Review: Hobbled by John Inman

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Eighteen year old Danny Shay should be having the time of his life, but its not working out like that. Now living with his dad in San Diego, Danny should be enjoying the summer but his own lack of judgement and outrage over his boss’s shorting his paycheck led to his current predicament. He is under house arrest, hobbled by an ankle monitor courtesy of the San Diego PD and a cast on his leg, the last being his fault at throwing a tantrum at work and destroying an ice machine. So now he is bored and lonely since his dad is out of town on business. Danny is also horny as only a gay 18 year old virgin can be by himself in the house, unable to leave.

But then the house next door is sold and a young man, a young cute man, is moving in with his father and dog and things start to look up. Now if only he could figure out how to meet him without setting off his ankle monitor. Plus there is a serial killer loose in the neighborhood targeting young men, two fourth grade boys lurking around Danny’s house determined to be the next Hardy boys and the scene is set for riotous goings on. When the killer targets Danny and his new neighbor, it will take all their wiles and help from unexpected sources to stay alive.

Hobbled is my third book that I have read by John Inman and it cements his place in my “must read” company of authors whose works I grab up immediately with nary a glance at a publishers blurb or jacket cover. John Inman must either have vivid memories of his experiences as a 18 year old gay teenager or is able to channel his inner teenager because I can’t think of any author whose recent stories brought to life what it means to be 18 as realistically as the author did in Hobbled. I just enjoyed this story so much that my usual quibbles with consistency and instalove are easily put aside.

If you know teenagers, then every part of this story will speak to you, from the first feelings of lust and love (oh, the drama of a first love) to the unspeakable eating habits that seem normal as a teenager yet make you shudder as an adult. Inman gets their dialog right too. And it’s not just Danny and Luke, his new neighbor, but two eleven year olds, (“that’s fourth grade”, mind you , they tell people in an instant), Bradley and DeVon. Those two kids almost steal the book away from Danny and Luke. Bradley and DeVon are Tom Sawyer, Huck Finn, and the Hardy Boys all rolled into the two most intrepid, fearless kids you will want to meet, and then just maybe strangle when you stop laughing. But back to teenage eating habits:

Here is a sample of Danny and Luke chowing down at Danny’s house:

Wet like that, it was really red, Danny noticed. Much more so than it was when it was dry. Danny watched as Luke swung a bare leg over the back of the kitchen chair and plopped himself down. He arranged his silverware neatly beside his plate, since Danny had just sort of tossed it on the table, not caring where it all went. Then while Danny still stood there watching him, Luke reached across the table and arranged Danny’s silverware too.

When he was finished, Luke motioned to the opposite chair. “Sit,” he said. “Eat. I’m starved.”

And Danny finally expelled the breath of air he had been holding for the longest time. He sank into the chair, happy to get off his wobbly legs, and they both started loading their plates with all kinds of stuff. Potato salad, ham, pickles, bread, coleslaw, cold pizza left over from a couple of days ago, cold green beans that had been in the fridge for God knows how long but didn’t stink yet so they must be okay. They ate as eighteen-year-olds always eat. With tons of enthusiasm and not a speck of conversation.

.If you have ever watched teenagers eat, then you must be nodding your head in acknowledgement of the accuracy of that moment. I know I did. In scene after scene, Inman writes realistic, goofy, brave, scared wonderful teenage boys These characters are funny, earnest, heartbreaking and always believable. And I think that’s why their case of instant love is not only acceptable but in keeping with their teenage years as well. During those years, you fall hard and fast. Love at first sight? Absolutely. A forever love found in under 5 minutes flat? You bet. Its special that first love, its mind blowing and heart pounding, it’s everything, a moment and a person people always remember. And for some, it does last forever. That’s the magic of it, when you are young everything is possible and Inman gets that too.

And on top of being under house arrest, being new in San Diego and living with his dad, Danny is also trying to come to grips with the fact that he is gay. Danny wants to tell his father that he is gay but like any other LGBTQ youth, Danny is having trouble saying it. He is pretty sure that his father will still love him, but that small uncertainty is holding him back. When hearing Danny’s inner monologue as he tries to summon the courage to come out to his father, you realize just how momentous this decision is and just how high the ramifications might be. One more realistic component in an already marvelous book of self realization and coming out at a young age.

True, there are some aspects of Hobbled that normally would have me rolling my eyes as the events stretch the bounds of believability (especially later on with Danny’s father). But all the good will and affection the book has built up just steamrollers over those sections, so that if you do find yourself making an eye roll or two (yeah, yeah I know), than it will be with smiles instead of incredulity. I love this book and fell hard for Danny, Luke, DeVon and Bradley and even Mrs. Trumball. I think you will too. So grab a pizza, a stick of Cover Up, a Coke, and your memories of your teenage years, buy this book and settle in for a wonderful story of young love, coming out, and oh yeah,a criminal on the loose.

Cover art by Paul Richmond is perfect for Hobbled in every way.

Book Details:

ebook, 246 pages
Published June 10th 2013 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN 1623808561 (ISBN13: 9781623808563)
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://www.dreamspinnerpress.com

Review: When Dachshunds Ruled the Serengeti by Michael Murphy

Rating: 3.75 stars out of 5

It is the first day of Jose’s collegiate life and he’s terrified. The older of nine children, Jose Lopez is the son of migrant workers, born in California and familiar only with the states his family worked through and the transitory life that comes with being part of a large migrant farm workers. Jose has dreamed of escaping the drudgery and poverty of his parents and being able to provide a path to a better life for his brothers and sisters. Brown University is his ticket to a education and better life but brown skinned Jose feels as out of place among the white upper echelon as a burrito at a black tie dinner. Then his roommate arrives, and the comparison between them enlarges the cultural divide already apparent.

Phillip comes from a wealthy New York family and is entering Brown just as his father and his father’s father before him. A child of privilege, Phillip can’t begin to understand the true depth of how Jose’s upbringing and background have affected him. All Phillip sees is an attractive boy, shy, and welcoming. True, their first meeting is awkward as Phillip’s mother mistakes Jose for a porter for Phillip’s bags but Jose is used to people’s perceptions of him as the help instead of a possible equal.

Soon the boys discover common ground between them, and Phillip helps Jose with all things new to him , including tv, electronics and cultural passages of youth. Slowly a friendship builds and then turns into love despite the many differences between them. But obstacles made of their divergent backgrounds rise up when Jose’s siblings are left to his care when his parents are stuck in Mexico with visa issues. Can Jose and Phillip overcome the barriers raised by a clash of cultures or will the cultural divide keep them forever apart?

Many things got me excited about this book. One, the title. When Dachshunds Ruled the Serengeti. So serendipitous and playful, then you add in that adorable cover by Paul Richmond, and I would have said that it was a slam dunk. I fully expected a light hearted tale of two cultures colliding in college and living HEA. And I sort of got that, minus the light hearted aspect as that is completely lacking. And that’s a shame because given the title and cover art there is such a disconnect between the reader’s expectations and the actual story that I am not sure the story itself recovers the good will the reader starts out with.

