Broken is, as expected, a story very heavy in the angst side but not overtly dramatic. I poured my one tear or two, but basically, I think the story was more sweet than anything else, and I really enjoyed the fact that it was "physical" without being sexy. Let me explain a bit: both main characters, Eli and Alec, are very aware of each other in a physical way, the love between them is both a match of minds than bodies, and all around them there are people who are in different stage of relationships, but the novel never goes down to the details, never once there is a full sex scene, even if, more than once, the men fall asleep together (and you will have to read the book to know what I mean). So yes, the novel is physical, but it's not sexy, we and they are aware of the men and their sexuality, and so no, this is not a "sweet romance" as the old romance rules state (no sex we are English...), but it's sweet since the author manages to maintain it on a balanced level, not too much of that, not to few of this. Eli is recovering from a trauma, his life partner was killed in a gay bashing, and 2 years after his impromptu family, the lesbian best girlf friend of his former partner, and two gay roommates they were living with, think it's time for Eli to come out from the self-imposed "widower" mourning. Ilsa in particular decides to take the matter in hand and rent the attic of the house where they are all living to Alec, an American writer and Psychology professor who is searching a place to live in London, after moving from Chicago due to another one of his "usual" heartbroken. Just from that you can understand that Alec is not exactly the classical psycho-therapist, that let me say, I sometime find boring: when a man has all the answers, I think he is not a nice character. Alec, instead, I think he is a man who learns how to understand and comfort people, since he wanted to understand his own fears and doubts. When one of his relationships fails, he moves to another city to completely change his life; it's a run from reality, but he knows it well. And I think that Alec has also some self-esteem problem, he always thinks that the relationship fails due to some fault from his side... unlikely, but the human mind works in a strange way.
Anyway, when Alec meets Eli, he is the only one who understands that Eli has not the need to be pushed out from his mourning, he needs to be taken by. Eli is almost ready, he only needs to find a reason, and maybe the reason can be a new love, Alec. Obviously when you hide to Eli that Alec is a psychologist, and more he is specialized in after-trauma, well, you also understand that troubles are behind the corner.
Eli and Alec are very nice characters, well developed and likeable. The story between them is nice and sweet. What probably is the best part of this novel is that they are not the only ones to be good characters. They can be the main focus of the story, but all the supporting characters around them, from the most important ones, like Ilsa, Lyle and Tony, Eli's roommates, to Casey, Mirabell, the best girl friends, to even the cameo roles like Dray, Reggie and Ray, they all have an interesting background story, they all aroused my interest and made me wonder about them, about their story and its possible evolution. Broken could be Eli and Alec's love story, but it's also a choral book where all the characters have a very important role.
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/p
Amazon: Broken
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The Rainbow Awards: Third (and last!) Phase: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/85035
Cover Art by Paul Richmond
Even if he now would never admit it, Tim knows that when he met Con for the first time, he found his true love. Problem is that Tim at that time was 10 years old and Con only 12; they still hadn't reached the phase in which someone wonders about being straight or gay, and they had only an year to be together. They were both in boarding school, but then Tim's parents died in a car accident, and Con's father had financial trouble and he went to live with his grandparents. Still they remained in touch, first with letters and then with emails; Con became Tim's internet friend, someone always present, but far enough for Tim to not feel threatened.Probably Tim was already a troubled boy, being sent in a boarding school at a so young age didn't allow him to form the first important emotional bond in life, the one with your parents. And the the accident and the various foster homes didn't help either. Tim repressed all the feelings of abandonment and sadness and became a control freak. He has to have control in everything, above all in his own feelings; as I said, Tim just met the only person in the world who can find a breach in the walls he built around him, and that person is far from him, he even controls that weak side of him, knowing in every moment where Con is and what he is doing. Tim starts to date women, since it's expected from society, but he knows that a woman has no chance to pull down his barriers and so he is safe with them. This is not a "gay for you" romance, first of all since Tim, deep down him, knows that he is in love with Con, and second since Tim is a full-figured virgin, in any meanings of the word: he has never allowed anyone near him enough to tolerate a physical touch.
But now Con has invaded his space and started to work on that breach. He is in Tim's apartment, in Tim's life again, and he is too huge: not only in the physical meaning of the word, but also to an emotional level. Tim freaks out, he feels his control slip out for his hands. What I like of Tim is that he seems unable to be nasty with Con; he is sharp and edging, but he always tries to do the right thing with the man. True, when Con has to go away for a period, Tim tries to rebuild his walls, but at the same time he tries also to understand himself better and his feelings for Con; when everyone around him already knows that Tim is gay, Tim has still some hope that this is not true, since if he is gay, he is in love with Con and he is in big big trouble.
The book is not so simple that the "little" realization of being gay allows to our hero to happily walk hand in hand toward the sunset (don't get mislead by the cover...). That is only the first step and maybe the simpler, it's only stating the obvious; if till this point the book was almost funny (with sentence like "after a month he was always sure to be more gay than not"...), now it turns in something more complex and moving. Even if Tim is a doctor, he has still huge mental barriers that don't allow him to admit that he needs the help of a specialist; on the other hand Con, even if a real good man, is a firefighter, not a therapist; but he tries to help the man he loves, he tries to be supporting and sympathetic. I really like as he comes out as character, since the reader can really understand that he is not like that, he is not for real an always careful and cautious man, but he knows that he has to be like that for the good of Tim, the man he loves... and when he momentarily forgot, the real Con comes out, with his requests of a puppy (when they are both men with eclectic working hours) or for Tim's to take cooking classes (when the man has already his days full with his job and other bigger problems).
Both characters are wonderfully rendered, but Tim comes out in full force. I was really taken by this man that apparently is aloof and detached, but instead has so much to give: I was almost regretting that it was not allowed to these two men to live their childish love, to grew together and being always happy since that tender age... but probably they would have been not able to realize the beautiful love story that now they are living. By Degrees is a very good novel, that mix romance, eroticism and a bit of drama, but that has also a funny core that always warms even the more angst scenes.
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This is a very little jewel. Martin is an american doctor who travels to Cuba on a research mission. He is 32 years old, latin-american with only the appeareance of latin man and all the attitude of an american. He has suffered for love and doesn't want to take another risk. But the very first day he meets Alexei, a twenty years old guy, all love and need.
Alexei is like a stone puppy: do you think this is a strange definition? but no, cause he is strong and determinated but also wants desperately a lover like Martin. A tender and caring lover who can give him an hope for the future.
Even if Martin tries to negate also with himself the growing feelings for Alexei, he cannot leave him alone and when Alexei searches for him, he will run to him, like a knight in shining armor.
I hope to read more by Lee Benoit, cause this Single Shot has left me with a strong curiosity.
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I usually don't read reviews of book I have in mind to read myself since I don't like to be influenced in my judgment. But the eyes sometime caught something, and I'm true, I look out with more attention when it's a new author. So as soon as this book was out, I read a very negative review for Horizons by Mickie B. Ashling and I was a bit surprise, since from the blurb and the quality of the publisher, I was really interesting in reading it. What last more to me of that review was the critique on the lack of research in the specific matter, the College Football environment, and the too emotional behavior of the main heroes. I will give mine own opinion in both matters further on in this post. Jody is a 33 years emergency doctor in an Oakland hospital. He is out and proud to be and he was helped in being so by a supporting family, which not only accepted him when he came out but also helped with good advice and love all around. So Jody had the easy way and the only bump in his gay life was a fated love story with Rick, a man Jody met when Rick was already HIV positive and who died three years after their relationship started. But despite the heartbreak, it was nevertheless a good and fond memory, since Rick was a good man, a man who helped Jody in the transition from sheltered gay teen at home to gay man exposed to the big bad world. Again, Jody had it easy, Rick was a wealthy and respected personality of the San Francisco society, and Jody was not exposed to the harshness usually reserved to a young man coming out. So even if Jody is 33 years old, I have the feeling that he is a bit "naive", a bit pampered from life: it's easy for him to be out and proud, he has never witnessed the negative implication of it.
Clark is a 23 years old college student and gay in the closet. He came from a very conservative family, the fifth of five sons. His father is a jailor at Folsom, and he is the worst homophobic man you can imagine. He brought up all his sons in an homophobic environment where he described gays like the worst sinner and perverted people. When Clark realized that he has different feelings towards men, sexual feelings, he was not easy for him to reconnect it with what he was listening at home. He was still at that stage in life where you are too young to question your parents words and so he really believed that he himself was wrong in his desires. To add shame to shame, he has Attention Deficit Disorder and his father dealt with it with the same obtrusive way, ignoring it. Since Clark was good at football, the fact that he was not good at school was not a problem, it was all right to have a dumb son, if that son had the change to bring home a lot of money using his body instead of his mind. Again Clark has not courage to question his father's beliefs, and his ADD problem is another proof that he is wrong, in more way than one.
When Clark meets Jody, the young man has big behavioral problem. He has not self-esteem, he thinks that his only worth lies in his body strength, any possible damage to it is a damage to his future. The smallest injury is a drama, taking drugs to help him concentrate is not to be discussed. Plus for Clark is the first time he has the chance to meet a gay man, and for him it's like meeting with an alien. All right, at the beginning, and maybe even during their relationship, Clark comes out with some sentences that make me cringe for how homophobic they are, but I believe in that moment his Clark's father speaking, not the boy. Both men sometime ring wrong, like they are out of this world, but I believe that, in Jody's case, it's the way he has always had it easy in life, and for Clark's it's that I'm not used to speak with homophobic people... and I'm not saying that Clark is homophobic, I'm saying that he talks like one because he was taught to be like that.
