Review: The Husband Hoax (Accidental Love Book 1) by Saxon James

Rating: 5🌈

I’m absolutely besotted with the characters of Saxon James’ new series, Accidental Love. A group of LGBTGIA men who’ve formed a found family based on a shared history of familial rejection due to their sexuality and adolescent trauma.

They live together in a gorgeous restored Victorian called Big Boned Bertha. An elderly fabulous next door neighbor adopts “Bertha’s Boys”, becomes their Aunt Agatha, and the family, along with a grumpy cat, is complete.

Each person in the family will be getting their own romantic relationship here I’m sure as they are a fascinating group of individuals. From Rush the clothes designer and Madden, tiny blue haired artist Xander and tattooed Seven who met in foster care, gorgeous Gabe who’s loves to help people , and finally Christian Kilpatrick.

This is Christian Kilpatrick’s story. His and that of Emile Cromwell, one of the heirs to the C.W. Cromwell Shipping Company. Christian’s been invited to his cousin’s Jesse’s wedding after recently reconnecting with her. He’s been abandoned by his family since they kicked him out over his sexuality. Now he’s desperate enough to rent a plus one as a “successful boyfriend’ for the event.

Christian is such a endearing character. From his insecurities and fears over facing his rich, homophobic family who threw him away to the fumbling mannerisms that his fears bring out, Christian is that relatable person we understand and connect to.

Emile is the same. In an extremely sad situation, grieving the loss of the one person, his grandfather Pa, who essentially raised and loved him, he’s got to contend with a controlling family he’s rarely seen and a iron bound will that stipulates he must be married in order to receive a huge share of his inheritance.

They meet over disastrous conditions and the story and our love for them takes flight.

James creates such an emotional layered journey for these men, together with the rest of Bertha’s Boys, towards a HEA, that I found myself smiling throughout the entire story. I was so invested in their happiness that read right through until I was done. From Emile’s sister Elle to Auntie Agatha, from blue-haired Xander to the protective Seven, each person’s personality resonates with the reader to the point we want to spend more time with each of them.

I loved the ending. While I was so sad to see it all end , I’m excited for the next one in the series.

With it’s wonderful characters, engaging storyline, and emotional journey, The Husband Hoax elevates a well known trope into a delightful romance, one I’m highly recommending.

Accidental Love series:

🔷The Husband Hoax #1

🔷Not Dating Material #2

Buy Link:

The Husband Hoax

Description:

Christian

Being invited to my cousin’s wedding really shouldn’t be a big deal except, oh yeah, I haven’t seen my family for a decade.

My parents turned their backs on me and I’ve done everything since to become successful and show them what they lost. Only, it’s kinda hard to be a success when you’re a walking trainwreck.

So I’m going to fake it. Hire a guy with an online presence so impressive they’ll be desperate to welcome me back into the elitist fold, and roll into the wedding with the kind of confidence I’ve never felt a day in my life.

The plan’s a knockout.

Until my fake date cancels minutes before the ceremony.

Émile

One letter from my dearly departed grandfather, and suddenly I’m on a husband hunt.

He’s reworked his entire will so I’m set to inherit far more than I’m entitled to, and all because he’s asked me to use that money for “good.”

In order to get that inheritance, though, there’s one stipulation: marriage.

Even with his request, I’m tempted to stick to my original plan of getting as far from my wretched family as possible, and letting them fight it out.

But then I run into a tall drink of scattered mess outside of a wedding who’s in desperate need of a date, and the pieces click into place.

I help him, he helps me.

Marriage, money, then go our separate ways.

Easy.

Now all I have to do is stop myself from actually falling for the guy.

Review: Starting Again at Crofton Hall (Modern Crofton Book 5) by Rebecca Cohen

Rating: 5🌈

I’m so delighted that Rebecca Cohen continues to add to her amazing Crofton series, both past and present. With each new release, I seem to find myself loving the new book and with it, the latest couple it’s centered around.

