Review: Mountain Prey by Lyn Gala

Stewart Folger lives in the Appalachian Mountains, where people take care of their family and follow the Bible. He feels that Appalachian pull in his blood, but that hasn’t tamed his wild side. A youth full of pranks left him with the nickname Stunt and a preference for danger in and out of bed. Other than a few contrary moonshiners who hate him for philosophical reasons since he’s a forestry technician and federal employee, he doesn’t have a problem in the world. Then one day he runs into Alex Soto, a man out for revenge.

Just out of prison, Alex knows firsthand that the justice system doesn’t treat poor and rich equally, so he’ll have to go outside the law to avenge his brother’s death. When an innocent man lands in the middle of his plans, he doesn't know what to do… other than take him hostage. Unfortunately, he never planned on having to deal with Stunt or with the twisted logic that passes for reasonable in Stunt’s mountain home.
 

Lyn Gala!

She's the type of writer that could probably write about a tree stump with a need to be dominated and a pine cone that likes to dominate falling for one another and I'd read it in a heartbeat. Some writers have a signature sign, or tell, that once you read a story, you know it's 100% them. This was definitely a Lyn Gala read with her sub that was tethered from time to time. I love reading about it. *grins* And the words are like a favorite treat that savor every time I read.

Set in the Appalachian Mountains in Tennessee, Mountain Prey is a romance between a forestry technician (Stunt aka Stewart) who was at the wrong place at the right time and Alex, an ex-con criminal with a mission. They meet from chapter one and start a whirlwind affair that includes hill folk, mountain logic, drug dealers, a beautiful, vivid background, kink without being too heavy, light suspense and a fun time. Alex kidnaps Stunt and gets a lot more than he bargained for. What happens when a city boy and a hill boy that share a compatible D/s bond get together? One helluva story.

Stunt! Yes, his nickname is Stunt (It actually fits him) He is my brother from another mother based on his smart mouth alone.   

"Wham, bam, thank you, man with the big cock, that's how Stunt tried to love his life."

 or

 "I'm starting to wonder if you're having second thoughts with all the stupid that keeps falling out your mouth."

I have tons of quotes especially Stunt's. When I can claim to have oodles of quotes from one book, you know it was a great story. Stunt was unapologetic for who he was and how he chose to live his life. The adrenaline junkie likes to be dominated, likes being tied up and is not ashamed of being gay despite the Southern mountain town he grew up in. I could hear him with his twang in my head. If you think he's just a characters for laughs or dumb, think again. He's intelligent and plucky to boot. His logic, based on mountain logic was a joy to read. I was surprised he was so free with who he was especially where he lived. It made for a better read in my opinion.

The story is told from Stunt's POV but we get a good sense of Alex. He's damaged, has a chip on his shoulder and also not a stereotype just because he's an ex-con. Plus being a caretaker Dom doesn't hurt. I liked his scenes lots. And the geeky twist made him dreamier. 

"Sometimes it scares the snot out of me that I can't understand you. How am I supposed to make sure I'm not doing something monumentally dangerous when I'm in the middle of some backward land where good is bad and suicide is a choice and killing someone you've known since they were born makes sense?"

The two have to include a local moonshiner, Elijah in their plans which totally changes the entire scheme. We get a glimpse into Appalachian life without of cheapening its people. A little suspense is added to the mix, nothing ulcer inducing, but it was a nice touch.

Stunt has a special...gift or talent, if you will. Those scenes between Dom and sub were extra special. I totally bought their connection.Was it a little insta-lovey? In terms of the shotgun wedding...yes. But it totally fit their dynamic. This is one story I am not going to gripe about their speediness. Hello, there's a frigging shotgun wedding! Literally!

The secondary character, Elijah! I thought he was going play into the hillbilly stereotype, moonshine making, bible thumping, shotgun toting anti-government promoting...wait he does these things, come to think of it. BUT he's more progressive than I originally thought he would be. And I fell for the curmudgeon. Many favorite quotes from him:

"Wait", Alex said, "you don't mind that we're gay?"
Elijah shrugged. "I figure you'll go to hell, seeing as how the Bible calls that one of those abominations. But until you get yourself dead, it ain't none of my business. Actually, it ain't my business even after you're dead, seeing as how I don't intend to be down in hell with all the fornicators and such."

 and

"Barefoot and pregnant. After the ruckus last night, I suppose I wouldn't be all that shocked if you managed it," Elijah muttered as Stunt passed him. 
Stunt was officially in hell. It was like getting caught by his parents having sex. Worse...kinky sex.

The old man made me want to call him my Peepaw.  Definitely a memorable secondary character.

The BDSM was not extreme. (Some bondage and spanking fun, yum!) I had to stretch reality for a smidge to even consider a shotgun wedding in Tennessee between men possible. (And after reading, I kinda wish it was a possible thing) For someone who has never been to this part of the country, it read authentic and I felt like I visited through the words alone. I learned about forestry technicians and Appalachian mountain life. The ending was great.  I do love a solid HEA. I can actually picture this couple many years together, imagine their bond becoming even closer in the future.

 A perfect quote to end my review. Very fitting after reading and appreciating this tale.

"Mountain logic has a lot more logic than people think."

This read is highly recommended.

Thanks to Lyn Gala for being our March Author of the Month!

Review: Sweethearts and Seduction Anthology by Various Authors

Who doesn't love love? From a shyly romantic first date to the settled delight between two long-time partners, these are stories of men falling head over heels in love and riding off into the sunset. What happens between first kisses and strolls off into the sunset? These authors are happy to show us!

