Category: M/M Romance

An Alisa Review: Prise de Fer by A.R. Moler

Rating:  3 stars out of 5

 

Chemistry major Kelly Hendrick has lusted after his analytical chemistry professor Simon Randall for a several semesters. They share common interests in reading, fencing, and, of course, their chosen career field.

 

Now several semesters past being Dr. Randall’s student, Kelly finally dares to cross the line and pursue his attraction to the professor. He finds the feeling reciprocated, but there are deep, more than human secrets in Kelly’s life.

 

An assault on Simon forces Kelly to confront the idea that Simon needs to know more if they’re going to be together. Can Kelly own up to non-human genetics and still maintain his growing relationship with Simon?

 

This was an enjoyable story.  Simon has continued to try and keep Kelly at arm’s length in order to keep any feelings he may have at bay.  Kelly embraces his friendship with Simon and is willing to let that be all they have if Simon refuses to have more.

 

I felt as though I was watching this story from a distance and didn’t really connect with the characters.  Kelly struggles with the reality that he would need to tell Simon about his true nature but isn’t sure when that would be the right time.  Simon doesn’t put up too much resistance once Kelly really makes a move once he isn’t his student anymore.

 

The cover art by Written Ink Designs is nice and works well for this story.

 

Sales Links: JMS Books | Amazon | B&N

 

Book Details:

ebook, 47 pages

Published: June 3, 2017 by JMS Books

ISBN: 9781634864084

Edition Language: English

Release Day Blitz for Lying Eyes by Robert Winter (excerpt and giveaway)

Title:  Lying Eyes

Author: Robert Winter

Publisher:  Robert Winter Books (self-published)

Release Date: July 7, 2017

Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 84300

Genre: Romance, Mystery, BDSM

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Synopsis

This bartender’s art lies in more than mixing drinks …

Randy Vaughan is a six-foot-three mass of mysteries to his customers and his friends. Why does a former Secret Service agent now own Mata Hari, a successful piano bar? Where did a muscle daddy get his passion for collecting fine art? If he’s as much a loner as his friends believe, why does he crave weekly sessions at an exclusive leather club?

Randy’s carefully private life unravels when Jack Fraser, a handsome art historian from England, walks into his bar, anxious to get his hands on a painting Randy owns. The desperation Randy glimpses in whiskey-colored eyes draws him in, as does the desire to submit that he senses beneath Jack’s elegant, driven exterior.

While wrestling with his attraction to Jack, Randy has to deal with a homeless teenager, a break-in at Mata Hari, and Jack’s relentless pursuit of the painting called Sunrise. It becomes clear someone’s lying to Randy. Unless he can figure out who and why, he may miss his chance at the love he’s dreamed about in the hidden places of his heart.

Note: Lying Eyes is a standalone gay romance novel with consensual bondage and a strong happy ending. It contains potential spoilers for Robert Winter’s prior novel, Every Breath You Take.

Purchase

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA

 

Excerpt

Saturday rolled around, and Randy headed to town early to make sure everything was ready for Mata Hari’s busiest evening of the week. Although the bar officially opened at five-thirty, it was rare for anyone to wander in much before seven o’clock. Randy was surprised when the front door opened at six to admit a good-looking man.

The stranger was probably about five foot nine or ten, and wore a three-piece suit that seemed tailored to accentuate a lean build. His dark hair was cut stylishly short on the sides but thick and swept back on the top, and his mustache and full beard were closely trimmed. A brightly colored necktie contrasted with the somber gray of his suit. Randy had trouble assessing the man’s age, but he would go with thirty. European, though—Randy would stake the bar on that guess.

The newcomer contemplated the walls of Mata Hari, passing almost dismissively over the art on display. He studied each piece for no more than a second before moving to the next, but Randy had a distinct impression the man sought something in particular. As he completed his survey, he kept turning and eventually met Randy’s eyes across the bar.

Immediately desire flared in the man’s face as his hungry gaze drifted over Randy’s tight white shirt and up to his face, lingering on his mouth. Shoulders tightened almost imperceptibly as he drew himself to his full height, yet Randy recognized a softening of hard edges. He lazily ran his own eyes to the stranger’s luxurious beard, and he imagined stroking the softness there. He sensed something accommodating. Something potentially submissive, yet more subtle than the wanton displays of obedience and posing he was used to on Mondays at his private club.