It's true, both men are quite emotional, but it's not like they are crying every page or so. For Clark then I believe it's a way to react to his inner struggle; he has always to behave like this big and strong jock, he has a lot of turmoil inside, and he doesn't know how to come out from the trap he is in. On the other side, Jody only comes to tears when he has a very personal involvement, when he thinks that his story is slipping away from him; again I think it's only a natural way to react to the situation.
And then the big trouble, the fallacy on the timing of the Football season. First of all, I'm not an excerpt so I can use only the few I collect on the web. From what I read, the College Football season starts the Labor Day and ends at the beginning of December. The book didn't exactly says what time it is when the story starts, but Clark has a bone injury during a game (he is in full uniform) and he is stopped for a month; than there is a period he visits Jody after that month, then they starts to meet once/twice a week since Jody is tutoring Clark, and more or less at the third meetings it's Thanksgiving (end of November) and Clark says that his season is over. I don't believe there is a so big fallacy in the timing, it's possible that Clark was injured during an official game, he was out for a month, then started again but his team didn't make the finals, if so, it's possible that at the end of November the season is over for him. What probably it's not so believable, it's that being stopped for a month during the game season didn't worried so much nor Clark or his father. But truth be told, all the aspects related to Clark's life as football player, games, trainings and so one, are not so much detailed, not in comparison to other sports themed novel I read. Only once we witness to a game and never once to a training. So yes, maybe all the sports side of the novel could have been better, but I think it doesn't matter so much since it is not so essential to the story: the essential point is Clark's desire to be a professional player in a big money sport, the sport itself in this case is football, but it could have been baseball or basket or something else for that matter.
What instead I found unsettling at the beginning, but that then I think it makes the book even more original, it's the different point of view of the heroes. The book is not a total first point of view, it's like that only when it's Clark's time to think and speak, for all the rest of the characters it's a third point of view. As I said, at the beginning it's strange, also since I found that Clark was way more too overanalyzing. He spoke of himself as if he was another person, like he was the third point of view narrator describing the main hero. Since I started with an idea of Clark and a dumb jock, it was strange to "hear" him speak like that. But more on the story, I understood that Clark was in a coming out process, that he was analyzing his life and his beliefs to find the courage to do the right think.
All in all I think this is quite a particular novel, since it's not following the "normal" standard. To like it you have to put yourself inside the characters, trying to judge their action not by your standards but by their own. For example, Clark being a 23 years old student and Jody a 33 established doctor, it's something that lead you to believe them being at distance, in expectation and behavior; but as I said, Jody is almost "naive", and Clark is in a growing process, and so the distance is not so big, and it's almost a non existent factor. For normal standard this is wrong, but if you think like the characters it's not.
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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.
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Texas Hold 'Em by Carol LynneThis is the first book in a new series by Carol Lynne, the Poker Night series. As the title suggests, it's the story of a group of six buddyfriends who meet every two saturday at the home of one of them, Zac. All of them is an ordinary man, with an ordinary job, more or less of success, but all of them with a thing in common: they are all gays. What probably the author would like to pass to the reader is that being gay doesn't mean being "different", and above all being a stereotype. Zac, Marco, Kent, Trey, Bobby and Angelo, from different culture and family social status are exactly like all the other single men in the world, they are more or less interesting in having a comfortable house, a nice place where spend time with good friends, and possibly a nice man to share all of it. As Zac said, looking at his garage apartment, being gay didn't automatically turn him in Martha Stewart. But Zac was raised good by his mother and so it's funny to see him reprimand his friends when they "use" his house as a crashing point, and he directs them as a mother hen; Zac is a high school football coach and he has the tendency to be a director also in his private life. And this is the reason why, maybe, when he meets Eric for the first time, he immediately plan an attack strategy, and when he has caught the "prey", he tries to direct him as he does with his friends.
Eric is a young doctor who is doing his internship while at the same time he is trying to pay his student loans. He has also a side job as pizza delivery guy and so he matches the strange hours he does at the hospital with the even more strange hours of the pizza delivery thing. There is something in Eric past, in his family origin, that forced him to behave as a workaholic, and this is not a good thing, since Eric stretches the concept of responsible guy into almost being a maniac. While I actually found a bit overwhelming Zac's tendency to be the dominant partner in their relationship, I found his behavior more excusable than Eric. Zac is a bit insensible, maybe also a bit obtuse, but Eric is totally stubborn; and for a doctor, he is not exactly behaving in an healthy way.
Being this the opening book in a series, other than Eric and Zac's story, we have also a glimpse on the future characters, and from my side, I'm quite interested in reading Trey and Dr Peters' stories (not together, I believe Carol Lynne has two different partners in mind for them). Eric and Zac's story is good, there is a right dose of conflict, that are almost immediately resolved, all the course of the book is very fast, in this respecting Zac's behavior that is, as I said, quite overwhelming. I have the feeling that Zac, other than being dominant in his personal relationship, he is also dominant in his everyday routing: he is the mainstay of all his friends (who, in fact, gather at his house), and so it's right that the first story is about him; I have the feeling that he will be a center characters in all the future stories.
Nice start for a promising series.
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Slow-Play (Poker Night 2) by Carol LynneThe second in the Poker Night series is a nice may / december relationship, even if, apart telling the age of Jules, 43, there are no other hints that Jules is older than is lover Bobby.
Jules is an handsome and lonely doctor, and also a very wealthy man. The money doesn't come from his work but from family; apparently Jules was born in a lovely family and he grew happy and confident. At college he met his first love, and lover, Morgan, and they were fated to be happy together. As all the young people believe, they thought to have a life in front of them, and Jules devoted himself to his studies and career. But when he was only 27 years old, Morgan died in a car accident and Jules was left only with remorse. Worst, both his parents than his sister died for illness, and he, other than with remorse, was left also alone. It's a bad joke of destiny that Jules, a good doctor, was unable not only to save his lover but also his family. From all these tragedies, Jules comes out as a sad but still good man. He is not angry with the world, he is only disappointed of himself. He now devotes all of him to the hospital he works in and when he is at home, to restore old classic car: I don't know, maybe restoring old things that were fated to die gives him some peace, some relief from his sense of guilty.
Bobby is one of Zac's poker night friend. Like Jules he was born in a wealthy family, but unlike Jules, his parents were not supportive of him. He soon detached himself from them and tried to make his living restoring an old yacht to take around tourist. Only that he had money trouble, and his brother bought the leasing from the bank. It's was not a brotherly love gesture, instead he is now treating Bobby as an underpaid employer. After all this, Bobby has not a so good opinion of men coming from money, but Jules seems different. Actually it's not Bobby who brings Jules out of his mourning period, it's Jules who takes the chance to live again and talks Bobby into a relationship.
There are not much contrast between Jules and Bobby, their story flows nicely and easily. I like that the money factor was never a problem and that Jules has never tried to buy Bobby's love, not even unintentionally. The only few troubles between them are aroused by their respective misunderstandings, and they are all things they can work through with a bit of patient. Again the overall feeling is of a series about ordinary men living in ordinary places, the problems are common to most people, money trouble, past mistakes... and the solutions are simple as the problems are. The first two books in the Poker Night series have also a low drama profile, something that maybe will change in the third book, from what I could understand from the closing scene of this one.
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Cover Art by April Martinez
Finding the Words is a nice book since I found that the characters are real thanks to their many faults. Ryan is a speech therapist in an University Medical Center. He is recovering from a broken heart: his younger lover (Ryan is 35 years old, Jeff is 25) for the umpteenth time cheated on him, and even if Ryan still loves him, this time he isn't willing to forgive. The strange thing is that the author manages to not give nor to Ryan or to Jeff the fault of the breakup. On his way, Jeff loves Ryan, only that he is really convinced that monogamy is not for men; even if from my point of view he is on the wrong side, it's clear that the author didn't want to make him a negative character, and after all, from what we are able to see of Jeff, he is really a nice guy. Maybe this is the reason why Ryan is not able to forget and forgive, he is really in love with Jeff and for him love means exclusivity. Again, it's strange, I'm all for Ryan's point of view, but the way he shut down Jeff in a way made me more sympathetic for Jeff than for Ryan. And then, even if with a broken heart, Ryan is more than willing to fall in love again so soon, Jeff's side of the bed is still warm! Well, lucky him that he finds so soon a good man.
Andre is a patient of the hospital; a divorced men with two grown son, at 46 years old he is just getting used to live alone again. And then the health issue that leave him with a body and speech handicap. Apparently Andre is a very nice character, he is almost cute when trying to speak again, and even if he is older than Ryan, he has to lean on the man for almost everything, and this makes him even more cute. But there is something more behind Andre, I'm not totally sure that he is a really strong man, even when he was in full body capacity. Andre was married, but he had doubt on his sexuality; maybe he was not exactly in the closet, he has never had homosexual experience, but he was curious. He even planned to met with a man when he was still married... all right, Andre's wife is not exactly the epitome of nice woman, but still, I don't know if I like so much a man that was willing to cheat on his wife. In a way, Andre is not so different from Jeff, and Ryan decided to leave Jeff.
But maybe between Ryan and Jeff there were also other problems and the cheating was only the more evident. I have the feeling that Ryan always doubted on the possibility to have a future with Jeff, deep inside him he knew that Jeff was not the one. And instead I didn't feel the same when Ryan is with Andre. True, Andre maybe is not perfect, but so is Ryan; as I said the story is interesting just for this reason.
