Release Blitz + Giveaway: The Viking and the Drag Queen (Campo Royale #1) by V.L. Locey

 

Author V.L. Locey and Signal Boost Promotions share new release info for The Viking and the Drag Queen! Read more about the contemporary romance and enter in the giveaway!

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Cover Design: Meredith Russell

Who will emerge the victor on the battlefield of love?

Tyr Hemmingsen had his life mapped out at a young age. The only son of the late Danish hockey great, Elias Hemmingsen, Tyr has always done his best to follow the plans his father had laid out for him. Finish school, make it into the pros, become team captain, find a biddable young lady to marry, and win a championship so the Hemmingsen name lived on eternally on the side of a massive silver cup. Like the good son he is, Tyr has done as his father wished, no matter how it peeled away layers of his true self. Then, all the neatly placed supports that hold up his so-called life come crashing down during a night on the town. Tyr might be known as the “War God of Wilmington” on the ice, but there’s no battling the effect Gigi Patel LeBay has on him.

Elijah McBride lives for the spotlight. As Gigi, he bewitches and bedazzles the crowds at the Campo Royale Club. His vibrant stage persona is the face he presents to the world. Underneath the rouge, eyeliner, and lipstick is a young man who still feels the sting of his parents’ disapproval and rejection of the son who wears wigs and dates other men. With his drag family and older brother in his corner, he’s finally found peace in his life. Until the fateful night a massive hockey player shows up at the club. There’s a world of hurt in Tyr’s soft brown eyes, and Eli finds himself falling for the big man, despite all the barriers he’s built around his tender heart.

The Viking and the Drag Queen is an opposites attract gay romance with heavy checking, lipstick worship, an out and proud queen, a closeted athlete, family lost and found, twink/jock, a new beginning, and a well-cinched happy ending.

USA Today Bestselling Author V.L. Locey – Penning LGBT hockey romance that skates into sinful pleasures.

V.L. Locey loves worn jeans, yoga, belly laughs, walking, reading and writing lusty tales, Greek mythology, Torchwood and Dr. Who, the New York Rangers, comic books, and coffee. (Not necessarily in that order.) She shares her life with her husband, her daughter, one dog, two cats, a pair of geese, far too many chickens, and two steers.

When not writing spicy romances, she enjoys spending her day with her menagerie in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania with a cup of fresh java in one hand and a steamy romance novel in the other.

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Guest Review: The Demon's in the Details by Meghan Maslow

Can a sexy demon really spin straw into gold?

Poe Dupin, raven shifter and thief extraordinaire, is in trouble with a capital ‘T.’ Not only did he get his wing caught in the cookie jar during his latest heist, but his loser stepdad, the alpha, seems determined to run their roost into the ground. And Baltimore is many things, but forgiving is not on the list.

When his stepdad puts the roost in peril, Poe sees no choice but to bargain with Charm City’s only demon, Tommy Tittoti. Rumors are that Tommy eats the souls of those foolish enough to try. Three strikes and you’re out. But really, Poe wasn’t using his soul anyway. And if it saves his roost? Worth it.

Tommy isn’t what Poe expects. Demon—huge, horned, hairy, and scary, right? Nope. Blond, gorgeous, with a bubble butt, and a lilting drawl that beckons Poe to come play. Total hookup-app fantasy material. Even if he is a murder twink.

Poe’s no angel, but Tommy . . . well he’s more devil than demon. Yet, Poe just can’t seem to keep his feathers out of the fire. As one bargain turns into two, and then a third tragedy strikes the ravens, Poe finds himself falling for a guy who may very literally be the death of him. Or maybe the flames will burn them both.

The Demon’s in the Details is a fast-paced, roller coaster of a romance with a guaranteed HEA and lots of steam. Shenanigans include: a gold object that is definitely not a ring, a best friend who’s trigger-happy, and a demon who’s got a few surprises up his, uh, sleeve.

Reviewer: Free Dreamer

I was really looking forward to The Demon's in the Details and it sure didn't disappoint.

I've read and enjoyed Meghan Maslow's "Starfig Investigations" series and this book has a similar feel to it. It was fun, hot and hard to put down.

Poe and Tommy are both very likable. I loved how Poe was willing to do everything for his roost. And Tommy was great too. I mean, who doesn't like a bossy murder twink? They could have done with a bit more in-depth character development, though. They felt a tiny bit shallow at times.

The sex scenes were scorching hot. I really loved the relationship dynamic.

I love a good shifter story, especially if it has unusual shifters. Raven shifters definitely count as unusual for me, this was my first book with them. There was also a minor character that shifted into a housecat, which was great for a cat person like me. Sadly, Poe spent the vast majority of the book in human form, which was a bit disappointing.

The world building was interesting, though it too could have used more depth. There are a lot of different Fantasy elements here, so the author clearly put some serious thought into this version of Baltimore.

I really hope this will become a series. Maslow once again came up with a very unique set of characters in a very unique universe and I'd love to read more.

"The Demon's in the Details" was a fun, wild ride with lots of hot sex and a super fast read. A little more depth would have elevated this book from "really good" to "great", but other than that, I have no complaints.

I was given a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Audiobook Review: Don't Twunk With My Heart (Loving You #2) by Renae Kaye

Kee Smith isn’t sure who he is anymore. He knows who he used to be—the ignored gay son who chose a blue-collar job just because no one expected it, the submissive bottom who enjoyed large, masculine jocks who put him in his place, the sleek, fashionable twink who partied all night. But after his ex-boyfriend hit Kee and called him names, Kee retired from the social scene.

