Review: Just the Right Notes by Sean Michael

2nd Edition

Elliot is an up-and-coming architect who just opened his own firm—which is a lot more work and pressure than he expected. His partner, Graham, is a respected composer and conductor. They share their love and lives in a beautiful house designed by Elliot, and whenever things get too hard to handle, they retreat to their cabin getaway where Elliot becomes Dom to Graham’s needy little sub.

When things at Elliot’s firm begin to crumble, Graham needs to be the tough one, the one to suggest the cabin and the games they play there, knowing Elliot’s role as Dom will give him strength and that their games will recharge his lover. Together, they keep working to find that precarious balance in their lives—until an accident threatens to change everything. Elliot and Graham’s love faces its greatest challenge yet, and only the resilience they draw from each other can see them through hardship and keep the music in their lives.

First Edition published by Torquere Press, 2010.

I love romance with an established couple.  Maybe because I have been in an established relationship/marriage for almost 16 years and simply love getting a couple that is still finding new ways with one another? I don’t know but I love reading about couples still falling in love with their partners, finding out new things about them or trying new things with them and seeing them work through their lives together. Romance for me isn’t just the meet, greet and trading first I love you's with the beginning of a relationship, it changes as the individuals change and grows into something deeper as the years spent together pass.

Elliott and Graham are a solid couple. Both men are professionals with Elliott being an architect and Graham a composer. They live a relatively modest life but when that life gets hectic, they have an escape to a cabin where they can let go, get down and reset. The cabin… goodness, wouldn’t I love a place outside of it all, the day to day where you could just go and deal with the stress laid upon you and come back to the grind of life fresh? Maybe I don’t need the BDSM play that Graham and Elliott do but it’s a comforting thought to think it could exist.

The story beings with Elliott arriving home to a very stressed out Graham who is trying to finish his opera. Seeing his partner in such a state, Elliott knows exactly what to do and wakes Graham to take him to the cabin. The cabin is where the couple play, where Elliott becomes the Dom to Graham’s sub and where Graham conveniently forgets to address his Dom and Sir.  I liked these moments between them at the cabin. They were sexy and fun with how they use their form of kink to unwind and recharge in every way. The cabin play isn’t just about de-stressing from life, it’s also a way for the couple to reconnect at the deepest level for them. It was sweet and intense each time they walk through those doors and assume their roles.

Now while I liked the cabin and what goes on there, I have to say this book has a lot of sex. Like a lot. Like so much that I skimmed some of it because I can only read so many scenes of fisting for our resident size queen and while I love declarations, there was far too much between these men that it lost all meaning to me. I get that they are devoted, they love one another and there will never be anyone else for either of them but, it was just too much.

And then when it was too much sex, we’d get more of a story that brought me back to the sweet side. As I mentioned before, I like established couples and when both Graham and Elliott have a hard time at work, the other is there for support in any way they can. When Graham goes on tour, I felt how much they missed one another. I myself have only been apart from my husband for a single week and I will admit to losing it at about night three and just wanting to come the fuck home so I get how much they could miss one another for the length of time they are apart.

While the first part of the story is life issues presented followed by a weekend of kinky non-stop sex at the cabin, the second half of the story is pretty emotional after Graham’s accident and all both men go through to make him well. Recovery of any kind a tough as hell road and I like that the author showed sweet Graham to have one hell of a bitchy side when it came to his. Elliott did all that he could to make his lover’s progress go as smooth as possible and was simply there with love and support. This couple really is lovely to read, even with all the sex going on.

At the end, I think this was a sweet story but for me, way too much sex in it. I like my sex but I need a palate cleanser to go along or at least a chance to breathe. Maybe it’s the author's style and we don’t mesh well? I am not sure but even after all of it, Graham and Elliott were worth the read.

Review: The Silksmith's Girl by Reece Pine

Bearded woman Rudolph joined the circus to find a wealthy husband. The star attraction, the lofty silksmith, shares his caravan and his bed with her while he helps her to arrange marriage meetings in the towns they visit. But as she meets and rejects each suitor, Rudolph realizes the only person she really wants is the silksmith himself…

Where to start... well, let's start at the beginning. I chose this book for three reasons: (1) I've been trying to broaden my QUILTBAG horizons beyond the B, G, Q and T and this story has an intersex character; (2) the LT3P website listed bondage in the content notes. How am I to resist bondage? I'm not made of stone!; (3) the cover. That cover is sexy.

Within the first chapter I knew. Even though it's only six chapters these were the longest six chapters I've muddled through in recent memory.

My primary issue is the writing style. It's showy, ostentatious and hard to follow. Example:

Just as he had commanded attention during his act, he stole the center of gravity in the room from me, at once an older more illustrious star illuminating the belt of homely detritus scattered around us.

I mean, YAY for Pine for being master and commander of the English language but what? There is purple and there's... whatever exceeds purple. Sentences filled with metaphors, some of which were, admittedly, really beautifully crafted, but is it necessary for every sentence to be a quarter of a mile long and riddled with metaphors? Purple done well and with a purpose I can do, but this? Apparently, I've found my purple limit. 

There's an odd juxtaposition between the grandiose writing style and the dialogue, like going from champagne to Schlitz. It's jarring especially when considering we're supposedly reading this from Rudolph's first person perspective. Why does she think like Margaret Thatcher yet talk like Eliza Doolittle? 