Paul Richmond’s cover comes from one of the more delightful sections of this story. Lacking the chance to attend school, the migrant farmers children are left to the adults around them for education. Another worker had appointed herself teacher and was trying to get across a lesson on geography and Africa. When the children were unable to grasp what a wildebeest was, Jose invented a story using a local farm dog migrating on the Serengeti. The charm and whimsy of the section of the book only serves to highlight what went wrong with the rest of the story. As I read about Jose and the children, I was completely drawn into the story. I felt I was sitting beside the youngest, so enthralled in the vision of thousands of dachshunds roaming the Serengeti, charmed by the characters, the setting, and so aware of the joy that even poverty and deprivation can’t keep down. It’s amazing and so beautifully written.

In fact, Jose is the best and most realistic thing about this story. Michael Murphy really gets into the head of Jose and the disparity between his background and the privileged young men and women he finds himself among. Jose is really the most likable of the two main characters. Murphy does a good job in giving both young men realistic and well rounded personalities. We truly understand just how frightening a new world Brown University represents and how ill prepared Jose is to enter it. He lacks not only the material belongings necessary but the cultural markers that all the other students take for granted. The author seems to understand how lonely it must be not to see another person of the same color and history reflected back at him. Over and over, we see through Jose’s eyes how society looks at the fastest growing population in the US, hispanics of Mexican, South American, and Puerto Rican backgrounds. Here is Jose looking at the precious few belongings on his bed on his first day in the dorm:

His entire life José had always been on the move with his parents and his many, many brothers and sisters. His family moved constantly, not to evade something, but to find something. His family moved with the crop cycles. They were migrant workers who might be in South Carolina one day picking peaches only to leave to move to Florida to plant strawberries. From there they might go farther south in Dade County to plant tomatoes. Then they might move back north by a few hours to weed some other field of some other crop before heading to Texas to pick pecans or Arizona to pick oranges.

In the course of a single year, the family van could clock an untold number of miles in the constant move from one location to another. The number was untold simply because the odometer in the old van they used had broken many years ago, so no one had any idea how many miles they had actually covered. Living on the move was their life, so none of them gave it much thought. It was all José and his siblings had ever known.

And then he meets Phillip and his family for the first time, and cultural reality sets in:

When he glanced toward the doorway in response to the knock, José saw a blond guy about his age, taller than him, who looked tentatively into the room.

“Is this 201?” he asked hesitantly.

“Sure is,” José answered with a smile.

The guy smiled back. “Home sweet home,” he said as he gave the place an appraising look. José, as a student of people, of humanity, watched the play of emotions on the guy’s face. It didn’t take an expert to know that the guy did not like what he was seeing. His brow was furrowed, and his face took on the appearance of displeasure.

“Kind of small,” the guy said. “And old. My dad warned me that the dorms here were like tenements, but I thought he was joking. I guess he wasn’t.”

“I set my bag over here,” José said, gesturing to his left, “but if you want that side, that’s fine with me. I’m not particular.”

“No. That’s no problem. I’m just trying to figure where I’m supposed to put everything.” Before they could continue their conversation, José saw an older version of his roommate come into view outside the door. “You found it!” he said. “I guess,” the guy responded to the man José assumed was his father. For a man of his age, the guy was in pretty good shape. He didn’t have that middle-aged spread in his center that happened to so many men. He had a full head of hair. He was attractive. And he was dressed in clothes that cost more than José’s dad had paid for the van they lived out of most of the year. Beside the man stopped a smiling woman, also well dressed in what were obviously expensive clothes, even if they were casual in appearance. “Our baby’s new home,” she said with a smile.

“Mom,” the guy said, obviously embarrassed at being called her “baby.”

“Oh, good,” the woman said, “you’ve found the porter to help us move things.” The woman seemed to assume that someone who appeared Mexican and was dressed poorly was obviously not a student but was only there to lift and carry for others. The guy standing beside José looked sharply at his mother and then turned back to José. “I’m Phillip,” he said, introducing himself and sticking out his hand in the universal greeting.

“José,” he said with a smile, “your new roomie.”

And that is just the beginning of the embarrassments and offending statements that lie in wait for Jose on the college campus. I think Michael Murphy is a great job with Jose and his experiences on the campus so alien to his upbringing and background. Then there is Phillip and family.

Sigh. I think that Phillip is where most of the problems with this story originate. I found him to be a self centered, culturally isolated young man. And in some instances, I am sure that there are plenty of real Phillips out there. He is quick to accept Jose, quick to come to his aid, and just as quick to judge and remove himself from Jose when cultural issues rise up between them. Yes, they are both extremely young but somehow, the manner in which Murphy has created Phillip leaves him lacking in ways that would connect the reader to his character. We understand Jose and his actions absolutely. We also understand Phillip’s given his wealthy, insulated background but the author never really makes the reader sympathize with Phillip in the same way we do Jose.

When the rest of Jose’s siblings arrive on scene, then the best and the worst of this story reveal themselves. Jose and his interactions with his brothers and sisters are not only believable, but they capture all of the charm and love this story has to give. It makes Phillip’s mother an endearing character and does the same thing for his father. We experience the close bond that only siblings who have spent their entire lives in one room, one car, depending only upon each other can have. This is where the storytelling comes in, as well as the power of familial love. It is also where the reader will start to pull away from Phillip. The rest of the book unfortunately removes Jose almost completely from the story to its detriment. And once they reconnect, it is almost too late to recapture the feelings brought about by the first section of the story.

The author adds a character called Steven in the second half of the book who furthers the separation between reader and Phillip. I just don’t understand the necessity of his inclusion. If you take the strange turn of events in the second half, the addition of an unnecessary character, and an abrupt ending, you can see why the reader will walk away from this book, rueing the lost promise of When Dachsunds Ruled the Serengeti while remembering with fondness Jose and his siblings, thinking of thousands of dachshunds migrating through Africa. Really it is Jose and family that raise this story up towards a 4 star rating and Phillip that pulls it down. But oh that cover, and that title…….

Cover art by Paul Richmond. Entrancing and whimsical. I loved it. One of my favorite’s of his to be sure.

Book Details:

ebook, 226 pages
Published May 24th 2013 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN 1623805821 (ISBN13: 9781623805821)
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3819

Review: Heart of the Race by Mary Calmes

Rating: 3.75 stars out of 5

Brian Christie has loved Varro Dacien since he was 9 and saw him for the first time out the window of his foster home. Varro and his brother Nico were getting ready to jump a go cart off his family’s rooftop. That day saw Varro in the hospital yet again and Brian moved into the Dacien home as a newly minted member of the family. The two boys proved inseparable, right up until Brian realized he was both gay and in love with his foster brother. Varro, a lover of all things fast, decides to be a professional motorcycle racer even as Brian heads off to college, unable to stand the pain of being near the man he can never have.

