Review: Ginger Snaps (Belladonna Arms #5) by John Inman

Even with a string of earthquakes jarring the tenants of the Belladonna Arms, rattling nerves and smashing dishes, life still manages to plod along as usual. Love pollen continues to fall, romances continue to flourish, and Arthur, the grand Pooh-bah in residence, continues to plan his upcoming wedding extravaganza. 

In the midst of all this drama fall Gideon Chase and Reed Kelly, two redheaded losers at love who find themselves regrouping under the auspices of the most incorrigible matchmaker in heels. 

Arthur sees hope for the two right away. He leases them adjoining apartments, then continually tweaks their budding friendship in the hope it will slip into love. Just as Arthur’s plans are coming along nicely, Reed’s past shows up to toss a monkey wrench into his and Gideon’s blossoming romance.

With Arthur’s wedding ceremony nigh, and Reed and Gideon on the verge of heartache yet again, Arthur faces one inescapable conclusion.

It will take more than love pollen to sort this mess out.

I don’t know anyone who has visited the Belladonna Arms series and not wanted to stay forever. The Love Pollen gets to everyone whether they want it to or not, and it especially seems to stick most firmly to those who don’t want it, which is always more fun for me as a reader. There’s nothing like reading about a character unlucky in love, down on romance and anti-Cupid to then have them meet Auntie Arthur who love pollens the hell out of them until they became a sappy puddle of goo. I love the goo, it’s my favorite part of the Belladonna Arms.

The couple in the fifth installment of the series are both “failures” at love when they move into the Arms. Gideon has been spectacularly dumped by his douchebag of an ex and is left with nothing but his car, laptop and a small sampling of questionable clothing. Our other MC, Reed has recently come to the revelation that he needs to live as his authentic self, a gay man, and he can no longer keep up the charade of a happy hetero marriage. The two have little in common besides the unlucky in love part and the fact that they are both a couple of ginger peaches.

They both proclaim to not be attracted to gingers but we the readers know from the get-go that these two are lying liars who lie about that subject. I think these two MC’s, well mostly Reed, had more emotional baggage moving into the arms than previous characters. And I’m not talking Ramon level external-forces issues, I mean internal baggage where he needs to figure out who he is in his own skin so that he can learn how to love himself and love a man how they both deserve to be loved. It’s a tough road for Reed because he’s a really good guy, so he feels a tremendous amount of guilt for the hurt he put his wife through and it weighs on him understandably. Gideon has been his authentic self forever and he’s a good fit for Reed. He asks Reed the hard questions and with a gentle, but firm touch, pushes Reed out of his shell. Reed feels happier than he ever had in his adult life and he credits Gideon for getting him there.

They agree to a friends with benefits thing, which technically is a good idea considering their not so distant past romantic entanglements, but it’s obvious the two of them are growing closer. This is where John Inman’s words shine. He is so damn good at showing the reader how two characters come together. I don’t have to be told that they are falling in love, I read it in every interaction and inner musing both in and out of the bedroom.

Throughout the time of the budding romance of Gideon and Reed the other tenants make welcome appearances and Arthur is planning his dream wedding to Tom. I honestly could read that whole story as a book by itself because Arthur is Arthur but with all his settings cranked up to 11. He always had one eye on Gideon and Reed though, he can never get completely sidetracked by anything that will take him away from his self imposed match making duties.

The extra baggage I mentioned previously is heavier and makes a pretty profound return to Reed’s life. This part was heartbreaking and not something I have become accustomed to in my Belladonna books. It made sense for Reed’s character though and while I wanted to punch him in the throat, I also wasn’t at all surprised at his actions. It turns out he’s not just unlucky at love, he’s also none too smart about it either. Sometimes people can take the high road too high out of misguided loyalty and that is Reed in a nutshell. Thankfully he does have his Auntie Arthur to help him get his shit together and it wouldn’t have resolved without Arthur’s interference. Now granted, the dramatics and the resolution were pretty sugarcoated considering, they weren’t made disposable and the author dealt with them at a level that made the whole plot point consistent with the tone of the book.

The ending was perfect and I hope it doesn’t mean the end of the Belladonna Arms series. There was nothing alluding to that but seriously, what does one do after an Arthur wedding? I have faith though because as long as Arthur has couples moving in together he’ll have a vacancy or two for new residents available. I do love these character driven romances and the strength in the MC’s is the bond the author builds between them while we watch. Not every writer can pull that off well, but John Inman is a true craftsman when it comes to connecting two people in the most authentic of ways.

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

Audiobook Review: The Mystery of the Curiosities (Snow & Winter #2) by C.S. Poe

Life has been pretty great for Sebastian Snow. The Emporium is thriving and his relationship with NYPD homicide detective, Calvin Winter, is everything he’s ever wanted. With Valentine’s Day around the corner, Sebastian’s only cause for concern is whether Calvin should be taken on a romantic date. It’s only when an unknown assailant smashes the Emporium’s window and leaves a peculiar note behind, that all plans get pushed aside in favor of another mystery.

