Review: Tame a Wild Human by Kari Gregg

Drugged, bound, and left as bait on the cusp of the lunar cycle, Wyatt Redding is faced with a terrifying set of no-win scenarios. Best case: he survives the coming days as a werewolf pack’s plaything and returns to the city as a second-class citizen with the mark—and protection—of the pack. Worst case: the wolves sate their lusts with Wyatt’s body, then send him home without their protection, condemning him to live out the rest of his short life as a slave to the worst of humanity’s scorn and abuse.

Wyatt’s only chance is to swallow every ounce of pride, bury his fear, and meekly comply with every wicked desire and carnal demand the wolf pack makes of him. He expects three days of sex and humiliation. What he doesn’t expect is to start enjoying it. Or to grow attached to his captor and pack Alpha, Cole.

As the lunar cycle ends, Wyatt begins to realize that the only thing to fear more than being sent home without the pack’s protection is being sent home at all. 

"You need a dick in this ass, human. A lot of dicks. Fortunate for you that you'll be fucked in abundance. Now shut up."

This starts the tone of Kari Gregg's latest, "Tame a Wild Human" but it does not define this paranormal erotica treat. Set in an urban fantasy setting, this story reminded me a little of the movie, "The Purge". In this world, instead of purging out the weak, wolves and humans live together but every full moon, wolves are allowed to unleash their beast and hunt humans for fucking and more.

No one dies in this book, but the way this society is set up, humans are low on the totem pole of superior beings. They're weak, greedy and untrustworthy. Wolves sift through the humans that aren't hiding behind fortified buildings, fuck them. Whether they want it or not. Here's my trigger warning: non-con gang banging, some violence (it's not just a huge fuckfest) and some gore. Don't get me wrong, the triggers do play a major part of this story but that is not the only player. It created a werewolf society that actually hunts for mates but they don't ask or woo or go through the hearts and flowers preamble. (I don't mind the preamble but sometimes I want to get to the point -this story does this) They take what they want. It might be vicious to some and if you rather werewolves that act more like humans than the true predator that they are supposed to be, I wouldn't suggest this.

You add a shifter to story, I'm checking it out. Kari Gregg writes a shifter anything...I'm on it.

And she didn't disappoint me. She writes great animal shifters - they usually don't play by the rules, they do some filthy, squeamish things and revel in their nature. Was this dark? I guess? My scale is pretty warped so it wasn't scary or extremely dark to me, as more hot and cool. Because the beast in this story is the human.

Wyatt is a human, sold out by his brother, Andrew, to settle his brother's gambling debts on the first night of the full moon. In this society, humans who are used by the werewolves for rutting and survive, have two options. Either come back with a wolf token (ear piercing) or nothing at all. If you have a token, you have protection of wolves against the other humans. If you don't come back with a token, you can be used however the humans want to use you. Any wages you earn upon return, goes to the next of kin which would be Andrew. Andrew got to steal his brother's life because he's greedy and immoral.

Wyatt's brother drugs, binds him and leaves him in the woods. An alpha and his pack finds the straight Wyatt and shows him quite a gang banging time for the first day. As the full moon progressed, I learned about the werewolf culture. Humans are there to fuck, protect, mate. Humans can be too selfish to understand their worth to a werewolf. Sluts are there to slake the pack's needs. That is how Wyatt starts out. He's terrified but he's also strong because he steels himself to accept whatever the pack dishes out to survive. He might seem resigned but there was strength in his actions. He wanted to survive even if he had to be used to get to his endgame -a token and running away from the wolves.

And used him they did.

And it was obscene. And lewd. Non-con was delicious...hot. A gang rapes Wyatt.

But he was not defeated.

In fact, he comes to think like a wolf. Yes, he's still afraid but he understands them. I understood him. He became to need so prettily. Especially once the alpha really introduces him to werewolf physiology

The things Wyatt did. Damn. And when he began to crave those things, that's when the magic happened.

Wyatt was raped, over and over. They broke him down. He was a warm hole, a whore but he became an alpha's bitch, a mate. It might've been forced but I thought he was worthy. It might not be textbook romance but to me, mating surpasses that. Mates are together for life, there is no other. And I really, really liked this one. I liked how Wyatt was tamed.

And if this sounds like this is up your alley, enjoy!

Well written, fuckhot, giving you just enough to get a slice of Wyatt and his Master's life.

I've been Gregged and I liked. Wish there was more but I am satisfied enough with how it ended. I'm resigned to Kari Gregg endings. *shrugs*

Recommended for readers who don't mind non-con, forced mating and gang bangs. "Tame a Wild Human" will be released 1/19!!!!!!!

For more information on Goodreads and Booklikes!

Review: Paint the Sky by Lily G. Blunt

A love of art...
A mutual interest in art draws two shy university students together. Ben admires Vinnie’s painting of the university building, so Vinnie invites him to an exhibition of his artwork. From a wealthy family, Ben purchases some of Vinnie’s art and arranges for the artist to personally hang the paintings in his apartment.

