A wonderful introduction to the new series. Tallus and Diem suit each other well, though they can't see it yet. This prequel novella has an interestinA wonderful introduction to the new series. Tallus and Diem suit each other well, though they can't see it yet. This prequel novella has an interesting mystery, and lights the fuse on the relationship between the guy in records and the PI who is persona non grata at the police department.
I loved it, and you really should read this before diving into the first book of the series! ...more
This prequel novella to Gwen Martin's The Collective series is anything but a throwaway introduction. It's a full-on love story in which friends who wThis prequel novella to Gwen Martin's The Collective series is anything but a throwaway introduction. It's a full-on love story in which friends who were lovers and who split up come back together to deal with the aftermath of their close friend's suicide.
When they discover he'd planned to set up a community resource hub and he'd left it to them to bring to life after his death, they set aside their personal differences to honor the memory of their friend. In doing so, they're able to work through their own issues and find a HEA that sets the stage for the series.
The Wonder Within is not an easy book to read, but it is rewarding, and beautifully written. I'd recommend it even if it weren't attached to the series....more
I think Lily Morton is really hitting her stride with writing paranormal - suspense -thrillers. The first two books in the Black and Blue series were I think Lily Morton is really hitting her stride with writing paranormal - suspense -thrillers. The first two books in the Black and Blue series were excellent, as was The Sceptic, but Something Wicked takes it up a notch. Those readers who spook easily may want to start reading in broad daylight.
Lily also balances the relationship and plot with ease, giving just enough romantic interaction between Blue and Levi to be sweet, but not so much that I am ready to move on from them.
As always with Lily's books, I can clearly see the setting. I've never visited York, but with her descriptions, it's easy to visualize, and provides the perfect backdrop for this story.
If you have not read the series and are considering starting here, I'd recommend at least reading The Mysterious and Amazing Blue Billings first. You don't really have to have read the Quiet House, as there are only a few references to what happened in it, but it's an excellent book, so I do recommend it.
Books like this one are why Lily remains solidly on my all-time favorites list, and is one of the handful of authors for whom I don't need a cover, blurb, or sample to read her work. (That said, Natasha Snow did her usual spectacular job on the cover.)
I love Dan Calley's work as a narrator so I jumped at the chance to read an arc of it after having read the premise. I'm such a sucker for reincarnatiI love Dan Calley's work as a narrator so I jumped at the chance to read an arc of it after having read the premise. I'm such a sucker for reincarnation and soulmates, and Dan came up with an interesting twist where the reincarnating soul could choose to forget the previous life experience and "reboot", or to remember those experiences as a Player.
Being at the choosing point at the same time with one's soulmate is rare, since it requires dying together at the same time, but that's what happens to Leo and Quint (on a different planet, even!), so they both choose to be Players and we then see Quint trying to find Leo.
Set mostly in London with just a bit of York thrown in, a fair amount of the book is spent navigating the city, eating, and discussing a world where some people remember the details of their past lives.
I love London and enjoyed the descriptions but I would have liked a bit more relationship-building earlier. Be warned, if you're looking for steam and physical connections, this may not be the book for you.
I enjoyed the story, which was really well done for a debut, so I recommend it with the caveat that it is a cosy sci-fi romance that ends with what feels more like a HFN than a HEA. I'm hoping for more from this world!...more
This is the first book by this author I've read, and it kept me up way past my bedtime. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and watchWhat a ride!
This is the first book by this author I've read, and it kept me up way past my bedtime. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and watching them get to know themselves. It's a steamy hot read, but it's also a solid story. I'll be checking out more by this author!...more
I'm not sure where to start here, y'all, so I'm just going to dive in and hope it makes sense.
The Crush continues Kelly Fox's The Lost Boys themes ofI'm not sure where to start here, y'all, so I'm just going to dive in and hope it makes sense.
The Crush continues Kelly Fox's The Lost Boys themes of found family, building community, and living one's truth as fully as possible at any given moment. In her fictional corner of Seguin, Texas, not only do friends and community members support each other, but they love and accept each other as they are, even in the face of homophobia, bigotry, and downright meanness.
Hopefully, there really is a part of Seguin that embodies those qualities but as a native Texan, I'm skeptical. But I digress.