Ever since Troy inherited the family roller skating rink, he's been struggling to keep it successful, both for his own sake and in memory of his parents. But on the eve of a loan that will allow him to revitalize the aging rink, his relationship with his boyfriend, Zane, is struggling. It's time for him to prove to Zane once and for all that he's The Best Thing on Eight Wheels, and their relationship comes first. Then, Ish, an archaeologist, and Kabal, a cop, live in different times and on different worlds, but a couple of times a year they can steal some small measure of time together, and their love only continues to grow despite the long silences. So it's with eager joy Ish journeys to meet his lover for A Time Traveler's Valentine, at least until Kabal announces that the nature of their relationship is about to change, forever. Nolan isn't expecting more than a normal date, so when his boyfriend, Sean, goes all out with an open bar and mysterious plans, he's intrigued. Turns out it's Tattoo Day—the anniversary of Sean's tattoo in honor of their relationship—and Sean has big plans to make the day forever memorable.

Jeremy and Bobby have a relationship that is stressed to the max. Working opposite schedules, the two barely have a chance to kiss hello and goodbye as they drop off to sleep or rush out to work. When their days off finally sync up, the two long-time lovers will spend Nights Burned Up in Flame as they reignite their romance and rediscover each others' hot spots. Thomas has the hots for fellow dog owner, Anton, but he's Dogged by insecurity, and outing himself to acknowledge his feelings seems like too big a risk. At least until Anton invites him out for coffee, where their bond has a chance to grow. As their dogs Biscuit and Muffin play, Thomas is ready to put himself on the line in the hopes that his friendship with Anton could be so much more. Finally, Phillip, CEO of the company BookTrader, may be openly gay, but he's also not above donating himself to a bachelor auction in the name of a good cause. But when he puts himself on the auction block, the person who seizes the moment is the last one Phillip expects. When the gavel drops, Phillip is Sold! in more ways than one.

The Best Thing on Eight Wheels by D.K. Jernigan and K. Piet 3.5 ♥s

Well, that was darn cute.

This was set at a roller rink, so that title? Ugh. So cute.

I always enjoy stories about established couples and this was really no exception. Even though we didn't get to see the beginnings of Zane and Troy's relationship, I still felt all the feels between them.  This was all about Troy's set up and proposal to his boyfriend so it was adorable, sweet and just romantic.

A Time Traveler's Valentine by Blaine D. Arden 3 ♥s

Hm. I'm still trying to figure out what actually happened in this short story. I know there was a cop and an archeologist. I also know that there was time travel involved and they could only see each other every once in a while. On scheduled days? I'm not completely clear. 

Even so, I still liked the relationship that Ish and Kabal shared and the pure joy they shared when they were together. 

Tattoo Day by Raven de Hart  3.5 ♥s

D'awwww! Another cute one to add to this little anthology.  Nolan is instructed by his boyfriend to meet him at a bar, which is only the first of his 'instructions'. Basically, Sean has some shenanigans planned for Nolan that just get cuter and cuter by the second. 

Nights Burned Up in Flames by Emily Moreton 1.5 ♥s

I didn't get the point of this story. 

Jeremy and Bobby are overworked and stressed and they barely get time to see each other. They finally find the time one night and (I guess) they have a little BDSM action together. Which is fine, more than fine, great even! I love BDSM! But it was weird. Bobby had some different reactions than what I would have suspected and I just didn't understand why. Why did he react that way to his boyfriend? I have no idea. 

Then it was over. *shrugs*

Dogged by D.K. Jernigan 3.5 ♥s

This was a bunch of fluffy, sticky sweetness. 

Thomas and Anton have been meeting on Friday nights to walk their dogs together. Never mind that their dogs are named Muffin and Biscuit. It only added to the cuteness. Anyway, Thomas always looks forward to their Friday meets because he's got the hots for the cute pet owner. One thing leads to another and they end up having a very sweet Valentine's Day together.

Sold! by Erik Moore 3.5 ♥s

Auctions and secret admirers made for a fun short story.

Although predictable, I enjoyed the way the auction played out and how Philip got a man he didn't even know he wanted. This was definitely the hottest story in the bunch and, yeah, is probably why it was my favorite. 


As with any anthology, some were better than others. All were cute and romantic and perfect for Valentine's Day. 

A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

 


Find on Goodreads!

Review: Glory Lands by Vastine Bondurant

A Texas Piney Woods Story

Rural East Texas, 1931. Preacher’s son Emory Joe Logan and a fiddler from Shreveport, Glory Lands, meet and form a tender bond. When they are caught and arrested for homosexual acts by Sheriff Elihu Bishop, the lawman’s sanctimonious bigotry threatens to rip the young men from their families.

Emory Joe’s father, Pastor Charles Logan, is brought to his knees in terror, confusion, and anger. He still regrets not standing up against Bishop when the lawman murdered a youth in cold blood nine years ago.

Now there’s no longer a choice for the preacher to stand up to the lawman. Cold-blooded justice, bigotry-disguised-as-religion, and hatred take on a whole new meaning when they’re standing on his doorstep, ready to take the son he loves.

Time is now fleeting, the moments are passing,
Passing from you and from me;
Shadows are gathering, deathbeds are coming,
Coming for you and for me.

“Softly and Tenderly”—Will L. Thompson

This book..... I truly don't know where to begin. There have been lots of 5 star books for me. I'm a star slut, what can I say. There have been many of those 5 star books that I have said "that book will stay with me for a long time". Some of those books are still with me and some are not. This book, I will never forget. It will be the story I tell in the nursing home long after dementia has robbed me of my faculties. Everyone will think it's nonsense but I'll recount the details of this story as though I witnessed them firsthand. That is the power these words had on me. I have heard people say that a book changed them. I may have said similar words myself without realizing, until now, just how much a book can change a person.

This was not an easy book to read. In fact the first few pages are downright brutal. Then you get to witness a love so pure and beautiful it brings you to tears. Lots of tears. Of course those happy tears are nothing compared to the tears of agony that just about destroyed me toward the end of this book. I sobbed and wept without control. I finally had to put the book down and take a walk outside to calm down because I could no longer see the words for the tears. I know this all sounds very melodramatic but I kid you not, these words, this story.....just absolutely amazing!

The hopeful note this book ends on is the only thing keeping me together right now. The strength of these characters and the knowledge that their love for one another got them trough the events described in this book will inspire me for the rest of my days.