Starry, starry night...
Ben commissions Vinnie to paint his portrait, in order to spend more time with the artist. On the night of the sitting, Vinnie fingerpaints the starry night on Ben’s chest... and they kiss. They begin a relationship beneath the night sky, God’s own canvas.

But every relationship has its ups and downs and so it is with theirs. When Ben thinks Vinnie spends too much time with a fellow artist, his jealousy drives a wedge between them and forces Vinnie into the very thing Ben dreads.

Hold tight to your dreams...
Ben and Vinnie will have to walk through fire before they can find one another again. But if they believe, and if they keep their faith in the night sky and each other, just maybe they can make their dreams of love come true.

Oh so close to a 4 Heart rating but not quite there.

Did I enjoy Paint The Sky? ABSOLUTELY! Were there things about it that drove me crazy? ABSOLUTELY!

I loved the writing. Let me repeat, I LOVED THE WRITING. Now that you know I loved the writing I going to say that at times, epecially in the beginning, I felt it was too descriptive. Here's an example "Choosing lightweight, comfortable clothing from my ample wardrobe to wear for the morning, I dressed in front of the full-length mirror. After adding gel to my fashionably wayward hair, and slipping a single gold stud into my ear, I admired the final look with a smile." For me that was too much. However, most of the writing was beautiful and the descriptions painted a very real story for me. A story that captured my heart and kept me glued to the page.

I loved both main characters. Vinnie and Ben were each very likable in their own way. Ben was a playboy and Vinnie was the shy art student. Together they made the perfect couple. A couple you wanted to root for and see happy. Vinnie's brothers and sister were great supporting characters. One brother, Finn, was a bit of a snake at one point but I forgave him easily.

The story was good. It was a bit predictable at times but the romantic moments more than made up for it. My biggest issue was the big misunderstanding. I found this one to go on just a tad too long. The author does a good job but it still was a stretch for me. There was just too many missed opportunities. I also didn't understand Vinnie's family not getting more involved at that point. They were very involved in his life before he and Ben seperated yet they didn't do enough to help him when he was obviously miserable without Ben.

Paint The Sky does have a happy ending and it's a beautiful romance. I laughed, I cried, I raged and I swooned. This book has it all, including a few great sex scenes. Although not perfect, I would recommend Paint The Sky and I would definitely read more from this author. And OMG, lets all take a moment to appreciate the GORGEOUS cover. GAH!

A copy of this book was provided by author in exchange for an honest review.

Find more info on Goodreads.

Review: Rasputin's Kiss (Investigating Love #1) by LM Somerton

What if the last thing you felt was the kiss of a knife? Rasputin's kiss is lethal. He's a ghost-killing and disappearing into the night. With few leads and four bodies on his conscience, Detective Inspector Alex Courtney and his team are running on empty and it's only a matter of time before Rasputin strikes again. When Alex recruits a young detective to play the part of his boyfriend and provide a tempting target for a killer, he knows he is taking a huge risk. He doesn't expect Conor Trethuan to be a perfect potential submissive. When their mutual attraction becomes more, Alex has to face the conflict between his possessive instincts and the need to push his young lover into danger. Investigating their feelings has to come second to investigating the case. There's no time to decide if what they feel for each other is real. With Rasputin closing in, they may not live to find out.

Yeah - so which rating is it? As soon as I figure it out, I'll let you know. It kinda depends on my mood. Maybe whether I've had enough chocolate or sleep or..

I just don't know how to rate this damn book. 

Warning: This review may contain spoilers.

58.0%

"Me & this book, we got issues... #gettingold'n'grumpy"

I don't very often start with my issues in a book, but I am going to here. First though, please remember, these are my thoughts and opinions and are personal to me. They're my issues - you might share them - but it's not a case of bad writing. 

26.0%

"First impression of Alex; determined, good boss, gonna like him. Second impression of Alex; what a f****** knob. Hmmm. Wonder which will be true by the end of the book..."

Alex. I had issues with Alex. He's the DI on the (pressed dubbed) Rasputin case. My very first impression of him was that he was going to be a great character. A good boss, firm but fair, hardworking and humorous. This opinion changed pretty quickly and he began to annoy me. Firstly, he needs an undercover officer to pose as his boyfriend to lure the Rasputin killer out. Rasputin preys on submissives, so DI Alex needed someone to play the part of his sub boyfriend and be seen with him. And, what do you know, there happens to be a recently-transferred, decidedly gorgeous hunk of a copper working for a homophobe in the filing department who fits the role perfectly. And just to add the cherry to that nicely iced bun, it turns out he's actually gay. Actually attracted to DI Alex (who is also gay) and actually has submissive tendencies. Talk about a pot of freaking gold landing on your lap. Yeah, conveniently written coincidences annoy me a tad. But I got passed that. Kinda.