On the surface, The Crush is about a out gay man who's attracted to a man who presents himself as hetero - even to himself - and their journey toward realizing the straight guy is only about as straight as the Devil's Backbone (IYKYK). Once that illusion dissolved and the barriers to man-on-man sex are removed, the couple make up for lost time, making the book score high on the spice meter.
Underneath, though, it's as about self-discovery and self-acceptance in all areas of life, not just sexual orientation. About the importance of learning to set boundaries and then enforcing them with gentle firmness, especially with those closest to you. And about how it's okay, healthy even, to not take every guilt trip thrown your way by anyone, regardless of how much you love them.
I appreciate how the Lost Boys support each other and allow each other space to figure things out. Many books have well-meaning friends who try to help but who end up, in my opinion, being annoying nags and I'd have them on mute in a heartbeat. These guys don't do that, and I'm glad.
To summarize, sweet and hot book of discovery. Can be read as a standalone but don't. Read The Thief novella and The Skeptic first. Content warning for blatant and unrepentant homophobia.
Also, if you get this book on audio, take care where you listen because it has lots and lots of detailed sex scenes! ...more
I loved this debut novel! I laughed, cried, laughed some more, wanted to reach through and shake the characters, and swooned a lot. I didn't want to pI loved this debut novel! I laughed, cried, laughed some more, wanted to reach through and shake the characters, and swooned a lot. I didn't want to put down this second-chance, slow-burn, small town, friends-to-lovers reunited, one closeted and one out-and-proud story.
I'll admit that there are parts that are over-the-top, but truly, not THAT far over the top. Until you've spent a day or two in a small town in northeastern Texas within driving distance of Dallas, you can't fathom how much of it is on point. It's kind of like if Ray Stevens (go look up Mississippi Squirrel Revival on YouTube) wrote a gay romance, but with parts that break your heart.
Because there are those parts. The reason Kent left town. His PTSD. The homophobia and closed-minded, bigoted people who I promise you are NOT the OTT parts. Gray's heartache and guilt, and his stubborn dedication to trying to be enough. I cried through parts of it, but for a new author, Lance Lansdale has a deft hand with comic relief, so the impact of those parts wasn't as devastating as it could have been.
The townspeople of West Clark are quite entertaining, and again, I'll tell you that many of them may seem to be OTT but actually are not. Just Google Texas politics and check out the results.
If you're looking for a spicy, steamy read, this isn't it. It does have some heat, but it takes its time getting there. If you're offended by blasphemy, you may want to read the sample first, and if you don't like discussion of religion and God in a book this may not be for you because that's a big part of the story.
Content warning for assaults, both on and off page, rampant homophobia, death of a child, mentions of conversion camps, and evangelical cult-like religion including praying in tongues, etc., and some of the most disgusting food descriptions ever put on a page (definitely OTT).
Overall, I enjoyed this book and hope to see more from this author in the not-too-distant future.
What fun! Such a hot tease of a story that left me wanting more. If you're a fan of episodic tales like His Boy Next Door, then you may enjoySizzling!
What fun! Such a hot tease of a story that left me wanting more. If you're a fan of episodic tales like His Boy Next Door, then you may enjoy this college football teammates tale. I certainly did!...more
Riley Nash made my list of must-read authors right out of the gate, and Pretty Dogs is a prime example of why.. With flawed, broken characAll the feels
Riley Nash made my list of must-read authors right out of the gate, and Pretty Dogs is a prime example of why.. With flawed, broken characters who fight their way through life just wanting to make it, this book broke my heart and put it back together. Gorgeous writing, a simple but heartfelt plot and a good amount of heat, this slow-burn romance is one of the best books I've read this year....more
I ended my review of Guarded, the second book in the Kensley Panthers series, with this: "For me, the most compelling character was Jameson's younger I ended my review of Guarded, the second book in the Kensley Panthers series, with this: "For me, the most compelling character was Jameson's younger brother Adam. He seems like he's got a story to tell, too, and if so, I'll definitely read it."
Protector is Adam's story, and I found it as compelling as I hoped it would be. I enjoyed the dynamic between him and Zach - their friendship and how it just took a spark to set off a slow burn that built to a blaze. I won't go into details so as not to spoil the way the story unfolds, but I'll say that it was well paced and handled with care. I liked both characters and cared about what happened to them.