Something he would enjoy channeling and rewarding, in the right circumstance.

The man started toward the bar. As he moved, Randy had the odd sense that the suit he wore was ill-fitting, even though it seemed perfectly tailored. A step away from the bar, his face just—closed. That was the only word for it. One instant he was cruising Randy; the next he was stone.

Randy sighed to himself. The guy was probably a closet case on his first night at a gay bar. That usually meant an unsatisfying encounter, even if the newbie didn’t rabbit. In any case, it wasn’t Randy’s thing. He’d had plenty of virgin ass over the years, and preferred his men experienced.

Fine. Nothing for me here. He waited at the bar, vaguely disappointed.

“Sir, good evening.” The man’s accent was English, his words precise and elegant like his hair and his clothes and his beard. Probably from London. Up close, Randy could see his eyes were a deep shade of brown graced with streaks of gold around the pupils that caught the lights over the bar. “I’m looking for a Mr. Randall Vaughan.”

Despite forswearing his immediate attraction to the stranger, that honeyed voice caused Randy to smile slowly and show his teeth. He registered the slight widening of the eyes behind the stranger’s mask as he focused on Randy’s mouth.

“I’m Randy Vaughan. And you are…?”

The man blinked in surprise. “Oh. The Mr. Vaughan I was seeking is an art collector.”

Shit. Just another jerkwad, making assumptions right away. Randy was a big man so he couldn’t possibly be knowledgeable about art, could he? Well, fuck that noise. One more chance.

“I wouldn’t use the term collector, but…” Randy gestured at the walls.

“Quite so,” the man said distantly, and turned to sweep his gaze over the works on the nearest wall. “Neither would I.”

Randy’s back stiffened immediately. The stranger—no, the asshole—turned his attention back to Randy and held out a hand. He seemed oblivious to the fact that he’d just royally pissed Randy off. “My name is Jack Fraser. I’m from the Kensington Museum in London.” Fraser paused as if waiting for Randy to be impressed. “I sent you a letter recently.”

Randy willed himself not to think further about Fraser’s whiskey-colored eyes or the luxuriousness of his beard, and he didn’t take the offered hand. Instead, he wiped a small spill on the counter before him. “You did,” he agreed in a bored tone.

Fraser dropped his hand. “Ah, yes.” A pause. “My secretary didn’t hear from you to set up an appointment.”

“Which was my answer to your request,” Randy said, letting some snarl appear as he met Fraser’s eyes. They were still guarded and closed off, but Randy could see embers burning deep inside. In the right setting, and with proper motivation, he could imagine making those embers flare and ignite in the slender man before him. For the moment, though, the eyes just narrowed in calculation.

Before Fraser could say anything, Randy turned away. “If you’ll excuse me, I have work to do.”

“May I buy a pint?” Fraser asked, desperation shading his smooth accent.

Randy considered calling Malcolm over to deal with it, but stopped in front of the beer taps. He was annoyed at his lingering attraction, and he decided to push back on this prick a bit. “Fine. What’s your pleasure?”

“Guinness. If you have it.”

“Of course you’d drink Guinness.” A little scorn curled Randy’s lip. “Well, the closest beer I have is a stout from Flying Dog.” He let his sneer turn feral. “It’s called Pearl Necklace.” He dropped his eyes to Fraser’s necktie, as if he could picture that very thing replacing the colorful silk.

Fraser blinked nervously. Probably he could picture it too. Maybe he even imagined Randy’s hot jizz splattering his chest and neck as his reward. Well, he shouldn’t have been a condescending shit out of the gate then. Randy waited, one hand on the tap, the other idly scratching his ear to make his bicep flex under his white shirt. Fraser focused on his arm and swallowed audibly.

“That’ll be fine,” he said. “A, uh, Flying Dog then.” Randy drew the pint to set before Fraser on a coaster. He didn’t wait for the man to take a sip or comment, but headed to the other end of the bar to check inventory.