Sebastian is quickly swept up in a series of grisly yet seemingly unrelated murders. The only connection tying the deaths together are curiosities from the lost museum of P.T. Barnum. Despite Calvin’s attempts to keep Sebastian out of the investigation, someone is forcing his hand, and it becomes apparent that the entire charade exists for Sebastian to solve. With each clue that’ll bring him closer to the killer, he’s led deeper into Calvin’s official cases.

It’s more than just Sebastian’s livelihood and relationship on the line—it’s his very life.

Listening Length: 7 hours and 15 minutes
Narrator: Derrick McClain

I’m a big fan of this series and my love boils down to the MC’s, namely one Detective Calvin Winter. And I do love me some Sebastian too, I really do. But Calvin is the one that took the spotlight for me in this installment. We learned more about his past and it wasn’t surprising, but it was heartbreaking. What Calvin had been through had been alluded to in book 1, but in Mysteries it became more personal and I had even more respect for him the more I learned.

The series is really a lot of fun and I liked the mystery in this one muchly. I love Sebastian’s dad and the secondary characters add the flair and some comic relief in amongst Sebastian’s shenanigans. And he does get up to the shenanigans. You kinda have to suspend belief a bit as there is now way Sebastian would get away with his meddling (he is the Scooby Doo definition of ‘meddling kids’) but you have to let that go and enjoy the ride. There is no doubt the man has the smarts and background to crack the codes, but like I said, not a real life thing.

I love the relationship that’s building between Calvin and Sebastian though. It’s not easy and the meddling shenanigans don’t make it any easier, but it’s obvious they love each other and are willing to be honest in order to move their bond forward.

Sebastian’s dry sense of humor and somewhat socially oblivious nature are very charming. I think the narrator did a good job of capturing the obliviousness well and while it took me a bit to warm up to his take on Sebastian’s humor, I did get there. I think I got more of the humor when I read the book versus when I listened, but I got more of Calvin when I listened versus when I read. A pretty decent trade-off if I do say so myself.

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

Audiobook Review: Summer Heat by Jay Northcote

A summer fling is an ideal cure for a broken heart. But when it’s with your best friend, things get complicated.

When Adam is dumped by his boyfriend, a week away at a beach resort seems like a great opportunity to get over his ex. Sun, sea, and no-strings sex will be just the boost he needs to move on with his life.

Adam’s best friend, Finn, agrees to accompany him at short notice. Finn’s had a crush on Adam for years, but is determined to put his feelings aside and be the perfect wingman in Adam’s time of crisis.

A spontaneous threesome with another guy forces Adam and Finn to confront their attraction to each other. Having a holiday fling together wasn’t part of the plan, and as their trip heats up, they soon realise that one night of fun won’t be enough for either of them.

The passion might be scorching, but their hearts and friendship are on the line. If their romance is going to survive the flight home, they have to be honest about what they want.

Narrator: Mark Steadman

No one writes the friends to lovers theme like Jay Northcote. He’s got the magic touch with this trope and I eat these stories up like the sweetest of candy. I was a little wary of the setup as Adam and Finn get together. A threesome on vacation? Hmmmm . . . . ok. Maybe. We’ll see. . . .

I’m totally down with menage stories. The more lovin’ peen the merrier as far as I’m concerned. As long as everything is well balanced and there’s no odd man out, I love ‘em. This was not a menage relationship story but a fun vacation fling that caused feeeeeelings and I wasn’t sure how I would feel about three becoming two when it started with three, etc. etc.

Turns out I had no reason to be wary at all and I should have known that. The author knows how to write guys having a peen party without making the sex or friendships seem cheap. Adam gets dumped by his douchebag boyfriend and instead of cancelling his all-inclusive beach vacation that the two were supposed to take, he takes his BFF, Finn instead. Of course Finn has been crushing on Adam forever, but they’ve never been single at the same time so the crushing is unrequited. Finn is a little leery of the trip but he’d do anything for Adam, even be his wingman while Adam rebounds, as painful as that may be.

Adam and Finn hit the beaches, the clubs, the pool and all the prerequisite vacation spots. The flirting is rampant and Adam starts getting his confidence back. The two even lightly flirt with one another and that could easily be chalked up to the atmosphere, or to honesty, hard to say at this point. But, there’s a delicious little pink haired twink who’s been eye boning Adam since they were all on the same flight to the resort. The twosome between Adam and his rebound bone turns into a threesome when Finn gets invited to join in and holy cats was that a hot night! Sweet baby cheezus. Hot. Night.

Their third was definitely in it for the fun and he was SO on to these guys and the true attraction they had for one another and really, it was very sweet. I don’t doubt that Adam and Finn would have gotten together eventually, but the Vacay Fairy Godtwink was the catalyst they needed to make them become a thing.

I liked how the chapters went back and forth in perspective between Adam and Finn. Being in each of their heads in a dual POV as the story, and their relationship, progressed kept the story virtually angst free. I knew where they both stood the whole time, I knew they were on the same page so I got to just enjoy the dance the two did around each other in bed and out. Did I mention that these guys are hot together? Whew and wow.

I love Mark Steadman’s narration, he does a great job with Jay’s words. My only very minor niggle was that Adam and Finn sounded pretty similar and with the back and forth in the chapters it got confusing once or twice. Not too big of a deal and was easy to get back on track, but a little more differentiation would have been good.