You could read this book as a standalone, as the references to characters and events in other books are nicely explained, but I would recommend reading at least the first two.
In another setting, the though of HEAs for people who get together at 18 or 19 would be almost laughable, but I came from a small town and went to high school with people who married soon after graduation and are still together *cough* years later, so I think it's much more likely to happen in Kensley than other places, so I could suspend my disbelief and enjoy the story.
A sizzling hot hookup-to-booty-call-to-lovers romance set in Cooper Springs. It's probably OK to try as a standalonProbably my favorite of the series!
A sizzling hot hookup-to-booty-call-to-lovers romance set in Cooper Springs. It's probably OK to try as a standalone, but I would recommend reading the series in order. The book ends with the overarching mystery still pending, but the couple gets their HEA.
This is probably my favorite so far because of the level of tension that Elle Keaton ratchets up as the MCs juggle solving a case that involves Andre but is personal to Dante.
The weather in the Pacific Northwest is as much a character as any of the ensemble cast, and I loved it. I can't wait for the next one....more
I enjoyed the first book by new author Myf Wren so much that I gave the second a try despite the fact that I don't typically care much for additional I enjoyed the first book by new author Myf Wren so much that I gave the second a try despite the fact that I don't typically care much for additional books about the same couple.
This one is well done, though, and I enjoyed catching up with Rhys and Simon and the gang at the holidays. It's not a standalone - you'll need to read Viking Ink first or it won't make a lot of sense, and for some people it may be too much fluff and not enough content but it felt just right for me.
This Daddy/boy story, like the first one, features age regression with just a tiny bit of diaper-wearing included. It's sexy, funny, fun, with just a bit of conflict involving Rhys' family.
I quickly fell in love with Charlie and Paul, even more quickly that they fell for each other in this age-gap, bi-awakening, hurt-comfort story.
The sI quickly fell in love with Charlie and Paul, even more quickly that they fell for each other in this age-gap, bi-awakening, hurt-comfort story.
The substantial age gap was handled well and it was refreshing that Paul embraced his newly discovered bisexuality with a reasonable amount of inner turmoil. Enough to be believable but not enough to slow him down for very long in getting with Charlie, who is simply charming.
I also appreciated the way the other people in Paul's life accepted him and his new relationship. (view spoiler)[His ex-wife and current best friend's initial reaction was understandable, but I liked that she adjusted her attitude quickly and neither she nor Paul let things stay contentious for long. (hide spoiler)]
There's plenty of steam and a fair amount of emotion, too. Content warning for the loss of a child - teenager - and mentions of homophobia and child abuse. ...more
I read all three of these books when they were released (reviews below), but I jumped at the chance for an arc to read the bonus content with each oneI read all three of these books when they were released (reviews below), but I jumped at the chance for an arc to read the bonus content with each one in this collection.
Angels in the City’s Sasha is cousin to Alexei of the Rebel Kings. Alexei's appearance in that bonus chapter is worth the whole book, in my opinion. There’s a surprise Rebel King visitor in Christmas Mountain, and an old friend from Beyond Ghosts drops in to visit Yani and Gavin in Hometown Christmas.
I adored all of it and will recommend to anyone looking for good holiday books, whether they’ve read any of Garrett’s work or not.
Angels in the City
Maybe it's because it's a holiday novel, but this book doesn't have quite the same grittiness that most Garrett Leigh novels do, at least not the ones I've read.
Both characters are what we in the US would call white collar. It's insta-desire and the two men circle each other like tom cats readying for a fight. The tension ratchets up as their relationship grows, and while there's a bit of angst before the denouement, it's not the rip-out-your-heart kind.
Garrett captured the rhythm of Sacha's Russian-accented speech so well I could hear it in my head as I read.
The pacing is excellent, in my opinion, and the supporting characters are interesting but don't take over. There's never any doubt that Jonah and Sacha are the stars of the show. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and wish I could go to England at Christmastime! Highly recommend it.
Hometown Christmas
I am so in love with Garrett Leigh's writing
I loved the chemistry between these two men, and the story was just right for the length of the book. Sexy, with characters who aren't perfect but who are working on themselves. It can definitely be read as a standalone, as I have not read the books these characters come from, and I didn't feel lost at all. Now I have to go back and pick up the books I missed.
