No idea why, but Iām fascinated by hitman romances. Itās a trope thatās been written by many authors and each one has a different interpretation of the assassins, their lifestyles, backgrounds, and, of course, professionalism.
Are they psychopaths? People lured inside the profession by expediency or blackmail? Or perhaps something in their pasts now causes them to kill. Or any number of combinations.
All of which makes for dark, entertaining reading and curiouser relationship dynamics between assassins.
Hitman vs Hitman by Cari Z and L.A. Witt is, imo, a delightful āassassin lightā romantic story.
What torture there is here is minimal is in the past and off page. The killings, while often and with a āboom, explosions, boomā high body count, arenāt gruesome. Those that might sound as such, well, they are off page again.
Itās bang, boom, shots, flash bangs, quick action sequences, dead bodies sort of assassin type of story.
What Witt and CariZ did so splendidly here was in giving both the assassins such divergent personalities and backgrounds yet their characters were so alike in beliefs and values that the romance actually made sense.
Thereās the sarcastic humor, snippy bits of dialogue, witty jokes, and incredibly good scenes that interspersed action with past memories and relationship growth.
I remained absolutely committed to the men, the storylines, and their relationship.
I could use several more tales with this newly adjusted killer couple in the future. Oh wait, they do. And Iām onto it next!
Such a excellent story! One Iām highly recommending.
Ricardo Torralba and August Morrison donāt agree on much besides the fact that they hate each other. According to Ricardo, August is a spoiled brat who really needs to knock off the sass once in a while. August insists that Ricardo needs a sense of humor, a good lay, or a well-placed bullet. Maybe all three.
Fortunately, the assassinās profession is a solitary one, and they can go about their lives without getting in each otherās way.
Usually.
When a contracted hit turns out to be a setup for both of them, they narrowly escape with their lives. Now, even if they donāt like it (spoiler: they donāt), August and Ricardo have to work together if they want a shot at survival.
In between firefights and questionable interrogation methods as they hunt down their would-be killer, the cranky assassins discover that under all that mutual loathing is a spark of chemistry they canāt ignore. They want to ignore it, they probably should ignore it, but August canāt help flirting to annoy Ricardo, and Ricardo can think of at least one way to shut him up for a while.
But they need to focus, damn it, and figure out whoās gunning for them and why.
Assuming they donāt kill each other first.
Hitman vs Hitman is a standalone* gay romantic suspense featuring two men whoād rather chew glass than fall for each other, a whole lot of inappropriate comments, and some buttons that will need resewing.
* Okay, it was supposed to be a standalone, but August and Ricardo refused to be contained, so now they have a sequel, Sniper vs Spotter.
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Unless itās noted, all books reviewed have been purchased by the reviewer
I have been waiting for Chief Mendozaās story since Walker started her teasers and hints throughout all the rest of the Savannah series about Mendozaās attraction to his longtime friend, Sheriff Abraham Beecham.
Chief Mendozaās been a rock solid presence at the Savannah PD , a favored , strong personality thatās as much a part of the family and lives of all the main characters we love . He is a central figure in the foundation of this ongoing series universe.
No surprise that Beecham started to work his way up and into the same role , via his relationship with Mendoza and that of Sgt. Royce Locke (of the partnership in every way of Locke and Key).
Just Say When finally pulls back the curtains on their long relationship, their friendship, and the passion for each other thatās finally gone from hidden to unrestrained.
I love that Mendozaās back history includes a great mixed modern family dynamics. His combined family includes his teenage son, Alex, who he shares with his ex. In a totally appreciated departure from the norm in other stories, his ex wife , a well rounded character, is still very much a friend. Also in law enforcement, sheās strong, great at her job , smart and loving, has a terrific marriage with her husband. Their family includes Mendoza and Uncle Abe Beecham, whoās known everyone for years.
