Review: Unforgotten (Forgiven #2) by Garrett Leigh

Billy Daley hasn’t been home in years, and he likes it that way. He’s just fine on his own—he has a cash-in-hand job at a scrapyard, a half-feral cat to keep him company, and many miles between him, his hometown and all the baggage that comes with it.

Until the job goes sideways. Suddenly he’s back in Rushmere, working for none other than his brother’s best friend—a man whose kiss Billy can’t seem to forget.

Gus Amour’s memories of Billy Daley are all spiky edges, lips crushed against lips and a reckless streak that always ended in trouble. But when Billy needs a place to stay, Gus steps in. He’d do anything for the Daley family, including living, and working, side by side with a man who makes his heart beat too fast and his blood run too hot—two things he’s been running from for years.

It doesn’t take long before their easy banter, lingering touches and heated glances become a temptation too hard to resist. But falling into bed and falling in love are two different things, and love has never come easy to either Billy or Gus. Only when fate threatens to steal away their opportunity for a second chance will they realize they don’t need easy.

They just need each other.

Billy and Gus grew up together, always in each other’s lives. They even shared a sneaky kiss once. But family events forced the two onto very different paths.

Now Billy is back in town, and he’s staying at Gus’ place. They’re very different men, but the spark between is just the same.

I really liked the set-up of this book - family drama, moody boys, sexual tension, unspoken feelings, and a judgy cat.

A winning recipe!

This is very much so a character-driven story - all of the focus is on Gus and Billy, and on their respective siblings, Mia and Luke. What a tricky web that family is.

This isn’t an overly angsty book, at least not by Garrett Leigh’s standards, but it’s definitely heavy on the family drama and dynamics. That being said, Billy and Gus were still pretty cute from the get-go.

Their relationship grows very naturally, and it’s easy to see how well they fit together. Whether the two were trading insults, working, attempting to cook, or trying to ignore the growing heat, the connection between them was obvious.

Sure, both have some unresolved issues with their families, but the shared experience made it easier for Gus and Billy to address their problems. They’re adorable once they finally give in to the tension between them. Years worth of longing paid off!

Where the book took a bit of a left turn was the second half.

so. much. miscommunication.

Or lack of communication, more accurately.

Both men just jumped to one inaccurate conclusion after another, and it all seemed to snowball into the perfect storm. I was a bit miffed, and just not as invested for a while.

Luckily, the big resolution set it all to rights. And everyone accepted their responsibility. Growth is amazing to see.

Even better, the happy ever after was perfect. Overall, I quite enjoyed Billy and Gus’ story!

A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Audiobook Review: My Mate Jack (Heated Beat #1) by Garrett Leigh

Will Barter’s been in love with his best mate Jack for as long as he can remember. They’ve shared everything: love, life, laughs, even Will’s first kiss. But Jack’s straight, and Will’s long-buried infatuation means nothing until their last summer together draws to a close.

Then one night, everything changes, but with Will bound for university in Leeds, and Jack for his dream DJ job in Ibiza, there’s no time to explore their blurred lines. Before long all that’s left are secrets, lies, and misunderstandings.

In the months that follow, anger and hurt overshadow fifteen years of friendship, and Will must dig deep to remember Jack is his mate… his best mate, and nothing matters more than that, right?

 

Narrator: Dan Calley 

Listening Length: 3 Hours

Not that I’ve read a lot of Garrett Leigh but this is probably one of the more easygoing books out there of hers, and it was oh so nice.

As per the blurb, Will and Jack have been BFF’s for forever and though they've shared some very huge milestone firsts regarding their sexual history, Will’s staunch belief that Jack’s straight is the biggest obstacle to these two.  Toss in some no/miscommunication as well as several external factors working against them, and these two besties are unfortunately kept apart for a good bit of time. 

Told in intermittent snippets over a few years, as well as through various texts and emails, I liked the evolution of this friends to lovers story.  Sure, it has some mild angst with plenty of pining, doubt, and jealousy, but it was never heavy handed.

Narrated by Dan Calley, this was my first foray listening to him. Though I personally had some difficulty discerning between characters at times, the British accents and emotions were spot on, and I wouldn’t say no to future listens!

