Category: M/M Contemporary Fiction

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Accidentally on Purpose by J.M Snyder

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Love older MCs? Love slow burn, even in the bedroom? This one is just right for those of us who want to read about two older guys who find their way to romance. Granted, in this case, they get a little push from a 14-year-old, but nevertheless, they get there.

Alan Travers has custody of his nephew Brooks, and when Brooks is police-escorted home from the mall one night, Alan’s not upset because it’s Detective Jim Garrison who brings him home.  Jim is the “hot” cop Alan has been admiring from afar and has been too tongue-tied to ask out.  It just so happens that Brooks offered to help him find the perfect opportunity to have a chance to talk by using himself as bait to get picked up for breaking curfew. 

Alan is still pretty tongue-tied and definitely self-deprecating. At fifty-three years old, he’s not in the best shape—or at least, not from his perspective—but Jim likes what he sees and the two end up going out after days and days talking on the phone until late at night. So at the end of their date, which doesn’t feel like a first date at all, they finally make it to bed. 

The author takes the time for the two to get to know one another and even in the bedroom scene, several chapters cover their time together. After all, it’s been some time—years—for both of them, and Alan has to get past the hurdle of undressing before another man, and Jim has to search for condoms. When he finally found some, though unopened, the box was over ten years old!  There were quite a few laugh out loud moments in this story and the sweetness of their romance shines through. When Brooks goes missing the morning after his date with Jim, Alan gets the chance to see his detective in action.   All is well in the long run, and the couple manage to find their way to a nice HEA by the epilogue. 

Very enjoyable, I recommend this to those of us into late-life romance. 

The cover features two handsome older men, a light blue background and a cup of coffee – symbolic of their first meeting when Alan dumped his all over Jim’s shoes.  Any cover featuring an older MC attracts my attention these days.  Very nicely done!

Sales Links:  JMS Books LLC | Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 1st edition, 173 pages

Expected publication: November 24th 2018 by JMS Books LLC

ASIN B07JMGFC8L

Edition Language English

Release Blitz and Giveaway for Illumined Shadows (Treble and the Lost Boys #3) by G.R Lyons

 

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK
 

Length: 100,000 words approx.


Treble & The Lost Boys Series


Book #1 – Ice On Fire – Amazon US | Amazon UK
Book #2 – Heavens Aground – Amazon US | Amazon UK


Blurb


When Victor Lucius was sixteen years old, a few cruel words out of his mouth led to a brutal tragedy, one that Vic has been trying to make up for ever since. Now, working as a missing persons expert, Vic tracks down and rescues people from abandonment or abuse, trying to alleviate the guilt constantly weighing him down.


His latest case—a boy who was kidnapped at the age of two and then held captive for nineteen years—is by far the darkest of his career. If there’s any chance of Vic finally redeeming himself, helping this boy might be it.


But rescuing Colby from his basement prison is only the beginning, and brings a whole new struggle to Vic’s life:


Temptation…


(Note: This story takes place in a fictional world, the same as in the Shifting Isles Series. There are multiple gods, different names for the days of the week, etc. A glossary is included.)


Author Bio


While daylighting as office manager for the family auto repair business, G.R. Lyons can often be found working on one of multiple manuscripts or desperately trying to keep up with the TBR pile.


Anarcho-capitalist, quietly ‘out’ trans guy, former belly dancer, coffee guzzler, highly-sensitive introvert, CrossFit enthusiast, and lover of m/m romantic fiction.


Email: grlyons@grlyonsauthor.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/grlyonsauthor
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/grlyonsauthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/grlyonsauthor
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/doumteksonata/
Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/author/grlyons

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A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Join the Club (Four Kings Security #3) by Charlie Cochet

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

I seem to be in the minority for this series and this book.  I liked it but I wasn’t overwhelmed by it in any way. This one had a good core theme, but the romance felt so off to me. Most of the time I felt like I was watching a soap opera. Given the background of these characters, I expected men who were not demonstrative and kept emotions controlled until safe to bring them out. Maybe the men I know are not typical because they men were so OTT smoochie and the sexting and quick work breaks for sex before they had a long-term commitment were inappropriate and totally out of character with their professional roles.  They’re older guys so I would think they could better handle their sex drives.

Mason, a former Texan, kept his twang but is now a detective in Florida—at least until he fails a drug test because he neglected to list his cough meds at the time. Suspended for an unknown time (eventually 8 weeks!) he takes a job with Four Kings Security.  Mason is Ace’s former lover from book one. Lest we forget that, it’s repeated ad nauseum throughout the story by so many different characters that it became annoying. When the 18-year-old son of one of the Kings’ deceased comrades teases him about it, I threw in the towel.

Mason has had a crush on Lucky, Ace’s cousin—one of the Four Kings—since book one. I gather there was a kiss or two in either that book or the second one, but apparently these two are destined to be together because most of the book is about their budding romance, hot sex, and eventually, everlasting love.

Thankfully, the core story was good, though much of the detail was quite unbelievable. A valued detective suspended for eight weeks because of cough meds that can be proven by contacting his doctor about the prescription? That’s an extraordinary length of time. But it was necessary so that Mason could get comfortable at Kings Security and could fall in love, not just lust, with Lucky.