Everyone enjoys different types of books. This one may not affect you the way it did me but I challenge you to read it and not cry for Emory Joe and Glory Lands.

**This review has been posted on Goodreads. This is for you, Lori! <3 font="">

Review: Straight Shooter (Rear Entrance Video, #3) by Heidi Belleau

This macho jock has a crooked little secret.

College hockey player Austin Puett is in trouble. Unless he starts treating his flamboyantly gay roommate with respect, he’ll lose his room and his job at Rear Entrance Video. But Austin’s got a not-so-straight secret of his own: nothing turns him on more than insults implying he’s gay—even though he’s definitely not!—and all his old coping methods have stopped working.

Pure desperation drives him to rent a Mischievous Pictures porn flick about straight men tricked into servicing Puck, a male dominant. Instead of letting off steam, though, it just leaves him craving more, more, more, and suddenly, Austin finds himself at Mischievous Pictures Studios for an audition. After all, you can be Gay For Pay and still be straight . . . right?

But meeting Liam Williams, the real person behind Puck, confuses Austin even more. Liam really seems to like him as a person, and Austin likes him back. And while Gay For Pay’s okay, what does it make Austin if he still wants Liam when the cameras aren’t rolling?

This was the story I've waited for!

Bro! 

That shit was tight!

The final book in the Rear Entrance Video series packed a serious punch! When I read that Straight Shooter was going have Austin, the stereotypical-macho-asshole-super-straight-jock as a main character, I was there with bells on. And then to get a porn actor/ Dom love interest? I thought I hit the jackpot. But it got better when humiliation kink was also involved. I'm still quelting (quivering + melting) after reading this.

Major Quelts!

This is a strong series. Why? Each books deals with new adult men who question their sexuality, question themselves, change their perception and quietly (or not so quietly) change others' perceptions. I've discussed why I think this author nailed the concept with a fresh dialogue and sense of realness in my previous reviews of "Apple Polisher" and "Wallflower". For me to actually finish a series and want more, it says a lot. The author of this series did an amazing job telling all three main characters' story, introducing complex yet engaging main characters. To me, Christian, Rob/Bobby and Austin were more than characters, they were people. But enough about the Rear Entrance Video series on a whole, let me dish about Straight Shooter and why it's the star of the series.

Austin is a college hockey athlete that sees the world in black and white. He never considered the gray. Austin is a jock, so that means he's straight in his mind. There's just that boner problem he gets when a teammate or another guy calls him a derogatory name. He loves being humiliated. He's had this predilection for years. And his boner situation continues to get worse. Could it be from working a gay porn store? Or maybe having gay roommates? The thoughts can't seem to get out of his head, his internal struggle is major, Dude. He goes to some extreme measures to punish himself for his feelings. For Austin, he can't be gay, he's a jock. But the thought of being made to suck another man off, being made to submit...he can't deny it. He's repressed, in major denial and can be downright offensive. He might come off as prick especially to his roommates (okay, some of the stereotypes he spouted made me want to kick his ass) but there's something about Austin. There's a bit of naivete and vulnerability when you look under his prickly, foolish ways.

Austin tries a new therapy, watching gay porn. He watches STRAIGHT SUB SETUP (Yes the title is exactly as it sounds) and falls in lust with Master Puck, the big dick porn star that seems to handle straight guys into submissiveness with ease. Austin can't help but fantasize about him. And when he actually gets to meet Master Puck aka Liam Williams at Rear Entrance Video, it seems that Austin's perfect solution for getting rid of his urges has appeared. Austin can be the next straight sub to submit to Master Puck. It won't make him gay, right Bro?

From the first meeting, reading Liam and Austin brought a smile to my face. Liam/ Master Puck opens Austin's eyes, handles Austin with ease. Austin worries about labels, his sexuality and himself. It was great to see Austin grow. The story was not heavy with angst or drama. Also, for a book about a porn store worker and a porn star, it was not all about sex. (Don't worry, there's sex and it's smutastic.)  There's plot, Dude! (The dirty talk was amazing...*bites lips*)

Liam. *breathy sigh*

He's the type of main character that lingers on the brain. He's such a great Dom. He's not the omnipotent, alpha-hole type of Dom that I've read in stories that do it wrong. He's attentive, caring and just down right sexy. (And the penis piercing is a bonus, Bro!) He's not perfect, his dick doesn't solve the world's problems nor does he use his dick as his brain. The story was based from Austin's POV, so we don't get to explore Liam's POV.  All that is shown about Liam, I really enjoyed.

Bro, Dude, the story is mostly about Austin's self acceptance. Identifying as gay or straight was not as important. His lines are blurred, he learned to see the gray. The ending is HEA in my book. It works for Austin and Liam's type of relationship.

Do you need to read the series in order or the previous books before reading Straight Shooter? Nope. This book can be read as a standalone. But dude, you're totally missing out on a rocking series. 

BDSM Heavy? Not really. The humiliation kink was a nice touch. But you don't have to clutch your pearls if you're not into the heavier side of the spectrum. I'd say maybe a 5 from a scale from 1-10, where 10 is hella heavy, Dude!

Recommended? Fuck yeah, Bro! I gobbled this shit up in a day! Definitely one of my favorite books of the year, Bro! *chest bump*

P.S. Austin was in major denial and word vomited how straight he was to all. So much so that I developed my own straight-boy-in-the-closet situation. I've named him Hank. All the Bro's and Dude's in this review are totally his. Hank's hella straight, Bro! Fucking A, Bro! (Ignore him not the book, Bro!) *fist bump*

Review: And We Went by Spencer Rook

Small town life in the 1950s wasn't easy for Roger, born into a rigid family headed by a preaching father, struggling to balance expectations with his growing feelings for his best friend, Billy. Though they fight to overcome the odds, it all seems futile when Billy goes missing and Roger must balance family, a stalker, and blackmail if he hopes to live long enough to love.