Cheers to that.

All the flowery words and ambiguous prose got in the way of this story, IMO. Though without them and the numerous sex scenes this novella would've been more along the lines of a pamphlet. So, there is that. There's little relationship or character development and the plot itself is dull. My inability to understand what motivates these characters, understand their connection or understand their actions precluded me from connecting to them.

The gist is Rudolph is intersex with a beard and insists she's a "girl". Not a lady or a woman, a girl. Why she finds the differentiation necessary IDK. Of course, she joins the carnival with the primary objective of finding a suitable husband. How the two are related continues to elude me. She almost immediately meets, and is swooning over, the silksmith. We never learn his name which shouldn't have surprised me since we didn't learn Rudolph's name until the mid-thirtieth percentile range. IDK if it's a D/s thing or he refuses to tell her or if he just keeps forgetting or if it's an attempt to foster intrigue. I just don't know.

The silksmith's fondness for endearments... *sigh* I like and endearment as much as the next person but most have the one go-to endearment for their beloved. I'm not sure if he feels like one endearment is for quitters or if there's some sort of memory issue at play because he calls her poppy and puffin and poinsettia and pumpkin and Christ, I can't remember them all. Why do they all start with 'P'? WHHHHYYYYY??????? Is there some sort of significance? 

I'm assuming this a historical novella, but yet again, I'm not sure because there's nothing to indicate when or where it takes place. Considering the content and descriptions of this circus it could be historical or AU. Who the fuck knows? And at this point, I have zero fucks to give. I am T-I-R-E-D.

There is a significant amount of sex and not a lot of bondage. Figures. And guess what? There were some seriously awkward descriptors of the sexy times. I mean, to each their own but... ewww. Since when is the word "chew" sexy? I could go on but... on second thought, no. No, I really can't.

The cherry on top of this awkward AF sundae was the ending. It was strange and slightly depressing. Of course it was.

I truly feel like a bitch in a china shop writing a bomb review on the release day of a new author, but truly nothing worked for me. I won't deny that Pine can turn a phrase, but I felt like I needed a magic decoder ring to understand this novella's vague and muzzy prose and that more than anything else frustrated me. 

I can't recommend this novella nor can I envision reading something else from this author in the future.

An ARC was provided by NetGalley.

Audiobook Review: Hanging the Stars (Half Moon Bay #2) by Rhys Ford

Angel Daniels grew up hard, one step ahead of the law and always looking over his shoulder. A grifter’s son, he’d learned every con and trick in the book but ached for a normal life. Once out on his own, Angel returns to Half Moon Bay where he once found…and then lost…love.

Now, Angel’s life is a frantic mess of schedules and chaos. Between running his bakery and raising his troubled eleven-year-old half-brother, Roman, Angel has a hectic but happy life. Then West Harris returns to Half Moon Bay and threatens to break Angel all over again by taking away the only home he and Rome ever had.

When they were young, Angel taught West how to love and laugh but when Angel moved on, West locked his heart up and threw away the key. Older and hardened, West returns to Half Moon and finds himself face-to-face with the man he’d lost. Now, West is torn between killing Angel or holding him tight.

But rekindling their passionate relationship is jeopardized as someone wants one or both of them dead, and as the terrifying danger mounts, neither man knows if the menace will bring them together or forever tear them apart.

Listening Length: 7 hours 41 minutes
Narrator: Greg Tremblay

Greg Tremblay is always magical in narration, and I have not listened to an audiobook yet where I didn’t love his performance. He has a pretty impressive range, and his character presentation is always unique from one character to the next. This book was no different. Five Hearts for narration.

This story was pretty fun to listen to. The first in the series took a while for me to warm up to, but I’m glad I have that backstory before listening to this one. It is pretty much a requirement. I don’t think this would be half as enjoyable without reading book one. So if you haven’t read/listened to Fish Stick Fridays, go and do that now.

Angel was a great character, and I loved how he was portrayed. Strong, independent, but somewhat vulnerable, Angel was the star in this story for me. His rough past has certainly created a core of steel within, but he is still open to life, and making sure his brother gets whatever he can give him. He is loyal, and determined, with a heart of gold, and the life experience to know when to give it out, and when to keep it concealed.

West is introduced in book one, as Lang’s twin brother. He is surly, stiff, and unapproachable, with a hidden mischief and warm heartedness. He was more subtle in his character development, and warmth. It was a battle to like him, and not eyeroll at his stiff upper lip. I did like him as I got to know him more. I enjoyed his progression in this relationship, but he had to win me over a lot more than Angel did. I didn’t quite understand the past interplay, or the reasoning behind their separation (yes, it is stated, but I wasn’t wholly convinced), but I reminded myself that they were teenagers, and teenagers are still bound by the parental trap of guilt, fear, and loyalty.

The mystery in this was a lot cleaner than the one in the first book. I appreciated that, and I think other readers will enjoy the simplicity of it too. It took more of a back seat in this book than I felt it did in Fish Stick Fridays. I was able to enjoy it more and keep all the clues in mind, while I got stuck into the reunion between West and Angel. There are some twisty bits, but it still made sense, and worked as a whole. Of course, this is action movie drama, so expect some outrageous gun-fire in the beginning to set the tone of the story.

Rhys Ford has earned my loyalty with the rich characters and descriptive nature of the world building in all her stories, and while Fish Stick Fridays was not one of my favourites, Hanging The Stars made an impression on me, and I’m interested to see where this series takes me.