Another strange thing is the apparently lack of sex even if the story is pretty erotic. Ryan is a very "physical" man, he has naughty thing, and he has no problem to take care of himself when he is in need. So we have a lot of solo sex scene, but in the end not even one with Ryan. Ryan's relationship with Andre is very intimate and tender, but not sexy; erotic maybe, but not naughty. All in all the story is not too dramatic, but neither light: being Andre inexperienced with men, it would have been easy for the author to put one or two sex scene with a naughty core, and instead he decided to leave the mood of the story to a more chaste level, almost familiar. In a way Ryan and Andre's love is mature and comfortable, like it's probably right for their age (more Andre than Ryan).
http://www.aspenmountainpress.com/romanc
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Cover Art by Amanda Kelsey
Hershie’s Kiss (Campus Cravings) by Carol LynneAnother little step in the Campus Cravings soap opera. We just knew that Charlie, the supervisor of the all gay KB dorm, and Jack, the retired Marine and now cook, were lovers. And we also knew that, after an hot encounter on the kitchen table, Jack disappeared.
Now Jack is come back, with a fifteen years old son! And Charlie doesn't know if he is ready to be a lover AND a stepfather... plus Charlie has the impression that Jack is ashamed of him: they go pretty well on bed (and actually on any other surfaces) but Jack never once asked Charlie out. And Charlie has had the same experience in the past, with his family, a family ashamed of a blind son... or not? Since Charlie, who was always convinced to be a pure African American man, discovers thanks to Jack, that maybe this is not the real story: green eyes and straight hair don't match good with a pureblood African American. And so Charlie finds out that there is a secret in his past and he needs to go back to Los Angeles to investigate; he also needs Jack's support, but the man can't leave his newfound son alone...
As always, in a Carol Lynne's book, there is a lot of sex, a free enjoyment of life and a big social issue; in this case it's the relationship between a blind man and his lover, but also between a single gay father and his lover. Both problems are dealt with a light hand, not much angst in this story, but as always it's rather enjoyable. And as always we have the chance to meet the next heroes in the series, Theron (the last "straight" standing on the Demakis brothers) and Michael.
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Theron’s Return (Campus Cravings) by Carol LynneIn the fictional college town where Carol Lynne sets her gay soap opera, being gay is the standard and straight men are scarce. And so now it's time for the only straight of the three Demakis to walk on the dark side.
Theron is the older, the wiser and the smaller on the three brothers. He is also the one who self-imposed himself the task to produce an heir for the Demakis family, giving that both his brothers are totally gay. On that matter, Theron is not totally straight, he liked men in the past, but he prefers to take his gay escapades in the closet.
When Michael, one of the residents of the gay dorm founded by Demitri Demakis, is raped, Theron volunteers to be his psychological help. But when the young guy starts to develop a sexual interest in him, Theron runs away: he can't be tempted. Only that for Michael this is a once more rejection he has not the strenght to overcome.
Michael is a young and friendly guy, but for how much big he is in body, he is very fragile in soul. He is also very young, always pampered by his family, and when for the first time he needs to walk alone, he is not ready and falls. He obviously needs a fatherly figure in his life, and Theron is just there, just that figure he needs so much. It's not very fair for Michael to unload a so heavy charge on Theron, but he can't avoid it.
Theron is not so clever as he seems. Being the older brother he takes upon himself the task to be the pater familias, but maybe he didn't realize that it's not necessary, since his father is still very good at it and has never expressed the need to be replaced. In a way Theron hides behind a finger, he tries to substitute his being smaller and less charming than his brothers, with being the wiser.
The story is pretty enjoyable, maybe a bit too simple, since in reality I believe it would not so simple to come out from all the problems (a rape, family pressure, moving in a new place, changing work...). And then I would really like to find a greek conservative family who has not problem in having all of its three son being gay... But well, as I always said, we don't expect reality in the gay soap opera by Carol Lynne.
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Buy from Amazon: Campus Cravings: BK House
Series: Campus Cravings
1-2-3) Campus Cravings 1: On the Field: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/13379
4-5) Campus Cravings 2: Off the Field: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/16506
6-7) Campus Cravings 3: Back on Campus: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/23255
8-9) Campus Cravings 4: Dorm Life: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/30557
10-11) Campus Cravings 5: BK House
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This is a classical thriller story but with the hand of a woman in the doing, and so it doesn't lack of romantic elements. BUT this doesn't mean that the thriller part is not strong and cold, but it's a neat cold, not bloody and messy like sometime it's if the writer is a man. Sorry, but I'm really convinced that you can recognize the hand of a woman or that of a man, as I'm convinced that there are "limbo" zones where it's almost impossible to distinct. In this case I felt the hand of the woman when the characters got sentimental, when they share their feelings, when their dreams all in all convoy in having a suburb home with a dog in the back garden. Or maybe this is only the ordinary and the thriller author I read in the past lacked in describing it.Jack is the good guy of the story, probably the only one. He is a surgeon in Baltimore, a divorced man who realized later in his life that he prefers men over women, and he is a so good guy that he managed to get a friendly divorce and rebuilt a life of his own. Now he is quite the workaholic type, even if sometime he indulges in his pleasure. He has not a bad life, and probably with time, he will also improve it, adding the above-mentioned home and dog, and maybe also a partner. But all of this crashed down when Jack witnesses to a murder and he is the only one who can recognize the killers. He is taken into custody waiting for the trial, and relocated in another city... all his life is shattered and he has no hope to regain it.
Enter D, an hit man with a personal code of behavior: he only kills people who deserve it. Since he is the better in the field, he can choose, and what he doesn't want to do he passes on. But this time he can't refuse, he is blackmailed into killing Jack. Only that when D meets Jack, he really isn't able to kill the man, the innocence of the man is clear in his eyes and D is tired to let people die due to an event that isn't their fault. So D turns from enemy to protector, and he appoints himself the only protector of Jack. He kidnaps the man and runs all over the United States with his precious load.
The two men are at the opposite: Jack is open and friendly, without any secret in his past, who he is, is plainly displayed in his face. Jack is not a temperamental man, he is quiet and serene, he is the classical doctor that inspires you trust. Jack is upright and trusting, he doesn't hide his feelings and he is easily hurt since he is so open. But Jack is also unable to hold a grudge and he is the perfect partner for D since he is able to see behind the facade D presents to the world.
D is not cold and aloof as he seems; he doesn't even choose to be who he is, someone else at the beginning of all made that choice for him, and D followed the path it was presented to him. Times ago, D probably had the same dreams of Jack, of an home and a family in some nice places. Then a tragic fate, something he has no guilt of, shattered his world, and D claimed himself an avenger, and in his own particular way, he tries to correct the fate for whom has no guilt. And sometime he kills the one he judges guilty.
Where Jack is gay, and has already made his path out of the closet, D is still in the limbo. He is not actually in denial, since he simply excluded any personal relationship from his life, both with women than men. When he meets Jack, he is more drawn by the innocence of the man than by the man himself. In a way, their relationship is another joke of the destiny, since probably D would have fallen in love of a woman, if she was as innocent as Jack, but since he met Jack, Jack is the object of his love. D becomes Jack's protector, and Jack becomes all D's world, from not feeling anything, D passes to feel even to much, and all his love is poured on Jack.
As I said there is a lot of emotion flowing throughout the novel, and also some very nice sex scenes, but there is also a good level of tension, and the novel is also very long, and so we have also the chance to reach an apex, slowly come down, and suddenly reach another apex, all the time with some new details and events that maintain a fastpacing rhythm.
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/current
Amazon Kindle: Zero at the Bone
Amazon: Zero at the Bone
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Cover Art by Paul Richmond
I believe this is the first long novel by this author, and I believe also that Addison Albright should be young and very romantic, so you will have to overlooking to some sharp around the edge things and to the abundance of sugar in the story... but well, in a romance titled "A Dream Come True" what would you have expected of different?The book is totally nice! Is a mix of nice coincedence, of nice friends, of nice familiar situations, of nice living quarters... But lets start from the beginning. Wes is searching for a room near the hospital where he will be a ER doctor at his first year. He has just lost three places since he was out and proud, but it's is nature, Wes was also a LGBT rights activist at college. Now he decides that in the next place he will fly down, at leat at first. But when he enters Mike's house and meets Mike, there are very few doubts that the man is gay, first nice coincidence. Mike is not only gay, but he is also from the same small town of Wes and they went to the same University, second nice coincidence (at least they didn't majored in the same thing, Wes is a doctor, Mike is an engineering). But... Mike actually remembers Wes from that time, since Mike was not out in college and he had a secret crush right for Wes, third nice coincidence. Not only that, Mike's little brother and Wes' little sister were at college together (even if they didn't know of Mike's crush for Wes) and now they are engaged to marry!!! All right at this point I decided to stop the count of the nice coincidences and enjoy the book.
So where were we? Wes meets Mike, Mike seduces Wes, Wes marries Mike... ah, no, this last thing actually doesn't happen, it's Greg that marries Marie, and Wes and Mike are the groomsmen. Anyway when Mike sees Wes on his doorstep, he sees his dream comes true and it doesn't take too much time for him to drag the man in his bed. It's not actually a real steady relationship that Mike is searching, he is quite happy with the life he has, it's more the fullfillment of his secret fantasy. Mike is living in a tight knit circle of friends, where everyone knows each other, and where everyone is safe and well informed, more or less everyone inside the circle is one time or the other being involved with someone else, and they are happy like that. So when Wes enters the picture, Mike is quite sure that he can bring along his way of life, having one of those friends living with him.
