Review: Reviewing Life (A Review Story) by Lara Brukz

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

After a life spent as an alcoholic, Marshall Ellerbee finds a himself at an AA meeting and on the path to sobriety. Finally sober, Marshall find a new outlook and the strength to change his life in every aspect. He starts a new job at the Wellness Center that houses his sponsor and starts making amends. Then his sponsor suffers a heart attack and dies. His replacement is none other than Kyle Young, Marshall’s ex-lover’s best friend. Kyle was no friend to Marshall even when Marshall and Eric were just dating. But after the drunk driving accident that cost Eric the use of his legs, Kyle’s distain turned to hate. And now Marshall is expected to work with the man who hates him. Marshall wants to show Kyle that he has changed, but will Kyle accept that fact and Marshall?

Kyle Young is floored when he finds out that the athletic manager for the Wellness Center where he was just hired is none other than the drunk that almost killed his best friend, Eric. But Marshall appears sober and when Marshall saves Eric’s life, then Kyle must finally accept the fact that Marshall has turned his life around and become a better person, not just a sober one.

When the men find themselves attracted to each other, and not just physically, it upsets the fragile state of their budding friendship. Is a romance even possible between two men who shared a past such as Marshall’s?

I thoroughly enjoyed Lara Brukz’s first story in the series, Five-Star Review. That novel was Eric Carillo (a reviewer of M/M Romances) and Cade Montgomery’s (author of M/M Romances) story. But Marshall Ellerbee figured largely in that tale as the ex-lover who, driving drunk, put Eric in the wheelchair and the lifestyle that isolated him in his loft. His attempts to re-enter Eric’s life after the accident only caused more pain and heartache through a scheme hatched by a drunken Marshall. In another story, it would have been easy to write Marshall off as the villain he certainly was but in Brukz’s hands, Marshall was also a person in great pain, drowning in alcohol, destroying his life and others in the process. Eric could never bring himself to hate Marshall although he hated what the man had done and who he became under the influence of alcohol. Brukz created a character who could be redeemed but not in that story. I think many of us who read Five-Star Review wanted to see what happened to Marshall and now we have our answer in Reviewing Life.

As the story opens we find Marshall sitting in at his first AA meeting, listening to people relate the traumatic events that finally made them get sober. It is a bleak picture and Marshall sits there shaking wondering if he has the courage to go to the podium and acknowledge that he is an alcoholic. It is a powerful scene and handled with the painful realism it deserves by Lara Brukz. Alcoholism and the path to sobriety is a topic of much larger and detailed stories. But Brukz’s treatment rings with sincerity and the need to make Marshall Ellerbee’s recovering alcoholic as authentic as possible. We get glimpses into Marshall’s upbringing and his use of booze as a bandaid for the problems he encountered. And Brukz makes Marshall work for his acceptance, asking for forgiveness and trying the make amends for his past actions.

Kyle Young also has a past that includes alcoholism, although not his own. So Kyle’s approach to the disease and those afflicted is colored by his own experiences, again a realistic handling of the subject matter. I liked Kyle and the sober Marshall found in this story. Their romance was slow to build, as it should be with two characters and their past issues.

At 124 pages, it would be a challenge for any author to bring in the full range of issues and milestones in an alcoholic’s road to recovery. There are several mentions of the temptation to drink again, including one scene at a bar. The need for support for a alcoholic is there throughout Reviewing Life, a necessity for someone to remain sober. Lara Brukz introduces a few secondary characters at the Wellness Center, including a young man called Toby. I loved the scenes that took place there and can only hope the next novel is located at the Center and brings back not only Toby but the other children and adults as well.

Of course Eric and Cade are strong secondary characters in this tale, so those readers as fond of them as I am will be overjoyed to see them again. This is a strong romance which could have benefited by additional length to add some more layers to Marshall’s recovery and Kyle’s background. However, I enjoyed Marshall and Kyle’s romance and think most readers will too. Consider this definitely recommended for both the story and the author. More please.

This is how Reviewing Life starts…

“I LOVED vodka. Vodka martinis; Bloody Marys; screwdrivers. Oh, and I loved green apple vodka. Simply an amazing drink. It was what I went to when I was happy, when I was sad, when I was frustrated. I used any excuse as a reason to practically drink myself into a coma.”

Cover art by Catt Ford. Just a terrific cover, love the artwork.

Books in this series include:

Five-Star Review (A Review Story #1)
Reviewing Life (A Review Story #2)

Book Details:

ebook, 134 pages

Published November 20th 2013 by Dreamspinner Press (first published November 19th 2013)

ISBN 1627982752 (ISBN13: 9781627982757)

edition language English

series A Review Story

Review: Cupcakes by Sean Michael

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Allen Jameson was just 21 when he fell in love with Gary, a wealthy man much older than him. From than on life was perfect for Allen, ensconced in a fabulous house, living a fairy tale life. Until Gary died of a heart attack. Then the Allen’s return to the real world was swift and jarring. Allen was unprepared for life outside the bubble Gary had created for him and now must face the real world alone and unprepared. But one thing Allen could do was bake, so he opened the Sweet ‘n’ Sassy Cupcake Shop, where he could lose himself in creating exquisite cupcakes and pleasing others with his creations.

Byron “Bit” Bannigan walked through the door of Sweet’n’ Sassy Cupcake shop and found not only great cupcakes but the man behind the counter. Byron owns a construction company and on this day he was sent to pickup the cupcakes needed for a company party. Byron ended up picking up much more to the amazement of both Allen and Byron. Quickly Byron and Allen’s relationship flourishes as each proves to be the right man for each other. But Allen’s business is struggling under its success and Gary’s old friends disapprove not only of Allen’s business but Byron too. As Allan’s past clashes with his present day reality, he decide if he is ready to let go of his past with Gary to have a future with Byron.