A review copy was provided in exchange for an honest opinion

Find on Dreamspinner Press or Goodreads!

Release Blitz + Giveaway: The Perils Of Intimacy by Rick R. Reed

Rick R. Reed and Signal Boost Promotions are celebrating the release of The Perils of Intimacy! Check out today's excerpt and Bashed eBook giveaway!

Buy Links: Dreamspinner | Amazon US | Amazon UK



Publisher: Dreamspinner Press



Length: 63,000 words


Cover Design: Reece Dante 


Blurb


Jimmy and Mark make an adorable couple. Jimmy’s kindness (and clean-cut cuteness) radiates out of him like light. Mark, although a bit older, complements Jimmy with his humor and his openness to love.

But between them, a dark secret lurks, one that has the power to destroy.

See, when Mark believes he's meeting Jimmy for the first time in the diner where he works, he's wrong.

Mark has no recollection of their original encounter because the wholesome Jimmy of today couldn’t be more different than he was two years ago. Back then, Jimmy sported multiple piercings, had long bleached dreadlocks, facial hair, and was painfully skinny. And he was a meth addict. The drug transformed him into a different person—a lying, conniving thief who robbed Mark blind during their one-night stand.

Mark doesn’t associate the memory of a hookup gone horribly wrong with this fresh-faced, smiling twenty-something… but Jimmy knows. As they begin a dance of love and attraction, will Jimmy be brave enough to reveal the truth? And if he does, will Mark be able to forgive him? Can he see Jimmy for the man he is now and not the addict he was? The answers will depend on whether true love holds enough light to shine through the darkness of past mistakes.

Excerpt

I watch from the corner of my eye as Cinnamon Roll, as I’ve dubbed him, downs his low-carb breakfast. How someone can eat poached eggs without any toast is beyond me, but it takes all kinds.

“You got a thing for him or what?” Matilda Blake, the other server on duty, whispers to me. She pauses just behind me with three plates balanced on two arms. I smell pancakes, bacon, and the sage aroma of sausage.

I turn a little to grin. “What?”

“Ah, don’t play innocent with me, Mister. I could see the lust in your eyes from fifty paces.”

I shrug. “Guilty. Maybe. A little.”

She laughs, and it’s a sound like a bell tinkling. Matilda doesn’t even reach five feet and probably doesn’t top ninety pounds, but she’s a workhorse like you wouldn’t believe. She has short, spiked blonde hair and numerous tattoos. On the weekends, she plays in an all-girl metal band called Two Spirit. And in my head, I call her Tinker Bell, because that’s who she looks like to me. She takes off to serve her customers, but not without prompting me to “Go over and talk to him.”

I busy myself filling ketchup bottles and the salt and pepper shakers I’ve removed from empty tables, but I keep an eye on Cinnamon Roll. His food is gone and the newspaper’s been abandoned and he’s staring off into space. I shudder because I wonder if he’s recognized me and is thinking about our last encounter, a little over two years ago, at his place on Dexter Avenue.

But no, that couldn’t be possible, could it? I’m a different person now, inside and out. Back then I was twenty, twenty-five pounds lighter than my current one hundred and sixty-five. I had a septum piercing like Ferdinand the Bull. My hair, which is now cut high and tight and is reddish brown, was long back then, bleached blond, dirty, and tangled up in dreadlocks that reached down almost to my waist. My skin had, I’m sure, a pasty and unhealthy pallor.

That person doesn’t even exist anymore, and even though it’s only been two years, I look completely different today. He’s probably just thinking about his day or something.

Right?

I walk over to his table, a little nervous that he’d come to and look at me with an accusing glare. There’d be a scene. And maybe I’d end up getting fired or something. Thinking back to what I did to him, I deserve it.

But when I approach his table, all he does is smile. And that smile melts my heart. It did back then too. Just not enough to keep me from my desperate and dark ways.

“You need anything else?”

He looks down at his paper and back up at me. A blush rises to his cheeks, and I gotta say it—there’s nothing more adorable than this face staring up at me right now.

Author Bio

Rick R. Reed is all about exploring the romantic entanglements of gay men in contemporary, realistic settings. While his stories often contain elements of suspense, mystery and the paranormal, his focus ultimately returns to the power of love.

He is the author of dozens of published novels, novellas, and short stories. He is a three-time EPIC eBook Award winner (for Caregiver, Orientation and The Blue Moon Cafe). He is also a Rainbow Award Winner for both Caregiver and Raining Men. Lambda Literary Review has called him, "a writer that doesn't disappoint."

Rick lives in Seattle with his husband and a very spoiled Boston terrier. He is forever "at work on another novel."

Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/rickrreedbooks
Twitter: www.twitter.com/rickrreed
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+RickReedWRITER
Blog: http://rickrreedreality.blogspot.com/
Website: www.rickrreed.com
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/rick-r-reed
Email: rickrreedbooks@gmail.com

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Audiobook Review: Poppy's Secret by Andrew Grey

A second chance born of love.

Pat Corrigan and Edgerton "Edge" Winters were ready to start a family-or so Pat thought. At the last minute, Edge got cold feet and fled. Pat didn't bother telling him the conception had already gone through and little Emma was on her way. He didn't want a relationship based on obligation. He'd rather raise his daughter on his own.

