and it’s hard to believe this is his first dabble into steampunk. He always gives just the right amount of detail and a lot of information comes through organically relying on showing with minimal telling. That’s a tough balance with any story and especially ones in sci-fi and the AU genres and it’s something that James does with ease.

There are three installments in The Gentlemen Brothers series and each book focuses on one of the three brothers that were torn apart when they were kids. So we’ve met Joshua and Logan, both of which are really likable heroes who have fought hard for their happiness. In Broken we get Alexander’s story. What little we know so far about Alexander is not great and it’s already hard to feel sympathy for him and we don’t even know him yet.

BUT, there’s way more to his story and he’s had it the hardest of all the brothers. The time he spent between being kidnapped and being rescued is heartbreaking. Once the collar that kept him compliant is removed (kudos to Nigel for figuring it out, and more on Nigel in a minute) he can begin to figure out what life he missed out on in those between years and reconcile the acts he committed while under control of the Queen.

Alexander missed out on pretty much all the information he’d need during his formative years to be a fully functional adult. He can kill a man with his pinky, but he’s not entirely sure when to keep his pants on. I liked reading about him navigating his way through his days while coming to terms with his memories. It was in turn, sad, enlightening, charming and funny.

During this time he was assigned Nigel to have him figure his shit out and he helped Nigel too, but it was mostly the former. We first me Nigel in Logan’s book, Sex, Emergency Exits and Plan B’s and I immediately had a warm fuzzy for the shy, soft-spoken scientist. I REALLY wanted Nigel to get some lovin’ and when I found out he was getting paired up with Alexander I wasn’t sure how I felt about the two of them. It totally worked though and it probably worked out so well because Nigel had such a logical mind and big heart. The two of them together had a lot of chemistry but it was more subtle then some of the other characters and that was perfectly balance for these two.

One more time, I really don’t want this to end. Everything gets answered and wrapped up, not too neatly though, which is good, but I still want more. I love the world James built I’ll definitely be rereading the series.

Oh, and before I forget, HAVE YOU LOOKED AT THE COVER? Dayum. That is all.

For more information on Broken, Collared and Ready for Revenge, and the whole Gentlemen Brothers series, check it out on Goodreads.

Review: Falling by Suki Fleet

Josh's idea of a romance is curling up alone and reading a novel with a happily ever after. He’s made his flat a safe haven where the wall are covered with beautiful words, and his living room ceiling is a map of the universe.

Angus may be shy and inexperienced, but he's incapable of hiding anything, especially his attraction to his older neighbor.

When Josh admits to Angus that he’s gay, he doesn't expect Angus’s reaction. Angus’s obvious interest terrifies Josh. For years he’s managed to keep the world at arm’s length and avoid getting too close to anyone. Well, anyone except Elenor, Angus’s mother, who helped Josh rebuild his life after he was hospitalized for depression. But Josh still thinks he’s broken. His past has left scars he thinks are too deep to heal. Despite Josh’s defenses, Angus begins to mean more to him than just the cute boy next door. If Josh can take a risk and let someone into his isolated world, he might have a chance for a real life happy ending. 

I have loved all of Suki Fleet's stories, but as soon as I read Falling it went straight behind This Is Not a Love Story as my next favourite. As ever, Suki catches the essence of of those struggling through life, without making them desperately needy victims. Circumstance and situation do not kill her characters, they just make them stronger. Yet she allows them time to struggle, time to come to terms with their needs and wants. She allows them help, but does not forcefully manipulate them. I absolutely admire this about her writing - it is what keeps me going back time and again.

In Falling, Josh has built himself a sanctuary. His home is his safe haven, books his escape. To say I understood Josh is an understatement; I could be Josh in this respect. His depression is manageable now, though it is fair to say he stays within his comfort zone. That doesn't mean he is a shadow of a person. He really isn't, he holds down a job, he helps his neighbours, but he does have his boundaries. The level of socialisation he is comfortable with. It takes more than a small amount of courage to step out of his comfort zone.

Angus. Angus is younger, shyer and, when his mum needs help, he becomes reliant on Josh. This is complicated by the fact that her his hopelessly attracted to Josh. And Josh to him, despite the fact he tries to deny it/ignore it.

This story is definitely not a  black and white, colour neatly in the lines, story. It is grey and it is messy and it is real. Thought and deed, mix with intent and ever changing boundaries. For a story that is about characters dealing with depression this made it so spot on. Depression is messy. It isn't neat. What a sufferer can deal with one day is completely out of bounds the next and this is reflected in the writing. No pigeon holing here. 

This makes the romance all the better for me. Friendship grows, trust develops. Lust and friendship and growing love, mix to make a heady, heart-thumpingly good, romantic story line. The essence of the story is the ability to trust outside carefully constructed walls. For me trust is an essential part of any relationship. Any. Friends, lovers, family, professional. Trust has to be at the forefront, so watching Josh (and Angus) develop that trust made my heart beat just a bit faster. 

Suki Fleet fans will love this story and I urge anyone who has not tried this author to give her books a go. Every one is amazing - and Falling would be a great place to start.  Oh and I should mention - I love the cover. I love all the covers, they are what attracted me to her writing in the first place! I know it doesn't make a difference to the story, but covers do make a difference to the books I choose.