This quartet of personalities and relationships drives the multiple storylines forward with a narrative heft that includes compelling acceptance of sexuality, bigotry within a family framework, and a healthy modern mixed family culture.
Walkerās characters flow through a mystery and dramatic setup thatās got its own twists to satisfy any reader.
I love her Savannah universe and all the characters and stories that have come out of it. Just Say When is simply one more in that rich line of storytelling that you will never tire of and always be sorry to leave.
Iām highly recommending it and all the books around it.
Someone wants Police Chief Emilio Mendoza dead. And if his unknown assailant doesnāt kill him, pining for Sheriff Abraham Beecham just might.
Abe and Lioās thirty-year journey has taken them from heated rivals to best friends with countless labels and pit stops along the way. Romance is the only avenue left unexplored but not from lack of love or desire.
Abe pushes people away before they can get too close, and Lio doesnāt engage in situations he canāt control. Theyāve reached an impasse, and neither are willing to risk their friendship until fate intervenes, forcing them to reassess their priorities.
But when an unhinged enemy targets Lio, will their gamble be too little too late, or will their love truly conquer all?
Just Say When is a standalone romantic suspense novel within the authorās Savannah universe. This book contains mature content and is attended for adults.
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Unless itās noted, all books reviewed have been purchased by the reviewer
I havenāt read the other books in the Boyfriends for Hire series, but that didnāt keep me from reading and enjoying Felix, the fifth installment.
Felix is very much a holiday story and it works somewhat well as a standalone novel. While I was unfamiliar with the characters from the agency that Felix works for, thereās just enough background information that a new reader has a good idea of the universe we are falling into.
That said, while I had a good grasp on the character of Felix, the character of Ethan, the scientist, came about more slowly. I wasnāt sure what to attribute certain aspects of his personality to. Was his scattered thoughts and inability to focus on social situations part of being on the spectrum or something else. Else as it turns out.
But it leaves him as a lesser formed individual than say Felix who we have a firm grasp of.
Their relationship and itās path is slow but sweet. It has some dramatic moments that turns Ethanās character into one grounded in a believable, painful journey to healing, new hopeful future for them both.
Felix is a sweet, loving, heartwarming holiday tale. Even without the other books, itās a lovely read and one I enjoyed immensely.
Hiring a fake boyfriend for a school reunion seems to be the only solution, but love was never part of the equation.
Felix has enough on his plate looking out for his parents, let alone agreeing to being hired for a date with the friend of a friend. His instant attraction to the scatter-brained scientist has him making impulsive decisions he hopes he wonāt regret. But, somehow, heās agreeing to more dates, and more time with sexy Ethan and his non-stop talking. When stolen wintry kisses turn to love, and Christmas works its magic, Felix knows heās losing his heart.
The science of chemistry makes more sense to Ethan than connecting with potential boyfriends, and heās wary of romance. Unsettled by a string of failed hookups, he knows itās on him when everything goes wrong and he canāt help but wonder what has made him this way. His friend Jared says that Ethan needs to close metaphorical doors on past hurtsāwhatever that meansāand that the school reunion might just be step one. Determined to show himself as confident and happy, he hires Felix to be his date for the night, but a kiss to make up for the one he missed at prom, and abruptly, itās not the past that is consuming his thoughts.
Now all Felix has to do is show Ethan that itās okay to love and be loved in return, and that chemistry can lead to a happily ever after.
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Unless itās noted, all books reviewed have been purchased by the reviewer
N.R.Walker takes us back to that incredibly beautiful and charming place, Hartbridge, Montana, supposedly for the last time, in Merry Christmas Cupid.
No Aussies this time, except for newly transplanted Gunter Zunigaās interactions with our couples from the past two stories.
Gunter Zuniga, 44 years old, grieving the loss of his father and a breakup of a longstanding relationship on the day of his fatherās funeral, relocates to a small town heās never forgotten for their kindness and support towards his father and himself towards the end of his fatherās life.