But without Brian at his side, Varro becomes reckless and heedless of others words of caution. Racing around on tough courses at hell bent speeds, Varro is crashing more than he is winning and he is sure it is because Brian is missing from his life. Brian is still trying to move on but his love for Varro is keeping him firmly moored unable to go forward with someone else. When Varro finally wakes up to the fact that he loves Brian not as a brother but a lover, will it be too late for Brian to accept his change of heart?

Heart of the Race is another sweet and sexy story of two men deeply in love , exactly we have come to expect from Mary Calmes. At 86 pages, it is shorter than most of the stories I have read of hers but the characters, their issues and slow build to a loving relationship all have the Mary Calmes hallmarks that make her stories a comfort read for all her fans, of which I am one.

I loved the manner in which the boys meet. That delightful and charming window into their childhoods really set the tone of the story for me. It was funny, it felt real, and had its moments of heartbreaking clarity with regard to Brian’s neglected life as a foster child. In fact I enjoyed this section of the story so much that I wanted to see more of Brian and Varro’s childhood and their close friendship growing up. It was one of my quibbles with this story that I wanted a firmer foundation for their background history because the few glimpses given just wetted my appetite for more. The author does such a wonderful job of setting the framework of the story that it just cries out for a larger book to do it justice.

Brian and Varro fall beautifully into the Mary Calmes pantheon of main characters. A foster child shifting from home to home, Brian’s need for stability and his love for Varro come through perfectly as his driving motivations for his actions. Varro’s character is in need of more substantive layering. My issues with Varro come from the fact that he is portrayed as a man slut, three and four women a night, so his jump to homosexuality is abrupt and not quite believable. Gay for you stories need a realistic platform in order for the switch to seem authentic and I had problems believing that of Varro. I think that the shorter length hurt the story in several ways, including making Varro’s walk to the gay side believable. I wish that we had been given more of Varro’s viewpoint during the year he was racing without Brian so we could see what Brian’s absence had on him and what, if any, changes he made to his sexually voracious lifestyle.

I thought Mary Calmes did a good job with the aspects of life as a motorcycle racer, something I was not familiar with, it was a perfect profession for Varro but I did miss descriptions of what it must feel like to race a bike on such a course, and how it felt for Brian to be a part of that life for a year. We get a bit of insight here and there but again, a longer book could have included that aspect of their time together and it would have highlighted the pain each felt while they were apart.

I did enjoy Heart of the Race. It was fast and sexy, just like the motorcycle races Varro rode in. If I came away feeling a little less satiated, I think that a longer book and a little more back history would have taken care of that. If you want a short tale of love and sex in the fast lane, pick this one up and have a great time.

I love that cover by Catt Ford. Just outstanding in every way.

Book Details:

ebook, 86 pages

Published June 1st 2013 by Dreamspinner Press

ISBN

9781623808

edition language

English

url

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3930

series

2013 Daily D

Review: In Search of a Story by Andrew Grey

Rating: 3.25 stars

Reporter Brad Torrence is worried about his job. Brad hasn’t been able to write the stories he knows is inside of him, and he is stuck proofreading and fact checking other reporters stories. When his boss tells him that the stories he submitted are boring and to try and find one in the classified ads, Brad can’t believe it. But disobeying the boss means being out of a job, and Brad does as he was instructed. Brad is frustrated and ready to give up when a ad jumps out and captures his attention. For Sale: Nursery Items, Never Used. Thinking that a story of loss and regret would be a perfect subject for his next deadline, Brad contacts the person behind the ad and finds more than he had expected.

Anesthesiologist Cory Wolfe is still grieving over the loss of his best friend and the child he was to adopt. When reporter Brad Torrence contacts him about the ad he placed, Cory agrees to an interview, thinking it might help him obtain the closure he needs. During the interview, Cory finds the process of sharing his story emotionally liberating and healing while Brad gets something he can personally relate to in Cory’s story. After the interview is finished, both men find themselves attracted to and wanting to see each other again.

Cory and Brad find themselves in a relationship that is growing stronger by the day but another mystery finds its way onto Brad’s desk. Soon Brad is pursuing leads that threaten their new relationship and imperil their lives. What will Brad do in search of a story?

I love Andrew Grey’s work and look forward to each new story he writes. The last few books published, especially The Good Fight series, has been outstanding. I only wish I could say the same about In Search of a Story, but that is not the case.

In Search of a Story has a interesting premise, one that drew me in immediately. Who doesn’t look through the classified ads and find tantalizing bits of human history offered up in just a few lines. So I couldn’t wait to see where Grey took this plot and what spin he put on the narrative. And as far as the outline of the plot goes, the author did a good job. I thought the idea of a grief stricken almost parent mourning the loss of a child compelling. So too the idea that a connection between the reporter and the person who filled the classified ad is made. There was so much promise here, so much ground that could have been covered and turned into an amazing story. But two things kept that from happening. And unfortunately, they are the two main characters.

For some strange reason, neither Brad nor Cory are especially compelling. These characters came across as oddly flat from the very beginning. While “listening” to Cory tell his story, I was never really engaged in the personal tragedy that was being revealed, there was a distance from the characters and their history almost immediately. Brad too felt one dimensional, too cub reporter in search of a story that I have seen before. Much is made of his background with his mother but again the author has problems making that a part of the much larger picture of grief over the loss of a child after highlighting it in the narrative. From scene to scene, I kept hoping to find a spark that would let me feel part of their story and romance, but it never came about.

There is a secondary mystery here for Brad to solve. It serves to introduce a measure of suspense and danger into a story that really needs it. But again, this interesting segment was not given the attention or resolution that it was due and the outcome of this investigation ended up frustrating me with its incomplete story, rather than buttressing up the original plot as I am sure the author intended.

In the end, the story just has an off feel to it. It leaves the reader wondering more what went wrong, than happy over the characters and their relationship. If you are new to Andrew Grey as an author, there are so many great books of his out there to start with, so give this a pass. If Andrew Grey is an automatic must read, then take this as a note of caution and make up your own mind. Either way, I will be looking forward to his next book as always, because given how prolific Mr. Grey is, even he must have an off day at times. Consider this one of his.

Cover Art by Brooke Albrecht. I think the cover is ok, but nothing on the dramatic side. However, it is in line with the story inside the covers.