He stayed busy but somehow noticed that Fraser lingered at the bar for several minutes, apparently hoping Randy would come back and let him ask again about the piece Randy had purchased from the Gates Gallery. When Randy deliberately kept his distance, Fraser took his beer (which, Randy was pleased to note, was more than half gone) and wandered around the room to examine more carefully each painting displayed. Sometimes he moved on quickly to the next piece of art. Other times, he gave a slight shake of his head.

Randy’s ears burned, and he considered throwing the guy out. Since he’d opened Mata Hari no one had given him grief about his collection. To be honest, no one had studied it the way Fraser did, but still. Each piece had been acquired because Randy connected to something in it. To have this handsome English stuffed shirt look down his nose offended Randy in a way he couldn’t even articulate. He seethed inside the longer Fraser spent on his dismissive tour of the room.

When Fraser reached a landscape that was hung over a small settee, he gave a distinct snort. He set his empty beer glass on a nearby table and Randy swooped over to pick it up, ostentatiously swiping the wood as if it had left a ring. “Another Pearl Necklace?” he snarled.

“Ah, no. Thank you.” Fraser seemed surprised to find Randy standing so close, though his eyes remained closed off and stony. “But it was a quite nice stout after all. Thank you for the recommendation.”

Randy gestured at the landscape with his chin. “Is that painting offensive to you for some reason? You’re practically laughing at it.”

“What? Oh no, it’s…fine. Competent. It’s the presentation, the arrangement of the art, that I find amusing.”

Randy ran his gaze over the pieces arranged on that wall of the bar. He’d decided where to hang each and every work over a long stretch of time as he’d readied Mata Hari for opening. He revisited the collection frequently and rotated different pieces in and out of prominent positions. Most of his customers were oblivious but Randy took great satisfaction in presenting something unique in the atmosphere of his bar.

“What’s amusing about it?”

“Well, there’s no story, is there?” Fraser answered him.

“What do you mean?”

“Individually each piece is presentable. A few are even intriguing. But see here,” he gestured at the landscape, “this is a nicely executed pastoral, yet it’s positioned between a Japanese scroll and a watercolor of a monarch butterfly. The pieces say nothing about each other, and have no intrinsic relationship.

“But over there,” he indicated the wall opposite, “is a modern landscape. Change the frames to something complementary, place them side by side, and the two landscapes together suggest a conversation in, oh, quite a lot actually. Painting techniques, the subject and tonal changes in works separated by two artistic traditions. You see?”

Randy did see, but he’d be damned if he’d admit it. “Two landscapes here wouldn’t fit,” he said stubbornly.

“Ah. Art as furniture. Of course,” Fraser said with a smirk, and that did it.

“No charge for the Pearl Necklace,” Randy barked. “Since you made the trip for nothing.”

Meet the Author

Robert Winter lives and writes in Provincetown. He is a recovering lawyer who prefers writing about hot men in love much more than drafting a legal brief. He left behind the (allegedly) glamorous world of an international law firm to sit in his home office and dream up ways to torment his characters until they realize they are perfect for each other. When he isn’t writing, Robert likes to cook Indian food and explore new restaurants. He splits his attention between Andy, his partner of sixteen years, and Ling the Adventure Cat, who likes to fly in airplanes and explore the backyard jungle as long as the temperature and humidity are just right.

 

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | eMail

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Release Blitz for Luna David’s Saving Sebastian (excerpt and giveaway)

 

Buy Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2tQhQfK

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2sO5XaK

Cover: Kellie Dennis @ Book Cover By Design

Gideon McCade—weighed down by memories of his previous life as a Navy SEAL and a CIA agent—has blood on his hands. He turns to his BDSM club, Catharsis, and Dominating submissives to get him through the daily grind of civilian life. Knowing his past is too much to inflict on a life partner, he keeps his connections brief and superficial. When his former life comes back to haunt him, his desire for revenge pulls him back into the shadows, darkening his hopes for a future in the light.


Temporarily sidelining his career as a tattoo artist, Sebastian Phillips works as a composite artist for the local police department. To alleviate the inescapable burden of a congenital medical condition, he immerses himself in his art and seeks the catharsis of submission. But with life weighing heavily on his shoulders and darkness encroaching, he yearns for a contract with a Dominant that sees past the protective barriers he’s erected to the vulnerable submissive within.


