Review: Daylight Again (Hell or High Water, #3) by SE Jakes

Before Prophet Drews can have a future, he must first put his past to rest.

Prophet Drews is a man on the edge, and he’s pulling Tom Boudreaux, his partner on the job and in real life, right over with him. When his old CO calls in a favor, Prophet asks Tom to join the off-the-grid rescue. But the mission raises all of Prophet’s old ghosts: CIA assassins, the terrorist Sadiq, and most importantly, John—traitor, former teammate, and Prophet’s first love.

To help bury those ghosts for good, Prophet and Tom gather the members of Prophet’s former SEAL team . . . and a spook named Cillian who’s been tailing Prophet for years. In the process, Prophet is forced to face his team’s shifting loyalties, ghosts who refuse to stay dead, and scariest of all, his own limitations.

With everyone’s lives in danger, Prophet and Tom must unravel a tangled knot of secrets, including their own. Prophet must decide how much to reveal to Tom, while Tom must decide how far he’s willing to go to help Prophet lay his ghosts to rest.

Hello and how are you? 

If you're reading this review, you're obviously invested somewhat in the Hell or High Water series. You must be, because we're at good 'ole book number three, "Daylight Again". Now at this point in the series game, the major plots are afoot, hot actions are going down (as are mouths), key pieces are being set and we're closer to that glorious end, where we can finally learn what the hell is going on! Prophet, Tom, the John mystery, Prophet's diseases, Prophet's team and the romance in between all the modern day warrior antics. 

Do I really need to do a rehash of the entire plot and cast of characters, so far? It's too long and we'd be here for hours. I suggest you start with "Free Falling" by SE Jakes and do not skip - follow the suggested reading order, if you're new to SE Jakes'  Hell or High Water world. I'm going to make this as spoiler free as can be.

Let's get some of the main complaints out of the way, shall we?

There are a lot of abbreviations and initials - There sure are. In fact, after awhile I started abbreviating words that I didn't need to because it felt like I was surrounded by code. Ah, the life of double agents can be PDAH or Pretty Damn Abbreviation Happy. I finally found out what a BDU was!! Success! SRALIL! (Or SheReadsALot is learning!)

There are a lot of characters to keep track of - There are. But I was able to follow along since there was enough reintroduction to jog my memory. Thankfully, this series ends at book #4 or I'd probably have to jot down notes. ;)

This series is similar to that other series - Meh...not really. Hell or High Water does have an end in sight. The last book will be released later in 2014 so thankfully no drawn out plot lines. Yes, there are spin offs but if you read these men and are as intrigued as I am, you could enjoy getting to experience them in other settings. Because Hell or High Water is all Prophet and Tommy.

I think this is the most perfect gif to sum up "Daylight Again"

This could be my favorite book of the series yet I am not rating it the highest. I'll get to why soon. What I reveled in from Daylight Again was the relationship level Prophet and Tommy are at. This is where I wanted to see these two men get. Don't worry, Prophet is still as snarky and Tom is just as crazy and possessive. But these men have grown. Their relationship has foundation and it's rock steady, bebe. These warriors have learned to share, to compromise and to love. And I thoroughly enjoyed their comfort of each other as separate entities and as a unit.

“You've got the fountain of youth hidden in your pants."

"What the fuck does that even mean?" Hook demanded, then held up a hand. "Never mind, I don't want to know." 

"Means fucking keeps you young.”

Don't expect flowers and pretty pink prose either. It's just alpha men loving each other. And yes there's tons of sex (hot, heart pumping, body liquefying sex...sweet Cheesus that bedroom scene...I'm still drooling) But also crap tons of plot and mysteries being revealed in this novel. A good number of questions are answered especially about Prophet's past with John, his ex-lover & teammate. 

And we get to read more of Prophet's team in action. And Mal and Cillian of Dirty Deeds fame are back. (This is not their series so don't expect them to usurp Prophet and Tom's spots) I love Prophet from the moment he snarked his way in Free Falling. But Tommy is...delicious. And Mal...has secretly become my favorite. He's damaged and cray-cray and who he's compared to makes it even more sweeter. *claps with glee*

The main mystery is slowly coming to a head, at the right pace. I liken it to a game of chess. There's bullets flying, plane jumping, kick ass action but compared to the previous two books, it's a little tamer. But the information given makes the book more satisfying in a way. Now I don't want to prematurely call checkmate for this series...but I'm liking how it's progressed.

The ending...I-hmm...I had to reread the ending a few times, to be honest. It's a perfectly good ending. It's a great setup for the end of this series. But...there was something that left a smidge of a sour taste in my mouth. I need books #3.5 and 4 to see the entire picture. I can't put my finger on what gave me the most pause. Plus, I don't want to spoil it. But...really? He went through all that trouble to do that? Either this is the biggest mind fuck or the oddest plot device. I'm reserving my 5 hearts for how this whole thing ends. So it's a tentative 4.5 for now.

The story ends with an obvious cliffhanger that changes the game...with unexpected moves. but I have a feeling Tommy and Prophet will come out swinging. And will win...any way possible. ICWFTROTSBITLTGSF. DIWIIOA?

