This novel is set in the same world of the previous Action! Series by G.A. Hauser, the world of the bold, beautiful, and rich, of Los Angeles. Actually if you read the last book in that series, you already met Danny and Donny, identical twin working on the same firm of Mark and Steven. And in a way you already know their story and some of its development.

What is important here is to know better these two and their reason. As expected, as always I should say, G.A. Hauser’s men are not exactly “perfect” heroes, and in a way, sometime, they are not even so nice. Apparently it seems that they don’t have any moral, but actually there is always a reason behind it. In this case, when you read of two 25 years old guys still living on the shoulders of their parents with little intention to change the situation soon, you can’t really have of them a good first impression. But then you meet their parents, and discover that they are not really pushing their babies to go out of the nest, and so, as Danny and Donny do, you think, why bothering too much? Let them have the time of their life and sooner or later they will discover how it’s the real world. Problem is that sometime, people like them, discover the truth so far in their life when it is really too late to change something. Or maybe, if they are lucky, they never discover it, and they live always happy and unconscious.

Even if Danny and Donny are identical twin, and in many way they are similar, they are not alike in their emotional development. Danny, more shy and quite, is also the one that is readier to take the flight out of the nest. It’s almost like, while Donny spent all his energy in growing and glowing, Danny saved it for the right moment. Suddenly Danny is the savvier, he is the one who is taking serious decision, and Donny is unsettled by it. He feels like he is losing his brother and this cause him some emotional issue, leading him to taking out his frustration during sex with other man. Donny realizes that he is doing something wrong, but what he seems to not realize is that he is hurting other men. This is the point when you, reader, realize that you are reading about a man by G.A. Hauser: in any other novel, by any other author, Donny would probably go under a self-judgement, coming out guilty and repentant. This is what an hero does, this is not what Donny does. Donny is not an hero, as seldom G.A. Hauser’s men are; they are more irresistible villain, the bad guys that everyone, or at least me, love.

For most part of the book, Donny plays the role of the bad twin and Danny is his good conscience. Danny is so good that sometime he is almost boring in comparison to Donny. But then I saw a spark, a bit of that wickedness or naughtiness that his brother Donny is always accused of; and you realize that maybe Danny is only better in controlling himself, that he is probably smarter that his brother Donny. It’s strange but discovering that Donny is more fragile than Danny, at least at an emotional level, made him nicer to my eyes. I’m true, I didn’t like much Donny, at least not in the first part of the book, and even in the end, being him not at all repentant, it was like his happily ever after was not due. But again, as I said, there are some lucky men that have never had to face how the world really is, they are, and they will always be, the bold, beautiful and rich. And if you don’t like it, well, probably you will not like most of G.A. Hauser’s books, since she likes them a lot.

http://www.king-cart.com/Phaze/product=Double+Trouble/exact_match=exact

Series:
1) The Physician and the Actor: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/154682.html
2) For Love and Money: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/101976.html
3) Secrets and Misdemeanors: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/180102.html
4) Capital Games: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/210160.html
5) Love You, Loveday: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/288895.html
6) When Adam met Jack: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/300519.html
7) Mark Antonious deMontford: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/463899.html
8) Acting Naughty (Action! 1): http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/493312.html
9) Playing Dirty (Action! 2): http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/520179.html
10) Getting It in the End (Action! 3): http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/656487.html
11) Behaving Badly (Action! 4): http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/700268.html
12) Double Trouble
13) Dripping Hot (Action! 5): http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/746033.html

The Rainbow Awards: Third (and last!) Phase: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/850354.html

This is the second book I read by Ethan Day, and as before, it left me with the idea that probably, a) Ethan Day is a young guy with a positive and friendly attitude b) he likes very much the romantic comedy (both books but above all movies). In this new book he winks the eye to "Only You" a 1994 movie with Marisa Tomei: in the movie Faith was getting married with the perfect boyfriend, but she has only a regret, she has never met her "dream man", a man who frequents her night and day dreams since she was a teenager.

Same here, Aden is a nice young man, he co-owns a restaurant in Missouri and he has a quite happy life, if not for the thing that he has not a boyfriend. But Aden manages well all the same, he is a friendly guy and he has no problem to get laid, if he wants, and when he has no real man with him, he has his dream man, the perfect fantasy he built when he was a lonely teenager. In the last 15 years he married, built an house, adopted a son, went on holiday, all the time with his dream man.

Then to a convention in Atlanta he meets Logan, a restaurant owner from Los Angeles. Logan is not exactly his dream man (Adan has clear in mind how his dream man looks), but he is not far from the perfect boyfriend material: Logan is sexy, funny, friendly. Maybe he is a bit too much on the playboy side, but it's not that Aden is a virgin maid waiting for the knight in shining armor... so what is Aden waiting? probably the trouble is that, even if near perfect, Logan is not 100% perfect as Aden imagined his dream man, to build something with Logan, Aden has to compromise, maybe even move and change his life (Missouri is not exactly near to California). And it would mean take a risk, since even if Logan behaves like a man in love, from what Aden understood, Logan is not exactly a celibate man, and instead Aden, even if sometime he enjoys himself, is more the commitment and exclusive type.

And then there is the big open point: Aden knows, deep inside, that his dream man is out there waiting for him... what will happen if he commits with Logan to then find his dream man?

I like the feeling of the book, since it's very romantic without forgetting that we are speaking of men; an example? first date between Aden and Logan, Aden is in his room waiting for the night and the dinner with Logan; what would a woman do? take care of herself, maybe go to an hairdress, at least spend hour in front of the closet choosing the perfect dress... what does Aden do? he masturbates! and then, after taking care of himself in his own way, he spends some minute in front of the closet choosing the perfect dress... this is the difference between a "female perspective" on romantic comedy and "male perspective". But this is also the reason why I like it, since, even if obviously a pink glass perspective on love and life, I felt like the characters were real, with all their quirks and faults, and perfect shiny life.

The world where Logan and Aden live and love is an upper-class privileged world; Aden's trouble is to decide or not to move to Los Angeles to live in a poshy apartment with his new boyfriend Logan... all right, the poshy apartment is a bit too "anal" and Logan maybe is a playboy, and his dream man is somewhere in the world waiting for him, but Aden has not to worry about rent or bills or money... and THIS is what makes great a romantic comedy, the light and easy feeling that permeate all the story, we read and see a romantic comedy to dream not to think. Dreaming of You, even from the title, is the perfect example of a romantic comedy.

http://www.loose-id.com/prod-Dreaming_of_You-925.aspx

Amazon: Dreaming of You

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle


Cover Art by April Martinez

When Love Comes Back Around by Lisa Marie Davis

This book can be easily define a sweet romance. The story is pretty classic: small town, two sweetheart lovers, one from the most important family of the town, the other orphaned and raised by a drunk, the rejected of good society. They never should be friends, even less lovers. And to add problem to problem, they are both male.

Caleb is the golden son (even if he has dark hair...) and his father wants for him to be a politician. But when he is 13 years old he meets Royce, new in town after the death of his parents. Royce lives with his uncle, an abusive man, and the friendship with Caleb is his only escape from horror. When they are both 16 years old, friendship becomes loves and for four years they bring along a clandestine relationship. Caleb always swears that they will leave together, after college, they will go where they can claim their love. But when the moment arrives, Caleb cheats out, and Royce goes away alone.

Now after ten years, Royce is again in town, but he has no intention to meet Caleb, since he knows that he still loves the man and he will not survive to another farewell. Instead Caleb wants to see again Royce, even if for few minutes, since his life since their departure was an hell and he needs to be with the man he really loved, and actually the only man, or woman, for him.

The story is not so long, 70 pages, and as I said before, it's almost a sweet romance: there is a lot of talk about love, but not even one sex scene. Both Caleb than Royce treasure their memory, but the reader is not put apart of their thoughts. The story flows smoothly, it's easy to read, but since both characters are 30 years old now, I wouldn't mind a bit of more action. Anyway sometime is refreshing to read a sweet romance, and I'm always fond of the bad boy-good boy next door pair.

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=55_95&products_id=1039

Amazon Kindle: When Love Comes Back Around

What Matters Most by Lisa Marie Davis

Silas was always a strange boy. He saw imaginary friends, or so he thought. When he was a bit older he understood that what he saw were the souls of dead people who had something other to do before leaving, and they asked to Silas for help. Even if so young Silas knew that it was not normal for him to see souls, and from his parents he didn't have help. Lucky him his paternal grandfather, an old Irish man, taught him about the "sight" and that their family sometime gives birth to a special man like Silas.

To add strangeness to oddity, Silas soon realized that he was gay, and as he never hid the sight, he didn't hide his being gay. For his parents it was too much and Silas found himself alone at a very young age. With only a money help by his father he moved in a new city and began the life of a ordinary clerk, and at the same time he continued to help the souls. Always open in all the aspect of his life, when he became friend, or lover, with another man, Silas didn't hide the spiritual side of his life, and this lead to him being alone, since no one actually believed him. Silas got the fame to be handsome and sexy, but a bit odd.

When he spends a one night adventures with Josh, and the morning after he discovers that the man is very much in the closet and without any intention to come out, Silas tries to go on with his life, but Josh's mother has other idea... the problem is that Sarah, Josh's mother, is a soul and help her in her last wish means reveal to Josh that he can see the souls of the dead.

The story is an odd mix of hanging atmosphere and lustful sex. Silas is almost double faced, one side the cool and serene man who sees souls and calmly helps them, on the other side the man who picks up a man for a one night stand and makes passionate love; these are two side that almost crash, but that in a way melt together to draw up the character. Josh instead is a problematic man, with a abusive father and a weak mother, a grown man with still the mind of a child; sadly he needs an authoritative figure beside him, since alone he would not be able to break free from his father's clutches.

Even if there is sex in this story, it's almost like an ethereal experience... again that hanging feeling; the overall sensation of the story is of a continuous flow of energy, without the up and down that usually characterize a romance. In a way, for a story which deals with souls, it's quite a right sensation.

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=55_95&products_id=1041

Amazon Kindle: What Matters Most

Unstoppable Force by Lisa Marie Davis

This book has written "Cinderfella" all over the pages... there is also a fairy godmother in the guise of the very special male escort agency owner who matches Cinderfella alias Pretty Man Cale to Multi-Millionaire Prince Charming Ethan.

So, see, I can't be too hard with this story, since it's all about romance, and I can't not like a romance; doesn't matter if the story is unbelievable, if the cynical in me continued to say that a man like Ethan will never and never fall in love with Cale, I want the romance and I get the romance.

Ethan is a very handsome and very wealthy business man; at the beginning of his career he was a runaway guy with a skill for software and a pretty, even if rough, look. With the help of both his virtue, he manages to warm the bed of a middle age and wealthy man who in exchange, taught to Ethan how to be a successful business man. When the man moved on to another young lover, Ethan was enough skilled and independent to make his own success life. Today Ethan isn't searching for commitment, he likes to play the field, and so he usually buys the service of an escort agency when he is in the mood.

Cale is another runaway boy; escaping from an abusive stepfather who unfortunately taught to Cale that he is only worth for sex, Cale ended in the clutches of a little mafia criminal who, at his eyes, was a big treat. Managing to escape also from him, Cale now is under the shelter of fairy godmother Gwen, who sends him to Ethan. It's a match made in... bed? but Ethan pampers Cale like a prince, trying to instill a bit of confidence in the pretty man (and in this case I mean pretty as beautiful, since Cale is really beautiful even if he doesn't realize it).

A little trouble to resolve the issue of Cale's past does nothing to ruin the fairy tale atmosphere and the obviously path toward an happily ever after; if only life would be so simple...

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=55_95&products_id=1043

Amazon Kindle: Unstoppable Force

Loving Lucas by Lisa Marie Davis

Ten years before Lucas was a young high school teacher just out of college; he was the classical teacher who liked to be more a friends than a authoritative figure for his students, but he did that without second thoughts. Problem was that one of his student was an unstable teen who probably would need a psychiatric help and instead his family didn't take with the right seriousness the problem. Riley, the student, approached Lucas and when the man refused him, all went to hell: Lucas was raped and left for dead in a burning cabin. He managed to survive and to denounce Riley, but he also lost his life and his lover, who couldn't suffer his scarred body.

Now Lucas has a new life in a little small town where everyone loves him, above all the local sheriff; Nicholas is an handsome man, with plenty of choice if he wants, but he sets his eyes on Lucas. When they met five years before, Lucas was still too traumatized by his past events and he was not ready for something serious, and so Nicholas accepted the second choice to be his best friend. But now Riley is out of prison and both Lucas than Nicholas know that the man will come for Lucas, and Nicholas is not willing to let the man take the most important thing he has, Lucas; since Nicholas has no doubt that Lucas is his own.

The story is not very long and there is not mystery, since it's clear since the beginning that Riley will try to harm Lucas once again. It's more interesting to read and see how Nicholas will convince Lucas to accept not only his help but also his love. Truth be told, I think that Nicholas takes advantage of the situation to force Lucas to accept something than in other condition it will be years before they arrive to the same point. Probably Nicholas is tired to wait (but not enough to renounce) and above all he is tired to be judge by someone else actions. And this is maybe the point that I understood less: it's true that Lucas is scarred, but only on his back; in his everyday life, with dress on, he is a very beautiful man, and no one can notice his scars. All right, being a gay man, maybe having is back all scarred is a bit more important than a straight man (naughty Elisa, I know), but is it enough of a reason to dump someone? Lucas is clever, handsome, with a good work, is it possible that someone dumped him for some scars? And even if it happened, is it possible that he chose 10 years of chastity upon the action of only one man?