Back after a year’s hiatus, Kee still doesn’t know where he fits. His friends say he’s a twunk—a twink who put on muscle and turned into a hunk—but Kee is searching for somewhere to belong. Instead of going back to his usual type, Kee hooks up with twink Tate Stevens—a fashion-industry professional who works the image hard. It proves to be the best decision he’s ever made, and not just because he’s starting to regain his sexual confidence.

With Tate, Kee can open up about his fears and confusion without ridicule. Tate has his own fears about putting on weight and getting old. It will take work to make a relationship of opposites succeed, but they begin to realize the compromises will be worth it if they can be together.

Listening Length: 5 hours and 52 minutes
Narrator: Joel Leslie

Reviewer: Annika


I'm a huge fan of the first book in this series (Loving Jay), so when I had the chance to listen and review the second book I jumped right in, and had a blast.

We follow Kee, one of Jamie’s friends. He's been kind of hibernating at home for the past year and a half. Licking his wounds after his ex-boyfriend sent him to hospital. (Side note, I sure write that a lot this week. :( There's entirely too much violence in the world). Anyway Kee is finally ready to re-enter the world again and agrees to go out clubbing with his friends. There he meets Tate and he has a hard time keeping his eyes off the twink. Expecting nothing more than a quick hookup, he's surprised of how quickly they do connect in other areas and so they meet again. And again. I loved them together, each being what the other needed. Building the other up, helping and having a lot of fun (and sex) along the way.

There were a lot of humor in this book - not the least when Jamie entered the scene. He's still as insane and talkative as always. I loved the parts where he and Tate bonded over football, both equally uninterested and clueless of the game and rules. To their point where their respective boyfriends actually moved away from them and their insane comments. ;)

Sure, this book wasn’t flawless by any means. There were a few things that kind of started but was then forgotten or ignored; Matt-the-rat (abusive ex) entering the scene for a brief moment. That never really went anywhere part from creating drama for the moment. Then there was the whole Tate’s eating disorder issue. At times it was a huge deal, but then it just fizzled out into nothing. That being said, I still enjoyed every second of this book. It was sweet and fun and light. It made me happy, and I can’t really ask for anything more than that.

Joel Leslie was brilliant! I'm a huge fan of his Aussie accent. I can't speak to its authenticity, but to me it sounds accurate, and he keeps it up throughout. He also captured all the characters personalities and gave them individual voices. I think I’m mostly impressed with how he handled Jamie during his word vomiting at supersonic speeds. That cannot have been an easy feat, but he did it and perfectly.

Don't Twunk With My Heart was a great listen and just the perfect way to start the day.

A copy of this book was generously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Buddy Read Review: Michael, Reinvented (Delta Restorations #2) by Diana Copland

Cute hipster and interior designer Michael doesn’t do love—not after his ex screwed him over. Sex is a different story, though, and the gentle giant who’s painting the mural in the old mansion they’re restoring might be perfect hookup material. Gil is just Michael’s type with his solid muscle, wicked sense of humor, and the hazel eyes that seem to see into Michael’s soul.

Trouble is, Gil does do love. He wants romance and forever, and he’s set his sights firmly on Michael. Michael’s not going there again.

Yet when Michael is the victim of a vandal who’s been plaguing the men working for Delta Restoration, Renovation, and Design, Gil is the first person he tells. No matter how he fights it, it’s becoming harder and harder to deny he’s crazy about the guy—even if that thought terrifies him. But the true fear sets in when the criminal behavior escalates, and Michael realizes he might have lost the chance to tell Gil how he feels—forever.

Michael, Reinvented is a perfect buddy read story and my brain sharing Unicorn, Jenni Lea and I saw horn to horn throughout.

Jenni Lea: 4 Hearts

Michael and Gil have been dancing around one another since they first met, way back in the first book, David, Renewed. Though they had an immediate attraction to each other, Michael has no plans of ever being in a relationship. Hiding behind snark and cynicism, Michael tries his best to keep Gil at arm's length. But Gil is determined to get to know the man behind the glasses and he's not going to let a little thing like a cold shoulder from Michael get in the way.

Now, I know that sounds a bit Creepy McCreeperson, but I can assure you that there is nothing about Gil that is creepy or domineering. Gil may be massive in size and stature, but that's only because he needs the extra strength to carry around the gigantic heart he has. Gil is the quintessential 'gentle giant' and I absolutely adored him.

Michael took a bit more to warm up to but, once I was able to see through his facade and gleaned that his insecurities and the hurt from the past he still held onto were the reasons for his tendency to lash out, I understood why he would act the way he did and grew to love him as well. He did frustrate me at times though, but not enough to make me not like him. And, though it took a near tragedy for him to pull his head out of his ass and admit how he felt about Gil, I admired his courage and dedication. 

This was a lovely addition to the Delta Restorations series. Diana Copland writes with a simple eloquence that makes reading seem effortless. I was never bored, never rolled my eyes and not once did I have to suspend my disbelief. These characters are realistic to the point I could see myself bumping into Michael at Starbucks or hiring the team to do some restoration work on my home. The scene with the Velveteen Rabbit brought tears to my eyes even though I've never read the book and I knew then and there that this story was going to be a win for me.

I really enjoyed the ending as well. Some stories need to end with a bang. Some stories need a cliffhanger to make you gasp and salivate for the next book. Some need the over-the-top, mushy gushy HEA as a grand finale. But sometimes... sometimes all you need is a quiet reaffirming of the love between two people that fought tooth and nail to get where they are. These types of endings tend to resonate with me more than the flashy HEA.

All told, I would definitely recommend this series to anyone who is looking for a realistic story with likable characters and an interesting plot. I do suggest reading book one, David, Renewed, first though, as this book continues the storyline that was introduced there.