In this case, half of which we’ve already met before. That’s Robin Flint, friend of Ben Redbourn, 16th Earl of Crofton, and a future Viscount Whetford in his own right. He’s been in a hidden relationship and he’s done. Robin is so relatable on multiple levels. He’s had a some truly bad judgments he’s made in his past, but you can understand why he made them when you get the reasons and the emotions of the situation at the moment. He’s just so human, even with his upbringing and financial portfolio. He’s been hurt and he’s so unsure about himself.

Then there’s DI Simon MacLove. Recently divorced, and relocated to the area, Simon has his share of damage done to him by his ex. Bruised, insecure about what he brought to the partnership, Simon’s in recovery as well . He’s a wonderful mixture of competent law enforcement, compassionate and understanding man who’s attracted to Robin, and questioning adult with a damaged relationship in the past.

These men are so wonderful to read about as they maneuver through the tricky course of their current lives and their painful pasts to head to their HEA. That it includes a murder, a mystery, several scary sisters on both sides, and their friends makes this a journey of depth, full of discussion, discovery, laughter, hot sex, and lots of love.

Plus Ben and Ashley are never far from center with their own issues and thoughtfully worked through resolutions. Much to our delight.

This is probably one of my favorites in this series. I absolutely adored every single second I spent inside Crofton and nearby locations. It’s really an addiction by now.

I’ve listed all the books by era below. I’m highly recommending them all. They must be read in order to understand all the characters, their personalities and relationships as well as events that are referenced to.

The writing is crisp, plotting superb, and the characters are always full of life and energy! Just amazing.

“The Crofton Universe :

The Crofton Chronicles–Historical (Elizabethan/ Early Stuart):

🔷The Actor and the Earl #1

🔷Duty to the Crown #2

🔷Forever Hold His Peace #3

Available as a Complete Series Boxset

Plus:

“The Love and the Anger “

Historical (Elizabethan/ Early Stuart)–Sebastian/ Anthony 10 years together

The Earls of Crofton–Historical: (Different eras–can be read as individual standalone novels): Anthony, Earl of Crofton (Early Stuart) James, Earl of Crofton (Restoration) Charles, Earl of Crofton (Regency)

The Modern Crofton–Contemporary: 🔷Saving Crofton Hall #1

🔷Making History at Crofton Hall #2

🔷Below Stairs at Crofton Hall #3

🔷Getting Married at Crofton Hall #4

🔷Starting Again at Crofton Hall #5

Standalones in the Crofton Universe “Much Ado About Lady Macbeth”Note: Sebastian Hewel is a minor character

Starting Again at Crofton Hall (Modern Crofton)

Description:

After making a decision that will change his life forever, Robin Flint arrives at Crofton Hall, looking for a place to recover and start again. Love is not enough to continue living a lie.

An unexpected meeting where sparks fly was meant to be a one off, but Simon MacLove is just too wonderful to cast aside. But since Robin hadn’t intended to continue things, Robin didn’t tell Simon, a local police officer, that he was a millionaire trust fund baby and the future Viscount Whetford. Robin has a lot of baggage, but so does Simon, and whether they can carry it together and is very much up in the air, especially as Robin’s now ex-boyfriend, movie star Dorian Marsten, hasn’t accepted things are truly over between them.

Meanwhile, Ben and Ashley are still enjoying their post-honeymoon bliss, and have decided to work on the next generation of Redbourns. Only it’s not so easy when neither of them have the necessary biological equipment, meaning the road to them becoming parents isn’t going to be straightforward.

This is the fifth Modern Crofton novel. Each story features a new couple falling in love at Crofton Hall, with the continuing life and love of Ben Redbourn, 16th Earl of Crofton, and the man of his dreams, Ashley (was Niven now Redbourn).

Review: Forbidden Lover (Exit Strategy #4) by Jocelynn Drake

Rating: 3.5🌈

Forbidden Lover has its beginnings in Final Lover, Justin Mallory and Gabriel Prescott’s “put a ring on it”storyline. That’s the book that solidified their romance into a HEA by slipping them into a mission that sees them protecting a man and his young son from a mistaken hit contract.

The assassin who took the bad contract was Kai , an old acquaintance of Gabriel’s, and someone Gabe knew would never kill a child. It stopped Kai once he knew the information was bad and then he helped them protect the man and son. Yes, there was definitely chemistry involved but it was just a wisp and gone.