Book Details:

ebook, 200 pages
Published May 31st 2013 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN 1623806143 (ISBN13: 9781623806149)
urlhttp://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3825

Review: The Hanged Man’s Ghost (Night Wars #1) by Missouri Dalton

Rating: 4.75 stars

Fynn Adder’s life is on a downward spiral and he is doing his best to speed it up. Since the murder of his longtime lover, Flynn has spent his free time in a drunken haze, the alcohol contributing to his frequent sexual hookups and increasingly disastrous personal decisions. Only his professional life is currently stable, but that is due more to the efforts of his partner, Jack Winchester, than to his own discretion. Flynn Adder is a detective with the Chicago Police Department, and a son of a famous Chicago irish police family. And because of his family name and reputation, Fynn’s actions and career are under greater scrutiny, a fact not lost on Fynn.

When a girl is murdered, the case is muddied immediately when the trail of clues point in the direction of Fynn’s family and the death of his lover. That case went unsolved and now it appears the two are connected. With his Captain,partner and family expressing their concerns about his erratic behavior and drinking, Fynn tries concentrating on the strange clues he is unearthing, they just aren’t making sense.

As more murders occur, all the clues point to a supernatural rather than rational explanation. Then Internal Affairs agent Daniel Voight enters the picture. Voight is determined to prove Adder a dirty cop and will let nothing, even the truth, stand in his way. The only aspect of Adder’s life that brings him happiness is his relationship with his police partner, Jack. Fynn has had a crush on his married partner for years and been happy to just be included as a friend in Jack’s life. But even that aspect of Fynn’s life is undergoing a major change.

With all the clues pointing back to Fynn’s past and the murderer taunting him with mysterious messages he can’t decipher, the stress and unnatural events push Fynn past the breaking point. If the murderer is to be caught and the killings stopped, Fynn will need to reach out for help and support in places he never expected and soon before he and those he loves are caught in the Hanged Man’s noose.

I loved this book and fell under its spell immediately, as I should have. But I didn’t come to this series in a straightforward manner. I started with The Night Shift (Night Wars #2), than the 3rd installment, The Hellfire Legacy, and by doing so, did this series a real injustice. Trust me when I say this is an addicting, enthralling series with something for everyone to love. And I would have known that sooner had I read them in the order they were written and should have been read. Mea culpa indeed. But let’s get back to the beginning and The Hanged Man’s Ghost.

Missouri Dalton’s characters are a wonder. Fynn is especially surprising. He comes from a large irish family in Chicago whose members have always been part of the Chicago PD rank and file. But unlike his father and brother, Fynn is not your burly Irishman but rather a slender blond with a penchant for knitting and booze. He is also gay, out with a large supportive family behind him. Not that it seems to matter when we first meet him. The author has created a back history for Fynn that is incredibly complex and is only slowly revealed over the length of the book, both to the reader and to Fynn. He has been existing in an alcoholic fog since the murder of his longterm lover. Dalton’s treatment of Fynn’s alcolholism is realistic and grim without giving up any of the character’s wry, and sometimes caustic personality. It’s a personality you will come to love as much as for it’s power of survival as it is for its wry, self effacing facade. Here is a taste of Fynn for you:

“You need a lift to the station?” Jack raised an eyebrow.

I shook my head. “Nah, I see my bike.” It was parked three feet from a hydrant. Jack eyed the bike. It was sort of a death trap.

“You were at the club last night.”

“Yeah.” I backed out of striking range.

He stepped closer and grabbed my arm. “Were you drinking?” I looked away. “Damn it, Fynn, were you?”

“Yeah.” He usually managed to make me feel guilty about these things. He shook his head and let go of my arm. “He could suspend you, take you off this case.”

“I know.” At least he didn’t hit me, but from the ache in my arm, I’d bet it was bruising. Sometimes it sucked to have pale Irish skin.

“At least tell me you’re still seeing the shrink.” My silence was answer enough. “If you want to kill yourself, Fynn, that’s your business. But don’t you dare think it doesn’t affect the rest of us.” He stormed off. Good old Jack, still trying to save me from myself.

The weariness of that voice gets inside of you, and the force of the personality behind that voice makes the reader want to help him out of the gutter he has tossed himself into. And this is just the beginning.

Dalton starts bringing in Fynn’s large family, each a well drawn character, and the mystery that surrounds them. We also get to know Jack, his wife and his precocious daughter too, and come to care for at least two of them just as the author intends. And as Dalton grounds Fynn with his family and Jack, she connects the reader intimately with them and we become invested in their survival. A survival that becomes increasingly precarious as the murderer starts targeting people around Fynn. Piece by supernatural piece starts to position itself in the story, as the plot lines start to crisscross, and some surprising and chilling twists arrive around each plot corner. Make no mistake, there are some truly haunting and suspenseful aspects to this story, beautifully conceived and written.

The tough thing about this story is that it is so complex and every little nuance will take on greater import as the story and the series progress. Things I would have overlooked as inconsequential here had I read this book first, now took on a larger role because I knew what lay behind the slight descriptions so casually thrown away inside this book. The narrative reminds me of that magazine Hidden Pictures. There are clues and small stories to be found everywhere as the author is constructing a much larger story outside of The Hanged Man’s Ghost. This just absolutely delighted me with its complexity while never forgetting that the story and the series has a very human heart, that of Fynn Adder and those he loves.

Another thread that weaves itself through Fynn’s life and the story is his knitting, a subject near to my heart as a knitter as well. Here is a little taste of Fynn the knitter:

Cassie’s knitting was in a basket on the left side of the chair I had claimed and I needed a distraction from the tension.

A half-finished pink scarf. Probably for Tara. Cassie would likely not finish it in time for Tara’s birthday.

I picked it up and started a new row. It looked like a simple purl knit purl. Jack raised an eyebrow, I kept knitting. He couldn’t knock my knitting; I’d fixed his sweater the day it got caught in the drawer. With pencils no less.

I intend to track down the author and ask about a certain pattern for a scarf that Fynn knits for himself. It’s perfection but not one that can be included in this review. It is just one more insightful and delightful element that is incorporated into a story that just keeps surprising the deeper into it you go. The Hanged Man’s Ghost is a cop thriller, a supernatural mystery and a love story. It chilling, and humorous, and filled with angst. And for the many angles and subject matters that are being juggled here, Missouri Dalton does them all justice and then some, pulling them together for a terrific ending that will leave the reader looking for more.

The editing could be a little tighter and the narrative gets away from itself a tad towards the middle, otherwise this would be a 5 star rating, My love for the characters and plot far outweigh those issues, so it really comes close to being perfect. Now the series has become a new favorite of mine. It will become yours too. Just don’t make my mistake and start in the middle. Go right to the beginning, and succumb to the many charms and chills of the Night Wars series and Missouri Dalton’s characters. You won’t be sorry.

Here are the books as they were written and should be read:

The Hanged Man’s Ghost (Night Wars #01)

The Night Shift (Night Wars #02) – please note revised rating and additional comments at the beginning.

The Hellfire Legacy (Night Wars #03)

Alessia Brio is the cover artist for this book and the series. I think the artist did a great job in branding the series while keeping each cover true to the story within. Great job.

