Tag: A BJ Highly Recommended Read

A BJ Review: Psi Hunter (Guardians of the Pattern #1) by Jaye McKenna

Rating:  4.5 stars out of 5

PSI Hunter CoverIn what promises to be quite an epic sci-fi series, humans now travel the stars, and a rare few have psychic abilities. They are called psions. Sometimes these abilities come to the fore after/during traumatic experiences, and that’s the case for Luka, an abused, young psion with extremely powerful abilities that he has no idea how to control or live with.

There are two organizations that deal with psions. On planet Aurora, Pat Cottrell is a psi hunter working for Federation Security. He tracks down dangerous psi criminals who misuse their power. Kyn Valdari works for the Institute for Psionic Research, an organization that helps psions learn how to control their psychic abilities and keep their sanity.

Kyn and Pat were close friends until Kyn walked away three years ago after a passionate night took their relationship beyond friendship. The two haven’t spoken since. When Pat’s partner is out on leave, he is paired up with Kyn to investigate a string of murders that appear to have been committed by a psion powerful enough to kill with his mind. As they work together to locate and then help Luka, the two men find themselves struggling with feelings for each other and fighting for their lives.

The world-building in this series is outstanding and intricate in its detail and scope. In this world, there doesn’t seem to be any angst over being gay (yay!) but there is suspicion and lack of acceptance when it comes to psions. I pictured Downtown Riga as a sort of galactic ghetto slum version of Vegas, and the safe island was so idyllic that I want to visit.

The characters are complex, nuanced, and very believable. They don’t always do the right thing, and they pay the price for their bad choices. There were times when I wanted to slap some sense into a couple of them, but isn’t that how it is in real life?

In an unusual twist for a M/M romance, the person I see as the main character of the story, Luka, isn’t the one involved in the romance. This may seem strange, but trust me, it works. Luka’s story is heartbreaking, but watching how he grows throughout is a part of what I enjoyed about this book. But never fear, there is plenty enough angst and tension between Kyn and Pat to make for a very hot romance. Actually, its the strong and stable Pat who ended up being my favorite characters in this book. In addition, several of the characters I’d wanted more of after reading Facing the Mirror appear, including Miko and Cameron. I enjoyed seeing how their lives had progressed. I’m crossing fingers to see them and also Luka get their own HEA in future volumes.

There were some extremely touching, sweet moments near the end, most of them were created by Kyn. That pleased me since I’d wanted smack sense into him several times in the story. I could forgive him for the I’m-not-good-enough-for-him maneuver, but when he turned that around later and becomes self-centered (or maybe self-focused) at being deprived an assurance most never have, that threw me. I’m sort of a trust freak, and I was disappointed that Kyn didn’t trust in Pat and his love for a while there, mainly because I’d seen nothing in Pat’s behavior that would seem to warrant it. The story and characters are all kinds of amazing. I strongly recommend this series and am eager to read onward.

The cover by Cinchbug depicts Luka rather than the romantic couple in this story. Appropriate, as it really seemed to be his story. The dark tones used on the cover work well as does the creepy feel that comes from the blood flowing from his head/mind.

Sales Links:  Smashwords   –  Amazon    Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook, 306 pages
Published March 1st 2014 by Smashwords Edition
ISBN139781311081643
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://www.smashwords.com/books/view/414055
seriesGuardians of the Pattern #1.0

 

A BJ Review: Facing the Mirror (Guardians of the Pattern #0.5) by Jaye McKenna

Rating:  4.5 stars out of 5

Facing the Mirror coverSpecial Agent Cameron Asada has spent four years undercover in an attempt to bring down a large drug cartel the Sapphire Guild. The things he’s been forced to do in order to maintain his cover are weighing heavily on his soul, and Cam is beginning to have trouble facing the man he now sees in his mirror.

Cam finally has the opportunity to get what he’s been striving for the last four years, working for the boss himself. There Cam meets Miko, the boss’s beautiful slave whom he uses to reward his associates for jobs well done. Miko is a psion who does not speak, but he is very loud in Cam’s head when he’s hurt/used. Can Cam ignore the young psion’s pain and keep to his mission? And who is the mysterious, powerful and quirky Draven? Friend or foe?