Today, in the year 2014, it is a fact that coming out can be hard for many gay people. It is a sad fact that this is the case - it is a sad fact that anyone has to 'come out' at all - it is also heartbreaking that sections of society choose to judge people because of who they fall in love with. But, if it is hard today, in our, hopefully, more enlightened times, imagine being the son of a Preacher in small town America in the 1950's. This is exactly Roger's life.

This book has one of my favourite story-lines, friends to lovers, but somehow it felt different. I'll try to articulate why. Roger and Billy are best friends and do fall in love, but in the rigid structure of post war, small town, America they cannot let this be known. It wasn't even that there were places where they would be accepted, society as a whole was against them. Roger felt the wrath of his father at the age of just 6 for innocently mentioning he wasn't going to marry a girl but a boy. It broke my heart. What made it worse was it was his own mother who betrayed him to his father. His mum, his protector, betrayed his trust. I'm a mum and I can't think of one thing I wouldn't do to keep my children safe and happy, so I found this particularly hard to accept. Except I could see the truth of the era in what happened, this is how things were done. I cried.

Roger knew to keep his feelings a secret so when they had the beautiful scene by the swimming hole my heart mended itself a little. Whatever else was to happen, Roger knew Billy felt the same. Aaah - friends to lovers. Perfect.

The story was one I would describe as an emotional rollercoaster - the kind where you have that anticipation with every turn of the page that something is about to happen. And it does. I went from low to high to low to high. Roger's father (and many other characters) were bigoted with no redeeming features. Yet it felt real, yes he was the typical tyrannical priest....but I believed it. There was a small twist at the end which I liked. I don't want to give too much of the story-line away though. I'd recommend this book to anyone particularly if you enjioy historical novels or feel like a change of pace. It really was an enjoyable read.

I will DEFINITELY be looking out for more Spencer Rook books.

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

Tag Team Review: Normal Enough by Marie Sexton

When Brandon Kenner shows up at Kasey Ralston’s garage with a 1970 Chevelle SS 454, Kasey is smitten by both the man and his car. Between what Kasey considers a shameful fetish and his long estrangement from his family, Kasey finds it easiest to be alone, even distancing himself from his coworkers. But Brandon doesn’t think Kasey’s fetish is weird. In fact, he likes it.

Kasey doesn’t know how to resist a man as charming as Brandon, and he’s more than willing to be seduced. But what are Brandon’s long-term intentions? Kasey is afraid of hoping for too much, but equally afraid that when all is said and done, Brandon will leave, and Kasey will be left alone once again.

Just cute enough, sexy enough and kinky enough to keep me interested. But I would have really liked to have more that just enough.

Kasey has a pretty unusual fetish. Now, I'm no fetish expert, except from what I've read, but this isn't one I've read about. *whispers* Cars give him a hard on. *nods* So, Kasey is obviously a pretty sexual guy since he gets horny whenever he comes across a hot car, but what I really loved about him is how weird he thought it was. Just because he could be a walking erection in the shop didn't mean that he flaunted it. He was shy and reserved and just darn cute about it all.

Now, Brandon. Brandon didn't think this was weird. Not at all. He loved this kinky bit about Kasey and planned on exploiting it for his benefit as often as he could. And all his plans? *mmmmm* Sexy as hells. I really enjoyed his 'go get him' attitude he had toward Kasey because Kasey needed a guy like that. He needed someone to bring him out of his shell and to make sure he knew it was okay to have a little kink. Actually, it's encouraged by all.

The guys were great, the car sex was all kinds of hot and I was satisfied enough with the HFN ending. But I was left wanting and can't help but feel like their story was cut too short. I would have loved to read more about these two.

I love when two crazy kids with compatible kinks come together. Kasey has an unusual fetish. Brandon seems to get off on guys with unusual fetishes. Kasey has a REAL fondness for certain muscle cars. Brandon is a collector of muscle cars. You see where this is going right?

Kasey is a mechanic and one day Brandon brings his car into the garage where Kasey works for service. Kasey is painfully shy and as I learned about his upbringing I could see where he not only got his shyness, but where his fetish came from. It makes a lot of sense really and kudos to Marie Sexton for bringing something unusual to the story and still making it believable.

I liked Kasey’s character a lot and while he did get a needy voice now and again, it was realistic and he knew he was doing it and wanted to kick himself for it so it wasn’t annoying, I just could empathize with him. He had trouble believing someone like Brandon would be interested in him and while at first it may have seemed like a hookup, turns out they really do have a connection. Speaking of . . . the connections were fine, damn fine as a matter of fact.

I did like the communication and connection between Kasey and Brandon. Kasey was believably needy, but finding his own inner strength and voice at the same time. Brandon was more than willing to shore up Kasey’s confidence but he didn’t coddle him at all which would have so been the wrong thing for Kasey, especially when he was just breaking out of his shell.

The only thing I wanted was a little more of them together. I was really getting attached to the two of them and it was over. It’s a good gripe to have really and I would love to read more about these two AND their car shenanigans.

Marie Sexton and The Normal Enough Blog Tour Stop & Giveaway!

Thanks so much to Marie Sexton for making Boy Meets Boy Reviews part of her Normal Enough blog tour and for bringing prezzies!!!! Who doesn't love that?

Enter for a chance to win an ebook copy of Normal Enough and a $50 ARe gift certificate for some of Marie Sexton’s backlist books.

WOOP WOOP!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

When Brandon Kenner shows up at Kasey Ralston’s garage with a 1970 Chevelle SS 454, Kasey is smitten by both the man and his car. Between what Kasey considers a shameful fetish and his long estrangement from his family, Kasey finds it easiest to be alone, even distancing himself from his coworkers. But Brandon doesn’t think Kasey’s fetish is weird. In fact, he likes it.

Kasey doesn’t know how to resist a man as charming as Brandon, and he’s more than willing to be seduced. But what are Brandon’s long-term intentions? Kasey is afraid of hoping for too much, but equally afraid that when all is said and done, Brandon will leave, and Kasey will be left alone once again.