Or, I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE REST OF THIS SERIES BECAUSE I TOTALLY LOVE THESE GUYS SOMETHING FIERCE. DAMN IT WHY ISN'T IT OCTOBER ALREADY?
(I'm going to leave now before the abbreviations spread!)

Review: Mourning Heaven by Amy Lane

Heroes fall.

Peter first came to the tiny backwater of Daisy, California, as a child, and he was sure of one thing: his cousin Michael would take care of him. When Michael started a friendship with the fragile, haunted Bodi Kovacs, Peter's consolation in losing any claim to Bodi was that Michael would care for him too. But tragedy struck, and Michael ripped himself out of their world and threw away the people who loved him most.

Six years later, Michael is coming home in a box. All it took to destroy a hero was a town full of bigotry and hatred. Reclaiming him will take strength of heart that neither Peter nor Bodi had six years ago. Since Michael left, Bodi has been lost and alone. Peter can try to make Bodi his and take the role Michael should have had, but first he and Bodi have to confront the past. They will need to face Michael, the good and the bad, the beauty and the sadness, and see his memory truly for what it was and not what it could have been. It's a simple act that may destroy them both: sifting through the flaming ruins of heaven is a sure way to annihilate a bleeding mortal heart.

 "'If that's all it takes?' he said when he pulled back. 'The coming back for you? If that's all it take to keep you? I can do that, Peter. I can always come back for you.'"

If there is any author that can make you feel for, empathize and love a character, it's Amy Lane. I couldn't help but become completely immersed in Peter and Bodi, right from the beginning.

"Bodi grunted and relaxed, and their hands were still clasped between them, but Bodi's shoulders melted into Peter's body, like he belonged in Peter's arms."

And he so did.

It was said over and over that Bodi was the broken one, but Peter didn't have the perfectly healthy life either. He lived with a relative who didn't understand him, or want to for that matter. He also lived in a town he hated and they pretty much hated him right back. Not the best of living conditions. Now that Michael was gone there was no reason for him to stay and every reason for him to find Bodi.

Bodi was kind of lost before Peter went to tell him that his ex-lover had died. For Bodi, Michael had died years before and was still dealing with the loss, all on his own. He was broken, and yes, that was said quite a few times in the story, but it didn't bother me much since that's exactly what he was. Broken. And Peter was going to fix him. Bodi could fight all he damn well pleased, Peter wasn't budging. I just love reading about that kind of dedication.

Since Bodi, Michael and Peter grew up together they had a story to tell, besides the one that led to their HEA. Their past flashbacks were perfectly woven into the present and told both stories simultaneously and flawlessly. It didn't matter which time the story was in, I was equally involved in both.

"When Peter walked through that door, he was done with mourning heaven, and living it instead."

They just belonged together. The circumstances that brought them together were devastating, but their story together was beautiful.

Review: Resistance by L.M. Turner

Ryan's relationship-phobic, preferring to live his life from one anonymous hook-up to the next. He never remembers a name, and he never goes back for more. But then he meets Jayden, the one-off who won't get out of his head, his life -- or, indeed, his bed.

Ryan remains in a denial, however; he has no place in his life for emotion or feelings, despite how much difficulty he finds in keeping away from the gorgeous, confident Jayden.

It's not until Jayden gets a boyfriend, bringing their non-relationship to a sudden end, that Ryan thinks he might have been feeling something all along. Feeling a lot, actually, but it's too late.

Jayden's happy with his new man, and Ryan shouldn't want to get in the way of that -- but he's selfish, and he's had an epiphany, and maybe the only way to get Jayden back is to reveal more of himself than he knows how to handle. But is it enough for Jayden to take a risk on a man who, by his own admission, has no idea how to love?

This has all all the things I love. ALL THE THINGS I TELL YOU!!

It's basically perfect. I've had it recommended to me at least 3 times and I was "meh & shrug". WHY? Why was I "meh & shrug" when Resistance is all the things?!?

I officially recommend this to everyone because of reasons:

1. Jayden. Ugh, Jayden.  So, Ryan has issues (to say the least) with all his rules about relationships, or the lack-thereof, in his life. Jayden? Jayden doesn't care a whole hell of a lot about Ryan's 'rules'. He knows they have something and he's going for it. I just freaking loved this about him. 

"When Jayden pulls away with a final lingering press of lips, his face remaining so close, Ryan's breathless. 'What are you doing?' he says but he gets the feeling it comes out more like a hoarse mumble.
'It's called sweeping you off your feet.'
Ryan's stomach jolts. 'It's not working.'
'Liar,' says Jayden and kisses him again."

2. Ryan. In all his fuckupedness in the beginning, hell, throughout most of the book, he's really able to make up for it in the end. It did take Jayden having to get another boyfriend for him to finally wake up and see what's right in his face, but once he did he (mostly) made all the right choices and he ended up winning me completely over.

3. Snarky-snark FTW!! *twirls* I'm picky (really picky) about what I consider 'humorous'. What many readers find hilarious, I find myself rolling my eyes. This was effing funny, people. The dialogue was witty and smart and engaging. I basically highlighted the whole thing.

'"You can't just invite yourself to stay in a stranger's house.'
'Dude, I had my tongue in your ass. You're way past being a stranger.'"

and

"'I can't believe this is happening to me.'
'I know, right? Who knew when you left the house today you;d end up meeting the incredible Jayden Cobain? I'd be in shock too.'"