Ann: 4 Hearts

I was such a happy Peach when I found out that David, Renewed was going to be turned into the series Delta Restorations. There’re way too many great characters for them to be done. I was so anxious to read Michael’s story, he’s such a snarky little brat on the surface, I wanted to know more about him. It’s pretty obvious from David, Renewed that Michael is going to be pairing with Gil, it’s the perfect opposites-attract setup. That all being said, Michael, Reinvented shouldn’t be read as a standalone. This isn’t one of those series that moves from couple to couple with just a little mention here and there about past characters. This is a series about a group of men finding their happiness on their terms.

Michael, Reinvented is romantic but it’s also so much more. There is a heavy emphasis on friendship and community and there is an element of crime-drama that we got a taste of in David’s story. The vandalism that started in David continues in Michael and it does play a large part in the story. And while I would have loved more Michael and Gil time, the way the story was told it put the real emphasis on the friendships and motivations among all the characters. There was a lot of strength in that telling and it laid more groundwork for additional stories in the series organically. A lot more information about each character was revealed as Michael was integrated into the Delta Renovations crew more fully. We learned more about Michael too and his reticence in entering into a new relationship no matter how much he longed to climb Gil like a tree and cuddle him all night.

I loved that David and Jackson were a big part of Michael’s story and the beginning was delicious and just soooo, them. They set a good example for the rest of the guys. The continuation of their HEA and the big part they play in one another’s lives flowed throughout the story and as the story is told from Michael’s perspective we get plenty of his snark but also a glimpse into how much he’d really like a relationship of his own. Michael is the only one standing in his own way so the angst level is actually pretty low. Gil is a patient, patient man and it’s obvious he’ll be waiting for Michael as soon as Michael pulls his well-coiffed head out of his ass.

It takes a tragic event for that to happen, which while unfortunate, makes sense for Michael. Once he does realize what he could have, the relationship between Michael and Gil moves pretty quickly and by this time the book is just about over and that would be my only gripe. I want more Michael and Gil together. The series is pretty rational in its setups and the flow so the guys don’t necessarily talk about forever, but it’s implied. As a reader, I want to be a part of that journey, much like I was in David and Jackson’s story. I don’t feel like I know Gil enough and I really want to. Michael admits he doesn’t know Gil well since he’s never given him the chance and since we really only know Gil through Michael, we don’t know enough yet and I want to know. So, I hope the next installment of the series continues on with Michael and Gil’s story, I really like Gil and I want to know about his murals (don’t even get me started on the Velveteen Rabbit – there will be tears), his art, his dad and so much more. I also want to see more of Michael’s softer side and to see him settle into some happiness.

I love Diana Copland’s writing, it’s so easy to get caught up in her stories and characters. Everything just flows so well and I feel like anything I might be missing isn’t actually missing, it just hasn’t been addressed yet which is what is making the Delta Restoration series such a treat. It’s a whole world I get to see come together and evolve with characters I want to know in RL. I feel invested in their happiness which makes me all kinds of happy along with them.

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

Review: Blue Boy Boxed Set by Garrett Leigh

Enjoy the heat (and the summer) with all three Blue Boy books for cool, low price!

I don’t read many porn star books, but I tend to enjoy the ones that I do. I really liked the setup of the Blue Boy series - a group of lonely porn stars finding love and happiness. The MCs are an odd family, seeing as they’ve all slept with one another at some point, but they all care for and look out for each other.

In case it’s not your thing, the MCs in this book have on-page sex, sometimes as part of porn scenes and sometimes not, with men other than the love interest. It comes with the territory, so there’s your heads-up.

I’ve read most of Garrett Leigh’s work, and her writing is always consistent. Leigh knows how to tell a story, and how to tell it well. The stories in this boxed set aren’t any different. They’re well-written, and it’s easy to clearly picture whatever’s happening on page.

My favourite of the three novellas is ‘Bold’. Overall, I enjoyed this boxed set. This series is a good mix of angst, sex, and romance. I’m hoping the author continues the Blue Boy series, because there’s clearly more to tell!


Bullet (Blue Boy #1) - 2 Hearts

Levi Ramone is one of Blue Boy Studio’s most popular tops. He’s known for being rough and dominating. But after years in the porn industry, Levi feels little in his scenes. It’s all mechanical for him. When he’s offered a large sum of money to finally pop his cherry on camera, Levi finds it difficult to refuse because he needs the money.

Levi’s not looking forward to bottoming, and he’s even more ticked off when it turns out that it’ll be a threesome with Sonny Valentine, a go-go dancer that he can’t stand. Sonny isn’t happy about it either, because the dislike is mutual, but he’s willing to put aside their differences to help Levi prepare for the scene.

I’m a sucker for an enemies-to-lovers romance. Or, in this case, an annoying-acquaintances-to-lovers romance. Levi and Sonny’s dislike of each other isn’t entirely rational, but I didn’t hold that against them. Sometimes you just don’t like someone, even if you can’t fully explain why.

It also seemed to be a case of classic schoolyard denial - you know, like when you were a kid and vehemently said you didn’t like someone, even though you had the biggest crush on them? That’s what Levi and Sonny were doing here.

As much as I liked the set-up, the actual romance was lacklustre. The progression from adversaries to lovers isn’t very clear. It seemed like the only reason the two fell for each other was because they suddenly found the other less annoying than usual. There was a lack of emotional connection. Granted, this is a short story, but I needed more relationship development.

The relationship development was pushed into the background because of the family drama. That drama took up way too much page time. I thought that it all - Levi’s mother’s alcoholism, the financial burden, revelations about his father, and the dramatic conclusion - was too much for such a short book.