So, if you like Leigh and want lighter fare, then this oldie (originally published back in 2014) is now obviously available on audio which just might catch your fancy this time around!  Highly enjoyable as Will and Jack are very likeable blokes, and despite it taking awhile to get both their heads on track, they do it with lots of sweet sexy aplomb!!

Review: Common Goal (Game Changers #4) by Rachel Reid

New York Admirals goalie Eric never thought his friends-with-benefits arrangement with much-younger Kyle would leave them both wanting more…

Veteran goaltender Eric Bennett has faced down some of the toughest shooters on the ice, but nothing prepared him for his latest challenge—life after hockey. It’s time to make some big changes, starting with finally dating men for the first time.

Graduate student Kyle Swift moved to New York nursing a broken heart. He’d sworn to find someone his own age to crush on (for once). Until he meets a gorgeous, distinguished silver fox hockey player. Despite their intense physical attraction, Kyle has no intention of getting emotionally involved. He’ll teach Eric a few tricks, have some mutually consensual fun, then walk away.

Eric is more than happy to learn anything Kyle brings to the table. And Kyle never expected their friends-with-benefits arrangement to leave him wanting more. Happily-ever-after might be staring them in the face, but it won’t happen if they’re too stubborn to come clean about their feelings.

Everything they both want is within reach… They just have to be brave enough to grab it.

I love this series so much; it's a comfort read for me. It's smart. It's sexy. And (most importantly) it's got Ilya!

He seems to turn up in every installment to deliver the chuckles, though he was not flying the Chuckle Ship solo this time. Eric "Benny" Bennett's teammates also delivered in the levity department, something that's always a win for me.

As much as I liked Benny and Kyle Common Goal started off slow for me. The push/pull thing is not one of my favorites. I like my MCs to use their words. These two gets points for using words they just used the wrong ones. Not great but points for effort.

However, what turned the tide was Benny being willing to embrace his bisexuality for the first time in his life at 41. I'm a sucker for sexual discovery plus I really liked Benny. He's not a character that leaps off the page like Ilya or one that you want to mummify in bubble wrap like Ryan but he's just... good people. Genuine. Loyal. Humble.

He wants a relationship, someone to share his life with and because he's such a good person he feels the 16 year age difference between he and Kyle would be shortchanging Kyle. Thus the push/pull betwixt what he thinks is the "right" thing to do and what he actually wants begins.

Rest assured, he wants Kyle with the force of a Cat-5 hurricane.

Kyle even though he's still kind of rebounding from his unrequited crush on Kip quickly turns into Team Benny's #1 fan. Maybe it was too quick but then again Benny is well, Benny so... I get it and what's more, Kyle counterbalances Benny superbly. He's just exuberant enough to bring out Benny's playful and adventurous sides and they have just enough in common to make me buy into their well-suitedness.

To get the ball rolling, Kyle offers to be a "mentor" in all things gay. Let me just say, the sex is... SKYROCKETS IN FLIGHT!!!!!!!!! AFTERNOON (and evening. and morning) DELIIIIiiiiiiiiIIIIIIIiiiiiiiiiIIIIiiiiiIIGHT!!!! Bossy top, edging, a little bondage, begging... *bites fist*

Their connection builds slowly and it took me a while to invest but once I did I enjoyed their journey.

Alongside Benny and Kyle's journey, what I liked a lot again were the secondary characters. I felt like I really got to know (and like) Scott in this one and the whole Maria-n-Matti Jalo thing... can I get a short on this? Do I need to beg? Though if there's one thing I crave in a sports romance it's team dynamics and those were on point in Common Goal! The whole locker room scene was funny and heartwarming... perfection.

Bottom line: Reid delivered again and I can't wait to see what's in store for us in Game Changers #5. 

*cough*Dallas Kent*cough*

C'mon! It would be the greatest twist to ever twist!

An ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Falling for My Roommate by Garrett Leigh

Falling for his roommate gives ex footballer Micah the second chance he deserves, and what could be better than loving your best friend?

Micah
I’m a broke ex-football player with a bum leg and PTSD. Last summer, I had two choices: the streets, or find a cheap room to rent in the city. I chose the second option, which landed me with a brand-new problem, cos I hadn’t banked on my roommate becoming my best friend. Or that before long I’d find myself head over heels in love with him. Trouble is, even if Sam likes me back, I ain’t fit to be no one’s boyfriend. I don’t know how. All I do is wade through every precious moment and hope that he doesn’t regret the day he ever met me.