Here all the dropped parts from that book that pertained to the father ,Devlin Relic and son , get picked up and woven into a new adventure and romance.

This time between Devlin and Kai.

As much as I liked the character of Kai, what makes the series work is the development of the relationship between the two characters of Justin and Gabriel over a period of time, especially with the differences in personalities. Here Kai is lacking all that history and groundwork, even with his introduction in the last book, to give him a larger dimension to his character.

It makes the drama with the villain just a bit confusing, even coming off as a forced storyline because we have nothing to frame it around.

I liked Devlin and his son, the father/son dynamics feeling more realistic than the fact that Devlin might be any sort of brilliant scientist. No one is that naive anymore, especially about other members of their scientific community. Nice character, not realistic enough for the field.

So I was entertained. It’s not my favorite in the series. Feels like more of a filler story than a actual part. Maybe people were asking for it because of Kai from Final Lover.

Read it to finish the series, or because you’re curious about that character. It’s a fun book but not necessarily a great one.

The series should be read in the order that they were written to understand the character development and events that happened.

Exit Strategy series:

✓ Deadly Lover: Special Edition #1

✓ Vengeful Lover #2

✓ Final Lover #3

✓ Forbidden Lover #4

✓ Accidental Lover #5

Buy Link :

Forbidden Lover (Exit Strategy Book 4)

Description:

Devlin Relic was off limits.

The sweet man had already lost a husband and nearly lost his life when someone put a contract on his head last year.

He needed to focus on raising his adopted son and finding a nice, normal man.

Kai was anything but nice and normal.

He was an assassin, and that did not fit into Dev’s neat and tidy life.

But when a dead body mysteriously appears in Dev’s bathtub, it looks like an assassin is exactly what he needs.

Maybe this time Kai will be brave enough to fight for Devlin and finally put his exit strategy to use.

Review: Final Lover (Exit Strategy #3) by Jocelynn Drake

Rating: 4.75🌈

Final Lover while only being the third book in the series really puts the finishing touches on the romance of Justin Mallory and Gabriel Prescott. Now semi-retired and living in the high security house of their dreams in Colorado with their two cats and two German Shepherds, things should be easy.

But with the damaged pasts, high adrenaline needs for excitement or just something to keep a unusually intense mind occupied, both men are wondering what’s next for them. How do they get a HEA? Is it even possible?

A slide into a case involving a targeted man and young son on the run, an old acquaintance of Gabriel’s, and a mystery that will form the basis of the next book and relationship, Forbidden Lover #4. That’s an entirely new couple and dynamic.

Drake does such an excellent job creating a believable portrait of an established relationship that’s still got issues to solve, factors that each person must consider and communicate to their partner. Even among the assassins/mercenaries, whatever the job title they have at the moment. It’s still a fully developed adult relationship, with the requisite trust and commitment issues. And Drake brings that to their table every time.

The mystery, the new assassin Kai, the vulnerable father and son, even the GSDs and Norwegian Forest cats, are fantastic characters and support elements.

This is wonderful entertainment and a fast paced story to dive into and devour.

As is the series.

The next two books find Justin and Gabriel acting in secondary roles so enjoy them in their Final Lover fashion!

I’m highly recommending it.

The series should be read in the order that they were written to understand the character development and events that happened.

Exit Strategy series:

✓ Deadly Lover: Special Edition #1

✓ Vengeful Lover #2

✓ Final Lover #3

✓ Forbidden Lover #4

✓ Accidental Lover #5

Buy Link:

Final Lover (Exit Strategy Book 3)

Description:

Two assassins meet, don’t kill each other, and fall in love.

It’s happily ever after, right?

Not so fast.

Reformed mercenaries Justin Mallory and Gabriel Prescott have taken the big leap of living together. They’re even working together.

But “one last job” has them taking a falsely accused man and his young son into their home for safe keeping.

While dodging bullets and fellow hitmen out for the $27 million bounty, Justin and his G Love realize that falling in love was the easy part. Building a life together might be more than they bargained for.