Nine years later, Emma and her Poppy are doing fine. Edge isn't. He realizes what he threw away by leaving, and he's back to turn his life around and reclaim his family. It'll take a lot to prove to Pat that he's a new man, and even if Edge succeeds, the secret Pat has hidden for years might shatter their dreams all over again.

Listening Length: 5 hours and 6 minutes
Narrator: John Solo

Reviewer: R *A Reader Obsessed*

Surprisingly more angsty than I thought it would be, I think for many, this will be a great read about past lovers reconciling, in the hopes for possibly an even better future than imagined.

As per the blurb, Edge has returned, and he wants to be back in Pat’s life. Despite being gone for almost a decade, he's determined to make things work. Pat is understandably very doubtful, not to mention scared about revealing the obvious secret he’s been keeping to himself all these years. Of course, to make things even more complicated, Pat’s unsurprisingly never stopped loving Edge either.

For me personally, this didn’t quite work out as well as I would’ve liked, despite the good writing and the requisite happy ending that’s 100% guaranteed. Nothing was overtly wrong, but I just felt the situation was way too much to overcome so easily, as Pat very vocally expresses his hurt and anger many times over, and the fallout from when the big secret is revealed goes as well as one would expect. Also, even though I enjoy kids in my stories, I often find that the older they are, the cute factor declines in direct proportion, and I have very little tolerance for meddling mothers.

On the plus side, this was a pleasant listening experience. Narrator John Solo does a good job, and I had no big complaints, as he set realistic tones, while his varied voices were easily distinguishable and never annoying.

So, despite my own personal likes and dislikes, I think many will have no problem with this story. It’s easy and nicely sexy-light with good dashes of angst, as two people find the strength to forgive each other for past hurts and mistakes. I think if one knows what to expect, then they'll likely go forth and enjoy this second-chance-at-love story, with nary a qualm or complaint.

Thanks to the author/publisher for the audio in exchange for an honest review.

Review: The Mighty Have Fallen by Bonnie Dee

Theatre headliner Trevor Rowland is at the peak of his career when disaster strikes. In one fell swoop, he loses his eyesight, his fame, and his boyfriend, who absconds with most of his money. Trevor must take on a flatmate, hardworking East Ender Jack Burrows, to afford the rent. Anger and bitterness have taken up residence in his heart—but Jack shines light into the shadowy corners with his relentlessly sunny disposition.

Jack introduces Trevor to a local drag club and convinces him he can enjoy the stage again. Trevor’s defences slowly come down as Jack becomes much more than a barely tolerated roommate. 

But will Trevor’s fragile trust be destroyed when it appears he’s been manipulated yet again by a man he’s come to care for? Will he reclaim his life or crawl back into a shell of defeat? Trevor must learn to trust not only a man, but himself, once more.

I’m a huge fan of Bonnie Dee’s words and have read her work across the genres. The Mighty Have Fallen is a great example of how she can bring a lot of elements to a story without becoming melodramatic just for the sake of it and keeping the focus on the evolution of the characters. Reading the blurb makes this story sound damn weighty, and while Trevor is going through a shitstorm in his life, the overall feeling is definitely more on the hopeful side and it was a much easier read than I expected. I was all geared up for some heavy angst and I was happy Trevor’s story didn’t go that direction.

Not that Trevor’s illness and adjustment to his new life is glossed over in any way, but the role his roomie Jack plays keeps the story heading to the positive and hopeful. We meet Trevor after he’s gone through occupational therapy and after his crappy boyfriend has hit the bricks. So, The Mighty Have Fallen is more about Trevor getting his independence and confidence back than about everything that led up to him losing so very much.

The only thing that I would have loved was to have Jack’s perspective as well. There was never a question as to his feelings for Trevor or his motives (at least to me, even if Trevor was a little clueless for a bit there), but I really loved his character and his attitude so more of him would have been a treat. This is definitely more of Trevor’s story though and adding more would have meant adding a lot more I think to get the right balance. Jack’s backstory would have to be there and so would more of Trevor’s detail, and again, I don’t think that’s what The Mighty Have Fallen was about, this was Trevor’s journey.

While I loved, loved, loved the evolution of the relationship between Trevor and Jack (who doesn’t love when roomies with bennies moves into all the feeeeeels???), I also really liked reading the interactions with the secondary characters. Trevor’s illness and all that he’s gone through has affected his perspective in so many ways and the conversations he had with his parents and old neighbor were well done and have more perspective on all that Trevor was learning about himself and his world.

I did get a bit fussy with Trevor when he had the clueless bit with Jack and questioned Jack’s motives, I couldn’t blame him given his past, but I also was feeling very protective of Jack by this point and all I wanted was for Trevor to make it right. Kudos to Trevor for pulling it together at the eleventh hour, conquering his fears and getting his HEA on with Jack.

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

Release Blitz + Giveaway: While You See a Chance by Alexa Milne

Celebrate the release of While You See a Chance with Alexa Milne and Signal Boost Promotions! Check out the friends to lovers romance book info and enter the giveaway to win an eBook copy!

Buy Links: Manifold | Amazon US | Amazon UK


Publisher: Manifold Press


Length: 58,000 words


Blurb


As children growing up in South Wales, Sion, Phil and Helen were known as the Three Musketeers, always together and never apart - but time moves on. Sion left to lecture in history at Yale. Phil married Helen because it seemed the obvious thing to do, and they settled down to life in Manchester.