The sex was okay, if not anything special. Sonny tutors Levi in bottoming and anal play. The two start off awkward and adversarial, but the sexual tension is clearly there, and the two can’t deny it. I liked how different Levi was with Sonny, going from the uber-alpha top to a hesitant and eventually eager novice.

Overall, ‘Bullet’ was an okay short story. There’s the beginning of a romance here, but I thought that Levi and Sonny were drowned out by Levi’s family drama.


Bones (Blue Boy #2) - 3 Hearts

A veteran top at Blue Boy Studios, Cam likes working in the porn industry. However, lately he hasn’t been enjoying his scenes. Ever since he began playing toxic sex games with his possessive boss, Cam’s hasn’t been scheduled for any hardcore scenes. But more than that, he just feels like something’s missing from his life.

When Cam runs into Sasha, it doesn’t take long for him to develop a crush. The two soon become friends, bonding over their love for BMX bikes and skateboards. Cam thinks he and Sasha could build something real, and it looks like Sasha agrees, but then Sasha suddenly backs off. As if things weren’t crappy enough, Cam then gets some news that turns his world upside down.

I was a bit nervous going into ‘Bones’, because unlike the other two books in this boxed set, the love interest in book #2 isn’t in the porn industry. I’m always uncomfortable when I read MM in which one of the MCs is a porn star and hides it from his significant other. Thankfully I didn’t need to worry, because Sasha has watched Cam’s work in the past, and he’s fine with Cam’s field of work.

So yes, Cam does have sex on-page with other men, and not always because he’s filming a scene, though it’s before he and Sasha are serious. ‘Bones’ was actually quite a lot steamier than book 1. I thought the sex was pretty hot, whoever Cam happened to be with.

I would say that this novella is more about Cam’s emotional journey than it is about the romance, and that’s not a bad thing at all. It’s easy to connect with Cam and understand his predicament. He’s in an unhealthy quasi-relationship, has a job he’s not sure he wants anymore, and doesn’t know who to talk to about it because his fews friends work for the same porn company.

He’s stuck in a rut, and doesn’t know how to get out. I liked seeing the way Cam changed over the course of the book, as he made the necessary changes in his life so that he could be happy.

That’s not to say that the romance is lacking. Cam and Sasha have an immediate connection, so I was rooting for them from the beginning. It takes an unfortunate event for the two to finally come together in the second half of the book, but it’s clear that what they feel for one another is real.

By the end of the book, there’s no doubt that Cam and Sasha belong together.

Though it’s quite a short novella and the romance comes second, ‘Bones’ delivers an enjoyable story of healing and finding happiness.


Bold (Blue Boy #3) - 3.5 Hearts

Kai is Blue Boy Studio’s resident sweet bottom. His small size and easy smiles make him a fan favourite. But lately, getting pounded by power tops just isn’t doing it for him. Kai wants something different, and after thinking it through he has an idea - he wants to try topping on camera.The studio’s owners think it’s worth a shot, and pick out newcomer Matthew to film with Kai.

Kai and Matthew know they have chemistry, so they’re more than willing to see where it goes. As the two spend more time together, and Matthew begins tutoring Kai for his GED, Kai can’t stop himself from falling for Matthew. But Kai’s been alone for a long time, and he can’t imagine why Matthew, with his bright and successful future ahead, would want Kai.

The set-up in this novella had me grinning from the start. Two nerdy twinks getting dirty and then falling head-over-heels for each other? Yes, please!

I fell for Kai pretty quickly. He’s like a lost puppy, in a way. Having been abandoned by family and friends in the past, he looks for affection where he can find it. It was tough to read him being so hard on himself.

Of the the three romances in this boxed set, Kai and Matthew’s relationship is the one I found most believable and fleshed-out. Though they first begin spending time together because of the porn scene, it doesn’t take them long to become friends. Matthew and Kai are quite different in personality and background, but they compliment each other.

I loved seeing the two fall for each other during their study dates.

While the inevitable conflict comes, it doesn’t take Kai and Matthew too long to patch things up. They learn to communicate, and by the end of the book are in a strong place.

This was quite a sexy read. Kai and Matthew don’t sleep with other men once they commit to a scene together, so they spend a lot of time finding out what works for them. Having always been the bottom, Kai’s eager to experiment being the dominant one in the bedroom. Kai and Matthew have an undeniable spark, but their exploration was also light-hearted and funny at times.

I also enjoyed the inclusion of the studio’s new owners, Mac and Jude. I really liked how they worked to create a healthier environment at Blue Boy, and how that made life better for the men who worked there. I wouldn’t mind reading how Mac and Jude met and fell in love.

This last novella is sweet and sexy. Kai and Matthew’s story was very good addition to the series.

A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Find out more on Goodreads.

Review: Bully For You (audiobook) by Catt Ford

What could be hunkier than a cowboy? Not much, according to Martin Du Bois. He convinces two friends that a visit to the rodeo is every gay man’s wet dream, and so the three of them gaily (and I do mean gaily) set off to watch cowboy asses in action.

A visit to a bar after the event gets Martin closer to the action than he ever thought possible, and he meets Jesse Cumberland, the man who caught his eye in the ring and made his rhinestones sparkle. Instant attraction leads to a one-night stand that gets under Martin’s insouciant skin and causes him to rethink his determination not to get involved emotionally. When Jesse invites Martin to his ranch, the visit is almost derailed by Martin’s realization that they lead very different lives. As a flaming city queer, he sees no way to fit with the solid, athletic Jesse. It’s up to Jesse to see if he can change Martin’s mind.