This story started off so well. Allen Jameson is a man who has been cosseted by his much older partner from the moment they met. Gary almost “trained” Allen to be the perfect house husband from the age of 21. Allen baked, decorated, kept the house immaculate and planned all their frequent parties. Plus he looked great doing it. Gary effectively cocooned the man inside Gary’s way of life, leaving Allen ill prepared for the real world when Gary dies. I really liked this plot. It’s a terrific play on the idea of a 1950’s wife whose life revolved around her husband and household. Those housewives were not prepared for their husbands deaths (or divorce) and the social changes that came with it. Using a twist on the same relationship dynamic but within a m/m context was a terrific storyline. How does such a man suddenly adjust to the real world? Once that bubble is gone, how does he deal with all the everyday chores that his husband took responsibility for and are now his? Those scenes would have given Allen the necessary character background we miss out on in this story. Without seeing him in that context, Allen comes across as less believable than he could have been.

The same problem exists with his boutique cupcake store. How did Allen achieve so much so quickly with no business training and no idea of what he was doing? It would have been great to have seen those scenes as well as Allen leased the store and then slowly established himself as the cupcake place of the moment. Instead of showing us Allen as he struggled through Gary’s loss and the startup of Sweet’n’ Sassy Cupcake Shop, we are “told” that it happened. That gave this story a much lighter but also superficial feel.

Byron “Bit” Bannigan does not come with the same requirements for his character that Allen does. As a self made man, Byron is a lovely masculine construct and works well both as foil when compared to Gary’s old friends and as Allen’s new, sexy and younger partner. My only question here is the part about his name. Byron is called Bit throughout the first part of the story, a nickname from a brother. Then once he starts dating Allen and finds out that Allen likes his given name of Byron, then that is the name he is referred to for the rest of the story. It just seems such an unnecessary quirk when the author abandons it completely without any reason.

The relationship between Byron and Allen is sweet and sexy. Much is made of the lack of sex life in Gary and Allen’s relationship as Gary was not a sexual being. So Allen’s rediscovery of his sexual nature with Byron is one of this story’s real joys. It feels both natural and loving, with Allen acting like the happy, sexy young man he should have been all those years with Gary. It’s probably the most realistic part of Cupcakes aside from the ending and the cupcake recipes Allen creates.

The primary issue here is that this is a very even toned sweet romance. No real highs or lows, just a “steady as they go” sort of relationship. Given Allen’s isolated life with Gary, with Gary’s friends, Gary’s things, and Gary’s house, I kept wondering if there was going to be a dark closet somewhere in Gary and Allen’s life as it appeared so very bland. But then again, maybe the blandness of the 50’s housewife lifestyle suited that of Allen’s role as Gary’s househusband. I kept waiting for the “other shoe” to drop when there wasn’t one. There really isn’t much drama here except for a segment towards the end that is as neatly resolved as everything else in Allen’s life.

I think I was disappointed in this story because of the promise of the plot and the author behind it. Sean Michael has created so many multidimensional characters in the past that I expected that here. And didn’t get it. But what I did receive was a sweet, lovely if facile romance, a little Donna Reed gone m/m (google it if you must). It’s a nice story, one you will be happy to read even if you forget it as soon as the story is over. However, I would love to have some of Allen’s cupcakes…now those sounded not only unique but gastronomically memorable. I only wish I could say the same about Cupcakes the story.

Cover art by LC Chase is as sweet and frothy as the story itself.

Book Details:

ebook, 188 pages

Published January 8th 2014 by Dreamspinner Press (first published January 7th 2014)

ISBN 1627984828 (ISBN13: 9781627984829)

edition language English

url http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com

Review: Second Star to the Right by A.F. Henley

Rating: 4.25 stars out of 5

Mason Lawrence should be happy. He is incredibly wealthy, owns a successful company and his days are full with his business and his spare time is spent with friends and business associates. But Mason is unhappy. He has long held a crush on his best friend who is straight and very married. Just spending time with him playing tennis is painful and his friend is beginning to notice a difference in the way Mason is treating him. Something has to change and it arrives in a totally unexpected manner.

Out of concern for Mason’s lack of companionship, a friend tells Mason about a discrete escort service where Mason might find someone to spend his only vacation with. Wary but desperate, Mason hires Jack, an outspoken, gorgeous escort to spend a week with him at his cabin in a lakeshore vacation property. And at first, Jack is everything Mason could hope for. He is funny, gregarious, blunt, and sexy. A blond Peter Pan whose refusal to grow up endears him to Mason a man who has never really been a child. Then their relationship of employer/employee starts to turn into one of friendship and then something a little more. Can love be possible when one refuses to grow up and the other afraid of his own emotions?

The trope of rent boy/John love is a standard within the m/m genre. Whether I enjoy a story with this plot is entirely up to how an individual author handles this topic and the twist they give to the rent boy in question. A.F. Henley’s Second Star to the Right and her character Jack are wonderfully endearing additions to this genre. I have a fondness for prostitutes that make no excuses for the fact that they are, in their words “whores”. Jack is unapologetically blunt about his tastes, his profession, and his expectations for the week ahead, much to Mason’s astonishment. He is golden, sexy, and tall, everything that Mason wants and has never been able to have. And now that Jack is Mason’s for the week, Mason isn’t exactly sure what to do with him.