Now all three are approaching sixty. After the death of his partner, and wanting to solve a family mystery, Sion returns to his childhood home to start again. When Helen announces she wants a divorce, Phil also returns home, to a new teaching job, and to renovate the ruin of a house he and Sion once dreamed of living in.

Neither man knows the other is back. Neither man knows how the other feels. With so much unsaid, and so many years apart, can Sion and Phil finally face the truth and take a chance on finding happiness together?


Excerpt



“D’you want help with packing your shopping, sir?” the girl on the till asked in a sing-song voice typical of the area.

“No, thanks, I haven’t got much.” He pulled off a few plastic bags, a difference from the usual brown paper of American supermarkets. In a hurry, he didn’t pay much attention to the people around until a voice, that came from so long ago, distracted him. He lifted his head.

“You have to pay five pence each for those, sir. New rules.”

Sion turned his attention back to the girl. “That’s fine. Don’t worry.”

“You could get a bag for life, sir.”

“Whatever’s easiest.”

He glanced over to the other till in the direction of the voice where a large man stood stuffing his purchases into a bag. He stood well over six feet, with broad shoulders, which Sion supposed tapered down to narrower hips. A heavy suede coat covered the man’s rear, making it hard to tell. His luxuriant salt and pepper locks reflected the many shades that older ginger-haired men often had when mixed with grey. Strands curled over the fur collar of his coat. Something familiar about the man made Sion’s senses tingle.

The assistant at the other till spoke to the customer. “That’ll be eighteen seventy-four please, Mr Price, and I’ll see you at parents’ evening tonight. I hope Jamie’s been behaving himself this term.”

Sion’s breath hitched, and the girl on his till gave him a puzzled look as he turned away. The noise he’d made must have been more audible than he’d intended. Now he was absolutely certain of the man’s identity, even if he hadn’t seen his face. He leaned on the counter and took a deep breath, hoping to slow his racing pulse.

“Are you all right, sir?” the girl asked. “I guess with that accent you’re not from around here. On holiday, is it? It’s a lovely part of Wales, even at this time of year. Lots to do.”

“Yes, sorry, and no, I’ve just moved here,” he said, raising his head to meet her concerned gaze, but keeping his face down. “How much do I owe?”

The girl told him and he handed over the money in a hurry, not wanting to lose sight of the other man. Sion followed his childhood friend until he stopped behind a Land Rover near the entrance. Shaking slightly, Sion moved nearer.

“Phil?” he asked quietly, not wanting to make the man jump.

“What the – ?” Phil stared at him then rubbed his eyes as if he couldn’t quite believe them.

The shock on his friend’s face made Sion step back for a moment. He took in the figure in front of him. Phil had turned into a huge bear of a man, complete with beard. He’d always had the height, but now he had the breadth as well. Sion imagined his size might intimidate the small children in his charge. Now, Phil simply stared, his eyes wide with shock, then took a step backwards as if he’d seen a ghost.

“It’s me, Phil,” Sion said. He supposed he’d also changed over the last thirty years. His hair, now grey, was cut short at the sides but longer on top. He’d put on a few pounds since his teens, but remained lean and wiry, although more through luck and genetics, than diet and exercise.

“Bloody hell.” Phil continued staring, then put out his hand. Sion took it, and they stood shaking and saying nothing for an awkward moment. “My God, Sion, hmm, I’m sorry, I wasn’t expecting … What on earth are you doing here? Are you here for Christmas?”

“I’ve just bought a house locally. I’m back to stay. I guess I’m the last person you expected to find out shopping. Mind you, I could say the same for you. I thought you lived up north.”

“I’ve been back four years. I’m head at a local primary school. When Helen and I got divorced, I decided to come home to Wales. So, why on earth are you here of all places?”

Sion had to collect his thoughts and process that information. Phil and Helen had split up? Come on, get your act together. “I decided to move back after … It doesn’t matter for now, it’s a long story. Look, why don’t you and I have dinner tonight and catch up? There must be a decent local restaurant – unless you’re busy, of course. Sorry, that was presumptuous of me.”

Phil lifted the bag into his car then slammed the boot closed. “No … I mean yes. I’m sorry, I can’t do tonight. I’ve got to get going. I slipped out at lunchtime to get a few bits and pieces for parents’ evening.”

Sion heard the shake in his old friend’s voice, but resisted the temptation to reach out and touch him again. “It’s okay,” Sion said, reaching into his pocket for his wallet. He took out a change-of-address card. “I live here now. Call me any time.”

Sion waited while Phil parked the trolley in the bay to the front of the building and returned to his car.

“I will, but I’m not sure when. It’s a busy time of year, leading up to the holidays.” Phil glanced at his watch. “I’ve got to go.”

Sion moved closer and this time touched the other man’s arm. “It’s so good to see you again.”

Phil continued to stare at the ground, obviously unable to look him in the eye. “You too, but I must get off. I’ll call as soon as I can.” Phil jumped into his car without looking back.

Sion watched the Land Rover pull out of the car park before returning to his SUV. Sitting in the driver’s seat, he reached for his wallet again. Tucked away inside, he found the photo he’d carried with him for over thirty years, taken the day before he went off on his own to Oxford University. Everyone had called them the Three Musketeers, himself, Phil and Helen, always together, sharing everything except their deepest darkest secrets. Sion had loved Phil with a passion, but had never told him. Phil and Helen had gone off together to Manchester University, and had married not long after they’d graduated. Not wanting to stay, Sion had emigrated to America to lecture in history at Yale.