Listening Length: 2 hrs 11 mins
Narrator: Cory Lord

I actually really enjoy this trope, the effeminate man matched with the typically masculine one. This was something that the novel did very well, however I just had too many issues with other aspects of it to be able to give this a better rating.

Marti is a bonafide city-slicker twink who enjoys his glamour and make-up. He and his friends attend a rodeo to check out all the cowboy ass, and this is where Marti meets Jesse. Jesse is a bull-rider who is gay and proud of it, but doesn’t advertise it amongst his work colleagues for fear of being judged unfairly when competing. Marti and Jesse hook-up a couple of times and develop some deeper feelings for each other.

Let’s start with the story. I really enjoyed the beginning, where Marti and Jesse meet, and their interactions. It was funny and light, and I enjoyed how they both felt an attraction and went with it, no fighting it or each other. Unfortunately that’s where the good points end. While there was a lot of sex, it was all fade to black, other than their first time together. There is nothing more annoying than that!

Then there was the ending, which really wasn’t an ending at all. Yes there were very tentative declarations of love, but I’m still not sure how these two would make it work, and I don’t think they knew either.

The narration wasn’t bad, but my goodness I could never keep track of who was who when Marti and his friends were talking. At times Jesse was even hard to distinguish from Marti. I enjoyed this story mostly because it was only two hours long, but I wouldn’t have been able listen to either Marti’s voice or this story if it was any longer.

The effeminate/masculine trope was done well and many people will enjoy this story, but I personally had too many annoying issues with it to be able to recommend it.

Dreamspinner Press
Goodreads
Booklikes

Tag Team Review: Out of Bounds (Boundaries, #1) by A.R. Barley

When the weather outside starts cooling down, inside the dorm things are heating up. Can these college roommates fall in love without going out of bounds?

Beaten and heartbroken, Jesse Cole is placed in a new dorm room after his last roommate attacked him. Just wanting to be left alone to heal in peace, he's shocked when tall, dark and dangerous-looking Nick Moretti walks in.

Nick doesn't have time to tiptoe around his new roommate—he's too busy working in order to pay for school. But something about Jesse brings out his protective instincts. As their cautious friendship grows and becomes loaded with sexual tension, he wants to make Jesse comfortable.

Enter the perfect plan: a line of tape down the center of the room. Boundaries established.

But as innocent movie nights become hours-long temptation marathons, and whispered chats from across the room delve into straight-up dirty territory, crossing the line has never been so satisfying.

It's a Cupcake and Baby tag team review! And we both have the same rating?!!

Cupcake:  2.5 Hearts


Characters make or break a book for me. A good character can take me from liking a book to LOVING ALL THE THINGS. Here the characters were mediocre. There wasn’t anything special or noteworthy about either of them aside from their drama llamadom, but I never felt the need to DNF. However, I did become increasingly annoyed with their antics, yet determinedly soldiered on to see how big of a shit show they could concoct. Amazingly enough the big conflict is communication based.

Out of Bounds is a coming of age romance between Nick and Jesse. Nick is a somewhat non-traditional student, having fought tooth and nail (literally) to get to college. He’s a 24 yr old senior while Jesse is a 19 yr old sophomore. Jesse gets dumped on Nick mid-semester after his previous roommate, and best friend, gay bashed him which I’ll come back to. He’s skittish and jumpy as a cat in room full of rockers. Nick uses the old ‘line in the sand’ trick, or in this case tape on the floor. You cross it you die! Or get a penalty. Dying packs more of a punch, but this ain’t that kind of book.

It started off well enough with Nick being a grumpy giant. I like the grumps and the big uns. 6’6”!!!! But then his grumpitude morphed into angst, insecurity and wildly off the wall assumptions compounded by god awful communication skills. Jesse’s characterization is much the same only spottier. He turns on a dime from scared rabbit into confident playah and as a virgin who’s just come off a gay bashing incident I found that peculiar. I can give a little latitude when a character’s very young but after a while…

Another stumbling block to my enjoyment of Out of Bounds is verbiage.

The earth moved. Somewhere in the distance world’s exploded.

The sky fell and stars tumbled to the ground…

He needed to come-now-to feel the crack of thunder and surge of lightning as he spilled against Jesse’s belly, marking him in the most primal way possible.

Either these guys are next in line to becoming X-Men or the DOD needs to get them on the horn. Like NOW. Could be a titch awkward with them having to make the seeeexxx to for all the things happen but I’m sure it’s doable.

The repetition was another thing that became tiresome. You don’t have to tell me multiple times how many variations of green a character’s eyes are. And, p.s., Nick’s eye color changed to blue briefly. The phrase “out of bounds” got beaten into the ground. I don’t want anyone to ever speak to me again about cherry lip balm. Ever. I really want to know how it is that Nick constantly smells of coffee and chocolate yet never once ingests it. Is this a new body wash at Lush? I never thought of applying caffeine topically before.

This could be a case of it’s me not you, but I found some of the actions/reactions weird. I know all people aren’t the same, but if I’m going into someone’s home and they’re clearly sick and then basically pass out on my 19 yr old son you can bet your ass I’m not going to just stand there all Judgey McJudgerton letting him bring my son down to his knees. Who does that? There was a whole scene with Kelly that I couldn’t make heads or tails out of. And then there was Ryan. There was just something slightly off about all the characters, something that rang false or maybe forced. Perhaps it can be explained by the overemphasis on the details rather than putting some meat on the bones of their characterizations. I'd rather know what motivated so and so to do such and such over what they were wearing when they did it.

I didn’t hate it or the characters, but it didn’t bowl me over. I wouldn’t be completely opposed to continuing on with this series, especially if one of them were to feature Kelly. Recommended for fans of NA and college romances.