Henley makes Mason’s confusion and hesitation both humorous and endearing when confronted with Jack’s direct manner and easy going sexuality. Everything about Mason’s character is reflective of his personality. He is small in stature, a fact he is uncomfortable with, comparing himself unfavorably with all he meets. Shy and awkward, small and amenable, Mason is someone who has always been too old for his years, too responsible, too mature to enjoy childish games and pastimes. Throw someone of that persona in a cabin for a week with a sexual adult Peter Pan and the mixture has bound to be entertaining, and a little explosive.

And while Jack is forcing Mason to open up and relax, Mason’s actions and gentle treatment of Jack is forcing Jack to reflex on his own life, including the fact that he is almost 30, an age too old for his profession. How is a man who refuses to grow up going to live when he ages out of the only profession he has ever known? By the time they (and the reader) have reached this stage in their relationship, both men have tumbled out of their complacency into a place of fear about their current status as well as the future. Henley has made us care, through their interactions and past revelations, about these men. And now we teeter on the brink of self discovery along with them, full of anticipation and anxiety for the next step each man will take. Will it be towards each other or away?

Of course, there is an emotional explosion and a denouement that offers a future for both Mason and Jack. I think that if I had a quibble with this story, its with an ending that felt a little too abrupt for the story that preceded it. We get a week with Mason and Jack that feels realistic in the manner in which their relationship grows. The arguments that come feel natural as well given each man’s emotional makeup and their present occupations. I wish Henley had given us a little more of the events that follow upon their return to the city. It would have made the epilogue that much more satisfactory by giving us the building blocks upon which that ending is built.

However, that issue aside, I did love Second Star to the Right. I loved Mason and Jack in all their frailties, insecurities, and kindness, especially towards each other. When you temper bluntness with compassion, sexuality with caring, then you have a recipe for a terrific love story and Henley has given that to us in Second Star to the Right. I think you will enjoy it as much as I did. Consider it a highly recommended.

Cover by Aisha Akeju is simple in design but works for the story within.

Book Details:

ebook

Expected publication: February 19th 2014 by Less Than Three Press LLC

original title Second Star to the Right

ISBN13 9781620043165

edition language English

Scattered Thoughts on the Super Bowl Team Names, Animals Cute and Fierce and the Week Ahead in Reviews

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Its Super Bowl Sunday and for many of you that means a day spent in front of a screen watching two teams play for the ultimate title in American football, the Superbowl Trophy and bragging rights (to say nothing of the ring and tons of money). This year, Super Bowl XLVIII (48) the battle is between the Seattle Seahawks and the Denver Broncos, ostensibly two teams named after animals. I say that because are those animals the real deal? Or are they fictional? What if all NFL teams had to have real animal names? Would the Seahawks and Broncos still be around?

If we look at last year’s Super Bowl winners, the Baltimore Ravens, the answer is clear. Yep, Ravens exist and are forever associated with Bal’mer and Edger Allen Poe. Ditto the Cincinnati Bengals, another animal that walks the planet, although in far fewer numbers each year. Is the Cincinnati Extinct Bengals inconceivable? Not really. Here are all the other NFL Teams with animals in their names. Can you fit the name to the city they are from (answers listed at the end, some may surprise you)?

Bears, Cardinals, Colts, Dolphins, Eagles, Falcons,Jaguars, Lions, Panthers, Rams.

But back to the Seahawks and Broncos. There really is no such thing as a Seahawk. There are Sea Eagles, of which our Bald Headed Eagle can be considered a member. There is a Osprey, a raptor that is not exactly a hawk but its own genus within the Raptor order Acciptriformes. But an actual Seahawk? No, not really, not outside a nickname. Now an Osprey is a pretty cool raptor, common here in Maryland (and in fact all of the U.S.). I have watched Bald Eagles steal the fish right away from an Osprey pair on the Bay and had a tough time doing it. With that mask on their face and that fierce attitude, they are a force to be reckoned with. So why not call themselves the Ospreys? That would certainly make more sense to me and be accurate as well.

But the Broncos are no better with their name. Broncos? Google it and you know what comes up? The NFL team the Broncos. Now bucking broncos is a term used with rodeo horses. But if the team was looking for a real animal (versus a animal sport) then they could have looked no further than the Mustang. Wild mustangs are all over the west. A smaller tough wild horse, scrappy and resilient. The Denver Mustangs? That would have been cool, and a chance to help those herds being hunted off park land. Hmm I wonder if ranchers around the Denver area had something to do with the name choice here? Just saying…..

So if we were to stick to real animals, this Sunday’s game would be the Seattle Osprey vs the Denver Mustangs, a missed opportunity all around. For education, for tie-ins with the WWF or some other conservation group. Ah…well I can always look for the Ravens and Bears to return to glory and a chance at the Super Bowl rings once more….

For those of you who are not football enthusiasts, there are other animal bowls to choose from. The Animal Planet has its Puppy Bowl and the Hallmark Channel is having its first ever Kitten Bowl. Both feature puppies and kittens up for adoption and the ultimate in cuteness outside the new Anheuser-Busch Super Bowl Commercial, Puppy Love, with puppies and Clydesdales. But for all of you who look at these next four hours and think nap, I have a truly inspired animal bowl for you. Nat Geo Wild has introduced this year its Fish Bowl. Yep, a goldfish, in a fish bowl, for 4 hours, starting at 6pm. See? Something for everyone this year.

So what you are going to watch today? Mislabeled Teams with large men? Puppies, Kitten or Fish? Or something completely different? Let me know. I will be watching the Super Bowl commercials, reading and eating popcorn surrounded by snoozing terriers and a dancing African Grey. Go Naked Mole Rats! I can dream, can’t I?