But fate has other plans for them, and the discovery of their soon to be in-laws relationship pushes Mike to come out with his family, a thing he has always delayed. Coming clear with his family makes Mike wonders about his life; he realizes that he like to have someone to come home to, he likes to have someone to go bed with, he likes to have someone to wake up with... in short he likes to be in a committed relationship. Truth be told they are still at the beginning of this relationship, I would like to see them in a year or so, when Mike will start to suffer from Wes' crazy shifts, a thing that for now Mike finds "endearing", since it allows him to take care of "his" man like a good little wife...
From the realization that, without ever they wanting it, they are now in a real relationship, the novel moves very fast downright in a sea of sugar, gay friends, gay relatives and acceptance arrive from everywhere and everytime you turn the corner, it's almost like now that Mike came out to his parents, he sees all the world from a "gayous" perspective (pun inteded); they are all so polite that I was really wondering how a good like and a nice pink glass perspective the author has on the world, since she seems unable to be bitter or nasty. It's almost refreshing to read something like that, it puts you in a very dreamy mood. The nice spicy to the story is the sex, that is a bit kinky and a lot funny, almost always sweet and never too much, refreshing as all the rest of the book. So yes, this is a very nice first attempt for this author, but be warned, don't read it after eating chocolate, it could be dangerous ;-)
http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?m
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True North is one of that typical story setting in a small town, where everyone knows what his neighbor is doing; the only difference, and maybe what made it so nice, is that is setting in Canada, and so Julian and Jack's love, even if not totally in the open, it's at least accepted and also facilitated by relatives (Julian's sister and Jack's mother).Julian is originally from the small town, but he went to study medicine in the big city, and for a period he lived there. The life and some bad experiences, and his sister, convinced him to come back in small town, since life is easier and love is more available. Jack is not from there, but he is from another similar small town in Canada, and he likes this type of life, with its slow rhythm and the easiness which you make friend: everyone is out to give an hand if necessary, and Jack is not less than the other, he carpools the sons of his friends, he plays on Saturday in the only pub of the town, he is famous as a gentle man but prone to accident.
And so, when for a countless time, he ends in hospital, Julian patches him up and not only; since everything is simpler, it doesn't pass too much time that Julian and Jack are a steady thing, even if at first there are some misunderstandments. Julian doesn't hide the fact that he is gay but neither flaunts it; Jack instead has no problem to admit that he prefers the company of men, but he is still in the closet with his mother, and so he prefers to be very discreet. Jack is not a bad guy, but Julian needs to be accepted in all he is and he needs to "hear" those words of acceptance, since he was scarred in the past. Overcome this problem between them, there is still one question or two, but all in all their story is settled and fated for an happily ever after.
The really original touch in the story are all the female characters, some with very important roles, like Roz, Julian's sister, or Flo, Jack's mother, and someone else with lesser roles, but not less interesting, like Brenda, the owner of the pub, or Bella, Jack's aunt, or Hallie, one of the kid Jack carpools around... if you think well at it, this book, even if it's about two men, it's full of women! But in this way I have no problem, they didn't interfere with the two men... or at least, if they interfere is to bring the two men together. At the end, Julian and Jack have to share the scene with all these women, and sometime the women stole them the scene.
True North is a really nice book, tender and easy, without too much angst but with a very comfortable feeling.
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/current
Amazon Kindle: True North (Lost Boys and Love Letters)
Amazon: True North
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For sure Cheryl Dragon in this book mix a lot of different things, coming of age, psychic powers, past life and historical little escapades...Steve and Alex were best friend in high school; both gay, the two boys approached sex in a very different way: Steve did everyone he could have and instead Alex restrained until college. Both of them knew that they loved each other, but Steve didn't want to ruin their friendship and Alex didn't want to be one more castoff of his friend.
Years later Steve is recuperating from a sex addiction, something that led him to be a willing participant in a rehabilitation center. Now it's six months that Steve is "chaste", but he is only able to avoid sex, he doesn't know why he has the impulse to search it everywhere; and when he finds out that his best friend Alex is back in town, and that he is a psychiatric, he decides to ask him help: it's obvious to Steve and to the reader as well, that Alex is part of the reason Steve is searching, and it's obvious that they will not have a normal relationship patient / doctor. And so it's, since from the first time Alex and Steve mix sex and therapy, with Steve that relives his past life only to find out that in every one of them, he was in love with Alex: two crusaders in the Middle Ages, an harem girl and an eunuch, two officers in the Regency England and a white man and a Native American girl at the end of the nineteen century. In this way Steve will find out why he has this urge to have sex everytime and everywhere and as much as possible, and Alex will help him in his healing process... or maybe he only volunteers to be the main obsession of Steve!
The plot is quite original, even if I would like to read more of the present life of Steve and Alex, and less of all that past life, that we haven't time to deepen and in this way felt too far away. And maybe for a sex addict like Steve having sex since the first encounter with Alex is not exactly something a doctor like Alex would do... but well they were expecting so many years that probably they didn't want to wait more.
http://www.loose-id.net/prod-Back_for_Mo
Amazon Kindle: Back for More
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Cover Art by Anne Cain
Jonah has worked hard to find a way as far as possible from the small town in which he is born. He is now a successful gay novel author and openly gay man... but not with his family. The few times he comes back home, he returns the brooding teen who never found the courage to tell his parents. But this time, coming home for the Hanukkah holiday, he is firm in his decision to coming out... until he discovers that Ethan is staying with them for all the week; Ethan, the perfect son of his neighbors, the man to whom his mother always compared him, the successful doctor... how can Jonah compete with such perfection?And then the unthinkable happens, not only Ethan is hitting on him, but he is also out and proud, and his mother seems to have no problem with that... but before Jonah could do anything, a family heirloom, a wooden box, disappears and at the same time, all the town is under a snowstorm, and Jonah's family, complete of an uncle, an aunt and three cousin, are blocked inside the home. Ethan and Jonah decide to play the role of Sherlock Holmes and Watson, but they seem more Miss Marple... everyone seems to have an enough good reason to steal the box, but an important clue will lead you to discover the culprit before the two heroes.
This is a light romance, and even with the little mystery, it's mostly funny; Jonah is the classical repressed teen who never found his way out of the hell who was his youth, even if he went far from it: he is still that young man who was starting to realize that he wanted someone he shouldn't do, someone like Ethan. A mother a bit too present and always worried for him probably didn't help, but Jonah couldn't see past his fears, and didn't realize that his parents loved, and love, him. Finding out that once more Ethan was the perfect son he wasn't, coming out to his parents, doesn't help. To not build an altar to the perfection of Ethan, it has to be say that when they were young, Ethan did a not so nice thing to Jonah, and this caused to Jonah to go through some very nasty moments, confirming his idea to not come out before leaving town.
There are some really funny moments, like when Ethan suggests that Jonah's mother would be more upset in discovering that his son smokes rather than discovering that he is gay, and when that happens... well you need to read the book to know what happens. This novel surprised me since the previous I read by the same author was good as well, but not at all a light comedy like this one: this book is the proof that, even writing light comedy, you can do a quality work.
http://www.loose-id.net/detail.aspx?ID=8
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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.h
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Seth is dumped some days before Christmas on the phone. It's not a good start to face Christmas alone, above all since Seth was planning to spend Christmas with his lover. To add physical pain to the emotional, Seth has a stupid accident the day before Christmas and he is now in the ER... but maybe not all is bad as it seems, since the nice doctor who is tending him is also handsome and funny, with his fake reindeer antlers on his head. But while Seth is wondering how to approach the man, a nasty woman with a ten years old boy arrives to the ER to dump the doctor's son...Noah is out and gay, and what it could be the worst event in his life, it came out with the wonderful thing possible, his son Brady. And now on his ER there is a nice man that he would be glad to know better.
It's all about good feeling in this Christmas novel: Seth is a nice guy who will love to have a family, Noah is a nice doctor with a family ready for Seth and Brady is a nice boy maybe a bit too old for his ten years. There is no drama here, the only nasty thing is Noah's ex wife, but since the reader should not feel guilty for her to spend the Christmas without his son, it's only right that she is a bitch, so no one is unhappy. Things flow easily toward an happily ever after that it's almost too good to be true, but then, it's Christmas time!
In 50 pages of good feelings, new author Bethany Brown writes a very nice Christmas story.
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/advent.h
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At the beginning of the twenty century, Jack is a young Englishman in Santorini; he is following a dig near a church and he makes a stunning discovery: the tomb of a man; the burial seems to be prehistoric, but there are remains from all over the age, till the last, an eighteen century coin. The peasants are murmuring of evil, the tomb was not in a holy place, and the body was chained. But Jack is not a man who can be scared by superstition, and so he takes with him the skeleton, actually freeing it from its "eternal" rest.Then Jack begins to receive strange letters from a man named Belas, a man who promises to Jack fame and fortune in exchange of very little from him: his blood.
The story now resembles a bit the myth of Eros and Psyche, with Eros pretending by his spouse that she never looks at him when he visits her at night. Belas asks to Jack to wait for him at night, blindfolded and naked, ready to satisfy Belas' desires. But probably Belas also satisfies Jack's desires, since the sexual attention of Belas are not unwelcomed by Jack. And even when Jack realizes that Belas is killing people in the village, he can't blame the man who is searching his vengeance; in the contrary, Jack offers himself as weapon for Belas' vengeance.
But then enters Gabriel, a young doctor. Gabriel fancies Jack, and he is convinced that Jack is suffering from madness... Belas is not real, it's a figment of Jack's mind, and what Jack imputes to Belas, in reality are Jack's actions... who is right? Is it possible that this is not a paranormal event, but only the oddity of an ill mind?
