Category: M/M Contemporary Fiction

Review: Cowboy Logic by BA Tortuga

Rating: 5 🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈

There’s no literary voice like BA Tortuga’s . As I read one of her stories, the richness of the regional dialect that rolls out from the mouths of her characters rings with such authenticity that I can still hear those words and sentences even now.

It’s not just a muttered “sweet baby Jesus” or a “all you all”. Nor is it all the many local dishes eaten, barbecue grilled ( btw I’m definitely taking up the pickled mustard seed tyvm), or even the Tex mex delicious drool worthy food her characters devour, nope, it’s more. It’s small town Texas itself, the good, the heartwarming, and yes, the ugly. BA Tortuga knows the land and it’s people on a truly cellular level and is able to take that knowledge and love and pour it into her books.

I always feel as though I honestly know these people, these flawed human beings she writes so well. Here it’s Jericho and his children, a rancher neighbor of Bailey’s. She’s got a stalker and called her brother Anderson back in California for help. A brother bullied as a youth in school there in that small Texas town and now reborn as Logic, a highly successful tv robotics Star, writer, and robot builder. The renewal of acquaintance sparking more, being in town pulling up old memories.

Both the sister and Jericho have children and again, these kids are so well written. Perfect for their ages, each voice memorable and funny, engaging and sweet. When Travis meets his hero Logic for the first time and thinks he’s being punked? Perfection!

I could read that and enjoy their relationship over and over.

In fact all the interplay between the families just draws you into this incredible dynamic and makes you want to be a huge part of it as well.

There’s drama, hurt/comfort elements. But also for me there’s that great ending..

I’ve really debated with myself over how much to say here about it. Because at one point I thought BA was going to go a certain way with it ( shame on me, should have known better) because hey, isn’t that what happens with romances like this.

I know I know. Wet noodle time. Trust in the Tortuga.

So yep, fantastic ending….. ok I wanted more but I say that about all her stories. Can’t stop now. That’s because I never want them to end. Sue me.

But this one? It’s so special. One of my favorites out of so many of hers. Read it and I think you’ll agree.l

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58563910

Perils of a Papillon (Fuzzy Love 3) by Tara Lain

Rating: 5 🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈

A series that’s centered around the smarts of a Papillon? One called the Queen of The Universe, aka Batshit Crazy? Love it!

As someone familiar with the breed ( a groomer of mine had 3 he brought to work with him), the author captured their high intelligence and marvelous personality to perfection. Loved the way Lain wove the antics of this wonder dog into her plot of suspense and mystery. With its aspects of academia job applicants , stress/joy of teaching and then the romance with all the characters, human and animal…well, it’s is just so entertaining and quite wonderful.

Animals done well in books always add that extra layer of warmth and layers for me. Here Bat, Harry, and Cat were the perfect characters and plot foils time after time. Paired with their humans, their dynamics allows us a window into each person’s character and sometimes current emotional state, showing us a vulnerability we might not see otherwise.

Cat the abandoned Abyssinian works so beautifully with Jack Sparks, a human being, isolated by history and need. Harry the ingratiating pit bull in love with Bat works perfectly as a foil for the twins, the adorable Toby Albertine and his sister Molly. Toby the twin in need of a fake boyfriend and a real love life. And Batshit the super Papillon who brings everything and everyone together.

Humor is also a lovely part of the storyline, especially with regard to the animals and their association with each other . Bat is after all Harry’s true ❤️.

It’s a fast paced, emotionally satisfying, well written story. And it ties up the 3-book series in a way that everyone will love. Including me.

This is a marvelous story. Read them all and see for yourself which of Bat’s capers come the closest to your heart.

Reviewers And Dog Lover/owners note: Like tv series and movies, a book can make a breed so irresistible that it makes people want one for themselves, without exactly checking out if that breed is right for you and your lifestyle.