The old heritage home calls out to him, and thatās how he meets Clay Henderson, a man whose generosity sparks a friendship, a ease into the town, and a new journey forward for both.
Merry Christmas Cupid is a slow, lower angst romantic tale. Clay learns to fully embrace his bisexuality and come out to those that matter. Gunter gains a new found family and close knit set of friends.
Hartbridge, Montana is picturesque and Hallmark descriptive. From the citizens weāve met before in previous books to new ones that call out for new romances of their own, Merry Christmas Cupid is a lovely holiday gift for fans of this author and lovers of seasonal fiction.
Iām certainly sorry to see this series end if Merry Christmas Cupid truly marks a ending to the Hartbridge Christmas stories!
Pick it up and enjoy Walkerās trademark well crafted characters, heartwarming plot, and heartfelt moments!
After a year of tragedy, forty-four-year-old Gunter Zuniga is leaving heartbreak behind and moving to the peaceful and picturesque town of Hartbridge, Montana. He buys an old house in need of some work, which he naively thinks he can manage now that heās single and retiredāhe has nothing but time.
Clay Henderson runs the local sawmill with his dad, and itās the busiest time of year. Firewood and Christmas trees are in high demand, and a delivery of firewood to the old house on Cedar Bark Road leaves him curious about the new man in town.
Clay has never had time for romance and Gunter certainly isnāt looking, but Hartbridge has a way of working its Christmas magic; the jingle of Christmas bells, snow, and love are ringing in the air. And Gunter and Clay are about to get the best Christmas gift they never asked for.
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Unless itās noted, all books reviewed have been purchased by the reviewer
Cowboy Healing has some good narrative elements to it. The basic storyline is good. The characters with the children are very well written. And while it took me a hot minute to connect with a cowboy whose sole aim for working for a overwhelmed widowed parent is to ingratiate himself into his good graces in order to get his family off the ranch, well, yeah. I bet Iām not the only one.
Caleb , a well crafted character, starts off as a unlikable cowboy, whoās aiming to take back his familyās ranch that was sold out from him, partly out of his negligence, partly because of a agentās criminality.
Patrick, a orthopedic surgeon, is a widower and father of two children. Heās a bit obsessive about his practice and out of his comfort zone on the ranch, which was his husbandās dream.
I liked Patrick but, again, major events occur that should propel him towards more introspection and character growth. That really doesnāt happen. Instead, itās Caleb asking for change, even short term. Itās Patrickās character thatās seems to have a unformed foundation, as though the author isnāt as sure of this character as they are of the cowboy.
Patrick complains of the ālost yearsā due to his profession. Yet is oblivious of his drive and itās effects upon his family. Even when Caleb asks for help, itās a ranch hand , not a orthopedic assistant which is intended.
Is the author unaware of the characterās issues that sheās writing into the story and relationship?
That part of his character, added to the elements below just keeps me from totally investing in the story, the future for the family, and the relationship.
Issues:
1. Editing issues. See example below:
āāThatāll be up to them. Weāll see.ā The doc didnāt seem too convinced on that front. āMaggie is more interested than Caleb.ā
That should be Mason. Not Caleb. A easy edit/error catch. Especially given the very next sentence below.
āCaleb bit back a grin. Yeah, he might be a bit scary if they were city kids.ā
2. Second larger issue: The disappearing dogs. Four to be exact.
āHe agreed, although the dogs were becoming off-leash beasts now that there were only two. āI would be fine with that, then.āā
And with that small, throwaway line, the author disposed late in the book of a fairly significant story element. That of 4 husky puppies that were hugely loved and important to Mason, son of Patrick. The fact that Mason loved, trained, named,and spent most of his hours with these 6 dogs , (now only 2 as 4 have vanished into thin air with no explanation) during the story . The author made them a integral family element only to carelessly discard them in this way towards the end of the book. Whereās Ginger? All the rest? Honestly, itās is something I canāt understand.