Now for this week’s reviews:

Monday, Feb. 3: Second Star to the Right by A.F. Henley

Tuesday, Feb. 4: Cupcakes by Sean Michael

Wed., Feb. 5: Ghosts of Bourbon Street by Rowen Speedwell

Thurs., Feb. 6: The Battle of Will by Sasha L. Miller

Friday, Feb. 7: Frostbite Collection by Totally Bound Press

Friday, Feb. 8: Reviewing Life by Lara Brukz

Football team name answers: Chicago Bears, Arizona (what no city wants them?) Cardinals, Indianapolis (don’t even get me started) Colts, Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons, Jacksonville Jaguars, Detroit Lions, Carolina (again what’s with the state? based in Charlotte) Panthers, St. Louis (they get around) Rams.

Bowls to Watch: Hallmark Channel’s Kitten Bowl, Animal Planet Puppy Bowl, and Nat Geo Wild’s Fish Bowl (ok the last keeps cracking me up). Here is the link to the Fish Bowl App.

January 2014 Summary of Books Reviewed

The new years has started with an explosion of wonderful books and new authors for me. SE Jakes and two of her marvelous series dropped into my hands and heart so I will be passing those recommendations on to you. SA McAuley released a new contemporary fiction novel, Treadmarks and Trademarks, the start of a new series. Ditto Susan Laine with her Sparks & Drops. LA Witt inspired with her gender shifter novel Static, a must read for all. Shira Anthony’s Symphony In Blue brought her Blue Notes characters together for a series holiday story, perfect reading for all lovers of romance and music. Horror, fantasy and comedy are all represented here as well as a great non fiction tale by Joel Derfner, Lawfully Wedded Husband:How My Gay Marriage Will Save The American Family, a must read.

So many great books, see what stories you have missed, and make a list. And don’t forget to check out the best book covers of the month at the end.
*Key:
S series
C contemporary
F-fantasy
SF-science fiction
PN-paranormal
SP-supernatural
H-historical
HR-horror
N-Nonfiction
YA-young adult

Rating Scale: 1 to 5, 5 stars is outstanding
5 Star Rating:

Catch A Ghost by SE Jakes C, S
Long Time Gone by SE Jakes C, S
Static by LA Witt, SF
Symphony In Blue by Shira Anthony, C, S
The Engineered Throne by Megan Derr, F
The Fall by Kate Sherwood C. S

4 to 4.75 Star Rating:

A Small Miracle Happened by Mari Donne, (4.5 stars) C, holiday
Dirty Deeds by SE Jakes (4.75 stars) C, S
Home for the Hollandaise by BA Tortuga,Julia Talbot *4.5 stars) C
Horsing Around by Torquere Authors, (4.5 stars) A, C
In Discretion by Reesa Herberth (4.5 stars), SF
Lawfully Wedded Husband by Joel Derfner (4.75 stars) N
Refined Instincts by SJ Frost, (4 stars) SP, S
Serenading Stanley by John Inman (4.5 stars), C
Sparks & Drops by Susan Laine (4.5 stars), P, S
Texas Christmas by R.J. Scott (4.75 stars), C, S
The Dreamer by M. King (4 stars), HR
The Lightning Moon by Sylvia A. Winters (4.75 stars) SP
Tread Marks & Trademarks by S.A. McAuley (4.5 stars) C, S

3 to 3.75 Star Rating:

Ashland by Lynn Lorenz (3.5 stars) SP, S
The Actor and the Thief by Edward Kendrick (3.75 stars) C, S
Tor by Lynn Lorenz (3.5 stars), SP, S

2 to 2.75 Star Rating:

Dime Novel by Dale Chase (2.75 stars) H

1 to 1.75 Star Rating: None

*******************************************************************

Best Book Covers of January 2014

This month includes just an overall gold star to LC Chase whose great covers include the Hell or High Water series and Dirty Deeds.

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In Discretion by Reesa Herberth, Artist Simone’
Mindscape by Tal Valante, Artist LC Chase, who is having an incredible year
Sparks & Drops by Susan Laine, Artist Brooke Albrecht
Static by LA Witt, Artist LC Chase. A Stunner with it’s Shifting Gender Person
Tread Marks & Trademarks by S.A. McAuley, Wilde City Press, no artist credited

Review: Long Time Gone (Hell or High Water #2) by S.E. Jakes

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

When a tornado meets a volcano, nothing is safe.

After their last “off the grid” mission was finished, Tom Boudreaux was given a choice of partners, Cope or Prophet. Tom chose Cope thinking that he would keep Prophet safe by removing him from Tom’s bad luck. But now three months later Tom’s decision has brought him nothing but regret. Regret and a constant anxiety over Prophet’s whereabouts and safety as Prophet has left EE Ltd and no one is sure of his whereabouts.

When Tom Boudreaux walked away from him and their partnership, Prophet realized two things. One that he no longer wanted to work alone, and secondly he had just let the man he wanted walk out of his life. After Tom left, he wrote Prophet emails, including one that asked him for a personal favor, never sure if the man would get them. He did. And now Prophet is heading to New Orleans to see Della, Tom’s aunt, to make sure she stays safe as a hurricane approaches.

Fearing for his aunt’s safety as a hurricane bears down on New Orleans, Tom disobeys his employer’s orders and leaves for his old home town and an explosive reunion with Prophet, a man he hasn’t been able to forget. The horror that is Tom’s past rises up around them along with the flooding bayou waters bringing alligators, murder, and old enemies to the surface. Tom and Prophet must fight not only to stay together but for their lives as well.

SE Jakes has done it again! Long Time Gone, the 2nd book in the Hell or High Water series, is one sexy, tumultuous, and action-packed roller-coaster of a novel. A Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride and Spy Hunt for adults and it couldn’t be more satisfying. With Tom Boudreaux and Prophet Drews, Jakes has added to her pantheon of complicated, conflicted Alphas intensely connected by their pasts as well as professions as spies and covert ops. These are tough, wary, secretive warriors. So it makes sense to make these men (and us) work hard to establish any sort of realistic relationship, if one is possible.