The story is very well written; it's a very good mix of paranormal and historical, letting the reader wondering till the end about the true nature of the tale. In the end Jack is only a man with a deep need of love, a need he brings with him since he was a child, a need that he tries to fulfill in everyway... Belas, Gabriel, are only tools for his trìhirst of love.
Belas could be real and if he is real, he is a man who has suffered for so long that his mind is cloudy with pain; if he isn't real, he is only the true nature of Jack, the passionate and outspoken man who Jack has never had the courage to be.
Gabriel is the man who bears the sin of his fathers. He is not a bad man, but he is too avid of fame; probably he, in a way, really loves Jack, but he is not the man who can save Jack, he is not enough strong.
At almost 300 pages, Revenant is an historical / paranormal / mystery romance... all genre are mixed together in a very good way.
http://samhainpublishing.com/books/reven
Amazon Kindle: Revenant
Amazon: Revenant
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Cover Art by Anne Cain
This is a classical light comedy, the type that, if it was a movie, you would go to see with your friends to enjoy a night with a smile.Tai and David are together since two years. Tai is a 28 years old medicine genius: of Chinese origins, he left San Francisco for New York to pursue his doctor career and he met David, ten years older independent financial advisor. Their first chance encounter turned in afternoon of sex; for Tai it was something extraordinary, actually he never had before a serious sexual relationship, and instead for David it started like an enjoyable one "afternoon" stand, to become the love of his life.
Now two years after, Tai and David want to legalize their relationship and decided to sign a legal partnership and to celebrate the event with few friend. Unexpected arrives the call of Tai's mother, a woman who refused to talk with his son when she discovered his homosexuality, and that never once has admitted that David is Tai's partner. Now she wants to come to New York for his son's "wedding". Obviously the event is not a joyous one, the woman, when decides to recognize David's presence, treats him like the "daughter-in-love" arriving also to pretend that he wears a red wedding dress! It's quite funny to see David, older, bigger and with an authoritative behavior to be treated like the "woman" of the couple.
The story is not long, less than 80 pages, but it's very enjoyable. All the three main characters, since also the mother is a main character, are well developed even if the story is short. It would be interested if the author decided to bring along the story a little more, in a way closing the circle with the real ceremony... but maybe she is thinking to write another book? Who will wear the red dress?
Really beatiful cover by Les Byerley even if maybe the second man, probably Tai, is a bit too muscle to be a lean chinese man.
http://www.ellorascave.com/productpage.a
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I have always liked the myth of succubi and incubi: if you have to die, what best way there is than due to too much sex? A succubus is a female demon who sucks your life during sex, and incubus is the male version. Usually they come by night in your dream, and the victim doesn't realize during the orgasm that he is dying. As I said, good way.But Duncan is a strange incubus; he has a lover, a man he apparently loves, and he tried two time in the past to save his life. The third time he is not so lucky, and even if he brings the man to Pete, an ER doctor with an irreproachable record of no lost patients, this time he doesn't manage to save the man. Duncan is lost in his pain and he latches to Pete.
Pete is a sharp man; in his line of work he sees the most horrible things, and to do at best his work, he has long ago decided to not being involved at a personal level. So his day as careless gay man are far away in the past and he has no time for Duncan, even more since the man arises in him not only desire but also fear and a wish to run away as soon as possible. But the lure of an incubus is strong, and then this incubus in particular is a very handsome and big (in all the important thing...) man, and making sex with him puts Pete to sleep due to exhaustion, and sleeping is something that always avoided Pete in the past... Duncan is better than a sleeping pill and more pleasurable.
As you can notice, I took more in the funny side of the story, than in its apparently demoniac side. Even if there is a sad death at the beginning of the book, Duncan's previous partner, since we don't know him, and what we know about him is not so sparkling, I feel very little for him and don't regret too much his departure. More interesting are Pete's attempts to drive back Duncan, and Duncan easy and sexy prowl for a new lover.
There is also a little cameo sex scene with a female succubus, but don't worry, her involvement is very marginal, and almost irrelevant: and how could not be so, when Pete has finally Duncan naked in a bed, how could he give any attention to a woman? (am I a little acid in this last comment? :-) )
http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/Cr
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In a futuristic world Levi is a survivor: his parents were almost slaves in a mine planet and when there was a riot in the planet, first his father, then his mother and sister were killed. Levi was sent in another planet and in the end adopted by a family, but he has never forgotten what he has seen. And his only purpose now is the unveil the hidden truth the corporation which owns the mine was so good to hide. A young reporter with a personal mission, he meets Tiergan, a young doctor in a free clinic in the poorest planet in the Galaxy. Tiergan is the imagine of the devoted doctor, but he is a strange man, once passionate and full of attention, and next aloof and almost sharp. While Levi digs on his story, he finds that the story is bigger than expected and that Tiergan is involved in some way... There is a strange dichotomy in this story: the setting is futuristic, and usually this leads to quite unbelievable events, where all is simplified by technology and where feelings sometime are detached by bodies. For example, Tiergan is a doctor, and the machinery he uses for his work are implanted in him... But this story in particularly has a very earth to earth feeling in it; the world where they live is not aseptic and detached, it smells and has a dark aurea around it, it's not shining and glittering like the shuttles that fly in the sky.
Apart from the story which starts the book, the riot in a mine planet, the loneliness of a young boy and the work of a mourning doctor who wants only to help the poorer, what gave me the feeling of reality was also the relationship between Levi and Tiergan, above all the small details. It's not much the sexual act per se, but more what happens next, how the lovers see each other, how they look at the small details of the other, like a spent penis, or the small scars in the sleeping body next to him, or the smell that pervades the room after sex.
Astrid Amara works more on the details than in the big futuristic picture and she is very good at it. Usually I'm not very fond of futuristic genre, and usually it takes me a lot to finish a book, and instead I devoured the almost 200 pages in only one night.
http://www.loose-id.net/detail.aspx?ID=7
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Physical Therapy (Cattle Valley 5) by Carol LynneWith this one Carol Lynne manages to make me cry. Maybe in these days I'm particularly weak, maybe it's the hot night and they are not tears, but sweat drops... but well, while I'm writing this, my eyes are blurry and I continue to blow my nose...
Matt was an army paramedic in Iraq. He saw a lot of things that no one should see, not one time, but day after day. His only friend and support was his fellow army buddy Danny. Danny was wonderful, handsome and nice and straight. But being Danny straight didn't prevent Matt to fall in love with him. But Danny died, in the only day Matt was not with him, and obviously Matt is torn with guilty.
Now Matt is living in Cattle Valley, he is the town new physical therapist and he is living in the above garage apartment of the two town doctors and lovers, Isaac and Sam. Sam is 52 years old and a very quite man; he likes his works and likes his home; comfort and peace are radiating from him. Isaac is 47 years old and a bit of a bull; strong and always in motion, maybe he is too much for Sam. And here is the problem: Sam and Isaac are together since 25 years and Sam always wondered if he is enough a man for Isaac; not that he ever doubt Isaac's fidelity, but well, he has always tried to accomplish every desire of his man, even when it was against his mood or wish. And now here there is a 27 years old man, handsome and nice, and in dear need of help. Sam wants to help him, but at the same time he fears that, allowing Matt to enter their couple, he will lose Isaac.
Well, I hope that you understand that I didn't cry for Sam's dilemma, but for Matt's journey to be able to move on his war trauma and the lost of his friend. Carol Lynne pushes all the right bottoms of emotion, the same bottoms that make you cry even if you are aware that you are reading a book, and that all you are reading is only fiction, but still you cry since you unfortunately know that what you read is not only fiction, but it happened and maybe is still happening somewhere in the world.
And now, after my emotional breakdown, I also want to try to analyze another aspect of the book: why when I read of a threesome between two men and a woman I hardly like it, and when it involves three men it doesn't bother me? I'm fully aware that I have a prejudice, and I also believe that it's a feminist thing (please, male friends don't shoot me, here I'm admitting one of my weakness...): since in my culture, the woman gives birth and the woman is identified with family, when there is a woman in the threesome, it's obvious for me that she is the center of the threesome, and at least one of the two man, if not both, depending on her. So when there is love between the two men, I feel the woman like an intruder, since I'm always expecting that she will broke the male bond. In an all male threesome, without this strong female figure, they are all equals, and I think they can build something together without never arriving to a break up.
Returning to the book in question, obviously Matt is the main character. All the book turning around him and his trouble, but there is still enough space to appreciate also Sam and Isaac. Maybe Sam is better outlined, and also is reasons pro and against the threesome are clearer. I still need to understand better Isaac... there is a strong sexual need that lead him to Matt, maybe a need that Sam is not ready or willing to satisfy, but I hope that he also loves Matt. If not, Sam will be the link between them, even if physically he is weaker than the two, probably he is stronger in will.
http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?s=6
Out of the Shadow (Cattle Valley) by Carol LynneResisting to temptation is not a sought virtue in Cattle Vally, the Montana fictional LGBT small town. And so this new installment in the ongoing soap opera is another story of a man who gives up to temptation. Shep is a former bull rider who left the rodeo circuit when the sixteen years old son of his best friend came to live with them. Young Jeremy was too much a temptation for the man, and a "providential" knee injury gave him the right excuse to open a bull breeding ranch in Cattle Vally. But one year before, Jeremy came to the ranch searching a work and Shep couldn't refuse him. Jeremy now is 22 years old and more than ripe to be pick.
Jeremy is looking to seduce Shep since he was 16 years old. Now that the man of his dreams seems open to his seduction, he will not stop in front of nothing to have his way with him.