Anyway, the story is quite tender and the sex is good, something I noticed in the previous books by the same author: she mixes well the two elements, never letting the sex take the main role in the story, always letting the tenderness and love being in first line.

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=55_95&products_id=1045

Amazon Kindle: Loving Lucas

Amazon: Love Conquers All (print book)

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle

Rase Illion is a forthy something (maybe fifty) multimillionaire business man. He has not made his fortune, he has inherited it, but he was very good in manage and multiple the millions. A friendly ex wife, a son in college, a new trophy wife, he should be the happiest man, and instead he is living an half-life. He always had an inferiority complex with his father, he was never the son his father wanted him to be. First of all he was gay and second he liked to be dominate; when his father discovered it, in the worst way after he finished in hospital due to a too rough scene, Rase again tried to be the perfect son. He married, he had a son to perpetuate the family name, he took care of business family... for thirty years he tried and he was never good enough. Then his father died without giving to Rase the acceptance he craved, and five years later Rase is still in a limbo, not yet realizing that he finally can be what he wants.

Gabriel is a young lawyer who lost his work; he makes both ends meet as stockboy for Race's firm and he draws Race's attention when he is found with a pair of cuffs in his pocket. When Rase goes to him in search of relief, Gabriel thinks the man is like all the others, men who believes to buy him, and he unloads on Rase all his hunger. Rase takes all and ask for more; only one night with Gabriel is enough to trigger a series of events that will change Rase's life.

Rase's character is pretty good developed. We know why he acts like he does and what are the reasons for his insecurity and desperate need of love. Even if I can't relate with his need to be hurt, and badly hurt, it's probably something linked with his relationship with his father, some unanswered questions he needs to close like that. Rase is lucky to find someone like Gabriel, someone that care for him enough to hurt him physically, but not to hurt him emotionally.

Gabriel is a strange and interesting character. He is not a main hero in the story, the story is almost all about Rase. And so we have some bits of information on Gabriel, but not all his story. Why he is without work? What happened in his past? Was he really a whore, as he called himself, or was it a metaphoric expression? Why he wanders around with a pair of cuffs in the pocket?

For how much strange it can be sound, I found Uneven a really tender story. Rase is a very good man, someone easily to hurt in his feelings (it's too simple to hurt him in body, he asks for it) and Gabriel seems to understand it, and even before deciding if he wants or not a relationship with the man, he tries to be careful and not to hurt him.

The sex is good, a bit "hard", with a lot of masochism play, so maybe not for all, but as I said before, in someway it's a caring love.

http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1441

http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=2273 (print book)

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle

I'm an old romance reader, old since I like the romances of the '70 and '80; I'm not that old of age, but in Italy those romance arrived more or less 10-15 years after their officially release in the United States. And so, when in America the Western Romance was becoming a passed fashion, I discovered it. There is one that was and still is, one of my favorite, Morning Glory by LaVyrle Spencer, the story of an ex con (framed for the murder of a prostitute) who is hired by a widow with two little sons and a third arriving. It's a wonderful romance and it was later made into a movie with late Christopher Reeves as the hero. But more than Morning Glory, my favorite, that I read and read again, was The Rainbow Season by Lisa Gregory. Probably to many of you the name Lisa Gregory says nothing, but she is now more famous and read, as one of the queen of Regency Romances as Candace Camp. But sincerely I think that the Rainbow Season, the love story set at the end of the XIX century between the bad boy, and ex con, of the town, with the young spinster who is in love with her brother in law and decides to marry the hired man of her late father, is and will always be her best novel. There is only another one that can compete, Satan's Angel by Kristin James, the story of a lawless who falls in love for the woman he kidnapped, a woman who was traumatized when she was still a child, and now she is maybe too simple, unable to see the evil in other people... but Kristin James is Lisa Gregory, so, you see, it's obvious why I like that romance as much as the other one.

Why this long introduction? To pay my compliments to Jan Irving to be able to make me feeling again as the teenager of so many years ago, reading a story that is able to take me in another world, a place where your dreams come true. The Hired Man is a perfect Western Romance, as seldom you find today. The Historical Western Romance are strange, since you can read of a recent past history: you can enjoy an historical romance without feeling too far from their characters, escaping in that world is like taking a short trip over the weekend, you are far from the city, but the city is not so far from you. The feeling is the same, the world at the end of the XIX century had still a quiet pace, it was a world of baking cakes at home and doing chores in the barn, actually not so different from the life you can see in some places in the world.

Bryn is the bad boy of this novel: young and pretty, he had the bad luck to be born in the house of a drunken man who never cares for him, and when his mother died, Bryn was all alone. Nobody wondered when he was framed for raping a young girl and sent to prison. To the great surprise of the townfolks, when his conviction ends, Bryn comes back home. The only person who is willing to hire him is Reverend Ian, a man that even before Bryn always looked upon as a good man. But while Bryn was in prison, Ian changed: his wife killed herself soon after murdering their newborn child, and Ian was never the same after that. He lost his faith, and only the cares of Mrs Robson, his housekeeper, keep him going. Despite that Ian hires Bryn, since he sees in the boy's eyes the desperation of not having anything and anyone in the world.

It's a mutual need that brings Ian and Bryn together: Ian is searching for the family he lost, and Bryn for the lover he always dreamed. Even before going in prison, Bryn had "unclean" thoughts on the pious reverend, and his experience in prison only let him with the knowledge that sex between men is possible, but that is a dirty act. Bryn can't possible believe that the perfect Ian is willing to have a relationship with him.

Actually I think that, from Ian's side, there is more the need to protect and having someone to care of than love; it's strong, I know, but I felt like Ian was more a pater familiae than a lover for Bryn. He wants to protect Bryn, he wants to hide him from the ugly thing that is the outside world, and if to do so he has to be Bryn's lover, to fulfill even that side of Bryn's need, than so it be. There is an hole in Ian's past, something I didn't catch quite well: why he became a Reverend? he was from a wealthy family, from what I gathered he had a strict upbringing, but actually I didn't find in him the fire that usually lit a man of faith, even if that fire is smothered by a tragic event. To me Ian seemed more like a man with an extreme need to love and care for people, but not in a religious way, but actually in a very personally way, he needs the feeling to be part of a family, to be whole again. In a way Ian is too selfish to be a good reverend.

On the other hand, Bryn is eager as well, but not for something he lost, but for something he never had; Bryn wants a family, and at first he is willing to barter his body for that. All he knows is that his body is the only worthy thing he has, and that using it he can have shelter and protection. I really think that, with his behavior, in a way he corrupted Ian. I don't think Ian would have ever thought to that possible evolution of their relationship if not for Bryn's attempt to "pay" him for his kindness. Or at least not so soon. I think it's an obvious conclusion of both men's predisposition: Bryn is gay, and he is young, and he has needs; Ian wants to take care of Bryn, and of Bryn's needs, any of them.

I like also how the author dealt with the townfolks, not like they were living in a fairy land where the good Reverend can do everything he wants. There is not easy acceptance from who find out, but more a resignation, like they understand that is not something they can fight. I think this is a righter attitude than some other quite unbelievable situation I read in similar gay historical romances. Said that, the author is quite conscious that she is writing a romance, and a romance has to be romantic, even if it's not realistic. Again, I think that Jan Irving does know well the art of writing a romance with that old fashioned taste of my teenager memories.

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=55_108&products_id=1561

Amazon: The Hired Man

Amazon Kindle: The Hired Man

The Rainbow Awards: First Week results: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/811346.html


Cover Art by Paul Richmond

Wealthy and handsome Benjamin Bell has everything he wants in life, a penthouse apartment in Park Avenue, NYC, an easy job at his father architecture firm, and beautiful girlfriend... but he awakes in a hotel room with an hangover and no idea of what he did the night before. Two baby blue eyes and milky white skin is the only remembrance he has of the person he spent the night with, and not sleeping if the five used condoms he finds in the room are any indication. His friend Lucas, who was with him in Las Vegas, advices him to forget everything and not tell to his girlfriend, since that mysterious person was a boy not a girl. Ben seems more surprise to have cheated on his girlfriend than to having had his first experience with a man, from what we read, he is from a very liberal family, the biggest of three siblings, two out of three gays and without any fuss about it from their parents. So no, Ben apparently is no worried from his family finding out, and the relationship with his girlfriend is not exactly perfect, so why he is so shocked when Mason, the bartender / stripper he spent the night with, knocks at his doors? I think Mason is exactly what Ben needs.

Both men are not exactly "men", and I'm not speaking of a physical appearance, even if Mason is a little pretty thing. It's more a question of emotional development. Ben has always had everything he wanted from life, and without much problem. He couldn't even rebel, like most of the too rich kids do, since everything others considered rebellion, his parents considered free will. Not having the chance to mature outside his family, Ben, even if 25 years old, is still like a teenager, trying to please his family but at the same time, doing everything it's against his own happiness. I believe he refuses to aknowledge that he is gay, since doing so he will be like his other siblings, and he doesn't want, since being "normal" is his own form of rebellion.

And then there is Mason, 19 years old and out of his own since he was 15. Usually this type of hero is treated like someone who had to grow too soon, and now is disillusioned by life. Instead Mason, even with a past of exotic dancer, is still behaving like a little kid in need of the shelter of a family. The only thing Mason has to assure him shelter and food is his body, and even if he doesn't arrive to sell it, he uses it in exchange. Despite that, he is still more innocent than guilty, and he tends to pout and cry, more than arise a shield against the world.

25 and 19 years old is not being adult, and so yes, both Ben than Mason behaves more like two boys, barely out of puberty. Due to that, the story is more romantic than erotic, even if there are quite a few of sex scenes. But in a way, the authors push more on the cuddling and teasing side, than on the real intercourse. Reading of these two men, of their life, is more like reading of two kids playing adults, than a real life. It helps that being Ben so wealthy, they can allow to be careless and happy, without worrying of paying the rent or bills.

Ben is for Mason the prince charming on a white horse, and it doesn't matter if Ben is not exactly a warrior, the only thing that counts is that he will bring Mason away from his poor hut to live in a castle... even if the castle is financed by Ben's dad.

http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=2175

Rainbow Awards, The Game is On!: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/807504.html

This is a strange story, a mix of paranormal and contemporary, but the paranormal element is dealt in a normal "way" that it seems nothing special.

Christian is a pyromancer, a man who controls the fire, better who is controlled by fire: when his emotions are too high to be suppressed everything around him could burst in flame. The positive side is that he can control the flames, and so it is pretty convenient that he is a firefighter. Plus he is a very wealthy and handsome man, having inherited a lot of money from his dead parents. But he is alone, he doesn't want to risk harming a person he cares for if he is not be able to control his powers.

During a long and lonely night he can't bear no more to stay alone and he resolves himself to call for an escort male. Tanner is the guy who answers his call. He is young and cute. Like all the old classical tale on "call girls", he is doing this work to repay the debt of his dead father and to pay his college tuition. But Christian is eager more for companionship than sex, and the night ends up with him giving Tanner a blowjob and nothing else.

After few days, Christian discovers that Tanner is the son of one of his fellow firefighters, dead on duty. He can't possibily leave the boy continues to sold himself to live but he has to convince Tanner to accept his help and maybe his love.

Like Tanner has the chance to discover, Christian is a very kind and gentle man, but also very insecure: he is too conscious of his powers / problems and he can't see what he can offer to a man. On the other hand he is overprotective and treats Tanner like a child. Tanner is young and stubborn, and maybe he needs a fatherly figure, but Christian is not exactly the steady and strong character up to the role.

The story is interesting, not very original, but "classical" in a way that makes it like a warm blanket in winter; on the other hand the sex scenes are very well written even if not too intrusive, they are right and the right moment.

http://www.loose-id.net/prod-Pyromancer-614.aspx

Amazon: Pyromancer

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading+list&view=elisa.rolle


Cover Art by April Martinez

Fortunate Son by Fae Sutherland & Marguerite Labbe

Fortunate Son has a double meaning. At the beginning of the story I believed that the fortunate son was Ricky; he is the second son of a not so wealthy country family. His older brother died in Vietnam and his parents sold part of the family farm to allow him to go to College and so, avoid to be a conscript. But Ricky is still mourning Randall's loss, and instead of having his mind on the study, he thinks on protest and getting high, since when you are high the world seems better. At college he meets Charlie; Charlie is a lover and an artist, he has all those great ideas in mind and in a way, he directs Ricky's rage in something more useful than sulking. And maybe Charlie is the fortunate son, the one who is against something for principle and not since it touched him like it did with Ricky. Being not so involved, allows Charlie to be a safe harbor for Ricky, allows him to be the steady figure Ricky needs to not drift apart.

Ricky and Charlie are young and sons of their time; being always high, not thinking at tomorrow, but always living the day, they are like a lot of young people in 1967, the year in which the story is setting. But during the March on the Pentagon, Ricky and Charlie start to think that having a tomorrow, and having it together, maybe it would be nice. They can't have a formal recognition of their love, it's so far from their time that the idea doesn't even pass in their mind, but they can have it with words between them; being aware of the world around them, make them more aware of who they are and what they want in life.

This is a really nice short story, 2 sex scenes and a night and a day in the life of two young men; you don't know what it will be of them, but you can have the feeling that they will be together and happy; I like the easy mood of the story, the feeling that, even if they are living in a dangerous period, they are somehow shielded by their love, life seems easy for them and I can see a future behind the corner.

http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/FortunateSon.html

Amazon Kindle: Fortunate Son

The Mask He Wears by Fae Sutherland & Marguerite Labbe

This is a short story that manages to be unexpected and surprising despite being short. Apparently the plot is simple, Ian has a secret crush on his boss, lawyer Stephen; being Ian his secretary and having the firm a strict no fraternization policy, Ian has never made any move on Stephen if not being always available for him and always with an eager to please smile on his face. Then at a office party, Ian eavesdrops another colleague asking Stephen about his wife, and Ian's world crashes around him.

