Tag: A BJ Review

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: Just a Bit Unhealthy (Straight Guys, #3) by Alessandra Hazard

Rating:  5 stars out of 5

When the line between “need” and “want” gets blurred… 



SONY DSCGabriel DuVal, rising soccer star.

Jared Sheldon, team physician.

To the outside world, they’re just good friends. But the truth is, Gabriel isn’t entirely sure what they are to each other.

Some call their relationship unhealthy. Some call it codependency. Gabriel calls it confusing. He knows Jared wants him – as more than a friend. He doesn’t want Jared. He’s straight, he has a girlfriend, and he loves her. But Jared is… Jared is more. Jared is his. He needs him – his touch and his strength.

But is it enough for Jared?

 

Gabriel DuVal is a soccer star and Jared Sheldon the team physician who pulled him up from hell after an accident that threatened to end his career. Jared loves Gabriel, has for a long time. He tries to hide it because Gabriel is straight and has a girlfriend. Jared secretly knows exactly how Jared feels for him. Knows he should let him go, but can’t. Codependency? Maybe. When Jared discovers that Gabriel knows and quits the team, Gabriel is devastated. He makes a deal to get him back. A very unhealthy deal.

The latest in the GFY “Straight Boy” series is not a light-hearted, sweet romance… it’s just as the title implies, quite more than a bit unhealthy. Watching Gabriel struggle with wanting Jared, thinking of him as his and yet not thinking he physically wants him the way he knows Jared wants him was a fun ride. Both of these guys are rather shitty to each other at time and to others as well, so I can see why some folks might dislike them both. Despite that, I felt their connection, felt they belonged together, and thus I thoroughly enjoyed this!

This well-written series centers on “Straight Guys” who discover or come to terms with their sexuality a bit later and usually not without some trauma along the way. If that’s not what you are interested in reading, then this series may not be for you.

Cover was a bit different from the others in the series, not a matched set so to speak, but it works well enough for the story.

Sales Link:  Amazon   Buy It Here

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 193 pages
Published March 26th 2015 by Alessandra Hazard
ASINB00V8L0G5O
edition languageEnglish
seriesStraight Guys #3

Publisher’s warning: This is not a light-hearted story; this is a rather twisted gay-for-you story. It contains some steamy MM scenes, explicit language, and two people so wrapped up in each other that the nature of their relationship goes beyond friendship–and beyond normal.

Straight Guys Series:

 

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 Obsessed (Straight Guys #2) by Alessandra Hazard

  • Rating:  4 stars out of 5

Just a Bit Obsessed CoverAlexander Sheldon is a control freak who believes in monogamy. When his girlfriend invites another guy for a threesome, a guy who pushes all his buttons in a negative way, he’s none too pleased. But something unexpected starts to happen when Alex begins to touch Christian. He begins to want Christian more than his girlfriend.

Mila was excellent as the pushy girlfriend who opened a Pandora’s box that she found it impossible to close. Loved the fun, flirty, confident Christian in the first book and again here. Enjoyed watching Alexander, normally a cool customer, faced with such sexual and emotional frustration because he was so determined that he was straight.

I’m normally not a big fan of threesomes, so I wasn’t sure how much I’d enjoy the m/f/m (which quickly becomes m/m/f) in one of my m/m romances. However, I was pleased to see that the author toned down the m/f action enough that it worked okay for me. I actually found the believability in this scenario was higher than in the previous book of the series. Really brought to fore the inherent dangers that a threesome can bring.

The sexual tension, which seems to be this author’s forte and which is probably what draws me to this series so much, was absolutely delicious. I enjoyed the ending well enough I guess except that I would have liked a complete sex scene with only the two guys. That’s my main quibble.

Cover model is handsome but having it tilted like that is a bit unsettling to my eyes so I’m not a huge fan of the cover.

Sales Link:  Amazon  Buy It Here

Book Details:
162 pages
Published December 5th 2014 by Alessandra Hazard

Straight Guys series:

  • Straight Boy (Straight Guys #0.5)
  • Just a Bit Twisted (Straight Guys, #1)
  • Just a Bit Obsessed (Straight Guys #2)
  • Just a Bit Unhealthy (Straight Guys, #3)
  • Just a Bit Wrong (Straight Guys #4) – not yet released.

A BJ Review: Peripheral People (Ylendrian Empire) by Reesa Herberth and Michelle Moore

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Peripheral People coverCorwin Menivie and Nika Santivan solve cases the old-fashioned way until they’re paired with Westley Tavera and Gavin Hale, the most powerful Reader/Ground team on the force. While Gavin and Nika hit it off right away in more ways that one, Westley rubs Corwin the wrong way right from the start, and not only because he avoids psys for reasons of his own.

A bit of a fluke occurs when West’s talent reads a corpse other than the one they were there to investigate and puts them on the trail of a brutal serial killer that kills with his mind. Soon Nika and Gavin are sharing a room, and Corwin finds himself spending more time with the quirky West.

