Review: Bar None Anthology by Sean Michael, BA Tortuga, Julia Talbot, and Kiernan Kelly

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Do you like your bartenders hot, sexy, and maybe even artificial? Torquere Press presents an anthology where all the stories revolve around the bars, drinks and the men who serve them. Authors BA Tortuga, Julia Talbot, Sean Michael and Kiernan Kelly deliver four sexy and ultimately loving romps through the bars and bartenders of our dreams.

Here in the order they are found in the anthology are the stories of Bar None:

Bartender Rescue by BA Tortuga
Kind of a D.R.A.G. by Kiernan Kelly
The Blue Moon Bar By Julia Talbot
Flair, a Hammer Story By Sean Michael

I really looked forward to reading this anthology and it came through as anticipated. I have a mini-review posted after each title.

1. “Bartender Rescue”by BA Tortuga – 4.75 stars out of 5

Shane and Galen from the Stormy Weather series return in this short story of burnout and escape. As the story starts long term lovers Shane and Galen have almost switched place as far as occupations go. Now it is Shane who is the Owner and CEO of a number of successful bars, heading out each morning in a 3-piece suit, micro managing his bars and neglecting his lover, Galen. The stress is mounting and Shane is turning to pharmaceuticals to stay awake and energized, none of which makes Galen happy. Shane knows things aren’t working but doesn’t know how to step off and out of the business treadmill.

When the answer pops up in the form of an old would be boyfriend of Shane’s, Galen is more than ready to take advantage of the situation. Now if only he can get Shane to agree.

I love this couple having been with them through all sorts of angst and misadventures, including hurricanes and miscommunications. Now we get to see a different dynamic with this couple, with beach bum Shane being the uber responsible business owner and Galen ending up the laid back part of their relationship. Tortuga writes this couple so realistically you can practically watch them walk off the page. They are settled in their relationship, with bone deep knowledge of each other and their needs telegraphing with each bit of dialog and loving touch. And it is painful to watch when each person realizes that the relationship and each other is being neglected. Wonderful writing, great characters and a realistic situation make this story of the best.

I loved every part of this story and the only thing that kept it from a 5 star rating is a lack of backstory for those readers new to Shane and Galen. Even without going into enormous detail,, even a little past history would have been enlightening for those new to this couple.

2. “Kind of a D.R.A.G.” by Kiernan Kelly. Rating 4 stars out of 5

Kiernan Kelly takes bartenders intergalactic with this story of a bar with a captive audience as it is located on a prisoner planet somewhere in space. Inhabited by prisoners, a few free humans and tons of androids who handle almost every job possible, Kelly’s story contains a lot of humor, a few nice twists, and a far reaching ( yep, went there) ending.

Max, bartender and really only of human in residence at Club Grinder, a dive and strip club on Sirius 7. It is in fact the only bar on Sirius 7, “a penitentiary rock located among a fistful of tiny, uninhabited planetoids at the ass end of the galaxy”. Other than The Boss who is the owner of the club, Max is the only human around, the rest of the employees, strippers, Drag Queens Betty Boob and Ivana Hump, every one is an android. In a funny, Lucille Ball twist, Kelly starts off her story with the two Drag Queens breaking an android stripper in the most awkward and humorous way possible. Soon the Drag Queens are using The Bosses D.R.A.G machine to create a new one. Of course, everything starts to go wrong immediately and the plot takes flight.

I enjoyed this story and found parts of it hilarious. While the plot was predictable, the characters and the charm and endearing personalities make this story outshine its plot structure. Funny, charming, just a lovely way to spend some time. I could really see this group coming back for an encore.

3. “The Blue Moon Bar” By Julia Talbot. Rating 3.5 stars out of 5

Werewolf Hugh Dailin is crazy about his bear shifter bartender Seamus Deane but his wolf pack and family disapprove of homosexuality, wanting him to find a female mate and have a bunch of pups. But Hugh is sure that his mate is the burly guy with all that great hair and muscles that just happens to work for him. The tension is getting to them both, with each snarling at the others in frustration and rage. Something has to give and it does when a lion comes into the bar and demands the return of his cub, a cub that’s gone missing. Then one of their own goes missing too and both must scramble to find the person responsible before more vanish.

I liked this story, especially since shifters, any type of shifter from sloth to owl, are favorites of mine. But this story needed a little bit more of plot, characterization, background, and exposition. We never really find out who, what and why is behind the mystery. And everything is resolved almost in seconds. It just feels lacking which is a shame as the bones of this story are wonderful. Still, I enjoyed Hugh and Seamus and wished I had more of their relationship.

4. “Flair, a Hammer Story” By Sean Michael. 5 stars out of 5

Author and consultant to bars on drinks, specialty recipes and Flair, Nathan Edwards is wary when he approaches the location of his next client, a man named Xavier who owns an establishment called The Hammer. The exterior is nondescript but what Nathan finds inside is anything but ordinary.

Nathan is intelligent, handsome and OCD which makes for an intriguing combination to Master Jarrod, a Dom who just walked into The Hammer for lunch and a place to check emails. Nathan is there to train the club’s bartenders in Flair and to give them new recipes to try out for their clientele. He has no idea as to the type of place The Hammer is or the people who are members.

Artist Jarrod stopped by the Hammer on impulse for lunch and to check on his emails from clients. But he stays to watch Nathan train the staff, pulled in by the young man’s magnetism, looks, and intelligence. An invitation to lunch goes well until the Dom in Jerrod comes out to play to Nathan’s consternation. When Jarrod pursues the relationship, can Nathan accept Jarrod’s lifestyle or will Jarrod’s feelings for Nathan force Jerrod to leave the lifestyle behind?

This is my favorite story of the collection. It’s just masterful (yes, went there as well)! Sean Michael gives us two completely authentic, layered characters and then creates a believable and charming slow buildup to a wonderful romance that all readers will love and root for.

Nathan is an especially unusual character. He has OCD but uses it to his advantage in his business. He makes no apologies, sure of himself and easy in his skin. And while he is startled as to the true nature of the club he is consulting for, it doesn’t bother him even though he is uneducated about the lifestyle. Then he meets Jarrod, strong, handsome and artistic and Nathan is charmed. But a stray comment and too strong attitude naturally finds Nathan pulling away.

I really liked that Michael introduced us to a character unfamiliar with bdsm and D/s relationships. By doing so, the author can educate Nathan and the reader at the same time about the lifestyle and the most common misconceptions. And Sean Michael does so in a manner that doesn’t feel forced or academic.

This is also the beginning of a relationship so we aren’t sure exactly what compromises each man is going to make for the other. Our only certainty being that these men do belong together. Books containing elements of bdsm are a minority in the type of books I normally review but Flair, a Hammer story is so well done, from the marvelous characters to the realistic and intelligent relationship between Nathan and Jerrod that it makes me want to read the rest of the stories in the Hammer series to see if they match the promise and the happiness I felt after reading this tale of love found amongst the cocktail glasses, shakers and bottles of a bar and its bartender. Great job and a wonderful way in which to end this collection.

If you are unfamiliar with any of these authors, Bar None is a great way to familiarize yourself with their style of writing and the characters they like to play with. I enjoyed them all and think you will too. Consider this definitely recommended.

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 223 pages

Published September 24th 2013 by Torquere Press

ISBN 1610405811 (ISBN13: 9781610405812)

edition language English

urlhttps://www.torquerepress.com/fiction/barnone.html

Review: Sweet and Sour by Astrid Amara

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Miles Piekus should be the happiest man around. He has just finished a renovation of the family deli, Piekus Pickles, he bought from his parents and his shop is more successful than ever. Miles has started a catering business and expanded the vegetarian selection in his Kosher deli. He lives above the business in the apartment he grew up in and loves. So what’s wrong? Well, his Israeli boyfriend Itai, a software designer, was supposed to be his partner but can’t be bothered to help out. And Miles thinks Itai is cheating on him again, after taking him back for a second chance.

As Thanksgiving and Hanukkah collide to form Miles’s worst nightmare with the deli to run and a party to cater and no help with either, a surprising arrival might be the answers to his problems. Detective Dominic Delbene, a pickle enthusiast and all around foodie, has been staking out Piekus Pickles, on the lookout for a narcotics ring operating in the area. He wants to use Piekus Pickles as his undercover spot and offers to help out behind the counter as his cover. Turns out, Nic’s family used to own a deli and soon things are running smoothly, too smoothly as it turns out. As romance starts to collide with business for both men, can Miles and Nic find the perfect recipe for love and a future together?

C.S. Lewis said “Eating and reading are two pleasures that combine admirably.” In Sweet and Sour, that combination is not just admirable but downright delectable! Each holiday season I look forward to a Hannukkah story from Astrid Amara, normally one that includes the remarkable Bellskis. This year the author introduces us to Miles Piekus and Piekus Pickles and I fell in love all over again with this author and her captivating characters and stories.