So Alex lets (young, gorgeous) Connor know that he is a tough but fair boss, if he says something he expects it done exactly as he said. Fair enough right? I mean, sure  a boss is in charge but...

...and maybe this is just me being belligerent...

...when Alex gave the order that Conor wasn't allowed to leave the building (and there was no reason for this, just it was his order) and then had him escorted back to his desk like a naughty little school boy by some uniformed officers...let's just say my e-reader nearly went across the room. 

If it was me I'd have told him to fuck right off. He's a grown man FFS, and the DI left orders that he couldn't even go and get a sandwich in his lunch hour. Maybe I have issues with discipline, but it really, really, REALLY annoyed me. (And to make matters worse he waltzed in with the exact sarnie Conor was going to get grinning at Conor being sent back to the desk, liking the fact that he was the talk of the front desk. Fucking prick. I'd have shoved the sandwich where the sun don't shine. But then I would already have eaten, if I was hungry two hours ago you can bet your life I'd have already eaten.) I'm quite mild mannered really. honest.

42.0%

"What? Really? Hmmm...'hot' situations there to manipulate a story don't work. The story is in conflict with the characters. IMO, the sex is written in a way to titillate and doesn't fit.

Okay. So the sub/dom thing. I like a bit of D/s in my books as much as the next person - when it fits the characters and doesn't just feel like it is there for titillation and a convenient storyline. I could see what the author was trying to do but in my opinion (and I reiterate that is only what this is) it didn't work. Maybe I hadn't yet got over the coincidence of the perfect candidate for the job being right there at the right time. Then for them to be instantly attracted to each other....I can feel my blood pressure rising just writing this. But I got over it again. Kinda. Until Alex turned into even more of a fucking bully. These two are colleagues. Alex is the boss. They are on an undercover operation together. This does not mean you stick a load of super-sexy clothes on a bed, attach an (undisclosed, un-removable) tracking device and tell your colleague that is what he is going to wear tonight while they are setting the trap.

Fuck off.

A discussion between them, an explanation....just anything except orders. I guess I'm not cut out for a military career, huh? HE'S A GROWN MAN. 

I t'was annoyed. 

And I haven't even ventured into the whole Conor was a virgin thing. He's a gorgeous gay twenty-three year old who happens to be a virgin (by what definition??) yet he's straight into all this D/s stuff no ifs no buts, no coconuts. I'm far from claiming to be an expert on this. FAR from it. But to me it felt like it was not true to the characters. It didn't feel real. It felt like bullying, not a D/s relationship. As I said, I only know what I've read in books, but as a  reader, to me, this felt wrong. Compared to other books I've read that felt, well researched and real, this...just didn't. I hate to sound like a broken record, but this is just my opinion.

91.0%

"Just because it's M/M doesn't mean any women in the book have to be giggling eejits in awe of a beautiful man. Especially wpc's or nurses doing their job. FFS. Ooh, I'm really grumpy."

I feel this shouldn't have to be said really - but the women we met in this book were all giggling idiots fawning over the gorgeous gay man and making him uncomfortable. GIVE. ME. A. BREAK. Now I'm not saying that us ladies don't admire a bit of eye candy. That we can't make the odd (or more) lewd comment towards a fit male thing...but not when we are in a professional capacity. Giggling WPC's. Nurses offering more than a patients fair share of bed baths. No. Just no.

Okay, so enough of grumpy me. What did I like? Surprisingly, I liked the writing style. It was easy to read, I loved the British setting and I even liked many of the characters (just not Alex). In fact, I'm looking forward to the next in the series. I feel if LM Somerton could just get the storyline down and write characters that fitted that I'd have really enjoyed this. I want to know what happened to the people we met in this book. I liked the mystery this author created and the crime storyline. 

On Goodreads, it seems as though this book is more loved than not, so I am far from telling people to avoid it. Heck, that's not my place anyway. All I can say is the bits that irked me left enough of an impression that even writing this review days later, I'm still irritable about it. I am however, perfectly willing to admit that Alex got on my last nerve and this may have skewed my reasoning for the rest of the book. Check out other reviews and see what others have thought, I am but just one lowly reader! I'll let you all know how I get on with the other two stories...

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

Guest Review: Boston Boyfriends by Maggie Church

A hot hook up at a celebrity wedding leaves Porter Campbell wanting a whole lot more of gorgeous Stiegen Lange. Unfortunately for Porter, Stiegen's career as a voice over actor is skyrocketing, and a serious relationship isn't in his plans. Their hours together in Miami were more than a booty call for Porter, but what can he do?

Stiegen finds solace in Porter's arms when his best friend nearly dies. Then, he organizes an unforgettable weekend of passion with Porter back in Boston. His feelings deepen. Saying good-bye to Porter gets harder every time, leaving him wondering whether his career can remain the center of his universe.

Because Porter's in it for love and won't settle for less.