I’ve read stories in this world before, so the world building is always excellent. This one had more of an urban fantasy type feel for me than the outer space sci-fi I’m used to with this series. Well-written, excellent characterization, but the pace was slow for me in this one. I felt the book was probably longer than it needed to be. That said, it was an enjoyable read.
West is a quirky high level psy who’s had some trouble with getting too involved in his cases, taking too much risk to the point of endangering his ground and best friend, Gavin. Past cases haunt him, and his power is so strong and pervasive it gives him nightmares. When Nika and Gavin get together, he finds himself turning more to Corwin who he thinks as a null. When the truth about Corwin comes out, the two begin to get closer in ways neither have done before.

I enjoyed all four of the characters in this book. Nika was an exceptionally well done kick-ass female, not something we see a lot of in M/M romance. Kudos to the authors for that.

While there is violence and gore in this, most of it takes place inside the mind rather than in the physical world. An interesting twist. The felt the connection between the two MC, but I would have enjoyed it if there was just a bit more of the hot times. There were a couple, but for the length of the book, there could have been more.

This book has mystery, romance, and sci-fi elements all woven nicely together with a very satisfying ending. I’ll continue to read more in this world as it comes available.

Cover Artist: Simoné. This cover is just stunning. Take a look the entire art (as the cover is just one side) here. Perfectly captures this story. Bravo.

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


Book Details:

ebook, 430 pages
Expected publication: May 11th 2015 by Riptide Publishing
ISBN139781626492684
edition languageEnglish
seriesYlendrian Empire

Ylendrian Empire (Universe)

The Ylendrian Empire universe is a series of loosely-connected space operas written by Michelle Moore and Reesa Herberth.

Fast-paced heists, gritty paranormal mysteries, rescue missions in far-flung exotic jungles . . . the character-driven adventures and romances of the Ylendrian Empire are a chance to explore a new set of stars, with just enough spice to keep you wanting more.

Currently available:

The Balance of Silence
The Slipstream Con
In Discretion
Peripheral People

Find out more about the Ylendrian Empire at http://ylendrianempire.com

A BJ Review: Fidelity by Lia Black

Rating:  5 stars out of 5

How far can a man go in the name of faith?

Fidelity cover

While most of his order choose a female, Father Gareth De’Aubyn chose the handsome Fidelity as his guardian and fell in love with his angel during his prayers. When he leaves the Crusaders to minister to the very people his armies once threatened, his beloved angel falls from the Heavens in his search for him. Soon Gareth finds himself at death’s door and calls to the Creator for aide in protecting his flock. But its Fydelis, no longer an angel but now the demonic aspect of regret and toy of the Sunderer, who comes to his rescue. In exchange for help, Gareth must promise his soul to the Sunderer, god of the underworld. Bargain made, its Fydelis who must lead his love, the man he thought had abandoned him, on his task of collecting twenty strong and stubborn souls. Their journey together tests everything they thought they knew about faith, love, and fidelity.

Well-written with excellent pacing, this story had me enthralled from the gripping first scene onward. Being that I was quite swamped in real life when I read this, I didn’t breeze through it as I most assuredly would have if I’d had time. On retrospect, I actually don’t regret that. It allowed me to savor the story, and cuddle these lovely broken guys in my mind over a matter of days rather than hours. And this is a story well-worth savoring, let me tell you!

If you enjoy dark stories about broken boys, like I do, my advice is… read this book right now. There isn’t just one but two deliciously damaged men here, broken at the start and falling to pieces all along the journey’s way. Two men both in love, both thinking they’d been abandoned by the other, now united on the lurid task set before them, one knowing who the other is, one in the dark.

Usually early on in a good story, I’m locked into one of the characters so much that my heart bleeds and breaks for him, this is that times two. I’d be hard pressed to say which of these guys touched me more. Gareth who wants so much to help others and do what he thinks is right that he even scourges his back to keep himself from having impure urges; or Fydelis who has suffered so much at the hands of the gruesome Sunderer.

Dark and not for the faint-hearted, one particular scene at the beginning took my breath away with its grisly, shocking cruelty. But amidst the bloody battle scenes, there is humor, small joys, and sweet tenderness. Amidst the dismantling, we are put back together. The ride to get there is gut-wrenching, heartbreaking, and painful to read at parts. And I bloody well loved it. All of it.

From the first book I read by this author, I was hooked. She’s now firmly one of my two favorite m/m authors. I’d be hard pressed to choose between Black and Lanyon. But Lia Black somehow (by magic?) looks into my head and heart and gives me what I love, pushes my buttons, presses my boundaries, and does it every single time.

The cover is a stunner, just gorgeous. From the seal of the order, the stern and righteous Gareth in his armor with sword, Fydelis as a young long haired human and the wings in the background… its just absolutely perfect. Bravo!