Leaning back in his seat, he thought back to the conversation he’d had with Helen the day before he’d left for Oxford. He’d often wondered if she ever told Phil about his confession that, being gay, he could never feel that way about her. Sion hoped she hadn’t. He’d been surprised to hear of their engagement, but hoped she’d come to love Phil. For the truth and tragedy of Sion’s life was that he’d only ever been in love with one person, and he’d just watched him drive away.

Author Bio

Originally from South Wales, Alexa has lived for over thirty years in the North West of England. Now retired, after a long career in teaching, she devotes her time to her obsessions. Alexa began writing when her favourite character was killed in her favourite show. After producing a lot of fanfiction she ventured into original writing. She is currently owned by a mad cat and spends her time writing about the men in her head, watching her favourite television programmes and usually crying over her favourite football team.

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Review: Stage Two (Lexington Lovers #3) by Ariel Tachna

Love has a steep learning curve.

Assistant high school principal Blake Barnes has everything he wants—a chance to help troubled students and an outlet for his passion for theater. Well, almost everything—he still goes home to an empty apartment. Then his high school crush explodes back into his life, the unexpected guardian of two boys in Blake’s care.

Thane Dalton has always been a bad boy through and through. Not much has changed, including his mistrust of authority figures, and no amount of institutional bureaucracy will keep him from protecting his nephews from the bullies terrorizing them. If that means butting heads with Blake, so be it.

Blake and Thane have lessons to learn: that they both have the boys’ best interests at heart, that the tension between them isn’t just confrontational, and that sparks can fly when opposites come together.

I’m sort of at a loss how to review this. I mean I liked it but where I normally feel the fluff and romance from the Dreamspun line, this one fell flat.

Told from dual POVs, we meet Blake Barnes as he is dealing with two young men, Kit and Phillip, who attend the high school where he is the Sophomore Vice Principal. Kit and Philip are in the office for fighting but they say they were only fighting because Kit was being bullied by jocks. When Blake looks up who their guardian is after learning their parents are both dead, he finds out their guardian is the boy Blake crushed on in High School; bad boy Thane Dalton.

Let me take a moment here to say that while the story truly is a romance, it focuses a lot on Thane's nephews who have been recently orphaned after their mother, Thane's sister, passed away. They lost their father when they were very young and have only been with Thane for a month when the bully situation at school escalates. Thane is doing what he can while juggling his construction business and learning how not to let his nephews nor the memory of his sister down. Blake, being the boys' vice principal, is drawn to their situation before he knows who their guardian is and begins to bond with the boys for the simple reason they are awesome kids who don't deserve to be targets of jock head jocks.

Thane is pretty much still the arrogant bad boy from high school just with a self-made business and the unconditional love for his nephews. When he meets Blake to pick up the boys, his first impression could not be more off and he judges Blake harshly. Of course, Thane has no clue he went to school with Blake and actually accuses Blake of being some spoiled rich kid. Thane is hesitant to agree to the action Blake takes with his nephews for the incident, seeing as it’s a he said/he said deal, Blake assigns Kit and Philip to work on the stage crew for the theatre department's upcoming production of Guys and Dolls. Once Thane agrees it’s better than suspension or ISS, he reluctantly offers to help out a few times since his business is in construction.

I felt for Blake so much. I get having an unrequited crush in high school come back after years and still feel as if time has reversed and you are once again a kid with a crush and not an adult. I liked that the author went with a slow burn for this romance, focusing more on the family aspect of Thane and his nephews, as well as Blake developing a relationship with the two men. Blake and Thane’s meet-cute offered the reader a chance to see the attraction Thane denied. It also let us know that Thane is still an ass man through and through.

The details of the stage crew was fun to read and I liked that the high school had supervision of the students, but ultimately let them lead the production of the play and also the construction of the set design. It also gave ample opportunity for Blake to be with Kit and Philip and an excuse for Thane to show up and ogle Blake. There were some seriously sweet moments with all of them but after Blake mentions he went to school with Thane and Thane makes the statement in the closet… it was finally on.

But then it wasn’t. Now, I get with this line there is sparse sex on the page and I am way okay with that. I don’t need on page sex to make a romance a romance for me but this was off when it came to the sex. We had some really hot and heavy lead ups between the couple that just stopped. It felt like those old commercials with the crash test dummies seeing them flying at a fast speed only to hit a wall. We got labeling Thane as an “ass man” who didn’t care if he was grabbing tits or dick while he was ass deep in someone. So I thought we would get Thane in ass deep action and well, we didn’t. I’ll be honest and say that disappointed me.

The conflict of the story made me angry. I know that Thane is learning how to parent and how to be in a relationship, but he really screwed up with Blake and I think Blake should have made him grovel way more than he did before he gave him a second chance.

Stage Two was a nice read, one that didn’t make me feel like the other stories in the line did. But the sweet moments were memorable and the end tied up everything in a pretty boy the way the series is known for.

Blog Tour: Breaking the Ice by Tali Spencer

A clubhouse fave and fellow unicorn lover Tali Spencer is here today to talk answering the door without embarrassment. 

See our tag team review of Breaking the Ice HERE!