Sam
I’m a gay book nerd with no business falling in love with hunky athletes. Micah is the dictionary definition of beautiful, inside and out, he just doesn’t know it. And he definitely doesn’t know I’m ridiculously in love with him. The embarrassing kind of love.

He’s all I can think about.

But it’s not as simple as loving someone who doesn’t love me back. Micah is damaged goods—at least, that’s how he’d put it. The world has chewed him up and spat him out, and he thinks he deserved it. That he’s still the battered mess he was a year ago.

I want to shake him, and shout in his face that he’s not. To force the truth on him and make him believe in himself the way I do. But I can’t save Micah. One day, perhaps he’ll realise that he already saved himself.

Ex-football star Micah and bartender Sam make for unlikely roommates, and even unlikelier friends. But the two men oddly understand each other and find common ground.

They have a good thing going.

Until feelings rock the boat.

Right off the bat, I felt like I was entering the book in the middle of the relationship. Sam and Micah were already the most important people in each other’s lives, and were already halfway to love.

That aside, I thought the two were very cute together. The small ways they looked after one another, how they gravitated towards each other, and how both men knew deep down that this was more than just a friendship.

And I was looking forward to seeing them admit their true feelings and explore their relationship!

Unfortunately, the pattern that emerged was very off-putting.

There is miscommunication galore. Again and again. There’s also a lot of refusal to communicate, even when both men acknowledge that they need to. It was very tiresome.

But what really rubbed me the wrong way - Micah. He’s a complex and gloomy character with a lot of demons, as are many of Garrett Leigh’s characters. But Micah uses Sam as his crutch and lifeline, with absolutely no care or thanks given, and then lashes out when things get rough.

And Sam takes it, never truly protesting the way he’s treated. Because Micah and his problems come first; they’re central to the entire relationship.

I could appreciate that Micah went through a lot and dealt with the mental and physical trauma of it, but that didn’t justify his behaviour at all.

By the end, though I was glad to see the two get their happy ending, I was no longer invested in Sam and Micah’s story.

A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Thrown to the Wolves (Big Bad Wolf #3) by Charlie Adhara

Agent Cooper Dayton is going to meet his boyfriend’s werewolf family. Unarmed. On their turf. 

And he’s bringing his cat. 

When Agent Cooper Dayton agreed to attend the funeral for Oliver Park’s grandfather, he didn’t know what he was getting into. Turns out, the deceased was the alpha of the most powerful werewolf pack on the eastern seaboard. And his death is highly suspicious. Regardless, Cooper is determined to love and support Park the way Park has been there for him.

But Park left him woefully unprepared for the wolf pack politics and etiquette. Rival packs? A seating order at the dinner table? A mysterious figure named the Shepherd? The worst is that Park didn’t tell his family one key thing about Cooper. Cooper feels two steps behind, and reticent Park is no help.

There are plenty of pack members eager to open up about Park and why Cooper is wrong for him. Their stories make Cooper wonder if he’s holding Park back. But there’s no time to get into it…as lethal tranquilizer darts start to fly, Cooper needs to solve the mystery of the alpha’s death and fight for the man he loves—all before someone else dies.

This book did my squishy marshmallow heart GOOD and quickly became my favorite of the series so far. 🤞 I do so hope there is more to come from Cooper and Park. I'll beg if need be.

"You've seen the worst of me. You are the best of me. I won't ever risk losing that again."

Thrown to the Wolves finds Cooper and Park at Park's family compound for his grandfather's memorial along with Cooper's cat, Boogie, who comes in handy a time or two. From the very beginning Adhara sets a metronome-like pace with unexpected things happening and odd people emerging, all of which leaves the reader wondering if all of this is going to be important later and/or how it's all going to tie together. Cooper is mostly recovered from his leg injury and Park is as doting as ever. It's adorable.

Park is still harboring some secrets, mostly of the omission variety but many of the burning questions I had about him and his origins were answered. Park's family are quite the interesting bunch. I'll say no more but several of them kept me on my toes collecting all those dropped breadcrumbs.