Join Justin and Gabriel for their final adventure as they protect an innocent man and uncover the missing piece to their forever.

Review: Double or Nothing (Double Trouble #1) by Cari Z and L.A. Witt

Rating: 4🌈

Double or Nothing is an exciting start to a new series about Hacker Leotrim Nicolosi and Deputy Marshal Rich Cody.

A quick read, full of great action scenes and some wonderful characters, I was throughly entertained by the story and committed to the romance as it evolved between two damaged men from different worlds.

Deputy Marshal Rich Cody is a newly appointed Marshal who’s fighting his own battles with his military past. That’s his PTSD from his missions abroad. He’s currently on assignment to guard a criminal hacker Leotrim Nicolosi. Hacker Leotrim is to testify if the crime family doesn’t take him out first.

From a Marshal WITSEC assignment which goes really wrong fast, we get a highly detailed, very exciting fast paced action story. It’s two enemy to lovers against everyone romance. And you just want a big bag of popcorn, drink of choice and to be left alone to read until it’s over.

I love the characters, their romance is just got enough barriers and drama to be interesting and emotional, and the intrigue is top notch.

It carries over to a second story which ends the 2-part series. I’m recommending it and heading there now for the end of the story.

Double Trouble series:

✓ Double or Nothing #1

◦ Doubling Down #2

Goodreadshttps://www.goodreads.com › showDouble or Nothing (Double Trouble #1) by Cari Z.

Description:

Rich Cody joined the U.S. Marshals to hunt down bad guys, not babysit witnesses. Orders are orders, though, and now he’s protecting a hacker with ties to the Albanian and Sicilian mobs. It’s just another exciting day in WITSEC.

Leotrim Nicolosi was born into a world of crime and bloodshed. When that bloodshed hits too close to home, taking down Leo’s boyfriend—the son of a notorious mob boss—Leo is determined to destroy the Grimaldi family. He’s got evidence that will send every last Grimaldi to prison, he’s got the family’s wealth in an electronic chokehold, and he’s got a vendetta that can only be settled with the blood of the man who killed his lover.

When a routine transfer to a safehouse goes horribly wrong, Rich and Leo narrowly escape with their lives.

With the Marshals compromised and Leo being framed for murder, he and Rich are on the run from criminals and law enforcement alike. They have no one to trust except each other, and nowhere to go that their enemies can’t reach.And the only way out might mean making a deal with the Devil.

Review: Giles Ashby Needs A Nanny: Nannies of New York Book 2 by K. Sterling

Rating: 5🌈

Nannies of New York is such an excellent series and it’s just on book two.

Resplendent with the vivacious feel and 24 hour vibe of New York City, this series moves from uptown to downtown with the nannies and their families, with their broken hearts to the children and men who need mending.

I adore them so.

Giles Ashby Needs A Nanny is a special kind of story. The nanny who in question is Riley Fitzgerald. With a terrible history of getting his heart broken (he calls it the curse), he’s a great person with a huge love for family and children, a former theater nerd with a way with families and organization.

Giles Ashby is the author’s heart and soul here. As related in the Forward, Giles’ anxiety and panic disorder, his mental illness, therapy and drug treatment all are derived directly from the author’s own experiences. It shows. Both the sensitive and believable manner in how Giles has lived his entire life and how he now lives, with therapy, with his son, in relation to others. It’s a masterpiece of a character. In fact , the author’s depiction of the character’s issues and his issues with interpersonal relationships carries directly over into the equally compelling character of Riley.

Riley is a strong character who works so well within the relationship dynamics. Not only in understanding the swampy emotional nature of their past misunderstandings as young children (yes they have a history) but in navigating through the new tangled one that includes a highly intelligent young boy who’s so amazing. Again, Milo is an endearing young man and realistic person in his own right. Milo, who has his own issues, has needs that Riley has to be aware of and take care of as well as a man Riley is now beginning to see through new eyes.

This story has so many aspects to it that I admire. A unique and strong family for the Ashbys which includes not only the ex-wife who’s a constant loving presence for son and ex-husband, but also his ex-SIL and her son. There’s an enormous support system and family here that’s amazing to meet and get connected with.