A well-written free short that acts as a prologue or prequel to the series. This introduces many interesting characters who are key players in the Guardians of the Pattern series, which I highly recommend. When I first read this short, I hadn’t explored this author much or the rest of the series. Months later, after reading other books and finally picking up book #1 of this series, I found myself compelled to go back and read this on again. Now that I wasn’t expecting it to be a complete romance in itself, I came away with a much different feel for the story. Read alone, I rated this as a 4 star story and wrote this: “I was most intrigued by Draven and Miko and would like to learn more about them. This particular short story wasn’t actually a romance and was quite dark. But intriguing.”

After reading book one and meeting Cameron and Miko again under different circumstances, I have a better understanding and insight that lends an extra depth to the story. I re-read it specifically seeking to refresh that background, of these two.

What I hadn’t expected was how much more I noticed than on the first read… and how very, very much I need to read more about the mysterious Draven.

This isn’t a romance and it isn’t a sweet story. Its dark and there is non-con. But it is a tightly woven, intense short story with excellent characterization, mystery, action, and world-building. Rare to see a short capture all that so well. For that reason, I re-rated this to 4.5 rounded up. I love the title, too.

The cover by Cinchbug shows a man looking into a cracked mirror. The haunted stare of the man seriously creeps me out, which is the point because the man is seeing himself slowly turning into a monster.

Sales Link: Amazon Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook, 53 pages
Published 2013
edition languageEnglish
seriesGuardians of the Pattern

A BJ Review: In Sunshine or in Shadow (Short Stories, Volume 1) by Josh Lanyon

Rating:  4.5 stars out of 5

In Sunshine or in Shadow coverHere we have thirteen juicy short stories from Josh Lanyon written between 2007 and 2013. These may be short, but most of them pack a decent punch of sexy, sweet emotion and even scary! This is available as a paperback from Amazon or as an audiobook from Amazon/Audible.

In Plain Sight – 5 stars

Oh my, this one had the feels. Very emotional and had me on the edge of my seat. FBI agent Nash met police officer Glen during a training. They have an instant attraction and spend some times together. But Nash lives in another state and he doesn’t believe in love. Then Glen goes missing the day Nash flies home, right after he walked out of the airport from seeing him off. This is a very short little mystery that absolutely touched my heart as Nash goes back to join the hunt and refuses to give up even with Glen’s fellow officers want to. His faith in Glen, his tenacious hope and determination… oh, how I wish for more of this story.

Perfect Day – 5 stars

On a camping trip, Wyatt lets the L word slip big time during a hot and heavy session. Unfortunately, he’s well aware that his lover, Graham, is far from over his last boyfriend, Jase, and thus his declaration isn’t going to sit well. What ensues is a short, sweet and perfect little story that had me teary eyed nearly from page one. In only twenty-eight pages, this ran the gamut from breaking my heart to making it soar and came complete with all the tentative stages of hope in between! Josh Lanyon writes beautifully. Darn it all, I wish I could use words like this for just one day… now that would be my perfect day.

In a Dark Wood – 5 stars

Holy hell in a handbasket! I was not expecting this one. Do NOT read reviews and spoilers until after you’ve read this story! This starts off like a typical contemporary, good but tame and low key. I totally didn’t see what was coming until it smacked me upside the head. Because this is some scary stuff! Tim is such a messed up, broken character… I love him and totally must have more. Which is why I have already purchased book two to read on. Who knew Josh Lanyon can write horror just as good as Stephen King?

Until We Meet Once More – 5 stars

I don’t usually like war stories, but I’ve come to think that Lanyon could write just about anything and manage to pull me into it. This is a second chance love story set right in the trenches of a military conflict. Army Ranger Captain Vic Black and his team are tasked with the rescue of a Navy SEAL. The man turns out to be none other than his former, and never forgotten, lover Lt. Commander Sean Kennedy. This is an edge-of-the-seat, high tension, life or death, emotional read. I completely adored this short and really wish it had been longer.