An Author’s Wardrobe

Writing is one of those occupations without a dress code. This is enormously liberating, on the one hand, and a kind of self-defeating mindset on the other. I know a few authors who dress in nothing but pajamas day in and day out. For trips to the grocery store, or other such outings, they don sweatpants and baggy tee shirts. Very few authors write, or do errands, in the buff.

Other authors opt for what might be called “casual style.” I fall into this category, as witness this photo of me with casually stylish fellow author Lexi Ander.

For one thing, I cannot write in pajamas. Those are what I sleep in. I put them on and my brain begins to wind down. Watching television is about the extent of my creative energy at that point. Snuggling into my nice warm bed would be even better. My dreams are very creative. But putting anything into words simply does not happen in pjs.

Also, the love of my life thinks a person in sweats looks like he/she has given up on life. I don’t want my sex life to suffer.

For me, jeans and a tee shirt or pretty top work perfectly. Cotton or linen preferred, because polyester, like wool, can make me itch. Few things pull me out of a scene faster than when my skin nags to be scratched. For that same reason, I never get haircuts on days when I’m planning to write. Bodily comfort is essential to being able to immerse deeply into another world or character and bring them to life on the page. Nothing can be allowed to intrude on the journey.

Authors do dress for the journey, on occasion. For Breaking the Ice, my newest release, I incorporated parts of my former Wisconsin wardrobe. Lots of winter gear, parkas, and ice-gripping winter boots, albeit in male versions. This kind of wardrobe transference is easier with contemporary stories. Not that I haven’t done it with fantasy—I have a separate closet for role-playing clothing and accessories. Really. I do. Familiarity with lacing and buckles can be useful.

Some authors do pull off amazing “creative style” on a daily basis. They manage to achieve a distinctive authorial look. One author friend wears boho, artsy tops and bottoms—embroidered and flowing, like she stepped out of a Stevie Nicks video. She looks amazing wherever she goes. Another friend, a writer of paranormal romances, almost always wears a dragon item of clothing, usually a tee shirt, but sometimes a sweater or jacket. She’s succeeded in creating a signature style that goes with her books. I don’t know if she cooks wearing those things, though.

Sometimes at conventions I attempt to evoke what I write. In the past, when I was younger and fitter, I wore leather and carried a sword. That was before swords were barred from such gatherings. Yes, that long ago. There’s fan art of me in leather, but these days I only haul it out at Halloween to shock local trick or treaters. At conventions, readers are more likely to see me clad in a tee shirt with a unicorn horn on it, or with a handmade basilisk perched on my shoulder. If you see me with a basilisk, chances are I’m giving it away, so inquire if interested.

When at home, when writing, when lost in my worlds or following my characters around, I am wearing comfy clothes that possess a minimum of casual style: jeans, boots, and something on top. Clothes I can answer the door in without embarrassment.

The writing may take place in her head, but this author dresses like the suburban middle-aged woman whose body she inhabits.

So, what about you? What do you wear when you write, or read?

BLURB:

For Matt Wasko, February in Wisconsin is the best time of the year, and ice fishing on Lake Winnebago is his idea of heaven. With shanty villages cropping up, barbeques on the ice, monster sturgeon to spear, and plenty of booze to keep everybody warm, things couldn’t be better—until a surprise storm hits and an uninvited guest shows up at his frozen doorstep.

Matt’s not happy to see John Lutz, a coworker who cracks lame gay jokes at Matt’s expense. But John’s flimsy new ice shelter got blown across the lake, and it wouldn’t be right to leave even a jerk outside to freeze. Would it?

In the close quarters of Matt’s fabulous ice shanty, between stripping off wet clothes, misadventures with bait, and a fighting trophy-sized walleye, the two men discover creative ways to keep the cold at bay. And when John confesses his long-running attraction, Matt must decide if he can believe in John’s change of heart—and crack the ice for a chance at finding love.

Buy links: Dreamspinner Press / Amazon / Barnes and Noble / iBooks

About Tali Spencer

Tali Spencer delights in erotic fantasy and adventure, creating worlds where she can explore the heights and shadows of sexual passion. A hopeful romantic and lover of all things exotic, she also writes high fantasy and science fiction. If you would like to see inspiration pictures for her characters, or glimpse how she envisions her worlds, including works in progress, check out her Pinterest boards.

           

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E-mail: tali.spencer1@gmail.com

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Tag Team Review: Risky Behavior (Bad Behavior #1) by L.A. Witt & Cari Z.

It’s day one of Darren Corliss’s career as a detective, and not only has he been assigned a notoriously difficult partner, but the guy might also be a pill-popping dirty cop. Internal Affairs needs proof, and Darren gets to be their eyes and ears whether he wants to or not.

Detective Andreas Ruffner doesn’t play by the rules, and he doesn’t play well with others. With bodies piling up and a list of suspects who are way above his pay grade, the last thing he needs is a wet-behind-the-ears kid for a partner. Or babysitter. Not even if that partner is easy on the eyes.

As Darren gains Andreas’s hard-won trust, they both realize there’s more than just mutual suspicion simmering beneath the surface. But their investigation is heating up as quickly as their relationship, and Darren has no choice but to go along with Andreas’s unorthodox—and borderline unethical—methods. As IA puts the squeeze on Darren to give up the man he’s falling for, he has to wonder—is Andreas the only cop left in this town who isn’t dirty?