Reviewed by Samantha

Porter Campbell has a life in Boston. He's the owner of a school that helps kids, he loves to teach, and he loves not having to be around his family all the time. His sister's marriage to a famous rapper brings him down to Florida for the wedding, and it's there that he meets and has a hot fling with best man Stiegen Lange. Against his better judgement, he wouldn't mind seeing Stiegen again, but life calls, and it's back to Boston for Porter before long.

But life never is easy. Between the sale of the building that he rents for the school, a terrible accident that leaves his sister's husband injured, and a confusing situation with Stiegen, things are a bit of a mess for Porter, and they just might get worse before they get better.

“That would be nice. She’s nuts about him. I tried talking her out of marrying into this crazy lifestyle but obviously failed.”

“It’s her life, Porter. Your mom and I don’t really get your lifestyle choice…”

Lance talked as though Porter could become straight as easily as changing hair color. “Wearing kilts is a lifestyle choice. Being gay isn’t. How about stepping into the twenty-first century, Dad?”

I'd never read this author before, but the blurb sounded interesting enough, so I decided to give it a shot. Unfortunately, I found myself struggling to get through the book, and began skimming after about sixty percent.

I had a handful of problems with the book that made it difficult for me to get through. One of the biggest issues for me was the timing of events - they just seemed off. For example, Stiegen and Porter get into a pretty big fight about expectations and relationships the second time that they meet. At that point, it didn't seem to fit for me. They hadn't really built up much of anything, and the argument came out of nowhere for me. From there on, the progression was off. I felt like I was missing some huge piece of their relationship that I never got, like they'd grown together when I blinked, it all happened and I never saw it. So when the bigger issues came later in the book, it was all just off.

Furthermore, there was a bit of a mystery toward the end - but to me, it was completely obvious the entire time. I'm also questioning a few things surrounding it, for example (and this is purposefully vague to avoid spoilers) what about insurance? This, among other things, just felt poorly hashed and inconsistent.

The ending also just kind of happened. There was no real oomph to it, so it fell flat. This may be a result of my skimming, but I'm really not so sure that it was. It felt like I was walking along and hit the edge of a cliff all the sudden.

All of his is not to say that there weren't good things about the book. For one, I enjoyed Petra. She was certainly my favorite. The writing itself wasn't bad either. In terms of the language, it wasn't particularly choppy. I think the author would do well to focus more on her outline for the plot in the future, but she certainly has potential.

Overall an okay book, but pretty forgettable.
 

For more information on Goodreads or Booklikes!

Review: Twin Flames by Lexi Ander

A Lycan descendant of Gilgamesh and Enkidu, Tristan is not as extraordinary as his ancestors. He is an average warrior, unremarkable throughout. But this fact does not trouble him because he has found his Twin Flame, the one person destined to be his, who will love him unconditionally, life after life.

Then his Flame betrays him, leaving him shattered and dying. Brokenhearted, Tristan dissolves the sacred bond and leaves. His best friend, Ushna, accompanies him, vowing to guard and protect him, and Tristan slowly comes to realize that love does not require a sacred bond.

But if he hopes to keep the love he chooses, they will first have to survive ancient secrets, lies, mythical creatures, and the return of absent gods…

WARNING:  Vague(ish) Review forthcoming

This author is new to me. Before I get going let me say, for the record, that I'm interested in continuing with this series. Ms. Ander weaves an engaging tale filled with Lycans, mythical creatures, historical references and a heaping spoonful of an UST fueled romance. With cowboys. 

Cowboys don't make me all squirmy like others but Tristan slutted up his cowboy gear enough to tempt even me. He moved some hay. Shirtless and sweaty.

Both Tristan and Ushna are Lycans who relocated to Oklahoma after Tristan broke his twin flame bond with lying, cheating, sonofabitching Theo. In case you were wondering, this is a big deal. Twin flames last for eternity. To sever the tie means both could potentially spend eternity alone, never to find their soulmate again. Many thought this decision capricious on Tristan's part, thought he should stick it out and let the flame "correct" the lying, cheating, sonofabitching rampant in their relationship. Ushna wasn't one of those people. He and Tristan have been friends since childhood. Which means… 

Friends to lovers trope!!!

With UST so thick I was this close to pulling out the ole Ginzu knife.

He hadn't mauled me-not yet-but I could feel the need in him. It promised to be explosive if he let go. I was extremely hopeful. Wall sex. Kitchen sex. Wall sex. Shower sex. Wall sex. Couch sex. Horizontal, vertical; I'd take it however I could get it.

Tristan teased Ushna with his skinny jeans, too tight tees, sauntering, shirtlessness and "accidental" touches. It was fantastic. Easily my favorite part. Then he nailed his boy. 

Sadly, not on a wall. Buuuuut there were definitely some odd happenings during the consummation. Still hot, but my head was tilting.