Even better, Cooper is back to his entertaining self, in his own special droll way. I hadn't realized how much I missed that guy in The Wolf at Bay. He's happy and it shows and that made me happy.

However, Rome wasn't built in a day and they are by no means perfect in the communication department but they are both trying and get points for that. They implicitly trust each other and the love they share is the force that drives them both to strive for something bigger and stronger, something unique unto them.

One person can't love you enough to make up for all the people who don't, but Cooper wasn't trying for all the people. Just the one. Just for right now.

Their sex lives continue to surprise and delight me. This role playing thing they've got going... 🙌🤪👍🤯💪 ASDFGHJKLOIUYTREW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dear Sex Gods,

Hi there! YUGE fan of your work.

Please if you could find it in your heart to continue to inspire Charlie Adhara with a certain hunky werewolf and his slightly neurotic but totally lovable human, I'd be SUPER grateful were there to be more of their particular brand of reindeer games in my future. Perhaps something of the mating variety that included some biting? 😘

Good talk.

🍆🍑,

Me

My only quibble is the mystery wasn't as engrossing as previous one, but I quickly forgot all about that when the twist at the end came. Did not see that coming. At all. But I dug it. And I want to see how it plays out in the next book. 🙏🙏

Fans of this series should be happy with this installment and if you've not started the series, it's not a standalone so skedattle on back to The Wolf at the Door and get to work!

An ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cool. I'm in.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Review: A Temporary Situation by H.L. Day

Personal assistant Dominic is a consummate professional. Funny then, that he harbors such unprofessional feelings toward Tristan Maxwell, the CEO of the company. No, not in that way. The man may be the walking epitome of gorgeousness dressed up in a designer suit. But, Dominic's immune. Unlike most of the workforce, he can see through the pretty facade to the arrogant, self-entitled asshole below. It's lucky then, that the man's easy enough to avoid.

Disaster strikes when Dominic finds himself having to work in close proximity as Tristan's P.A. The man is infuriatingly unflappable, infuriatingly good-humored, and infuriatingly unorthodox. In short, just infuriating. A late-night rescue leading to a drunken pass only complicates matters further, especially with the discovery that Tristan is both straight and engaged.

Hatred turns to tolerance, tolerance to friendship, and friendship to mutual passion. One thing's for sure, if Tristan sets his sights on Dominic, there's no way Dominic has the necessary armor or willpower to keep a force of nature like Tristan at bay for long, no matter how unprofessional a relationship with the boss might be. He may just have to revise everything he previously thought and believed in a chance at love.

It's easy to make assumptions about people. To have a first impression and not revise it - and that's exactly what Dominic did in this story.

A Temporary Situation is many things I don't normally like in a book; cliched, rich boss/PA, nasty cow of a fiancee, a git of a colleague, a bit of a paint-by-numbers plot, caricature characters, miscommunications...

And yet...

And yet... I did like it. It was all of the above, but it was also sweet and funny and entertaining. Tristan is the boss but he's all heart. A really likeable guy who is witty and kind and clever. Even though he had a fiancee before falling for Dom, the heart of his character was trying to do the right thing.

Dominic was trying very hard not to fall for Tristan because he believed something about the man which he didn't like.  He sees a different side to Tristan (than the one he believes exists) as he works with him, though, and slowly his feelings change. He's reluctant to let this happen and fights it all the way, but it wouldn't be an office romance without a romance, would it?

On paper this book hits a lot of bum  notes for me, but in practise I really enjoyed this author's style and this story. I will not shy away from another read by HL Day.

A copy of this book was given in exchange for an honest review.
For more information see Goodreads.

Review: Came Upon a Midnight Clear by Katie Porter

A 2017 Riptide Holiday Charity Novel

Up-and-coming film producer Kyle Wakefield lives in the closet rather than risk the wrath of his influential, conservative parents. The only time he took a chance on love was a tempestuous teenage affair with Nathan Carnes. But when Nathan proved himself hell-bent on self-destruction and wound up in prison, Kyle closed off his heart.

Almost a decade later, Kyle’s production partner hires Nathan’s stunt company, Second Chances, to work on a big-budget action film in London. Nate is floored by his explosive reunion with Kyle. But he sure as hell isn’t surprised that Kyle still treats their mutual needs—and Nate—like dirty little secrets.