As with the other books, there was a lot of extraneous background information in this story. I’m used to more dialogue from this author, through which readers can follow the story and make their own decisions about characters.  But this book, and series, has page after page of narrative and repetitive information.

The crucial action toward the end has a rather mild, and unrealistic, outcome and the men find their way to their HEA. 

The cover by Reese Dante features a man who must be Lucky as he has dark hair, scruffy beard, and what appear to be camo pants and dog tags. He’s handsome, and I love the bright purple big city background. 

Sales Links: 

Amazon Kindle US
Amazon Global Link

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 261 pages
Published November 19th 2018 by Charlie Cochet
ASINB07KNXDHQJ
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesFour Kings Security #3

A MelanieM Review: Deja Vu by Addison Albright

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Gavin and Matthew just want to get home to enjoy Christmas Eve in their safe, warm apartment. Should they walk or take a cab? But will either option do the trick when Victor, suffering from his holiday blahs, is determined to undermine this happy twosome at every turn?

Years ago, Victor made the unfortunate mistake of coming out to his family on Christmas. Why couldn’t he have picked a random summer day?

Can Victor’s husband Bryan pull him out of his gloomy mood in order to give the popular Gavin and Matthew the merry Christmas they deserve

Deja Vu by Addison Albright is a short holiday tale that employs the format of a story within a story.  Victor is a well-known author and his long term and very happy couple of Gavin and Matthew, characters in his series,  his focus this Christmas Eve.  And not in a good way.  Victor is taking his angst and    pain over losing his family years ago when he came out to them at Christmas for his lover.

The short story alternates between short woeful chapters of what’s happening to Gavin and Matthew vs Victor and his husband in RL.

Albright’s writing is skillfully done.  You actually emphasize with the poor characters meeting their demise over and over due to their author’s, Victor’s, angst. And you adore Victor’s husband, Bryan’s gentle anxiety over their well being and the novel’s ending too.  Within 22 pages Albright creates a loving relationship twice over, both of which you come to care about.

Each couple gets a heartwarming ending, just as you would hope.  Perfect for their holidays and ours.  Short, sweet, and with just that hint of the holiday melancholy that works so well.

If you are looking for a quick holiday read just a bit outside of the normal romances,  definitely recommend this one to all of you.

Cover art is simple but pulls you into an important part of the story.  Well done.

Sales Links:  JMS Books LLC  |    Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 22 pages
Published December 1st 2018 by JMS Books, LLC
ISBN139781634868167
Edition Language English

Characters Matthew, Gavin, Victor, Bryan

A Stella Review : The Christmas Lights Battle by Skylar M. Cates

RATING 4,5 out of 5 stars

A Shelby Beach Romance.

For a single dad and his neighbor, the Christmas competition is on!

Julian Moss wants to give his children a happy Christmas. Since his divorce, Julian has no time for a social life; he’s been doing the tiring work of two parents while his cheating ex-husband dodges his responsibilities. If that isn’t stressful enough, he has to deal with his new—and ridiculously good-looking—neighbor and his noisy dogs. Christmas used to be Julian’s favorite holiday, but lately all he sees is the cost. Then Julian’s young son tells him about a Christmas lights competition with a much-needed prize.

Leo Adams is going to be alone for Christmas…again. All he’s ever wanted is to be accepted by his family, but he knows that will never happen. Deciding to focus on his career as a personal trainer, Leo develops a boot camp program on the beach, but he needs publicity. The lights competition offers Leo a way to get some free press, and if it annoys his snooty neighbor Julian—all the better.

The battle is on, and both Julian and Leo want to win. The stakes are high, the reward is great, and the neighbors are in it to win it. There’s nothing like a little competition to make Christmas at Shelby Beach extra merry and bright.

I love Christmas stories, I love romance with children, I love dogs. This new release by Skylar M Cates has all these three elements, plus something I wish I could experience one day, that is spending the Christmas holiday in a hot place. The premises were all there and I knew I was going to enjoy this title, especially because I also know how good the author can write. I wasn’t disappointed at all, everything I imagined I could get from this book was delivered, and so much more.

I easily fell into the reading, the plot and the characters were interesting and I followed them till the end with great delight. Not just Leo and Julian caught my heart, but all the other persons too, the children, Julian’s sister and mum, Leo’s friends. What started as enemies to lovers soon developed in allies to win the light contest and more both Julian and Leo wasn’t expecting, to find the love of their lives.

The plot is simple, nothing too angst, and it is exactly what I wanted on my  Kindle during Christmas time, it’s a sweet story, with some very hot scene and so much happiness to share. The first part was also funny, when the two men were still rivals, and then the moments spent with the kids warmed my heart. I loved this novel a lot. I really hope the author will give us more about these guys.

The cover art by Cate Ashwood is amazing, I adore it, the guys on it, the colors, the font, all perfect.

SALE LINKS  Amazon

BOOK DETAILS

Kindle Edition, 212 pages

Published December 5th 2018 by Skylar M. Cates: A Treading Chaos Publication

ASIN B07L5LS5B7

Edition Language English