Length: 24k words
Publisher: Amber Allure
Release Date: March 16, 2014

Stay tuned to the noon post for dual reviews by Breann and Ann for Normal Enough.

*whispers* It's highly recommended ;)



AUTHOR INFO:

Marie Sexton lives in Colorado. She’s a fan of just about anything that involves muscular young men piling on top of each other. In particular, she loves the Denver Broncos and enjoys going to the games with her husband. Her imaginary friends often tag along. Marie has one daughter, two cats, and one dog, all of whom seem bent on destroying what remains of her sanity. She loves them anyway.

Website: http://mariesexton.net/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/MarieSexton
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarieSexton.author
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarieSexton
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/msextonauthor/

Author of the Month Interview - Lyn Gala

Today the UM welcomes Lyn Gala to the clubhouse! We chatted about Claimings, Tails and Other Alien Artifacts, squeed over the amazing Ondry bonus scene that Lyn Gala debuted here on BMBR, and are now super thrilled to have Lyn herself visiting us!

BMBR: Keeping with our book of the month, where did you get the inspiration for the Rownt culture?

LG: C.J. Cherryh is a huge influence on my writing. I love how her alien cultures are always so alien, and when I started doing coursework for a Masters in International Diplomacy, I came to appreciate her even more. I could see how various societal structures showed up in her work, only with particular aspects exaggerated or shifted.

I wanted to create a society that valued subs, so I wanted that trait to be rare in this society. That meant I needed to create a society that emphasized individuality and competition instead of service. However, if these creatures were hyper-focused on the individual, they wouldn’t have family structures the way we knew them. Even family members would be competitors, although parents would be proud when their offspring were strong enough to challenge them.

The second breakthrough came when I tried to figure out what animal to pattern them after. If they were that individualistic, a cat was such an obvious choice. I just didn’t want obvious. So I went with the least obvious choice I could come up with… a turtle. The choice turned out to be a blessing as the Rownt long lifespan and enormous penis came into play.

BMBR: Had you decided from the beginning that Ondry and Liam wouldn't be having sex in the "traditional and expected" manner? Did that plan evolve as you wrote or was that the plan from the start?

LG: The second I picked a turtle as the physical inspiration for the Rownt, I knew the couple wouldn’t be compatible. Not even close. That’s not to say they could have had sex if I had chosen another animal because I don’t see why incompatible species would have interlocking parts. That doesn’t make sense biologically. I have a het romance, Blowback, where one of the main characters is alien, but she’s part human and she was created in a laboratory. That’s the only way I could imagine an alien that had similar sexual organs. So yeah, if I have an alien culture, the couple is unlikely to be getting lucky the old fashioned way.

BMBR: In general, which character type do you enjoy writing more, the Dom or the sub?

LG: Generally I like to explore the sub when I’m writing slash stories. It’s the sub that’s breaking society’s rules about what it means to be “manly,” and I like characters that break the rules and find their own paths. However, I mainly like the way partners fit together. I like subs that push Doms into new territory. I like “caretaker” Doms that derive pleasure from controlling but also pleasing their partners. So I think this is a long way of saying that I don’t know how to answer this question.

BMBR: Favorite scene you've written so far?

LG: I have so many that I don’t know what to say to this. I love the scene where Liam finally admits that he was raped only to realize that Ondry will never blame him for that or even understand why a victim might feel the weight of guilt. I am a little in love with Rownt culture for not even understanding the psychological toll of rape. However, I am equally in love with the big action scene in Blowback where the heroes take down an alien invasion, and I love the scene in Fettered where Dylan’s friend gives him some pills, and he doesn’t realize how strong they are. He ends up wandering down the street trying to find his way to the club while utterly stoned. In Gathering Storm, I love the scene where Charleston catches Vinnie spying on him. I often write individual scenes as they inspire me, and I only go back and write the rest of the story later, so I have a whole host of these snippets that actually predated the book they appear in.

BMBR: A unicorn fan jumped in to ask: I'm in love with Jacqs from your book Turbulence. Is he based on someone you know in real life? And more importantly, will we be seeing more of him in future works?

LG: As a teacher, I’ve seen such a range of students come through my classes. I teach government and history, and that means that I get to talk to them about such real subjects that it allows me to know them in a way that a science teacher might not. I’ve seen a number of students who had honestly good hearts that were matched with such social ineptitude that I would cringe when they would piss off some classmate. They would make some political statement and then act bewildered when half the class wanted to kill them. Hopefully I taught some of those students to stop and listen first, and hopefully I taught a few of the other students to look beyond the surface. Honestly, I don’t know. However my sympathy for that set of character traits comes out in Jacqs.

I would like to do more stories in the Turbulence series. I think they’re going to have a lot of adventures, and I also think there are some mysteries to explore. People high up in the military had an eye on Jacqs from the beginning or he wouldn’t have landed on the Candiru instead of in a jail cell. The who and why of that is a great story, but I don’t know if I’ll get around to writing it. I tend to have entire universes in my head, but writing sequels is my kryptonite. I also think the relationship with Ben, Copta and Becca is interesting. Just because Copta is asexual doesn’t mean that she doesn’t want a long-term relationship. I can see doing a book with them as a triad.

BMBR: Any upcoming projects, Lyn? Maybe a sequel to a certain book with a certain character that is certainly popular?

LG: I always have a dozen or more irons in the fire at any one time. I currently have three books half or more than half written. Desert World Immigrants follows Verly Black, a disgraced captain who accidentally caused the deaths of a ship full of immigrants and Naite Polli, a wounded man who has always tried to fix things by working harder. Customary Miracles is about a geeky, unlucky-in-love author who has done the cheap sex thing until he’s tired of the game and just given up on men. He doesn’t think he’ll ever get his happily ever after until he meets an equally geeky professor of comparative religions from India.