I really could go on and on with all the fun.

4. Oh, the angst! It was angst without feeling like that was the intention because it was also so much fun to read. I'm having myself a grand old time reading about Ryan and Jayden with all their snark and hotness and then BOOM! I'm crying! Wait. What? This type of book isn't supposed to make me cry. I'm supposed to laugh and swoon and maybe melt a little. Well, I did all that, plus felt enough feels to produce a few tears. *dreamy sigh*

5. These boys know how to get it on and they got it on gooooooooood. *bites lip*


6. Back to Jayden. FFS, Resistance wasn't even from his POV and I could feel just how much he really wanted Ryan all to himself. Amongst all of Ryan's self-made drama, Jayden's character and emotions were really able to shine through because of the awesome dialogue and the way the author brilliantly showed the way he felt. *melts* Hell... *quelts*

7.  I could not stop reading. I was just so into Ryan and Jayden's love-drama that didn't quite feel like drama and before I knew it, the book was over. Sad, sad unicorn (<-me). I tried to savor the end, but let's face it, that never works. I kept going until the last swoony, wonderful word. *turns the page looking for more & panics*

So. Yeah. Those are all the reasons and things.

Read it.

Review: Semper Fi by S.J. Frost

Though Marine staff sergeant, Cameron Brightman, is miles away from the Middle East and back in his hometown Chicago, memories of the war and lost love continue to haunt him.

**This is a free story, unedited, offered on S.J. Frost's website.**




Semper Fi, short for Semper Fidelis, is a Latin phrase meaning "Always Faithful"

Semper Fi is the story of Cameron Brightman, a marine staff sergeant and Gabriel (Gabe) Roland, a grad student at Chicago’s Art Institute. They meet in a gay bar in the Boystown area of Chicago while Cam is on a thirty-day leave from the Marines. Cameron and Gabe share an incredible night together but is this just a one night stand, or is there something special between them?

This is a sweet short story that you can read free on the author's website or download here

I was totally smitten with Cameron and Gabe from the start. The chemistry between them was there and I felt the mutual attraction. In this short story the sex between Cameron and Gabe was hot and felt realistic. Ok, so there was no swinging from the chandelier, but it was steamy and satisfying just the same. Also, if unprotected sex is one of your pet peeves, you have nothing to worry about here. They practiced safe sex yet it didn't interrupt the scenes or seem awkward in any way. I admire and applaud the author for this.

There's also a bit of humor in Semper Fi and that is something I always enjoy in any story.

If you’ve not read anything by S.J. Frost, I think you’re missing out. This free short story would be the perfect way to sample the author’s work risk free.

Happy Hour Chat - "A Little Bit Country" by S.J. Frost

Hello, lovely visitors! Welcome to May's Happy Hour Chat here on Boy Meets Boy Reviews. Recently we came together to discuss A Little Bit Country by S.J. Frost. Check out the chat below and then let us know what you think about music, rock stars, nipple rings, and Hallmark movies. :D

S.J. Frost will be this month's Author of the Month, so keep an eye on BMBR for more reviews of this author's work in May!

Audrey

Quick copy/paste of blurb for reasons:

Rock singer, Ash Ivers, and country music star, Jackson Abrams, have intense passion that brings them together, but will they be able to overcome all their differences when Jackson's career is threatened?

Ash Ivers says and does what he wants, and with being the lead singer of the world famous rock band, From Ashes, he gets away with both. Three years ago, his mouth got the better of him, and he started a media feud with county music star, Jackson Abrams. When they’re both booked to play a charity concert, he sees his chance to finally confront Jackson in person. Though, he’s uncertain if his anger will hold against his attraction to the singing cowboy.

Jackson Abrams is the darling of country music. He’s polite, charming, handsome…and he has a secret that he fears could jeopardize his career. When it comes to the cocky rock star, Ash Ivers, he’s infuriated and intrigued by him. He wants their feuding to stop, but he also doesn't want to lose the attention it gives him from Ash.

As Ash and Jackson meet, the heat of anger turns to passion. But when Jackson’s world starts crumbling around him, will their differences make them stronger, or drive them apart?

Jo: can we talk about something I noticed in the book?

Justin: Damn Jo, did you think this was a book chat?

Jo: How did I know you guys would get sharks into a story. If I didn’t know better while I was reading I would have been very scared for the direction the story was going. There was even a DP shout out.

Jenni Lea: Jo, what book are you talking about?

Justin: A little bit country mentioned sharks and a DP

Audrey: Yes, yes it did.

Lorix: It did mention sharks

Jenni Lea: Duh! I forgot!

Breann: It did?

Justin: All the talk about DP & dildos, humma humma

Jenni Lea: It did!

Audrey: Yessum...and roping.

Audrey: Yeehaw.

More on our favorite quotes, whom we could see as the main characters, and general shenanigans after the jump!

Review: Loving Jay by Renae Kaye

One thing Liam Turner knows for sure is that he's not gay—after all, his father makes it very clear he’ll allow no son of his to be gay. And Liam believes it, until a chance meeting with James “Jay” Bell turns Liam’s world upside-down. Jay is vivacious and unabashedly gay—from the tips of his bleached hair to the ends of his polished nails. With a flair for fashion, overreaction, and an inability to cork his verbal diarrhea, Liam believes drama queen Jay must have a screw loose.