In Sunshine or In Shadow – 5 stars

This was one of the sweetest, most romantic little shorts I’ve read in a long time! Two cops—one admittedly a bit of the asshat variety at the beginning—but he manages to pull it out in the nick of time. Rick and Kier are partners that had been lovers for a short time, but when one is nearly injured on the job, the other pulls away and refuses to face his emotions. Unable to go on like that anymore, Kier makes the decision to quit the force and take a vacation before moving on with his life. A lovely little read set in Los Angeles and then Ireland. I love Josh Lanyon. Now I’m gonna go listen to Danny Boy. Again.

Just Desserts – 4 stars

I’m a sucker for broken guys, so this one drew me in despite being quite strange at some points. Starts out with Ridge as a very bitter man bound to a wheelchair and enduring constant pain after an accident caused by his drunkenly cousin. Ridge had me fascinated while at the same time quite chilled as he plots murdering his cousin. It’s all dark and dire. Then here comes Tug, his new physical therapist, like a bright ray of sunshine into his dark world. Tug manages to help him with the pain… inside and out. Loved the ending. Part of the Petit Morts series.

Heart Trouble – 3.5 stars

A young man with a family history of heart trouble goes to the doctor sure he’s suffering a heart attack. Ford is low on funds, has few friends, suffers writer’s block and isn’t even out of the closet. He’s a naïve and struggling young man when he meets Jacob. But the emergency room doctor who helps him, is calm, assured and compassionate and maybe the perfect prescription. This one is very short and sweet.

The French Have a Word for It – 3.5 stars

Set in Paris, well-written, well-paced and sweet, but a bit predictable. It’s a second chance story in which Colin and Thomas meet again after ten years apart. Colin, now an artist in Paris, was kidnapped at 14 and Thomas was the man who saved him. Thomas was Colin’s first crush. I think what I liked most about this was how Colin as an artist was woven into it—excellent use of sensory an color sprinkled in that made me feel his descriptions ringing as uniquely him.

Other People’s Weddings – 3.5 stars

A fun story about a very out of the closet wedding planner living in a small town. I enjoyed Griffin, he was a fun character with quirky clients. Lots of potential, but the ending was really very abrupt, even for a short story. Also there isn’t too much of a romance in this story, just a hint that something might come of it. Part of the Petit Morts series.

Sort of Stranger Than Fiction – 3.5 stars

Ethan and his sister own a bookstore, a family legacy. Ethan is one of only a few gay men in his small town, and when a mysterious scarred man opens a dojo next door to his shop, Ethan quickly develops a crush. But he suffers from foot in mouth disease and gets off on a bad foot. The things he said in Michael hearing seriously made me cringe for him even knowing he didn’t mean them. Then a serial killer surfaces in their small town. Overall, felt this had a lot of potential. But then the ending was super abrupt, leaving me scratching my head and wondering what just happened. Loved Michael and would have liked more about him. Part of the Petit Morts series.

Slings and Arrows – 3 stars

Carey has a secret admirer. He receives a mysterious box of chocolates a couple days before Valentine’s Day, something which begins to seriously trouble him when friends tell him about a serial killer that uses that exact MO and has been stalking their campus. The mystery didn’t work well for me and parts read very slow, unusual for a short. But I did find the ending satisfying and enjoyable. Part of the Petit Morts series.

Critic’s Choice – 3 stars

Cris is a movie critic hired to work on a commentary on a classic horror film alongside the cheating ex that he broke up with six months prior. It’s clear pretty quickly that Cris is also not over Rey. The process of the job they were doing was quite interesting, and I enjoyed the old horror movie feel of the parts where the car breaks down on the dark road and the creepy gothic mansion. The romance was sweet, but having the sweet shop appear where it did was a bit weird. Overall an enjoyable read. Part of the Petit Morts series.

A Limited Engagement – 2.5 stars

This one was by far my least favorite in this anthology. Still excellent writing, as always from this author, but the beginning confused me—because one main character strangling the other? Excuse me! Then blackmail as a means to win love/attention? Despite all that and it did have a sweet ending. Go figure.

Amazon eBook Sales Link for A Limited Engagement.

The cover was sexy, although in general black and white covers aren’t my favorite. I like a bit of color to make it pop.