Then things went sideways. I realize this is a series, but the last chapter/chapter and a half were packed with information, loose ends and what I felt were some highly unlikely reactions to incredible and life changing events. I was overwhelmed and blinking in surprise and bewilderment. Not to mention knee deep in creek Uh, really? *side eye* The other hitch in my giddyup has to do with the beginning events surrounding the murders of the neighbors and the Lycan who Tristan and Ushna tracked to Seattle. Maybe I'm making too much of it, but it felt unresolved. Then again, it could be covered in the rest of the series. Guess I'll just have to read on to find out.

Recommend to those who enjoy shifters, friends to lovers and fantasy readers.

A review copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Find out more on Goodreads.

GET A LOAD OF THIS! Dirty Rings Guerilla Post by Rhys Ford and Greg Tremblay

Holy shit guys!  Look at what Rhys Ford and Greg Tremblay are giving away!  TO EVERYONE!!!!

So a funny thing happened on the way to a tweet, Greg Tremblay, the fantastic narrator of my Dirty series, texted me and said… hey, you should giveaway a custom ringtone. Or something to that effect. There was some discussion. A few emails and then well, long story short—there may have been some pixilated shots of whiskey and banter but a plan was formed. A plan so cunning I could have stuck a tail on it and called it a weasel.

Mostly, it involved Greg. And your phone. But it was still a plan!

After a furious, intense process of queries, eliminations, debating on who said what, we came up with a set of phrases from Cole, Bobby, Jae, Claudia, Scarlet and one from Maddy then Greg went to work. And returned to me with a brilliant sound bites forged by a narrative master—in the style of the characters’ voices.

So dear reader, as a thank you for everything you’ve done for Greg and me, I’d like to present the entire set of ringtones—twenty one in total—FREE, as a gift to you.

Available in Android (MP3) and iPhone (formats for Android and Apple phones, Greg has also graciously included the WAV files if that’s your thing. Download links to the zipped files are provided below.*

A great humongous thank you to all of the blogs who helped me with this guerilla gifting. This swirled up on Tuesday and Greg just MADE it happen. He is the voice of the series and I am forever grateful for his talent.

Love you all, and really, Thank You.

Rhys Ford

Dirty Rings Android MP3

Dirty Rings Apple M4a

Dirty Rings Apple M4r

Dirty Rings Wav

If you’ve not tried out Greg Tremblay’s narrations, please do so. He makes audiobooks fun and damn, he brings Cole and the others to life.

Greg Tremblay’s body of work can be found here—and yes, the Dirty series is there but so are many other lovely audio books. I highly recommend one of Greg’s audiobooks, a comfy chair, a pair of headphones and a nice hot cup of coffee… or tea… with or without whisky.

* These are copyrighted and available free for individual use. The files included in the zip cannot be sold by third parties nor can they be altered in anyway as to destroy the integrity of the original work. Animals were test subjects for these sound files and while the cat could not have given less of a shit, the dog seemed mighty interested. Please note, neither own nor use a phone or a computer so results may vary.

In case the full links are needed:

Dirty Rings Android MP3

https://www.hightail.com/download/UlRUbUpkdENoMlZDaDhUQw

Dirty Rings Apple M4a

https://www.hightail.com/download/UlRUbUpkdENoMlZjR01UQw

Dirty Rings Apple M4r

https://www.hightail.com/download/UlRUbUpkdENvQnU5TE5Vag

Dirty Rings Wav

https://www.hightail.com/download/UlRUbUpkdENvQnNsYzhUQw

Greg Tremblay at Audible

Guest Review: Nights Like These by Chris Scully

Starting over sucks. At forty, Miles Koprowski thought he had life all figured out. He had a nice car, a hot young lover, and a cushy job… and then he didn’t. Call it fate, or karma, or a downturn in the market, but this opinionated cynic is now forced to play rent-a-cop in a dying office building in the burbs just to make ends meet. Throw in an unhinged ex, a coworker who hates him, and a hot new boss, and suddenly everything is uncertain.

Miles doesn’t plan on liking the night shift or becoming embroiled in a mystery that reawakens old passions and puts him in danger. And he certainly doesn’t plan on falling for the overbearing head of security, Colton Decker, former soldier and doting dad. But nights like these can change a man, make him start to believe there’s more to life than a high-paying job and a warm body in his bed. With a thief on the loose and his new job in jeopardy, Miles will have to decide what’s truly important. He might discover things he never knew he wanted… as long as he makes it through the night.

Reviewed by Vivian

Displaced, mature man coming to grips with a newer, less affluent reality. After giving up pride and the sweet, young tail he'd been keeping, Miles lands a corporate security job which turns out to be way more exciting than he ever would have imagined. 

There's murder, repeated thefts and a slew of suspects--including the smoking hot Mr. Perfect he collided with recently. 