SheReadsALot: 2.5 Hearts

Dear "Out of Bounds",

After being subjected to that phrase a gazillion (maybe less than gazillion but boy was I smothered), I'm just going to refer you to as OOB. Are you cool with that, OOB?

It's cool. I'm not a hugger anyway.

OOB...*deep breath* I want you to know something. I like a good number of genres but New Adult has a special place with me. See, I gorged myself when the genre was in its infancy. Imagine all the het college romances that is. And I'm not going to lie, OOB...I might revisit from time to time. Because I sometimes like to read about the crazy kids juggling trying to adult, life and a borderline ignorant alpha hero mixed in from time to time.

What? What was that? Oh you think you have a possessive alpha in this novel? Really? *smirks*

OOB, I'm going to get into your 6' 6" alpha-ish main character, Nick Moretti, soon.

Let's get the triggers out the way, huh OOB? Triggers: gay bashing, PTSD

OOB is a first time MM venture by het romance author, A.R. Barley. Set in New York, it starts with nineteen year-old Jesse who was gay bashed by his roommate. He is rescued by a buff, hunky older RA, Kelly and placed in the only open spot in the senior dorms. His new roommate, Nick Moretti, is older by 5 years, has a past (abandoned by his only parent in his teens, on the streets since) and doesn't do relationships. Nick is the antisocial bear to Jesse's twink virgin. Sounds good, am I right, OOB? Who doesn't love reading the antisocial, gruff, big guy who can't emote?

OOB? After reading you, you're what I call serviceable.

I don't think you'll appeal to every MM reader, probably best for first timers who are crossing over from MF.

OOB follows a tried and true plot device - start with with a damaged protag, place together with a "bad boy" alpha-like male, have them talk but not actually talk, insert outside drama and voilà, you have a relationship. But underneath the candy coated facade, there are cracks, OOB. And sometimes, the story can be good enough to outshine the story's flaws. Not the case with you, OOB, that tape in the middle of the room trick could only work for so long.

Nick is allegedly a thug and I'm guessing street smart but...I've had sandwiches that were more street savvy, OOB. He wouldn't last on the streets for long since he told more than did anything that showcased his alleged tragic past. Living on the streets would have made him tougher, no?

Now, I left the MF New Adult lane years ago because the plots became tepid copies of one another, OOB. There was a certain writing style that became more prevalent - more emotional based, relying on drama to get the story moving kind of style. The external conflict would have no relevance to the romance sometimes.

Can you believe it, OOB? Well pick up your lip, because you had this going on at times, OOB.

I know, I know, you had some things going for you. You were very easy to read. Super easy. And the friendship development between the main characters was nice. Granted, the sex was hot. I mean, frottage and handjobs always has that certain something. I'm a fan of the hands.

And deflowering.

And versatile couples.

So for OOB, you get a B for the sex. Wear your grade with pride.

Your secondary characters though, OOB. *heavy sigh*

They weren't written to their potential. I didn't like the way Jesse spoke sometimes especially to his mother. Kelly, the savior RA, played a major role in Nick's life and it was kinda mailing it in toward the end. Wasted potential because there was too much telling. FYI, OOB - you're a first timer in the MM genre. I'll make it real easy as an example - if you and I were a couple and our straight friend offered to be a third, do you think that would be acceptable? No? (Better not be, OOB, I'm a little possessive.) So why would a gay friend offer to be a third in Jesse and Nick's relationship? Why would a gay stranger ask that too?

OOB, you know what would have made you a better read for me? Nixing the ridiculous external conflicts. Your main characters were supposed to have enough development to carry the story. You don't need silly bar fights, non communication after the main characters talked for weeks and ridiculous misunderstandings. You cheapened the story with that stuff.

You had some inconsistencies too, OOB. Don't look at me that way! You're the one that had your characters saying "out of bounds" every other minute in between wearing cherry lip balm all the time! You made me hate cherry lip balm for an entire day from your overkill. Once or twice is fine but anything more than that is redundant. And that purple prose, OOB? You got really flowery at times and I doubt many 19 year old boys would speak in some of those older terms.

And what's up with wearing feminine like clothes as a punishment? Not cool, OOB. Besides it not being cool, if Nick works in a drag bar, why would he see it as something bad? Or how about Jesse suffering from PTSD including having panic attacks yet he has no problem traveling in a plane across country. That's a 6 hour flight, OOB. He nearly passed out from strangers touching him and states he doesn't want to be in enclosed spaces...so when you figure that out, get back to me, okay?

The story had cute moments. It got the job done. Doesn't really offer anything memorable. And the PTSD and angst is too easily overcome and solved, OOB. The villain just apologizes after his homophobic slurs and all is forgiven. Really? The victim just lets their tormentor get off like that? You just--

Look at me. *smh* I could go on and on about your flaws, OOB. But here's the thing, there is possible potential in this writing. I mean I'm possibly going to read your sequel, OOB, though if the writing style doesn't improve (oh dear, I'm afraid there will be kink brought in), I'm pretty sure I'll be out...of...bounds.

Damn it! Look what you made me say!

OOB, you seriously have me considering creating a shelf titled - "fence books" - you know where I could probably talk myself into loving or hating it. I'm so in the middle of the fence with you.

OOB, you're best for NA lovers who don't mind underdeveloped characters and like this type of writing style, those looking for a quick escape and don't want to bust their brain.

For a first time MM book, it could have been worse.

Bet you're happy we skipped that hug.

Sincerely,
SRAL

P.S. Try other flavor lip balms once in awhile. There is more to life than cherry.

A copy provided via Netgalley for an honest review.