Starting from the very first, we get a clear idea of who Miles Piekus is as a person and business owner. He’s covered in splattered pickle juice, working on orders and trying to assuage an old time customer of his parents who mistakenly picked up the wrong pickle and, of course, blames Miles for the error! It’s a perfect scene from the imagery to the dialog which is so authentic to that age group of elderly Jewish men and women that I could swear I was sitting over at Pumpernickels at the early bird special. We understand immediately that Miles is overworked, feeling unappreciated by long time customers, and irritated by the attitude and absence of his IT boyfriend. Astrid Amara gives us Miles, the gay, hardworking, family and culture loving Miles, and she did so in a nutshell as they say. That’s wonderful characterization, made all the better by the ease in which she accomplished it.

Then enters Detective Dominic Delbene to further confuse and help the situation. Nic Delbene is another wonderful character in a whole slew of them. For one, he is not the typical detective in that he’s unhappy being a cop. Furthermore, Nic is a pickle enthusiast and a foodie in his own right, having come from a delicatessen owning family himself. Those unexpected and genuine layers add such texture to a person who could have been a stock character that I connected to Nic from the moment he walked into the store just as Miles did. Nic loved the food Miles served up and he ate with an enthusiasm that was so contagious that my mouth actually watered. One of the reasons this connectivity works so beautifully is because we understand Miles reaction to Nic because it is ours as well.

This book is chock full of memorable people, as different in flavor as the pickles you would find in Miles’ shop. And that includes Itai, the software designing boyfriend with ideas of a relationship at the other end of the spectrum from Miles. Most people will dislike him deeply. I have to admit I am not terrfibly fond of him myself. But I loved the manner in which Miles dealt with him. From the beginning to the end, Miles behaved like an adult and a loving, responsible human being. In fact most of the people here are those who would garner your respect if you met them outside these pages. As for the other characters? Well, while we wouldn’t want to be more than acquaintances we would surely recognize them as the living breathing real women and men that Amara has created them to be. From their actions to their dialog, it all works and works so smoothly that the pages just speed by along with the plot.

Layered overtop of the characters and plot is the author’s love of food and the Jewish culture. These elements add such a richness to this story that it almost needs its own review. Miles keeps a Kosher kitchen and works hard to deliver kosher food that is still very “upscale”, pushing the boundaries of the expectations of those people in his community and the customers his store has served, some for years. Astrid Amara gently imparts some of the specific about keeping Kosher to the reader without going into plot deadening detail. We learn that Miles serves vegetarian because of the kashrut law that says meat and dairy must be kept separate. We watch as Miles prepares his first catering job for Rabbi Kevin Fine, the four-course Sabbath dinner for fifteen reform rabbis and their spouses at the Jewish Community Center. We get a complete menu and reactions from the dinners. It’s a rich, funny, and ultimately heartwarming scene. And I wanted to be there. We are also are there as Miles spends his first Hannukkah alone, lighting the candles and saying the prayers by himself in his upstairs apartment. We know how important tradition and his religion are to Miles because Astrid Amara has made it abundantly clear through Miles’ actions and words. It’s moving and authentic.

And then there is the food and the recipes. Oh my, such food! Each chapter is labeled with the title of a recipe. Chapter One is Warmly Spiced Cranberry Chutney. Chapter Four is Kosher Dill Half-Sours, Chapter Eight is Indian Hot Lemon Pickle right up to Beet Pickled Duck Eggs. Each recipe sent me running to my computer and Google. The food inside this story filled my head with aromas and flavors of such mouth-watering variety that I wanted to sample a bit of each and you will too. I have been told that all the recipes in Sweet and Sour are real to my delight.

The holidays are upon us and Sweet and Sour is the perfect accompaniment for your holidays no matter what you celebrate. It is full of laughter and family, of traditions both old and new, of friends and lovers and our hopes for the future. And of course, food, lots and lots of food and new recipes to try out. I asked for one from the author and here is the sufganiyot recipe. Now I am off to bake. You will want to as well. http://www.chow.com/recipes/30225-mexican-hot-chocolateglazed-sufganiyot-hanukkah-doughnuts-with-marshmallow-filling.

Sweet and Sour by Astrid Amara is one of ScatteredThoughtsandRogueWords highly recommended reads for 2013. Don’t miss out!

This is how it all begins:

Chapter One

Warmly Spiced Cranberry Chutney

“It’s a disgrace, what you’ve done to this pickle!”

Mr. Frank Elder, a loyal customer of Piekus Pickles for over fifteen years, brandished a sad pickle aloft, as if its very appearance were something so appalling everyone in the establishment would gasp in horror.

As it was, Miles Piekus, owner of Piekus Pickles and the one being verbally accosted, wiped the spatters of pickling liquid from his face and affixed an apologetic smile upon his face.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Elder. Can I get you another one?”

“You try it!” Mr. Elder cried, shoving the offensive vegetable in Miles’s face.

Miles took the small green pickle and bit off the end. It tasted crunchy, garlicky, and tart, just like a pickle should taste.

“It’s very sour!” Mr. Elder complained, and Miles understood the problem.

“This is a full-sour pickle. You usually buy half-sours.”

Half sours were brined in salt and spices only. This pickle had been brined in vinegar and for a longer time. Miles wondered if the old guy had finally lost his sense of smell. “See how dark it is? Half- sours are a lighter green.”

Mr. Elder scratched his temple. “But I thought I got my usual…”

“Did you select pickles from that first barrel by the window?” Miles pointed to one of six large wood barrels lining the wall of the deli. “Because I moved the barrels around when I renovated, and I bet you selected full–sours instead of your regular.”

“Even if that was the case, your mother would have caught the mistake before ringing me up.”

That was likely true, and not the first time Miles had heard the complaint. He’d inherited his family’s store when his parents retired and moved to Arizona three months ago, and the transition embittered many of the older, traditional client base that found Miles’s youth and enthusiasm off-putting.

“I’m sorry,” Miles repeated, his smile firmly attached. “Let’s get you half a dozen half-sours on the house.”

“You don’t have to go that far—“

“I insist. You’re right. I should have caught the mistake and I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again.” Miles gathered up a jar and used the tongs in the half-sour barrel to fish out a dozen small cukes from the brine. He sealed the lid and moved quickly to the cash register to ring up the sale. As he did so the bells over the front door jingled and two couples hurried in from the rain, talking loudly. Miles smiled at them then stole a glance back to the closed door behind him. The door opened to a narrow flight of stairs that connected to the second floor of the building, where Miles’s boyfriend currently sat, ostensibly not helping with the business. Miles sighed. He handed the jar to Mr. Elder and made a note for his Regular Clients board hidden behind the counter about the man’s tastes.

“Thank you, Miles,” Mr. Elder said in a complaining voice. “I’ll give you one more chance.”

Book Details:

ebook, 138 pages

Expected publication: November 26th 2013 by Loose Id
ISBN139781623004163
url http://www.loose-id.com/newest/coming-soon/sweet-and-sour.html

Special Note and Recipes From the Author:

The one recipe I’ve personally made a few times before is a two parter – you need to make Pickled Beets first, and then you get to make Beet Pickled Duck eggs (thats the recipe in the book Sweet and Sour, but you can use chicken eggs instead).

Both recipes courtesy of “The Joy of Pickling” by Linda Ziedrich
Pickled Beets

– Makes 8 pints

7 lbs. beets with their rootlets and 2 inches of their tops, well scrubbed
2 4″ cinnamon sticks, broken into pieces
1T whole allspice berries
1t whole cloves
1 c granulated sugar
1 c firmly packed light brown sugar
2t pickling salt
1 quart cider vinegar
2 c water

1. Put the beets into a large pot and pour enough boiling water over them to cover them. Return the water to a boil and boil the beets for 15-35 minutes, depending on their size, until they are just tender.
2. Drain the beets and cover them with cold water. When they are cool, trim them and slip off their skins. If they are large, halve or quarter them – or if you like, slice all the beets into 1/4 inch thick rounds.
3. Tie the spices in a spice bag or a scrap of cheesecloth. Put this in a nonreactive pot with both sugars, salt, vinegar, and water. Bring the contents to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat and simmer the liquid, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
4. While the liquid simmers, pack the beets into pint or quart mason jars. Pour hot liquid over the beets, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Close the jars with two-piece caps. Process the jars for 30 minutes in a boiling water bath.
5. Store the jars in a cool, dry, dark place for at least 3 weeks before eating the beets. After opening a jar, store it in the fridge. Save the liquid in the jar for the eggs below:

Eggs Pickled in Beet Juice

– Makes 1 quart

1c liquid from Basic Pickled Beets

1c white wine vinegar or distilled white vinegar
1t pickling salt
1/2 t whole black peppercorns, crushed
1/2 t whole allspice berries, crushed
1 Mediterranean bay leaf, crumbled
About 12 hard-cooked duck eggs (to fill a quart jar), peeled

1. In a nonreactive saucepan, bring to a boil the beet-pickling liquid, vinegar, salt, and spices. Remove the pan from the heat and let the liquid cool.
2. Put the eggs into a quart jar and pour the cooled liquid over them. Cap the jar and refrigerate it for 6-24 hours. The longer you leave the eggs in the liquid, the farther the red color will penetrate into the whites. To keep the yolk from coloring, slice and serve the eggs before a day has passed.