Summer Heat is a perfect summer listen. It’s got everything in it that reminds you why romance is so satisfying and nourishing for our happy little hearts.

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

Review: Club Raven series (#1-3) by Julia Talbot, Kiernan Kelly and BA Tortuga

Fantasy Living reviews the entire Club Raven series! American historical psychics here she comes!

Happy Medium (Club Raven #1) by Julia Talbot

Andrew is out to debunk Max as a medium, not make love to him...

A Club Raven Novel

Max Bellame is working his way through 1870s Baltimore as a medium, even if he knows nothing about spirits. He uses the power of his mind to move objects, convincing his clients he's the real thing.

Andrew Meechum works for Club Raven, a gentleman's club that doubles as a paranormal research facility. He sets out to debunk Max, only to be fascinated by the man. Can Andrew convince Max to take a chance on love, and to find his true calling as a medium, or will their personal demons force them apart?

Set in 1870’s Baltimore, the first book in the Club Raven series follows Max Bellame as his business as a Medium is intercepted by Andrew Meechum, who works for Club Raven.

Club Raven is a gentlemen’s club that caters to men with paranormal gifts. Andrew is sort of a psychic ability debunker. His own talent is knowing when someone is using a paranormal gift. This is why he has been following Max, but instead of simply calling Max out on his lack of Medium ability and trickery, he is intrigued by the perceived gift Max has, and brings him to Club Raven to find out more about it.

I liked these two men together. I found Max to be a pretty gentle character. While he wasn’t exactly honest about his ability, he still had a moral code of honor. They fit well together, and had lots and lots of sex. (Lots!).

The mystery surrounding Max’s gift, and the passion Andrew and he share opens up a whole new world, and life for Max. Club Raven seems to have an endless supply of weirdly gifted men to be in the company of, and I have to mention Giles, because I heart him so hard.

While only a secondary character, Giles was pretty fascinating, and someone I would love to get a story. He was one of those weirdo’s I absolutely needed to know more about. Completely outrageous, and apparently a reclusive scatterbrain, the interactions with him were a joy for me.

This isn’t overly heavy on the historical detail or language. It is easy enough to read if you’re someone like me who isn’t particularly excited about historical romance. It was enough to read as authentic in a way that isn’t pinned down by stuffy details. I don’t really care about those, as long as it feels real enough to me. For someone who is more of a history buff, well, I don’t know how they would feel about it, because like I said, details aren’t really important to me (unless they are wildly inaccurate and I know it).

Maybe I’m not the best person to recommend this story to die hard fans of historical romance, so I’ll just say, for people like me, this was fun with the seance, pompous rich folk, and erotic content (there was a lot - did I say that already?).

I would recommend this to people who enjoy paranormal in their historical romance.

Find Book #1 on Goodreads!

Wishful Thinking (Club Raven #2) by Kiernan Kelly

Sometimes doing the right thing requires otherworldly help.

A Club Raven Novel

Tony Brazzio, part-owner of Club Raven in Baltimore, is gifted with a psychic talent that allows him to influence the behavior of others. His first project, to rehabilitate hoodlums Bull and Dandy, fails when the lure of fat wallets ripe for the picking is too great for them to ignore. After Bull and Dandy fall into serious trouble beyond simple petty theft, Tony takes it upon himself to bail them out.

Charged with making a pair of blackmailing pickpockets “disappear,” Detective Thomas Arthur Clare is determined to get the job done. He doesn’t count on Tony’s interference, or his attraction to the mysterious, handsome man, to sway him.

This is book two in the Club Raven Trilogy and I would in no way call this a romance. It is definitely filled with erotic content though, so if this is okay with you, then go ahead and enjoy.

Told from multiple points of view, and sometimes what appeared to be omniscient POV this story jumps around a fair bit.

In the beginning we meet Tony who is a part-owner of Club Raven, but was once from a poor family. Tony wants to prove that bloodline does not make a gentleman, and that anyone, no matter how poor, can become someone if given the opportunity. He travels to Five Point, Manhattan, where his humble beginnings began, and finds a pair of thieves and compels them to come back to Baltimore with him to start his experiment of turning them into gentlemen.

Of course, Dandy and Bull don’t particularly want to be controlled by some rich snot, so they go out of their way to sabotage the situation by stealing wherever they can. Tony may have compelled them to join him using his gift, but once they are there, they are unwilling to continue to do his bidding.

There was a lot of problematic content, and it just didn’t seem to have a solid plot line. I spend more time reading about Dandy and Bull, and their mischief than Tony. While the basics of each personality was provided, I didn’t feel connected with any of them.

I think if it hadn’t have deviated so far from the original story line, by introducing what appeared to be an endless cast of side characters who got their own POV, and more focus and attention was given to Tony, the club, and the supernatural, this would have been a tighter story.

I wasn’t particularly engaged with the story, and the supernatural element of Club Raven, which made it a fascinating club in the first book, was sort of lost.

There is some light BDSM content, so if you’re looking for historical BDSM erotica then this would be something that may suit your tastes.

Find Book #2 on Goodreads!

Calling His Bluff (Club Raven #3) by BA Tortuga

Patrick's loss is Remy's gain.