The city as usual works as a glorious support characters and foundation as this romance unfolds, with the other nannies acting as Riley’s mentors and emotional advisers.

The characters are incredibly well written, the storylines superbly executed, and the ending a well crafted HEA. It will leave you feeling happy and satisfied.

So yes, if you’re a lover of contemporary romance, this is a series you should definitely check out!

Read them in the order they are written.

Nannies of New York series:

🔷The Last Nanny In Manhattan #1

🔷Giles Ashby Needs A Nanny #2

🔷The Handy Nanny #3 – April 27,2023

Buy Link:

Giles Ashby Needs A Nanny: Nannies of New York Book 2

Description:

Sometimes, a simple field trip to the planetarium can be an act of bravery. In Giles Ashby’s case, it could also be a second chance with his lifelong crush.

Unbearably awkward and strangled by his anxiety disorder, Giles used surly snarls and abrupt remarks to keep everyone at a distance. As a result and surprising no one, he finds himself divorced and overwhelmed by the demands of parenting nine-year-old Milo —a shy, awkward clone of his father. Not wanting Milo to struggle through life the way he has, Giles enlists the help of Reid Marshall’s new nanny agency.

Of all the nannies in Manhattan… Reid had to send Giles’s childhood crush, Riley Fitzgerald. Still smitten and as flustered as he was in middle school, Giles bungles every encounter with the “new” nanny. But sweet, clever, outgoing Riley is exactly what Milo needs.

Riley thinks he knows what he’s getting into when he accepts a position working for his childhood nemesis, but Milo steals his heart the moment they meet. And “Giles the Jerk” isn’t as bad as Riley remembers. Or maybe Giles was never really all that bad… Riley finds himself swooning as Giles faces his fears in order to help Milo survive the fourth grade and win the science fair.

But can Riley really trust his heart, when all his past relationships have been cursed? Could this time be any different?

Review: Vengeful Lover: Special Edition (Exit Strategy #2) by Jocelynn Drake

Rating: 4.75🌈

Picking up after the events of Deadly Lover, Vengeful Lover has assassin Justin Mallory chasing after his new lover, fellow assassin, Gabriel Prescott. Gabriel left at the end of Deadly Lover, promising to return to start their new life after finishing up his own personal loose ends.

The story dives immediately into a all out fight for their new relationship, a journey into Gabriel’s traumatic history and his dangerous family dynamics.

With all the suspense and high action, Drake’s story builds upon the homophobia inherent in certain Russian cultures and it’s tragic impact upon the community. In this case, the children.

It’s a theme revisited in a future book and continued thread within Gabriel’s character.

I throughly enjoyed the book and the deepening relationship between Gabriel and Justin. It’s not a finished story here and they still have much more work left to do on their own relationship as they continue to grow into their new home and partnership.

Btw, this story introduces two important characters, neither of which I’ll giveaway. But their entrance is dramatic and emotional.

The next book, Final Lover , is a grand slam.

I’m highly recommending this series and book. Please read them in order for the characters, relationships and events chronologically to occur.

Exit Strategy series:

✓ Deadly Lover: Special Edition #1

✓ Vengeful Lover #2

✓ Final Lover #3

✓ Forbidden Lover #4

✓ Accidental Lover #5

Vengeful Lover (Exit Strategy Book 2)

Description:

Every assassin has an exit strategy – their ultimate plan for leaving that dangerous life and disappearing.

They just never expect to live long enough to enact it.

Gabriel Prescott was no different.

But everything changed when he met fellow mercenary Justin Mallory.

Now he’s racing across Europe with Justin to put to rest old threats before they can end both their lives.

Of course, it will also mean coming clean to Justin about exactly who he is and who wants him dead.

Gabriel can only hope that Justin will still want him when the truth comes out.

Review: Deadly Lover: Special Edition (Exit Strategy #1) by Jocelynn Drake

Rating: 4.5🌈

Deadly Lover is my second book that I “backtracked” to when I discovered the couple in the course of reading a sequel series, Shadow Elite.