As Catch A Ghost ended, we saw Tom accept a new partner, walking away from Prophet and their intense relationship.Three months have passed since that event and things can’t be more different for both men. Tom is bored out of his skull, buried in a job he doesn’t want with a partner who is making him crazy. He is missing Prophet so deeply that he is writing the man emails he isn’t sure Prophet will ever receive. Why? Because the man has disappeared and even those closest to him are unable to find him. Prophet left EE, Ltd, their agency after a fight with their boss. And now he wanders the globe on his own dangerous missions that by their varying nature send pointed messages to the security agencies around the world. These men are coming to a crossroads and it will take a hurricane to set them back on the path together.

The world is familiar with the impact a hurricane can have on the City of New Orleans and it’s surrounding parishes. So it definitely works to bring the reader immediately into the setting for this novel by bringing this natural disaster back to life in the same place where Katrina left so much devastation and death. It lays an emotional, knowledgeable base for the actions that follow and the choice of New Orleans, with its fantastic mix of voodoo and beignets, of alligators and corruption, is the perfect stage for a story where “the seventh son of a seventh son”, and a man named Prophet will reunite to deal with Tom’s demons, ones that have haunted him from birth, just as a new hurricane bears down on a town familiar with disasters of every kind, natural and man made.

With the hurricane coming, and New Orleans as the setting, Jakes has all the elements she needs to create a story wide ranging in emotions, explosive in actions and incendiary in the sexual heat generated by Tom and Prophet, really this story has it all. Tom and Prophet were enigmas in Catch a Ghost. Here we start to flesh out their backstories, Tom’s especially. The angry, out of control agent seen fighting in the first novel is laid bare, his character explained through the bayou, his family and the past events that continue to stain relationship and friendships today. The bayou and the Cajun culture flourishes here in the touches and in the metaphors Jakes creates for her two battled scarred men fight nature and others to be together, including their own doubts and best intentions. As the lightning flashes and the storm rages outside the house where Tom’s aunt lives, it parallels the passion and emotional chaos occurring within Tom and Prophet as they meet up again under dire circumstances. It’s scary hot, swirling with anger and longing yet still oddly humorous at the same time. The water rises along with Tom’s past, bringing up bodies, old enemies seeking revenge and retribution in a maelstrom of hate, anguish and pain.

It’s also not just Tom’s past that is dealt with, Prophet brings his own share of torment as well. The thunder and lightning flashes mimic the sounds of guns and warfare throwing Prophet into paralyzing states of PTSD and flashbacks. One man’s horror combines with another’s man terrifying upbringing but salvation or success is never a given. Not with these two, the most they can ask for is time and hope.

I suppose this is the best time to bring up alligator kink. I now have one thanks to SE Jakes and her boys. I never saw that coming. I admit that when someone mentions alligator ‘rastling’ in the past, it conjured up images of good old boy poachers ,bootleg tanners and hokey sideshow venues in the south or any show on TLC. No more. Now I think of Tom and Prophet and New Orleans. It’s a wild scene as they roll passionately about Aunt Della’s kitchen floor, as well as a cabin in the swamp. It’s sexy and funny and yes, satisfying as the boys reunite after 3 months of separation. All those wet, naked rolling bodies is further later detailed as Tom puts on a show as he wrestles and rolls an alligator into submission. It opens a new sexual kink for Prophet, one that plays out in a white hot moment to come.

So much lovely, lusty sex here, which works on many different levels. Sex is the number one choice of communication between Tom and Prophet. They use it to defer those “we have to talk” situations while saying so much to each other by their touches,caresses, and telling strokes. Because these boys have forgotten how to talk, how to open themselves up to another person, if they ever knew how to begin with. So when Jakes’ plot forces them to share parts of their past with each other, its realistically painful and monosyllabic. It also makes us (and the person on the receiving end of said pertinent data) so appreciative of the information that we do get while making us a little frustrated at how much more there is to know and understand about the complicated men before us.

To continue the metaphor, Jakes’ narrative is a pitching deck on hurricane waters. If the story feels a little choppy in places, its because that format works to keep every one off balance, as the waves throw one thing after another at our couple. Sometimes it looks like they are going to drown in their past other times they crest towards the surface and safety. I love that we are never sure what the next page and scene will bring us. The suspense is wonderful and agonizing for us as well as Tom and Prophet.

Tom Boudreaux and Prophet Drews are the real deal, that addictive couple that snares us at the beginning of a potential relationship and never lets us go. Each stumble forward, every tentative gain made towards a lasting relationship is met with a realistic picture of just how fragile and momentary those new stages in their relationship are. Just one phone call, one appearance by the wrong person and all could be lost. Such an overview paints a veneer of uncertainty and suspense over all the events and actions that occur within the story. Tom and Prophet are together again but for long how? Where is the next enemy coming from? Their present or their past? Jakes keeps us teetering on the edge of our emotions along with Tom and Prophet as they navigate the rough waters ahead. I can’t wait to see how they will handle what this fine author has to throw at them (and us). It is guaranteed to be chilling, unexpected and downright sexy. I was always one for the E Ticket rides and this is that in spades. I just hope we all survive the journey.

Long Time Gone and the Hell or High Water series are highly recommended to all.

LC Chase has again supplied us with an outstanding cover, perfect for the man and his story inside.