An accident as a teenager left Liam with a limp and a fear of driving. He can’t play football anymore either, and that makes him feel like less of a man. But that’s no reason to question his sexuality... unless the accident broke something else inside him. When being with Jay causes Liam’s protective instincts to emerge, Liam starts to believe all he knew in life had been a convenient excuse to stay hidden. From intolerance to confrontations, Liam must learn to overcome his fears—and his father—before he can accept his sexuality and truly love Jay.

I loved everything about this book.  No seriously, every last bit!  It was just so… so… charming.

We first meet Liam at the train station where he’s missed his train and he’s upset, not because he will be late for work but because he won’t be able to see the beautiful blonde he’s been fascinated with for the past few weeks.  Not that he’s gay or anything.  Nope.  Not gay.

    “My dad would kill me, so I can’t be gay.”

It was heartbreaking to read passages like that in this book.  I really felt for Liam and wanted to cuddle him close when he made comments like that.  What he was going through hit close to home.  You see, I recently watched my own child go through the anguish of coming out as transgender.  I watched my sweet baby, whom I love more than my own life start to withdraw from her friends and family.  Her grades started slipping in school and she seemed so depressed that I was afraid she was on the verge of suicide.  It turns out she just felt she was living a lie and was not comfortable in her own skin and she was so afraid of telling me what was going on.  So, I got where Liam was coming from.  I could see echos of my own child’s fear in Liam.  So when he finally came to terms with who he really is I was overjoyed.

    “Then I came to a sudden realization.  I’m so gay.”

What I liked most about this book is that everything seemed so real.  Like reading a story about my neighbor or cousin or friend.  Neither of the MCs had fancy or exciting jobs.  Neither of them were rich, nor were they orphans or savants.  They were just two everyday ordinary people who were in actuality, extraordinary.  Well, maybe just Liam.  Jay is nothing near ordinary.  But he wasn’t over the top either.  I’ve known people in real life who were a bit like Jay.  What Jay has is flair.  He has such a big heart too.  And lets not forget his infinite patience.

I think this may be the first time I truly was able to see and more importantly, understand how hard it can be for someone to come out.  I will never really completely understand what it is like because I am not gay but, due to the exemplary writing in this book I am able to comprehend quite a bit more about what goes on in the mind of a gay man on the verge of a life altering decision such as this.  My heart was breaking for Liam yet at the same time I was cheering him on whenever he reached a new milestone.  I have to say, I fell quite a bit in love with him and I pretty much see him as a hero.  True bravery is recognizing your fears, accepting them and reaching beyond them.  True heroism is being able to be true to yourself, seeing your flaws for what they are and pushing yourself to be the best you can possibly be despite, or sometimes even because of those flaws.  This is Liam.  This is why I love him.

    “You really are a hero, aren’t you?”

Yes, he really, truly is.

Even though I got caught up in all the feels in this book, it still came across as a light, fun read.  The silliness and the snark were a delight to read and both Jay and Liam just charmed the pants right off me.  I had a big, silly grin on my face through most of the book and I kept letting out smoopy sighs as I watched these two on their journey from friends to lovers to partners.  They were perfectly imperfect and I fell in love with both of them, almost from page one.

Renae Kaye, you are on my radar now.  I eagerly await your next work.  You are going to go far, I can see it.  Brava!

Review: Teen Wolf Fanfic - Binomial Coefficients by DevilDoll

Binomial Coefficients by DevilDoll

In which brainy freshman Stiles Stilinski wants star quarterback Derek Hale to join the math team, AKA math nerds in love.

Recently, I willingly jumped into the abyss of AO3 fanfics about that most amazing and adorable ship, #Sterek. Yes, Stiles and Derek from Teen Wolf. I've probably read a million (or two?) words on them since the beginning of the year.

And it's been glorious. 

Yes, there have been some ups and downs, but once in a while, you run into a fic that just grabs you and makes you cry out in jubilation.

Binomial Coefficients by DevilDoll is one of them.

I FREAKING LOVED THIS STORY!!!

*ahem*

Yes, this review required at least one shouty-caps statement. :D

I read this story last night, and I can't count the number of times I squeed out loud.

Binomial Coefficients is a high school AU in which opposites, however unlikely, definitely attract. Stiles is a freshman math nerd who convinces Derek the senior quarterback to join the math team.

It's awkward. It's funny. It's adorable. It's GLORIOUS.

I loved this story so freaking hard. The way the writer crafted their relationship was beautiful to watch, and the Stiles POV was perfect in that you could definitely see the feelings develop, even through the filter of his skewed perspective. Because, yes, Stiles is just trying not to get beat up by Derek when he proposes Derek join the math team.

Derek, on the other hand... Well. Let's just say he might be more than interested in having some one-on-one tutoring time with Stiles.

*wink wink*

If you're feeling down, this would be a fantastic little fic to pick you right back up. It's a freshman/senior relationship, but I wasn't bothered by the age difference in this story. There's some kissing, but mostly it's about feelings.

That said, the first kiss? I seriously swooned.