A Club Raven Novel

After his twin dies in battle, it’s Patrick Daniels’ duty to marry his brother’s fiancée. Too bad he can’t make himself do it, and in his distress, he manifests a psychic talent that’s stronger than the tornadoes in his native East Texas. Then a mysterious man from a place called Club Raven steps in and sweeps Patrick off to the booming East Coast city of Baltimore.

Club Raven veteran Remy Blanchard sees Patrick and knows, even though Patrick is very ill, that this is the challenge he’s been waiting for. He nurses Patrick back to health, and begins to teach Patrick to control his talent. His methods might be unconventional, and Patrick might be new to the kinds of sexual games Remy knows best, but the two of them find something in each other that might be just as magical as the gentleman’s club where they meet.

Patrick is an anomaly. After a head injury caused by a bullet on the battlefield, he seems to have developed telekinetic abilities that he is unwilling to connect to and which are wildly untamed. Finding himself at Club Raven, in the clutches of Remy, whom is anything but shy about his desire, is causing feelings Patrick has been taught is a sin, but the comfort he gets is something he longs for.

This was the sweetest. I really loved Patrick and the way he connected with Remy. Remy is equally charming, and exactly what Patrick needs to help him harness his powers. This story really brought together the mystery of the club, and familiar characters from book one, and dove into a deep, equally gratifying relationship between these two men.

This story appears to be set before Happy Medium. Max doesn’t appear in this book, but Andrew makes a small appearance. Other characters are present and accounted for. A small cameo of Giles (Giles!!!) and Samuel and Joseph, who have a brief appearance in the first book get more time in this one. I found that they are all richly unique, and well developed for the small amount of time they have on the page.

The feeling I got from the beginning of this story was a sense of magic and wonder. Patrick is, of course, in a pretty fragile state when he is brought to Club Raven for care, so from his point of view things are fuzzy and time disappears. This is really well portrayed by the author. There wasn’t any real time jump, as we switch to Remy’s POV to fill in the blanks, but the feeling came across in those moments strongly.

This is a D/s story, focused on sexual service from the submissive. Patrick is also a virgin, and was raised in a strictly religious household, so Remy has to take more care to introduce these elements. I thought the pace worked really well. Remy used submission as a focus to help Patrick control his telekinesis. He did things slowly, and allowed Patrick the room to get used to his own needs and wants before taking it up a notch. There is no real punishment in this story. It is mostly about praise and positive reinforcement, which is needed for Patrick, who is recovering from trauma and needs a solid foundation.

As always, this author makes me happy with her writing. I’m usually all over the contemporary western stories B.A. Tortuga writes, and this was a nice opportunity to see this author’s talent in other genres.

The erotica in this story is delicious, prevocative, and engaging. There is a fair bit of it, so readers who prefer there sexy stories on the sex-lite side may find this to be too much.

I would have liked a little more with discovering what Patrick can do, and I’m disappointed we weren’t given more background on Remy, and his talent, but since this is a romance, and is heavy on the sex, I’ll have to make do. There are still a lot of mysteries surrounding Club Raven, and I think it definitely has room for continuation with more authors or the current author trio to expand and fill in.

Recommended to readers of Historical Paranormal and fans of BDSM D/s and erotica.

Find Book #3 on Goodreads!

All copies provided for an honest review via IndiGo Marketing

Review: The Cyborg He Brought Home by A.M. Hawke

Jake is bored of life in Greentree, a settlement of wizards who eschew technology and channel their magic through tattoos. Then a visitor arrives: Cory, a cyborg with coppery hair and metallic hands. Jake is fascinated by Cory's metal parts, curious what it would feel like to touch them. But the others in Greentree aren’t so sure about a visitor they consider unnatural…

Wizards, magical tattoos and a ginger haired cyborg can be found in A.M. Hawke's The Cyborg He Brought Home. The title literally tells the plot of the sci-fi/fantasy mashup.

Jake is a mage, or wizard, the details are a little fuzzy. What isn't fuzzy is he lives in a settlement of wizards called Greentree where there are magic trees and magic tattoos all over folk. Technology isn't revered as magic. While drinking in the local wizard bar, in walks a cyborg. Which sounds like the start of possibly an awesome story but that's pretty much all there is.

We learn the cyborg's name is Cory. He's from a moon colony and on an information seeking trip on wizard colonies. There is instant dislike from most of the magical practicing folk except from Jake.

Jake is fascinated by the mechanical eyes, copper wire hair and Cory's fascination with the simplest magic. The story plot wise? Doesn't offer much. It's about 10K and I'm reviewing an uncorrected, unedited ARC. The entire thing read closer to an outline - there were two scenes: initial meeting and then going home to have sex. The lack of chemistry was an issue for me. I couldn't buy it between Cory and Jake, which hung like a grey cloud for the rest of this very short story.

The world created was an interesting idea. I like that tattoos were conduits of magic. The Nature vs. Machines idea, if developed, could have been something. If the entire story was more developed, it could have been magical. It was more of cool ideas and concepts (wizards in nature, cyborgs living on the moon, MAGIC TATTOOS!) and meh a sex scene. *shrugs*

I will say Cory was the stronger developed character of the pair. I'd have enjoyed reading more back story on him. There were inklings of story possibilities when he spoke briefly on moon life. I believe this was my first trans cyborg I've ever read. It was Jake's first trans partner, so he asked a lot of questions. Cory was cool with them.