The mystery portion was well done since the blame kept getting shifted along through various characters and did a good job making you doubt and wonder. This is more of a cozy mystery in that Miles stumbles into something and recognizes things no one else does. Cue the art geeking, yep, there's babbling about Canadian artists and works, which even if you don't go for art is smooth enough to glide over. 

The characters were likable, but not perfect. Colton and Miles both have enough background and baggage to be a bit dented in spots. There were a few character shifts that didn't seem to jive with previous actions, almost like Colton and Miles switched places. The secondary characters were amiable and the suspects were more questionable than dislikable.

The romance is hot and steamy when they get the chance. Kinda wish they'd gotten the chance to go full in, but the opening acts were satisfying. The story is a satisfying mystery with a romance featuring a more mature couple. 

The ending: Big aaahhhh...

Overall, an amateur sleuth finds himself and love after he thinks he's given up.

Favorite passage: “Uh, in case you hadn’t noticed, I’m not really a relaxed kind of guy.”That made him smile. “Youarea bit tightly wound.”

For more information on Goodreads or Booklikes!

*Please note the book is being released January 26, 2015

Review: Saving Michael (Surf Bay #3) by Ashley John

The Deputy Sheriff of Surf Bay has hit rock bottom. After pushing his boyfriend away with his drunken, violent behavior, Michael doesn’t have any reason to live anymore. Sleeping in his car and on his father’s couch, Michael is spiraling further and further into a dark pit as he drinks himself to death. 

The local vet, Caleb, is young, attractive and full of life. His passion is saving the animals that pass through his surgery, but when the very place he loves is engulfed in flames, it’s up to the local, drunk police officer to save him from the fire. After being saved, Caleb invites Michael to his mother’s annual Christmas party to make his ex, Ace, jealous, but as Michael and Caleb get closer, Caleb knows there’s more to the dark void of sadness that fills Michael, than first meets the eye. 

He makes it his mission to save Michael, but is Michael beyond saving? Michael witnessed something horrific as a child that changed the course of his life forever, but will he be able to bring justice to the memories of his past so he can have a future?

*This is a stand-alone story, but certain characters and plots have been carried over from the first book in the series, Lost & Found. This is an novel of approx. 83,000 and contains sex depicting sex between two men*

I've been dithering over how to rate this story - do I give it 3.75 stars, or 4? As you can see, I settled on 4. After reading the first two books in this series, I was really eager to find out more about Michael. After book two especially he was an easy character to hate - we saw him at his worst, and his worst was being violent towards the MC of that book, Porter. Of course I wanted Porter to have an HEA and Michael was not part of that, but I had a feeling there was more to him than what met the eye and Ashley John proved me right.

What I like about Ashley John's characters is they are not two dimensional. Michael is a perfect case in point. He had more depths than just drunken-bully. It just took a while and Caleb to show us...although, did it? Because, despite his thought process, Michael was the one who went into a burning building to save Caleb. He could have walked away - I liked this. I liked that the author showed us Michael's integrity, however deeply drowned in alcohol it was, before Caleb was in the picture. It showed that it was truly the Michael Caleb saw that we were seeing, not just a character conveniently changed to make a story fit.

Talking of Caleb - oh was he a sweetie! Boy oh boy did I like him. So nice - yet he wasn't perfect...I saw what he did to Ace! Again, even with this character that could potentially be 'perfect' Ashley John managed to round him out, make him more real.

It took a bit of thinking on how to rate this book because sometimes it did seem a tad convenient...but after I thought about it, I realised that fits the Surf Bay series just right. It is a feel good read - despite some angstier moments - because it is inherently about love and relationships. And yes sometimes it's a little bit rose-tinted glasses, but that's the kind of story it is. Enough drama to keep you interested but with characters and relationships that warm the heart. Don't read them expecting a gritty true-life scenario, heartache and angst. That's not what these books are about. And I have to say, I love how Ashley John portrays love; perfectly imperfect.

At times I felt a bit more research wouldn't have gone astray, and there were some English to American-isms that got missed (icing instead of frosting for example) but nothing that dragged me from the story. An extra edit might have caught some of these things but, like I say, none of it was detrimental my enjoyment of the book.

I have to say, this is an author I hugely admire for his hard work and attitude. He is young, but he had a dream and decided to follow it.  He doesn't expect it all to just happen, he works really hard to make it a reality. Reading back that sentence it sounds like I know him - but I don't. I reviewed a book of his and gave it ...well, it wasn't the most favourable review ever. Instead of getting upset though, he thanked me and took on board the points and asked me to review (here) his next book, knowing full well that I had not previously connected with his work.  Way to go Ashley! With that attitude you will go a long way - in my humble opinion!

A copy of this book was provided in return for an honest review.

Review: I, Omega by (Kari) The Gregg

After one mind-shattering night with a stranger at a local leather bar leaves him forever changed, Gabriel lives on the streets as a vagrant to elude the master who hunts him, but the were-shifter is a fierce, stubborn predator who reclaims him soon enough. Gabriel is carried away to the pack’s home territory where his instruction on what it means to be the pet of an alpha begins. Gabriel isn’t just any pet, though. He is the rarest among their kind: a human omega.

