I always have such mixed emotions about the last book in a series I absolutely love. I don’t want to say goodbye so I dread reading it but I also want to see where the author is going to go with the compelling, complex characters they have created. And how the author will do so within the context of the framework of the series themes they’ve set down.
Walker sends off The Storm Boys in a manner we might not have expected but one that is so much more than I anticipated. It gives Tully and Jeremiah the happiest of moments going forward, the satisfaction for us and themselves in their lives, and all the characters we’ve come to know and adore.
If I were to be greedy, yes, I’d want holiday special stories. And yes, I hope I get them. But am I in love with the way they ended here? Yes.
Storms and lightning. Jeremiah ‘s traumatic past, and how it’s still been a lightning rod in many respects for Jeremiah, holding him back , from being able to see himself in certain roles, to being able to say I love you to Tully. Walker brings all this into the story, weaving it into their evolving relationship. Tully’s family is a terrific source of narrative joy here, with great characters and supportive, meaningful conversations.
Tully’s character is one who has always been an impulsive person away from the family but now a traumatic event causes major emotional changes in Tully’s perspectives. It’s realistic, painful, and makes Tully even more vulnerable .
It’s hard to describe how the layers of loss, tragedy, and trauma are combined, pulled apart, rendered into something more meaningful, and the new reality becomes more complex and , through Walker’s writing, something beautiful.
I love these men. I truly hope that the author will visit them again. But if not , I know this series just became a comfort read.
I highly recommend it and this book. Read them in the order they are written! And enjoy!
The Storm Boys:
✓ Outrun The Rain
✓ Into The Tempest
✓ Touch The Lightning-finale
Second Chance at First Love: Prequel to The Storm Boys
Without a working office, Jeremiah is tasked with repairing the automated weather station on Oxley Island. It’s remote, only accessible by boat, and with there being a good chance of crocodiles, he’s dreading it.
Tully, on the other hand, can’t wait.
With a boat licence, his dad’s boat, and two days alone with Jeremiah—and with thunderstorms likely—to Tully, it’s another perfect adventure.
But their plans go awry when Jeremiah’s research gets far too close for comfort. Thirty years ago, the day his life was touched by lightning, he was changed forever.
It’s about to change again, only this time he’s determined to set things right.
Make Me Stay is my favorite so far in the Safe Harbor trilogy by Annabeth Albert. It’s got so many interesting characters and compelling storylines attached to it, but by far, it’s the main characters here that make the book fascinating.
We have central to the series arc, a mass murderer who’s killed the mother of a character known to many people featured in the series. The house of the family of the victim is currently being renovated, and the son of the victim is a long time crush of the man who’s bought the house.
Now around that float various main characters with their own respective issues and evolving relationships.
In Make Me Stay we have Professor Holden Justice, former police officer who retired on disability. Holden’s a professor who , along with his friend have a successful true crimes podcast that’s been working on the murder mystery.
A chilling new clue from the murderer himself brings retired Navy SEAL diver Cal into the area and ongoing investigation. Albert is well known for her well crafted damaged characters and Cal fits beautifully into this category. He’s fighting a battle with survivors guilt because of a mission in his past, the same event that’s causing the untreated PTSD that’s making sleep difficult and relationships not worth fighting for.
Putting him next to Holden, a survivor himself, who use’s humor as a front to hide his own feelings of control and fear of loss, and the author’s giving the reader a dynamic relationship that’s complicated and often compelling reading.
It’s not the usual journey. Cal has a need to give up control just as Holden is one to take it. So ropes, ties, kink is included as part of the process of getting each other to trust and lower their boundaries. It’s both a sexy and superb aspect of the story.
The lake and the diving elements are also strong and chilling. There’s just enough of this part of the plot to keep us intrigued about the murder as well as the diving dangers inherent in Cal’s professional capacity.
The murder itself remains the weakest link here. I expect that to change in the next book. I’m really excited to see what happens there.
In the meantime, this is a fabulous story. Love the well written characters, the difficult issues they face, and how they personally grow to become a couple that will face the future together.
I’m a forty-year-old homeowner and former detective. My friends think a roommate is the solution to my recent funk, but I know that’s the last thing I need.
And even if they’re right, sharing my home with Cal is a bad idea. The prickly SEAL rescue diver has muscles for miles, haunted eyes, a wounded soul, and wandering feet that won’t be happy for long in Safe Harbor. Yet those fathoms-deep blue eyes have me making an offer I’ll surely regret.