"Right, but I mean--you're already half metal. You could look like whatever you want."
"That's true, I could."
"So why keep a scar?"
"Because they're mine, Jake. They remind me of where I've been and what it took to get to where I am now."

The story ends with a possible HFN. It's a first time hook up, so who knows what the future holds for Jake and Cory?

Overall, interesting concepts, but the execution is underdeveloped. If this is ever re-edited or re-released in the future, I'll take a peek.

A copy provided via Netgalley for an honest review.

Find on Goodreads!

Review: Pendulum (Kingdom of Night #1) by L.C. Davis

Remus Black is still reeling from an abusive relationship that stripped him of everything -- including his desire for love. Now all he wants is a fresh start halfway across the country, but his new roommate is determined to draw him into his strange world of chains, half-naked men and the infamous Lodge, a BDSM club as lavish as it is secretive.

When Remus is entered into the Lodge's annual Alpha's Pet contest against his will, he finds himself thrown to the Wolf Pack, the very type of men he needs to avoid. What's worse is that the wolves immediately label him a submissive, something he swore he would never be again. Things get even stranger when "wolf" turns out to be far more literal than Remus ever imagined. When both the next-in-line for Alpha and his outcast brother claim Remus as their own, the entire pack is thrown into chaos.

Can Remus learn to embrace the power of submission and choose between the brothers before their rivalry tears the pack apart, or will the tension between them unravel his own sordid past?

A lot happened in this story which deviated from the blurb. Don’t get me wrong, what is in the blurb is definitely in the story, but there is so much more.

This intricately plotted out story seems to have many threads to follow. If you’re looking for a paranormal BDSM story, you will not find it here. Yes, there is some BDSM in a dungeon setting, but it seems to take a back seat to the broader story line. I wouldn’t even call this a BDSM erotica story. I would say that there is a minimal amount, and it really doesn’t have much to do with anything. It was a catch, to get Remus to where he needed to be. I think this could have been achieved another way, but obviously, this was the author’s choice. Once there, the story opened up into a world of Werewolves, Vampires, and the secrets buried deep within Remus’ mind. It was definitely a fascinating read. It certainly kept me in its grasp throughout. There were a few plot holes, and I didn’t really get a good image of what the werewolves looked like, but it was otherwise a good start to a series.

Gritty and a little bit dub-con, Remus has been caught between twins, both for whom Remus is their mate. This isn’t stated, but is pretty obvious from the beginning. I’m not giving anything away, I promise.

Remus’ personality grows into something more than the skittish human whom we first meet on his first day at a new university. He’s run from his abusive ex, and is understandably trying to regain his footing. Brought up in a revolving door of foster families, Remus second guesses himself often, is deeply scarred, both emotionally, and physically. With his meeting of his new classmate cum roommate, Sebastian, and Victor, this story turns into a maze of interconnectedness that made my mind spin at times, but showed that the author has a great imagination.

I enjoyed the development of Remus. I enjoyed the development of his friendship with Victor. I wasn’t totally convinced on his relationship with Sebastian. I didn’t really feel it. There was more time spent with Remus and Victor, and the development was much stronger. I’m more interested in how they progress through this series, and think that maybe Sebastian should look for someone else.

There are a few nice twists in this story, and I’m very interested in continuing this journey. There were some grammar issues, which I think needs a re-edit. They didn’t detract too much from the overall enjoyment of the story, but there were more than there should be, and it did pull me out of the story at times.

I would recommend this to those who enjoy Werewolf and vampire erotic love stories. This is a little darker and less fluffy than standard, which I prefer. A lot of the character’s have questionable morals. I like this grey area.

I will say, I need a bit more detail on the fundamentals of the pack, vampire politics, and overall world building, but I’m hoping those gaps will be filled along the way. There’ a nice blend of author’s imagination and common folklore to make this a unique reading experience.

Find more info on Goodreads!

Review: Highland Hearts by J.P. Bowie

Callum Robertson has inherited his grandfather’s mansion in northern Scotland, but the house comes with a history he knew nothing about—should he be thrilled, or feel threatened as the house seems to lure him in?

When Callum Robertson first sees the old Scottish country mansion his grandfather bequeathed him, his first instinct is to sell the antiquated pile for whatever he can get for it—admittedly not much in a downturned market. Then he meets Craig MacPherson, a local farmer with auburn curls and sparkling gray eyes, and suddenly the gloomy old house doesn’t look quite the white elephant it first appeared to be.

Craig tells Callum that it’s rumored the house is haunted but by what or whom no one seems to know. Books flying off shelves then being mysteriously replaced give Callum pause to reconsider his rejection of the idea of an actual ghost haunting the place. When he finds a journal relating to the history of his family he is, by turn, intrigued then fascinated as the family saga unfolds through the writings of his ancestors.

An encounter with what he feels must be the spirit of his great-great-great uncle Alistair makes him change his mind about not only selling the house, but also about his future with Craig.