Paperback Sales Link:  Amazon     Buy It Here

Paperback, 348 pages, also available as a audiobook
Published June 6th 2013 by Just Joshin
ISBN 1937909476 (ISBN13: 9781937909475)
edition languageEnglish

A BJ Review: Rorschach Blots by RoughDraftHero aka R. D. Hero

Rating:  5 stars out of 5

Rorschat Blasts coverSev won’t go back to the swim team. Sev won’t accept his best friend’s girlfriend. He will sit behind the art classroom and smoke his joint.

He definitely won’t analyze why he wants to spank his teacher.

Sev is a rather lackadaisical eighteen year-old high school senior. He’s hiding out in the art room smoking on campus when he happens to see his art teacher, Mr. Duarte (Caleb), spanking himself after hours. The sight really gets to him, sparks an inner dominance inside him, and he becomes fascinated and a bit obsessed with Caleb. Caleb is ten years older than Sev, but Sev doesn’t let that stop him from aggressively pursuing the man, finding out more about him, and trying to meet his needs.

This story of has flaws when it comes to things like typos and grammar mistakes, but I think that sort of adds to its charm in a way. Make it feel as if it really is written by that lazy high school senior, you know! It all felt so real and true to life. And when you look beyond that, the plot is well developed, the pacing just right, and the story deep and complex.

It had me totally engaged, and I found it nearly impossible to put down. I found it only because I was specifically searching for books about an older sub and younger Dom. If it hadn’t been recommended to me, I’d never had picked it up based on the cover and the much less than descriptive blurb. But I was very glad that I did.

Sev had plenty of awkward moments in this, because he’s totally inexperienced and discovering his dominant tendencies at the same time as he is also coming to accept his sexual preference. Even still, he has this certainty about what he wants that I loved. And he totally goes after it.

The way the characters and their relationship developed seemed just right, not rushed or too easy or overly dramatic. The emotions were believable and heartfelt, and the author did a nice job of painting for me the need to submit and/or dominate. The sexual tension was very much there and kept me reading into the night.

Both of these characters had issues, they both made mistakes, said the wrong thing A LOT, and danced around all over the place as they discovered themselves and each other. Sev’s youth caused a nervous awkwardness some of the time, but it was juxtaposed to periods of strength and insight that charmed me. Caleb’s had his neediness, brattiness and his co-dependence with John to worth through. But him and Sev’s back and forth dance around each other was perfect.

When I saw that -fin- after the last chapter, I wanted to scream NO!! It can’t end there. Then came an epilogue that was thoroughly satisfying and had me wanting to do a happy dance. I won’t spoil it, but I thought the ending was just exactly right.

I’ve never read anything quite like this and I’m so glad it was recommended to me. Its available on Smashwords, Kobo, and ARe, but not Amazon. Its free or name you own price, so you have nothing to lose. Give it a try.

The cover is a bit on the plain side, like the blurb. But look past that and read this story. I highly recommend it.

Sales Links:  *Free on Smashwords

Book Details:
Words: 54,380 complete
ebook, 163 pages
Published February 13th 2013 by Smashwords (first published January 1st 2012)
edition languageEnglish

A BJ Review: Manbot by Scarlet Blackwell

Rating:  4.25 stars out of 5

If a robot is programmed to obey your every need, wouldn’t you take advantage? 



Manbot cover 2In a future where most families can afford to own their own robot (either a manbot or fembot), that question would definitely come up for those who live a lonely, solitary lifestyle. Especially since the robots are quite lovely and designed to obey their owner’s every command. So if you had one, what would you do? Really?

Gray Benedict is lonely teacher who owns Kavan, a six-foot-three gorgeous manbot just ready to do his bidding. When his friend Mitchell mentions that he’s been getting it on with his own manbot, George, Gray can’t help but begin to look at Kavin in a different light. Unlike his friend, Mitchell the letch, Gray has scruples and a heart. He’s concerned about taking advantage and maybe even damaging Kavan. It becomes clear that Kavan is eager to serve, but Gray is a nice guy and rather than order his robot around, he finds himself falling for his ever more humanlike manbot.