You can find this 20k word fic for free at Archive of Our Own.

Go. Go get it. And then read the freaking hell out of it!

Review: Hell's Pawn by Jay Bell

John Grey is dead... and that's just the beginning. Purgatory should have been a safe haven for souls that belong neither in Heaven nor Hell, but instead John finds himself in a corrupt prison, one bereft of freedom or pleasure. Along with his decedent friend Dante, John makes a brave escape, only to fall straight down to Hell and into the arms of Rimmon, a handsome incubus. John is soon recruited as Hell's ambassador, visiting the afterlife realms of other cultures to enlist an army strong enough to stand against Heaven. As interesting as his new job is, John's mind keeps returning to Purgatory and the souls still trapped there. Somehow John must stop a war he doesn't believe in and liberate Purgatory, all while desperately trying to attract the attention of an incubus whose heart belongs to another.

This was odd, different, strange and bizarre. But all in a good way.

John has just arrived in Purgatory. He’s going through his orientation and all that good stuff when his “welcomer” put the other new arrivals under a weird trance. John was able to break out of this and explore Purgatory on his own. In doing this he meets some super fun residents of Purgatory, namely, Dante.

Purgatory is a lame ass place to be. There is nothing to do there, except play the little game they have for their residents. People- er- dead people can earn or lose points to either go up into the clouds or down in the flames. So there are these “pretend people” who walk around and have a scene where they need help and whoever does the good deed receives points on their record. Weird. Anyway, John is over the game, as is Dante. They want out, and frankly, they don’t care if they’re going up or down as long as it’s anywhere but here.

As you can guess, John and Dante end up in Hell. While in Hell they learn that strange things are happening in the afterlife. Souls from all religions and beliefs are getting stuck in Purgatory, even those who don’t believe in it. So, John’s mission, straight from an Archduke of Hell, is to gather up an army. They’re going to fight for their souls back.

Basically, the story is of John, Dante and the very seductive Incubus, Rimmon, traveling through the different realms of the afterlife. This was pretty fun.  John gathered all the different gods from all the religions around the world, past and present. Greek gods, Egyptian gods, Roman gods, terracotta armies from China...everything. It was all kinda cool. Anything can happen in the afterlife, like glass men who have spider-like arms, random fire breathing people, talking terracotta heads. It’s all just....different. But, don’t forget, in a good way.

Now, Kindle says 278 kindle pages, it didn’t feel that short. By the end I was feeeeeeeeling the length of this book, which is weird because it’s not long. So things started to drag for me a little bit.

All in all, another really good read from Jay Bell. At least he didn’t smash my heart into a million pieces and scatter them across the Earth so they’ll never go back together quite the same way. Again. But I did get a bit emo at the end, Mr. Bell knows how to tug at my heart.

Review: A Hunted Man (The Men of Halfway House #2) by Jaime Reese

After surviving ten years in prison, Cameron Pierce is attempting to put the past behind him. He tries to adjust to his newfound freedom with a place at the halfway house and a job. But one lesson he learned in prison keeps him guarded: hope is a dangerous thing.

Hunter Donovan, Assistant State Attorney, is a man of justice who loves a challenge. After a lifetime of putting his career first, a milestone brings him to a harsh realization—he's lonely.

Hunter's world changes when he meets Cam. The wary young man intrigues him and awakens a desire unlike anything he's ever experienced. When Cam's past resurfaces and threatens to rip them apart, their budding relationship is challenged and Cam's hope for a future begins to dim.

These outside forces hunting Cam will stop at nothing to send him back to prison. But they'll have to get past Hunter first.

I know the author was concerned about the length of this book, but all I have to say about that is, thank you! I loved losing myself in this full length novel and gladly will do so in the next one as well. While this was a very romantic story, it had full scale mystery and action as well. One aspect wasn’t used just to move the other along and so the balance made the book flow so well I never noticed the length until it was almost over; and then I didn’t want it to be. I would easily classify this as a mystery that happens to have gay main characters as much as I would an MM romance.

The mystery of what really happened to Cam and how he ended up with a prison record is wrapped in layers of who? and why? and wait, WHAT? As the story unfolds my heart broke for how wronged Cam was over and over and my respect for him grew. Something stunk about why Cam was railroaded when he was sent to prison, the whole time he was in and even after his release.

Through the whole book I was doing this:

1. Spidey senses are telling me all is not right with the release, I smell deception and nefarious activities!
2. Ok, so a little bit more of Cam’s past coming to light, but I don’t get the setup, there HAS to be more.
3. Oh hell, LOOK, there’s more!
4. No WAY, not him, no man would do that, would he???
5. He did, but why? WHY?
6. There’s a mole on the inside, it’s gotta be him, he’s got the perfect cover.
7. Well, shit, wasn’t him.
8. OHMYGAWD I NEED TO KNOW ALL THE THINGS!

So, yeah, I got completely sucked into the mystery, not to mention the badass ex-military hero action. That was good stuff and not over the top. Heroic AND believable and I loved it.