Books in the Hell or High Water series in the order they should be read:

Catch a Ghost (Hell or High Water, #1)
Long Time Gone (Hell or High Water, #2)

Associated Series: Men of Honor and Dirty Deeds:

Dirty Deeds (DirtyDeeds #1)

Book Details:

ebook, 270 pages
Published October 28th 2013 by Riptide Publishing (first published October 27th 2013)
ISBN139781626490604
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://www.riptidepublishing.com/titles/long-time-gone
seriesHell or High Water #2

Review: The Fall (The Fall #1) by Kate Sherwood

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

After his boyfriend dumps him for a younger man, Scott Mackenzie must figure out the mess his life has become. A part-time model, Mackenzie had allowed his ex to completely take over his life. Mackenzie lived in Nathan’s house and off Nathan’s income as Nathan’s disapproval of his profession saw Mackenzie’s modeling assignments dropping away until he was barely accepting job offers. Now the reality of his dependency is hitting Mackenzie hard as he tries to determine what to do next. He had purchased an old church to use for gay weddings on a whim and now that looks like his only avenue both as a home and new job. But Mackenzie is a gay fish out of water in a small town in rural Ontario. Both he and the church need a lot of fixing up and he doesn’t know where to start.

Joe Sutton is a rancher and on occasion when his twin needs help with his business, he is also a part time contractor. When his parents died, Joe and his twin brother did whatever was necessary to keep their family together on the land that had been a Sutton ranch for generations. In fact, Joe’s life now consisted of running the ranch and managing his large and sometimes unruly family, leaving little time for a relationship, something already made difficult by the fact that Joe is gay in a small town.

When Mackenzie contracts the Sutton twins for help restoring the church, the initial meeting between the only two out gay men around doesn’t go well. Joe isn’t looking for a relationship and Mackenzie is put off by the monosyllabic impression Joe makes. But a small connection is made, one that grows larger by the day. When Mackenzie’s past arrives to threaten their burgeoning relationship, Joe and Mackenzie must decide just how much they will sacrifice to stay together.

Have you ever read a story where you immediately fell in love with the characters and plot even if you can’t exactly pinpoint why? The Fall by Kate Sherwood is that story for me. I love these men and I loved their story. Everything about Mackenzie and Joe spoke to me. I felt connected to them by their idiosyncrasies and their personalities. I loved Joe’s family and Mackenzie’s dog, Griffin. I loved the town of Falls Creek, the church Mackenzie bought to refurbish and even the town’s Chamber of Commerce. How’s that for a lot of love? But that also makes for a very short review so I had to take a closer look to see if I could figure out my case of instant love for The Fall.

It turns out that I did not have to dig very deep for reasons to love this book. Starting with Kate Sherwood’s characters, everyone that Sherwood created for this story (with the exception of Nick) just captivated me. I found Mackenzie immediately endearing from the moment he murmurs to himself “no one puts Baby in the corner”, referring to himself. One reference and I was his. Mackenzie is someone who has a ton of growing up to do. He gradually let his ex take over his life until he was basically a kept man and Nathan his sugar daddy. At the moment we meet him, he is needy, spoiled by city life and a rich life style. This man is totally unmoored in every aspect of his life. This is our first introduction to Mackenzie:

“IT’S NOT like I was expecting an adorable little café. I knew that even Starbucks might be pushing it.” Mackenzie tried to loosen his grip on his cell phone before saying, “But Kristen, there’s not even a Tim Hortons! There’s a donut shop. It’s called The Donut Shop. It sells donuts. No pastries, no soup, no sandwiches. Just donuts. And coffee.” In the interest of full disclosure, he added, “And bagels. I don’t know what’s with the bagels. But there isn’t even a drive-through!”

Mackenzie has just arrived in town and already he is panicking. And he hasn’t even set foot in the church he owns to see how much work is needed just to make it safe. But even as adrift emotionally as Mackenzie is, we know he is worth sticking around to see what happens next. Gradually Mackenzie starts to grow up, accepting responsibility for his life and deciding to take charge of his future. Sherwood throws this character down an uneven path, making him stumble and fall. But as we watch Mackenzie pick himself up, often with verve and self depreciation, our connection to this character deepens with each new page.

The character of Joe Sutton starts off as the antithesis of Scott MacKenzie. Whereas Mackenzie has not had enough responsibility in his life, Joe has almost had too much, eschewing a social life for family and his ranch. Joe has become so reserved in demeanor that Mackenzie’s ebullience and vivacity puts him off, leading him to make assumptions about Mackenzie from his mannerisms and conversation. The thing is Joe is only partly wrong. There are many layers to Joe Sutton, and they are pealed back one by one as Joe and Mackenzie begin a casual sexual relationship that turns into an emotional commitment. Gradually we see the humor, the love of family and the land. Kate Sherwood’s portrait of Joe Sutton will win you over just as completely as Mackenzie’s.

All the characters are well done here, whether you like them or not. They are grounded in their human frailties , their complexities feel both real and recognizable. Of special note is Joe’s nephew with whom he has a father/son relationship. Five year old Austin is a special needs child, although the reason for that is never mentioned. Austin’s behavior (autism it seems to me) is well researched and authentic. And Joe’s relationship with Austin and the manner in which he interacts with his nephew brought more depth and warmth to a story I was already in love with. Add in the rest of the Sutton siblings and the dogs Griffin and Red, each characters in their own right, and you have a story brimming with people and pets not easily forgotten.

Sherwood’s dialog is especially noteworthy. It almost sparkles as it exits Mackenzie’s mouth, frothy, excitable, and very vulnerable. Joe’s dialog too is perfect for his character. It’s slow, thoughtful, and grounded. It all works. The plot comes to a happy resolution but leaves enough story threads hanging to carryover into another book. The Fall is the first in a series and I can’t wait to read the next installment. These characters and their town has me hooked. Consider The Fall highly recommended.