It changes a deeply held belief about Masonās character and promises made ( he built structures, spent hours on researching sleds, training) only for the author to trash this part of the story for no discernible purpose. All Tortuga had to do, basically, was not mention them other than to say dogs versus the individual husky names.
Why eliminate a beloved book aspect and something we deeply associated with not only Mason, but the family as a whole?
This is where a great editor would have stepped in and challenged these decisions. As well as corrected the easy editing mistakes made along the lines I pointed out earlier.
Most writers, well people in general are aware of the unwritten rule . Donāt kill off the animal characters in films/books, etc. Because your audience/readers will take note. And be very unhappy.
Issues like these make a book come off as unpolished ,their odd narrative choices throwing a reader out of the storyline, never to recover.
I enjoy B.A. Tortuga as an author but the books lately have more a feeling of being piecemealed together instead of one thatās been finely tuned, beautifully edited with an eye towards hard decisions and fine details.
Thatās a shame because sheās got one of the best ear for location, colloquialisms, and regional variations as far as culture when talking about Texas and certain parts of that country that I know of. From the rodeo to the raw dry landscape of New Mexico, when sheās in her element, thereās no one finer.
Thatās the reason Iāll keep reading in hopes of finding that complete book again.
As for Cowboy Healing, maybe the things that bother me arenāt deciding factors for you. In which case, Iām sure you will be fine with it. Itās the first in a new series.
Patrick Kelly needs some help. His husband passed away a while ago, and now he has a thriving medical practice, two busy kids, and one ranch outside Aspen, Colorado that he’s not really sure how to run. Patrick doesn’t want to give up on any part of his life, but he knows he can’t do it all alone, so he turns to a service to hire a cowboy to help run the ranch and free up some of his time.
Caleb Warren wants his family ranch back. So he hires on to work as the foreman there through the Cowboy Wanted service, just waiting for the fancy doctor who owns the place to get tired of roughing it and sell out. The problem is, Patrick’s kids love the country life, Patrick is a good man, and Caleb can’t quite get past the guilt he feels about being on the road with the rodeo when his family had some real troubles to deal with.
The two of them find more common ground than they expect, and between everything from animals to parent teacher meetings, Caleb lends and hand and Patrick learns to lean on Caleb for help. Can the two of them give up the past and embrace the future together?
I love the Heart2Heart charity collections. They have a great selection of authors and stories to read.
This time thereās 14 in the collection. My favorites have ā¤ļø next to them. There are 2 Iām not a fan of. One because of the authorās very odd inclusion of a dog character and then itās treatment in the narrative. The other because every element is a red flag, to my surprise. From the one MC to scenes I could write an entire review on.
But the majority are well written and warm-hearted in spirit.
See the lineup below and individual reviews below that.
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To those two little words, āwhat if.ā Questions thrown at singles by the dating Heart2Heart app . These stories are the answers, kinda. Remarkably so.
Complete list of stories:
1. Thank You Heist of Hearts by Alice Winters ā¤ļø
2. Keeping Him in Cornwall by Con Riley ā¤ļø
3. Hate 2 Love U by Daryl Banner
4. Love Down Under by Eden Finley
5. Rock, Paper, Scissors by Kate Hawthorne šš¤Ø
6. Dog Days by Kelly Fox ā¤ļø
7. The London Chance by Lane Hayes ā¤ļø
8. My Darcy by Lily Morton ā¤ļø
9. A Drag Made in Heaven by Max Walker
10. Connection by Nicole Dykes
11. Worst. Date. Ever. By Onley Jamesā¤ļø
12. Down the Mountain by Rachel Ember
13. The Anti-Wingman by Saxon James ā¤ļø
14. The Choice by Sloane Kennedy š±š¤¦š¼āāļøš¤Ø
1. Thank You Heist of Hearts by Alice Winters ā¤ļø
The question:
āIn case of zombie apocalypse, what skills do you bring to the table?ā
Reed and Dylan. Reed the former thief and Dylan, the former cop who arrested him. And a date gone spectacularly wrong. I love this so much. Fabulous dialogue and characters.