As always love triumphs in this small town and the main characters have little problem to consummate their love as soon as the book began. In less than 110 pages, our heroes make love in bed, in the barn, in the kitchen, in the truck... I believe they didn't forget any available surface... But this is the quirk of this series, and the reason why it is so sought after: it's refreshing and enjoyable to read of a love between two people, when the gay issue is not an issue at all.
Usually Carol Lynne raises a social issue, without therefore being boring or pedantic. In this one there is not, if not maybe the age difference between Shep and Jeremy (even if it's not too much highlighted) and the generational jealousy between Jeremy and his father. But all in all, I think that with this one Carol Lynne takes a leave, and the real purpose is only entertaining.
http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?s=s
Amazon: Cattle Valley
Series: Cattle Valley
1-2) Cattle Valley 1: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/21160
3-4) Cattle Valley 2: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/28565
5-6) Cattle Valley 3
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Cover Art by Anne Cain
Cover Art by April Martinez
Ford is the classical good boy of a wealthy southern family. Third generation doctor, he has always followed the steps his parents have setted for him. But when he is expected to marry a good girl from a wealthy southern family he begins to question some of that steps. Cause almost by accident, he discovers that he is more attracted from men than women.
Told be truth, till almost his late twenties years, he pleases himself with the adoration from other men. Ford is an handsome man, wealthy, a doctor, and he is used to be spoilt first by his family and then by his friends and lovers.
First time he sees Dan, he is impressed by the angel voice of the man singing a Christmas carol. But Dan is a shy man and probably in that moment Ford is not ready for love, and so neither of them make a move. An year after they have the change to meet again and this time Ford finally makes that move. But as always Ford takes the lead and dictats how their relationship should be. Dan, even if shy and average plain jane, is not willing to loose himself in Ford's aurea.
The relationship between them is not simple: even if Ford, step by step, tries to find his way out of the closet, he never claims that Dan is his lover, he uses direct words like "he sleeps with me", but he never one calls him other than my friend. On the other hand Dan comes from a very poor family and he is very stubborn in searching to prove his independence: accept to live with Dan and risk to cancel all his independence's claims is a very hard step. Plus Dan has a critical illness that put at risk their life together: from one part Dan tries to hide the problems his illness affects him, cause it's one more thing that puts him on an inferiority level from Ford, on the other hand Ford, even if conscious and caring of Dan's illness, sometime regrets the boundaries that cause them.
The story travel in two time levels: the main story tell us the journey of Dan and Ford to spend Christmas with Dan's family, and between loving and conformtable family's pictures, we read how Dan and Ford's meet, of all the problems they have to overcome to be together, how always love is never put in question, but that they will succeed. The two time levels converge in one common ending, that could be an happily ever after, and could be not: not all the open issues in their relationship are straightened...
Amazon: Comfort and Joy
Jim Grimsley's In the Spotlight post: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/34393
This is one story in the Velvet Glove series, a BDSM futuristic club, almost a community, where subs and doms live together with the only aim of pleasure.
Ghost is a sub who is felt in a semi-coma during a session. Trip, the new doctor, has a sudden feeling of possessivness for the boy, and knows immediately what is the problem: Ghost is an empath, and if he doesn't manage to exclude all the strong feelings to reach him, they can destroy him. Obviuosly he can't return to be a sub, and then Trip has decided to take him in, like his lover. Finally Ghost can open himself to another person, not fearing to be overwhelmed.
The story is pretty short, less than 40 pages, but I like very much Ghost. He is like a child who needs to be protected, but he is not a weaker man; he is only too special to be able to live alone, and he only needs a special man to take care of the ordinary problem for him. And Trip wants to be that man.
Velvet Glove series is like a serial fiction tv, every enstallment you will find two new characters, but you will have also the chance to glimpse to the past characters. But even if you haven't read the previous books, you can always pick one here and there and appreciate it as a single story.
http://www.torquerebooks.com/zencart
Series: A Velvet Glove Story
1) Anything for a Byline
2) Braided: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/87387.h
3) Fits like a Glove
4) Ghost
Waiting Reading List:
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One thing you can say of Carol Lynne is that she has amazingly original plots for so short stories.Tortured Souls, less than 80 pages, is the story of Bram, a security specialist, former abused child, who falls in love of Declan, a doctor. Declan has lost six years before his partner, a man he met in one of his foster house and which whom he grew together. But when they were barely twenty years old, Scott developed a mental disability due to a brain cancer, and he tortured and raped Declan before killing himself. So now Declan is veru cautious in his lovers choice.
This is the sixth book in the Men in Love series, and when it starts Bram is trying to forget Declan. But he has not much success and so he returns back in Oklahoma and to Declan. But Bram's past is not buried as he thinks.
As in all Carol Lynne's books, there is a lot of sex between gorgeous men, and unlikely matches which seem to work wonderfully: around Bram and Declan gravitate not one but not less than two threesome, both working without problems. Only in the Fantasy Land America by Carol Lynne this is possible, but maybe this is also the reason why we like her books. And kudos to her to have a fervid imagination and always come out with new idea.
http://www.ellorascave.com/productpage.a
Series: Men in Love
1) Branded by Gold
2) Ben's Wildflower
3) Open to Possibilities
4) Completing the Circle
5) Going Against Orders
6) Tortured Souls
Waiting Reading List:
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Going Down is a story setting in a parallel universe that reminds me an east asian country, similar to India or Indonesia. It's a poor world, without machine or comfort, but it could be also a modern today world in a poor country. Einan is a trained doctor who worked for the Corps, but being also an empath, he has somewhat absorbed all the sorrow he has seen and now he is unable to control all the emotions working in him. So he has found shelter in a big city working as dishwasher, but by night he roams the poor district trying to find solace for his pain.
During one of his without ending walkings he meets Thalem, a big man with a big heart but also with the heart full of guiltiness. He has committed a crime for which he has paid in front of the law, but he feels as he hasn't paid in front of gods. And so he lives for bring help to the poor souls.
Einan first feels a connection with Thalem that it's not sexual, but step by step his feelings change and will become something important if both men could overcome pain and sense of guilt.
Going Down is a very complex and deep story. It's hardly a romance, even if there is a blossoming story between Einan and Thalem, but sex is not part of it. Full of feeling and a sense of peace and the belief that men can change the world if only one starts.
All proceeds from this book are going to Medicins sans Frontieres and I think the book is plenty worthing his small price.
http://www.lulu.com/content/1937281
Waiting Reading List:
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Smart is a small town boy. From a so small town that, at eighteen years old he is still virgin. Oh, he knows he is gay, since he has never been attracted by women and instead he has dreamed on his high school mate, but he is the only gay man in town and so no chance for him. But Smart is also very "smart" (from where his nickname) and he wins a full scholarship for a big college in the north and leaves his home full of hopes, included the possibility to find love.And the very first day, in the college dorm he steps into Tommy and Mike, a two years old gay couple. Tommy lives in the same dorm of Smart, and since they get along very well, they decide to share a room. In this way Smart has the chance to see a real life gay couple, really in love, and this is a one more push for him to find the same thing.
Unfortunately not all the people arounf them are so happy of this open gay behaviour and Mike is the victim of a gay bashing. He is in very critical condition and all the families, of Tommy and Mike, and also Smart spend all the time by his side in hospital. And here Smart meets Alex, a tech nurse who happens to be also a very handsome gay man. But Alex is also tender and caring and Smart can't believe to have finally found the man of his life.
The story is very tender and smooth. The feelings are simple and sweet, a very romantic tale of first and true love. Both the characters, Smart and Alex, are young and good boys. Really they are the poster boys for the next door guy. No one is dominant in this couple, maybe Alex is a bit more experienced, and so sometimes takes the lead, but you can clearly see that Smart, growing old, will be an equal partner for him.
If not for the nasty accident of Mike, this tale would be really a Pollyanna's style story. One of that stories which remind you butter biscuit and sugar tea and love me forever.
http://www.torquerebooks.com/zencart
Waiting Reading List:
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Cover Art by Rose Meloche
Doggone Love by Deirdre O'Dare
Damon is a modern rancher, who leads his work all alone with only the help of his Australian Sheperd. Dixie, his favourite Aussie, has an accident and Damon takes her to his old good vet. But instead of him, he finds Eric, a young handsome vet.
Eric is a good vet and he is single. He thinks to himself as a bi, but he knows that his forever soul mate will be a man. And he knows to have found him in Damon.
Damon is alone, he lives like an hermit in his ranch. No woman could possibly accept to share his hard life and he will never be rich enough to change his life. So when Eric enters his world, he is disoriented, but his feelings are real and powerful.
Eric and Damon are two "ordinary" characters, not so beautiful, not so rich, not so perfect: two real men who want to share their life.
A very short story, enjoyable and smooth to read.
http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/Do
Amazon Kindle: Doggone Love
The Maltese Terror by Deirdre O'Dare
Nick is a city boy who happens to be lost in a snow storm in the mid of Colorado. He is rescued by Caleb, a lonely but very handsome rancher. They seem to have nothing in common apart their two dogs, Cedric, Nick's dog, a Maltese Terries, and Cheyenne, Caleb's dog, an Aussie Shepherd. The two dogs are as different as their owners, but they like each other and want their owners do the same.
Caleb is gay, but a lonely rancher, even if handsome has not many chances to meet the love. Nick is not gay, but he is attracted from Caleb and he really has no life in Philadelphia and maybe he can find true love in Colorado.
The story is very short, and for this reason is a rush: Deirdre O'Dare has not enough words to deal with the delicate aspect of the story, the trouble you have with two characters of different extraction, the new feelings of Nick, the choice Nick has to do to live with Caleb... but for a short story it is enjoyable and funny, Cedric and Cheyenne steal the scenes many times to their owners.