This is an enjoyable and well-written novella. Kavan is equipped with software that allows him to learn from his experiences as well as his manuals. As Gray gets closer and opens up to him emotionally as well as physically, Kavan becomes more and more human. He blossoms and its so fun to follow along this process. The way Kavan so much wanted to be a real man for Gray made me think of Pinnochio wanting to be a real boy. I loved it. And Gray was so sweet in his concerns that he’d damage Kavan. He was considerate of him at all times, never treating him as an object or something he owned except when his scumwad friend Mitchel gets him to agree to loan Kavan to him for an hour.

The bond between Gray and Kavan grows on both sides, because despite being a robot, it soon becomes obvious from Kavan’s actions that he is not just obeying his owner anymore. Its interesting to see the relationship of Mitchell and George juxtaposed to that of Gray and Kavan because it shows so vividly the two sides of a coin. How some humans treat anything or anyone they believe to be lesser than them (animals, other races, religions, etc.) with cruelty. The story explores a little of what makes someone human and worthy of love and respect.

The sex scenes are hot and so fun, the way Kavan’s operating system fritzes out when he’s overcome with pleasure/orgasm is just adorable.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story and the main reasons I didn’t give it five stars is not what was there, but what I wish had been! I’d have loved it if this were longer with more in-depth world building, because I think it had so much more that could have been explored such as the friendship of the two manbots and the relationship of George/Mitchell. The process of Kavan’s developing emotions would have come across much more if we could have been given more than the small snippets of his POV snippets near the end. I’d have loved to get a peek into the doors of the Tuesday programmer meetings and explore more on how and why the bots were able to develop feelings. And finally, I totally wanted to follow along with the couple a bit on their journey. A sweet HFN ending that left me hopeful but nervous for them and definitely wanting more. I would LOVE it if this book had a sequel.

Cover art bu Unknown. Beautiful cover! Love how it gives the feel of what’s inside Kavan, the little city at the bottom marking it as urban, and the warm vs cool colors.

Sales Links: Totally Bound Publishing –  All Romance (ARe) – Amazon Buy It Here

Book Details:

CONTENT ADVISORY: This titles has a HFN ending. (less)
ebook, 82 pages
Published November 21st 2014 by Totally Bound (first published August 3rd 2012)
ISBN139781784302931
edition languageEnglish

A BJ Review: Human Frailties, Human Strengths (Guardians of the Leythe #1.0) by Jaye McKenna

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Human Frailties Human Strengths coverAshnavayarian was a powerful, god-like being of the leythe, the place from which magical energies emanate. But Ash has been a bad boy. His thoughtless, selfish meddling and manipulating has led to a war and disturbances within the leythe. Ash needs to be taken down a peg or two, so the goddess Jhara punishes him by forcing him to live in human form with most of his power stripped from him. She hopes he’ll learn that using other creatures for his own amusement isn’t right and that some of the things he considers human frailties (like compassion and love) are just what he needs to learn. Of course, that doesn’t go over well with Ash, and he’s determined to thwart Jhara by any means necessary and break his exile. Jhara throws Ash another curveball when she leythe-bonds him to Toryn MacAran, a human!

Tor has never fit in and always harbored a painful emptiness inside, like something is missing. When a strange encounter at a bookstore one night ends up landing him at the feet of the handsome Ash, he may have found the answer. Ash’s touch takes his emptiness and pain away and makes him feel compete.

Both main characters are well developed and interesting in their own right, but when they come together, oh boy! The chemistry goes off the charts. I adored the interaction between these two. An emotional rollercoaster.

Ash is a self-centered, full of himself ass at the beginning of this story, but he’s so damn fun. Tor is the broken boy that I always adore. And I do adore him… except that by the end, I’m so in love with Ash that even Tor’s delicious brokenness cannot compare. These guys go through hell and back in this story, but the growth of the characters throughout is such a treat to read.

This is a complex fantasy that takes place on another world separate from the earth (from which Tor came). The world building is quite intricate and yet so smoothly woven that it never felt cumbersome as some fantasies do for me. Fast-paced, lots of wit, smoking hot sex, angst, sexy long-haired men (my fav!), and some freaky bad guys to hate from Lucano in the first section on to some of his horrible creations in the second.