2. Keeping Him in Cornwall by Con Riley ā¤ļø
Question:
āHow do you feel about Cornish pasties?
Farmer Stef Lukens and Mark, Stefās younger brotherās best friend.
OMG, Con Riley! How did you quietly wring so many emotions out of my heart with this gem of a story. Sweet, endearing, beautifully crafted and grounded in a farm we feel like we know by the sea in Wales. A must read and one I wish was longer.
3. Hate 2 Love U by Daryl Banner
āIf Cerberus needed mouth to mouth resuscitation, which mouth would you give it to?ā
Pete Knott, clumsy nerd vs Teague Jensen, jock superstar. Assumptions versus facts eventually turn into a relationship. Sweet.
4. Love Down Under by Eden Finley
āWhat animal do you identify with most?ā
A Sloth. Those things are so pathetic, other animals take pity and leave them alone. Reminds me of how I survived high school.
Dorian, tour guide at Cassowary Rock Sanctuary meets Kero , a recent newcomer to the area and on the tour courtesy of his big brother. The location is a feature and the characters are great.
5. Rock, Paper, Scissors by Kate Hawthorne šš¤Ø
Mountains, beaches, or both?ā
Xavier with Bagel his late grandmotherās Australian shepherd who wears clothing aka bandanas
And adorable matching shoes to eat a doggy safe bacon donut every Tuesday . Big plot point that goes nowhere. MC seems annoyed with dog that his grandmother loved and left to him. And intends not to to really honor the will.
. Meet cute with bakers brother from the mountains, Bastian. Romance ensues.
Dog used as more as a contrived story prompt than an actual beloved character. This aspect made me dislike the story as the treatment of Bagel took me out of the romance. If a author must have a animal in their story, pls keep in mind that having their MC act indifferently towards it, forget itās part of the story at times, and discard it altogether is never a good idea.
Not a fan.
6. Dog Days by Kelly Fox ā¤ļø
āKirk, Picard, Sisko, or Janeway?ā
Alfie Fellows, family therapist and vol w/ small breed rescue
Judi Dench the teacup poodle mix
Gideon Northman, aka writer Everett Goodnight
Beautifully written, well crafted characters, with deep elements as well as a romantic aspect that makes this a well rounded story and a memorable one. The dog character is so well done and a great personality and part of the storyline!
7. The London Chance by Lane Hayesā¤ļø
90s most underrated jam? Most overrated? Most perfect song?ā
Chance Robbins, 35, California , sales and marketing, meets Roman Crawford, industrial engineer, a business owner from Toronto, living in London.
Finally meeting after texting thru the Heart2Heart app. Cute, funny, and romantic.
8. My Darcy by Lily Morton ā¤ļø
āWhat is your most controversial opinion?ā
Pure Lily Morton. I laughed, and found myself throughly invested in the romance of Freddie, a tailor whoās also a Jane Austen guide who likes to dress in Regency clothes, and his best friend since childhood, archaeologist Darcy Griffiths. As they guide a small group of widely entertaining tourists through a Jane Austin section of a literary bus tour, it turns into a romantic adventure for themselves too.
9. A Drag Made in Heaven by Max Walker
āIf you were a drag queen, what would your name be?ā
The characters had little chemistry. I was not pulled into the relationship or story. Even with Malikās job at the Tampa Aquarium, it was one dimensional and lacked depth.
10. Connection by Nicole Dykes
āDo you believe in soulmates?ā
Oliver, tattoo artist 25, meets Eli, traveling photographer 27 in Hawaii. Sweet romance with lovely characters.
11. Worst. Date. Ever. By Onley Jamesā¤ļø
āWhatās the worst date you can think of and would you do it with me?