Shortish but perfectly enjoyable, this has been one of several books set in Scotland I've read recently - and I love the setting completely. The imagery of the beautiful Scottish highlands and islands is a beautifully romantic backdrop to any story.

Though this story felt like a quick read, it was enjoyable 'curl up with a cuppa' book, of course the cuppa could have a wee dram of whisky added to it, for authenticity and all that. Yeah, I know. I have a feeling a completely butchered the Scottish there too. Anywho...

If ghost stories of the cosy variety are your thing, then this is a book for you. Nothing was too much of a shock or a twist here, but I don't always need some great big melodramatic angsty feels to my reading, sometimes I want exactly what this story offered; romance, history, a little mystery and a cute read.

Callum and Craig are great MC's. The highland farmer and the townie who have more in common than they realised. I really did enjoy their characters and how this story unfolded around them both.  I really don't have much more to say, this isn't the kind of book that needs pages of review, it really does what it says in the blurb and is a lovely little tale.

A copy of the book was given in exchange for an honest review.

For more information see Goodreads.

Audiobook Review: Lay It Down by Mary Calmes

Paradise can be hell.

Most people would say being stranded in the villa of Spanish shipping magnate Miguel García Arquero on the beautiful isle of Ibiza wasn’t such a bad deal. But Hudson Barber isn’t one of them. To him, being stuck without a passport in a foreign country far from home is a nightmare, made worse by the fact that the person who did the stranding was his flighty twin brother.

Unwilling to turn Dalvon in for identity theft, Hudson is forced to wait, but meanwhile he discovers the chance to rehabilitate Miguel’s failing local businesses—enterprises left to Dalvon’s inexperienced care. The flagging ventures are a badly wrapped gift from heaven, and if Hudson can turn them around, he might be able to leverage the experience to finish his MBA.

Then Miguel returns to Ibiza, and instead of finding a boy toy, he discovers Hudson has turned his cold villa into a warm, welcoming home. Miguel’s path is clear: convince Hudson to lay down his defenses and let love in.

Listening Length: 4 hours and 38 minutes
Narrator: Alexander Collins

Ahh yeah. I am a Mary Calmes audiobook virgin no more! It's a moment to be written about in my diary, give me a second to document this.

Okay, so I have read this story but that doesn’t mean that listening to it was not a whole new experience, because oh baby was it ever.

I felt the joining—the oneness—in a heart-swelling, chest-gripping rush.

I admit it took me a bit to get used to being read to, it always does. But when the narrator busts out Hudson's speaking voice I melted into a puddle and just wanted to crawl into his narration and snuggle or maybe squirm once we got to the intimate parts but really… Alexander Collins and the word “Fuck” go hand in hand in *ahem*… hand.  You feel me? The narrator brings the story to life. I know I loved it when I read it but Alexander Collins breathes life, love and passion into these characters with his reading and it's a wonderful pairing to the type of romance Mary Calmes writes. 

So once I settled into being read to everything came together, me as the listener and Mr. Collins delivering a short but fun and oh so sexy story I'd read before. Sure, I’d read it but he was giving me another glimpse into the story of Hudson, his spineless wienie of a brother Dalvon and Miguel... the tiger of a man who wants nothing more than Hudson's trust, love, loyalty and to stay with him forever and ever and ever.

Substance is far more attractive than mere beauty.

The story it total crack with an over the top storyline but it's what I love. I giggled and grinned my way through the phone calls with Hudson and Dalvon and kinda swooned at Will being all possessive over Hudson's brother when we was never that way with Hudson. I was on the edge of my seat waiting to hear Miguel with the first face to face with him and Hudson and *ahem* oh yeah. That in my ear while I sat at my desk working on report files was all sorts of squirmy listening. 

As a newbie to the world of audiobooks, I find that I do better with them if I have read the book before as I can keep up with the story better knowing what and who was going on. But I have also found that listening almost gives me a whole new experience. I mean, I was getting bits from the story I did not remember like Hudson comparing his decisions about the staff to Beauty and the Beast when I read it and yet here, it was a fact that made me smile and take notice. A sign of a good narrator or an absent minded reader? I’m not sure but it’s cataloged in my brain now.

“How do you know?”

“Because I feel it…”

Reviewing audiobooks is odd for me because I never know what to exactly review. I loved the story, it’s Mary Calmes and I’m a huge fan but even the best story can suck when its delivery is lackluster. Thank goodness that is not the case here at all.

I loved experiencing Hudson waking up in the villa on Ibiza, stranded because his twin brother Dalvon stole his passport while pretending to be Hudson and ran back to the states and Hudson’s ex-boyfriend to play house indefinitely. I adored listening as Hudson makes the choice to either pretend to be his brother or just be himself and do what he does best, take care of business and those who matter. I cherished when Hudson gets a good look at his brother’s “fiancé” Miguel, and knows all bets are off as well as clothes, because the romance was getting down to business in best way the author can deliver it.

This was so good. The romance, the insta love, insta lust, alpha man to submissive man and all the I WANT YOU NOW AND TO HELL WITH REASON feelings were amazing. The story is full of shenanigans and characters you fall hard and fast for. The narration was in Technicolor with its translation of bright, wonderful and colorful characters flying off the page. Simply a great delivery of a great story. Oh boy. Hudson and Miguel are so stupidly sexy in my ears… mmm hmm. Sex-ay. For me, Mary Calmes and Alexander Collins are a delicious match in gay romance and narration and I need more.