***

A good basic bread and butter pickle recipe:

Review: Shock & Awe (Sidewinder #1) by Abigail Roux

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

After being shot in New Orleans, Sidewinder medic Kelly Abbott has returned home to his cabin in Colorado with fellow Sidewinder Nick O’Flaherty joining him to help him in his recovery. Kelly and Nick, bonded through their years together as part of a Marine Force Recon team, have always loved each other like brothers but past confessions and the recent events in New Orleans has Kelly thinking past brotherly bonds into something far more intimate and sexual. During a quiet moment at the cabin Kelly asks Nick to kiss him and is surprised when Nick does. But the kiss turns into something unexpected for each man…its deep, and warm and overwhelmingly sexual, and leaves Nick and Kelly wanting more.

That one kiss leads to others and only the reality of Kelly’s wounds keep the men from more. Confused, Kelly and Nick try to examine their feelings not only towards each other but about a deeper commitment outside their band of brothers. But the past has a way of intruding on the Sidewinders, pulling them towards danger and an uncertain future. Can Nick and Kelly find their way through their confusion and doubts before they are called to duty once more?

Abigail Roux is killing me here. I am still trying to recover from the events of Touch & Geaux (Cut & Run #7) when Roux starts a new series about the Sidewinders, the Marine Recon group that Ty Grady is a part of, and has me in tears all over again. But I am getting ahead of myself and this review.

Shock & Awe, the titles continuing in the tradition the author started in the Cut & Run series, is an expansion series into the tight band of brothers Abigail Roux introduced in the Cut & Run series. We met the various members of the Sidewinders as they came to visit Ty Grady in Baltimore and through appearances made in several of the Cut & Run stories. Nick, especially, was an important character in helping to understand Ty’s past and the close bonds of the Sidewinder Marine Force Recon Unit. Going too much into Nick O’Flaherty’s background would offer up spoilers for past stories but suffice it to say he and Ty have an unusual past history that is referenced here in Shock & Awe acting as an impetus for Kelly’s musings and startling request. And while the others members of the unit (Digger, Owen, and yes Ty) make an appearance, Shock & Awe is focused on Kelly and Nick. It starts shortly after the events of Touch & Geaux (Cut & Run #7) where Kelly was shot in New Orleans when all the Sidewinders gathered to celebrate a birthday.

The smaller, more intimate setting of Kelly’s cabin is perfect for the introspection and actions that follow an unusual request from Kelly for a less than brotherly kiss from Nick. Normally, Roux has a much larger canvas on which to place her characters and storyline but having one location lets the author (and readers) concentrate on the developing relationship and emerging emotions of Nick and Kelly. I loved this aspect of the story. The author had previously given the readers only a cursory introduction to Kelly while past stories made Nick an unwelcome intrusion into Ty and Zane’s relationship. Now both characters get to stand on their own and this story turns them into the remarkable men that Roux had always intended us to see them as. I had no trouble at all falling in love with both of them. Here is a little window into their close relationship. They have just arrived at Kelly’s cabin and are getting settled:

Kelly made a derogatory sound and closed his eyes again. Nick pulled away, then gently covered him with the sheet.

Kelly may have been the corpsman, but Nick had always been the caretaker of the group. He’d been a wingman, fall guy, sounding board, and alibi. He’d been mother, father, big brother, and crazy uncle. Whatever they’d needed. He’d always been the one who’d made sure all the Sidewinder ducks were in a row, and he was probably the sole reason the house they’d all shared in Jacksonville hadn’t burned down.

It was so odd to think back on all those years and know that Nick had been hiding part of himself he thought he couldn’t share. It almost broke Kelly’s heart to think of all the secrets he’d spilled to Nick, all the things he’d gotten off his chest, but Nick had never been able to do the same.

And when Kelly’s heart breaks so does ours.

There is so much emotion, so many feelings packed into this story that I found it hard to believe it was only 92 pages long. It was just long enough for me to fall completely in love with these two and time enough for Abigail Roux to break my heart not once but twice before the story ends.

Abigail Roux has proven over and over in each of her stories that she has the ability to make us believe in her characters, their passions and relationships. She is also a proven master of the hidden agenda, cliffhangers and heartbreak. You will find all of those here too. Grab this book up and fall in love with Nick and Kelly. The second story in the series, Bait & Switch (A Sidewinder story) is located after this one and will have you gnashing your teeth as well as crying quite a few tears, especially as it features Zane and Ty as well as Nick and Kelly. This is a 2 tissue box affair from start to well…..just pick it up and starting reading.

If you are new to Abigail Roux and her connected series (Cut & Run and Sidewinder), it would be best to start at the beginning to understand all the relationships of the men mentioned. Plus you will find yourself with two new addictions. One is winding down. There are only two more stories to go in the Cut & Run series. I hope that Sidewinder enjoys just as long a run. Don’t miss out on these remarkable men and this terrific author.

Cover by LC Chase. I loved this. The green cover sets it apart from the Cut & Run series while the shamrock continues the tradition of a single object helping to tie the series together. Perfection.

Sidewinder series to date:

Shock & Awe (Sidewinder #2)
Bait & Switch (A Sidewinder story)

Cut & Run Series:

Ball & Chain (Cut & Run #8) Expected publication: March 15th 2014 by Riptide Publishing
Touch & Geaux (Cut & Run #7)
Stars & Stripes (Cut & Run #6)
Dine and Dash(Cut & Run #5.5)
Armed & Dangerous (Cut & Run #5) – by Abigail Roux
Divide & Conquer #4, Fish & Chips #3, Sticks & Stones #2, Cut & Run #1 – all of these written by Madeleine Urban and Abigail Roux

Book Details:

ebook, 92 pages

Expected publication: November 11th 2013 by Riptide Publishing

original title Shock & Awe

ISBN13 9781626490567

edition language English

url http://www.riptidepublishing.com/titles/shock-awe

series Sidewinder #1

characters Ty Grady, Zane Garrett, Nick O’Flaherty, Kelly Abbott

Review: After the Fall (Tucker Springs #6) by L.A. Witt

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Nathan has pursued a dream of owning his own dressage horse and now after years of saving, Nathan has finally bought one. His Trakehner mare, Tsarina, is young but Nathan hopes to show her after they spend some time training together. But all Nathan’s hopes and work of 15 years is shattered in one moment. On Nathan and Tsarina’s first trail ride, a motorcyclist on the wrong trail causes a horrendous fall that breaks several of Nathan’s bones and sees him on his way to the hospital and Tsarina loose in the woods, his summer and hopes in ruins.

Ryan has always traveled where his wanderlust takes him with nary a thought of settling down in one place. His current travels have brought him to Tucker Springs, Colorado on his way to Texas and a job for the winter. But one wrong trail ride on his motorcycle changes his path after he causes a rider to fall after his horse shies when Ryan veers into their path. The rider, Nathan, has a broken leg, and a broken hand that resulted from a mean right hook after Nathan punched Ryan in his fury and pain.

Feeling guilty, Ryan offers to look after Tsarina while Nathan is incapacitated. Before each man realizes it they have fallen into an easy friendship that soon turns into something more. But each man has his own insecurities and issues to deal with that starts to throw up obstacles to love. Can Ryan and Nathan put aside the past in order to make a future together?

After The Fall, Tucker Springs story#6, brings back a character, Nathan, that we first met in the very first Tucker Spring novel, Where Nerves End. In that story, we come across Nathan as Michael’s young assistant in his shop Tucker Springs Acupuncture. He is introduced as a young, college age, nattily dressed gay man but we lacked a larger picture as to who Nathan was. Now L.A. Witt fills in the portrait she started a while ago and we get to see his depth of character and his dreams for himself. I found it startling that Nathan aspired to own a warmblood and show in dressage, a lovely quirk for a western town where the style of riding is so different. That is an unexpected and marvelous side of Nathan. And by its inclusion, the author gives Nathan a layer that lets us know that he is a serious, disciplined and caring young man all at once. Owning his own horse is a goal Nathan has spent “ten years of dreaming, three years of saving, and almost a full year of searching for the perfect horse”, so his happiness and anticipation on the first day he is going to get to ride his horse is palpable. And it makes what happens next scary and heartbreaking in vivid and authentic detail.