Cade, contract killer and Tris, 23, ADHD. Tris answered Cadeās H2H ad and got the date of a lifetime. A contract killer with a need for a alibi, the worst date ever, an assumed HEA as told by Onley James. Funny, dark, and murderous. ā¤ļø
12. Down the Mountain by Rachel Ember
āWhatās your favorite midnight snack?ā
Vic Ricci sees his ex , Bennett Walker, alpine Skier Team USA, after 2 years absence from small town Garden, CO. Reunion and romance ensues.3 stars. Little feel for any relationship or chemistry.
13. The Anti-Wingman by Saxon Jamesā¤ļø
āHave you always painted your fingernails with yellow emoji faces on them?ā
Effervescent , impulsive Kai needs a anti-wingman to keep him from repeating his relationship mistakes. Wry, cautious Ryland needs a wingman to jumpstart his journey into a relationship. A funny group of text messages starts a path to romance that utterly engaging.
1. The Choice by Sloane Kennedyš±š¤¦š¼āāļøš¤Ø
āIf you could go back in time and make one different choice, what would that be?ā
Hudson Warner, older boss and ranch owner , deeply closeted gay
Mouse aka Andrew , small, bullied employee, hidden identity
Cody, Wyoming
I could write an entire essay about all the issues with this story, itās main character Hudson, and his relationship with his employee, Andrew. Frankly, the story made me queasy. Thereās a huge difference in the stations, thereās a issue of power imbalance from social to monetary to business as Hudson is also Andrewās boss. Even age as Hudson is considerably older than Mouse. Hudson has complete control over almost every aspect of Andrewās life and acts without regard to Andrewās personal finances and considerations (buys him a new car without asking permission, selling Andrewās old car also without permission), but wonāt (as a closeted gay man) keep his other employees from bullying Andrew when thatās exactly the one avenue where as a boss he might be expected to have the right to take responsibility for all his employees actions. Does that happen? No.
Thereās also actionable events that occurred during a bar scene where Andrewās PTSD was engaged as well as he was almost assaulted. Itās really one flag after another. But itās insta love . SMH.
The most questionable decision here is why close out a romance collection with what has to be one of the worst stories , IMO, ( one of two) here. Usually itās the strongest thatās selected.
All this does is leave me with a very bad impression and a need to go find something else to read so I can forget I ever came across this.
Thereās a group of wonderful holiday stories here that I would recommend and a few Iād give a pass to. Thatās the great thing about a collection, the ability to make choices. Or find new authors. Or new stories by authors you love.
Pick up Heart2Heart: A Charity Anthology by Lily Morton, Eden Finley, et Al-vol 6 and decide what to read for yourself.
Lanes Hayes has written a heartwarming holiday story in The Humbug Holiday. One of my favorites this season, itās has a gentle romance between two men whose histories include adolescent pasts with deep emotional pain associated with the Christmas holidays.
One, Cameron Warren, a famous author of mysteries, has escaped his LA home , family, and notoriety for a newly purchased old Victorian in small town Fallbrook, Vermont . Heās there to write and hide from the holidays.
However, his elderly aunts have temporarily accompanied him to make sure heās settled, alive, and decorated in his new home. One that needs a ton of work.
Joe Linton, Handyman, is hired by one aunt to help make the beautiful old house livable for the winter, and start with the crusade to get their nephew to decorate.
Hayesā characters are real in their faults, charming in their own ways of thinking about life and their feelings for the holidays, decorating and the town. Each manās story will slowly come tumbling out , piecemeal, as one writes, the other puts the house in order, and their relationship grows.
Itās warm, like sitting next to a fireplace, chatting, learning about someone. Itās believable and grounded in small town culture and the strengths of that lifestyle.
My heart was easily invested and flowed with the story, right through to the end. So charming and wonderful.
Perfect for the holidays and one Iām absolutely recommending.