The secondary characters are strong in A Hunted Man and keep the story moving while adding depth to the main characters. Cam needs a support system like he’s never had before and thankfully that support starts with Sam who we met as Matt’s champion in A Better Man. Matt and Julian are back and I loved reading about them again. Especially Julian, I will always have a special place in my heart for Julian. While the Halfway House is a major setting it’s really a connection point so this story didn’t read as merely a continuation of A Better Man, but as a completely new novel with expanding storylines and possibilities.

Cam gets a job working for Lucy and Bill at the diner that Hunter frequents. I don’t think Cam could have been set up with a better job than the one at the diner or with better people that Lucy and Bill, they aren’t characters I’ll forget about any time soon. My favorite though is definitely Hunter’s dad.

I love that man.

When you meet him you can see exactly why Hunter is the caring and fiercely loyal man that he is. Collectively we read about A LOT of awful parental units in the MM genre, but you will not read a better father than Hunter’s dad, don’t even try. The conversations between Hunter and his dad are some of my favorite parts of the book and his acceptance of Cam had me choking up at the perfectness of Cam finally having a father figure in his life.

All that being said, I do love my romance, so let’s talk AAALLLLL about that.

Ahhhh, the romance in this story is off the charts hot, sweet and intense. Cam ends up getting loved pretty hard in this book and man did this guy need it. The reassurances and comfort Hunter gave him were powerful and while might have been too much for another character, for Cam they were perfect. He had a lot of time and loss to make up for and I think the impact of Hunter’s love made it possible for Cam to believe happiness was possible for him. Cam’s underlying theme, the thing he wants and fears more than anything is hope.

The quote at the beginning of the book is perfect for Cam:

“Hope. You can fear her, ignore her, resent her, but she will never abandon you when you need her most.”

Cam has missed so much when he was locked away and the author captured both his confusion and resilience so well. He spent his 20’s behind bars, incredibly formative years for a young man and he missed them all, all he could do was work on surviving and look forward to the day when he would be free. When he settles into the Halfway House and gets the job at the diner he has his first chance of normalcy in a decade. Then he sees Hunter, Hunter sees him and the really intense sexual tension starts.

And, while the sexual tension was SO good to read, I loved the charming banter between the two just as much. Cam finally was able to feel comfortable and safe with someone. Cam’s true personality evolved very naturally and I felt like I was really getting to know him as a person and not an ex-con along with Hunter. There are a lot of little moments that I loved and the connection between the two of them was perfectly done. Hunter really is a sweet romantic sap and while it’s obvious Cam eats up every word and gesture like a starving man, he can’t help but call Hunter on his sappiness bringing some needed levity to their lives and the whole messed up situation they are in. Cam really is very funny and charming, and reading his evolution throughout the book was heartwarming. While, at the same time, the mystery and potential for absolute disaster kept me on edge.

The overall package that is A Hunted Man has everything I love in a good book. No, scratch that, a really great book. This is definitely going to be a reread for me as soon as I see the date of release for the third in this series. Something with Jessie maybe? Aiden? I’ll take either (preferably both) but whatever comes next I will be right there, clearing the calendar, building a couch nest and holing up so I can read it all as soon as I get my sweaty little hands on it, just like I did for A Hunted Man.

A copy of this book was provided for an honest review

Review: Always by Kindle Alexander

Born to a prestigious political family, Avery Adams plays as hard as he works. The gorgeous, charismatic attorney is used to getting what he wants, even the frequent one-night stands that earn him his well-deserved playboy reputation. When some of the most prominent men in politics suggest he run for senate, Avery decides the time has come to follow in his grandfather's footsteps. With a strategy in place and the campaign wheels rolling, Avery is ready to jump on the legislative fast track, full steam ahead. But no amount of planning prepares him for the handsome, uptight restaurateur who might derail his political future.

Easy isn't even in the top thousand words to describe Kane Dalton's life after his father, a devout southern Baptist minister, kicks him out of the family home for questioning his sexual orientation. Despite all the rotten tomatoes life throws his way, Kane makes something of himself. Between owning a thriving upscale Italian restaurant in the heart of downtown Minneapolis and managing his long-term boyfriend, his plate is full. He struggles to get past the teachings of his childhood to fully accept his sexuality and rid himself of the doubts brought on by his religious upbringing. The last thing he needs is the yummy, sophisticated, blond-haired distraction sitting at table thirty-four.

Oh, the romance. It was just so romantic.

Established couple romances get me every time. Every. damn. time. I just can't get enough of couples who really make it. Not just to the 'I love you' or to the moving in together or to the proposal. But past that and really make it. Because that's where all the hard work really comes into play.

Always spans about 40 years and throughout that time we see pieces and flashes of Avery and Kade's beautiful life together. Avery visits the restaurant that Kade owns and immediately decides that this is the man he wants. And he's gonna get him, no matter how hard Kade resisted him. Oh, how I love when a character is determined to make themselves miserable but The One just won't let them. It was all very sweet and so, so romantic.

Their relationship was pretty angst free, as in they didn't have many major roadblocks in the way of their HEA.  It was all about their journey through life with everyday struggles just like any relationship would face. They made some good choices and some poor choices, but the whole time Avery and Kade were in this thing together and put the other first. They weren't perfect but the way they handled each other was just about perfect.

There was so much that totally worked for me: established couple, large time span, romance, no unnecessary drama or misunderstandings, and it made me cry (<- yes, this is a win for me).