Book Details:

ebook, 276 pages
Published February 1st 2012 by Torquere Press
ISBN 1610407091 (ISBN13: 9781610407090)
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=97&products_id=3507
seriesThe Night Wars #01

Review: Outlast the Night (Lang Downs #3) by Ariel Tachna

Rating: 5 stars

Broke, despondent and soon to be divorced Sam Emery has no where to turn but to his brother Neil when he leaves his embittered wife and old life behind him. Sam is also leaving the closet as well, another reason for the divorce and the hatred his soon to be ex feels for him. Sam only got married to please his controlling father and that was a disaster from the very beginning. Now Sam turns to Neil, his younger brother who lives and works on a sheep station and Sam is unsure of his welcome there when he tells his brother he is gay. Sam knows that Neil loves him but will he be accepted? And what will an out of work bookkeeper do on a sheep station?

The brother who meets Sam is not the brother Sam remembers. Neil accepts Sam’s sexuality with an openness that surprises Sam. But then again, Neil lives at Lang Downs, a sheep station owned and operated by a gay couple, Caine Neiheisel and Macklin Armstrong and his views have undergone a fundamental change in the process. Lang Downs has been described by those that live there as a “miracle”, a magnet and haven for those in need. Sam has been hurt to his core by the constant verbal abuse thrown at him by his wife, shattered by the loss of his job and made to feel like a total failure by his life to date. A miracle is just what he needs if only he can accept it.

Jeremy Taylor is another man in need of a home and sanctuary. The youngest brother of the family that owns the neighboring sheep station, the two families have butted heads since Jeremy can remember. But since his father died and his brother took over, things have gotten out of control because of his brother’s bigotry and hatred. One explosive argument and fight leads to Jeremy outing himself to his brother and his exit from the only home and lifestyle Jeremy has ever known. Immediately Jeremy heads over to the one place he hopes to be accepted – Lang Downs. But the animosity runs deep between the seasonal buckaroos and Jeremy when the hands have problems looking past Jeremy’s last name to see the man underneath. And then the problem is compounded when Sam and Jeremy become friends to his brother’s consternation because Neil’s antipathy towards Jeremy’s family.

Can two men in need of love and a home find it with each other at Lang Downs? It will take another small miracle to overcome Sam’s insecurity and fear and Jeremy’s family’s reputation if they are to find happiness with each other and outlast the night.

I finished this book and immediately wanted to go back to the beginning and start the series a fresh because I can’t get enough of this universe that Ariel Tachna has created. This book and series has such compelling characters as well as a captivating setting that it is impossible to put the books down once started and the stories stay with you long past the last page. Really this is fast becoming one of my top favorites in contemporary fiction series.

Outlast The Night is as strong and enthralling book as the one that started the series. Lang Downs is such a large and isolated sheep station that it acts as its own small village. By using the sheep station as her setting, Ariel Tachna ensures that all the beloved characters of the previous novels are fully present and engaged in the current story as are the newly introduced main characters. Tachna creates her web of characters that works much the way that nature herself does, they are all interlocked with each other. Their actions have reverberations throughout the sheep station and all those who live there, just as it does in nature. The men, women, children and animals all live in intimate connection with the earth at Lang Downs. From the seasonal variations in their lives and work to the animals themselves, both wild and domesticated, all are aware of the fundamental role nature plays in their lives.

Winter, the season the book starts in, brings a slower pace to the sheep station. Breeding is finished, and the seasonal jackaroos are gone until spring. The village has shrunk down to those “year rounders” who make Lang Downs their home, school, and workplace. Through the previous novels, we have gotten familiar with the sights and sounds of the place and its citizens. We see the bare necessities of the bunkhouse, the functionality of the sheep sheds, complete with odor mind you, and the predators that keep watch for the unwary animals in field and barn. The author brings Lang Downs vividly and authentically to life before our eyes and before we know it, we feel right at home there along with Caine, Macklin, and Kami. Of course, Kami the aboriginal chef is in the main house kitchen, creating food for all who live there and dispensing advice to those who need it. Molly, Neil’s fiance, is a marvelous female character, a force in her own right. Well, I will let you see them through Sam’s eyes:

Sam finished eating, doing his best not to telegraph his unease to the rest of the room. Caine and Macklin sat at a nearby table talking with several other jackaroos Sam hadn’t met yet, but it was obvious from the body language that they were well known to Caine and Macklin. Sam figured the two men knew everyone pretty well by the end of the summer, but it took a certain degree of familiarity to choose to sit at the table with the bosses. Two teens joined them at the table a moment later, obviously sure of their welcome, and Sam realized one of the boys closely resembled the youngest of the jackaroos.

“Chris and Seth Simms,” Neil said, following Sam’s gaze. “Chris is the one I was telling you about in Yass, the one who nearly died. Seth is his younger brother. And that’s Jesse Harris sitting next to Chris, and then Jason Thompson, the other kid, and his dad, Patrick, our head mechanic. They’re all year-rounders. Patrick’s wife, Carley, is around here somewhere, although I haven’t seen her this morning. She helps out in the bunkhouses and in the kitchen sometimes, when Kami lets her.”

And that doesn’t even include the animals that play such an important roles on the station as well. From Arrow, Jeremy’s kelpie (a sheep herding breed), to Titan, “and a big lug of a horse who loved anyone who brought him treats”, these animals will endear themselves to you in much the same manner as their human counterparts. And never does Ariel Tachna make the mistake of treating these animals as pets. These are workers with important jobs to do on the station and are handled accordingly, although with love and affection.

Sam and Jeremy are wonderful additions to Lang Downs and the series. Sam, so vulnerable and hurting, his self image shattered over time by an angry abusive wife. Sam feels out of place,in his life and on the station. A business manager by profession, you can feel his unease and wariness at thinking that he will find a home at Lang Downs. The reader will feel his pain and insecurity and then root for him as Sam begins to pull himself back together, a slow process and a realistic one too. Jeremy is his opposite, he is so rooted to the land and the sheep that it practically rolls off of him from the moment we meet him. Coming from a tough family background has made Jeremy equally tough, inside and out. But still, Jeremy has the capacity to show his gentle side with his dog, Arrow and Sam. It is a beautiful character and the two of them together are like comfort food and magic at the same time. A difficult combination to achieve but Ariel Tachna has done it here with Sam and Jeremy.

Authenticity. Ariel Tachna brings that to this novel and her series in spades. From the Drizzle Bones the men wear (and wear properly) to the utes they drive, I never doubt that the terms and clothing the author uses are the correct ones. But just as important as the research is the seamless manner in which the information is doled out to the reader, in spurts and quick asides. And ever so slowly we have accumulated a wealth of information about an Australian sheep station and how it feels to live and work on one without realizing it. Really, the flawless manner in which Tachna has created all of Lang Downs is exceptional.