Two grumpy bears and a holiday season neither will forgetā¦
Joe
So this sexy silver fox rolls into my small New England town and buys a run-down old house in need of renovation. Thatās where I come in. My job is to do some basic repairs, so he can write in peace. Yep, the hotshot is a bestselling author, but thatās not why I recognize Cameron Warren.
No worries, I wonāt let a one-night stand make things awkward. I could use the work, but is he seriously asking me to help him buy a Christmas tree too?
No way.
Cameron
Iām a good-natured guy all year long, but I have to admitā¦I hate the holidays.
There. I said it.
This season, Iām hiding away on the opposite side of the country in a picturesque village. My family isnāt excited about my decision, and the only way to assure them Iām fine is to deck the darn halls. Or hire someone else to do it.
The handyman might not be the logical choice for an elf, but his grumpy act makes me smile. Which makes me think the holidays might not be so ābah-humbugā this year after all.
The Humbug Holiday is a bisexual, age-gap romance featuring two grumpy bears who find unexpected magic and learn to embrace everyoneās favorite time of year!
Con Riley has quickly become a go to author for me for contemporary romance. Rileyās characters and movingly detailed plots manage to capture my attention as well as my imagination. I end up loving the couples, their stories, and the cast around them.
His Last Christmas in London is a perfect example. After a bitter experience with a mentor who took credit for his work and then refused him references when he wanted out, Ian Fisher, photographer, is forced to face reality and a move back home to Cornwall. In a short period, Riley gives us a intimate glimpse into a man who is hurting, full of self doubt, and questioning his own abilities.
It takes his friends, and one last chance, a job for a well known food critic, for everything to change course, albeit slowly.
Guy Parsons, food critic, widower, man of amazing depths, if you can get the chance to see beyond his walls. Guy is another amazing character and one I could easily spend another book with. The two of them , together, exploring London, is magical.
I truly wasnāt ready to let them or their romance go. I wanted to tag along aside as they wandered through Cornwall, or perhaps France. It honestly didnāt matter. They charmed me.
I suspect they will you too.
Itās why Iām definitely recommending His Last Christmas in London by Con Riley. Itās a holiday read to take to heart!
Falling for his final client wonāt make leaving London easyā¦
Ian ~ A talented, young photographer desperate to stay in London.
Guy ~ An older, fierce food critic, determined to keep him in his city.
Ian shouldnāt be attracted to a scathing food critic like Guy Parsons, not after the last time he fell for someone older, arrogant, and gorgeous. He knows better than to let dramatic good looks sway him since his last heartbreak. Besides, heās accepted a new job at the far end of the country and wonāt be staying in London.
Having one month left doesnāt seem enough now Ianās fallen in love with the city. Working as Guyās photographer for December might help him afford to stay for longer, even if he hates Guyās brand of restaurant reviewing. When Guy turns out to be worlds away from the last man Ian fell for, shared meals soon result in shared secrets and feelings.
More than attraction sparks between them as Christmas approaches. Intimate moments lead to intense passion, but is being well matched in the bedroom enough to stop the clock counting down to Ian leaving London, and Guy, for good?
ā„ Steamy, snarky, and sweet, His Last Christmas in London is an utterly British, low-angst, age-gap, workplace gay romance set in London and Cornwall. ā„
Celebrate the holidays with a lovely long novella full of heartfelt hurt/comfort and second chances from Con Riley, author of the much adored Charles: Learning to Love.
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Unless itās noted, all books reviewed have been purchased by the reviewer
Iāve been waiting for this story since I started the series. Itās been hinted at throughout each book and Coach Asa Dawson is such a powerful person that heās been able to help make each coupleās story and romance more interesting and real as it developed through the framework of the team and game.
So the references to a past drama and a unrequited love story thread for Coach just drew me in. I wanted to know what happened.
Winning The Season, the penultimate book in the Miami Piranhas series, is Beth Boldenās love letter to the Coach of this mixed team of players of all sexualities and athletic backgrounds.