Here is the unexpected element of the story. Usually the office affairs relationships among men are hot and dirty, little or not so little secret affairs almost always based more on sex than love. But Ian is a romantic soul, he believes in love at first sight and forever love. He wants Stephen, but he doesn't want him only for a passing affair, he wants him as his long term relationship partner, he wants him in full daylight.

On the other hand Stephen has always preferred to maintain his private life exactly like that, private. On the outside Stephen appears to be an independent and strong willed man, but in private he is insecure and not so strong. He always related to his friends advice and he was always willing to help them to resolve their romantic trouble but was never ready to resolve his own. Delay was the key, not facing the issue was the best strategy. Stephen's character is the other surprising element of the story, above all how different he is from what he appears; it's a nice surprise since he gives originality to the story.

If Stephen was one another alpha male boss, who is a boss both in office than in bedroom, this one would have been one another office affair story, nice maybe, but nothing more. Instead both Stephen than Ian are different from who you were expecting, they are both very emotional men, men that probably are not imposing and domineering, but that are lucky enough to find each other and to discover that, despite the difference in social status and career level, they have more in common than they thought.

http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/MaskHeWears.html

Amazon Kindle: The Mask He Wears

http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/TakingChances.html

Amazon: Taking Chances (print book)

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T.A. Chase hits a sure point with this novel with me, since the show business theme is one of my favorite, probably due to the fact that I love to see an happily ever after where usually I don't find them, and since I know that, despite some good changings happening in the movie industry, it's still not easy to be out and proud, and the stars who decide to be have not easy life.

So basically this is a cinderfella type of story, with the big Hollywood star, Ryan, who falls in love for the poor bartender, Josh, who has to work three jobs and has no time to be starstruck by the pretty actor. And here is maybe the most original point of the novel, T.A. Chase turns the table, and the cinderfella became the knight in shining armor, or better the big bear who will take good care of his lover. Josh can be the one with the less lucrative job, but he is not for sure the on a lower level than Ryan, on the contrary what draws Ryan to him is the feeling of being safe and sheltered in Josh's arm. This is a common point that I have already found in T.A. Chase's story: he is a favorite of mine since he often has characters living in the glittering world of the show business, or at least in an "in the spotlight" position, but those men are not unreachable or aloof, they are most of the time the boy next door who finds himself living in something bigger than him, and who still needs the comfort embrace of a lover. I like the mix of cuteness and coquetteness that is Ryan, and how he is ready to loosen up in the arms of the right lover.

Not only in this case Ryan needs the safe shelter of his lover's arms, he is also a submissive for nature, and he wouldn't have been happy with a lover who looked upon to him like the leader in the relationship. Being Josh a self-assured man, he is perfect for Ryan: the inner strength of Josh well balances the difference in social status of the two men, and then, the difference is still fresh, since it's not long ago that Ryan was still a struggling actor came to Hollywood from a little province town. Again this is another common element in T.A. Chase's stories, the origins of his characters are simple and down to earth, and they have solid basis that allow them to remain with the head on their shoulders and not being corrupted by the big bad world. There is always an homey feeling in those books, even if we are dealing with movie stars or professional sports players.

As I said, what probably I like most is that the story is a good and strong romance which leads steadily and fast towards a romantic happily ever after; the two heroes have to face some pretty bad moments, but they are never so bad to distract the reader from what is the main event, the love story. There was never one doubt that in a way or the other, the two men would have found a way to be together, and what started like a one single night of hot sex has good basis to become a last long relationship. Probably yes, what bonds Ryan and Josh in a good and strong knot is their perfect agreement in bed, and the fact to be the top in bed allows Josh to not feel like an addendum to Ryan; never once I felt him doubt his position (pun very much intended) with Ryan, if there were trouble for them, it was not due to their personal and sexual relationship, and the reader has plenty of proves in the good and numerous sex scenes, that, as usual, are detailed without being an exercise in style. Those are sex scenes you can read and enjoy without having to hurry up to seeing what happens next.

http://samhainpublishing.com/romance/tabloid-star

Amazon Kindle: Tabloid Star

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Cover Art by Anne Cain

ETA: I read on T.A. Chase's blog that Josh's character was inspired by Ari Levanael. Ari was one of my first Man Candy, you can find his post here:

http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/373957.html

Marry Me Or Die is a funny romp and I don't believe it wants to be more. It's a futuristic novella where D.J. Manly rewrites the old classic "shotgun marriage" story: Silus is 24 years old and happy to enjoy the freedom of being a bachelor. In the futuristic planet where he lives, Laden, homosexuality is no more forbidden, and so same-sex marriage; but even if Silus is totally gay, he doesn't want to profit of the chance he has to marry a man, he is more than good alone and free to have sex with as many men as he wants. All of this changes when Laden passes under the control of the Monostones and their king: it's an almost peaceful transition if not for the fact that the Monostones are strictly monogamous, and the new king, as first act, promulgates a law: it's forbidden to be over 18 and unmarried, who will go against the law will be prosecuted, condemned to hard labour and in the worst cases to death... and Silus is a very bad case!

But there is an escaping way, Crash the son of the king and the one who is in command to judge the outlaws, will be soon 18 years old and he obviously has to marry. Even if the king believes his soon to be innocent and still virgin, Crash has had the chance to taste what it means being sexual free, and it's not at all happy to have to renounce to that freedom. Since he can't avoid it, he will choose the more experience man he can put his hands on, and Silus meets the requirements. So here is the proposal: or Silus will marry Crash, and remain married to him for at least 15 years, and not cheating around, or he will die. Obviously there is not choice, and then Crash is a little pretty thing, no harsh job to marry him.

As in the best tradition of romance, the shotgun marriage will turn in true and forever love, not before the two young men have the chance to experiment a bit in bed. As I said, I think the author took this as a light and funny story, there is no much drama, and all the events are more funny than really dangerous. Even the time Silus spent in prison wasn't bad, he received so much marriage proposal to last a life. Both men, Silus and Crash, are young and horny, and they behave according to their role; love is a nice cherry on top of the main course that is the sex, and the reason why Crash proclaims he is in love with Silus is that since he can't stand without having sex with him... he doesn't miss Silus' mind or wit, or sense of humor... he misses something specific, and please, don't let me go into details ;-) Anyway, again I think that the author deals with the characters in line with their role: they are two young men at their full sexual potential, and for now, it's more important sex than love.

Said that, and considering that this is a novella, there is no much time left for any other development, but if you are out for a sexy funny romp, this is a good choice.

http://www.extasybooks.net/ebjmsite/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=ebook_flypage&product_id=5291&category_id=34&manufacturer_id=11&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=44&vmcchk=1&Itemid=44

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It seems that the story of the Pauper and the Prince is pretty common among whom likes to revisited the gay romance with a fantasy / historical flavor.

This is the time of Mark Alders and his definitely fantasy tale. In a medieval fantasy kingdom, there is a sad prince, Wilhelm, who likes men but has to marry a woman to have an heir, and an even sadder pauper, Pavel, a very young man who has to barter his body for a piece of stale bread. Between the two, the one more clever to me it seems Pavel: despite his young age, Pavel knows that he can't be fussy with his partner choices, even if he fancies the handsome prince who looks at him with hungry eyes, the ones who give him food in exchange of sex are the lower class men who do that behind their stores. True, there is not much romance in this part of the story, but it serves the reader to understand Pavel and his disbelief to Wilhelm unselfishness: Pavel can't believe him since in his life no one has never given him something without asking something else in exchange.

This is true for people, but Pavel has a very special friend, a chimera, a mythical being with the body of a dragon and the head of a lion, who has always protected Pavel since the boy was less than 10 years old. But the chimera, Odoacro, can't protect Pavel from the ugly things of the human world, and can't prevent the man to sell his body for food. And so the chimera decides to push Pavel in Wilhelm's arms, hoping for the prince to be kinder than the other men. When Pavel goes to Wilhelm with his usually blunt barter, sex for food, Wilhelm is at first excited by the prospect, but then also horrified: he doesn't want the man like that, in his naivete, Wilhelm still wants Pavel for love not for sex; doesn't matter if the man has sold himself to other men, with Wilhelm will be only love. And so he asks only a kiss in exchange for the food Pavel needs.

The way as Wilhelm behaves, confirms to the chimera that he is the right man for his young friend. In a way the chimera is the fatherly figure both men lacked in their life: Wilhelm's father is not exactly a supporting parent, but truth be told, it's probably the way any normal parent will behave in his same situation. If I'm true, I didn't like so much how he ends up, quite a bloody way, but all the second part of the story took a decisively turns towards fantasy that almost borders on myth and magic. It's strange, despite being very sexy, and the sex quite explicit, let alone the memories of poor Pavel and the way he had to gain his morsel, the story nevertheless maintain a fanciful taste, I don't know, I had the feeling that both Wilhelm than Pavel were more boy at play than real men at work. It was like all the work was done by the others, like the chimera or Catherine, Wilhelm's fiance, and to Pavel and Wilhelm only be left the good share, like they suffered enough before the reader met them, and now it was time for them to be happy.

On the contrary of other similar novels I read lately, The Pauper's Prize is a full fantasy tale, and of the old school. It is not, and it doesn't want to be, historically accurate; this is like one of those classical fairy-tales where you don't question if the dress of the princess is right for her age! For a first book I read by this author, I have to say that it's a nice discovery.

http://www.extasybooks.net/ebjmsite/index.php?page=shop.product_details&category_id=31&flypage=ebook_flypage&product_id=6306&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=44

Amazon Kindle: The Pauper's Prize

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Elected by Pepper Espinoza

This is a really short, 35 pages, but really nice story. Sam and Owen know each other. More, they probably spent more than one night together knowing each other better. But Sam and Owen can't be friends.

Sam is a Republican strategist while Owen is a Democratic news producer; and even if it's not clear if Sam really believes in what he promotes, it's more than clear than Owen is a Democratic for passion and not only for convenience. In the only 35 pages we had, it's not said how they met, probably for work related reasons, but Owen knows very well and in a very intimate way Sam, and Sam is more than willing to prolong this acquaintance, if they are discreet. Sam is also willing to make some changes in his life, to find a work that allows him to be near Owen, even to behave as Owen's boyfriend in their private life, if he could maintain his public face. And their attraction is so strong, and truth be told, Sam's behavior when they are alone is really good, that Owen is willing on his side to let go the "little" facts that he absolutely doesn't like Sam's boss, Sam's work, Sam's public face.

The story is a really good example of how you can't choose the person you love. And that it's better to try to fit together you different personality rather than be sturdy and wait for the other to change. Being extremist only led you to be alone in your bed.

http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/Elected.html

Peanut Butter Kisses by Pepper Espinoza

As the candies in the title, this romance is sweet like sugar.

Peter is a big pastry chef, he is at the top in every competition, but always second. He is again competing at a national level and again he has as an assistant Josh. Josh is a young chef who looks with starry eyes upon Peter: for Josh everything Peter creates is perfect, and when Peter loses, for Josh is almost a personal matter. Obviously Josh is in love with Peter but he has never had the courage to make a move on Peter, both since he doesn't judge himself worthy of the love of wonderguy Peter, and because he really doesn't know if Peter is gay, since the man never express an interest in him, other than for work.

But this time Peter seems a bit more interested in Josh as a man than in Josh as a pastry assistant...

The story is short, less than 40 pages, but really really sweet. I like above all the fact that Peter is really not a special guy, maybe he is even a bit overweight, and he is really a sweet guy; but for the loving eyes of Josh he is wonderful.

http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/PeanutButterKisses.html

Amazon Kindle: Peanut Butter Kisses

The Obsolete Man by Pepper Espinoza

This is a really, really, really nice short story... I have said to many really? well sorry but it's what I was continuing to replay in my mind while reading this book.

James is an average man; good looking, nice, beautiful eyes, probably if he was a little more self-conscious he could be the classical successful man, and instead he is quite and maybe even a little shy, he doesn't consider himself worthy of more than he has and he settles down to a life that maybe it's not what he dreamed, but that is good and so why change? There is a part of James' life that remains obscure, and it's how he ended married with a woman when he is clearly attracted by men. Anyway James being a nice man as I said, has never thought to cheat on his wife, even if he has noticed the handsome man on the 7.23 a.m. train he takes every morning to work.

But if drama didn't hit James' life, he would probably have continued with his daily routine till the end of his working life to then settle down again in a retirement routine, letting that handsome man slip in a hidden closet of his mind. But in a blink of a moment, James becomes an obsolete man: at 45 years old he is too old to learn again how to be printing technician in the publishing firm he has worked for 25 years and he is fried; his wife, that probably has never shared passion with him, has not enough patience to support her husband in a life change, and leaves him. Without his daily routine of going to work and coming back home, James is lost, and the only solution he sees is to end his life "using" that daily routing, throwing himself under the 7.23 a.m. train.

In the spur of the moment, and since he has really nothing to loose, James decides to devote his last day to realize his secret fantasy, approaching the man of his dreams, the handsome stranger on that train. He is nicely surprised when Chad not only welcomes the approach but confesses that also him had noticed James before. There is no question on the fact that Chad is gay, maybe since we are at San Francisco, and Chad has "that" attitude, maybe only since he welcomes James' approach in a way a straight man wouldn't do, anyway James chooses the "straight" way (pun intended) and asks Chad to follow him in an hotel and share a morning of sex. And Chad accepts.