Sometimes I make compliments for the covers, in this case I have to advice Amber Allure to give a second thought to the cover's choice.
http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/Ma
Amazon Kindle: The Maltese Terror
Saved by Sam by Deirdre O'Dare
Roy is a 30 years old doctor with some bad experiences in the near past (he has served as Navy medic in Iraq) and some more bad experiences in the long ago past of his adolescence. When he retires from the Navy, he seems not be able to start with his normal life again and accepts the help of a friend (a special friend, who sometimes could be also a willing bed partner) and a work as bartender.
But one night drug dealer enters his bar when he is alone and Craig, a cop, and Sam, his Belgian Malinois partner, rescue him, gaining both a gun wound. Roy tends them both and some weeks after Craig comes to him. Criag is a strong and somewhat aloof man, but seems to be pretty involved in Roy. And so they share an hot sexy night, but Roy has some special needs: to bear his past he has entwined sexual pleasure with the pain. Will Coby be up to satisky his need? Or will Roy learn that is not always necessary to feel pain if there is true love?
Another very short story, 40 pages, with a lot thrown in the melting pot. In this case Deirdre O'Dare manages to tell us all is needed, but still I have the feeling to be swept by a tornado: a lot of info in so few pages are really a blurr. Again I will like it to be a little longer.
http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/Sa
Amazon Kindle: Saved By Sam
Rescued By Love by Deirdre O'Dare
Rescued by Love is part of the Canine Cupid series by Deirdre O'Dare, a series of not linked books where the man best friend, the dog, is the cupid for two men.
Garrett is a lonely man: he has lost all his family, parents and brothers, in two different accidents, and he thinks to not having reason to live. Then one day, he feels the push to go to a dog shelter and adopted a stray dog; the choice is Mandy a six months mixed Golden Retriever. Mandy is a very good dog and since the beginning she demonstrates a particular propension to take care of people. So Garret decides to put in good use this ability, and enrolls both of them in a Search & Rescue program.
They first natural disaster, a tornado, ends with the rescue of Daniel, a war veteran running away from his bad past memories. Both Garrett than Daniel are alone, and since Daniel needs a place to recover, Garrett takes him in: it seems that Garrett is very good in taking in stray beings...
From friendship to love the step is short, even shorter since the book in only 40 pages long. But I think that in all the Canine Cupid series this is the best I read till now: the relationship between dog and owner is very tender and I think also real; having someone to take care when you have no reason to live, even if she is only a dog, is a good reason to wake up every morning. Since the book is soo short, there are not so many chance to know Garrett and Daniel, and to understand if, past their present problems, they will have a future together; maybe this is only a phase, even more since Garrett is at his first gay experience (I don't understand if it is the same for Daniel).
A fast and enjoyable reading.
http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/Re
Amazon Kindle: Rescued By Love
Amazon: Canine Cupids
Reading List:
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Off-Season (Campus Cravings) by Carol LynneThis is the story of Demitri, one of the two brothers of Alec, the main characters of Side-Lined. Demitri is still mourning on the loss of good friend, but he has set his eyes on Aaron, the soccer coach. Demitri is strong and big, but has fragile feelings, he doesn't want to risk again to loose someone he loves, and so he takes Aaron at arm lenght. But phisycal desires are also strong and in the end Demitri has to take his chance to love and suffer again to gain a always forever type of relationship.
The story is romantic and not too much troubled. It flows smooth and fast. It's enjoyable. And book per book the series is becoming ever more a "gay happy community": all the coaches are gay, all the new student are also gay, all the characters you meet... I'm wondering what would they think Alec's parent, old fashion greeks, that two of their three strong sons are gay, or a new freshman when both the football coach than the soccer coach are gay...
But in the unrealistic setting Carol Lynne has built, she has also managed to make me wonder how the next story will be (the next is Rocco and I'm expecting this one, and then I have noticed also Liam and Bear...), so I will sure buy the next books in the series... I think Carol Lynne succeeded in her goal... entrapped me and other readers in her "gay happy community"!
http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?s=a
Forbidden Freshman (Campus Cravings) by Carol LynneIn the end of Off-Season we have known about Joe, the 35 years old psichiatric who cares about all the guys in the Campus Cravings series, and Rocco, the 18 years old son of old coach Williams.
Rocco is a very beautiful man, who has always cared for himself, so at 18 years old he his very mature and knows exactly what he wants, and what he wants is Joe, his father's friend. Joe can't deny the attraction, but he will do nothing to ruin his friendship with Coach Williams, above all cause he can't believe a beautiful boy like Rocco could be really interesting in him.
But when Rocco finds himself alone one more time, Joe finally accepts that he now is Rocco's family and eventually lover.
I expect more drama from this story and instead it's is smooth and enjoyable. The love between Rocco and Joe is sudden and forever, their life together also. The big gap in years between them is not still a problem, maybe in the future it could be, but in this book you will read only of the good moments of the couple.
As always in the end Carol Lynne introduces us to her next characters: Toby and Michael, probably Charlie, but I'm still waiting for Liam and Bear's story!
http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?s=a
Amazon: Off the Field (Campus Cravings)
Series: Campus Cravings
1-2-3) Campus Cravings 1: On the Field: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/13379
4-5) Campus Cravings 2: Off the Field
Reading List:
http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bott
This is the prequel to For Love and Money, and I have a lot of aspectative for it. Contrary to my habit (to not read stories without an happily ever after) knowing that this couple in the sequel manage to stay together I want to read how they met and how they drift apart.Jason is a thirty-seven years old doctor, from a wealthy family and with the chance to be even more wealthy when his old aunt finally will die. The reason he is so eager to inherited is cause he wants to live in comfort, without the necessity to work for live. So not a very honored reason. Yes, he loves Ewan, but his greed is much more than love. At least in this book.
Ewan is a twenty years old actor, with a great ambition to be an Hollywood movie star. Yes, he loves Jason, but he wants all and soon, he is too young and without patience to wait for his lover to understand that money doesn't give happiness.
Greed and Ambition, like in the subtitle of the book, are the reasons cause these two drift apart, but love will be the reason cause they manage to return together.
I like this book, cause I find the characters very true and full of imperfection: or not physically, they are flawless and like gods beautiful, but behind the pretty looks, they are all too human. Reading only this book, you really can't jusify Jason and only can judge Ewan a bit childish, but if you read it with its sequel, For Love and Money, you have a wonderful tale, very Hollywood love comedy style.
Amazon: The Physician and the Actor: A Story of Greed and Ambition
I was enthralled... I begin this book with no much wish, thinking to read some pages and then close up and sleep. Now four hours later I'm sleepy as hell but much more happy.
This book is funny and charming. It starts a little bit slow but grows up soon and conquers you.
Jason and Ethan were lovers. But Jason, a doctor, comes from a wealthy family of the northern England, who doesn't see well to have a gay son. So they blackmailed Jason to marry an unknown woman choose by them if he wants to inherited a great estate. And Jason is human, and not the perfect hero of usual romance, and so he accepts the deal and Ethan leaves, goes in America to follow his dream to be an actor.
One year later, when the book starts, Ethan is a famous actor and Jason is leaving a lie: he no more can stand his life and wants Ethan back, badly. But he is a 37 years old married doctor living in Carlisle, England, and Ethan a 21 years old movie star from Los Angeles, California: it is not so simple for the two find a way to be together.
The two characters are absolutely fantastic: Ethan is a knight in shining armour with a crack in the armour! Handsome, wealthy and spoilt, he can't imagine to live without all his money and comfort, but he is also deeply in love with Ethan, he wants to protect him; nevertheless he wants his quite life in an upperclass neighbourhood, possibly with Ethan by his side: in other words he wants the wife drunken and the barrel full!
Ethan is young and innocent: he is all feeling and not much thinking. He is not dumb, but he lets speak his heart instead of his mind. And he needs someone who drives him on the right path. He is fresh water in the bog.
And then there is the setting: all the classical elements of the movie star romance, scandal, luxury, big houses and five star hotels. And in a postcard world also the villains are nice (don't miss Adam and Jack!).
To finish I have also notice that the author use two very different writing styles when she makes speak the english characters or the american characters. I'm not English or American, so I can't judge if the spoken English is correct and accurate, sure she has allow me to indentify myself with the story and better undestand the diversity between the characters.
http://www.lindenbayromance.com/product-f
Amazon Kindle: For Love and Money
Amazon: For Love and Money
Series:
1) The Physician and the Actor: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/15468
2) For Love and Money
Reading List:
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The Professor's Secret Passion by M.L. RhodesNate is a postgraduate student of 27 years old, openly gay and with a brilliant future career. And he is in love with his mentor, Aidan, a 36 years old professor.
And Nate has decided to speak clearly to Aidan and to let him know his feelings and, with good chances, to start a relationship with him. Doesn't matter if he is his mentor, and if he has a position of authority on him. Like all the youth, he wants all and now.
But Aidan, after a night of passion, is abrutply awaken and try to quit his feelings for Nate: he fear not for himself, but for Nate and for his future. But Nate has no intention to accept a no, when the eyes and body of Aidain proclaim a loud "yes".
Nate is young and intense, obviously to all his against what he wants. He is a positive character, who not easily accept a no like answer, and he is able to read beyond the words to the real feelings of Aidan.
Aidan, even if older, is still unsure in the matter of love; but he is not blind to the feelings of Nate and sure doesn't want to hurt him.
Short but intense, this is a story I would like to continue.
http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/Pr
Amazon Kindle: The Professor's Secret Passion
Souls Deep by M.L. RhodesGriffin is a man on flight. His family wants him dead and he has no one and no where to go. He is young and smart but in an post apocaliptic world he is alone. And one night, in an alley, he is shot dead. Or he thinks so. But then Jarrah arrives to help him.