Heās been the glue to hold them together and the force to make them into a winning team.
So now he gets his own HEA.
But not without several hurdles, a bunch of painful barriers to overcome, and major forgiveness over past years wounds to old relationships.
I really loved the characters here. They rang so true. Scott Callaway, the old friend since college. He and Asa a unit since their college football playing days, through the years as a team as coaches on the smaller fields as they worked up through to the university level, always together.
Their history, deep friendship, passion for the game and each other, it all comes through so beautifully.
As does the painful experience when it all goes so badly.
The reunion is not a happy one. Nor should it be. The path back to each other is tough and paved with arguments and bad feelings. Which makes the real shift back into a truce and then more so rewarding and heartwarming.
The ending will bring out the tissues and a few sniffles I expect. I wasnāt expecting that. But it was perfect.
Winning The Season is my favorite of the series. There is one more book to come. I canāt believe it would be any better a series finale than this but Iām looking forward to reading it.
Until then, Iām highly recommending Winning The Season (Miami Piranhas Book 4) by Beth Bolden.
Coach Asa Dawson has fallen wildly in love only twice in his life.
First with football.
Then with Scott Callaway.
But Scott isnāt just the one who got away.
Heās the one personāthe one manāAsa hoped might finally show him how all-consuming passion could be.
Instead, fate (and football) intervened and they never got the chance to explore their attraction. Their friendship ended in ruins, Scott left, and Asaās been torn between hating him and loving him for the last seven years.
Asa doesnāt think heāll ever see him again, but when his bad habits catch up to him and he doesnāt have a choice but to accept help, heās horrifiedāand exhilaratedāto learn Scottās been hired to assist him.
With the final stretch of the Piranhas season falling during the holidays, maybe what Asa and Scott have needed this whole time was a little Christmas magic to remind them the most important job isnāt to win the seasonābut to finally win each otherās hearts.
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Unless itās noted, all books reviewed have been purchased by the reviewer
Kairoās Billionaire slightly backtracks into the last pages of Charlieās Doctor, recounting the events that happened to launch this story.
That would be the kidnapping of Kairo by unknown persons as he exited the bar where everyone was celebrating the success of the teamās mission.
Iām fully enjoying this series. Even though Iām aware of some of the issues with the realism of two billionaires kidnapped and no one realizes, the easiest escape ever, and other things that are still a wee bit of a stretch to believe in, itās all such fun entertainment that I am willing to take it as such.
I just enjoy the characters, their relationships, the fact thereās a ferret element, a family of assassins (those that kill together ). I mean itās just a general sense of mayhem on the loose I find so ingratiatingly satisfying.
Plus love , and HEA , is found for Kairos Jones and the billionaire Isidore Panopoulos. Itās a interesting dynamic . We get to know both men under duress, as well as Izzyās sister, another wonderful character. This situation makes the quick development in their relationship believable as they are forced into learning about each other and having to trust each other to make decisions to ensure their escape.
The ending sets up Edās story, Edisonās Professor, as well as giving us a deeper perspective on Kairoās life.
Iām looking forward to it.
If youāre a reader who enjoys action packed , ex military, espionage type of romance novels, then this is a entertaining and enjoyable book and series for you.
They should be read in order to understand the relationships and events that have happened.
Someone of his skill should not have been kidnapped at all. Let alone so easily.
But when Kairo Jones wakes up halfway around the world with a reclusive billionaire begging for his help, the mercenary knows he canāt say no.
He also knows that he might be in over his head.
While Charlie and the rest of the team race to locate their missing member, Kairo fights to keep the sexy man with the sad eyes alive long enough to get some answers.
Kairoās Billionaire is the second full-length novel in the Shadow Elite series and features mercenaries, assassins, danger, explosions, a brooding billionaire with a battered heart, and love on the run in Greece.
āāā-
Unless itās noted, all books reviewed have been purchased by the reviewer