Edited - Feb. 2023. I finally went back and read Between Ghosts and Soul to Keep. I fell in love with Wedge, so this reread was so sweet, and meant more to me than it did the first time. Mentions of Nat and Connor and Marc and Jamie warmed my heart. I wouldn't change having read it when I did, I just wish I'd read more of Garrett's other books earlier. I'm going to systematically work my way through the rest of her backlist.
Christmas Mountain: Though this book isn't as dark, it does involve addiction and off-page violence that shaped the lives of the two MCs, who fate seems to have brought together.
Garrett Leigh always does an amazing job with character development, but in this book she really outdoes herself. It is a fairly slow burn romance, but there's plenty of sexual tension, and once the heat gets going, it's a blast furnace.
I loved this story of healing, of realizing that people change, priorities change, and that changing your life to reflect those priorities isn't quitting or running away, it's realigning.
You don't have to have read the Darkest Skies books to enjoy Christmas Mountain, but it does add to the experience. (Also, those books are SO GOOD you should read them anyway.). This world is one I hope Garrett visits again, and I know I'll reread the Darkest Skies series as well as this book because I'll need to visit them all again....more
I'm a long-time fan of Aimee Nicole Walker, reaching back to her Curl Up and Dye series and beyond. I loved the first two books in this series and wasI'm a long-time fan of Aimee Nicole Walker, reaching back to her Curl Up and Dye series and beyond. I loved the first two books in this series and was eager for Cash's story, which is a sweet friends-to-lovers romance.
The mystery-suspense subplot in Saints Like Him is part of an arc from the first two books, so you probably should read them in order. There are things that happen in this book that will spoil the suspense from the first two. They're excellent reads and I highly recommend them.
In Saints Like Him, the two MCs started out as a hookup 12 years prior to the beginning of this book and they stayed friends. Each had caught feelings for the other, but neither said anything for fear of losing the friendship. When FBI agent Nick hits a bump in his career, he heads to Cash's ranch. I won't completely rehash the blurb here, but I'll say it doesn't take long for the two to fully connect and much of the romance storyline is their exploration of what that means for them as a couple. Those readers who don't like angst in the relationship will appreciate that there's little of it here, or at least I didn't think there was.
What tension there is in the story mainly comes from outside, the cult-like group that plagued the previous books. For me, the reason I didn't give five stars, the two storylines didn't overlap enough throughout the book to give it a cohesive feel. It's still a thoroughly enjoyable book, though, don't get me wrong. The writing is excellent, there's plenty of steam, and I love the two main characters as well as the rest of the supporting cast, but when the story was focused on the lovely romance between Cash and Nick, or the antics of the rest of the cast, I didn't feel the tension of that outside threat. I almost felt like I was reading two books at the same time. I enjoyed them both, but I would have liked a bit more crossover between the two stories.
There is quite a bit of foreshadowing about the next book in the series, but that doesn't take away from this book, which ends in a HEA for this couple and a HFN with no cliffhanger for the rest of the crew who have not yet been paired up.
This is a slow-burn, medium-heat, brother's best friend romance with beautiful prose and excellent portrayals of mental health issues. If you're lookiThis is a slow-burn, medium-heat, brother's best friend romance with beautiful prose and excellent portrayals of mental health issues. If you're looking for a story with lots of steam, this is not the book for you. But if you're looking for a story with emotional intimacy, you've come to the right place.
Gwen Martin has crafted a lovely story where both characters have to grow and overcome challenges within themselves beyond just the relationship. In The Wild Within, both Chance and his older brother's best friend Duncan have personal challenges they face to just get through life, rather than simply obstacles to their relationship with each other.
It's not easy for Chance to allow himself to connect to Duncan, since Duncan's his brother's friend. It's not easy for Duncan to allow himself anything given the fears he carries. Little by little they bond, and that bond grows into something that sustains them both.
While it's not 100% necessary, I do recommend reading The Wonder Within, the prequel novella which introduces readers to the genesis of The Collective, the community outreach center which is the backdrop against which this series is set....more
Nicky James did right by Valor and Doyle in this poignant, emotional, and funny book.