Jarrah is a vampire. A former doctor he cherishes the human life above all. And he hates himself to be a vampire. And like Griffin, he is alone.
Griffin is immediately drawn by the vampire, better by the man, although it is the first time he feels sexual desire for a man. But it is not a gay thing, it is the need of a lonely soul to share its feeling. And doesn't matter if this soul is of a man. Love is above the gender.
A very beautiful novel, very intimate and close: for the most part shared between the two characters, it has also very well written sex scenes.
http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/So
Amazon Kindle: Souls Deep
Amazon: Couplings
Parker is a ER doctor who has lost his nephew during his duty. His family blames him, maybe also cause he is gay and for all his life has stayed apart from the family. So Parker, even if is a young and handsome guy, contemplates suicide and go hiking on mountain to complete his plan. But when he arrives he witnesses the at a beautiful great black bird being shutgun by unknown. He hurries to help the bird but find a gourgeous young man instead, with a bleeding injury. He helps him and the morning after the man disappear.
Jindra is a Raptvyn shapeshifter and has choose to live among the humans in the city cause his flock doesn't accept his decision to not mate with a female. He also is gay and wants a one only commitments with a man. And when he meets Parker, he thinks to have found his mate.
Parker and Jindra are very similar characters, both strong but also unsecure if trust someone with their feelings. They have to learn to surrender their hearts not only their bodies.
An interesting shapeshifter romance that doesn't low estimate the problem to mix supernaturals with humans. And I have to ask to my english friend: who is it a Dusk Thief? I didn't find the meaning in the dictionary, and I'm too curios...
http://www.ellorascave.com/productpage.a
I have this book by weeks but only two days ago I finally start it (cause his release in print version), and I have to say I should have read it first. Matthew is a young and good med student: he likes sex but he knows he has to study hard and so he decides to spend his time on books. But at the beginning of the academic year he meets Andrew, his "on site" doctor teacher.
Andrew is gorgeous and gentle. He is divorced and spends all his time in hospital or with his son Henry. But when he meets Matthew he finds the dom he needs. Even if Matthew is younger of Andrew, the dom's role is his. Andrew is willing and quite. The relationship dom/sub between this two is one I have never read before: it inspires me tenderness and caring.
The love between Matthew and Andrew grows slowly but stronger. In this book I feel the emotions, but they are all peaceful, even if there are topic moments. I close this book with a feeling of quite inside me.
http://www.torquerepress.com/
Amazon Kindle: Bad Case of Loving You
Amazon: Bad Case of Loving You
Mate Hunt (Bond of the Maleri 1) by Kate SteeleA short enjoyable reading. Mate Hunt is the first enstallment of the Bond of the Maleri series and in effect is very short (56 pages) and full of hints for the continuing books of the series.
Col is a young and hunk man of the Maleri: 6 feet and 9 inches of male eager to find is mate. But when he finds Matt, Matt runs away with fear... Why? With gentleness and patient Col succeeds to gain the trust of Matt and to convince him that he is his destined mate.
Only one defect: the book is too short, you can't succeed to be involved with the characters, cause when you start to like them, the book is finished!
Double or Nothing (Bond of the Maleri 2) by Kate SteeleEric has lost is human partner and when his brother finds his Maleri alien mate, he decides to follow in Belthola, the home planet of the Maleri.
When their ship is harboring Erin feel a sudden sexual urgency: a feeling he shares not with one but two Maleri men, Greyan and Sethian, twins.
Unlike his brother Matt, Eric is not new to male lovers, and Greyan and Sethian are young eager men, who appreciate very much a willing and experienced mate.
The agreement is made, but on Belthola planet, not everyone believes in the honesty of the Maleri...
This story in comparison with the first enstallment is more complete. Eric is a strong character who succeedes to take control of two out of hand twins.
Between Love and Law (Bond of the Maleri 3) by Kate SteeleChase is a lawman, Caz is a thief... The perfect pair, aren't they?
By everyone, also his Maleri brothers, Chase is considered a quite and controlled man. But when he senses his mate, every control loosened. But Caz arrives to him with troubles and feelings of guilty, and only the unjudgemental behaviour of Chase could heal his soul.
Chase is strong and thoughtful, not an impressive character, but you feels a peaceful sensation around him, like an healing one. Caz is a trobled soul who ids hungry to melt in the warm embrace of Chase.
Ride 'em Cowboy (Bond of the Maleri 4) by Kate SteeleZeb is a man of the Maleri who remained orphan at 12 years old and went to live with his mentors. The needs to love his so hight that he decide to not share sex with them, fearing to loss them and thinking that sex is a much too strong link.
When he is 24 years old his Maleri mentor decide to send him on earth to study the human life. He is host of Jace, a real modern cowboy of 37 years old. From the first moment the two are drawning by each other. And when Jace kiss Zeb, the Maleri bond is made. But nor Zeb or Jace could think to leave their homes.
But the Maleri bond is strong...
Zeb is young and innocent, an IT geek who never shares his feelings with the other. Jace is content with his ranch's life, but sometimes he is alone, and wants someone who waits him when he return home after an hard work day.
Redemption (Bond of the Maleri 5) by Kate SteeleJor his a Maleri man banished from Belthola cause an error he committed years ago. But now Jor his 38 years old and the faith of a Maleri man without mate is near: dead.
During a visit to an another planet Jor is injured and Dane, a doctor, help me: during a mouth-to-mouth resuscitation the Maleri bond between Jor and Dane is made. But Dane knows well what this is, he is an ex Maleri mate who lost his mate and doesn't want to risk his heart again.
And also Jor doesn't want a mate: he has chosen to dead instead. But Dane sees in him a kind heart and...
In this book the sex is not the main thing: the feeling, of love and guilty, are protegonists. Nor Jor or Dane are impressive characters, but both are quite and tender. A peaceful reading.
Sure you will appreciate better the Maleri series if you read it in order and with few time from one book to the other.
http://www.changelingpress.com/index.php?u
Amazon: Bonds of the Maleri
Sin and Salvation by Laura BaumbachIan is a gentleman vampire: he doesn't kill his preys, only feeds by them, and makes love to them, but doesn't want a companion. He thinks to stay alone with his sin, to be a vampire, and nobody deserve to share his destiny. But then he knows Trevor, young, innocent Trevor, and falls in love. He must have him. He thinks to stay with him for all the human life of Trevor, but Trevor is killed some days later, the Christmas Eve. Too soon. So Ian decides to turn Trevor, and they have an happy immortal life together, but every Christmas Eve, Trevor has a vengeange to take and Ian a sin to expiate. This Christmas Eve will be like all the past?
I love the vampires of Laura Baumbach: even if they live in a contemporary world, I feel a gothic setting. Vampire and Gothic for me is the best! And as always the alpha/beta characters of Laura Baumbach are very exciting.
Sin and Salvation is part of The Bite Before Christmas Anthology.
A Vampire for Christmas by Sedonia Guillone
A new vision of the Vampire World! A breed of vampire, the Coer Eternal, who only kill for mercy, and a breed of Immortal people, who slays on vampire. Could two members of these breeds fall in love? It happen in A Vampire for Christmas by Sedonia Guillone, part of The Bite Before Christmas Anthology.
Christian is an half Coer Eternal, an ancient viking vampire, doctor in modern world. He only kills for mercy and he is alone, cause thinking of another loss in his life is too ubearable. But if he could find an immortal, a man to love who never abandone him, then he will be the best lover in the world.
Jesse enters the life of Christian with a goal: to kill him. But the moment he lays his eyes on Christian, only one thing remain in his mind: love. Jesse is an immortal roman vampire slayer, who vows not to kill again a Coer Eternal, but now the price for his promise his the life of his twin sister... What can he do?
I like very much Christian, he is so tender, so strong but gentle. So caring. And his sire, Lascaux... I want to read more about him? Sedonia, do you write something of him?
The Master's Gift by Kit Tunstall
Hugh is a vampire who feeds on sex and blood. If blood is taken during the sex, is much better.
So he employs young men to provide him with secretary's duty, blood and sex. Why men? Cause he doesn't want an emotional involvement, and women tend to associate sex with feelings.
Chris is the last of his employees. But from the very first time they share sex, nothing is as usual. Hugh want more, and Chris also want more. But Chris is also in love with Nessa, a young girl. Could he have both of them?
This is not the first M/M/F romance I read, and sometime this type of threesome is enjoyble (like Menage of Emma Holly and Persuading Jo by Anne Douglas...), but here, I don't like very much Nessa. She is a complaining girl, spoilt and superficial. Between Nessa and Hugh, I have no doubt who Chris should choose, and not only because I'm a woman and like the man!
The Master's Gift is part of The Bite Before Christmas Anthology.
http://www.loose-id.net/prod-The_Bite_Be
Amazon: The Bite Before Christmas
I just finished to read "The Butcher and the Beast" by Sean Michael. Thanks to Mychael Black for the advice. It is a short novel (for me, all under the 200 pages is short...) but very intensive. A story of seduction, of passion that win over conventions.
And old story indeed, like those of Rodolfo Valentino in the role of the Sheick, when he seduced a maiden. Here we have a Pirate, a strong, old style pirate, that prefer men over women, that like a bit of rough over gentleness.
But also we have a Pirate that, when the butcher's love is give freely, become the true lover.
And the Butcher is an debauche angel, a man that never has experience love nor passion, and suddendly he find first passion and later on love.
http://www.torquerepress.com/
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- Elisa
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