When happenstance brings Gideon and Sebastian together, their connection is undeniable. The knowledge that they are both too damaged to form permanent bonds of love causes them to rely on an impersonal contract to fulfil their physical needs. But staying emotionally detached becomes impossible, and breaking their contract seems the only option. Will Gideon’s need for vengeance and Sebastian’s declining health destroy what’s grown between them, or will they help each other find their way back into the light?


Excerpt


He continued to give the kittens attention but kept his eyes on Sebastian. “You wearing a plug, boy?”


The blush pushed even more of his buttons and he smiled as his boy nodded and said, “Yes, Sir.”


Gideon, still squatting with the kittens, rested his elbows on his knees as he gazed up at his boy, grinning. “You look good enough to eat.”


Sebastian’s blush deepened and he turned his face away, avoiding eye contact. Gideon watched as an emotional wall came up, insulating his sub from any unwanted compliments he didn’t believe were genuine. He’d have to work on that.


“Speaking of eating. Have you had dinner?”


“Yes, Sir.”


“Good. Come on into the kitchen, I’m gonna grab a beer and you can look through what I’ve got to see if you want anything.”


Sebastian followed him quietly and when Gideon pulled a beer from his fridge, he left it open for Sebastian to look through. He saw a spark of interest and then a sideways glance at Gideon before he shrugged and said, “I’ll just take water.”


“Nope.”


That brought Sebastian’s focus directly on him. His eyebrows reaching toward his hairline. “Pardon?”


Gideon grinned at his boy’s proper response and used the neck of his beer bottle to point at the fridge. “You saw something that interested you in there. Go ahead.”


A blush crept up the boy’s neck to his cheeks and Gideon smiled wider, wondering what on earth could garner that much embarrassment from his refrigerator. He frowned when Sebastian insisted that water was what he wanted. That wouldn’t do at all.


Setting his beer down he lifted Sebastian up and sat him on the countertop, and watched as the boy wiggled to get his plug-ladened ass comfortable. He smiled and wedged himself between the boy’s legs. Watching his eyes dilate when he wrapped both of his legs around his waist like he’d done the night before sent a little thrill through Gideon. He loved how Sebastian responded to him.


He leaned in and trailed soft kisses up Sebastian’s neck, smiling when he felt his whole body shiver. Kissing his way to his ear he whispered, “What’s got you blushing in my fridge? Hmm?”


Before Sebastian could respond Gideon kissed his lips and pulled back. “We’re not gonna move from this spot until you tell me. I’m a very patient man, Sebastian.”


Sebastian huffed, blushing again. “You’ll laugh.”


Gideon laughed. Guilty as charged. And reveled in the fact that Sebastian felt comfortable enough to shove him away playfully.


“See? I told you, you’d laugh!”


“You haven’t even told me what you want yet!”


“Well, I’m not gonna tell you now!”


Gideon snuck back in between the boy’s legs and tested a theory from a response he’d gotten the night before, digging his thumb lightly into Sebastian’s ribs. When the boy squeaked, and tried to shove him away again, he dug his fingers into Sebastian’s other side until he was squirming and trying desperately to get away from those tickling digits.


“CHOCOLATE MILK!”


Gideon stopped his torture in complete surprise. A laugh escaping before he could stop it. “What?”


Sebastian’s mouth dropped open at his audacity. “See?! You laughed!”


Gideon gripped the edge of the counter, leaning into Sebastian, the top of his head resting on Sebastian’s shoulder, hiding his face as he kept laughing. “I’m not! Really. I’m not.”


Sebastian gasped and tried to shove him away. “You so are!”


He shook his head and cleared his throat, finding himself completely surprised, pleasantly so, that he was having so much fun. When was the last time he’d had fun like that? His expression serious, he gazed into Sebastian’s eyes, his own twinkling with mirth. “I’m not. I promise. This is serious. Chocolate milk is serious business. Hang on.”


He went about getting out a long ice cream spoon and the largest glass he could find. He filled it with milk and got the chocolate syrup out of the door of his fridge and proceeded to brandish it high above the milk glass, squeezing a ridiculous amount of chocolate into the glass with a flourish.