But the author has also given Nathan more than his share of past problems with men and those issues as well as watching his friends in the act of demolishing their own relationship has caused Nathan to pull away from any romantic relationships of his own at the moment. As Nathan reasons it out for himself, he has a full life and schedule and a romance would only add its unwanted complications at the moment. I think we have all been there at one time or another and this makes Nathan a character we can certainly relate to.

The character of Ryan (no last name) is more of an enigma. We learn little of his past, some about his family and a smidgen about what prompted his tumbleweed lifestyle. But frankly his personality is overshadowed by that of Nathan, who is telling the story. That lack of fullness to his character leaves the resulting romance between the men lacking as well. True, there is a sweetness to the manner in which they fall in love, a startling contrast to the way in which they first met. I certainly enjoyed watching them become first friends and then lovers but it could have felt so much more real had Ryan been more fleshed out as a person and Nathan’s equal.

There were a few other quibbles for me in this story. One, for Ryan to learn how to push a dressage horse into a collected trot or canter using his seat with no training is a tad unrealistic, considering the amount of skill and training that goes into a dressage horse and it’s equestrian partner as well. Yes, there are natural riders out there who just seem to “get it”. They have a great leg and a natural seat that just sticks to the saddle, flowing along with the rhythm of their partner. But Ryan doesn’t even know how to hold the reins in an English style, having learned the western method of riding which is completely different. Beginners usually saw on the reins or pull too hard, The subtle tickling of a braided rein, the slight tension required takes time, more time than Ryan had. My other quibble is the lack of last names. I don’t know why but this drives me crazy. If you want us to believe in characters fully give them a complete name. Unless they are Cher of course. Stepping off my quibble box now.

For most readers the last two issues won’t be a problem with them. It’s just nitpicking on my part. But Ryan’s character and the swift resolution of their commitment issues might be more problematic. I think another chapter or two would have seen the ending more drawn out and given the author more time to paint a more realized picture of a man who finally finds a place and person to call home.

I really enjoyed After The Fall and I think you will too, especially if you are already a fan of the Tucker Springs series.

Here are the stories in the Tucker Springs series in the order they were written, and is recommended that they be read:

Where Nerves End (Tucker Springs, #1) by L.A. Witt
Second Hand (Tucker Springs, #2) by Heidi Cullinan
Dirty Laundry (Tucker Springs, #3) by Heidi Cullinan
Covet Thy Neighbor (Tucker Springs, #4) by L.A. Witt
Never a Hero (Tucker Springs, #5) by Marie Sexton
After The Fall (Tucker Springs #6) by L.A. Witt

Cover Art by L.C. Chase, lcchase.com/design.htm. Love the cover but ack…that posture, those flying elbows…tuck those babies in. Shakes head.

Book Details:

ebook, 202 pages

Published October 7th 2013 by Riptide Publishing

ISBN13 9781626490765

url http://www.riptidepublishing.com/titles/after-fall

series Tucker Springs

Review: Wireless by L.A. Witt

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

In the future, skin to skin contact is forbidden. People wear full body suits and gloves to insure that no bodily contact will be made with another human being. Everything has been sanitized and all unions between man and woman are for procreation only with the matches made by the Government. Human sexual release is prescribed medically and people are given appointments bi monthly at Sim Centers where electrodes are attached at erogenous zones for use in virtual reality sex scenes. Everyone is microchipped and everything they do is monitored, all by order of the Government.

Keith Borden is a sim tech and has been for years. And in all that time Keith has never questioned the Government’s actions or his profession. Keith has just accepted his isolation and his part in supporting its continuation as being for the good of all. Then Aiden Maxwell becomes his patient and Keith’s world starts to change. Aiden is gorgeous and flirtatious. And Aiden requests that his sim partner look exactly like Keith. All too soon Keith’s own sims is not enough to satisfy him.

Keith has known about the perverted and depraved people who break the law and have skin to skin contact but never thought he would be one of them. Aiden breaks down his barriers and takes Keith to a wireless lounge where people gather naked to have contact with each other and unprotected sex. Keith is hooked.

Keith’s world is shattered from the moment he experiences the sensual pleasures of skin to skin contact and sex with another human being, especially if that person is Aiden. But the government is cracking down on the wireless lounges and breaking the law means much more than just jail time. Keith can lose everything, including his life. What will Keith risk not only to keep having human contact but to have Aiden in his life?

There is much to love about Wireless by L.A Witt starting with the plot of the book. Just imagining a world where human contact is outlawed is chilling. No loving touches, no sympathetic embraces or hugs when you need them the most. No more gentle kisses on the cheek or lips, all those gestures that connect us to others and telegraph so much emotion without saying a word. All gone by government order. I think most people are not even aware of how much touch is used daily to convey thoughts, needs, and direction. So using the loss of that sense and personal isolation as a focus is a great idea. And L.A.. Witt does a terrific job in conveying the ramifications of such a policy on society in her story.

Character Keith Borden is our “everyman” at the beginning of Wireless. He is unquestioning and complacent about his lifestyle and government proscribed sexless sex life. When he and the other sim techs gather to discuss current happenings, all (well mostly all) look askance at those who would risk everything for sex in the wireless lounges. They even agree when one tech says that those caught in raids should “have their balls cut off” calling them degenerates. Then Witt brings in Aiden Maxwell to upset Keith’s bland life. Here is a look at their encounter:

There were thirty million people in San Angeles, fully half of them in the quadrant where I lived. I’d seen so many of these suits on so many bodies, they were as novel as pollution and pavement.

But the way Aiden’s suit fit him did things to me I couldn’t explain. It was like the damn thing was made to accentuate his narrow hips or the fact that he had shoulders that wouldn’t quit.

Walking down the hall from the waiting area to Sim Room 8, it was all I could do not to sneak a few glances. It should have been a crime for a man to look this good. Especially since it practically was a crime for me to have the fantasies I’d had about him in and out of that suit. Living out those fantasies? A felony. Not worth entertaining even within the confines of my mind, but sometimes I just couldn’t help myself.

The skintight suit wasn’t the worst part. He was here for a sim session, which meant— just as it did for the hundreds of people who came through this simhouse without making me bat an eye— the suit was coming off. So were the boots, the gloves— everything. Every layer peeled away, revealing the exquisitely defined arms and shoulders that a decade of heavy construction work had chiseled to perfection.

It was all coming off, and since he always asked for me, I was the one who got to put the electrodes on him. On his neck. The insides of his elbows. His flat, flawless abs. Not to mention the equipment that went over his penis and testicles to provide the stimulation that would ultimately bring him to orgasm.

Good thing no one on staff had ever noticed— or questioned— that I always booked my own sim sessions for immediately after Aiden’s.

Forbidden thoughts have already entered Keith’s mind and Aiden is going to stir them up even more. I liked both their characters. Of the two Keith is the most accessible simple because the story is told from his pov. Aiden is more of a question mark simply because we don’t know anything about him. Aiden is the siren calling Keith to him and the pleasures he offers are dangerous indeed.

The sensuality and desperate nature of the wireless lounges comes across vividly due to Witt’s descriptions. You can almost feel Keith being overwhelmed by the intoxication of it all, so much skin, the smell, the sounds, truly sensory overload.

A crystalline bead of sweat slid from his temple and into the side of my hand, the coolness of the liquid contrasting sharply with the heat of his flesh. My mouth watered, and I wanted to know what his tasted like. I wanted to know what his skin tasted like. No, that would be going too far. If I kissed him, then we’d…

My gaze drifted to the others in the room. To the people undulating together, bodies pressed so close it was impossible to tell where some ended and others began. People danced. Kissed. Touched. Fucked. All out in the open, all with a kind of feverish abandon I couldn’t even begin to comprehend. One kiss, I was certain, and I’d understand that abandon. I’d embrace it and lose myself in it just like everyone else here.

It’s all there for us to see and understand, the need that deprivation has caused and how quickly Keith finds he needs the contact in order to live. L.A. Witt makes Keith and Aiden intimate companions with the reader along for the ride and we love it.

So why not give Wireless a higher rating? That would be due to the confused, incomplete world building. The beginning of Wireless opens with the words “Several decades from now…” but later on in the story it talks about it being 200 years in the future. There are more inconsistencies further along as to the timeline. Why the world would have fallen into such a state in a few decades is never related. Plus this time frame is not feasible for the type of government and mechanical structures to have been created. The reader is given a sentence or two about over population and disease but nothing about governments falling or the rise of new ruling institutions, all of which take time. And this lack of back history or solid reasonable foundation makes the story almost exist inside a bubble. It just floats along without being anchored to a world we can make sense of. As the story itself states, that isolation is not only burdensome but unhealthy for the plot.