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Guest Review: Something in the Way He Needs (Family, #1) Audiobook by Cardeno C.

Police captain Asher Penaz’s staunch professionalism bleeds into his home life, down to his neatly pressed attire and spartan apartment. He enjoys being the man in charge, and leather bars satisfy his need for dominance—so his sudden and powerful attraction to the lighthearted, free-spirited Daniel Tover throws him for a loop. In his entire life, Daniel has never gotten what he needs, so he moves to the next place, the next job, the next attempt to find something worth staying for, always landing at the top of his game, but never feeling like he belongs.

The chemistry between Asher and Daniel sizzles, so Asher invites Daniel home. As both men struggle to learn themselves while getting to know each other, the lines of desire and control blur. With all that fire comes the risk of getting burned. But if Daniel and Asher can walk through the flames together, they might find what they desperately need.

Narrated by Ezekiel Robison
Length: 7 hrs and 6 mins

Guest Reviewer: Fantasy Living

I gotta say, I’m super excited to be a guest reviewer on Boy Meets Boy Reviews. It was difficult to keep my squee inside, when I was asked, but I managed, barely. It left me red-faced and sweaty (did I write that out loud?) . I mean how could I not be excited when UNICORNS invited me to their tea party?! So thank you to the team for asking me along, and being super warm and welcoming.

Okay, I’ll get to the review now….. (plays with Unicorn Name Generator)... okay, I’m serious this time.

Ash is in Las Vegas for his best friend, Oliver’s, Bachelor party when he spies a hot piece of clumsy twink trying to not be so clumsy and awkward. For reasons I haven’t fully understood, Ash follows said twink onto a tour bus and starts chatting him up. After some very awkward and hot almost-touches, Ash saves this clumsy man from almost toppling over the side rail of the roof level of said bus…. Cue the corny line about debts for lives saved etc. etc.

After they safely disembark from that journey, Ash meets back up with his buddy, trying to figure out how he can get this stranger to hang around him for longer. That’s when this guy is introduced as the Groom’s brother, Daniel. Thus starts the weird and wonderful almost-relationship between the brutally honest, always in control Cop, Asher, and the clumsy, free-spirited (*cough* flakey *cough*), doesn’t have a care in the world, is-hiding-things-but-not-in-an-obvious-way, Daniel.

I’m going to start with the Narrator, Ezekiel Robison. He was great, and I would listen to him narrate all the audiobooks. His voice range worked well with the cast of characters. Doing drunk voices never works for me, so it was a little painful listening to Chapter 1 because the intro is in a strip-club with drunk Oliver, but I worked through it, and was placated with the rest of the chapter not told in imitation-drunk slur. I guess you have to BE drunk to find drunk-speak endearing in any way (or in my case, too busy dancing and ignoring everyone that I can’t hear it, so it doesn’t matter). But it wasn’t over the top, so that was enough to keep me going.

I loved Ezekiel’s voice and personality adaptation for Daniel, and Oliver’s fiancé, Shirley. Although Shirley doesn’t have much of a role in the story, I loved the spot she did have, because her personality was in full view with the way Ezekiel narrated. Ezekiel kept me in this story, even when I was not really happy with the content. It’s hard to ignore a man with a sexy voice, dirty talking in your ear. Even if I have to wait a little while, I’m not going to stop him from continuing.

So the story ….

It worked well until it didn’t. I found myself starting to think Ash was a big narcissist. That is not sexy to me. I like my characters to grow, and it was so slow for him that I was about ready to give up. Only the Narrator and Daniel’s secret was the reason I kept going. Ash came off as confident and self-possessed in the beginning but I found over time, he became overly paranoid and really insecure. It was strange, and I didn’t like it. I felt there could have been less angst, but enough drama to keep the story going, without Ash taking a personality back-slide into psycho.

Some of the content I would consider emotional abuse, and for a ‘sweet’ romance, there is no room for that. I wanted Daniel to leave and find someone worthy. That being said, Asher could have been a strong character, and if there was a follow up, where his emotional journey was in full swing, I would definitely read it. As much as I think he is a pompous arse, I think he is redeemable and could become someone truly likable on his own merit.

Some readers have tagged this story as BDSM. No. It is not. There is a light spanking scene but that is it. It is something that is sidestepped and it is known that while Daniel might try some kink for Ash, he is not into that (well he does get into a ‘gentle’ spanking but that is it). This would be considered sugarkink to me, which is why I’ve tagged it a little bit kinky. While Asher may call himself a Dom (*cough* bullshit *cough*) this book is not about any D/s exchange, nor is it about Daniel finding submission. Ash’s past dealings with a Leather bar (off page) does not a BDSM book make.

With all the problems I had with this story, I would still listen to this again. It was memorable, and likable enough to be a fall back book. Something familiar to wile away some hours if I needed it. Did I mention Ezekiel dirty talks to me? Hawt. I have every intention of checking out the next book. The author writes well and it really is all about Asher personality that took away from this story for me.

So that’s me for this special guest spot on BMBR. Thanks for having me Unicorns, let’s do it again sometime.

Fantasy Living

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Review: Stalked (The Slayers, #2) by H.C. Brown

Who's more dangerous – a stripper, an assassin, or a serial killer?

The Stripper Ripper is stalking the streets of New York City, preying on male strippers, and the press is making mincemeat of a helpless police force.

In desperation, the police refer the serial killer's case to the Slayers, a team of enhanced, undercover super soldiers. The commander of the Slayers puts his team on the streets to watch over the Ripper's favorite targets.