Setting the syrup down, he held up the spoon to be examined by Sebastian, who was now crossing his arms over his chest, eyes narrowed, doing his level best not to laugh. When he nodded, Gideon proceeded to take said spoon and stir in the chocolate, the milk changing color gradually until it was as dark as he could probably get it.


When Sebastian moved to pick it up, Gideon held up his finger and turned to a drawer. Back a second later, he was brandishing a plastic, bright blue, loopy straw with a penis as the tip and Sebastian lost the fight and finally let loose his laughter. When Gideon handed him the huge glass of chocolate milk he took it with greedy hands and started drinking from the penis with outrageously exaggerated enjoyment, making Gideon laugh again.


When he finally stopped drinking, the glass was half empty and Sebastian smacked his lips. “Ahh! Sooo good! Thank you, Sir.”


Completely charmed, and thoroughly enjoying himself, Gideon replied, “You’re welcome. I’ll keep it stocked for you.”


Sebastian tried his best to look stern. “See that you do.”


They grinned at each other a few more seconds and Gideon remembered the box of pastries his brother had given him earlier. He snagged them from the counter and opened them, watching as Sebastian’s eyes widened comically and he reached in the box, but then yanked his hand back out, looking up at Gideon. “May I, Sir?”


He smiled gently and nodded, loving hearing Sebastian call him Sir. “Please. That’s why I opened the box. Braden made them.”


They snacked on the sugary confections quietly for several minutes and Sebastian took another long drink from his glass and then looked at him seriously. “Um, Sir?”


Gideon smirked. “Yeah?”


Sebastian looked down at his drink and then back up again, grinning. “Don’t think I’m gonna let it slide that you have an electric blue, loopy penis straw in your kitchen.”


Gideon threw his head back and laughed. “Well, see. . . There was this party. . .”


“Uh huh, sure. I’ve heard it all before!”


“You’ve heard a story about an electric blue, loopy penis straw party favor before?”


“Who hasn’t?”


“I’m gonna go out on a limb and say, probably most people.”

Author Bio

Once upon a time… deep in the shadows of the infamous BDSM club Catharsis, Luna David, future Authoress Extraordinaire, dreamed of crafting epic gay romance novels to the chorus of whips, chains, and riding crops.


Working for the man by day, and playing caped crusader by night, she fell in love with a superhero whose alter-ego was a mild-mannered financial analyst. With the combined strength of their Evasion Superpowers, they’re able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, and escape the horrifying drudgery of peopling and adulting as often as humanly possible.


Luna fiercely devotes herself to her amazing family and friends, drinks coffee like the life-giving ambrosia that it is, and reads gay romance novels voraciously. And while watching a movie and cuddling is still the perfect date night for her and her superhero hubby, her favorite moments are when he makes her laugh until she cries and can’t help but fall in love with him over and over again.


Life for the superhero duo seemed perfect until the birth of twins threw their world into delightful and exhausting chaos, proving perfection always has room for improvement. Leaving big business behind, The Adorables became her full-time job. But eventually Luna realized it was the perfect time to follow her dreams, so she hung up her cape, donned her rainbow slippers and Wonder Woman pajamas, and dove into her fictional world. When not saving her little monsters from themselves or overseeing the Dungeon, Luna slays fictitious evildoers between the pages of her manuscripts.


Her books feature strong dominant males and the men they would die protecting. With love, her hero, and their monsters in her corner, Luna spends her free time writing sweet and kinky, sensual and erotic gay romance. Love has no gender and no boundaries—and Luna loves nothing more than giving her heroes the same HEA she’s been lucky enough to enjoy every day.

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A Stella Review: Haven’s War (Safe Haven #2) by Parker Williams

RATING 5 out of 5 stars

With Haven on an extended honeymoon with Sammy, bad guys around the world are breathing a lot easier. No one is better at permanently removing these lowlifes who target children—and the brutal murder of two teenage girls makes clear it’s past time to return to work. Haven’s first assignment back results in a new family member and a renewed sense of urgency to protect and avenge the innocent.

There is nothing ‘usual’ about the business of hunting predators, but when several of Haven’s fellow agents are killed, a pattern emerges. The hunters have become the prey, tools in a bitter vendetta for a perceived wrong.