Cover art by Leah Kaye Suttle. I liked the cover but wish it had included more elements specific to the story such as the church. As it is it feels almost too generic.

Book Details:

ebook, 214 pages

Published December 16th 2013 by Dreamspinner Press (first published December 15th 2013)

original title The Fall

ISBN 1627983902 (ISBN13: 9781627983907)

edition language English

url http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4438

series The Fall #1

Brrrrr…..its cold Outside and the Week Ahead in Reviews

Our region has seen single digit temperatures, ice, snow and flash freezing. OK, it is January, a winter month, but still this is far too cold for this area and I think we are in shock. I have kept the bird feeders full, as they are emptying them almost within an hour of being filled. Same goes for the suet cakes hanging in the trees.

My yard is full of evidence of nightly visitors, deer tracks, fox tracks, raccoon and opossum. That is the opossum track to the left, notice the tail drag in the middle. Their ears and tails are naked, getting frostbitten on nights like these. They crisscross and circle in search of food and shelter from the bruising cold winds and frigid Arctic air. I always loved tracking in the woods after it has snowed. So many stories are written on the glistening surface just waiting for someone to read them.

It snowed considerably the first year I worked as a Park Naturalist in Rock Creek. And my first journey into the woods was amazing. I remember walking deep into the hickory oak forest and finding a small pile of Red Shouldered Hawk feathers on the ground, the snow spotted with blood. As I looked around I noticed another grouping of feathers about 12 feet away, and then another. And here and there the wing prints of a large bird, one who had landed with its prey, plucked for a while before taking off again with its heavy load. Further and further I tracked until I finally found my culprit. A great horned owl’s nest, high in a dead white oak tree, the base of which was strewn with owl pellets and fresh feathers. I stood in awe of such a majestic and efficient predator. A silent killer whose wings were capable of carrying a meal almost its own size, a shark of the skies where everything was considered fair game, including other owls. I stood there for a while until throughly chilled, picked up a feather and owl pellet and headed back to the nature center, memorizing my path as I went. I knew I would return there to check for owlets in another month or so and to see what other prey the Great Horned Owl had found. This adventure cemented my love for raptors and owls in particular.

This week a Snowy Owl appeared in downtown Washington, DC. It appeared unconcerned that it stopped all traffic, vehicle and foot, as people gazed on in amazement. How marvelous….

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/wp/2014/01/24/snowy-owl-joins-capital-weather-gang-at-the-washington-post/

The cold is lingering into this coming week, a perfect time for reading a book or two or three. Here are the books I reviewed this week.

Monday, Jan. 27: The Dreamer by M. King

Tuesday, Jan. 28: The Fall by Kate Sherwood

Wed., Jan. 29: Long Time Gone (Hell or High Water #2) by SE Jakes

Thurs., Jan. 30: Refined Instincts by SJ Frost

Friday, Jan. 31: January 2014 Best Covers and Book Review Summary

Sat., Feb. 1: Bloody Love Spats by Valentina Heart

Get Personal with SE Jakes On The Dirty Deeds Book Tour and Contest

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have SE Jakes here today to talk about her outstanding new release Dirty Deeds, the first in the new Dirty Deeds series.

Hey everyone!!! Thanks to Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words for having me back here for my Dirty Deeds blog tour 🙂 Dirty Deeds is the first in this spin-off series of Hell or High Water. Dirty Deeds focuses on Cillian and Mal, two characters who’ve been in both Hell or High Water books 1 & 2 (Catch a Ghost and Long Time Gone.) Dirty Deeds # 1 captures a very specific moment in time for the Cillian (the spook) and Mal (the former SEAL in exile).
STRW: 1. What was the first story you wrote?

SEJ: I actually wrote the proposals for Bound by Honor and Bound for Keeps at the same time, and I wasn’t sure which one should go first. I picked Bound by Honor, because I knew Law would have a story, and then I realized that Bound for Keeps needed to wait a bit. I realize now I needed to wait for Prophet to introduce himself (since he shows up in Bound for Keeps)…

STRW 2. What was the subject matter?

SEJ: Bound by Honor is the first in my Men of Honor series. It’s the story of Tanner, an Army Ranger (who is training for Delta Force). His dying teammate made Tanner promise to go visit his Dom a year after his death. Damon, Jesse’s Dom, doesn’t want anything to do with that, but he decides to honor Jessie’s wish.

STRW 3. I love stories where the mc are undercover. What made you decide to pair a Navy Seal with a British Black Ops?

SEJ :They honestly paired themselves. It surprised the hell out of me. They showed up separately in the Hell or High Water series and halfway through writing Long Time Gone, out of nowhere I realized they were going to be together.

STRW 4. Which of the two characters was hardest to write?

SEJ: Probably Cillian, at least at first, because he didn’t really reveal himself to me right away. Definitely a mysterious spook. I found out things I didn’t know about him writing Dirty Deeds, and I think readers will be pretty surprised too. He’s definitely been a polarizing force in the books.

STRW 5. How many books do you have planned for the Hell or High Water series?

SEJ: There are four books for Hell or High Water, plus one short (all Prophet & Tommy as main characters). Dirty Deeds # 1 runs along the same timeline for the Hell or High Water series (all with Mal and Cillian as main characters), but for Dirty Deeds 2 & 3, they really have their own plot apart from the Hell or High Water plot.

Thanks, SE, for stopping by. Dirty Deeds is part of the Extreme Escapes universe. All the connected stories from Hell or High Water can be found here. Dirty Deeds is one of ScatteredThoughtsandRogueWords Highly Recommended Books/Must Reads of 2014.