Chad's character is not really full developed, at least not as James' one. He is a nice man, he is gentle and caring, and from the things he says, we can understand that he is not selfish; he not only noticed James since he was a nice looking man, but he also noticed when the man stopped to smile, so in a way, he noticed when life started to spiralling down for him. He is not so unselfish to refuse an offer of easy sex from an almost stranger, even if Chad knows that something is not right with the man, but then he is really nice, trying while having sex, to also understand James' reasons and troubles.

I don't believe that James really wanted to commit suicide, he only needed a nice gesture from someone; but if that gesture hasn't come, probably James would have gone on with his intent, the author is really good in mounting the tension till the break point.

http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/ObsoleteMan.html

The Prince Who Never Smiled by Pepper Espinoza

Leopold is the prince of a fantasy medieval kingdom. He has never smiled and so people think that he is deformed or maybe cursed. Recently his mother is not well and her only wish is to see her son's smile and so the king, who is deeply in love with his wife, sends out a decree: the first person who will make his son smile will marry him.

After being subjected to all the type of "show" from a string of wanna-to-be princess, Leopold takes a break and goes on an hunting expedition in the country, and here he meets Dexter, a young peasant who is going to court in search of a well-paid job to help his family. Leopold, who actually prefers the company of men, even if, till this moment, neither men were able to make him smile, as soon as he sees Dexter, can't help the smile on his face. Why is not exactly clear, if not a sudden case of love at first sight, since Dexter hasn't done anything of really funny.

This is the classic example of Cinderfella's story, with also a bit of breeches rippers: Leopold is besotted by Dexter, and he claims that he only wants to please him for once, since till this moment people only pleased him. But truth be told, Leopold bends upon a full debauching plan to strip Dexter of his virginity, and there is a bit of droit du seigneur in this story, with Dexter that feels as he can't deny anything to Leopold since he is his prince. But Dexter is not so against the idea, and once Leopold shows him what they can do together, he is more than a willing participant. He almost forgets that he has a family at home waiting for him.

The story is a quite enjoyable novella, a funny romp between the sheets with a fairy tale atmosphere (even if nothing of really "strange" or out of ordinary happens), but all in all it's more tender and romantic that real funny, with almost a little core of sadness.

http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/PrinceNeverSmiled.html

Amazon: It's Only Love

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At first, reading the blurb of this story, you can think for it to be a fantasy tale: the king of a small realm who falls in love for a woodsman and makes him his consort... how else it could happen if not in a fantasy tale? But truth be told, if you pass upon this detail (not little, you are right), The King's Tale is all for all an old fashioned historical romance. The time and custom are well described and researched, and even the "trick" they use to be together is historically based: the handfasting ceremony was common among the medieval people in what is now England, two people, usually a man and a woman, forged a pact to be together for an year; if within the year they had a child, the pact would turn in a marriage, if not, they would have the change to come back to their family without any other string to bound them. The handfasting was a regular and recognized ceremony well before the institution of the modern christian marriage and for the hereditary law it was biding as well.

But shall we come back to the story. Christopher is the beloved son of a kingdom in the Cornish coast. The time is perhaps the late X century or the beginning of the XI; I don't believe it is after the Norman conquest, since the custom are more similar to the old Saxon legends. But truth be told there is a feudalism structure that resembles very much what was introduced by the Norman; and there is also a reference to a King Henry, who, from an historical point of view, could be linked to King Henry I, the son of William the Conqueror. I believe the author did an hard work to write an historically accurate novel allowing herself only some small freedom to make Christopher and Dafydd a possible match.

At the beginning of the story, Christopher is just became king, after the death of his father. Even if his father knew of his son's preferences for men, he told to his son that he had still to marry, to produce an heir to the kingdom. So Christopher is travelling the kingdom in search of a woman he can love, but obviously the quest is impossible. Christopher can't really love a woman. At the same time, Dafydd, the fourth son of a wealthy welshman, moved to Christopher's kingdom: as fourth in line he has nothing on his own, and his father prompted him to search his own path far from their land (maybe fearing for him to be an obstacle to his other sons). So Dafydd is leading a quite and comfortable life as woodsman, even if he is way more skilled than the task requires. On a snowy night, Christopher searches shelter in Dafydd's cottage and some days after in Dafydd's bed; when he asks to the man what he wants in exchange of his kindness, Dafydd replies that he wants a story of beauty, since he has seen few beauty in his life. And Christopher decides that he will tell to the man a tale of beauty AND love. He makes Dafydd his consort and brings him to live to the castle.

As I said, the chance for it to be real are few, but not impossible. Christopher's choice is not easy and not seen well by all his people. But he is the King, and what he wants he has. This is probably the best part of him and yet also the baddest: Christopher doesn't ask to Dafydd if he wants to be his consort, doesn't give him a choice; he brings the man to the castle and forces him upon his people. In doing so, he also puts the man at great risk, and what will happen it's in part due to his decision. If someone could think that Christopher is selfish and uncaring, I think instead that he is coherent to his character: he is a leader, he was raised to command and to have his wishes satisfied; he can be good and merciful, but only if he wishes, he has not to be. He may asks, but most of the time, he doesn't since he is not used to be refused.

A different man from Dafydd probably will have not bear such a man. But Dafydd is a gentle soul, he has not a selfish bone in him and he deeply loves Christopher. Even before the king's desire for him, he was already in love with him, a love he feeds from afar. He is also a strong man, both in body than in will, and only due to that love he can submit to Christopher's love, that is both love than ownership. Both Christopher than Dafydd know that it was Dafydd's choice to submit, and this is the reason why their relationship could last.

As I said I will tag the story as fantasy only since there are not clear references to a precise time period, but for all the rest, the story is pure historical. Even Christopher's decision to bear a bastard child he can then claim as an heir is the obvious decision that a man in his situation and time would have done. So, even if at first I didn't like the momentary interference of a woman between the two men, it was necessary as the only way to allow them to be together.

The King's Tale surprised me, since I was not expecting for it to be so "real", I opened it ready to read a fantasy tale, and instead I lost myself in an engrossing era, the Middle Ages, that I have always loved. I would also like to highlight the effort of the author to use a language that is right for that era, an expedient that maybe at first could make it difficult for a common reader to start the book, but that in the end, it has a main role in allowing that "lost in the tale" feeling that I mentioned above.

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/currenttitles/kingstale/kingstalebuynow.htm

Amazon: The King's Tale

Amazon Kindle: The King's Tale

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Bought and Paid For is, as the title suggests, a bit of Cinderfella story mixed with Romeo and Jules. Deacon and Parker were in love, both young, successful and happy, Deacon an art dealer and Parker a young promising oncologist. True, their life was not perfect, Parker worked long hours, but Deacon loved him so much that was always ready to comfort and wait for him. Then Deacon's father, a Senator, put a veto on this relationship, it was unacceptable for his son to be gay, and he swore to destroy every man in Deacon's life. Here maybe is the only side that I didn't like so much about Deacon, he had not the strength to oppose to his father, but, as the story was planned, it was also maybe the only good thing to do. Deacon staged a fake cheating and obviously Parker left him with a broken heart, but still with his beloved work as a doctor.

Two years later Deacon's father is dead, and without being missed by his son or his employees, and Deacon is free to try to conquer Parker again. A charity bachelor action is a good chance and now Deacon has also the money to be sure that he will be the higher bidder. From that moment on, the story is pretty much a sweet romance, with the revelation that, despite two years apart, both men are still deeply in love.

Both Deacon than Parker are apparently strong men, tall and handsome, but they are also easily wounded when feelings are involved. Basically they are two romantic hearts, they believe in forever and only love and being forced to be apart was almost their death, at least from a emotional point of view. They are like those animals that bound only one time in their life and when one of the mate dies, the other soon follows him.

The author has the chance to push a lot on the angst button, but she chooses to dose it; with Parker's job it would have been easy to arise sympathy for him, and instead she only gave a glimpse on it when serves her to describe how caring Deacon was for his lover. Other than that, more than on the angst button, she chooses to push on the emotional one. Deacon's choice how to use his inherited money, his actions towards Parker, but also Parker's easy conquest, due to his love for Deacon, are all thought to make the reader smile and dream, more than make him cry.

http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=518

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This is a very nice novella, it's a bit sexy and naughty but mostly it's romantic and sweet. Ben is a bookstore owner (and also for this chosen career I would have found him nice), but he is not the classical library mouse; he is young, 26 years old, pretty and gay. Apparently he has also no problem to find companionship when he wants, but Ben is now looking only for true love. Even if he has had a bad experience in the past, he still believe in love. Ben's lover left him since Ben wasn't willing to have an open relationship; in reaction to the dumping, or maybe to prove to himself that his idea of committed love was stupid, Ben spent months sleeping around, only to awake one day realizing that it wasn't what he wanted. Now Ben prefers to be alone if the man he has in front is nothing serious. But don't get me wrong, Ben is not some hermit, it's less than one year that he took that decision, so maybe, if fate didn't help him, it wouldn't have been long that he maybe reconsider.

Anyway Ben's best friend, Becca, decides to give him a special birthday present, a lunch date with Ben's favorite television star, Mitch. Mitch is really gorgeous and on screen he seems also very nice and with a deep personality. But the day of the appointment, Mitch is sullen and rude, and Ben leaves thinking that it's only true what they say of the stardom. This is probably the best part of the novella: it would have been simple to write a Cinderfella like story, where mousy Ben falls in love, with the big star Mitch, and he is reciprocated. And obviously, being Mitch famous and wealthy, it would have been simple to make him also the strong partner in the relationship.

Instead Mitch is, like often actors are, a man with a lot of complex, with a poor childhood and youth (poor of feelings not of money) and who, like Ben, was burned by love. Mitch is probably acting in life like he is acting on screen: he is trying to avoid some inner questions since he doesn't like the answer. His only long term relationship was with a man, and it was also his only same sex relationship, and it didn't go well. So now Mitch is having only female partners (and few up to all), telling himself that he is bisexual and that he is not attracted to men. For me instead, Mitch's conscience knows that he can fall in love only with a man, and so it avoids to be involved with one so it's not possible to break his heart again.

So there is nice contraposition between Ben and Mitch: Ben is the one with the low profile job, but he is also the one with a better self-esteem and comfortable with his sexuality; Ben has also a supportive family and circle of friends, where Mitch is practically alone. On the other hand, when they are in bed, it's always Mitch who plays the top; more, when it's the moment to be serious and real with their relationship, despite his sexuality issues, it's Mitch who faces the situation with more steadiness and certainty.

To the Highest Bidder is a story that gives more than expected, with two nice characters, very well developed; it has also the type of closing scene I love, where the author gives a glimpse on the couple after their happily ever after.

http://www.loose-id.com/prod-To_the_Highest_Bidder-821.aspx

Amazon Kindle: To the Highest Bidder

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Most Likely to Succeed by Shawn Lane

This is a light funny romp, with a Cinderfella atmosphere that I find really charming and sweet. In the first scene, Clark Sterling's employees are pulling out the shorter straw to decide who has to go and say to the boss that he is late for a meeting. From this presentation, you could have the idea that Clark is a scaring man, maybe cold and aloof. And instead he is a man with a tender heart who falls a bit to often for romance. The new clerk of the firm is obviously the man who has to enter the lion's lair: Thomas is young, cute but very clever. Actually I believe he is even more clever than Clark.

Clark is a self-made man, who probably had a bit of complex due to the abandonment of his father when he was still very young. He climbs the rank of society thanks more to hard work and tenacity than being ruthless. And I like also that he has integrity, he doesn't hide that he is gay, even if he also doesn't flaunt it as a flag (see the comment on the ban on gay marriage): Clark is quite at comfort with himself, he had bad love experience in the past, but he is not embittered and closed, he still believe in true love and he is still willing to give to love a chance. And so when young and pretty Thomas enters his office with starry eyes, he is lost.

Thomas has a little crush on his boss. He probably unconsciously chose to work for his firm for that reason: Thomas is a very good student, and probably he had a list of firm ready to hire him, but he chose Clark, and I'm not saying that he chose Clark's firm, he chose just Clark. Not that he is planning to seduce his boss or a torrid office affair... Thomas has still not realized that he is in love with his boss, and it will be Clark's task to hunt him down, even if Thomas is not at all a shifty prey.

Actually the big affair is only a question of few days, barely a week: in two weekends spent mostly in bed and at Disneyland plus some days at work, Clark and Thomas go from being employee and boss, to lovers, to possible life partners, to being torn apart by a stupid mistake. If not for the fact that both of them are incurable romantics it would have been not possible; and instead the story stands, and it's funny and enjoyable. I loved to see how Clark, piece by piece, dismantled his cool behavior (if he ever had one), to let you glimpse a different man, a bit naughty (public sex...), a bit housekeeper (breakfast in bed...), and a lot perfect dream man (big and posh house with hot tub). And I like also Thomas, who, other than being obviosly intelligent and good at work, is also a man who is fair enough to not lie down on a relationship that he knows not being the real thing, but who is also willing to risk everything when the real thing arrives.

There is one thing I didn't like, Clark's secretary... all right she has in mind only the good for Clark, and there is not even a personal reason to mistreat Thomas, but she didn't manage to rub my good side. I also found quite tactless that she spoke of Clark's past without his permission. I don't know, but I'm always fond of old faithful secretary, godmother style, and Agnes for me didn't enter the category.

http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/MostLikelySucceed.html

Amazon Kindle: Most Likely To Succeed

Amazon: Lawyers In Love (print book)

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In a futuristic world, Boston after an apocalyptic disaster, the rich are even richer and the poor are even poorer. Worst, the poorer have no right, and they are used as "meat": to experiment new drugs or to fight in cage as once rabid dogs did. Andreas is the heir of one of the most powerful and wealthy family of New Englandia, the good side of the city; following his friends, that are not exactly role models, he starts to frequent the clandestine cage matches. One night he bets with his friends on a fighter, Andreas is more interested in him as a man, than as a possible source of earnings, and so when he wins the bet, his friends buy him a night with the fighter. Jabez is a former street kid and robber; before being convicted, he hasn't never killed, but now he has no choice, him or the other. And other than fight in the cage, he is also sold out as a whore, obviously with no gain for him, if not the small chance to be free sooner or later. Andreas takes a sympathy on the young fighter and decides to buy his contract: he will offer to Jabez a roof on the head and food on the plate in exchange of fighting lessons. And if in the meantime, Jabez is also willing to share his bed, it is his choice, not a must.