I love that all of Tachna’s characters are fully realized and vivid in their personalities as any you would meet out on the streets around you. They endear themselves to you because they feel so real, from their flaws to their passions. And just as real and special is Lang Downs, the heart of the series. I will let you hear it from Jeremy and Sam:

” “Lang Downs is a pretty special place.

”“Lang Downs is a miracle,” Jeremy amended. “A bloody miracle, and if you don’t believe that, ask Chris how he ended up here. Hell, ask Macklin how he ended up here. Or Kami. Or Patrick. I’d bet most of the year-rounders have a story to tell about how this place changed their lives. I never knew what drove Michael Lang, but even as a young child, I knew things were different here when I came to visit. That’s even more the case now.”

Yes, Lang Downs is a special place and each new story makes it even more so. I hope that Ariel Tachna has many more stories to tell on her sheep station in Australia, more people to meet, more couples in need of home and a miracle. I know that I will never get tired of this place and the people who inhabit it as the saga gets stronger with each new story it tells. If you are already on the journey, pick up this new addition and fall in love all over again. If you are new to the series, start at the beginning, discover the magic and wonder that is Lang Downs. Expect to become addicted to a very special place in an isolated territory in Australia and the people who live there.

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

Inherit The Sky (Lang Downs #1)

Chase The Stars (Lang Downs #2)

Outlast The Night (Lang Downs #3)

Cover art by Anne Cain is as lovely as the book it represents. The men are perfect representations for Jeremy and Sam and the landscape gorgeous.

Book Details:

ebook, 210 pages
Published May 20th 2013 by Dreamspinners Press
ISBN 1623807093 (ISBN13: 9781623807092)
edition languageEnglish
seriesLang Downs

Ariel Tachna (0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00). Outlast the Night (Kindle Locations 1171-1175). Dreamspinner Press. Kindle Edition.

Review: A Silence Kept by Theo Fenraven

Rating: 4.25 stars

When Mikal Gray discovers that his boyfriend is cheating on him, the results are devastating. It costs Mikal not only the man he thought he loved, but his home and his job as he had worked as his partner’s business manager in their restaurant. And it evens costs Mikal, their annual summer vacation spot on Fire Island. Mikal can’t even begin to concieve of spending his month avoiding their mutual friends and watching or watching his ex hook up, so he decides to rent a house in the opposite direction. Mikal figures this way he will have a home for the summer while he figures out what to do next.

His realtor tells him that the 1800’s farmstead on the Hudson would be the perfect place for him. Quiet, charming, near the water, everything Mikal could want except for one little thing she must mention. It is already occupied by a ghost. Not believing her, Mikal signs the papers and steps into a old tragedy that will cut close to his heart and a ghost who needs his help. With his friend Alice, and a handsome ghost hunter named Seth, Mikal sets out to unravel the mystery of the weeping man of New Paltz.

A Silence Kept is a short supernatural mystery, only 80 pages, but it has the feel of a much longer story. Theo Fenraven does a remarkable job of letting the reader step onto the farm and into the mystery along side Mikal, our narrator. This is such an intimate way to tell a story and when it is done well, as it is here, it brings with it the closest connection a reader can feel with the main character. Mikal is deeply hurt by his lover’s betrayal. He had thought that they would make it last so everything he had was tied into the relationship and his partner. They worked together at his boyfriend’s restaurant, Mikal as his business manager, they lived and vacationed as an established couple. Now all of that is lost and Mikal is left to mourn and try to figure out how to move on. I don’t know anyone who has not gone through this brutal event, it hurts and its devastating in that the loss goes beyond the death of love into other areas of the person’s life. Fenraven gets that and puts all that pain and heartache into Mikal, but not without a dash of humor thrown in:

“But we were exclusive,” I shot back. “We were together three years, and you threw that away for some twink who can’t even make radish roses. Are you insane?”

“I’m in love with him,” he sniffed, running a hand through his close-cropped hair. “It happens.”

I stared at him, remembering how that gesture used to turn me on. I remembered a lot of things in that moment, and some of them were pretty good. Like the time he’d made me chicken soup when I’d been down for two days with a nasty cold. Or the time he’d bought expensive tickets to a concert I’d really wanted to see. The night he told me he loved me, and then went on to prove it three times. How he smelled right after a shower. How he smelled when he hadn’t had one in a few hours, which was even better.

We had history, damn it. We’d created a life together. For a moment—just a moment—I almost relented. The thought of starting all over again with someone new made me want to curl up in bed and sleep until the next millennium.

That sounds so real, including that bit about the radish rose, human and oh so authentic. Mikal is a fully rounded human being, he sounds like one and acts that way too. As do all the characters in this story, all alive and multilayered. I loved one, each and every one. And Fenraven’s gift of creating moving characters does not stop with the living, but extends to the dead and ghostly as well.

The painful backstory of the ghost is quite literally a haunting one. It will hit close to home for Mikal and for the reader as well. I love the supernatural touches that Fenraven uses to introduce the ghost into the story, the blasts of cold air, and moving rocker, and more. But those little chills are best left for the reader to discover on their own.

My only issue with this story is the resolution at the end. At 80 pages, I felt it was a little rushed and wished for a longer ending. But my quibble aside, I loved this story. It intrigued me as the mystery was so well done and it left me satisfied at the end. I wouldn’t mind seeing more stories of Seth and Mikal sometime in the future, they make a great pair. I highly recommend this for all you lovers of romance and tales of the supernatural. Within these pages, you will find both lovingly accomplished.

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 80 pages
Published February 28th 2013 by Voodoo Lily Press (first published September 12th 2011)
ASINB00BNWB6UC
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://voodoolilypress.com/

Scattered Thoughts May 2013 Book Reviews

It was a great month in book reviews. While most of the book fell into the contemporary fiction category, there was a book in just about every genre. One of my favorites this month was Fragile Bond by Rhi Etzweiler, a science fiction gem of a story from Riptide Publishing. I have also found new authors like Sue Brown and her outstanding The Sky Is Dead. Don’t pass either of these by. And if you loved Country Mouse by Amy Lane and Aleksandr Voinov, then you won’t want to miss the followup novel, City Mouse (Country Mouse #2). I thought it was even better than its predecessor.

There are stand alone stories and new books in continuing series. This includes one series (The Night Wars) that I will be reevaluating on the basis of the third book in the series, a real stunner called The Hellfire Legacy by Missouri Dalton. This is a terrific book and I had not rated the second book very highly. Now I am going back in June, reading all three together and write a review of the series in June (and probably a mea culpa or two on my part as well).