Dirty Deeds: Dirty Deeds book 1:
Two seasoned operatives finally meet their match: each other.
Cillian works for the mysterious Special Branch 20: an organization that runs black ops commissioned by the British government. His specialty is deep undercover assignments with virtually no support. He’s been alone for so long that he no longer knows anything else.

Mal’s also used to being alone. Wanted in several states and even more countries, he’s not allowed in the vicinity of any of his former Navy SEAL teammates. And his current assignment is to track Cillian in order to discover the spook’s endgame. Except he’s no longer sure which one of them is getting played.

Cillian isn’t about to let the mission that’s consumed him for the past several years crumble because an outsider is poking around where he doesn’t belong. But Mal forces his way through Cillian’s defenses—and into his heart—exposing a devastating betrayal that could destroy them both.
*

This title is part of the Extreme Escapes, Ltd. universe.

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Contest Rules and Other Stuff You Need To Know:

To enter the contest, visit http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/a31df32/

Prizes:

1st prize: $50.00 Amazon Gift Card
2nd Prize: $25.00 Amazon Gift Card
3rd prize: $10.00 Amazon Gift Card

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SE Jakes writes m/m romance. She believes in happy endings and fighting for what you want in both fiction and real life.
She lives in New York with her family, and most days, she can be found happily writing (in bed). No really…

Connect with SE:
• Website
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• Goodreads author page
• Goodreads author group: Ask SE Jakes

Review: Dirty Deeds (Dirty Deeds #1) by S.E. Jakes

Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5 (should be 4.99 as it is so close to perfection)

British black op Cillian is deep undercover, his assignment so complicated, so twisted that not even Cillian is sure what the real purpose of his mission is. Working for Special Branch 20 has meant doing whatever it takes to move his investigation forward. It has also meant being totally out on his own without any support from his employers, alone for years. Cillian has made a tenuous connection with the agent in the floor above him, Prophet Drews of EE, Ltd, for investigative purposes and a little pleasure too. But now there is someone else on Cillian’s radar. Someone who likes his sex rough and silent. Cillian knows he should leave it at that. But this new man is driving him wild and Cillian can’t seem to keep from pursuing him even though it might compromise his mission.

Former Navy Seal Mal is an operative for EE, Ltd. Wanted in several states and countries, Mal is also considered crazy and dangerous by most of the people he works with. He is also a friend of Prophet’s. His current assignment? Tracking Cillian to try and find out exactly what and who the British agent is after. But the mission has already turned personal for both Mal and Cillian through intimate encounters that should have stayed anonymous. Soon the dangers are mounting as well as the body count. But neither man is prepared for the pain and betrayal yet to come when a devastating secret is exposed.

How can just 94 pages be so explosive? The emotions and events of this story just seem to erupt like a geyser that has been building up pressure until it cannot be contained. That’s what the men are like that SE Jakes has created for her Dirty Deeds story and series. Mal and Cillian are titanium tough loners, made that way through their tortured pasts that include abuse and death, seasoned through brutal training as well as a variety of missions both successful and failed until it has all solidified into the dangerous, intelligent men they are today.

SE Jakes brings her characters vividly to life through descriptions and events guaranteed to have you hanging on by your fingernails. Both Cillian and Mal have made appearances before in the Hell or High Water series, especially Cillian as he occupied the condo below Prophet Drews, an EE operative. Now these men are the focus of their own action-packed, suspense-filled storyline,the characters who teased us unmercifully in the previous books are fleshed out with convoluted histories and traumatic events that are still only hinted at. Mal and Cillian are playing with each other psychologically as well as electronically, each jockeying for the upper position in their investigations and surveillance of each other. That each man’s methods include a playbook made up of mental games and sexual ones just serves to deepen a portrait of complicated men so sure of themselves and their methodology that they can risk their bodies without question. It also includes some of the most combustible sex written. I’m talking incendiary hot, so hot and explosive that it starts to melt away the formidable walls each man has erected around their hearts and souls.

Mal and Cillian are men who have killed, perhaps tortured, schemed to reach their many goals. And its to the author’s credit, that we care immensely for these men as we watch them teeter on the brink of a relationship with each other, against all odds and their own proclivities. Because as hardened as these men are, deep underneath they still retain the ability to be hurt by the right person and events from their pasts.

Jakes keeps us and her characters guessing at every step in the storyline. We are never sure who are the bad guys or when they will pop up to deliver a death blow and derail an investigation. The phrase “pins and needles” was surely meant to be used in reference to the Dirty Deeds men and their stories. There are so many twists here I stopped counting halfway through the story. There are twists in their missions, surprises in their backgrounds, mind blowing revelations and one huge whopper of an ending that I never saw coming. God, I love books like this.

Jakes keeps her narrative flowing rapidly along, like a river about to rise out of its banks at flood time. It pulls in everything around it, sweeping it along a merciless path. You are transfixed by the scene in front of you,unable to look away. It’s dramatic, its mind boggling and its hold on you is magnetic. Most of you will want to howl at the ending. So howl away. What a revelation! What a great way to end this story! Only a small lack of context kept this from a perfect five but oh how close it came. Pick it up and run to the nearest place and start reading. Make sure you are comfortable because you will be there a while. Consider this story,Dirty Deeds, and its connected series, Hell or High Water, highly recommended.

Cover art by LC Chase. Once again the artist has created a cover that is perfect for the story and its characters. Just terrific.

Book Details:

ebook, 94 pages

Published January 13th 2014 by Riptide Publishing (first published January 11th 2014)

ISBN13 9781626490932

edition language English

url http://riptidepublishing.com/titles/dirty-deeds-dirty-deeds-1

series Dirty Deeds #1

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