This couple, now “semi-retired”, are deadly assassins who are uncles to Alexei, an assassin as well and lover of Soren. They’re both infamous and family due to their roles and now new connections so they certainly pop up during missions or gatherings.

It didn’t take long for them to become a couple I seriously wanted a history for.

Deadly Lover begins their journey. It’s where they meet, begin a tenuous understanding of each other and start a relationship that teeters between a frightening friendship and something more fragile.

All while chasing a mystery and in turn finding themselves prey in a game where it’s billions of dollars and lives at stake.

Drake takes a chance with the dynamics here and tilts the revelations being delivered all on the side of assassin Gabriel Prescott. A deeply haunted, damaged man, the trauma of his past makes itself known by his scars, his arrays of tattoos, and his PTSD. All of which will be addressed as part of his character’s thread as the series progresses.

The character of Justin Mallory is more of an enigma. As the relationship between the men develops and the trust of their true selves becomes a final test, it’s Justin who’s that last one with the barriers raised. He’s fluid and yet he’s got a strong core. So you get him and can connect with him without having any history or knowledge about him.

This dichotomy between the main characters surprisingly works because our focus is on Gabriel, his emotional damage and trauma, while maneuvering the reader away from the narrative void that is Justin Mallory’s history and foundation.

It makes you wonder what’s coming.

The path they are on is halting, uncertain, and dangerous. The author never lets us or them forget that either.

The book ends not even on a HFN which is realistic. But on a we are going to try to make it work.

The next novel picks up several months later. It’s quite the transition.

Review coming soon.

I’m most definitely recommending this series. And Deadly Love. It’s well written. Great plotting, with a fascinating framework for the characters and relationship growth going forward. Full of exciting action and dialogue to pull you into the conversation, it’s a win all around.

Exit Strategy series:

✓ Deadly Lover: Special Edition #1

✓ Vengeful Lover #2

◦ Final Lover #3

◦ Forbidden Lover #4

✓ Accidental Lover #5

Deadly Lover: Special Edition (Exit Strategy Book 1)

Description:

New Expanded Content for Deadly Lover!

Justin Mallory is an assassin. But he’s really a good guy.

He has years of bad decisions to make up for, starting with agreeing to join the CIA after being recruited out of the Marines. No reason to add more black marks to his soul.

Now he chooses the jobs and he works always alone. It’s safer that way, and he can make sure the good guy always wins.

But this job…he can’t do alone.

Two scientists are dead and a dangerous drug is on the cusp of winning FDA approval if he doesn’t track down the culprit behind the lies and murders.

Gabriel Prescott is a well-trained, efficient, and cold-blooded killer. After a brutal betrayal left his lover dead, Gabriel is out only for himself.

But when this lucrative contract lands in his lap, he can’t pass it up. Even if it means working with the unpredictable and insane Justin Mallory.

Dodging bullets and secret meetings force them to depend on each other.

And one hot, frantic night together leads to a hidden sweetness and questions of whether they could possibly have something more.

Author’s Note: As a gift to readers, I have expanded the original Deadly Lover by nearly 20,000 words, giving readers a deeper understanding of Justin and Gabriel. Furthermore, I have added the short story Lover Calling to the special edition so you can enjoy even more of these fun assassins.

Review: Accidental Lover (Exit Strategy #5) by Jocelynn Drake

Rating: 4.5🌈

Alexei Prescott , assassin and nephew of assassins extraordinaire, has a target. Gabor Kalman, shady arms dealer.

Soren Jessen, cat burglar, ex CIA, has a target. Gabor Kalman, shady arms dealer.

One will kill him, the other will steal from him. At the same time. The mission puts both men on a collision course to unravel labyrinthine mysteries that center around a stolen hard drive while keeping each other alive and able to fall into mad passionate love.

This is one of those stories I backtracked into. Soren and his assassin lover, Alexei, are important characters in Drake’s Shadow Elite series. They’re a fascinating and eclectic couple. So naturally when I learned that they had their own story, I needed to read it. And I wasn’t disappointed.

The last of a series (which had me backtracking even further), Accidental Lover not only gives us the complete window in Soren, the man who just happens to be a cat burglar now, but the complicated personality that makes that career so understandable.