There were also a couple things that totally did not work for me and I'll keep those short and sweet:

1. The dialogue was borderline cheesefest a few times. I don't like it when characters force me to roll my eyes and Kade and Avery could be way too mushy gushy lovey dovey gumdrops for me to resist. I just had to roll my eyes.
2. They were very loving and sweet (win!) but there was a lot of telling, telling, telling of what they were doing for each other. I never wholeheartedly felt that they were each others always until almost the end.

What I loved outweighed the little things that bothered me and I loved it.

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Roped In by Marie Sexton and L.A. Witt

Today BMBR shines the spotlight on the latest release from Marie Sexton and L.A. Witt. Check out their book Roped In and enter the giveaway through the Rafflecopter below!

Blurb:

Graham and his roping partner Jackson have ruled the rodeo scene for ten years running, but lately, Graham’s heart isn’t in the game. He’s tired of the bruises, the cowboy mentality, and the animal rights activists who picket every event. And then there’s Jackson.

Graham and Jackson have been friends since they were boys. But ever since their drunken sexual encounter the year before, things have been awkward. Graham’s accepted that he might be gay, but no matter how attracted he is to other men, he always panics and runs when the clothes start to come off.

Then Graham has a run-in with one of the rodeo protesters, and everything changes. Kaz is young, idealistic, and sexy as hell. And Kaz has an idea for getting Graham past his nerves and into bed.

All they need is a bit of rope.

Publisher:                   Ambur Allure

Purchase Links:      Publisher's Site

About the Authors:

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/

L.A. Witt is an abnormal M/M romance writer currently living in the glamorous and ultra-futuristic metropolis of Omaha, Nebraska, with her husband, two cats, and a disembodied penguin brain that communicates with her telepathically. In addition to writing smut and disturbing the locals, L.A. is said to be working with the US government to perfect a genetic modification that will allow humans to survive indefinitely on Corn Pops and beef jerky. This is all a cover, though, as her primary leisure activity is hunting down her arch nemesis, erotica author Lauren Gallagher, who is also said to be lurking somewhere in Omaha.

L. A.’s backlist is available on her website, and updates (as well as random thoughts and the odd snarky comment) can be found on her blog or on Twitter (@GallagherWitt).

There is a giveaway that will be available throughout all blog tour stops.  The prize is a $20 Amazon Giftcard and 1 ebook from EACH of the authors’ backlists (2 books total). Enter with the Rafflecopter here:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck and happy reading!

Group Review: Us Three by Mia Kerick

In his junior year at a public high school, sweet, bright Casey Minton’s biggest worry isn’t being gay. Keeping from being too badly bullied by his so-called friends, a group of girls called the Queen Bees, is more pressing. Nate De Marco has no friends, his tough home life having taken its toll on his reputation, but he’s determined to get through high school. Zander Zane’s story is different: he’s popular, a jock. Zander knows he’s gay, but fellow students don’t, and he’d like to keep it that way.

No one expects much when these three are grouped together for a class project, yet in the process the boys discover each other’s talents and traits, and a new bond forms. But what if Nate, Zander, and Casey fall in love—each with the other and all three together? Not only gay but also a threesome, for them high school becomes infinitely more complicated and maybe even dangerous. To survive and keep their love alive, they must find their individual strengths and courage and stand together, honest and united. If they can do that, they might prevail against the Queen Bees and a student body frightened into silence—and even against their own crippling fears.

So, every now and then, here at BMBR, there comes a book that we love so much we can't help but rave about it. One Unicorn will read it, wax lyrical and more of us jump on the bandwagon - then we start fighting over who gets to review it. When the glittery DM's come out ya know we're in for trouble. So. In the spirit of compromise we settle the situation by doing a group review. When Justin told us how fabulous Us Three was of course we all wanted to read and review. The afore mentioned compromise has resulted in this post. Enjoy.

Breann's thoughts;

What a story. What a wonderful, beautiful story.

The chemistry between Zander, Nate and Casey was off the charts. They fit together so perfectly, whether it was two of them together or all three of them together, I could feel all the emotion flowing between them. What they had was unexpected for the boys. While they were working together, this strong and solid bond was forming and they had no idea. They had no idea that they could have two people in their life that meant so much to them, that without all three of them there, it just wasn't the same. Just two would have never worked.

The bullying was heavy. It was intense and gut-wrenching. The poor boy, who is just trying to get by, just won’t be left alone. The mean girls won’t let him be. It’s incredibly brave of him to return to school after the horrible things that were done to him. I loved, absolutely loved, how Nate and Zander were there for Casey. They were both there but in completely different ways. They helped in their own way, and both were equally loving and effective in their efforts.

Casey, Nate and Zander’s characters were written flawlessly. Flawlessly, I tell you! They were three very distinct and different people. Their dialogue and choices were true to who they were every single time. The way they comforted and loved each other was different for each of them and I could see their individuality shine through in every scene.

Us Three is one of the best books I’ve read this year. It wasn’t an easy read, but it was definitely beautiful and honest. There were some horribly difficult moments and some romantic and sweet moments. It was intense, but completely worth it.