Despite years of working alone, when the target shifts to someone unexpected, Haven calls in reinforcements—a friend to stand between the family he loves and a ruthless killer. Teamwork may be the only way to win this fight—unless it’s already too little, too late.

Haven tries to approach this as he would any other assignment. Find your enemy and make sure they suffer before you eliminate them. But when a member of his team goes off-book and ends up dead, everything changes. It’s no longer a battle.

Now it’s war.

I was waiting for Haven and Sammy to be back in my life since I first read their story in Haven’s Creed in 2015. I so hoped the author would decide to give me more about them and you can imagine my joy when I finally saw Haven’s War. And in my opinion this new release is the best Parker Williams wrote so far (among what I read of his and I want to specify I am not talking of his coauthored books because I haven’t read those ones). Apart from the plot, which I loved and I will talk about in a bit, I was so engaged by the writing, perfect, clear and focused on getting every single feeling to the reader. Because the story is full of feelings and maybe it’s just what conquered me. Beautifully done.

The Safe Haven series is not what I usually want on my Kindle, I like sweet, I like cute and I don’t like thrillers, blood and abuses. I made an exception for this author and although Haven’s War is hard to read and in some parts the scenes are really detailed, I didn’t feel the fear or the tightness in the throat often stories like this give me, leading me to not enjoying the reading at all. The author with his writing was great, he showed me the love and the force of the good no matter how much blood and human parts were shed.

One more thing I loved, the characters, all of them (I’ll be back to beg for one of them own story, no worry). Yes, someone will die of course and it is necessary for the solving of the plot, but have no fear the important characters will be saved and I am not saying this to spoiler, just to reassure the interested readers. A lot will happen in Haven’s War because as the title say there is a war to fight, but some good events will warm your hearts, new weddings, new puppies, new amazing friends. The way Haven and Sammy are able to create a family with the amazing people they have in their life is so reassuring, they take care of each other and how never once one of them try to be selfish, thinking always at the strength they had in their union.

I have to say I’m pretty satisfied from this book, the author gave me exactly what I wanted, to know what was going on in Sammy and Haven life, see them together and how their love has developed. He gave me an happy ending, not just for them. Now I have just a little little request, I think Oscar deserves more words, I deserve to know Max and so pretty please if there could be more in the series I would be greatly delighted.

I feel to recommend Haven’s War but keep in mind it doesn’t work as a standalone so you have to absolutely read Haven’s Creed first.

I don’t like the cover art by Laura Harner, as I didn’t like the cover of the previous book, they are pretty similar so nothing changed.

Buy Now: Universal Link 

BOOK DETAILS

ebook, 411 pages

Published June 26th 2017 by Pride Press

ISBN13 9781941841501

Edition Language English

Safe Haven #2

A MelanieM Review: Behind the Mask by Elizabeth Coldwell

Rating: 2 stars out of 5

He keeps his true identity hidden, even from the man he loves…

Twenty years ago, superheroes were outlawed by the mayor of Mokum City. Christopher Chase has grown up knowing that he has all the strength and speed of Sprint, his superhero father, who died attempting to save the mayor’s niece from being kidnapped. But, unlike his father, he is unable to fulfill his destiny and become a masked crimefighter. Even Christopher’s boyfriend, bar owner Johnny Brennan, doesn’t know Christopher’s true identity.

A chance encounter with a purse snatcher in the city cemetery gives Christopher a taste of what it’s like to use his powers for good. And when Johnny becomes caught up in a hostage situation, Christopher can no longer stand by. Even if it means losing his own life, he must pull on the costume of Sprint to save the man he loves.

Well, honestly this story had so many holes in it and so many questionable elements that just made you roll your eyes that giving it two stars is generous.  There’s a dead dad superhero, a son with superhero powers he keeps hidden, the fact that his father was most likely murdered (something that gets brought up and then unbelievably pushed aside) and an ending that’s plain laughable and not in a good way.  The characters don’t connect in any emotional or logical way.  It’s just one flawed bit after another.  It makes 36 pages seem like forever.
To go on isn’t justified either.   I don’t recommend it, even for lovers of superheroes in fiction.  If you love Elizabeth Coldwell, skip this all together.
Cover by Posh Gosh in no way represents anything really about this story.  It is however the best thing about this story.
Sales Links:  Pride Publishing | Amazon
Book Details:
ebook, Re-released, 36 pages
Expected publication: July 18th 2017 by Pride Publishing
ISBN13 9781786515872
Edition Language English