Find on Dreamspinner Press or Goodreads!

Audiobook Review: The Stolen Suitor by Eli Easton

His future was set until a thief stole his heart.

All of Clyde’s Corner, Montana, knows local dandy Chris Ramsey will marry Trix Stubben, young widow and heir to the richest ranch in the area. But one woman isn’t too keen on the idea. Mabe Crassen wants to get her hands on that ranch, so she sets her older son to court Trix, and her younger son, Jeremy, to distract Chris and lure him astray.

Jeremy Crassen thinks his mother’s scheme is crazy. But he wants desperately to go off to college, which Mabe will agree to—if he seduces Chris. How will shy, virginal, secretly gay Jeremy attract Chris, who seems determined to do the right thing and marry Trix? Jeremy can’t compete with a rich female widow. Or can he?

Narrator: Rusty Topsfield
Length: 7 hrs 35 mins

I think it's official.

I'm in lurve with the Dreamspun Desires line.

So much so that even the shaky narration of my cherry popper narrator, one Mr. Rusty Topsfield, couldn't deter the great story. [Thankfully, I had a personal copy to read along]

If Harlequin/ Boon & Mills like tropes ain't your deal, just walk away from this line.

This was a homage done right.

I loved just about everything. The premise, pace, plot and especially the characters. Eli Easton's New Adult just keeps hitting the win columns on my list.

Twenty year old shy, redhead virgin Jeremy Crassen is from the wrong side of the tracks. With a good looking but lazy older brother, a father who died while incarcerated and a scheming mother who the town painted as a slut, life has been constantly giving Jeremy lemons at his trailer park. Jeremy's mother cooks a plot for both of her sons to break up Trix Stubben and Chris Ramsey, children of the wealthier families in Clyde's Corner, Montana. Eric, the sort of dimwitted older brother needs to seduce and marry Trix and Jeremy needs to seduce Chris.

Jeremy is not out and though the town has an open gay couple, he doesn't plan to start gallivanting across town with any man. Nor does he think any man would want him. Only that the older Chris is straight...or so Jeremy thinks. Jeremy sort of goes along to steal Trix's suitor but the plan backfires...due to shared feelings.

The story is more from an ensemble cast POV, the Crassens being main players just as much as Chris is.

I meant to listen to the audiobook in piecemeal, stretch out the read/listen for a few days. But two things happened.

1) I'm too used to Rusty Topsfield's style of narration after 2 books. Meaning his characters sounds just about the same with his limited vocal range. There were about 10 or more people he had to voice and they sounded about like the same 3 or 4.

After the first chapter, I had to add my ebook to my reader or I'd have gotten lost. It's not a good look when I had to read or laugh at the melding voices.


2) I devoured the story in less than 24 hours. Even with the shoddy narration. Because Easton fleshed out her characters, made the plot interesting and reeled me in by dangling tidbits of feelz here and there.

It's clear to say after our first time, me and Rusty will have to take a lengthy TO.

(Unless he narrates another book I really need to listen to, then I'll have to reevaluate my need)


There were a few typos that Rusty didn't read over (Kudos for him) But sometimes his inflections and pauses he added, didn't fit the scene of the story. I don't think he's the worst narrator ever but I've listened to better. The narration is in the 2 Hearts range.

The story? I'm not adding the narration rating in my average of the story. It was that entertaining.

Jeremy, who kept his hair long and tried to have no one notice him due to a crap child hood and living with the bigger personalities in the Crassen household was a scene stealer from get. Easton showed his growth without changing who his character was drastically. He was an intelligent young man and aspiring writer that lives in a small town with limited resources and no encouragement from his closet supports to grow. Chris's attention? It was alike a spotlight on watched a neglected flower finally shine after a little TLC.

Chris? He was bisexual and honest with his feelings. Was he dating Trix while falling for Jeremy? Technically, yes. But their dates were platonic and both tried to force feelings that weren't there. Probably due to grief, Trix's dead husband was Chris' best friend.

Eric Crassen? He started as a lovable jerkwad and ended up being my second favorite Crassen. He never thought he should amount to anything because lazy. He saw his potential when he started working for it. And we get to see his romance! That's right there's a secondary MF plot happening concurrent to Jeremy and Chris's budding romance. (I read MF romance too)

Definitely warranted and added to the overall plot.

And Mabe, the schemer and hussy of Clyde's Corner? She has a secret that knocked everyone's socks off. But she's a good person at the heart of it. I was hoping for a little more showtime on her romance or possible rekindling.

There is a little mystery tied in. And even a little "OMG, you almost died!" action.

(My only quibble is Trix. I loved her and then disliked her as her and Eric's story line got more intense. Plus, during the action section, something about her reactions rubbed me the wrong way. When it was her problem, she was all guns ablazing. But when it was someone else's, her actions seemed a little cold.

The story has a slightly dramatic ending and a sweet HEA.I couldn't stop rooting for all of the characters from start to finish. It was a little sweet, a lot of enchanting writing and solid story all around. Sweet, sexy with a realistic build to the romance. Ah, Eli Easton done right.