The story is pretty simple, the classical Cinderfellas theme, with maybe also a bit of Beauty and the Beast; Jabez is not some noble soul ended in a bad way, he was for real a street kid, and a thief, and he is also uncultured and untrusting. But all in all he is not a bad guy, and not once I felt that he was taking advantage of Andreas generosity. The only think he asked was for something that Andreas did despite his money, a paint. Jabez has a smart mind, and even if he doesn't like Andreas's friends, and in general, his people, he never makes Andreas feel guilty for being born like that, he recognizes that Andreas is a generous soul.

On the other hand is not that Andreas is totally unselfish, I don't think he would have taken Jabez in if he wasn't attracted to the man. Like when they go to choose a puppy: Andreas has the money to buy all the puppies of the kennel, but he makes Jabez choice only one... Andreas has his own reasons, he wants Jabez in his life, and he will do anything to prove to Jabez that he is a better man than he thinks. And if in the course of the demonstration he does also something good, it's a bonus. Doing a good deed or winning a fighting match with Jabez, to Andreas more or less are equal. And it's not either that Jabez realizes that he has the power to manipulate Andreas into doing something good for the people like him... we are only lucky that both Andreas and Jabez are good persons, and so what they do has a positive implication.

http://www.loose-id.com/prod-Cage_Match-961.aspx

Amazon Kindle: Cage Match

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The Vampire King's Husband is a stand alone book by Amber Kell, an author that in the past used me to short stories inside a series. Instead I believe this short story was planned as a one shot. It has a fantasy setting, an apparently medieval town: the young hero is searching work as apprentice from a blacksmith, there is a castle overlooking the town, the life inside the castle has a strict order level... all hints that the way of life is somewhat historical. Then, here and there, I found some pieces that goes against this idea, one of the young blood donors of the castle wants to be a musician and he plays a guitar, Bastion, the young hero, studied 20 foreign language and he was taught the bare hand fighting... All right, being this a fantasy tale, they are not point that are so important, it's only to let you have an idea of the feeling of the story.

Another thing that makes it a fantasy and not an historical story, is that Vasska, the king, is a centuries old vampire. He is still unmarried and he asks the Goddess to send him a mate, Bastion. As Vasska said to the Goddess, woman or man doesn't matter, and so the homosexual nature of their relationship is not something that arises trouble. It's more a question of vicious relatives that were almost convinced that Vasska would have never been able to find a mate. Beside, Bastion is an impoverished nobleman, he is cultured and pretty, so he is the perfect "bride" for the king. There is some "rebellion" from Bastion's side, who doesn't like to be treated like a pretty boy, but basically it's what he is, and the only thing he has to do his to be pretty and to love Vasska.

The story is not very long, less than 40 pages, and all the dangers Bastion has to face are always resolved quickly and without loss... but, truth be told, in so few pages you can't expect nothing more.

http://www.literaryroad.com/product.php?ISBN_num=683

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Jack is a 44 years old widower. Since the day his wife suddenly death he had a pretty quite, even if not exciting life: married at 19 years old to have get pregnant his highschool sweetheart, Jack has never had the chance to choice what to do; clever and with a lot of possibilities ahead of him, instead he had to skip college and became a carpenter to bring soon and fast money at home. He doesn't regret having his two sons, and he was fond of his wife, but he didn't love her; actually even that first time with her, when she got pregnant, was due to the fact that Jack was trying to understand his feelings for his bestfriend and buddy of highschool. Now twentyfive years later he is still at the same point, wondering if what he feels for Will is real love or only curiosity.

Will is 30 years old and wealthy. An easy life, he passed from highschool, to college, to work always knowing what he wanted and what he liked. He likes men and even if he is conscious that in his life of work his better not to flaunt it, endlessly numbers of one night stand prove that he has not problem to reach what he desires. But Will is in a moment in his life that if he doesn't slow down, he will be burn out soon. He decided to leave his multimillionaire work for six months and see where life brings him, instead of lead his life. And here he is, with a sudden interest for a man that usually he would never notice. Jack is not handsome, wealthy or powerful. He is a simple man who quietly listen to him and always seems comfortable with himself. Will feels good around him and would like to take on the relationship to a step up, but he even knows if Jack is gay or at least bi-curios.

The story could be simple and erotic, being a gay version of the rich woman who has a torrid relationship with the handyman, and instead Clare Thompson chooses to write it as an almost sweet romance, made of tender wooing and gentle encouragement. Jack is not the hot stud of every woman fantasy, he is an almost middle age man with plain feature and an apparently non interesting work. But Jack hides secret, like the fact that he loves beauty and he can create it with his hands; he seems rough but instead he is gentle and caring.

Also Will is a surprising character: I really believed for him to fail to proof of love... oh, yes, I was expecting my happily ever after, but I was sure that it would be Jack to bring it home. And instead Will revealed to be a very good seducer since this time his purpose is not to love them and leave them, but to assure him a man for his life.

And for who is wondering about that sweet romance thing, don't worry, this is a romance by Clare Thompson, and so, yes, you will have also the erotic part, and for me, it is one of the best erotic part I read lately.

One final note: I was really expecting Jack's confrontation with his family, with his two adult sons, and in fact I was counting the pages to the end to see if and when the author chose to write it. She did, but in my opinion, there is space for more, maybe another book where deepen Jack and Will's relationship, but also Will's relationship with Jack's sons, and why not, that of Jack with Will's world.

http://samhainpublishing.com/romance/handyman

Amazon Kindle: Handyman

Amazon: Handyman

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I don't know, but I have the feeling that Ava March wanted to prove that she can write an accurate gay historical romance... the previous book, Bound by Deception was really good, but, maybe since it was short, or maybe since it was only the starting of a relationship, when all the odds seem smaller, reader actually didn't indulge in wondering if there was historical accuracy.

Lord Oliver and Lord Vincent were in love, Lord Oliver deceived Lord Vincent but only for love, and at the end of the novella they were happily in love ever after... or not? At the end of the previous book Vincent admits to be attracted by men, and in particular to be attracted by his friend Oliver, but a lot of question are still opened; Oliver is still a destitute aristocrat that barely makes the ends meet, he has not the wealth or the means to allow him to be above the law, and he is to proud to accept help from Vincent. On the other end Vincent has the means, but probably not still the willingness; he has barely accepted his preferences for men, maybe helped by the fact that now he can satisfy them easily in the safe haven of Oliver's apartment.

But Vincent is not still at peace with himself, he still considers his desires as a deviance and since him first judge them, he has the idea that everyone around him are judging them. And so if previously Oliver, even if poor and out of fashion, had the chance to frequent Vincent in public as his friend, now Vincent limits their encounters to shabby places or in private. Now Oliver, other than feeling inferior due to his financial situation, feels like Vincent is considering him his mistress. So the happily ever after we thought they found at the end of the first book, is not so happily in the end...

And since this is the second book, the author now has the chance to deal with her characters in society... how they can remain inside the boundaries of the ton even after? The obviously and only answer is: they can't. The author decides to not use the easily short cut of making them both wealthy and noble, and saying that the law is not equal for all, that noblemen are judged with a different parameter; the only concession that the author does to the romance, and the romance reader, is to write that the heroes, and Vincent in particular, are still very young, 24 years old, and so the necessity to marry and produce an heir is not yet so imperative... and maybe it will never be, since Vincent is a second son, like Oliver, and if his older brother does his due, Vincent will have a change to become an old bachelor, with a very special friend by his side like Oliver... but never openly and always with discretion.

And so my final verdict is that Bound to Him is less pink glasses perspective that Bound by Deception, more realistic, and being so, feels truer, and probably will appeal to the more selective historical romance readers. Anyway, again, to be only a novella, the quality standard is very high.

http://www.loose-id.com/prod-Bound_to_Him-931.aspx

Amazon Kindle: Bound to Him

Series:
1) Bound by Deception: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/617430.html
2) Bound to Him

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Cover Art by April Martinez

My Vampire and I by J.P. Bowie

Marcus is an eighteen hundreds years old vampire. He was a roman warrior, son of a Senator, and he was turned when he was 25 five years old, so now he is a rather handsome vampire. He lost a lover in the past, but now he is again on the prowl since for centuries he is dreaming of a new lover and now is the time to claim him.

Roger is a 24 year old guy with a rather simple life. Good friends, a pretty cute image and a steady work, he is quite enamored with himself. But when he meets Marcus he suddenly falls for this handsome vampire, since he always has had a thing for vampires and co. But some enemies from Marcus' past are not so willing to allow him to rebuild a life together with Roger.

I think J.P. Bowie wanted to write a good mix between paranormal and comedy. Roger is the classical "queen": while Marcus is telling his rather sad story life, all Roger could think is how cool it's to have a vampire lover; while Marcus is trying to explain to Roger the pro and contro of turning vampire, all Roger could think is how well hung is his new boyfriend and how all his friends will die for jealousy.

Well, so,maybe I'm a bit too harsh with poor Roger: he is not a bad guy, he is young and in love, and then he has the chance to have a wonderful and immortal life with an hunk like Marcus, something he has never thought possible for an average guy like him.

Marcus and Roger's relationship is quite a master and pet's one, but Marcus is not a dom for choice, he is only the stronger in the couple and so he takes the lead. But Roger is quite an imp, iperactive and sometime naivee, very tender and cute.

All in all My Vampire and I is more funny than suspence, and for me is a good thing. I was expecting a more classical vampire story, a bit angst and sad, and instead it's a comedy where in the end neither the evil ones are so scary.

http://www.total-e-bound.com/3j5uso694076/Gay-and-Lesbian/My-Vampire-and-I/p-75-242/

My Vampire Lover by J.P. Bowie

Usually in a vampire story the Vampire is a strong and powerful man who lures and loves the innocent and naivee boy. My Vampire Lover turns the tables. Jean-Claude was a French artist of the end of the nineteen century; he didn't choose to become a vampire, he was seduced and betrayed by a man he admired, an artist like him. When he awakened as vampire, he was scared and helpless and his master abandoned him. A gentle and caring friend helped him to migrate to New World and Jean-Claude started a new life and also found the help of Marcus, who will be a good friend but not a lover.

Today Jean-Claude is drawn by Ron, a gentle man he sees every night from the window of his apartment. Ron manages the Italian restaurant around the corner and all in all he is a quite ordinary man, not someone who could steal the looks. But Jean-Claude sees something in him... I think he sees comfort and company, and also a man who can protect him! Yes, the vampire is lured by a man stronger than him. Obviously, Ron is stronger only if we consider the normal skill for a human, Jean-Claude is always a vampire, and he has special powers that makes him immortal and almost invincible. But still in their relationship, Ron is the leading man. As before with his friend Henry and then with Marcus, Jean-Claude is not a leader, he is the perfect picture of an artist, someone who can't relate with the day-to-day routine of life, someone who need a firm hand to address him.

My Vampire Lover is a little less funny than My Vampire and I, the two stories were released together in print form. But both are easy, smooth and enjoyable, not at all angst like so many vampire stories before.

http://www.total-e-bound.com/3j5uso694076/Gay-and-Lesbian/My-Vampire-Lover/p-75-252/

Amazon: My Vampire and I

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Cover Art by Anne Cain

The starting point of this novella reminded me an old Italian movie "Swept Away... by an Unusual Destiny in the Blue Sea of August" which was remade by Madonna in recent times, but I had in mind the old version. Two men, from different upbringing and education are brought together in a Pacific Island during WWII; their only purpose is to watch for Japanese movement in the sky and on the sea, and to tap into their signal.

Mike Dabrowski, low-class sergeant of Polish origin, is conscript for the mission to avoid the carcer: he was caught in the act doing an illicit cigars black market; actually it was not a so bad crime, and I believe that this only gave to his superior the right excuse to force him to an unusual mission like the one to babysit a snotty professor for three months. Mike is not the classical hero, strong and essential, he is more a good for the moment hero, one that do the best he could day after day, without planning the future. It's not even since he doesn't believe to have a future, it's more that he has never thought so far. Mike is not a bad man, but truth be told he doesn't excel in the mind compartment. Anyway he has some preconceptions on love and what is right and what is wrong, mainly due to his catholic upbringing, but he is also ready to let them apart when presented with the chance to taste the forbidden fruit, sex with a man. Mike is not even new to have feelings for a man, when he stops to think about it, he reminds his strong youth friendship with a guy who resembles a bit his professor.

James Hamilton is a Jewish mathematician who unlucky him knows the Japanese language, and since he is also a conscientious objector, he is offered with a chance to avoid the military service: doing his time in a Pacific Island translating Japanese codes. Actually of James we don't know so much, Mike starts from the beginning insinuating about his sexual preferences, but James does nothing to back that idea. He feigned no interest whatsoever for Mike, letting the man boil in his broth till the moment he is him to make the first move; at that point, James unveils to be the cleverer of the two, and obtains the things how he like them... Mike is quite played around, and I don't believe he realizes it. But all in all it's Mike's character that shine, and James remains a bit undertone, we don't really know for sure his reasons and dreams.