Tara Lain does a responsible job here in noting aspects of the Papillon breed that make it not for everyone. They are highly energetic and intelligent. They are territorial, and yes bark…..a lot. Alarm barking, hey look what’s passing by, what’s that sound barking. It’s part of the breed and she had her characters mention that repeatedly, albeit fondly and sometimes with exasperation.

They do outstanding as agility dogs because they need an outlet for that intelligence and energy. Don’t confuse this breed with that of a lap dog. Uh no. 😂

Want to explore more ? YouTube Papillon in agility and Papillon dog facts. They are a fantastic breed….for the right people.

Fuzzy Love Series:

Passions of a Papillon

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50256127-passions-of-a-papillon

Prancing of a Papillon

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54375499-prancing-of-a-papillon

Perils of a Papillon

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58447165-perils-of-a-papillon

Find all your buying options for the series here:

Treble Maker (Perfect Harmony #1) by Annabeth Albert

Rating: 4 🌈🌈🌈🌈

I adore this author and eagerly grab up each new offering as she releases it. Doesn’t matter what trope or character type, I’ll know that the author’s engaging style, her well layered characters and terrific plot will have me deeply entertained and throughly meshed with whatever universe and romance she’s created.

So it was with real interest that I saw a chance to read Albert’s very first story and series. I wanted to see what her first book and couple looks like and how much I could learn about the beginnings of a author I admire.

Here we have the story of a tv singing competition, a cobbled-together singing group and the two wildly different young men in it who go on to romance and hopefully a HEA . One flamboyant, desperately competitive and definitely out gay. The other quiet, from a conservative religious family that accepts he’s homosexual but only within a strict set of guidelines. And away from home for the first time.

That’s the barest story framework. Then Albert works a lovely sort of magic.

All the elements I expect from Annabeth Albert now in her series I can see here. Not fully . Not yet but the rough, lovely start of the complex, flawed people who we will meet in all the stories and series to come.

The messy personal dynamics? Check. The personal growth and self revelation? Check. Here the epiphany and hard choices seem to arrive and resolve themselves too quickly for all the history that both the men have and the sea changes each has to undergo.

But it’s her first book. So yes I get it. All that is a new author, one who’s works will , one after another, settle, show growth themselves, a strength and depth that here glimmers as promise.

Is this still a very sweet and lovely story to read. Absolutely. A must is the list of songs from the author at the end. Don’t miss them or any of the videos she listed. They enrich the story and will make you smile.

So a definite yes. I’m recommending it and will finish the series.

I need to know how it ends. So will you

Perfect Harmony series;

Treble Maker

Love Me Tenor

All Note Long

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6477494.Annabeth_Albert

Winter Cowboy (Whisper Ridge,Wyoming #1) by R.J.Scott

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Winter Cowboy, the first story in a new series by RJ Scott, has a full and varied narrative plot/theme list.

As the first book in the series, it’s required (and does) set in place the history and universe for Whisper Ridge and it’s foundation characters.

We start with Micah Lennox and his sister, Rachel, and her children. The Lennox ranch. The town and its people. Daniel, now the town’s doctor, along with Micah and Daniel’s deeply troubled past. A past that includes a traumatic accident, prison, death, and more.

That’s the past. Turns there’s the present with much for multiple characters to deal with on a daily basis. We see elements of PTSD, past evidence of domestic violence, child battery (never seen but referred to), cults, and murder. The aftermath all that takes on a person, no matter the age. As well as everyone, including Daniel’s family, dealing still with the ramifications of that car accident years ago that shattered lives.

I haven’t even mentioned therapy (thankfully and responsibly the author shows the importance of getting help for all involved).

And we haven’t we begun to talk romance yet. We can talk lovers reunited, enemies to lovers, second chance at love? All fav tropes of mine. Yep. All here. Even hurt/comfort. A bit of that too.

Yes, Winter Cowboy carries a full load but in the very capable hands of RJ Scott it all melds together in a cohesive and moving story.