I am not a fan of this ending either. Too much is left unsaid or unexplained, definitely an incomplete HFN. I don’t mind HFN endings but this one left me with far too many questions about their future than could be answered by the story. Sigh.

I liked enough about Wireless to recommend it with reservations and definitely recommend other books by L.A. Witt, a very talented author.

Cover artist Valerie Tibbs does a great job with this dramatic cover.

Book Details:

ebook, 172 pages

Published July 30th 2013 by Loose Id LLC

ISBN13 9781623001605

url http://www.loose-id.com/wireless.html

Review: Playing Ball Anthology

Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5

Are you in love with the boys of summer? Can’t wait for opening day and the cry of “play ball”? Baseball is America’s favorite pastime and the focal point of the love, heartbreak and the dreams of a nation of fans and players alike. In this anthology four terrific authors share their passion for the game of baseball with four stories of love…the love of the game as well as romance between men who share a passion for baseball and each other.

Here are the stories in the order they are to be found within this anthology:

“One Man to Remember” by Kate McMurray
“Home Field Advantage” by Shae Connor
“One Last Road Trip” by Kerry Freeman
“Wild Pitch” by Marguerite Labbe

What a treat to pick up a book whose authors and collection of stories share my love for baseball and the boys of summer! From stories situated in 1927 that bring the Babe back to life to the present day game and romance, these four stories will keep you happy and engaged, especially during those months where the fields of dreams are empty and the stadium seats wait for summer and the fans to arrive once more.

Here are my reviews for each story in the order found within the book:

1. “One Man to Remember” by Kate McMurray: Rating 5 stars out of 5

It’s 1927, New York City. Babe Ruth and the Yankees’ unstoppable batting lineup, Murderers’ Row are on their way to a season that will go down in the annals of baseball as legendary. Across town, a rookie infielder for the Giants, Skip LIttlefield is racking up as many hits as the Babe but no one is noticing. No one except a famed sports reporter named Walter Selby, a notorious dandy whose sexuality is an open secret. Walter has been watching the kid make hit after hit in seeming anonymity as everyones attention is focused on the Babe. Everything about this rookie puzzles and intrigues Walter so he arranges an interview that will have far ranging repercussions for them both.

Kate McMurray has gifted us with a small historical gem of writing with One Man to Remember. She has captured both the flair of the era as well as the homophobia and secret society of gay men during those times. Its clear that McMurray has done her homework not only for the information she imparts about that storied run of Babe’s and the Yankees but the every day life as lived in 1927. Whether it is snappy slang of the day to notorious places represented by The Penguin Club off Fifty-Sixth Street near Times Square, the author submerges us as throughly as her characters in this time period and brings off a home-run of a story.

The men, their love and knowledge of the game and the manner in which they have to hide their romance is both realistically and beautifully laid out in a story so well done that it cries out for a sequel. One of my favorite stories in an anthology full of great tales.

2. “Home Field Advantage” by Shae Connor. Rating: 4.25 stars out of 5

Toby MacMillan lives for baseball and loves his team, the Atlanta Braves. In fact Toby has grown up with the Braves as Toby is the grandson of Atlanta Braves owner Ray MacMillan. Toby owns 30 percent of the team and expects to inherit the rest from his conservative grandfather upon his death. And that’s primarily the reason Toby has hidden his sexuality from his family and team.

Then a new rookie arrives from the minors, Caleb Browning, ready to make his appearance in the major leagues. Caleb Browning is talented, naive, attractive and gay. And he has eyes for Toby. A dinner engagement highlights their attraction to each others as well as the dangers that any relationship between them will bring to each of their careers. Despite their good intensions to remain just friends, a romance begins that soon deepens into love. What will happen when a fastball to the head, threatens not only Caleb’s career but their love affair as well?

Situated in present times, Shae Connor’s looks at the reality of major league players coming forward about their sexuality and the fragile acceptance they are met with. Toby’s entire life has revolved about the Atlanta Braves, a team owned by his grandfather. His is a character in love with the game while still aware of the realities of being a gay man involved in professional team sports and the sacrifices that requires. Toby is an endearing characters whose reality is grounded in the truth of the men who love and control the game itself. Toby realizes that while change is coming, the progress is as slow as acceptance itself.

I had a little more of a stretch to believe in Caleb Browning. I really don’t see someone who plays ball, whether it is in the minor or major leagues, not being more aware of the consequences of his “gayness” while remaining a ballplayer. His naivete seems not only extreme but unrealistic, so it took me a while to commit to their relationship. But once committed, I threw myself into their romance with all the fervor of a fan at the game. And by the time I got to Toby’s speech towards the end I was cheering them on. You will be too.

3. “One Last Road Trip” by Kerry Freeman. Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5

After many years in the major leagues, bad knees sees Second Baseman Jake Wilson retiring from San Diego Padres and heading back home to a small town near Atlanta. He is making one last road trip, pulling along a small trailer of possessions both physical and emotional. On his way, he visits his ex wife, his grown children, getting reacquainted with his present and bringing up memories of his past. And always present in his thoughts is Mikko Niemi, the young man he fell in love with in college and has never forgotten.

From his Facebook account, Jake has learned that Mikko’s long term partner has died and Mikko has started to date once more. So Jake is heading home to Mikko hoping it’s not too late for them to reconnect and ignite a love that never should have been abandoned.

Kerry Freeman, Kerry Freeman, you hit a home run to the heart with this one. Not only it is about older ex lovers getting a second chance at love but the main character is a retired MLB player feeling every inch of his years in the game and the injuries that go along with it. I loved the character of Jake Wilson. His rueful examination of his past actions along with acknowledging how much he was still grateful for his ex wife and children, well, it is a heartwarming and compassionate portrait of a man at a certain stage in life who has come to grips with who he is and where he hopes to be. Jake is a large hearted individual aware of his short comings and his strengths. He is easy to connect with and root for. In fact all the people in this story are well rounded, layered characters that a reader will love spending time with.

If I have any small quibble at all, it is that I wish we had gotten a little bit more of Jake and Mikko after their reunion. A little more interplay between them would have sweetened an already emotionally satisfying romance. But that quibble aside, I loved this story and you will too.

4. “Wild Pitch” by Marguerite Labbe. Rating 5 stars out of 5

Ruben Martell and Alan Hartner have been together as friends for a long time. They met during their early years playing baseball, and their friendship stayed strong through marriages, different teams, and locations, and even through death of a wife and divorce. Now they are business partners in a batting cage/ sports bar and coach rival Little League teams. And through it all, Ruben Martell has loved Alan Hartner, not just as a friend, but with a passionate hidden love.

Except for one night where their relationship crossed the lines of friendship, neither man has ever referred to each other as anything other than best friends. But the pain and stress of hiding his feelings and hopes from Alan is causing Ruben to question their friendship and business partnership. Ruben isn’t sure how much more he can take of the status quo without even a glimmer of hope for their future. As Ruben pulls away from Alan and his kids, Alan realizes just how much he might lose unless he takes a chance on a wild pitch.

Wild Pitch by Margueritte Labbe brings together all the elements needed for a great romance and then spices it all up by using baseball to frame this long term relationship between Ruben Martell and Alan Hartner. This story is so great on so many levels I don’t know where to start. Both men have been together since their earliest times in baseball. With a love for that sport as the cement that initially held them together, Labbe lays out for the reader how that relationship has changed and deepened over the years, morphing from friendship to brotherly love to something far more dangerous and passionate, especially on Ruben’s side.

The author delivers this story with an intimacy and warmth that makes the reader a companion and friend to these men right from the start. I loved feeling included as Alan and Ruben deal with Alan’s kids and the Little League players they coach. These are real kids spouting dialog that can be heard on school and park playing fields country wide as well as at home. I loved them and wanted as much of this aspect of the story as I did the romance.

But it’s the emotional realism of the scenes that Labbe has written as the men break through the stasis of their present relationship into that of a recognized romantic love that will catch at your heart and perhaps even bring out the sniffles. Watch out especially for that moment where one son’s asks how much love a heart can hold…sniff. Well, just have the tissues handy because you will find yourself bawling away like I was. A remarkable story to end a collection of marvelous tales.

This collection of stories demonstrates just why baseball is so often used as a metaphor for life. It is full of passion, and history. It’s hilarious and heartbreaking. It’s about the grand gesture and small intimacies. And its about love and all the memorable diverse characters drawn to the National Pastime. Every story here is a home run! It is already on my must reread list.

Cover art by Aaron Anderson is perfect. It has an almost old time look about it with the design and font that works perfectly for this collection. Great job.