Mind you, I'm not a huge fan of weddings in books. Any book, notNicky James did right by Valor and Doyle in this poignant, emotional, and funny book.
Mind you, I'm not a huge fan of weddings in books. Any book, not just MM romance, so as much as I love Valor and Doyle, as much as I wanted Quaid to get the fairy tale wedding he's dreamed of, I was a bit skeptical whether a whole book - 377 pages, by Amazon's count - devoted to the wedding would hold my attention.
It did, y'all. It more than held my attention, it had me grabbing for the tissues over and over again even before they got to the actual wedding. This book is a testament to the depth of the characters Nicky James created and the relationships they forged. For me, Torin and Ruiz again stole just about every scene they were in and I can't wait to hear Nick J Russo perform them.
There's no mystery to be solved, no melodramatic rehash of previous cases, just a solid story about two men who, on paper, seem like the farthest thing from a good fit, but who simply fit together so well that reading about them making arrangements for their wedding was thoroughly entertaining.
Obviously, this book is not a standalone. You need to have read at least some of the books in the series before reading it. But if you're a fan of the series and were on the fence about reading a Valor and Doyle book that isn't about a case, I'm here to tell you to do it.
Edited to add audio review: Nicky James knew we fans of Valor and Doyle would be all in, and I definitely am. A swoony, truly romantic book brought to life by Nick J Russo, who has done an incredible job of building the characters, including the ensemble cast, to the point where I imagined him narrating as I read the ebook book. it was even better than I anticipated. Torin and Ruiz steal every scene they're in, as does Barnabus. 10 stars!
While we first met Evan in To Hold a Hidden Pearl as a friend of Jay's and Rob in To Mend a Broken Wing as the dairy farmer with whom Toby had an acquWhile we first met Evan in To Hold a Hidden Pearl as a friend of Jay's and Rob in To Mend a Broken Wing as the dairy farmer with whom Toby had an acquaintances-with-benefits relationship, in the loosest meaning of the word "benefits", you may do better not knowing precisely what a wanker Evan was and how much of a ginormous cockwomble Farmer Rob was in their respective introductions.
Don't get me wrong, if you have not read the Rossingley series, I urge you to do so at your earliest convenience, but I wouldn't rush to do so before starting Second-Best Men. It stands alone quite well. There are a few cameo appearances by other characters but I don't recall anything particularly spoilerish.
Fearne Hill quickly became an author that I just click to get an arc whenever one's available whether I read the blurb or not. I know it's going to be a good book because she as several gifts in writing. Among those gifts are setting a sense of place that transports me to the location without the book being a travelogue, creating imperfect characters who are somehow endearing in their imperfections, and writing surprisingly snappy dialogue that's filled with some of the best Britishisms around. This novel is no exception.
It's a slow burn since Rob's only out to the men who have scratched his itches and a few close friends and Evan starts the book going through a divorce from a woman.
So, if you're looking for a fast-paced high-heat swoony romance, this is not the book for you. However, if you're looking for a carefully told tale of two men who are set in their ways, who have careers they love, who live quiet lives and build a relationship, you're in for a treat.
Plus, the bull, Watermelons, and the dog, Zeus, almost steal the show. ...more
It's been a while since I full-on cried while reading a book and I should have known that Kelly Fox would do it to me again. No spoilers, but if you'rIt's been a while since I full-on cried while reading a book and I should have known that Kelly Fox would do it to me again. No spoilers, but if you're soft-hearted like I am, you'll want tissues to read The Skeptic.
There's a prequel novella, The Thief, that's a quick intro to many of the characters and while it's not 100% necessary to read it before this book, the short is a good way to get an idea of what's going on before going into this first full-length novel in a new series that features a character we met in the Wild Heart Ranch series. In fact, there are a few cameos from other books, but they are done well, enhancing rather than taking over the narrative.
As always, the steam level is pretty high and there's plenty of steam. But there's also a roller coaster ride of other emotions that's every bit as potent as Warwick was. Grief, along with questions of faith, self-worth, and life purpose are woven into the a story that's obviously setting the stage for the rest of the series, yet subtly, without overwhelming this story. My curiosity is piqued about all of the Lost Boys, and I'm not particular about which order the stories come.
Do heed the content warnings, though. No punches are pulled in the telling of the story, and it could be triggering for some people. ...more
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