One of these targets is Micah, a twink stripper and a desirable sub. Micah's baby sitter is one of the newest members of the Slayers, Sorren, as cold-blooded an assassin as they come, and the last person you'd expect to harbor feelings for his charge.

True to form, Sorren is as surprised as anyone at his new infatuation, but Micah is hiding something. Will Micah learn to trust his protector, or is he destined to be the next victim on the Stripper Ripper's list?

Come join me in WTF land, won't you? There are pancakes.

We'll need the sustenance.

New to me author, H.C. Brown's "Stalked" is the second book in The Slayers series. It is about nano enhanced super soldiers or ex-soldiers who are extremely rich, like mega billionaires (they like throwing that around while stating it's not a big deal) who investigate murders under the FBI's nose (for why?) and run an ultra exclusive BDSM club.

The setting is supposed to be New York City where the city that never sleeps actually sleeps: "the road is empty and I'd say the entire population is asleep". And has a murderer on the loose, the Stripper Ripper. The Stripper Ripper is targeting dark haired gay twinks. Micah who is 5'2" , a stripper and submissive is hiding a past and secrets (that is never explained in the book). His real name is Jeremiah Sterling but he goes by the stage name Snake. He's the next target of the murder but is truly doing the space cadet league of the TSTL Academy proud because he continues to bumble his way into the killer's path over and over again.

Oh...while making time to strip and be submissive. For whom? The Slayers, of course! The Slayers are cyborgs? *scratches head* Some of them are and all of their blood is. Who cares?! They play pretend at BDSM and have lots of cash like at a time $5000!! They have billions in the bank! Whoop whoop, hooray for superficiality!

Soren is the big bad 'Dom' Slayer who doesn't care because he's programmed that way. But he likes the "butterfly" aka Micah. While searching for the killer (LOL to the search and the killer), Soren forces Micah to have sex under the guise of using their nano pheromone the first time since Micah was iffy with his consent. He basically told Micah to shut up and take it. It was supposed to be sexy? So I'll warn if the book doesn't, dubious consent. The rest of the times the sex happened, it wasn't SSC [safe, sane, consensual] or BDSM but in WTF land I think it's considered BDSM...so...

The BDSM...I am tagging it as such because the book is tagged as such. Please don't think this is. This is some made up BDSM that is just abuse. You have a nano enhanced 6'7" asshole who admits he wants to torture his "pup" and flay his skin off since the nanos will heal him. He think it's "pain pleasure"/ "edge play" or whatever bullshit he wants to package it as but it is abuse. That is not BDSM.

"Can we discuss boundaries? A contract perhaps?"

Soren wanted to shake him. Boundaries, holy fuck, would this little shit ever trust? "No! I refuse to discuss limitations, or contracts. I am a Dom and in my dungeon, we go by my rules. I will push you to the edge and you will trust me to give you pleasure."

There is nothing more that I loathe than Doms written like Soren. This book went from a possible 2.5-3 Hearts to a straight D- aka 1.5 Hearts with that bullshit. Ordering someone around and declaring yourself a Dom while wearing black leather and having a "dungeon" doesn't make you a Dom.

With that asinine logic I should go to my bank and declare myself a frigging millionaire!

The book barely knew the basics of BDSM. Anytime it sort of got something right, there goes Soren or the Slayers or whatever other hokey thing barging in to muck it up.

The book started like a bad B movie, it was laughable, but sort of fun. However, once the crap BDSM started, and the way Soren treated Micah happened, it wasn't fun anymore. I can only stretch my reality suspension rubber band so far. It broke somewhere in the middle. The author didn't seem to care about characterizations or plots or setting as much as the story continued.

Suggestions:

* Have an American read future stories in this series over if there will be more since it read like pseudo Brit/Aussie mish-mash. This is supposed to be set in America and it doesn't read like it.

* Know the setting - just because New York City points of interests can be Googled doesn't mean it will read authentic. It doesn't. Was this an alternative universe? A different planet with a fake Manhattan? If it was, it should have been clearer.

* Having all of your characters use the same colloquialisms and share the same thought processes melds all of your characters together. Though this story is a deep as a pocket of air, it made the story useless by the end. Um...Sorren style. (What was up with the lame and awkward dialogue and catchphrases by the way?)

* A person who is 6' 7" can not just stand straight and have sex with another person who is 5' 2" without some body mechanics issues. Think...of the logistics. The taller one's cock will automatically land in the shorter one's ass when in the book he complained about the shorter one barely reaching his shoulders? Unless the shorter twink has freakishly long toes, about 12 inches or so. Excuse me.

* Since when did stripper = sub? A stripper can be a sub but it doesn't mean that all strippers are submissives. So why would a random person call a gay strip club to order a personal night with a submissive? Is there a menu that I missed? The strip club (Pinkies) where the twink originally worked did not state at any time that it was also BDSM club. In the land of WTF, this is all okay and $5000 seems to be the golden ticket to anything. (Please refer to the awesome gif above.)

The suspense part was ridiculous. The murder? why? The entire thing was stretched out. He could have struck so many months earlier. The couple is ridiculous. The premise was interesting, maybe written differently...it could've been something? I didn't read the previous book. I was lost about the backgrounds of the Slayers but I think I'd still be lost if I did read the first book. There were questions unanswered, items not developed. I'm not interested in reading any more of this series. My eyes can't roll any more for today.

Why not the just give it a 1? Hm...it wasn't so bad in the beginning. cheesy as hell, weak characters and surprisingly not all about sex but once the sex started, it went to shit. And the cover isn't bad. *shrugs*

Now it's time for me to leave WTF land. I'd love to eat pancakes all day but I can't. Bye!

Not recommended for anyone I know. I highly doubt I'll be reading this author again.

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