Book Details:

ebook, 270 pages

Expected publication: September 25th 2013 by Dreamspinner Press

ISBN13 9781627981767

url http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4197

Review: Isle of Wishes (Isle of Wight #2) by Sue Brown

Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5

After the tumultuous events of the past months, life for Sam Owens and Liam Marshall is finally on track. They are getting married and Liam’s visa issues have finally been resolved. So Sam sends Liam back to his home in Michigan to pack up his belongings for the final move to England and married happiness with Sam. Everything is fine until Liam stops returning Sam’s phone calls. Sam trusts Liam and their love so Sam knows that something has gone terribly wrong.

Sam intends to go to the States to look for Liam but knows he will need help and support. So he turns to his brother, British Metropolitan police officer Paul Owens, to accompany him to Michigan. If anyone can find Liam and get them both safely back to the Isle of Wight for their wedding its Paul Owens. Upon landing, they soon discover the trail leads to a small town in Wisconsin, outside of Milwaukee where LIam’s rental car has been found.

Once in Milwaukee, openly gay Detective Paul Owens starts investigating Liam’s disappearance and runs smack into the closeted but gorgeous Wisconsin Detective Olaf Skandik. Olaf returned home after he left the service and joined the police force. But the small town attitudes and close-knit community now feel restrictive, and Olaf is afraid that coming out will leave him both without a job and family. But as Paul and Olaf start investigating Liam’s disappearance together, mutual attraction flares into something much more, shocking them both. What happens when a casual attraction turns into love for men separated by an ocean of responsibilities?

Isle of Wishes is the second story in the Isle of Wight series and it deepens my love for these men and their families that started in The Isle of…Where?. In that book, we first meet Sam Owens and Liam Marshall when Liam arrives on the Isle of Wight to scatter the ashes of his best friend, Alex. Sam and Liam meet and fall in love, passionately and forever within weeks of Liam’s arrival and Sue Brown absolutely makes the reader believe in this love affair and Sam and Liam’s need for each other. The author also surrounded this pair with a collection of characters, mostly Sam’s family, including one of his brother’s, a police officer named Paul.

Brown gave this motley, large family such depth and dimension to their characters that I fell in love with them as much as I did with Sam and Liam. At the end of that story, we left Sam and Liam happy but starting the process of getting a residency visa for Liam and dealing with other issues. Brown had convinced us that they were on the road to happiness but still had a journey in front of them. So naturally I wanted the next chapter in their lives immediately. Sigh.

Instant gratification are two words not in Sue Brown’s vocabulary, at least not in this series. Her readers had to wait over a year to see what happened next to Sam and Liam and the Isle of Wishes gives us a startling answer. Liam disappears to the consternation and heartbreak of Sam and fans of this series. I love that element of Sue Brown’s stories where items that appear to be safe and straightforward are actually deceptively complicated, whether it is relationships, sexuality, or even a trip home to finish packing and move. Nothing works out as planned because life doesn’t function that way and Sue Brown’s stories are most definitely grounded in reality.

That’s why I can accept a casual attraction turning into something deeper, not yet love but greater than just a flirtation and hookup. It’s also the reason why the cause behind Liam’s disappearance is so plausible as well. I often find myself nodding in agreement with something I am reading in her stories because its recognizably familiar and human. This also applies to her characters, whose problems and outlooks reflect our own.

Olaf is that man who finds himself torn between family and job he loves and his sexuality. Olaf has hidden his sexuality for years and now it has become deeply ingrained to hide his attraction to men. Given small town attitudes, especially in his town’s law enforcement, Olaf is well aware of what coming out would cost him, his job and his family. Until Olaf meets the outwardly gay Paul, he has never questioned his decision to remain firmly in the closet. Then Paul and Sam arrive looking for Liam and Olaf’s life is turned upside down.

Brown makes Olaf’s decisions understandable even as the heat between the men flares white hot. It’s painful, its frustrating and it feels so real to watch Olaf and Paul work through what they mean to each other even as they follow the leads in Liam’s disappearance. Paul is a great character too. Paul is home is in his sexuality. He is great at his job, loves his family and is astonished at his feelings towards Olaf. We get it that both men have a hard time believing that their feelings for each other are real given the time frame and situation they are operating in. Sam is there too for every agonizing minute that Liam is gone. Trust me when I say your heart will be sore but not broken by the end of this story.

And that is primarily why I have not given Isle of Wishes 5 stars. There are many loose ends left fluttering about at the end of this story, intentionally so. We do get part of a happy ending and a something more but the author is laying her groundwork for the next installment. And while I respect that, I do wish it had been pulled together a tiny bit more instead of a surfeit of questions and possibilities.

Still this is a deeply wonderful story. The writing is crisp and the plot complicated enough to let the romance shine through without obscuring all the other great elements here. And of course, there are those marvelous characters that we have come to love and who form the basis and structure for this series. I don’t think I can place one above the other, they are all so intertwined that separating them out actually would lessen the impact of the story. The Owens family, those by blood and those they adopt are a force to be reckoned with and I love them all equally.

So, what is in the future for this series? Well, per Sue Brown, book 3, Isle of Walls, will be out in May next year. It directly follows on from Isle of Wishes, and although it’s based on Nibs and Wig, it will tell more of Paul and Olaf’s story. Then she has a new series planned with Olaf and Paul, which will start next year. So many stories to look forward to. I know I will spend some of the time rereading the first two books while waiting for next spring and the arrival of Isle of Walls.

If you are new to this series, go back to the first story, Isle of….Where?(Isle of Wight #1). It’s necessary in order to fully understand all the people and relationships to follow. For no matter where this series goes, the heart of it remains on the Isle of Wight and the incredibly addicting Owens family. Consider this book and this series highly recommended.

Books in the series in the order they were written and should be read to understand the characters and events that occur:

The Isle of… Where? (Isle of Wight #1)
Isle of Wishes (Isle of Wight #2)

Book Details:

ebook, 242 pages

Published August 19th 2013 by Dreamspinner Press

ISBN 1627980776 (ISBN13: 9781627980777)

edition language English

url http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4106

series Isle of Wight

And I Saw A Sea of Squirrels….and the Week Ahead in Reviews!

And Then I Saw A Sea of Squirrels……

Its fall and my patio and lawns are full of nature’s bounty, aka nuts. Lots and lots of nuts and therefore lots and lots of squirrels (and deer but that’s for another story from this park naturalist). This year is a high cycle year so all the oaks, hickories, and beech trees in my backyard were groaning under the weight of the nuts they bore. And have now loosed them upon every surface available, turning every spare inch into a prickly hulled, brown blanket or a mosaic of shiny hard bits and pieces of acorns to go along with the prickly hulls of the beech nut. Of course the green golf balls of the black walnut are dropping too, sounding like hail during the worst of storms.

And my dogs hate this.

I don’t blame them. Those prickly little bits and pieces hurt the pads of their paws, jagged hulls of shells courtesy of sharp squirrel teeth are just the right size to work themselves between the pads and wedging themselves firmly to great pain and discomfort. No amount of sweeping is stopping the tide. It’s relentless, a constant cacophony of sound followed by a carpet of discarded husks.

I think most people don’t realize that nuts are cyclical. That each year the harvest is that much greater than the year before with the various animal populations that depend upon them for food expanding along with them. And then the year that follows the one with the biggest yield is all but barren. No nuts, or at least very little. People start reporting seeing skinny or starving animals. And they reason that such a thing helps to keep populations down. And certainly that is true for the present day. But not always.

Did you know people once saw seas of squirrels as they migrated through?

Yes, Eastern gray squirrels used to migrate, following the cycles of the oaks, and hickories and other nut bearing trees. Back when the midwestern and eastern forests were one contiguous mass of forest. Back before we started to carve out our settlements, and farms and cities. Back when there were only small farmsteads and villages that dotted the forests, tiny punctuation marks of humanity.

Then the animals lived much different lives than they do today.

One of my college professors, Dr. Vagn Flyger wrote a report for the University of Maryland on a squirrel migration as recent as 1968. Oh, how he loved squirrels and imparted that love to his students! And this recent migration, from Vermont to Georgia, fascinated him. You can read it here. But even more fascinating are the earlier account of waves of squirrels so massive that it took days before the end of the hoard could be seen. Or as Robert Kennicott in his article “The Quadrupeds of Illinois” in The Annual Report of the Commissioner of Patents for 1846 stated “it took a month for the mess of squirrels to pass through the area.”*

Just imagine what that must have looked like! Tens of thousands, perhaps millions of squirrels following the wild harvest through the vast forest of the midwest and east, flowing like a grey furred river, leaping and bounding over every surface as they passed their way through the immediate area. Here is another quote (from that *same article ):

*In 1811, Charles Joseph Labrobe wrote in The Rambler in North America of a vast squirrel migration that autumn in Ohio: “A countless multitude of squirrels, obeying some great and universal impulse, which none can know but the Spirit that gave them being, left their reckless and gambolling life, and their ancient places of retreat in the north, and were seen pressing forward by tens of thousands in a deep and sober phalanx to the South …”

No longer.