Treasured? Or cursed?

As Gabriel’s father, the Distinguished Gentleman from Pennsylvania and stalwart of the conservative party, pushes the considerable resources at his disposal to locate his missing son, Gabriel explores who and what he is under his master’s careful protection. Gabriel falls for the shifter who is lover and destroyer, owner and...friend?

Note: This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations that some readers may find objectionable: BDSM theme and elements, dubious consent, male/male sexual practices.

January Author of the Month… 

The Gregg

It happened again. I'm not sure how she does it, but The Gregg did it again. She's little by little making me her dirty little bitch.

I picked this up and the next thing I knew I was done. I was sucked into the KNOTTING/shifter/fuckhot/slaveboy/collars void. Ok, ok, I went willingly. Who am I kidding?

TWO WORDS:  SO. HOT.

A couple times. Tis true. Cal and Gabriel are that hot. 

"Mine to feed, mine to fuck. Mine to play with, punish, and protect. Say it."

"You're my pet, my pretty baby. Mine to care for. Mine to keep."

"I am your world."

"And nothing works for me without you in it. Never forget that, Gabriel." 

Gabriel and Cal… hit so many buttons I felt like the Easy Button. On a good day. 

Gabriel's a sub and Cal's "beast" recognizes and claims his boy immediately. Gabriel's spooked by the KNOTTING and takes to living on the streets. But the beast is country strong and persistent.

The more KNOTTING, claiming, marking happens the more docile Gabriel becomes. Well, sort of. Gabriel likes a good spanking and loves to be mastered so he's got to act up every once in a while, right? Sadly, chastity was only threatened but there was some delightful edging/orgasm denial and tons of biting. 

It's the caring and grooming and tender moments between the two of them that got me, though. How possessive Cal is of him. How Gabriel's most comfortable at Cal's feet. Naked excepting his collar.

Cal's protectiveness isn't entirely based on his alphadom and Gabriel being his mate. It seems Gabriel, due to his omega tendencies, is highly sought after by other packs as well as his father who's a highly ranked member of Senate. The omega to a pack leader, once they've bonded, streamlines pack dynamics, making it function optimally and apparently omegas are hard to come by. Hence, all the double secret protection around Cal's compound.

I am your omega, your mate. Shaking with nerves and lust, Gabriel smiled. I am not afraid of what we are.

What they are is HHHHOOOOOOOOTTTTTTTT!!!!! Dance off hot.

This book went directly to my favorites shelf. It did not pass "Go". It did not collect $200. Helluva way to kick off 2015. 

Do NOT let the dub-con tag scare you. It's hardly even worth mentioning. Gabriel needs so prettily and Cal meets all those needs. IN spades. The Gregg might've just earned the title Empress of Smut Mountain.  

Recommend to those who like hotness and marking and collars.

Find out more on Goodreads.

Review: Double Header: My Life with Two Penises by Diphallic Dude

He was featured on the front pages of RollingStone.com, Jezebel.com and was covered by The Huffington Post. Both Conan O'Brien and Jay Leno featured him in their opening monologues. Countless news agencies around the world broke the story when he went on Reddit and did an Ask Me Anything (AMA). Ranking as the 4th most popular Reddit AMA of all time (beating out the likes of Peter Dinklage, Bill Murray, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Harrison Ford), DoubleDickDude spent 48 hours discussing his life with a genetic condition known as diphallia. Only 1 in 5.5 million males worldwide are born with two penises. However very few (if any) are born with two working, and by all accounts, attractive penises. After having managed to stay under the radar for over 20 years DoubleDickDude (or DDD for short) amassed thousands of followers on Twitter and Tumblr in a matter of hours. In fact Twitter (temporarily) suspended his account for replying to his followers too many times!

For the past year he has taken to writing a more lengthy and detailed account of his life so far. Very little could be detailed during a frenzy of questions from thousands on Reddit. DDD goes from discussing his childhood, and explains how he knew he was special at an early age. His parents support grounded him in his early youth. We find out how he lost his virginity and was exposed to his peers. From there he discusses his wild streak of sexual adventures fresh out of high school. Recapping his favorite questions and answers, discussing sexuality and acceptance DDD covers the gamut.

Don't worry, all the saucy and steamy stories he hinted at in his AMA are covered and then some. Like that 7-way orgy he briefly detailed amid the torrent of questions during his AMA. Not to mention the hunky straight gym jock who "went gay" and the poor girl who... shall we say, her lady place was a wreck after one time with DDD. It's all in there and more!

Written from first person perspective the narrative is raw, honest and often times gritty. Details are not spared and readers beware, naughty moments are revealed! The next time you see a man on the street with more than an adequate bulge in his jeans, it might just be DDD. 