However, I suspect you’re asking about Assimilation, War, and Other Human Oddities. Liam and Ondry are back and are happily nesting and trading. However, the humans are determined to take advantage of what they see as an “in” with the Rownt. Craig makes a cameo appearance. He’s the tech who showed Liam “Rownt porn” when he first came to Prarownt. However, Earth has sent some power players to try and reopen negotiations with the Rownt, and Captain Susan Diallo is their “go to” girl.

I was 80% done with this when my mother had a stroke and then needed emergency surgery for her gall bladder. Right now I’m trying to get back into the right mindset to finish this story. I don’t know if I’m ever going to finish the Desert World book because I’ve been away from it too long, and I don’t want to let the Claimings sequel fall into the same black hole.

Other than that, I have a lot of scenes written that might turn up in later books. Aaron is a tired soldier who has fought demons ever since a spell destroyed their ability to hide using magic glamours. He’s come to realize that not all “demons” are evil, but he’s realized this after killing too many. He’s worn down to nothing by the time an incubus hunts him down.

John is a lobsterman who was too injured to keep fishing. He made an unlikely switch to high-end prostitution (through a weird series of events), and now he’s been hired by a Hollywood type who likes to put men in harness and then try to tame a wild stallion. John likes it a little too much.

Vicissitude of Magic stars David, a mere mortal in the secret world of wizards. Faulkner believes that mundanes should be protected from the magical world; however, a spell turns this good guy into a bad guy, and David becomes the target of an evil monster that wears the face of a former ally.

Darryl is a black man raised by a white family after his mother died and his father crawled in a bottle. Now as an adult, an injury means he has time to visit his birth father, who has sobered up and asked for another chance. However, Darryl doesn’t know how to handle his jealousy when his father seems more comfortable with Evan, another recovering alcoholic his father is sponsoring.

I think it’s easy to say that I have ideas on ideas on ideas, and not nearly enough time to write them all. And add onto that the fact that I do still write fanfic. It’s fun to get in and just build sandcastles in someone else’s sandbox sometimes. It all means that if I had time to sit at the computer full time, I could never finish one-tenth of my projects. However, as a part-time teacher/part-time administrator and teacher trainer, I am completely screwed. And with my mother’s recent stroke, I am not even pretending that even half these will be written. My mother is definitely getting better, but I’ve had to do a little rearranging of priorities.

So, that is me in a nutshell.

Thanks once more to Lyn Gala stopping by and gracing us with an awesome interview and exclusive bonus scene for our book of the month, Claimings, Tails and Other Artifacts. We couldn't let her leave without unicornizing her. She shall hereby forever be known to us as Starflower Fair Rump:

Starflower is always as happy as a clam.
She is handsome to look upon,
and she melts the snow and brings the warm weather.

Review: Turbulence by Lyn Gala

Corporal Jacqs Glebov is a simple soldier who wants a bunk, decent food and the company of other battle-hardened men and women who understand the realities of fighting. Instead he's stuck patrolling a remote corner of the border with cadets straight out of boot camp. They don't understand him, and he sure doesn't have an ounce of respect for them.

After a field promotion, Earth sends Commander Zeke Waters to the Candiru for some practical experience in a leadership role. Instead, Zeke falls in lust with the adamantly heterosexual Jacqs. The way Jacqs fights and the way he sees the world draws Zeke closer, even if common sense tells him to walk away.

Even if they can find a way to reconcile their sexual differences, they are both still soldiers. The war will eventually take them away from each other unless they can find a way to escape the rules that have defined their lives.

Man, did I get sucked into this story, this world and these characters or what?

You get the gist from the blurb right? I’m not going to go into what Turbulence is all about, read the blurb and you’ve got the basics. I want to tell you about all the things that make this so much more than sci-fi, M/M romance.

I love M/M romance stories. You know, the 100+ page stories about the relationship, there’s some angst, some self-discovery and then an HEA? Those? I love those. But, if you read too many in a row, it won’t matter how good they are, they are going to run together and that’s not fair to them. You’ve got to have a book that is going to give you more and take you somewhere else in there too. This is one of those books.

There is an incredible amount of world building and politics that needed to be explained but it never read like an instruction manual or a laundry list of rules and regs. The history and state of their world evolved organically with the story and I was never left confused as to why or who. After reading Claimings, Tails and Other Alien Artifacts I can see how Lyn Gala is a master of this. Being that the bulk of the story takes place on one spaceship, the Candiru, while the earth is at war, the situation has a monumental impact on the crew and every part of their lives. Knowing what is happening and learning about Jacqs’ past explains everything about who he is and why he acts the way he does.

So, Jacqs. One of the most memorable characters I’ve read. He’s big, he’s rough, he’s scary and he likes it that way. He keeps people at arms-length on purpose. He’s a simple man who has no tolerance for stupidity and indecision. Problem is, he deals with it daily as much of the crew on his ship are either fresh out of training and/or have never been to the front to experience the true impact of the war.

“Jacqs snorted. Stupidity didn’t deserve more of a response than that.”

A new captain is assigned to his ship and Zeke confuses Jacqs to no end. Their dialog is classic and I loved reading it. Jacqs is one of those characters who can be witty without meaning to be, brilliant on accident and insightful to the point of being scary. Unfortunately a lot of those qualities get buried in his gruff delivery and overall lack of social skills and no one really takes the time to know the real Jacqs. Fortunately for Jacqs, Zeke does come along and he does see and more importantly, he appreciates Jacqs for who he is. Scars and all.

What was so incredibly refreshing about the relationship between Jacqs and Zeke was Jacqs reaction to the fact that he wasn’t the het he thought he was. He didn’t freak out, get overly aggressive or push Zeke away. He went to Zeke and TALKED about it. What a novel idea and interesting concept. As an FYI - Sexuality in this world is very different and it was incredibly interesting to read about the dynamics, and that made Jacqs' reaction believable and completely normal for him. Jacqs is not the kind of guy to back away from something, so he barrels right in and gets a handle on who he is and who he can be for Zeke.