As the London holiday season casts its dazzling spell, the two men find themselves falling in love again. Kyle is one breathless kiss away from declaring himself to Nate—and to the world—but they cannot ignore secrets borne of youthful mistakes. To protect their bright new future, Kyle and Nathan will need all their passion and trust . . . and a little Christmas magic.

NOTE: This is a lightly edited reprint of a previously published novel.

This was just the right amount of holiday spirit for me, meaning it takes place during Christmas but doesn't rely on the "miracle of Christmas" trope to sustain the relationship. Came Upon a Midnight Clear is essentially a story about second chances and maybe one of redemption on Nate's part.

Nate and Kyle went to boarding school together and fell in love. They made plans. They were going to buck tradition. They were going to be together despite their socioeconomic disparity. But life had other plans.

Nine years later and a three year stint in prison for Nate they find themselves on the set of Fast Money as stuntman and producer and the passion reignites between them with very little tinder required. There is a lot of water under their bridge, a lot of miscommunication and non-communication that may be problematic for some, but I understood their desire for each other. Both believe their is an egg timer ticking down to yet another separation and this time it will likely be for good, so grab what you can while you can, right?

Their physical connection and chemistry bursts off the page and in many ways they communicate through sex: sometimes angry, sometimes tender, sometimes kinky and oftentimes intimate; it's clear they both struggle putting their wants and needs into words. Except during sex when all bets are off. Dirty talk, public sex, rimming, a little D/s and neither holds anything back. But once they do begin to dissect the past and what exactly happened things begin to improve. Along the way there was some marked relationship development beyond the bedroom that convinced me of their ability to endure whatever life throws at them in future.

If you're in the mood for some erotic, second chance romance give Came Upon a Midnight Clear a try. I'll be on the lookout for more from this author in the future.

A review copy was provided by the publisher.

Review: The Play of His Life by Amy Aislin

Former best friends turned lovers Christian and Riley haven't seen or spoken to each other in six years...is there a better time than the holiday season to reconnect with your favorite person? 

The last person Christian wants to run into on a visit home to spend time with his mom over the holidays is his former best friend-turned-lover-turned-ex. But there Riley is, in all his tall, chiseled, blondness. The same guy who walked out on him six years ago, breaking his heart in the process. Who knew he's still in love with the jerk? (Oh yeah, he did. What? Who says denial isn't healthy?) 

Two years ago, Riley was injured out of the NHL, but he's got his own bakery now and a quiet life selling quiches and cupcakes to his customers. Then Christian unexpectedly walks back into his life, forcing Riley to question his choices. Especially that one choice he made six years ago that walked him out of Christian's life. Now if only he had the courage to tell a boy how he really feels about him...

I really loved the idea of this story. Reunited lovers and second chances can be the best of bittersweet tales. People make decisions when they are young that are sometimes so different than the ones they make once they get some time and experience behind them. And it makes sense, we’re different people as we age and all the experiences to that point make up who we become. It’s what we do with those experiences that make the difference. So, I’m generally pretty forgiving to the youthful version of the MC’s in second chance romances. And while both guys in The Play of his Life did something to end their young relationship and yes, Riley’s was worse because, young and dumb, but there was nothing insurmountable to these two getting back together.

Yes, I loved the idea of this story. The execution really didn’t work for me though. There was some inconsistency with the continuity, unnecessary breakdowns in communication, a few hockey things that didn’t work and the absolute most frustrating; the completely unresolved plot point, repeatedly. 

When Christian walked into the bakery he was shocked Riley was there, yet later on when Riley is looking at the scrapbook Christian made there was an article in there about the bakery opening. That was the whole opening to the book, the first sighting that led to the reunion and it wasn’t at all what was presented in the beginning.

The two of them start talking, walls start coming down and they agree to start seeing each other again. That is really the big hurdle, they admitted to still having feelings, to wanting more, but then as Christian’s time home is coming to an end, they get all flummoxed again. It felt so manufactured. They already did a pretty big talk, just keep talking a smidge more, just a smidge and they’d be good. They each did some seriously romantic OTT gestures while they were apart, there was no question of the love they still felt for one another, the drama at the end about Christian leaving was unnecessary.