We still have them migrate occasionally. The last reported one was likely 1998 in Arkansas but nothing like the vast migrations of the past. And how can they with no massive forest or massive stands of trees, following the bounty of nuts and seeds as the cycles demanded? Like the beaver before them, we have changed their natural history and lost something special in return.

Now the Eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) is regarded as a cute backyard dweller or bird seed eating pest. They get into attics or gnaw on wires. We are amused by them, infuriated by them, and in some cases regarding bird feeders outsmarted by them. They throw nuts at my dogs and tease them unmercifully and I laugh, of course. They are a constant in my yard and a source of food for my owls and hawks. They are as familiar to me as my wrens and woodpeckers…and my life would be poorer without them.

But once they moved across the land in rivers of energy and gray fur, millions of them covering the landscape and making people stop in their tracks, marveling to see such a sight. Just once I wish I could have been there, standing beside those folks so I too could have said “and then I saw a sea of squirrels…”.

The Migration of the Grey Squirrels

by William Howitt

When in my youth I traveled
Throughout each north country,
Many a strange thing did I hear,
And many a strange thing to see.

But nothing was there pleased me more
Than when, in autumn brown,
I came, in the depths of the pathless woods,
To the grey squirrels’ town.

There were hundreds that in the hollow boles
Of the old, old trees did dwell,
And laid up store, hard by their door,
Of the sweet mast as it fell.

But soon the hungry wild swine came,
And with thievish snouts dug up
Their buried treasure, and left them not
So much as an acorn cup.

Then did they chatter in angry mood,
And one and all decree,
Into the forests of rich stone-pine
Over hill and dale to flee.

Over hill and dale, over hill and dale,
For many a league they went,
Like a troop of undaunted travelers
Governed by one consent.

But the hawk and the eagle, and peering owl,
Did dreadfully pursue;
When lo! to cut off their pilgrimage,
A broad stream lay in view.

But then did each wondrous creature show
His cunning and bravery;
With a piece of the pine-bark in his mouth,
Unto the stream came he;

And boldly his little bark he launched,
Without the least delay;
His busy tail was his upright sail,
And he merrily steered away.

Never was there a lovelier sight
Than that grey squirrels’ fleet;
And with anxious eyes I watched to see
What fortune it would meet.

Soon had they reached the rough mild-stream,
And ever and anon
I grieved to behold some bark wrecked,
And its little steersman gone.

But the main fleet stoutly held across;
I saw them leap to shore;
They entered the woods with a cry of joy,
For their perilous march was o’er.

Now for the Week Ahead in Reviews (and Autumn Sedum in my garden):

Monday, Sept. 30: Sonata by A.F. Henley

Tuesday, Oct. 1: September Summary of Reviews

Wed., October 2: Goblins by Melanie Tushmore

Thurs., October 3: Dominant Predator by S.A. McAuley

Friday, October 4: The Isle of Wishes by Sue Brown

Sat., October 5: Knightmare (City Knight #2) by T.A. Webb

Review: Summer Lovin Anthology

Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5

Remember those long summer, sultry days when the heat beat down, the songs played endlessly into the night and romance was in the air? Summer Lovin’ anthology brings you five stories of summer love by some of the best authors around. Chrissy Munder, Clare London, JL Merrow, Lou Harper and Josephine Myles put their spin on summer romance from light hearted love to an angst filled romance with the potential for more.

Grab a tall glass, filled with something wonderful and decadent (umbrella optional) and sit back and enjoy five tales of summer lovin’.

Stories in the Anthology are:

“Summer Hire” by Chrissy Munder
“Lost and Found on Lindisfarne” by JL Merrow
“Salt ’n’ Vinegar” by Clare London
“Werewolves of Venice Beach” by Lou Harper
“By Quarry Lake” by Josephine Myles

Usually when I read an anthology, I normally find a story or two that could be skipped over or at least is not up to the quality of the others included. Not here. Each one of these stories will resonate with a reader, whether it is the more lighthearted fare of Summer Hire by Chrissy Munder to the somewhat darker Salt n Vinegar by Clare London They are all quite wonderful and each in of its own makes Summer Lovin’ a must have anthology. I have a mini review of each story waiting below.

1. Summer Hire by Chrissy Munder: 4.5 stars out of 5

When Jim Carlson accepted a summer job along with his best friend at a repair/summer rental business, he had no idea his was stepping into one of his favorite porn dreams. Too bad that gorgeous tattooed hunk in the overalls was also his new boss. And to make matters worse, Aaron is also gay. Worse because Aaron is remaining decidedly professional even when being friendly. Jim thinks Aaron’s attitude towards him is because he is unremarkable and kind of dorky. He is after all a just graduated IT major with no hopes for a job.

Aaron Torres has worked hard to overcome his family and poor start in life. Now a successful businessman with his own business, Aaron avoids any romantic entanglements with employees, especially seasonal ones that will be gone in the fall with the tourists. Still, there is something so engaging about Jim Carlson. Jim is clumsy, hardworking, and totally adorable.

As the end of summer draws near, the two men find it impossible to say goodbye. Can a summer love last a lifetime?

Chrissy Munder takes all those lovely summer memories at the lake or beach and incorporates them into her short story of summer love. The characters are engaging, the story well done and the relationship between Jim and Aaron realistic yet lighthearted. No angst just a lovely relationship between two men you will adore. Great way to set the tone for the collection. Loved it!

2. Lost and Found on Lindisfarne” by JL Merrow. Rating 4.75 stars out of 5

Single dad Chris and his 12 year old daughter, Kelis, are vacationing on the holy island of Lindisfarne when they run into a group of Viking re-enactors, village and all. Ulf the berserker, also known as Ian, strikes up a conversation with Chris. One conversation turns into a tour of the historic spots on the island. When his daughter’s lost necklace makes them miss the ferry home, Ian invites them to stay with him and the other re-enactors for the night.

Chris and Ian are more than attracted to each other but Chris has Kelis and no one wants a single dad as a boyfriend do they?

Merrow offers up a tale that is both travelogue and love story and it works on both levels. I loved all the details about the Viking villagers from making berries as ink to the historic places they visited on tour. It’s a loving portrait of the island overlayed with a realistic persona of a single dad making up for lost time. Chris is a wonder of a character and his backstory (and Kelis’) gave depth to the summer love story. This is no case of instant love but just the beginnings of a wonderful relationship. JL Merrow is one of my favorite authors. Her attention to detail and loving descriptions of the settings in her stories make her a must read. That includes Lost and Found on Lindisfarne. This is how it starts:

“It was a hot summer’s day on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne. The lanes were dusty underfoot, the languid breeze was heavy with the scent of the North Sea, and a Viking had just offered to buy my daughter.”

3. “Salt ’n’ Vinegar” by Clare London. Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Joe and his twin sister, Mandy, were enrolled at Brighton University, so it only made sense that Joe, a Psychology major and Mandy, Food and Hospitality major, live and work together at the fish and chip shop opposite the entrance to the pier. “Chip ‘N Fin”. The work paid enough for their lease and a little more and the location near the beach make it perfect for Joe to pick up the gorgeous young gay boys for casual fun and sex, especially during the summer months when Brighton was full of tourists.

But all that changed when a shy young man named Steven makes the chip shop his regular stop in the afternoons. When it becomes apparent that he waits for Joe when ordering, Mandy urges her brother to ask him out. The resulting relationship quickly turns serious to Joe’s surprise as Steven is fun, intelligent and they are absolutely compatible in every way. But Steven is hiding a dark secret that will threaten their new found love and so much more.

Salt ‘n’ Vinegar is the darkest of the 5 offerings in the Summer Lovin’ anthology. I liked that it brought a soberness and diversity to this collection that made me not only appreciate its attributes but in comparison, those of the other authors as well. I liked everything about this story from the setting in Brighton to the characters that felt very authentic from the sibling relationship to the superficiality of Joe’s initial outlook on romance. My only quibble here is with the ending. I am not sure how to say this without giving too much away but one character (secondary but important) doesn’t ring true to what I know about those type of individuals. They do not react by walking away instead the opposite unfortunately holds true. But that would have called for a much longer story and would not be in keeping with the tone of most of this collection. Still that imperfection bothered me for quite some time, especially given the seriousness of the situation. And while I liked the story, that aspect made this my least favorite story of the anthology. You tell me what you think.