And then there’s Carrik Tarn, a very interesting and pivotal secondary character. I won’t say much about him for fear of it being a spoiler, but I’d really like to know more of his background. Maybe that will come out in a sequel. Oh, and there’s this one scene where I just wanted to kick him in the nuts so bad I could taste it. Except, well, that would have been impossible even if I were there at the time.

So much happens in this book, much more than I’d expect for the number of pages. It has the depth of a much longer read–almost like an epic. I read the first half, Human Frailties, about a year ago as a freebie. Since I’d enjoyed the first half of the story quite a lot, I really have no idea why I waited so long to read the full story. But very glad I finally did because the second half took the tale into awesome territory. The second half made me fall in love.

So if you’ve read Human Frailties and never went on to read the rest, don’t wait! It only gets better.

Ash and Tor need a sequel, and actually, I’m pretty sure there is one currently in the works. I can’t wait. And one last thing–I have to mention how much I love the name Ashnavayarian and all its interesting variants!

The cover by Cinchbug depicts both characters just as I’d pictured them along with the other important elements of the story. The dark, mysterious mood is perfect.

Sales Links: All Romance (ARe) – Amazon    Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook, Smashwords, 272 pages
Published September 30th 2013 by Jaye McKenna, via Smashwords
ISBN139781301308873
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://www.smashwords.com/books/view/363010
seriesGuardians of the Leythe #1.0

A BJ Review: Sarge (F.I.S.T.S #1) by Bey Deckard

Rating:  5 stars out of 5

Sarge coverSergeant Wilkes has had a long and prestigious military career. When he’s injured on the front, Murphy brings him in. Murphy is the opposite of Sarge… big, tattooed, and delightfully submissive. Can a couple space marines stationed on an alien planet where an endless war rages on find something special in each other?

Gritty, violent, somewhat gory short novella. Its kinky, smoking hot and romantic almost in spite of itself. This story made me bawl like a baby, and I loved it!

Sarge is an older, hardened officer Dom; Murphy a younger 6ft 8in quiet, muscular, tattooed, sweet enlisted sub. Murphy also has the ability to see psychic/emotional colors (auras?). The two come together when Sarge is injured fighting on the front line, and Murphy uses his special talent to help him. Right there on the battlefield, wounded and in pain, Sarge propositions Murphy:

“You’re a good boy, Murph,” he says softly to me. “You get me home, get me patched up, and you’ll see what good boys get.”

At first it’s just an interesting diversion for Sarge, but that changes as he comes to realize what he’s found in Murphy.

Murphy is intelligent, but he doesn’t talk much. And damn it, he doesn’t need to because the nuance of communication between him and Sarge is exquisite. When it comes to D/s, one thing that fascinates me is when the physically larger guy is the submissive/bottom. And my goodness isn’t Murphy an enticing one. But its more the two together that really gets me about this story. They’re perfect together. Such devotion. I was seriously holding my breath and biting my nails at the end.

Speaking of the ending, it felt a bit abrupt at first. But the more I thought on it, the more I realized that wasn’t the case–the ending is perfect. I would love to explain that specifically, but don’t want to spoil it. Just read this little gem. I highly recommend it and cannot wait for the next in this series to come out.

The cover conveys the savage heat of the planet, and the overlaid images give a hint of the size difference of the characters. A good representation of what the book has to offer.

Sales Links:    All Romance (ARe)  –   Amazon       Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook, 56 pages
Published October 2014 by Smashwords Edition
ISBN139780993701764
edition languageEnglish
seriesF.I.S.T.S #1

A BJ Review: Straight Boy (Straight Guys 0.5) by Alessandra Hazard

Rating:  5 stars out of 5

Straight Boy coverYoung, blond and handsome, Sage attracts unwanted attention in prison. When his cellmate offers him protection, Sage accepts the offer, even though he doesn’t trust the guy. Little does he know how much it will change his life.

When he’s released from prison, Sage finds himself needing and wanting things he shouldn’t want. Sage is straight. He really is. He has a girlfriend. What happened in prison stayed in prison–or so Sage tells himself.

Until he meets his former cellmate again. Xavier. The guy he hates and craves.