Averaged

Adam - 3 Hearts

For the first half of the book, I wasn’t really feeling it. But once the story picked up, I ended up quite liking ‘Risky Behavior.’

Darren Corliss is the typical boy next door - he plays by the rules, and tries not to rock the boat. It takes a while to get a read on him, but it’s obvious from the beginning that he’s got heart.

Andreas Ruffner is Darren’s complete opposite. He’s bombastic and delights in ruffling feathers. I wasn’t a fan of his unorthodox ways, but I can’t deny that the bad boy image does things for me.

The two very different men clash from the beginning. But the physical attraction between them is almost immediate. It’s an opposites-attract situation, with an undertone of enemies-to-lovers.

However, the romance takes the backseat for most of the book. This book is, first and foremost, a crime mystery. For the first half, there’s a lot of police procedural and background info.

The gist of the mystery is that Andreas suspects that some of the city’s highest officials are involved in a crime syndicate. Given the nature of his investigation, he’s wary of Darren. Those good looks could be hiding something sinister!

As the investigation heats up, Darren proves himself reliable, and Andreas slowly begins trusting him. Their relationship develops parallel to the mystery - as the stakes get more dangerous, Darren and Andreas find themselves falling for each other.

This isn’t a particularly steamy book. But the bit of sexytime that’s there is definitely hot. All of that UST was put to good use!

The crime mystery was fairly interesting. It wasn’t exactly unique material, but it kept me entertained.

The ending is a solid HFN. If I didn’t know there were sequels, I wouldn’t worry about Andreas and Darren making it in the long run. As it is, I’m looking forward to seeing where these two go next.

If you don’t mind your MM being more focused on the plot than on the romance, give ‘Risky Behavior’ a try.

Optimist ♰King's Wench♰ - 5 Hearts

This is what I love about buddy reads-different perspectives. While I don't wholly disagree with Adam, I had a completely different experience.

Almost immediately I was hooked into the story, this case and these characters. As Adam mentioned, it is primarily a cop procedural which is my JAM! I love the lingo, the acronyms, the ribbing, the bullpen, everything. Truth, I grew up watching these shows, reading these books so I was in hog heaven. And this is a good case, meaty case with lots of tendrils. I'm not going to talk about it because well, I'll talk your face off and spoil it. But trust me when I say, THIS CASE IS A BEAST! In all honesty, I wasn't expecting a a resolution at all, though I'm not entirely convinced its over.

Andreas could be labeled as a "dirty cop" I'll not dispute that, but to me those make the best characters. He uses unorthodox methods to be sure, unethical even, but I truly believe everything he does is for the greater good. He plays the long game, so at first glance it seems all kinds of fucked up, but if you can keep from jumping to conclusions and deal with his prickly personality you'll see his objective is to deal the killing blow to the whole organization, but he's not going to let anyone be hurt if he can help it. He'd sacrifice himself before he let that happen. To me that is what differentiates a "good" from a "bad" one.

ICYMI, I had some feels about Andreas, mostly because he's treated as the outcast of the precinct and it seems like everyone is trying to stick it to him which is petty and seems driven by jealousy since he's proven himself to be the best detective they've got time and time again. For the last 20 yrs!

Damn, people!

The authors did a good job of balancing the case with developing their relationship. Bear in mind that "their relationship" is firstly as partners. They have to trust each other and that doesn't come easy for Andreas. Plus, he does think he smarter than all the partners Hamilton has saddled him with not to mention most of the knuckleheads in his precinct, so he has a tendency towards assholishness. He also has a secret that he fears could be weaponized and used against him to potentially cost him his job, so... cagey AF.

I did think he maybe began trusting Darren rather quickly but Darren's puppy eyes must be hella powerful.

Take all my money & my car & my first born & whatever else you want.

Darren is his opposite in many ways; he's very likable, approachable and charismatic. There were several things I liked about him, but the fact that he isn't intimidated by Andreas' gruff nature is at the top of the list. I think that impresses Andreas more than anything and is what fosters the trust between them. Darren does emit trustworthy vibes that even I could feel through my kindle. He's exceedingly forthright, honest, great at reading people and at improvising. I think he and Andreas could reign supreme with the good cop/bad cop routine in the future.

Their romance is part of the equation, and its evolution felt authentic. There is a fairly significant age difference between them *squeals* and from the start they are really attracted to each other. Both try to ignore in the interest of "keeping things professional", but since we get both of their perspectives we know the dam is going to break at some point. The one sex scene is pretty intense AND it surprised me! I knew there was going to be rough sex, but I didn't see it going down the way it did. I ain't mad at it! At all!

However, if you're expecting lots of moony eyes, declarations of love and a romance that'll make you weak in the knees... wrong book. The slow evolution, consistent work on trusting one another, learning from their mistakes and having great chemistry lead me to believe in them as partners on the job with the potential for so much more, though I'm postive their road will be rocky.

There are some really great secondary characters that I'm hoping will turn up throughout the series. I'm looking at you, Mrs. Kramer.

The only quibble I have is the IA thing in the last 25%. It just didn't jive. But, as a plot device it did it's job so I'm going to ignore it, except for Hamilton. He quasi redeemed himself but he's still on my shit list. *stink eyes*

I, too, am really looking forward to the next one in this series and if you like crime drama/cop procedurals then you should pick up a copy of Risky Behavior.

ARCS were provided by NetGalley.