Definitely my favorite so far from the Dreamspun line.

P.S. What's up with Henry Atkins? The town degenerate seems to have a story itching to be told. What's up with the change?

Find more info on Dreamspinner Press, Goodreads or Booklikes!

Our previous review of The Stolen Suitor ebook here

Tag-Team Review: Practice Makes Perfect (Housemates #3) by Jay Northcote

Getting experience with the guy next door seems like a great idea—until the lines blur.

Dev, a geeky first year physics student, has zero sexual experience and he’s determined to change that ASAP. After a bad time in halls of residence, he’s starting the summer term with different housemates and a new plan of action.

Ewan lives in the house next door to Dev. He’s young, free and single, and isn’t looking to change that anytime soon. When awkward circumstances throw them together, Ewan offers to help Dev out in the bedroom in return for maths tutoring, and Dev jumps at the chance.

They work their way through Dev’s sex-to-do list, but what starts as a perfect no-strings arrangement gets more complicated as their feelings for each other begin to grow. If they’re going to turn their lessons in lovemaking into something more permanent, they need to work out how they feel about each other—before they get to the end of Dev’s list.

Length: 54,000 words approx.
This book is a complete story and can be read as a stand-alone

Averaged!

Adam - 4 Hearts

After reading a very angst-heavy book, this was the perfect pick-me-up.

Dev is nerdy, socially awkward, and a virgin. He likes his life to be orderly, which is why he makes lists for everything. One of his goals for the year is to get some sexual experience, but he’s not really sure how to go about it. Ewan, a ginger hunk who doesn’t have a problem finding company, is Dev’s next-door neighbour. After a couple of awkward encounters, during which Ewan learns about Dev’s goal to get laid, Ewan presents Dev with a proposal: Ewan will tutor Dev in the bedroom, and Dev will tutor Ewan in math.

It’s a fair trade, and the two don’t take long to get down to business.

I know what to expect when I read a book by Jay Northcote. It’s usually low on the angst but not too sappy, with immediately likeable MCs, a realistic romance, and some sexytime to top it off. The Housemates series kicks the sexytime up a few notches. ‘Practice Makes Perfect’ delivered in every aspect.

If you’ve got a thing for confident gingers with infectious smiles who know their way around a bedroom, you won’t have any problem with Ewan. He had me feeling some type of way, especially when he patiently taught Dev the joys of sex. If he set up a tutoring business, I would keep him on retainer.

Does that make me a bit of a perv? Probably. I own my perviness.

It’s hard not to love Dev right off the bat. He’s a cute geek who knows what he wants, and isn’t afraid to go after it. His obsession with lists was adorable. He even makes one for what he wants Ewan to teach him.

The Housemates series has some hot sexin’, and book 3 is no different. Dev’s list covers all of the basics - handjobs, blowjobs, rimming, and anal. Ewan and Dev are very thorough in going through that list. Though Dev might need some pointers at times, he is in no way a bashful virgin. The boy dishes out dirty talk without thinking about it.

These two lit up my tablet screen, giving the previous couples in this series a run for their money.

Dev and Ewan’s relationship isn’t just about the sex. The two get to know each other, and eventually realize that they want something more. Through home-made dinner dates (though neither will admit that they’re dates), spending time together, and meeting each other’s friends, they slowly develop feelings for one another. It was a sweet and believable progression.

Yes, the inevitable misunderstanding happens, which I’m usually not a fan of. But in this case I didn’t mind because it doesn’t take long for Ewan and Dev to admit that the two were head-over-heels for each other.

If you’re looking for something hot, sweet, and easy, ‘Practice Makes Perfect’ is the book for you! It can be read as a stand-alone.

Chelsea - 4.5 Hearts

Sex Things to Try
Kissing
Hand jobs
Frottage
Blow jobs (giving)
Blow jobs (receiving)
Fingering
Rimming (giving)
Rimming (receiving)
Topping
Bottoming

I adored the first two books in this series, such a perfect blend of sweetness and sexy. Practice Makes Perfect was no exception.

Ewan and Dev…. what a gorgeous sexy couple. I adored both of these characters. Ewan is a genuine nice guy, who had no past hang-ups or deep dark secrets. Also he's ginger…

Then there's Dev, who felt like the most un-virgin virgin ever and I really really liked that. Dev has done nothing with anyone, not even kissing, but he’s done an awful lot to himself, including fucking himself with a big fat dildo. That's never the case with virgin's in romance books. They're always these chaste ‘not wanting to be touched’ boys, but Dev was very proactive in his sex life and I loved it! Ewan did too.

“You gonna make me beg for it?” Ewan asked hoarsely. “Or do you want me to make you take it?”
Dev moaned and tightened his fingers on Ewan’s thighs where he gripped them.

At times I couldn’t help but feel frustrated at Dev and Ewan’s obvious assumptions of each other's feelings. It was evident that they were both falling for each other, but they were both so insecure (sounds like normal teenagers really) about where they stood as a couple. Good thing is it wasn't overly prolonged. They talked and worked things out pretty quickly.

Really I think a large majority of MM romance lovers will adore this. It has sweet characters, budding friendships and sexy sex... What's not to love?


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