As the two become closer and Jacqs gets the major revelation about his sexuality, the reality of the war comes to the ship and the real tension and worry that the two have for each other is so well done and I got completely wrapped up in the mission. I really felt the confusion and stress that they were under when Jacqs finally made it back to the ship. The war they knew was changing and they had no clue what was coming for their future.

There is just so much crazy stress as the war seems to be coming to an end and not a favorable one for the humans. Thankfully Jacqs and Zeke did have some great stress relieving activity throughout and their chemistry together was off the charts. I loved that Zeke truly appreciated everything about Jacqs and those little moments as Jacqs was figuring that out were quite sweet.

I really had no idea how this was going to end. You really have to read it to get the full impact of their situation on what turns out to be their last mission. It was really well played out and I loved how it turned out for them. It was really an HEA for them and their world.

There are WAY too many great Jacqs quotes to pick out just one or two to give a taste of how he thinks. I do think this thought process about his sexuality sums up Jacqs well:

Jacqs didn’t rightly like self-introspection. It never led to good things. It didn’t even lead to mediocre things, not in his estimation. But, at the same time, he’d never run away from a fight in his life, not when it came to bullies in the camps, not when he’d faced off against the batfaces for the first time, and not when he had demons rolling around in his head. He battled them, and he either won or lost the fight, but he didn’t go hiding.

Review: Snatched Anthology

Any hunter will tell you part of the satisfaction is in the chase as well as the triumphant capture of their prey. In Snatched, the focus is on the eroticism of the power play between men and their male captors. Sometimes romance ensues, sometimes just a good amount of steamy sex, but in all cases, the effects of one character being in utter control of the man he has captured takes center stage. The appeal is in the erotic dominance and the way the captive would try to escape if he could, whether he truly wants to deep down or not.

Thomas is determined not to let the fights with his boyfriend, John, ruin his vacation in the tropical rainforests of Equador. But when he steps off the trail, he steps into danger as he is taken captive by guerilla freedom fighters. Held against his will, he nonetheless finds himself developing an attraction to the man who both arouses and repels him. And as his captivity weighs on him, Thomas finds that being "The Guerilla's Plaything" is not the worst fate he can envision...

Bryce's life changes forever the night that he and his boyfriend are brutally attacked by creatures that seem like they can only be demonic. He's sure, when they carry him off, that he's being packed off for lunch, so it's a shock when he finds that one of his captors is not the horror that he expected. As their attraction grows, it could be "The Two of Us" against the world.

As a member of the lesser nobility, Micah has never truly been able to "Feel the Wind" of freedom, and he and his family are not exempt from the brutality of the highest of the nobles. When he is imprisoned, hunted for sport, and captured by Ari, one of the realm's Princes, he feels that his life is over. But when an escape attempt leads him to the bed of Dhea, Ari's brother, he finds that there is much more to live for... and at the same time, so much more danger than he knows.

Snatched is an anthology featuring three short stories about kidnapping, some stories feature romance as the end result. Out of the three stories, two of them were really good. It was like the anthology was a naughty boy, hording his treats finally sharing the best story for last. I was almost thrown off by the weaker start. Almost.

The Guerrilla's Plaything by Tilly Hunter - 2 Hearts

*sigh*

A British student who likes bondage is on vacation in Ecuador. He's taken by a "guerrilla" named Alvaro because he looked suspicious while taking a piss in the jungle. The guerrilla has a fondness for the brit's "little dick" and leaves him exposed and kidnaps him. Then a weird, weak kidnap story starts where the Brit's dick is out and hard because he likes being tied up. No humiliation really. No bondage. No action. Just more meh.

And then the sex scene happens where the guerrilla tells the kidnappee (I can't remember his name) that they are going to have sex but he can call it rape of he has to. I couldn't even attach the lamest of dub con tag on this story. It was like C rated porn. I gave up. No wait, the closing line changed my 2.5 to a 2.

"It's perfectly understandable," John said evenly. "What do they call it? Stockholm Syndrome?""Yeah, I think so."

Really? Wouldn't you need to be kidnapped for longer than a day? I wasn't invested with the characters, so other than the different setting, I thought it was just okay. Had potential but missed the mark.

I fell asleep three times while reading this.  I was channeling Monsoon.

The Two of Us by Lor Rose - 4 HEARTS

Twenty-two year old, ginger virgin Bryce is on a lackluster date with a guy he feels no real attraction for. However, Bryce wants to rid himself of his virginity. While sitting on his potential lover's lap in a car, they are attacked by mythical horse shifters. Apparently this is story #2 from Lor Rose's Horse Shifter series. I didn't know what these shifters could do but let's just say they need to eat human hearts once a full moon to stay alive. Warning: there's a rape scene [not between the MC].

Xanthos and his fellow shifter Lampon (I couldn't help but think it rhymes with tampon) keep Bryce alive with some major bruising. But where the last story failed with capturing the power struggle between captor and captive, this story did. You could believe Bryce's fear even if he claimed he suffered from not feeling much emotions.

Xanthos is thousands of years old, has skin that is like movable granite and can't feel anything but pain. (But he feels erections) He's a killer, emotionally stunted and feels something for his captive. He's part of a group of four horse shifter killers but the group is split. Half of the group left for love. And at first Xanthos scoffed but he can't help feeling something towards Bryce.

Sadly this was just a short...I would have loved this if it were a novella. A lot of strong points and ideas were introduced but not followed through. Still it was a sexy ride, even a little mention of snowballing. I really liked, wished it wasn't as rushed towards the end.

Hooray for a more unusual type of shifter romance!

Feel the Wind by Ann Anderson - 4.5 HEARTS

It seems the best story of the anthology award goes to this story. This was what I wanted - hot sex, kink (some D/s, orgasm denial, bondage and pain kink, baby!), a surprise ménage, virgins (yep two virgins!), collaring (*squeals*), actual rape...It was fantasy, some magic, grit and deliciousness wrapped up in a sexy bow.