This short novelette contains explicit language and very steamy M/M sex. For mature audiences only. ~12,500 words

Handsome young Sage finds himself in prison for a DUI and attracting a lot of attention from the other inmates. Fearing whether he’ll survive his one-year sentence alive, he accepts an offer of protection from his cellmate, Xavier. The price for that protection is his body. Although Sage tells himself he’s straight and just doing it to get by, but he finds out things about himself he didn’t know. When he’s released from prison, he finds himself unable to control his body from wanting what he had in prison, or his mind from thinking of Xavier.

But Sage tried to pick his life up again, to focus on his girlfriend, firmly telling himself he’s straight, that nothing’s changed. Until he meets Xavier, the man he hates and craves, again on the outside.

I have a bit of a thing for prison stories, so I enjoyed the hell out of this short. It’s well-written, excellent pacing, and all kinds of hot. The sexual tension buildup is off the charts and smoking. This is one on my re-read shelf for times that I want something short and scorching.

I’d love an expansion of this story that tells more background on Xavier, I really would, because I loved him. A little of it comes out a sequel, but it wasn’t nearly enough. My one tiny niggle with this book is the name Sage. It sounds so feminine to me no matter how I keep telling myself it’s unisex. But that’s minor. I thoroughly enjoyed this.

The cover is erotic and fitting for the book.

Sales Links:      Amazon       Buy It Here

Book Details:

48 pages
Published October 10th 2014 by Alessandra Hazard

A BJ Review: Just a Bit Twisted (Straight Guys #1) by Alessandra Hazard

Rating:  4.5 stars out of 5

just a bit twisted coverProfessor Derek Rutledge is hated and feared by all of his students. Strict, reserved and ruthless, he doesn’t tolerate mistakes and has little patience for his students.

Shawn Wyatt is a twenty-year-old struggling to provide for his younger sisters after the death of their parents. On the verge of losing his scholarship, Shawn becomes desperate enough to go to Professor Rutledge.

Everyone says Rutledge doesn’t have a heart. Everyone says he’s a ruthless bastard. Shawn finds out that everyone is right.

He strikes a deal with Rutledge, but unexpectedly, the deal turns into something so much more.

Something all-consuming and addictive.

Something neither of them wants

Shawn Wyatt’s attending college on a scholarship that he’s about to lose if his grades don’t improve. Losing his scholarship will jeopardize not only his future, but that of the younger sister he’s caring for after his parent’s death. In desperation, he turns to the most feared and hated professor on the campus to plead his case. A strict and uncompromising authoritarian, Professor Derek Rutledge offers no wiggle room to students when it comes to grades and goofing off. That is, until Shawn wiggles right in under his defenses. When Rutledge makes Shawn a deal he cannot refuse, it isn’t long before it turns into something far more complex.

This author excels at creating heat and sexual tension. A steamy hot, well-written and enjoyable read. While I didn’t love like the characters in this story as much as those in the first of the series (Straight Boy #.5), I did feel they were nuanced and interesting.

It took a bit of reading between the lines before I came to grudgingly accept Professor Rutledge and his arrogant surliness. And I say accept because I never did grow to like him exactly. I wanted him to show me the chinks in his closed-off armor, but he never really did. The tiny glimmers of what lay under his surly surface weren’t quite enough. I’d have liked more. Shawn and the twins were great. And a highlight of the story for me was scenes where Xavier and Sage from the first book stepped in. Love those two. I’m also quite intrigued by Shawn’s quirky friend Christian who will take center stage in the next book of the series. 

While I found the relationship development between Derek and Shawn a bit hard to swallow (especially how it began), I was quite willing to overlook that in the whole scheme of the story because… well, it was hot as hell.

It all just somehow fits. Just a bit twisted, and just a whole hella hot.

Cover Artist ? When I first looked at the cover, I found it quite unappealing. But looking back at it AFTER reading the book, I’m totally on board with it, because that scowling cover model rather embodies the surly Professor Rutledge. It fits.

Sales Links:     Amazon             Buy It Here
Book Details:

ebook, 160 pages
Published December 4th 2014 by Alessandra Hazard
edition languageEnglish
seriesStraight Guys #1