The titles are linked to my reviews. Really, there is something for everyone here. Here are May 2013’s book reviews in order of rating:

5 Star Rating:

City Mouse (Country Mouse #2) by Amy Lane and Aleksandr Voinov (contemporary)
Fragile Bond by Rhi Etzweiler (Science Fiction)
The Sky Is Dead by Sue Brown (contemporary)

4 to 4.75 Star Rating:
Adapting Instincts (Instincts #4) by S.J. Frost
Bad Attitude (Bad in Baltimore #3) by K.A. Mitchell (4.25 stars) (contemporary)
Bullheaded by Catt Ford (4.25 stars) (contemporary)
Closet Capers Anthology (4.25 stars) mixture
Damned If You Do: The Complete Collection by J.L. Merrow
Leaving Home (Home #4) by TA Chase (4 stars)
Moments by R.J. Scott (4.25 stars) (contemporary)
Never A Hero (a Tucker Springs novel) by Marie Sexton (4.5 stars) (contemporary)
Night of Ceremony (Notice #4) by M. Raiya (4.5 stars) (fantasy, romance)
Noah by Ben Ryder (4 stars) (contemporary)
Shy by John Inman (4.25 stars) (contemporary)
Still by Mary Calmes (4.75 stars) (contemporary)
The Hellfire Legacy (The Night Wars #3) by Missouri Dalton (4.5 stars) (supernatural)
The Isle of…Where? by Sue Brown (4.5 stars) (contemporary)
The Unforgiving Minute by Sarah Grainger (4.75 stars) (contemporary)

3 to 3.75 Star Rating:
Chateau D’Eternite by Ariel Tachna (3.75 stars) Fantasy
Fire Horse by Mickie B. Ashling (3.75 stars) (contemporary)
His Heart To Reap by Erin Lane (3 stars) (supernatural)
It Takes Practice by Willa Okati (3 stars) contemporary

2 to 2.75 Star Rating:

Review: Adapting Instincts (Instincts #4) by S.J. Frost

Rating: 4.25 stars out of 5

Zoologist and primate specialist Carl Anderson’s thoughts are consumed by one man and one kiss whose message remains unclear to Carl. And it is not just the kiss that has unsettled his life, but the fact that the man who kissed him was a vampire, one of many who live all around him hidden to most of human society. This fact was revealed to Carl through events involving his best friend Andreas Nikandros and his vampire lover Titus Antonius Calidus (Loving Instincts). Those events saw Carl caught between the vampires and the vampire hunters, including another of Carl’s friends, Matthew. At one point Carl and Andreas were threatened with death and one of Carl’s rescuers was the vampire warrior, Egill Dalgaard.

Egill Dalgaard. Viking warrior and member of vampire society’s ruling body, the Tribunal, is used to having complete control of his life but one special human has upset his calm and ordered existence. Egill cannot get Carl Anderson out of his thoughts since he first met the human and helped save his life. And that one kiss has insured Carl’s place in Egill’s nightly dreams. There are so many reasons why a continued association with Carl is ill advised and just one reason to do so. Egill hasn’t felt this way about someone in a very long time, and for that reason alone Egill cannot let this human go.

Carl’s thoughts are still so divided and upset. There is Matthew, mixed up with the vampire hunters, on one side and Egill Dalgaard, viking vampire on the other. Carl’s life is now full of fearful glances at the dark, and longing too. But the vampire hunters are still out there , posing a threat to Carl, Andreas, and the vampires Carl has come to know and respect. Any relationship Carl and Egill might have will be threatened by a variety of forces all around them, including the Tribunal. Carl has always been afraid of confrontation, but if he wants Egill in his life, then he must decide on which path to take, including one that will take him away from his humanity.

Adapting Instincts is the fourth book in the Instincts series by S.J. Frost, a series that shows continues to deliver wonderful characters and a deepening overall story arch that runs through the entire series to date. In this latest installation, all of our favorite couples are back and fully involved in this book’s narrative. We have the original couple of Andreas Nikandros (now a vampire himself) and his eternal partner Titus Antonius Calidus, Vampire Samurai Ryunosuke Kimura and his vampire lover Daniel Valente (my favorite couple) and now brought into the center are viking vampire Egill Dalgaard and human Carl Anderson, friend and former coworker of Andreas Nikandros.

Adapting Instincts picks up three months after that last events of Loving Instincts (Instincts #3), events that have left reverberations through all the lives of those involved, human and vampire alike. One of the strengths of S.J. Frost’s writing is her wonderful world building and complex narrative. While each book normally revolves around one main couple and their romance, multiple plot threads and characters weave themselves throughout the romantic relationship, acting not only as a foundation but as the perpetuator that lends the story momentum and depth. Coexisting with the daily conflicts that arise with being a human, Frost contrasts that with the rigid societal structure of the vampire world. It makes for a fascinating and absolutely addicting read to see how the two worlds will not only collide but continue to mesh as vampires and humans interact. The first three books are full of conflict and harrowing events for all the couples involved, so it makes sense for the fourth book to deal with the aftermath and emotional letdown. With two exceptions, most of this story concentrates on relationship issues, those between Carl and Egill. And while that choice simplifies the storyline, it also carries with it a more lightly layered plot as well, lacking the depth and complexity of those books that precedes it.

After the emotional events, that is a very realistic way of dealing with the aftermath of the kidnappings and near death experiences of book 3. I really enjoy the character of Egill, former viking warrior and formidable vampire lord. Stolid and controlled, it is lovely to watch such a character react to love entering his life after such a long existence. Frost does a great job with Egill’s personality, making him both realistically regal and yet vulnerable too in his tightly controlled mien. Carl, on the other hand, felt a little too passive for me to connect with. True, he has a poor self image and his need to avoid conflict puts himself and others in terrible situations. It is hard to connect with a character that you want to give a shake to most of the time. Carl’s indecisiveness is just unattractive to me so it helped immensely that Frost gave us Davy, the Black-headed Spider Monkey. Davy, along with all the other marvelous animal characters in this series, adds a touch of humor and endearment just when the story needs it the most. By seeing Carl’s relationship with Davy, it helps connect us to a character that lacks some of the vivid personality traits of the others in the series. I loved Davy and hope that the author will bring him back into the series somewhere down the line just as she did with Dakarai, Andreas’ lion, and all the other animals who a such a delight in the series. Here is your first introduction to Davy:

Carl stopped outside the habitat for the spider monkeys. He released the cart’s handles to place his hands on his hips, fixing Davy with a disapproving look. “Really? Is that necessary?”

Davy quit banging the bowl on the mesh and stared up at him with intelligent black eyes.

Carl swore the monkey was trying to play innocent. A smile broke over his lips despite trying to stay stern. It was all Davy needed. The monkey scurried up the mesh to be at eye level with him, reaching through with his left hand, the one missing the index finger. Carl held a finger toward him, and Davy wrapped his others around it. The warm, soft leathery feel of Davy’s palm made him grateful he’d been able to save the monkey’s hand. When Davy and the others came to the zoo, starved and sick from the poor care they’d received in a backyard zoo—or deathtrap, as he called it—Davy’s hand was so infected from a baboon biting his finger off, he didn’t know if he’d be able to save it. But he had, and after months of diligent care, Davy and his brothers were healthy and sassy.