If I had a wish , it would be that Daniel and Micah had more time as a reconciled couple in the story, well yes maybe more than a bit more. I really wanted to get more a feel of them as a couple as we spent so much time on the deep traumatized past that kept them apart and broke up their lives. It was brutal constantly revisiting that accident while no one had really moved on. When they finally forgave themselves and each other the story was almost over. And I wanted more of them new and exploring what it meant to have a “us” again.

There is a “bridge” chapter/prequel after the end of Winter Cowboy that leads us into Summer Drifter, book 2 , in the Whisper Ridge, Wyoming series.

After reading it, I can see we will be getting deeper into the past events mentioned in Winter Cowboy. Hopefully we will see Micah and Daniel too at the next stage in their relationship.

I’m now looking forward to the next in the series and more of the Lennox Ranch and the tantalizing glimpse I saw of one of the main characters.

Read Winter Cowboy, Daniel and Micah and all the friends and family that’s making Lennox Ranch home!

It’s a wonderful story.

Series: Whisper Ridge, Wyoming

Winter Cowboy

Summer Drifter

https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/38770040

Review: Fairytale of LaGuardia by Beth Bolden and AE Wasp

Rating:5 🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈

Combine two of my fav authors, Beth Bolden and AE Wasp, and the theme of holiday romance, throw in sports as well and I have to say “Yaaaaaasssss,”! It’s a winner.

We get not one but two sports, MLB and the NHL, in our two lead men, both athletes. One older and thinking of retirement. The other just called up to The Game and on his way to his NHL team.

Two men in flux meeting in a snowed – in LaGuardia in NYC on Christmas Eve and it’s magic.

We are given the pain of upcoming loss and the excitement of a shiny new future. The age difference showing in outlook as well as stages in careers. Poignancy meshes gently with hope and the growing attraction between them.

Everything’s here, the crowded airport, the holiday frenzy, the men felt realistic. As did the relationship that grew unexpectedly along with the feelings that flared up.

And that beautiful ending…. So wonderful and heartwarming. Just what you’re wanting out of a holiday romance. Perfect

Love sports romance? Holiday contemporary love stories? Age difference and just that touch of magic? Grab up Fairytale of LaGuardia and enjoy!

https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/43062575

See link above for buying options.

Review: Catch Me (Kitchen Gods Book 2) Kindle Editionby Beth Bolden

Rating: 🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈 5

I had been reading all the other stories in several series that mentioned this couple, chef Wyatt Blake and out MLB player Ryan Flores (Food Truck series and Kitchen God) but had never quite gotten around to their story.

Until now.

What a wonderful story it is. I’m so sorry I’ve missed out on all the references, not understanding what they meant until now. So many 🤦🏼‍♀️.

Because now I get them, and the impact on this couple as their relationship continues.

It’s only a sports story in that Ryan plays MLB. It does discuss his continuing impact as the first out MLB player and his negotiating with the team owner. Nothing about his dynamics within the team. Shame

Unlike other stories with hockey and football where the sport itself is a featured player, baseball here is missing as a story element. I sort of wished that had been more of a stronger aspect of Ryan’s character here but , as it wasn’t really a passion of his, I get leaving it out.

There’s a lot here to dive into, food , food /recipes of Puerto Rico ,inability to trust and communication, even to understand what it is to truly love and commit to another person. That’s an enormous narrative load for any couple and book to carry.

There’s so much to unpack here narratively speaking. It’s funny, real, harsh, heartbreaking, and ultimately so warm and loving.

It’s exactly why I read this author’s stories.

Honestly I should have gotten to Wyatt and Ryan sooner but better late than never.

Don’t you make that mistake. Read about their love story now. I highly recommend it and this author.

Kitchen Gods Series:

Bite Me – Miles and Evans story

Catch Me – Wyatt and Ryan

Worship Me – short about Matt and Alex

Savor Me – Xander and Damon

Indulge Me – Kian and Bastian

https://www.goodreads.com/series/224661-kitchen-gods

See the link above for the buy links to all the stories.

The Rivalry (The Riptide) Kindle Editionby Beth Bolden

LGBTQ2+ Sports Romance

Rating: 🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈

Romance amongst the men of the LA Riptide Football team! How sexy, endearing, and just outright wonderful it is.