Justin's thoughts;

What can I say about Us Three? I had very high hope going in but at the same time I had reservations about a YA ménage book. Let me just say that this was a slam dunk. Mia Kerick did an amazing job telling the story of three completely different young men who became friends and then discovered something more between them.

This is a love story. It is told from each of the three MC’s points of view, using different story-telling techniques. The format was interesting and unique and gave me insight into each characters' thoughts and feelings. I felt like I really got to know each of them in a personal way and I was drawn immediately into their story.

As with any book involving bullying, this one may be difficult for some to read. The bullying in Us Three is vicious - and surprisingly the bullies are girls. As extreme as it was, I still found it believable and realistic. In the year 2014 some suggest bullying is no longer a problem and that schools and teachers will not tolerate this sort of behavior. Unfortunately, bullying does still exist and in some instances even to this extreme.

I don’t want to spoil this for anyone so I won’t say more but I highly recommend this book.

 




Jo's thoughts;

I hesitate normally on deciding to read ménage books. Lets face it, a lot of the time it is just an excuse to read a book about multiple beautiful people putting tab A’s in multiple slot B’s, yet when an author gets the choreography and story right I will own the fact that I have enjoyed them. It is just rare for an author to convey the intimacy I need to feel an attachment for the characters. When I found out this was a YA book I was even more hesitant but on a friends recommendation I read the book and I am so thankful.

Mia Kerick’s portrayal of Casey, Nate and Zander’s lives and how they intertwine just broke me. It is a wonderfully weird combination of heartbreak that rips into you, while still being so beautifully sweet. Ms. Kerick creates these lonely, broken souls and weaves a story showing you how they fit together to complete each other.

The bullying aspect also really stayed with me. I honestly believe we let our “friends” destroy our souls much more than we ever let a significant other. We get so lonely for companionship and acceptance that we keep moving the line of what we would put up with until you no longer recognize who you are and what you would do to fit in. It is horrible to want Casey to not trust, to not have hope, to not forgive and yet……

Lori's thoughts;

When I think of menage, or a relationship of three, I think of smokin' hot sexy times and not-a-lotta plot. This may be unfair because I've not read much in this sub-genre and it's never really appealed to me. When J started talking about this great book he'd just read I had to give it a go though - and I loved every minute of it.

It is a beautiful story, with fabulous characters. Characters that you don't think will work together, yet the chemistry between them is amazing. I don't think I could even pick a favourite because they all brought something special to the story.

The bullying storyline was sensitive and had a twist in it - it wasn't just your typical jock bullies. I'm wracking my brain trying to think of something bad to say about this, but I can't. It's one of those books you start and just can't put down. Mia Kerrick is a new to me author, I can guarantee I'll be reading her stuff again.

Review: Like and Subscribe by AotM Jay Bell

Remember that hunky guy on YouTube who caught your eye? The one with the awesome pecs and killer smile? I bet you couldn't stop watching his videos. Just imagine if you had a chance to meet him and all your fantasies started coming true. There's only one catch: Between you and your dream guy is his less-than-pleased boyfriend. They say that love conquers all, but can love conquer love?

Like and Subscribe is a new short story by Jay Bell, the author of Something Like Summer.

Jay Bell can capture the hopelessly hopeful dreams of a celebrity crush really, really well. Believe me, I was Mrs. ‘Insert Famous Crush Here’ on many occasions and I had a totally plausible scenario in my pea brain that would make each of those crushes realities. In Like and Subscribe Evan has it bad for YouTube golden boy Tony and he’s actually got it worse because he went to school with Tony and lives in the same town as his Prince Charming. It’s an actual possibility he could meet the man of his dreams. When his dream becomes a reality the big meet up is not all that Evan hoped. Seems Tony has a boyfriend, Orlando who is none too keen on having Evan sniffing around Tony, no matter what Tony says about their “open” relationship.

Tony really does seem like a nice enough guy at the party where he and Evan meet and Orlando puts Evan in his place pretty quickly. Man, that was an awkward moment for Evan and I just felt so bad for him and while I was not too terribly impressed with Orlando at that point, I couldn’t really blame him either. But, at the same time, I’m thinking, “Hey, you took Evan to meet Tony to begin with, don’t be a dick!” I was feeling little protective of Evan, I liked him.

Evan gets together with Tony away from the party and even with the open relationship status between Tony and Orlando, Evan can’t help but feel uncomfortable with the setup, no matter that Tony is his ultimate and I loved that about Evan. He’s the first to admit he’s an old fashioned guy and I could see that through the whole story. He was so charming and humble, even when he spent some time with Tony and started to see that Prince Charming in real life, may not be the Prince Charming of YouTube fame.

Evan’s best friend Julie is a great character and I liked the evolution of their relationship. I couldn’t help but feel that there was more than one turning point/growing up moment in a few relationships in the story here and it started with Evan and Julie’s. They had leaned on each other for a long time and got to the codependent stage of friendship and good for them for figuring it out while still remaining best friends and giving each other a kick in the ass when needed.

So, the evolution of Evan and Tony’s relationship leads Evan down a totally different path than what he expected and it was a sweet journey to read. The video that Evan ends up posting on YouTube is about the most romantic gesture ever and his sole subscriber is one lucky man. Like and Subscribe is a highly recommended short story with substance about old fashioned romance in the age of technology.