The interplay between man and monkey is telling. It is humorous, affectionate, and clearly a wonderful relationship. Even when you are fed up with Carl’s dithering about, moments like this will keep the reader invested in his character and his future.

Is this book a stand alone? No, it must be read as part of the series and in the order they were written, otherwise key elements will be lost or misconstrued. I love this series and absolutely recommend it. Start at the beginning and work your way through. Instincts shows no hint of slowing down, as new characters are introduced here as well as persons left over from the last book such as Matthew. And the fact that all the other beloved characters will be there as well is just the icing on the cake. If you are already invested in this series, I guarantee you will enjoy this book too. Adapting Instincts (Instincts #4) carries the main plot thread forward while satisfying us with another romance completed. Great job, great story, wonderful series.

Here they are in the order they were written and should be read:

Natural Instincts (Instincts #1)

Enduring Instincts (Instincts #2)

Loving Instincts (Instincts #3)

Adapting Instincts (Instincts #4)

Cover art by Winterheart Designs is evocative in design and tone. I thought the two landscapes a nice touch.

ebook, 210 pages
Published March 14th 2013 by MLR Press
ISBN 1020130040
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://www.mlrbooks.com/ShowBook.php?book=SJF_ADIN
seriesI

Review: The Unforgiving Minute by Sarah Grainger

Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5

Ryan Betancourt has finally made it, all of his hard work has finally paid off and he is on the World Tour with many of the star players he grew up watching and idolizing. One of those players is Josh Andrews, the star of the tour and current golden boy of tennis. Ryan has had a huge crush on Josh since the first time Ryan saw Josh play a match. So Ryan is eager to meet his idol, and is crushed when his first encounter is with a cold, aloof Josh surrounded by his retinue. Ryan has always approached tennis the same way he has people, with an open heart, and no suspicions about ulterior motives or possible head games.

Josh Andrews can never remember a time when he has not played tennis. He has a obsessive former tennis champ as a father who has directed his childhood and every moment as an adult to one goal, winning tennis games. Sidelined by a knee injury, Josh is now back on track to win, no matter the costs. A life spent on the courts means Josh is well aware of the negative aspects of the game, from court politics to the ways the unwary can be hurt by those around them. Josh is not eager to open himself up to anyone outside his circle, let alone an up and coming unknown.

Ryan’s manner of playing and his attitude has turned him into a crowd favorite and that same attitude has him returning back to the one player who holds him at arms length, the closeted Josh. As Ryan slowly breaks down Josh’s defenses, a true friendship and then more develops. But the sharks are circling on and around the courts, including one who intends to take them both down. As the stresses build, can Ryan and Josh continue to win at tennis and finally at love?

I loved every page of The Unforgiving Minute and it was another book I didn’t stop reading until it was over. Sarah Grainger uses the world of professional tennis to give us a heartwarming and stirring story of love on the courts. Everything you want in a terrific romance is here. We have two tennis players, one who has finally arrived at the top level and one who has been there for years. Grainger also provides both men with backgrounds completely opposite to each other which helps not only to explain their outlook on the game of tennis, but their outlook on life as well. The author’s well rounded characterizations which extends into completely different playing styles and discipline further enrich this romance by pulling the reader throughly into their worlds, involving us in the regimen necessary to continue to play at the top of the professional game.

In the author’s note, it tells us that Sarah Grainger lives in the Cotswolds and loves to ramble about with her lab. Well, honestly, after reading this novel, I was sure she had spent all her time playing tennis because of the familiarity and love of the game that pours forth from every page. The reader learns about the strategy, the different court surfaces, and the rules and regulations the tennis players abide by. By the end of the book and during a stirring, gut wrenching match, we are not merely spectators but feel as though we are sweating on the court along with the ballgirl. I mean there are some wonderful blood pumping, exhaustion inducing descriptions here of the players and their matches. If you have never watched a tennis game before, you will want to after reading this book.

But it’s the characters here that will draw you into the story and keep you there. I am not just talking about Ryan with his “baby giraffe” runs across the court after a ball, or Josh, so disciplined and yet terribly vulnerable. True I adored them both, but there is also Elaine, doubles player, Ryan’s best friend and scary person. I loved her and her attitude. There are the great characters that exist in Josh’s retinue, from the masseuse to the cook. All fully realized people who bring a authentic feel and depth to all the interpersonal relationships that matter to the main characters and the game of tennis.

Here is a little excerpt and window into the life of Ryan after a match:

AFTER beating Michael Kreissig, Ryan was on a high. He was through to the fourth round of the Australian freaking Open. He was grinning as he sat down with a bit of a thump on one of the couches in the treatment room.

Tim, the in-house sports masseur, strolled over, flexing his hands. His wonderful, miracle-working hands. The first time Tim had treated Ryan, Ryan had proposed marriage. It had only been when the words were already out of his mouth that he’d realized he should be more careful; what he thought of as harmless banter might not be taken too well, even though everyone except Elena and Tommy probably assumed he was straight. Thankfully, Tim had been unfazed. He was apparently used to proposals from the players, whether of marriage or full-time employment. He’d also turned Ryan down with unflattering swiftness.

“What can I do for you today, Mr. Betancourt?”

Ryan laid himself down on the couch on his front, resting his head on his folded arms. “You can make it all go away, Tim, then run off to Bali with me.”

“You only want me for my hands.” Ryan couldn’t see Tim’s face from where he was lying, but he sounded suitably lugubrious at the thought.

“Well, yeah. And your knowledge of physiology.”

“Irresistible as you make it sound, I don’t think my wife would agree.”

“She could come too. Hey, does she give massages?”

And for that, he was subjected to a very firm deep tissue massage. He wasn’t entirely sure if it was reward or punishment, but he couldn’t stop the groans that it drew from him as Tim worked his magic.

With even a small excerpt, you get Ryan’s sense of humor and outgoing spirit, his closeted status and easy approach to the people around him. Adorable, immensely likable, and so easy for the reader to connect with. How could you not love him? But Josh will capture your heart with the same ease he wins matches. There are so many levels to this person and Grainger reveals them slowly to us and Ryan over time, until we care for him as deeply as we do Ryan.

As I said I loved The Unforgiving Minute, and it’s a terrific introduction to Sarah Grainger if this is your first book authored by her. It was for me and now I am off to see what else she has written. This book will make you want to do the same. A must read recommendation from me to you!

Cover art by LC Chase works perfectly for the story within, although I have to say I wish one model was grinning away, just as Ryan would.

Book details:

ebook, 236 pages
Published April 26th 2013 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN 162380518X (ISBN13: 9781623805180)
edition languageEnglish
url http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com

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