Putting the two men in a desert island easier a bit the author who can avoid almost all the implications of an homosexual relationship in the '40, if not for the ending that, truth be told, let me a bit perplexed... I wouldn't mind to see the two deal with the society. But I believe this is not the purpose of this novella, above all since the length of the book doesn't allow it.

http://www.loose-id.com/prod-Pacific_Nights-937.aspx

Amazon Kindle: Pacific Nights

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Cover Art by Marci Gass

I have some stories that are swirling in my mind that probably I will never fix, and so I was really happy to find this book, that in a way matches with an idea I had: a love story between an apparently "perfect" man, cultured and sophisticated and a "simple" boy, someone who has a special look on life, and a world all of his own in his mind.

Dane is a part time janitor in a private college and a semi-professional boxer. He is a little "slow", he was always like that and people never tried to see the world from his eyes, and so he often comes out as dumb or stupid. But Dane is a very special man, with a big heart, and sometime the world is better from his perspective, since he seems unable to see the nasty things of life. A retired boxer, Charlie, took care of him since he was a young boy, and even found him the job as janitor, and through the boxing he is trying to teach him how to be independent and to trust in his own possibility. And so Dane is not a sad man, and he is not really alone, but he misses the companionship of someone special, a "boyfriend". Dane is an handsome man, and if he wants to find easy sex, he has no problem to be picked up in a bar; actually he is so trusting and friendly, that often people take advantage of him. But Dane, even if easily fooled, always realizes when this happens, and time after time, it's becoming more and more difficult to bear it.

Dane decides his boyfriend will be Noel, the little and shy man he always sees studying in the library. Noel is a very beautiful man, but he is crippled, due to an accident he had when he was still a boy, and his leg often causes him great pain. He is living a sheltered life in the care of his father, his only parent alive, but he is almost a captive: his father forbids him to do everything, always telling him that he is too weak. Even if his father is always there for him, he is not a loving man, he is often lead by anger and Noel is missing the kindness of a lover. Giving their background, Dane a boxer and an "experienced" lover, and Noel a scholar and a virgin, you could easily expect the development of their relationship, but here arrives the nice surprise: Dane being so simple and trusting, becomes Noel's protege, and Noel, being for once the one to take care for another, gains a bit of trust in himself. Noel becomes the master and Dane the pet, and doing so, they rebalance their differences in body and strenght.

This is not an easy book to like, there are some points in which my "inner" self was sending me warning alerts, above all, having Dane obviously some "troubles", it was right for Noel to assume the role of the Master in his life? To this my heart replied that Dane has his own perspective in life, and he is well aware of what is wrong and what is right, and he chose to submit to Noel, but still I can't help to feel as if Noel is taking advantage of Dane. The really strange thing is that I never felt as it was happening the opposite, never once I felt like Dane was taking advantage of Noel thanks to his body strenght; it's true, Dane awakened Noel to his physical desires, but from the beginning, he did it in such a way, that it was always like Noel was only waiting for something to happen, Dane never imposed him anything. There is a bit of "gay for you" in this book, since Noel is not really "gay", he is a newbie at sex at all, but how he reacts to Dane's body, makes me think that, as I said, he was only waiting for the right one, and the right one happens to be a man.

The are other minor things that didn't ring right to me, like as they often use the "Daddy" naming for Noel, or when Dane often dismissed Noel's feeling for him, and in doing so, diminishing their story. I'm also not sure that I like how the things evolved with Noel's father and the sudden "revelation" on his past. And truth be told, I always felt "uneasiness" during the sex scenes, but maybe this is due to what I said above.

Now I'm sincere and I said what made me uneasy in the book, but they are all points that made me think, they are not points that I didn't like, and this is an important distinction; on the contrary, I think that they are exactly the points that made this book so interesting. And there are also some points that moved me, almost to tears, especially when Dane was alone and was thinking to his life and how he would have liked it to be. Dane is a very special and wonderful character, and him alone makes it worthy to read this book.

http://www.loose-id.com/prod-The_Janitor-941.aspx

Amazon Kindle: The Janitor

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Cover Art by April Martinez

Bound by Deception was an unlucky book in my reading list, it slipped day by day till the day I almost forgot I had it, and now that I read it, thanks to the release of a sequel, I'd like to knock myself on the head for allowing so. I knew that I would have liked it, I loved another book by Ava March, an Erotic Regency as this one, so why I waited so much? Mystery of my strange mind...

Anyway, Ava March, in this second book, but really her first book, confirms my previous idea of her: she is a very good erotic writer, but above all she is a very good Regency romance writer. Not Traditional Regency, it's obvious, but as many writers of the genre are saying, the Traditional Regency romance genre is languishing, and so welcome to a bit of fuzzy borders, with Mystery, Erotica and even Vampires! And yippie yippie yeah, the M/M Regency Romance! And don't worry, in Bound by Deception you will not find a damsel in distress disguised by in gentleman clothes, the men in it are both men, only that one happens to like to be a bottom, and the other one is a total top... but preferably on top of a man!

Oliver and Vincent had one thing in common, both second sons of the aristocracy, they met at boarding school. They became best friends, even if Oliver really never understood what Vincent found in him: even if second son, Vincent was from a wealthy family and he had chances that Oliver never had: a superior education, a small inheritance that he made thriving and above all a fine appearance and a bearing that Oliver total lacked. Despite this Vincent still considers Oliver one of his best friends, even if with the parameters of the time: a man he is comfortable with, with whom he likes to chat at the club, and a friendly ear that comprehends his striven to try to always please his father, a man that has never even acknowledged his presence in the room, since he has just the heir he needs. Actually I wondered how good the author was, creating a whole family environment for Vincent, without actually presenting any of the members of it, if not as names and outline shadows without cue, and at the same time rendering the desolation of Oliver's life, of whom we never once, neither in his youth memories, meet someone of his family. All Oliver's world turns around Vincent, since the day they met as children, and in the end, Oliver has to do something.

Other than being neglected second sons, Oliver and Vincent have something else in common, they prefer the company of men. But where Oliver admitted with himself who he is and what he likes, maybe since he likes to be on the bottom, and it's difficult from that perspective deny it, Vincent is still cheating himself with the lie that, since he is on the top, he is not really a sodomite; it's quite a weak excuse, but then, he has to use it only with himself, since never once Vincent shared his segret with Oliver. And Oliver happens to know it only since they frequent the same brothel and the same whore inside it. The deeply knowledge Oliver has of Vincent and his love for him, made the man able to recognize him in the words of the whore and now Oliver has a plan: for one night he will be in the place of the whore and he will finally have the night he wants with Vincent, without loosing their friendship... and here maybe is the only problem I had with the book, since I don't believe that a three days beard, long hair and the absence of the glass he usually wears, is enough to Oliver to not being recognize by Vincent. To excuse the author there is also to say that we are used to modern electric lights, and instead in that time there were candles and firelight, and plus Vincent is not absolutely expecting to find Oliver in the man he payed for sex.

This is only a novella, but it's a finely built novella, and I'm really happy to know that there is a sequel, even if, for once, I didn't find it lacking: all the pages and scenes were properly weighted and in the end, you had the feeling to read a longer book. A sequel will only add more and welcome details to a nice story.

http://www.loose-id.com/detail.aspx?ID=806

Amazon Kindle: Bound by Deception by Ava March

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Cover Art by April Martinez

This novel is an old fashioned fantasy novel; actually if not for the fact that is setting in a fantasy world and that the names are not real, and the events are imaginary, it could well be an historical novel, there aren't real "fantasy" event if not for the fact that some of the characters in the story have the "sight", the ability to see the illness inside other people or to foresee the events of the following days (but not too far from that).

The story is very long, and at the beginning it runs separately for the two main characters: Yveni is the heir of the duchy of Sardelsa, but when his father dies, he is too young to take the throne, and the regent decides to get rid of him; before the plan takes out, Yveni runs away, disguising himself as the poor son of a trader. At the same time, in a near kingdom, Paole is assisting his dying master; Paole is a slave and before arriving under the protection of his Master, he has seen many owners, and not all of them were good. Paole has developed an hard shell around him, and not even the gentle behavior of his last Master helped him to trust again. Even the fact to discover that his Master has freed him and made him his heir is for him another proof that he was only a slave, since his Master didn't trust him to be enough faithful to remain with him as a free man.

Spending his first year alone allows Paole to understand the need of company that his Master had, and Paole, that was taught as an healer decides to take an apprentice; and instead he finds himself with a slave. In his flight from the man who wants him dead, Yveni was kidnapped and sold as a slave. Even if he is almost 18 years old, Yveni seems younger and when Paole buys him, he thinks to have a little brat in his hands, not a young duke. Paole is not a noble man, but he has his principles; he likes men, and I have the impression that he like very young men, but he accepts their attentions only when they are given freely: being Paole an handsome man, and having very useful knowledge, when he is travelling from town to town, he is not against the idea to accept a different sort of payment for his services from the young men he meets.

Yveni doesn't know what to think of Paole; at first he sees him like a profiter, but more time he spends with him, more he is attracted by the older man. Yveni is very young, and he is very innocent, he was never awaken to sexual desires before; maybe he is attracted by Paole only due to the fact that Paole is there when Yveni starts to wonder about his sexuality, or maybe Yveni starts to feel something since Paole is the right object of his desires, and he has never before met someone else he was attracted to. Anyway there is a bit of sex in the story, but not so much, it's more a question of feelings and how to deal with them. The problem is not much that Yveni is attracted by Paole (it's not exactly explained, but I believe that in this fantasy world homosexuality is not common but not illegal), but more that Yveni is a Duke and he needs to marry to have an heir. And maybe another problem is that Paole, in their relationship, is the top dog, and being only a "consort" to Yveni is not enough for him: Paole is tired to be a "slave", he finally has the freedom he always wished, and now it's not simple to loose it to be again the "property" of someone else, if if this time it's a love bond.

I like how both characters change during the story, at first both of them are quite the imperfect heroes, one, Yveni, a spoiled brat, the other, Paole, a man who seems unable to have real feelings. The story is very long, also in a time space parameter, it lasts two years in the life of the characters, and so it's only right that they change during it. For Yveni it's also a natural change, he passes from being a teenager to being a man, and instead for Paole it's more a thing to understand what is really important in life.

http://samhainpublishing.com/romance/many-roads-home

Amazon Kindle: Many Roads Home

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Paxton's Winter is an old classical western romance with the twist to be a male on male love story. But if not for this twist, all the other elements of a good western romance are there: the wealthy and cultured southern man with more ideals than better sense who chose to live in the Far West were he can be who he really wants to be (and due to that twist here it means that he was in love with not only a man, but also a black man); then the villain decided that he didn't like our southern hero, Paxton, and killed his lover Maddox (who was probably an interesting character, but since this is a novella, he is already dead when the story starts). Paxton, obviously, like a good Far West hero is searching for vengeance and the villain, as much as obviously, hires a payed killer... well, a bounty hunter, Zane, but there is not much difference. And since this is a romance, the outlaw falls in love for the bounty killer.

The story even if short, builds a very nice set up: Paxton is maybe a bit too much a romance hero, I don't know how many wealthy southern gay men were leaving in the Far West, but lately I found often in gay romances, that the Far West was a common destination for those men who wanted to run away from the strict rules of society. So maybe there were more than I believed and then, in places where the life for women was not so simple, maybe it was not so strange or talked upon if two men lived together, four hands were better than two, and you also saved wood for fire during the winter!

Anyway, the love story between Paxton and Zane is easy and natural, without regrets from any side, and they start it like something more than friendship but not yet love; two bodies in a snowstorm searching warm and comfort. But Paxton has an easy way, he is so comfortable with himself, that Zane is hooked since the first moment. Paxton is very much the son of the wealthy family he said he is; it's quite clear that he hasn't had many trouble in his life, and maybe for this reason what happened to Maddox is even more terrible, Paxton is not used to the nasty aspect of life. Where in a way or the other we have a bit of background of Paxton and of his preference for the company of men, we don't know much of Zane; it seems that he is not new at having experiences with men, but we don't know what is his past. Here maybe the fact that this is only a novella weights a bit, since I wouldn't mind to know something more on Zane, he is quite the mysterious man.

There is sex, a lot, but not so detailed; it's more romantic than erotic, I had to read two time the first sex scene to really understand if they did something or not. Not that I'm complaining about it, sometime I prefer less than too much, and in a novella lenght, I prefer a bit of story that endlessly sex scenes.

http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/PaxtonsWinter.html

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Every book that makes you cry even once is a book worthy to be read, and A Note in the Margin made me cry from more or less page 50 till the end of all the more than 250 pages of it. And not that mild moving which warms you and predisposes your body to cuddle under a blanket on the couch, but that strong lump in the throat and big fat tears that you can't help falling from your eyes.

Someone could think that John is a self-centered man; a man wealthy enough not only to go to a doctor that prescribes him to move near the sea, a sea change, to cure his migraines (and let me say, even if I suffer from migraines, this is an ill that most of the people endure without doing nothing), but to be able to take an year off from his executive job and buy a bookstore with upstair apartment included. John actually doesn't move on with his live for a new adventure, since he is wealthy enough to maintain his work (sabbatical year) and his upper-class condo, he only allows himself an year to see if that strange medical prescription will work.

With the bookstore and the apartment, arrives also Jamie, the son of the previous owner that decides to continue to work for John. Jamie is young and gay, and makes pretty clear that he is interested in John for a friends with benefits relationship. No strings attached, only fun. And John in a way, confirm the first impression that he could leave to a reader, since, even if he has an on and off relationship with a woman, he jumps to the opportunity of a bit of fun with Jamie. It's obvious that John is not interested nor in his girlfriend or in Jamie, but he is not a man without heart, he is only not used to listen to it. There is something in John's past that let the reader glimpses something different and nice in this man, a past that maybe pushed John too much towards the pursue of success and let him forget what is really important in life.