The first in a series, The Rivalry is typical Beth Bolden. Beautifully written, characters of charm and depth, and a story with many layers that grip you from start to finish.

It’s also typical in that along with a love story that engages your heart, the author explores more serious issues of child abuse, parental alcoholism and child abandonment. That’s for starters. But it’s never with a heavy narrative hand but as elements that are revealed through one man’s struggles to achieve happiness and love.

Realistic, painful, and eventually so rewarding to watch as Heath battles through both his emotional and physical trauma. And Sam , there with his own path to tread, needing support in his own battle with insecurity and new position and team.

What a story! What men and couple!

You find yourself cheering, laughing, and crying a bit for both men as they fight their way towards their happy ending. And what a delightful one it is. I could spend books upon books with the Riptide men.

Consider this a fantastic starting point and one I highly recommend.

Books In This Series (2 Books)- both highly recommended

The Rivalry

Rough Contact

by Beth Bolden

https://www.goodreads.com › showWeb resultsThe Rivalry by Beth Bolden – Goodreads

https://www.goodreads.com › showWeb resultsRough Contact by Beth Bolden – Goodreads

Review: Top Shelf (Boston Rebels #1) by RJ Scott and VL Locey

Rating: 🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈

Top Shelf (Boston Rebels #1) by RJ Scott and VL Locey is the first book is a new hockey romance series by two of my must read authors

Long and eagerly awaited, as is any new LGBTQ2+ hockey romance tale, Top Shelf more than delivers

As you all know hockey is my jam! And Rainbow 🌈 hockey love stories? Well, be still my heart 💜! There are many excellent authors in this genre and the writers RJ Scott and VL Locey are at the top of my list among them.

Why? Because like the others, they are passionate about the sport of hockey, it’s players and teams. They know the sport and it’s translates into excellence in fast, accurate action on ice scenes that gets the reader going and engaged with the team and it’s season while still threading through the storylines, full of romance, rocky paths and heartwarming emotions.

That’s all presented here as we meet a team in need of rebuilding. That’s a highly volatile situation for all involved. It means saying goodbye to older players not yet ready to go and learning to accept new younger players stepping into holes in teams not ready for them to be filled.

Add in several players admission of LGBTQ2+ identification when one player comes officially out? And for everyone the team becomes a new uncertain future for all, especially management.

This is the universe we are meeting throughout this story. Various players, a team and people in transition

First it’s the tight friendship, on and off the ice, of Xander and Eli. Brothers in all but name and Railers, they’ve had a third tagging along most of their lives. Mason, Eli’s younger brother

Mason, never much interested in hockey past the fact that Eli and his forever crush Xander played, is now grown. And determined to make Xander see him in a new light.

Xander has recently come out after hiding his sexuality. Here the authors excelled at showing Xander’s confusion and fragility over how exactly he becomes a truth he’s never allowed himself to have or be. He’s raw, more than a little depressed, and no one is picking up on his uncertain emotional state.

The team’s turmoil is adding stress all around to major players and again the elements and reactions feel so realistic. Our own emotions fall readily into the storylines filling out before us. We not only want more of these teammates histories but we need to know

That’s on top of Xander and Mason’s romance which has its own tensions with Mason’s new business (that remains unresolved in my mind) and Xander’s future

I honestly thought the realism here, all the various issues raised as well as the feeling that the relationship needs more work and communication was wonderful. After all, it’s new. Both men have so many new elements to deal with as well as making their relationship work that leaving this a HFN, a work in progress to return to makes sense

It’s great and leaves me wanting to bribe the authors for much much more. Not just the next couple in the series which is coming in Back Check- see below.

So yes, I loved my story, the new series, and team

So yes, I loved my story, the new series and team.