4. “Werewolves of Venice Beach” by Lou Harper. Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5

Bryan Williams is house-sitting for the Spencers. He plans to spend the time deep in study for his architecture degree and maybe some time at the beach. But Bryan knows that he is a nerd, and that the beach just spells trouble. Little did Bryan know that the trouble was waiting for him next door in a house full of interesting and quirky individuals, starting with the naked man that just ran past his window, up the front stairs into the house next door.

How can you not love a story that starts with “the naked man came out of nowhere”? I love, love this story. Bryan is a wonderful, decent young man. The next door people who could have been flat stereotypes instead are fully fleshed out human beings and the romance that springs up between the naked guy and Bryan is full of road bumps and self doubt. Harper then adds in a bit about a possible werewolf and cracked me up too. If this wasn’t my favorite, it came close. I am still smiling as I think about it.

This is how it starts, so irresistible.

The naked man came out of nowhere. One minute I was eating my Wheaties and enjoying the early morning peace and quiet, the next there he was, walking through the neighbor’s front yard. The Spencers’ porch—where I was having my breakfast—sat at least a foot above ground level, providing me with an excellent view over the low stone wall separating the two properties.

5. By Quarry Lake” by Josephine Myles. Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5

Tommy Freestone left his hometown 3 years ago to attend the university but the real reason he fled was because of Rob Carver, his best friend. Now Tommy has returned. He learned much about himself in his time away, including the fact that he should have never left Rob and the town behind. Tommy hopes that now that he has accepted his sexuality, he can approach Rob, ask for forgiveness and a new relationship.

Rob Carver has never stopped loving and missing his best friend Tommy. While Tommy left, Rob continued to work his family’s farm, staying deep within the closet. His one and only attempt at a romance cost him Tommy so when Tommy returns Rob is determined not to let that happen again. Just friends, right? Tommy has other ideas. Can Tommy woo Rob back or will their past cost them the relationship both want?

This story is in a tie with Werewolves as my favorite stories of the anthology. Myles pulls me in with her descriptions of sleepy rural Somerset and the two boys who grew up there. You can feel the heat beating down on the farmland, and the quiet, cool water that awaits Tommy and Rob in their secret lake in the quarry. It’s engaging, its magical and it feels like the best of every summer you dreamed about. You, your best friend/secret lover, a hideaway known only to the two of you and a cave. Those are elements that will speak to every reader, it’s the best of summer hopes and dreams. I loved it all.

One kiss sent Tommy running away but once he realized and accepted that he was gay, it also sent him running back. It’s the classic love story. Boy loves Boy, Boy loses Boy, Boy gets Boy back. That never gets old and Myles did a great job with her take on that classic theme. Again no instant love but an old one reignited, totally believable and satisfying. Especially the scene with Rob’s Dad, how I loved that scene, just perfection. It pulls you in right from the opening line:

The river wasn’t the same as when he’d left it.

I can’t remember when was the last time I enjoyed an anthology as much as I did this time. It wasn’t just that it happened to fall as August was waning, or that pictures from a cousin brought back memories of times at the beach. It was the hopes and dreams these stories evoked inside me, the smells and sounds of summer overlaid with memories of fleeting romances that somehow you always wished would linger long after the vacation was over but never did. I highly recommend this collection and loved them all, although not equally. You will have your own favorites. Let me know which ones they were. Pick it up and return to your own summer recollections and dreams.

Cover art by Lou Harper works for the collection. It feels like romance and summer.

Book Details:

ebook, 247 pages
Pink Squirrel Press

Published August 14th 2013 by Pink Squirrel Press

edition language English

url https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-summerlovin039-1268444-166.html

other editions

None found

Review: Blessed Curses by Madeleine Ribbon

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

When David was 8, his world came crashing down around him, isolating him from his family and all of society. David had been cursed by his 9 year old brother in a fit of jealous anger and it stuck. Despite everyones efforts, including the best sorcerers of the time, no one could undo the curse, a curse that made people fear him and unable to be in his company for longer than a minute.

Now, years later, David has adjusted to his life and the curse, or as much as anyone could be. He works the night shift at his cousin’s magical practitioner shop and then goes home to his video games and lonely life. Then one day at his brother’s wedding, David is introduced to Vaughn, a magical enforcer. The firm Vaugn works for is the law enforcement agency charged with picking apart complex curses and making sure sorcerers stay within the law.

Vaughn is intrigued immediately by David. David has long been known to them as The Impossible Kid because of the cure he carries. But Vaughn also finds David handsome, shy, and kind of heartbreaking in his loneliness. Vaughn loves solving supposedly irreversible curses like David’s and can dampen the magical fields he comes in contact with, enough so that he can stand near David without screaming…for most of the time.

Vaughn vows to help cure David of his curse, but finds that the more he gets to know David, the more personal his quest becomes, David is more than a puzzle to Vaughn, he just might be the love Vaughn has always wanted. David seems to want him back. But before a relationship can happen, there is a curse to be dealt with and Vaughn is not having much luck. What will happen to them both if David’s curse is truly unbreakable?

Madeleine Ribbon is a new author for me. Blessed Curses is only the second book of hers that I have read but already I look forward to her stories because certain elements of her books are so well done. Ribbon’s world building is terrific. She gives us a credible universe for each story, one that is complete without going into scads of details when it is not necessary. Ribbon also has the gift of bringing magic and its practitioners to life as thoroughly as any common place profession and its employees. This enforcement agency suffers from cut backs, dingy office space and overworks it employees because of budget cuts. Within this world magic is both commonplace and a talent to be taught and nurtured.

The characters that Ribbon creates for her stories are just as well done as her world building. David is such a tragic figure but one that never gives in to self pity or bitterness. Vaughn too has many interesting layers. A self described “slut” for most of his years, Vaughn is tired of his promiscuous ways and wants to find someone to love. The author makes both men authentic sympathetic individuals who she then surrounds with equally moving and real secondary characters. I especially love the grumpy Trekker, Vaughn’s partner at the agency and Cole, a young homeless sorcerer. They really helped bring this story to life. Less well rounded in personality was Todd, the brother who cursed his brother and has spent the rest of his life being his companion. Given his was the curse that started it all and that he was bound to his brother by guilt as well as love, I think his character should have reflected more of the dichotomy inherent in their situation. He seemed a little shallow to me unfortunately.

The beginning of this book will absolutely make you cry. In fact the poignancy and heartbreak of those earlier scenes is so powerful, so pain filled that the feelings they engender are never fully recaptured.

David sat down on the next swing over. It hung just a little too low to be comfortable, but he didn’t want to lose this taste of friendship by moving down to the other end of the set.

He managed to kick his way up almost as high as Andy, though he had to keep letting go of the chain to push his shaggy brown hair out of his eyes.

Todd would see them when he got home from camp. David wondered what sort of a reaction he would get, once Todd realized that his friends didn’t mind David quite so much as David had been led to believe.

It was nearly dark when Todd finally found them talking and laughing, still on the swings. David stopped pumping his legs when he saw his brother stomping toward them. “Davey,”

With the joy of the scenes before when a lonely young boy realizes that someone will play with him, the boys swinging together on the playground, a rarity for young David, to the sight of his angry brother stomping towards them, well, it will feel absolutely spot on to anyone who knows young kids and sibling rivalry. But in this case, a fight between an older jealous sibling ( who has consistently bullied his brother) and his baby brother will have far more grave consequences than can be fixed by a bandaid and a time out in their room. The innocence of David combined with a child’s fear and sense of betrayal will haunt this book for several reasons. One reason is that it is so beautifully written, the emotions flowing from the boys are visceral in their impact. And secondly, the consequences upon the siblings and their relationship is never spelled out to the readers satisfaction. Yes, Todd became his brother’s companion but how did they feel about that? Where is the realism to their complicated relationship? Nor do we see what is Todd’s (the brother) reaction to the curse being lift. This whole element is lacking from the story and when it is such an emotional component right from the start, it should be included in the story as well to make this a well rounded plot and feel complete at the end.

Aside from this gap in the narrative, I loved this story. I did feel the denouement lacking in intensity. It just sort of happened. Another missed opportunity. Others may not feel that way. The majority of this story is terrific. In fact its downright magical, including elements of angst in the form of a young teenager discarded by his family. I definitely recommend this story and am off to locate more of Madeleine Ribbon’s stories to read,

Cover Art by Brooke Albrecht is gorgeous. I think it know where the design was going with the picture but I am just not sure anyone would know what the story was about from the cover. I wouldn’t and it that part of the cover’s job?

Book Details:

ebook, 168 pages

Published August 7th 2013 by Dreamspinner Press (first published August 6th 2013)

ISBN 1627980571 (ISBN13: 9781627980579)

edition language English

url http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4070

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