From this first pages, the reader could have had the idea that the main story was between John and Jamie, and instead, like the author said, pay attention since the real story maybe is written in the margins. And the margins are represented by David, an homeless who has taken residence in one of the leather chair in the second hand section of the bookstore; so there are more meanings to that "margins", David lives at the margin of society, David is always present to Jamie and John first approaches, but he is at the margins of them, and David is not exactly a full-figured romance hero, he is more a marginal character that finally takes the full stage. It was not in David's persona to "impose" himself on someone, he instead tries to be as much invisible as he can, but Jamie's mother, the previous owner of the bookstore, saw something in him and forced the man to enter the bookstore and spend his days there. As John, David has a past that influenced his present life and that pushes him to try to disappear. David is not a crazy man who lives in his mind, he is more than aware of who he is become and he is embarrassed by it; but there is something in his past that made him like that.

Both John and David realize that what they are starting to feel for the other man is not a simple interest for someone in need, John cares for David in a way he has never felt for anyone else (for how much relationship he had, John was never in love), and David, with his skittish behavior and his proud, the only thing he has left, cares for John, even if he knows that John deserves someone better, even if that someone is Jamie.

I like as the author presented all the characters, giving to all of them the chance to be the main hero of the story, even Jamie. But the reader knows, from John's behavior, that is final choice will be David. For Jamie, John feels friendship and he is amused by the joyous behavior of the man, but for David it will be real love. Truth, John's first reaction to David was embarrassment, but he soon was able to see beyond the outside look, even before the man cleaned up enough to let him glimpse the man that he was before. The initial embarrassment of John was right and real, I would want to see you if you find a vagrant in your new shop, even if that man is innocuous and shy. But John is able to move on to that initial feeling, and even when he should have more nice thoughts in mind, his worries for David never leave him.

A Note in the Margin is a romance, but it's above all a wonderful novel, and I'm even more glad to see for it a really nice cover that attracts people more than drive them away. And so friends, go and buy this novel and read it in the metro, on the plane, during your lunch break! I for sure love it (even if I'm still in tears...).

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/currenttitles/noteinthemargin/noteinthemarginbuynow.htm

Amazon Kindle: A Note in the Margin

Amazon: A Note in the Margin

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This book probably wins the prize of most original book of 2009, and I don't believe that in the next nine months I will be able to find another book as original as this one. Maybe I'm wrong, and out there there are other transgender story like this one, but sincerely I have never stumbled upon them and so feel free to correct me.

Kendra is a woman; she is a beautiful woman, a woman her female colleagues at school "friendly" envy and his male colleagues desire; she also loves her work as fifth grade teacher and she is always gentle both with kids than adults. But Kendra is not exactly a woman: she is born with the body of a woman but with a penis, even if small it is always a penis and it works like that also. And so Kendra, who believes in true and forever love, has always thought that for her it's not possible to have it, and always lowered herself to be content with seedy and dreary relationships that clash with her persona and her work.

Then Valerian, Val, enter her life; the new principal of the school, from the first day he seems to fall over heels for Kendra. He is insistent but charming, he vows Kendra with flowers and music, and he treats her like the woman she felt. But Kendra couldn't believe that their story has a future, and always tries to dirty this true love making it only a question of sex.

I like the contrast between Kendra as a woman and her approach to love, and sex. Kendra is a woman in toto, the author is very good in describing her in front of a mirror while she is taking care of her, hair, make up and dresses. Not only that, the author spends time to describe her dresses, even her shoes, and all of this allow the reader to see Kendra as a woman. But, and this is strange, Kendra is also a "man", since what she has of a man, she can't ignore; it's a part of her that always remind her that she is not a "lady", that she is not allowed to have the forever love she wants. And so Kendra is a woman but also a man.

I like also Val, even if he has not the development of Kendra. He is the classic Prince Charming, and behaves like that; he is perfect and being perfect maybe he is a little less interesting than Kendra. But Val has a final turning that made me almost cheer up for him.

Finally my doubts: first I really didn't understand the final dark "turn", but maybe it allows to give a background to Kendra so the reader can understand why she is so eager to find true love; second I felt the second part of the story a bit rushed, like the author realized that she had only few pages still to complete and tried to packed all in them. I believe this would be even a better story with some pages more, but as it's, for me it is something you should try.

http://www.nobleromance.com/ItemDisplay.aspx?i=32

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Ava March is a new author for me, but I heard about her work in the past; she is an historical romance writer with the bonus that she writes man on man relationship, so she brings together two things I love so much. So when I saw that there was a new historical novella by her, of course I launched myself on it. And I'm not disappointed! I usually tag as "breeches rippers" all those stories where men dressed in thos frilly but so beautiful garments, and if one of the men proceeds to "rip" them off from the other man, even better. Not always this happens, but when an author manages to write a breeches rippers, with the rip part, without having the men loose their masculinity this is definitely a plus.

Henry Shaw is a country man; third son of an above the average but not wealthy family, he sought his own fortune in London. And then London was also the place where he can satisfy his secret "dark" desire easier than at home. Henry prefers the company of men, and he met a man, Markus, who not only was willing to teach him a thing or two about loving a man, but also introduced Henry to the most exclusive inner circle of London's best society. The relationship with Markus was doomed, but not since it was a man on man relationship, but since Markus was not an honorable man, and Henry puts honor among everything else. And this is the reason why Henry took notice of Arsen Grey, Marquis of Somerville. All right, Arsen was also an handsome man, but above all Henry was drawn by his behavior. Pity that Arsen was without doubt out of his league and also straight. So it was quite a surprise when Henry receives the invite to the one week country party holds by Arsen in his estate; oh, Henry knows that this one is not the classical meeting, but more a way for Arsen to choose his new mistress among all the ladies, of easy virtue, that will attend. And the other men will have the chance to amuse themself with whom will be not chosen by Arsen. But Henry is not interested in women, he has an unrequited love only for Arsen.

By the classical standard, Object of His Desire is a pure savage romance: the dashing lord, wealthy and handsome, a notorious rake but also a man of honor; the blushing country "virgin" (well, not exactly virgin in this case...) who has nothing if not his good look and his virtue; the unspeakable offer to be the kept mistress that obviously the virtuous country mouse will honorable reject... or not? well is this or not a savage romance? and our two hero are they or not both willing men? Once the boundaries of society are overcome by the convenient set of an orgy in a country house, and also by the wealth of the lord, what prevents them to enjoy the carnal pleasure? And so free rein to an erotic night that rivals with the best historical erotic scene I read (gay and not).

I like as the author manage to blend the rules for historical romance with the erotic elements, all mixed up with the gay romance. I like as all seems realistic, and how both men don't loose their role of men: true, they are in love, or lust, with another man, but neither of them is the "female". Arsen maybe is a bit more selfish, Henry maybe is a bit more respectful, aware of the difference in class between Arsen and him, but both of them are aware of their valor, and of what they can bring to their relationship. Pity that this is only a novella, since I wouldn't mind to read something more than one night in their life.

http://samhainpublishing.com/romance/object-of-his-desire

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Lately it seems that I read a lot of books that have a starting point similar to an Hollywood comedy movie, but since I love comedy, for me it's not at all a problem. And then some comedy I love more than others, like My Best Friend's Wedding, and not since I like Julia Roberts, but since I LOVE Rupert Everett, you can don't believe me, but I liked him even before is coming out, when he was a young actor in an old Italian movie, Cronaca di una morte annunciata.

Anyway in this story Davis is the classical good boy next door: gay and shy, he arrived at College still a blushing virgin and he was obviously swept away from the first good looking guy with enough patience to see behind his protective shield. Jack actually was not a bad guy, and he really liked Davis, and so, after deflowering the virgin, he also played the role of perfect boyfriend for four years, since the lights of New York called him, and he left without a good reason. Davis, poor guy, still loves him, and he has always hoped that, sooner or later, Jack will see a different light and realize that his true love is back at home. So when Davis receives a phone call from Jack announcing that he is marrying a man he met only two weeks before, Davis is sure that he is doing a big mistake and that he has to do everything to stop him. With his best girl friend in tow, he goes to Chicago with every intention to break Jack up from his future groom, Tadd.

Problem is that Tadd is every bit the perfect man, and Davis has no many chance to succeeded. But an help arrives from Alex, Tadd's best friend: Alex has his own reason to want to test Jack's love for Tadd, and then, it's not an hard work to feign interest in Davis, since the man is really cute.

It's the classical comedy of mistake, and also a whirl of possible pair: Davis-Jack, Jack-Tadd, Davis-Alex, Alex... well I need to leave a bit of mystery, needn't I? But even if there are different interaction between the men, the author manages to never actually making no one cheats on someone else: using different time level, all the possible couple are tested to allow the reader to see how they are together, but in the end, only the real one, the true love will conquer all.

I like the mix of high society party world with the small town tittle-tattle behavior of all the characters: even if Davis is plotting to do a very nasty thing, he never really behaves as a villain, and all his attempts are more funny than dangerous. In a way Davis is still that eighteen years old virgin boy who was starstruck by friendly and handsome Jack; doesn't matter if he left 6 years before, Davis is still waiting at home like a good little wife for her husband to be back home after playing around. Probably if Jack was a really bad man, the reader would have no doubt to whom Davis should choice, but instead Jack is really a good guy, maybe a bit selfish, but not so much to make him a nasty character. And so the reader has the same problem as Davis, he is unable to letting Jack go toward his new path.

http://www.loose-id.net/prod-Self_Preservation-882.aspx

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I have to confess that I have never seen Titanic before. Why should I witness to a story that is domed since the beginning? And then, truth be told, I cordially hate both Leonard Di Caprio than Kate Winslet. And so when I realized that this book, Ship of Dreams, was about a story on the infamous Titanic, and that the two main characters resemble so much the characters of Di Caprio and Winslet (even if Winslet in this case wears trousers...), I hesitated. But I'm glad that my hesitation lasted only a moment, since the book is very easy to read, and flows smooth, without any "iceberg" on the way, if not the famous one.

James is a young man who tries to gain his day one per one. He is a gambler, a liar, probably also a thief. But he is not a real evil character, he is more like so many men of that period, that if lucky managed to build a good life for themself, and if not, well, they didn't remain in the history books. James is not a real criminal, he hasn't real malice inside.

Will is the only son of a widow who has only him to whom lean on. Probably Will knows who he really is, who he really likes, but it's not an option for him: he needs to marry a good woman, someone that can help him to take care of his mother, someone with whom he can walk among the good society. His late father and now his mother have great expectations for him, and he needs to be up to them. But when he meets James, he is even more sure that he is living a lie.

Will and James's relationship is easy and simple from the start. They recognize each other as twin souls, even if from the opposite side of society, they are similar; there is no need of words, they are like two magnets. But strange is, there are no words at all between them: they don't talk of the future, they don't analyze the consequences of their acts, they don't think of possible ways to be together... it's almost like they know that there will be no future for them, that their story is domed, and not only for the obvious reason. The ship is like a small world outside the time, and the people in it behave as if their life is only the one they are living on that ship. I have this feeling not only for the two main characters, but also for the other supporting characters in the story, in more chances than one, there is someone who is asked about the future, and he/she didn't answer in a right and clear way, but remains vague.

There is a suffused sadness during all the story, but in spite of this, the book is not tragic; even when they reach the climax, the moment when they are forced to take a life change (or ending) decision, the characters, and the story with them, continue to have this quite and sad behavior. Yes, all in all, this is not at all an happy story, but I like the feeling, it gives peace and hope at the same time.

Side note for who likes the historical accuracy: of 329 First Class passengers, 199 survived, 60% of them (all the story is setted in First Class, no hint to Second or Third class whatsoever).

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I had in the past the chance to read something by Ryan Field, and his style is like some of the other gay romance authors out there that I believe are in the field way before it became the last trend. Ryan Field is like Bobby Michaels, Gavin Atlas, Nathan James, Thom Jaymes... if you don't like your sex explicit and very detailed, and apparently (but mind you I say "apparently") without romance, you probably will not like his work.

The premises of the book is exactly the same of the Pretty Woman movie the title refers to: Ronald is a very wealthy gay men, 45 years old, in New York for only a week to participate to some charity events he is promoting. One year before Ronald saw his 20 and more years lasting relationship with Kenneth end since Kenneth dumped him for a very very younger man, and he decided to sell his family business and early retire in Florida. Ronald is an handsome man, but he looks his age: he takes care of his body (he owned a skin care business, so he needed too) and he likes pretty things, and he considers his body a pretty thing too. He is not a man not aware of his potential, but probably living with a man who needed more attention than him, left him a bit unsure of his sexual power. When he is back in town and accidentally meets Kenneth in a shop, the first thing he does is to promptly hire an escort he only met some minutes before.

Josh is not the usual escort; oh yes, he is young and hot, but he is way stronger and clever than expected. He works by day in a bookstore with his ex-wife, hoping a day to be able to buy the shop. Now don't get me wrong, Josh is not at all the intellectual type, he is all in all the classic sex on legs. He is a totally top, he works as an escort as side job, but he doesn't consider himself a man to be ordered around: Ronald could be the one with the money, but he is not the one in charge. And this is exactly what Ronald needs, for once to be the one to be taken care of, to be pampered and cherished as a treasure. Josh in his all alpha male behavior, has also the other characteristic of an alpha male, the one that makes him a good leader, who always has in mind the good health of who is under him (pun intended...).