An Ali Audiobook Review: Vassily the Beautiful (The ESTO Universe) by Angel Martinez and Greg Boudreaux (Narrator)

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Vassily Belikov, composer and pampered son of privilege, suffered neurological damage in the accident that killed his father. Resentful of being treated as an invalid, he lives as a recluse, dependent on his mother. That changes the day she brings home a new husband with two sons of his own.

When deep-space pirates capture Vassily’s mother, he’s left to the mercy of his cruel, amoral stepfather. Fighting addiction and his physical shortcomings, he’s forced to seek out the criminal mastermind Baba Yaga for a crucial piece of equipment. While she agrees to deal with him if he beats his Exoticus addiction, paranoia and mysterious intentions infuse her household. Drawn to her fierce, suspicious youngest son, certain his actions are all carefully observed, Vassily must find the courage to face both his fears and his desires if he expects to survive. 
I wasn’t sure about this book at the beginning.  Vassily was very fragile and made some decisions that didn’t make any sense to me.  Some of the abuse by his step-father was also a bit hard to read.  But when Vassily heads across the city to find the infamous Baba Yaga the story just took off out of the gate.  I loved it from then until the end.  
 
This is a sci-fi setting but it is not heavy on that aspect.  I mention that because I’m not a big sci-fi fan but I feel like there were just small aspects to this and really it just felt like a story in another universe.  It was easy to read and the world building was detailed enough for you to get the feel for how and where they live, but wasn’t overwhelming and didn’t overshadow the story.
 
I think the author did a great job with the characters.  There were a lot and they all stood out as individuals.  The villains were wonderfully bad, Vassily, once he starts to stand up for himself, was sweet and charming, and Baba Yaga and her sons were just awesome.  They were the highlight of the story for me.  
 
I loved the pairing of Vassily and Sumerki.   It was such a great opposites attract pairing.  Vassily soothed and mellowed Sumi out and Sumi’s fierceness gave Vassily the strength he needed.  
 
This audiobook was narrated by Greg Boudreaux and I thought he did a great job.  There were a lot of characters so there were a lot of voices, plus there were a lot of different accents.  I felt like he did them all really well.  This was my first time listening to this narrator but he will be going on my list of people to look for in future audiobooks.
 
Overall I enjoyed everything about this.  It was a unique plot and a sweet love story.  By the end I was fully invested in the characters and I really hope this author will revisit this world one day and give both of Sumi’s brothers stories also.
 
Cover:  I think the cover is nicely done.  I think it sets the feel for the book really well and the character on the cover fits the MC.  I also think the color scheme is attractive and eye catching.
Sales Links:  Mischief Corner Books | Amazon
Book Details:
ebook, 2nd Edition, 216 pages
Published June 11th 2014 by Mischief Corner Books LLC (first published April 2nd 2012)
ASINB00KWOP7NY
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesThe ESTO Universe

An Alisa Review: Admiring Jesse by Shawn Lane

Rating:  4 stars out of 5

 

Jesse is used to Valentine’s Day passing without finding his own sweetheart. But suddenly he starts receiving gifts from a secret admirer.

 

With encouragement from his too-sexy roommate, Gilbert, Jesse opens himself to the idea that someone is actually interested in him. Though he has doubts, Jesse can’t help but wonder if his admirer could finally be the man of his dreams.

 

This was such a sweet short story.  Jesse can’t see how anyone would really be attracted to him let alone how he would have a secret admirer, however his admirer seems to know all of his favorite things.  Gilbert is encouraging and I loved when he revealed himself to Jesse and explained his feeling for Jesse to see that it was real.  It was wonderful to see them still together in the future and continuing to build a life together.

 

The cover art by Written Ink Designs is a sweet picture and is perfect for this story.

 

Sales Links: JMS Books | Amazon | B&N

 

Book Details:

ebook, 24 pages

Published: 2nd edition June 17, 2017 by JMS Books

ISBN: 9781634864008

Edition Language: English