Sales Link:  Amazon  Buy It Here

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 213 pages
Published May 1st 2015 by VineDark/ BlackHouse Press
ASINB00W4BS5R8
edition languageEnglish

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

A BJ Review: Burn the Sky by Jaye McKenna

Rating:   4.5 stars out of 5

Burn The Sky coverTwenty year-old Prince Garrick is eldest son and heir presumptive of the Kingdom of Altan, but he can’t be crowned until his latent Wytch power awakens. Pressure comes to bear on his father, the Wytch King, when the much younger Prince Jaire’s Wytch power awakens instead. But Jaire, a bookish dreamer, is completely unsuited for the role of king. With his father becoming impatient, Garrick agrees to allow his Wytch power to be forced awake by the Wytch Master Tevari in order to protect Jaire. But secrets have been kept about the history and powers that lurk within the family line. When the power of the dragon within Garrick is forced awake, he’s painfully torn apart and unable to control his rage and urge to burn the sky.

Wytch Master Ilya is a century old dragon shifter and the only one with the power to try and help Garrick learn to control his own dragon. And if Ilya cannot teach Garrick to harness the beast within him before it destroys the whole kingdom, it will fall upon his shoulders him to destroy him instead. But when the two men meet, the sparks begin to fly in more ways than one. 

Prince Garrick grew so much during this story from the rebellious youth goofing off from his studies & getting off in the corridors with his friend to a strong leader fighting to control his dragon power and take on the mantle of responsibility for an entire Kingdom. Excellent characterizations throughout. Kian was sweet, down-to-earth, and witty almost despite himself. Poor young Jaire, frail and not suited to rule, disliked by his father for reasons outside his control, yet he shows both courage and strength.

But beautiful Ilya with his tragic past and wounded heart steals the spotlight for me, since I’m a huge sucker for wounded men.

Intricate and quite nuanced world-building. Interesting power struggle between the Wytch Council and Wytch King, because even though the Wytch Kings governed their kingdoms, the Wytch Council seemed to hold power over who was allowed to take the throne. Individual intrigue also comes into play in this fast-paced story.

I thoroughly enjoyed this. It had wit, heat, angst, intrigue, and lots of long-haired men! And I love the contrast between Ilya’s ice dragon and Garrick’s more traditional fire-breathing dragon. I’d easily recommend this well-written fantasy! It’s my new favorite dragon shifter story.

Cover Artist: Chinchbug created a stunning depiction of dragons in flight that grabbed my attention with color contrast and captured motion.

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

Book Details:

195 pages, eBook
Published January 12, 2015

Mythe Weaver Press

A BJ Review: The Protector by Cooper West

Rating:  4 stars out of 5

The Protector coverGuardsmen teams comprised of a human Handler and a weredog Protector are rare and highly valued but also feared by some because of their unusual abilities. Protectors always die within a short period of losing their Handler. Except that Alex Taylor didn’t. He’s lived as a widower for three years after his partner’s death. The pairs normal bond in their teens or early-twenties, but Handler Marcus Stephanek, at twenty-six, is well past the age when most have bonded to their Protectors. He’s almost given up hope of ever fulfilling his destiny as a Handler when he meets and bonds with Alex. But Alex is still grieving over his previous Handler and unwilling to let Marcus into his heart. Unexplained murders and strange events seeming to surround Alex, but he doesn’t put two and two together until a friends’ life is on the line. Handler and Protector will need to learn to trust and accept their bond if they are to work together and survive.

Well-written and enjoyable read with a fascinating premise revolving around one of my favorite things… DOGS! The author created a captivating world where Guardmen pairs (Protector dog and Handler) live intertwined lives. The outstanding history behind this AU world was enthralling reading. Early on, I was sure that this would be an easy five star for me. Unfortunately, it lost a bit of ground when it came to building the relationship between Alex and Marcus.

As separate characters in the time before they bonded, I adored both Alex and Marcus. I was rooting so much for them to get together that I could hardly wait for it to happen. When they finally met, the initial bonding was nearly instantaneous and picture perfect—exactly what I’d craved. In the period after the initial bond though, I felt no chemistry between the pair coming through. With so many callous and uncaring actions on both side sprinkled liberally with lots of bickering, the storyline came across as lots of hurt and very little comfort. I wanted to see love grow between them, but I felt as if they were tearing each other apart.

The turnaround between the two men finally came, but by then it felt weak to me, more like an acceptance of their fate and a giving in to their need for one another than the thrilling tale of falling in love I’d hoped for after the initial build up at the beginning. It felt like compromise.

This AU world where dogs and men bonded was beyond awesome. Some well-developed and fun secondary characters added depth as well, but in the end, the MCs love story felt too weak to warrant a five star.

Cover art by Reese Dante who created a lovely cover with a gorgeous representation of the two MCs plus the Protector in his canine form.

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


Book Details:

ebook, 250 pages
Published May 5th 2014 by Dreamspinner Press (first published May 4th 2014)
ISBN 1627984437 (ISBN13: 9781627984430)
edition languageEnglish
url http://www.cooper-west.com/