Top Shelf: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56990636-top-shelf

Back Check:https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57875135-back-check

Review: Top Shelf (Boston Rebels #1) by RJ Scott and VL Locey

Rating: 🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈

Top Shelf (Boston Rebels #1) by RJ Scott and VL Locey is the first book is a new hockey romance series by two of my must read authors

Long and eagerly awaited, as is any new LGBTQ2+ hockey romance tale, Top Shelf more than delivers

As you all know hockey is my jam! And Rainbow 🌈 hockey love stories? Well, be still my heart 💜! There are many excellent authors in this genre and the writers RJ Scott and VL Locey are at the top of my list among them

Why? Because like the others, they are passionate about the sport of hockey, it’s players and teams. They know the sport and it’s translates into excellence in fast, accurate action on ice scenes that gets the reader going and engaged with the team and it’s season while still threading through the storylines, full of romance, rocky paths and heartwarming emotions.

That’s all presented here as we meet a team in need of rebuilding. That’s a highly volatile situation for all involved. It means saying goodbye to older players not yet ready to go and learning to accept new younger players stepping into holes in teams not ready for them to be filled.

Add in several players admission of LGBTQ2+ identification when one player comes officially out? And for everyone the team becomes a new uncertain future for all, especially management

This is the universe we are meeting throughout this story. Various players, a team and people in transition

First it’s the tight friendship, on and off the ice, of Xander and Eli. Brothers in all but name and Railers, they’ve had a third tagging along most of their lives. Mason, Eli’s younger brother

Mason, never much interested in hockey past the fact that Eli and his forever crush Xander played, is now grown. And determined to make Xander see him in a new light.

Xander has recently come out after hiding his sexuality. Here the authors excelled at showing Xander’s confusion and fragility over how exactly he becomes a truth he’s never allowed himself to have or be. He’s raw, more than a little depressed, and no one is picking up on his uncertain emotional state.

The team’s turmoil is adding stress all around to major players and again the elements and reactions feel so realistic. Our own emotions fall readily into the storylines filling out before us. We not only want more of these teammates histories but we need to know

That’s on top of Xander and Mason’s romance which has its own tensions with Mason’s new business (that remains unresolved in my mind) and Xander’s future

I honestly thought the realism here, all the various issues raised as well as the feeling that the relationship needs more work and communication was wonderful. After all, it’s new. Both men have so many new elements to deal with as well as making their relationship work that leaving this a HFN, a work in progress to return to makes sense

It’s great and leaves me wanting to bribe the authors for much much more. Not just the next couple in the series which is coming in Back Check- see below.

So yes, I loved my story, the new series, and team

Bring it On! Highly recommended!

Top Shelf: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56990636-top-shelf

Back Check:https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57875135-back-check

Review: Family According to Liam (According to Liam #5) by V.L. Locey

Rating:🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈

According to Liam is a series I never want to end. Each story merely enriches this already warm, fabulous universe of the Kneller-Mettler family that we’ve watched grow through many great stories.

From the fretful, loving beginning of Michael and his adorable nephew,Liam,and their meeting with the goalie Bryn Mettler ,of the Pittsburgh Ravens, all through their courtship,their wedding,and now adoption of their daughter. We’ve been there with them as they’ve stumbled, soared, loved, cried, and become an amazing couple and family.

Each story has brought me closer to this family, their tight circle of friends and family, and made me love them all the more. I dove into each new installment with all the anticipation and joy of seeing old friends again and getting caught up.

This story is a wonderful example of why I love these men and by extension the people around them as well as why I hope Locey will continue to bring more tales and journeys to their series far into the future.

The realism of the stresses of adoption, from both perspectives, both of the parents and that of the child, feels poignant and tender. I ached and cried for everyone in parts, rejoiced for the family in others.

The same could be said for the other transphobia experienced by Michael’s close friend and co worker here daily. Threaded in along homophobia in the workplace, the author carefully brought home how hurtful it is to deal constantly with such ignorance and outright abuse through a character we have come to care deeply about.

Well written, memorable characters, and a terrific plot and series I keep returning to , this story and series has it all.

Highly recommended.

Family According to Liam (According To Liam #4)