There were two unresolved points that drove me nutters by distraction and killed the good points for me. Riley has a nickname for Christian, he calls him ‘T’. He’s called him that since they were kids, he had a custom necklace made for Christian with the letter ‘T’, but he’d never tell Christian the significance, which means I didn’t know either. It was obviously pretty important but then completely negated by having no meaning. There was also a lot of reference to ‘Shimmer’, some label-less, mysterious alcoholic beverage that is served at the bakery. It changes flavors and smells depending on what it’s served with. It apparently has different effects on the drinker depending on how it’s served as well. For a bit I thought I stepped into a paranormal story but then you know what happened? Nothing. Shimmer was referred to throughout the story, but it added no value, just distraction. This novella was way too short to have two big THINGS just hanging out there with no resolution.

Riley and Christian got there HEA and I believed it for them. As I said before, there was no doubt about the love the two had for one another, I just really wish there had been some reining in of the random diversions that took away from an otherwise potentially good story.

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

Review: Three Hearts by Grace R. Duncan

Liam Scott is sick. That’s not supposed to be possible. As a wolf shifter, he’s supposed to be able to heal. The omega gene he was born with means he’s capable of carrying shifter young and Liam is worried that whatever is wrong will mean his one-day hope of having pups will be dashed. But despite the fears keeping him away from the doctor until now, he knows he needs to go.

It turns out the sickness is temporary, but the treatment causes a whole other problem.

Mason’s alpha gene means he’s one of very few wolves who can impregnate an omega male. For two years, he’d been watching Liam, but things kept getting in the way. When Liam shows up in heat, Mason recognizes the opportunity he needs and doesn’t hesitate make to Liam his mate and the father of his pups.

But Liam has old wounds and fears to work through which the pregnancy is only making worse, and Mason isn’t sure how to get past them to show he’s serious about making a life together as loving mates. It’s not until a female wolf decides Mason should be hers that Liam makes his biggest worry known—and Mason can finally put the fears to rest.

 

This was the mpreg-iest mpreg story I have ever read.   

Liam is an independent omega who has no plans on mating or starting a family any time soon.  He’s got his eye on the future and it doesn’t include some overbearing Alpha-hole or a gaggle of ankle biters getting underfoot.  Sure, he one day hopes to have the family he’s always dreamed of but that’s for when he’s older, not right now. That all goes out the window when his heat suppressant meds go on the fritz and he finds himself alone in the presence of Alpha and long-time crush, Mason.

This story is sweet.  And… that’s about it.  There’s not much angst to it.  What little angst there is comes by way of miscommunication or, really, just not talking to each other.  I wouldn’t say there is much of a Big Misunderstanding (thank God, because I hate that trope!) but I did utter a few choice words at Mason’s obtuseness when it came to his lack of saying how he truly felt.

As for the rest of it, well, to be honest it was a bit bland.  A little too… domestic.  It was all about breeding Liam, meeting the parents and buying a new home.  There was not much else to it.  Frankly, I was bored through a good chunk of it.  It didn’t feel like I was reading an A/o shifter mpreg story; instead it read more like a sheltered suburbanite’s pregnancy diary.  There was none of the “mate, mine!” that I look for when reading mpreg.  There was no sinister villain out to get anyone.  There was no danger.  The woman out to steal Mason away from Liam referenced in the blurb wasn’t really a part of the story; just a small plot device thrown in near the end to facilitate the resolution of their miscommunication issue.

Now, I’m all for reading some brain candy, of which this story definitely qualifies, but I need some action or charm to balance out the fluff and there was not enough of either here for me.  I want the chocolate bar with the caramel and nougat center.  This was more like a Chick-O-Stick.  I’ll eat it if it’s offered and maybe even enjoy it but it’s not what I would pick when standing in the candy aisle.

This is not to say that I didn’t like the book because I did for the most part.  The birth scene was worth quite a chuckle and the epilogue was over-the-top ridiculous just the way I like it.  I ‘awwed’ when I got to the family tree at the end and saw they got mated on my birthday.  The story is well written with few editing issues and it flowed smoothly (albeit a little too slow for me).  So, it’s not a bad book at all.  It’s just not my type of brain candy.

A copy provided for an honest review.