And I ate it up.

We have a thief (did I mention I love thieves too?) with a magical gift of controlling the wind who has been imprisoned for six years. In this fantasy filled society (there's a smidge of technology thrown in), the nobility and royalty hunt lesser folk for sport and make the captures their prey, their pets. This time around it's the thief, Micah. And he is captured by a prince! But this prince is a virgin as is Micah. But compared to Ari's larger, more sinister brothers, Ari seemed like the safest choice for Micah.

I wish there was more exploration in the world the author created. We get enough to carry the story this story would have been even better as a novella. Get more page time exploring the magical talents people have, etc. Micah was a fun character. He knew his limitations and played up what he had when he had to. Loved reading him switch from submissive to dominant. And playing those brothers? (You'll have to read to see which brother joined in this menage between pet and masters) Micah was delish! The ending was HFN/HEA-ish. Hint: a golden collar. *squeals*

I hope the author will follow up with these characters or the other brothers. It's an interesting world I wouldn't mind revisiting. 

Hands down favorite! Gotta check out more from this author. I squirmed!

The Snatched anthology is worth a read. I usually get bored because there can be a lot of duds mixed in a bundle. But this was not the case, on average. And now I have a new author to check out.

Score!

Review: Ball & Chain by Abigail Roux

Home from their unexpected deployment, the former members of Marine Force Recon team Sidewinder rejoin their loved ones and try to pick up the pieces of the lives they were forced to leave behind. Ty Grady comes home to Zane Garrett, only to find that everything around him has changed—even the men he went to war with. He barely has time to adjust before his brother, Deuce, asks Ty to be his best man. But that isn’t all Deuce asks Ty to do, and Ty must call for backup to deal with the business issues of Deuce’s future father-in-law.

Nick O’Flaherty and Kelly Abbott join Ty and Zane at the wedding on an island in Scotland, thinking they’re there to assuage Deuce’s paranoia. But when bodies start dropping and boats start sinking, the four men get more involved with the festivities than they’d ever planned to.

With the clock ticking and the killer just as stuck on the isolated island as they are, Ty and Zane must navigate a veritable minefield of family, friends, and foes to stop the whole island from being destroyed.

***may contain spoilers so watch out!***

OK, so here’s the deal.  I have been anticipating this book ever since I finished Touch & Geaux.  I was jealous of everyone who got an ARC and I couldn’t wait to read more about Ty & Zane and see what kinds of shenanigans they could get up to.  When I learned that it had been released early on Riptide I jumped on it right quick.

Then I started to read…

I was eager to see the reunion.  I just knew it was going to be epic.  I was expecting one of the hottest sex scenes I have ever read.  I knew they were going to reunite, it was going to be so romantic and joyful, and then burn up my screen with the wild monkey lovin’.  I didn’t get that.

And I was pissed!!!

Only 5% in and I was already disappointed.  Big, epic reunion at the base and they go home and fuck like bunnies, right?  NO!  All of a sudden it is two weeks later and I’m left looking for the missing scene, thinking I got a defective copy because surely Ms. Roux wouldn’t skip over something like that!  I mean, who does that?!?!?

Then they go to some castle on a cliff on a remote island off of Scotland for Deuce’s wedding.  Already my eyes are rolling because, yeah, I can see where this is going.  As I progress through the story my eyes just keep rolling until I think they’re gonna detach from their sockets from the strain.  Really?  Secret passageways?  Come on!  It was like watching the movie Clue or seeing really bad mystery dinner theatre.  Then someone is murdered, all communication with the mainland is cut off and all the boats float away in a storm.  Yep, I’m watching Clue.  

Oh, and this book is funny.  I’m telling you it is.  See, right here in the book it tells you that this book is funny.  Why aren’t you laughing?  You should be laughing because this shit is funny dammit!  The book says so for crying out loud!

I’m so freaking disappointed by this time that I consider DNFing the book.

But then I read one sentence, just five little words strung together by Nick and my entire perspective changes.

She did this shit on purpose y’all.

Suddenly my eyes are open and I’m seeing this not as a serious book (or a book trying to be serious) but for what it truly is.

Entertainment.

Now it’s gone from horrible, rant worthy mystery dinner theatre to entertaining blockbuster movie.  Because that’s what it really is.  Just pure entertainment.  So much more enjoyable that way!  I started flying through the book with glee.  Here are the shenanigans I wanted.  Oh, this is gonna be good!

As I continued reading though, I couldn’t help but notice that I was getting less and less Ty & Zane and more and more Ty & Nick and Kelly & Nick until it became just Nick.  Nick, Nick, Nick, Nickety Nick.  All Nick, all the time.  I was now watching the Nick channel.  Why is that?  I thought this was book 8 in the Cut & Run series, not book 2 of the Sidewinders novellas.  Did i buy the wrong book?  What the hell is going on around here?!?

And I’m back to being disappointed.  

But!  I persevered because, hey, it’s Ty & Zane!  Well, kinda.  I think I was hoping Nick would fade into the background so we could get back to the MAIN CHARACTERS of this story.  Sad to say, that never happened.

Then at 69% (heh) I was thrown into a big ole batch of WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK IS GOING ON AROUND HERE?!? Chaos has ensued and I’m digging it.  I’m digging it hard.  I am just going to come right out and say this:  I love shenanigans.  I love over-the-top storylines.  I love chaos.  Needless to say I am back to loving it.

I’m not even going to touch on the ending because it was just more of Nick the Great and I don’t wanna get mad again.  I will tell you this though.  There was a scene in this book that just about gutted me.  I won’t tell you what it was and I won’t tell you where in the book it was.  Just know this:  it made me bleed.

So to sum up, I both loved and hated this book equally.  I will give it 3 stars and hope that Abi Roux gives the boys (Ty & Zane, NOT NICK) the face time and the HEA they deserve in the final book of this series.  ‘Cause they really do deserve it.