The story also gives us an astonishing assassin in the person of Alexei Prescott. A diminutive gorgeous killer who has been raised by two of the world’s most notorious assassins, Alexei is as fascinating a character as the man he’s coming to love.

A thriller of a suspenseful romance, equally intriguing with snarky humor and lusty chemistry, Accidental Lover was a book I couldn’t put down.

Plus it ket me know that those scary assassins, Justin and Gabriel, Alexei’s uncles, were actually the main focus of the Exit Strategy series so I could happily backtrack once more for their origin story and romance.

I’m highly recommending this story and onto the first one in the series.

Exit Strategy series:

✓ Deadly Lover: Special Edition #1

✓ Vengeful Lover #2

◦ Final Lover #3

◦ Forbidden Lover #4

✓ Accidental Lover #5

Related/sequel series: Shadow Elite books

Accidental Lover (Exit Strategy Book 5)

Description:

Rule No. 1 of being an assassin: Don’t sleep with your mark.

Eh. Alexei has never been big on rules.

It’s not his fault Soren is too sexy for words.

And it’s not like he knew Soren was the cat burglar he’d been hired to kill.

But as they dodge other assassins, the CIA, and even the Russians to keep Soren alive and a stolen hard drive out of their hands, Alexei might be in even greater danger of breaking

Rule No. 2.

Never fall for your mark.

Review: A Christmas Outing: A Veterans Affairs Story by A.E. Wasp

Rating: 3.25🌈

A Christmas Outing is a wonderful heartwarming holiday story whose narrative gifts are tarnished by the errors and mistakes that are found inside.

Continuity issues, once again, thy name is A Veterans Affairs. The most striking example is Troy’s best friend growing up, Leo. A closeted gay himself, it was his death that pushed Troy out of the closet and onto a new path. Hugely important.

So it would have to be a factor that’s a major aspect of Troy’s life and storylines. You would expect zero variation. Incoming, the first novel, has its version being that Leo was shot to death by a hookup in a gas station because he’s afraid to be seen in a gay bar.

Written as an epilogue to that story but released separately (same time frame), A Christmas Outing: A Veterans Affairs Story has Leo dying as a result of being beaten to death by homophobes.

To use the vernacular, I can’t even.

Troy’s West Virginia large family of Methodists becomes ethnically distinctly Italian Catholic, with some surprising side trips.

There’s so many elements that are mentioned and discussed superficially. A gay conversion camp and therapy, a gay cousin, a rescue, a PSTD episode that’s quickly dealt with, a hidden relationship, a coming out, a service dog and her duties, a gay partner who’s not religious. I’m sure I’m leaving out some. Bigotry.

All at Christmas. So heartwarming.

The fact that the Christmas card decorations and big Italian Catholic families are supposed to make up for the lost depth and glossing over of some of the very tough topics raised is in a manner a surface treatment used by families to make them feel better about themselves and issues they would rather not face.

It ends typically with a happy ending for the couple, one not shared with those around them. Big surprise.

There’s a couple more books in this series that are focused around another couple that lives in the same small town of Red Deer, Colorado.

Not entirely sure I’m continuing. It’s interesting but I have more books in 2023 on my list to finish first.

A Christmas Outing: A Veterans Affairs Story

******

Books in the Veterans Affairs Series

Incoming – Troy & Dmitri novel
A Christmas Outing – Troy & Dmitri novella

Paper Hearts – Mikey & Benny novel
Paper Roses – Mikey & Benny novella

Bronze Star – Jay-Cee & Chris novel

Description:

Troy and Dmitri have worked everything out – well, almost everything. Except for the part where Troy’s family doesn’t know Dmitri exists. Coming out to his family sounds scarier than going to war. And Troy would know.

Troy’s been out of the Army for almost a year, and except for a few short weeks, hasn’t been back to West Virginia at all. Now it’s Christmas and if he doesn’t go, he’ll break his momma’s heart. Trouble is, Troy’s afraid that going home with a boyfriend and service dog in tow will break his Momma’s heart just as much.

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