Now let me say that there is a lot of sex in this story, even a foursome that at first let me a bit perplexed, but all in all there is more romance in this book than expected. Both characters are not so simple as they appear at first, they have a good development, and always behave as I would like them to do from a romantic point of view. It's obviously a pink glasses point of view, not really realistic, but well, I'm reading a romance, am I not? It's obvious that Ronald is wealthy and that he can do things and buy things a normal man couldn't, it's obvious that the situation in which the two heroes meet and live is not ordinary or realistic, but it doesn't matter to me, since they behave as they have to do in a romance... well, maybe with a bit more sex than necessary, but you can always face it as I did, a nice break in the story ;-)

A side note to the setting: with fast and nice details the author recreates the atmosphere of New York in a so good way that I almost felt like I was there with them, walking on the street or perusing the shops.

http://www.ravenousromance.com/panamour/pretty-man.php

Amazon Kindle: Pretty Man

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Beau is the classical country boy, and he likes so. He has not dreams to go away, he wants to buy the garage where he is working now, and the big house soon out the town, and build a big loving family like the one he has. If he wanted, he had the chance to go to college, to leave the small town where he was born, but he had a taste of the big city and he didn't find anything there that for him compares to the life he just has. It's quite obvious that Beau has never had something bad happen to him, but well, why we have to make him feel guilty? Lucky him that he can still face the world with so much faith in good things.

Mason is a city boy who is stuck in Dixon, Alabama, since his car decided that it was not made for driving in a country road. The diagnosis is more than a week only to wait for the necessary parts, and then, maybe... It is not that Mason is eager to arrive to destination, witnessing to the five marriage of his mother is not first on his list, but what can he do in Dixon? there is no wireless internet, no special restaurants... but well, there is Beau and his charming question, "Want company?" when he said that he was going to bed...

Beau is like an hurricane, he is always happy and Mason feels guilty everytime he says something nasty that for a moment shut down the light in those eyes: how can you kick a puppy?. And so Mason is starting more and more to avoid to say nasty things, and always agree to every crazy idea Beau brings on... even maybe accept to live in small town Alabama!

It's quite a fairy land the one described in this book, I don't believe that in deep Alabama exists a place like Dixon, where you can be openly gay, accepted by family and folks, you have the chance to have enough experience to know what you like, and you can think to marry another man and adopt children... but it would be nice if it was real. In that small town, Beau can dream, and he can be sure that his dreams will come true sooner or later; he can fall in love in a week, and his love can be mutual. In fairy land, Mason has enough money to not worry to give up to his ordinary city life and move on in a place where even an internet connection is a problem. But well, this is a romance, and finally a romance where everything goes right, where you know that your two heroes will fall in love, and that nothing will intervene between them; and so when the book is leading toward a final very similar to "An Affair to Remember" (the movie), you will know that, in a way or another, there will be an happily ever after.

http://www.ellorascave.com/productpage.asp?ISBN=9781419919565

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At the very end of the nineteen century, Ashley is a young man who is struggling to find something to eat on Christmas' Eve. He carved some wooden figurine, hoping to sell them as Christmas ornaments, but people pass him without seeing the poor young man. Desperate to find any possible buyers for his wooden carvings, Ashley decides to burn them for a bit of warm. But the small fire is not enough and Ashley slowly descend toward a certain death for cold and hunger.

Oliver is a Danish doctor in London to visit his sister. He is wealthy and handsome, but alone on Christmas' Eve, since he prefers the company of men and he haven't never found a discreet man to share his life. When he sees the lovely young man on the street, his first thought is to save him from death, but when Ashley is again healthy and awake, Oliver could see that the man is very pretty and gentle mannered. The obvious consequence is brought on with a nice sexy scene, maybe a bit too "modern minded" (lotion in the bedside table of a guest room which is hosting a sick person?) but nevertheless very romantic.

Ashley is pretty and cute, he obviously needs a man to keep him, he is not able to take care of himself. Oliver is gentle and caring, almost a fatherly figure. The story is very nice, also Oliver's family (a sister and her husband) are supporting and happy that their relative found a nice man to share his life. So in the end, everyone is happy, and this is a Christmas tale, which reminds me a lot "The Little Matchgirl", so the happily ever after is expected.

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/advent.htm

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Cristian is a graduate student who is still starving in a small apartment with dead end jobs. For Christmas he works as salesman in a big department store, trying to avoid the unwelcomed attention of the store manager. But when he falls from a ladder in the middle of the store destroying a lot of Christmas lights, the manager doesn't think two to fire him, even if the customer who caused the accident tried to defend him.

Logan, the customer, is so sorry for what happened that brings Cristian to lunch and meanwhile listens to all the young man's trouble. And so he offers him a two days job to decor his huge mansion. When the two are alone together, Logan realizes that he would be happy for the young man, not only to decor his home for the Christmas season, but also to fullfil it all the year.

All right, this is a nice sweet romance (no sex, merely a kiss) that can only happen at Christmas or in a Cinderfella tale: how many chances you have to find a wealthy and kind Prince Charming in a department store? please if there is an aisle for them, signal it in big letters! Joke apart, the story is nice, tender and heartwarming. A bit naivee on Cristian's side, he is so innocent that sometime he is almost too much to be true, and Logan is maybe a bit to perfect, too much Prince Charming alike, but all in all this is a Christmas romance, and so miracles happen.

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/advent.htm

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Who is the poor boy of the title? Reading the blurb you can expect that rich boy Roy is the lucky one, and hustler Scooby is the poor, but in this tale what you expect is not all what you get.

Roy is the classical spoiled brat of a too wealthy family. His mother is a drunk who killed a family while driving; the money of the husband saved her from prison, but not from her problems, and now she is an empty shell. His father is only preoccupied to avoid for his son to be on the first pages of z-rated magazines, and not to avoid for his son to have reasons to be on that pages. His brother was killed one night while trying for the endless time to convince him to come back home instead of going away with his addict boyfriend... Apparently there are no hopes for Roy to redeem, and actually no reasons. When his father finally kicks him out, obviously his boyfriend does the same and Roy is on the street, like the two kids of the family his mother killed were so many years ago.

For Roy is like a falling to hell, in a world he has never been, neither in his worst period. A world were you can be killed on a street, but also where only the poorest help the poor. And so it's only Scooby, a young hustler, who offers an hand and a shelter to Roy. But Scooby for Roy is not a stranger, in him Roy sees the boy his mother orphaned and his father didn't help, and so, even if he is not even capable to care for himself, Roy decides to take care of Scooby. Scooby is an hustler, but it's not like what Roy did with his friends and for his friends is so much different.

It's not even a love story at first, Scooby latches to Roy and he sometime does with his brother Clark, a man who would like to have a life of his own, but can't since if he leaves, for Scooby will be the end. In a way Roy wants to prove also to Clark that he is able to provide for Scooby, but Roy realizes that he can't do that alone, and he also realizes, maybe for the first time, that he is really alone: no more father to pay him out, no more boyfriend to throw in the face of his father, no more brother to help him; Roy is all alone with Scooby, a man who is too unstable to be of any help.

The story is till too much real and cruel, but the world in which Roy ends it seems almost a metaphor of the dark side: it's described in a way that makes it feel full of shadow and with an endless night, and when Roy, for brief moments, escapes it, it's like if all of sudden the light breaks through. Roy's quest for taking Scooby away from it, reminds me some mythological fall in Ade with the hero who tries to save his lover. Nor Roy or Scooby will escape without scars, some old, some deep, and it's not like in the end all is perfect and the past is behind them, the past, the hell, is only meters away and the path toward the full light is still long.

 

So, in the end, who is the poor guy of the title?

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A very nice little Christmas tale, 29 pages.

Eli works as salesman in a chic deli. One night, few days before Christmas a man enters the shop asking for Fruit and Cheese for a party of ten. He is brisky and detached, but Eli in a way, sees also a bit of shyness in him. Luke, the man, is obviously wealthy, limousine and classy dress, but he seems also alone; he is not handsome in a classic way, but Eli is drawn by him, by his aurea and maybe by is unexpressed help request.

In the days after, Luke comes back time again time, always asking Luke to collect chic food treat for small parties, and probably the reader is expectiing from Luke to invite also Eli, but the request never arrives and Eli always looks with perplexity the limousine go with Luke inside. But Christmas is near...

I really like this short story, a mix of Cinderfella and Christmas Carol, with Luke in the guise of a modern Scrooge. Above all I like that what draws Eli to Luke is not a physical thing, Luke is not an handsome prince charming, but probably is something deeply, a need to comfort and cuddle a man who seems to have all and instead probably has nothing.

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Mark Antonious is a bit of a Tom Jones character. Setting in England in 1713, it's the story of the wondrous adventures of Mark, an orphan who was raised by his uncle in a farm, never knowing who were his real parents. When he is 19 years old his uncle decides to take innocent Mark to London, to visit a dear cousin. The woman is an beautiful middle ages woman with a son of the same age of Mark and a husband always away to his duty toward the Parliament. When Mark enters the big London mansion, his fate is signed: that very night he is deflowered three time, first the mother, than the son and finally the father. Our poor guy has his life twisted, but at first he is almost willing to become the toy of the lustful family. But when he discovers that he is the bastard son of a Venetian patrician and an English opera singer, he suddenly feels necessary to go and find his root. He "whores" himself during a country party to some different English aristocrats (two dukes, a lady and a baron) and raises enough money to reach Italy; during the way he employs an Italian prostitute as interpret, bodyguard and lover.

Francesco is shocked and enthralled by this young man that is not aware how much beautiful he is and how much exposed to danger. Francesco is a man who is used to live day per day, he followed his lover to England only to be dumped and appeals to what he does so well to gain his life. But to Mark he is beginning to feel something more, even if the boy is still like a child in a candy store, and everything he sees he wants, soon and fast. It's not that Mark doesn't love Francesco, but Mark loves, and needs, to be desired, to be the object of lust of so many people, women and men alike: being desired by so many make him feel better to have been refused by his parents so many years ago.

Mark blames his mother to be an "easy" prey, but he himself is not better. It's true that, after he starts to feel love for Francesco, his chosen profession becomes a burden, and probably he will not go on with it if his "customers" were old and unattractive, but since he seems to draw only beautiful men and women, why not? And when he instead wants to "experiment", he involves Francesco, to not let the man alone... All right, I believe that you have understood that Mark lacks a bit in moral, but well, he is so shamelessly pretty, that I can't be too hard with him, and then, don't forget that also Francesco is not a saint.

Anyway, while other men in his same situation, passed through a lot of nasty thing, Mark passes only between a lot of sheet in his adventures, never lacking for food or roof thanks to his good look. And so more than a life discovery journey, he makes a sex discovery escapade.

Mark Antonious deMontford tells the story of an ancestor of the modern Mark Antonious, main character in Capital Games. And yours truly Elisa was Italian language consultant for Francesco, who is also from Padua like me: I didn't know that the novel was an historical so if Francesco said a bit too much "bello mio" (it's correct but I don't know if they used it in the XVIII century), it's all my fault! But all the other words he said are perfect :-)

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Series:
1) The Physician and the Actor: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/154682.html
2) For Love and Money: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/101976.html
3) Secrets and Misdemeanors: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/180102.html
4) Capital Games: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/210160.html
5) Love You, Loveday: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/288895.html
6) When Adam met Jack: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/300519.html
7) Mark Antonious deMontford

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I had a very good history teacher in high school; he didn't teach us history through date but through the words of people who lived in the period we needed to study. I still remember the word, but not the name, of a writer who told his World War I: it was the war that changed the way of make war; before the WWI there were knights and the war was made by men; after the WWI there were machine and the men were only numbers, bodies to slaughter. Young men went to war with dreams of justice and came back, if they came back, forever changed.

It's not said why Sutton and Jack went to war, probably for the same reason of most of them, since it was the right thing to do, but now they are back home and home seems different, a place where they don't know how to live. Sutton is from a wealthy family, and he has still chances in his life to be someone, his family sends him to college but he is kicked out after a liaison between him and a teacher is discovered. Sutton has no face to be back home, probably since he still doesn't know what to do in his life... probably Sutton is wondering why a man like him, with forbidden desires in his mind, was allowed to come back alive when so many others lost their life; Sutton doesn't think he deserves that.

In New York instead Jack knows what he wants from his life, he wants to ail on radio, but he has also to pay off a lot of money he borrowed and his store is not doing well. Plus he is still recovering from the nightmares he brought back from Europe. He has no problem with the fact that he prefers men, since he has none intention to make a family and he is more than satisfy to spend his free time, and his few money, with his friends at night... anything to delay the time in which he will be alone in bed. Wasting all he has and behaving like a idleness is only a way to prove to himself that he is not worthy of something better.

But when Jack meets Sutton in the worst moment of the man's life, he has to help him... save one now since he couldn't save more then. Truth be told, Sutton and Jack help each other, Jack giving Sutton a shelter, and Sutton playing the piano for Jack's radio tune. And at night they again help each other, Sutton finally finding a man who doesn't fear to love him, and Jack having someone beside him to hunt down his nightmare. It's an easy and tender love story, not passionate declaration of undying love, but more the meeting of two lost souls. All right, maybe there is not graphic sex, but only since all happen behind closed door, and even if we don't see anything, the sensuality is all over the book, in the way Sutton looks at Jack when he wanders for the apartment, in the way they awake in the same bed still embracing each other and searching comfort, in the sweet smile of Sutton who thinks that Jack is the best man in the world, and in the good heart of Jack who knows that he has found a treasure and cherishes him.

You can say from the first pages that this novel will not deceive you and so you will happily loose yourself in the more than 300 pages, knowing that, at the end, the romantic in you will be happy.

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Cover Art by Lorraine Brevig