I like many, many others discovered Double Dick Dude (DDD) about this time last year through his Reddit AMA. I wouldn’t go so far to say I became obsessed with him, more like fascinated. Let’s call a spade a spade, you put two cocks in the same room, you’ve got my attention. Two cocks on the same dude and… C’mon man, there’s only so much restraint I can muster up. Just look at them! Since the surgery a staggering 10" each.

DO STRAIGHT GUYS LIKE YOUR COCKS AS MUCH AS YOU CLAIM?

Yep, at least the ones who’ve seen them in person. My cocks are like a unicorn or… in my case a magical ram.

Alas, the Reddit AMA exploded into something akin to one of those giant man of war jellyfish with the tangle-y tentacles and I was forced to admit defeat.

I have a day job and a semblance of a life. I can’t be reading about DDD’s sexcapades all the day long! Then I found out about this book! I thought, ‘oh, I can catch up on all the sexcapades!’ Well… turns out a lot of this is on Reddit, so if you kept up with DDD on Reddit or Tumblr this is really going to bore you to tears.

He expounded upon his gym experience with the straight dude who “spotted” him which was probably my favorite part. It's bukkake porn gold because DDD comes by the bucketload.

DDD likes dudes that are straight or who claim to be, so I’m thinking a DDD St82gay series. Put him in an RV with a big ole mattress in the back covered in plastic, of course, and let’s GET 'ER DONE! Course that would leave out the ladies… 

How can we forget about that time he pounded that girl in the Princess Leia bikini so hard that her cervix followed his cocks out and landed on the couch? That just doesn't happen every day. Well, it did for them for about three months or so. What about the orgy where he fucked 6 other people. 6!!! 

I pull them both out and wag them at her, she gets wide-eyed. I stuff them in her pussy and she orgasms instantly. She then tells me to stop and to take off the strap on and just fuck her with my dick. I tell her it's not a strap on and she refuses to believe me until she grabs them both and suddenly doesn't want to have sex anymore.

"We should stop before you come or something."

"I already did, three times."

She looks shocked, reaches down and feels my loads oozing out of both her holes.

 "I'm so going to hell for this." She put on her clothes and left.

THREE TIMES?!?!?!

Yes, whichever one I start with, after I come I can use the other immediately and keep going. Then switch back and keep going. I can go a few hours, having orgasms roughly every five to 10 minutes.

All this time I thought the penis sorcery in these romance books was a bunch of hooey. Turns out, DDD's got them all beat and he's a real dude!

Those three sexcapades largely encompass the book although there are snippets of humdingers peppered throughout.

A few hours passed and I finished emptying my prostate into him. The mattress was soaked, his ass wide open and gaping. I tugged them out and went to the bathroom. A moment later he walks in as I'm taking a piss, looks down and sees them again and then looks up at me and full out faints right there in a pile of laundry.

DDD doesn't always trouble himself with informing his sex partners of his condition prior to the banging. Details. He haz needs.

That include a fuckload of fisting. This I missed. I had no idea the lengths he went to to empty his prostrate which reportedly has to happen regularly otherwise it swells to grapefruit size and causes his ass to start yawning open. He's now taken to relieving it with a 2 liter soda bottle when without a willing partner or 5.

That he doesn't need lube for. I… I… really, I have no witty comeback for that. Tip of the hat, DDD.

I'm in fantastic shape, I work out weekly and at a glance I'd be considered the all American guy. I've got two dicks, a set of big stretched nuts and a huge asshole, big deal. I'm not bending over and showing it to old ladies outside the beauty parlor.

There is that.

As for the writing, it's not good. It's very rudimentary which is a shame because this, in the right hands, could've been great. I don't know who edited this thing but they need to find success in another field. Clearly, editing is not his/her forte. 

Lastly, I've heard/seen mention of DDD exaggerating or embellishing events and without sounding like a complete thundercunt here, I have serious reservations regarding DDD's ability to pull off a web of lies this extensive. 

Exhibit A:  DDD tried to have a foursome with a hooker and two of his buddies and told the hooker there were five cocks in the room. 

Exhibit B:  He had a buddy in high school who specifically asked him not to discuss their relationship in the book or elsewhere. He admits that he was his first male lover. Now, everyone who went to high school with them (minimum) knows they did the deed. Yes, everyone knew about his two cocks after he lost his virginity to Chatty Fucking Cathy. 

I rest my case.

Don't get me wrong. He seems to be a nice guy, believes in karma, is a proponent of positive body image and loathes labels, all things I can respect. Just… everyone can't be Stephen Hawking, y'know? And that's ok. Think how boring the world would be.

I have to say the amount they're charging for this equates to highway robbery, but I was entertained. I just wish it had been developed better minus all the regurgitation from Reddit and Tumblr. Verbatim no less.

Recommend to those with disposable income and/or fisting enthusiasts. 

Find out more on Goodreads.