Our arrangement may be doomed, but Cal is an amazing roommate. We’re soon cooking my mom’s favorite recipes, watching terrible TV, accidentally cuddling, and trying not to cross the line from friendship to fling.
Until I discover Cal’s sexy secret.
Boundaries blur, and I forget I’m not supposed to fall for Cal. Every kiss, touch, and discovery we make together pulls us deeper until there’s no denying our feelings.
I want nothing more than to keep Cal in town, in my bed, and in my heart, but Cal seems destined to swim back to his solo ways.
Can I bear to let him go, or will our love make him stay forever?
MAKE ME STAY is a hurt/comfort roommates-to-lovers MM romance. It features two mature, wounded heroes, disability rep, a proud pansexual, a SEAL having a demisexual awakening, and sexy discoveries involving rope. Deep feels, dual point-of-view, and big fluffy HEA guaranteed.
MAKE ME STAY is book two in the Safe Harbor series from acclaimed author Annabeth Albert. This small historic Oregon town has a tight friend group, memorable secondary characters, quirky businesses, and long-held secrets. Each book stands alone with a fresh couple, but the background mystery of the town’s secrets ties the series together, making reading in order more fun!
Make Me Stay touches on grief, loss, military-related PTSD, disability and chronic illness, and the realities of modern military service.”
— Make Me Stay: A Hurt/Comfort (Safe Harbor Book 2) by Annabeth Albert
““Anything happens in Grand Prix racing, and it usually does.”—Murray Walker”
— Rookie Mistakes by Beth Laycock
What an excellent read!
I’m not sure what the title and the beginning of the synopsis refers to because it really doesn’t pertain to anything in this story, imo.
In a multi-author series about one F1 racing season, the authors focus has been the F1 racing circuit itself, from the owners to the drivers. As the series says:
Twenty-three races
Twenty drivers
Ten teams
Five Lights
One Winner
Laycock , interestingly enough, takes the lowest team, Maverick Racing, an older, newly returned veteran driver, Robert Andilet, and matches him up with absolutely no one attached to the F1 world. Instead, the author creates a betrayed, damaged, older chef, coming out of an awful relationship.
Mitch Griffiths has lost everything due to his ex, but his father, a F1 fan, decided to gift to his oblivious son something he,the dad, would love to have for himself. A day at Silverstone F1 track.
In this fashion, Laycock manages , by way of a total neophyte like Mitch, to bring the reader more throughly into the racing scene than I could have imagined. We are seeing this world through new eyes, feeling the thunder and roaring of the engines, smelling the oil and gasoline, and get an adrenaline boost along with Mitch as he understands just why , from being there in person, it gets under the skin. Instantly, a fan is born. Maybe not just Mitch.
The interactions between Robert and Mitch are such a joy to read. As Robert fights his way through the crowd to better his pole position, enough to get an extension on his contract and prove himself, there’s Mitch trying to figure out his future and a pathway towards trust and a relationship.
Except for that odd title, Laycock excels at keeps her themes, the dynamic elements of F1 racing and those lovely men firmly in the heart of the story. I was so involved in every aspect of this narrative, of each man’s life and their separate journeys.
My only quibble was that the ending, the epilogue, was a bit rushed. There’s only one year’s difference between them, but so much more has changed in that time. I wish it had been covered in the story instead.
This is really one of two books in this series that , for me, got the racing aspect, the adrenaline rushing, heart pounding experience down pat. And then delivered a grand romance as well.
Love it.
I’m highly recommending it and the series. Each has something different to say about the sport. But this keeps the heart of F1 racing alive and roaring!
Mitch Griffiths is an ordinary man just trying to make ends meet. He lost everything thanks to his ex: his restaurant, his partner, his home. So, when his dad gifts him a ticket to the British Grand Prix and a Silverstone Driving Experience, well, a change of scene for the weekend couldn’t hurt, could it? Even if Formula 1 is kind of boring.
Robert Andilet is a veteran F1 driver on his returning season after a six-year absence. He has a lot to learn, not least of which is how to deal with the media attention, a “rivalry” between him and his rookie teammate, as well as his attraction to a man who readily admits he thinks F1 is tedious. It was a rookie mistake to let Mitch walk away after their first meeting, will Robert make the same mistake again?
This M/M romance from Beth Laycock features a famous/ordinary man, older MCs, and is set in the high-octane world of Formula 1 featuring fast cars, spectacular crashes, heated rivalries, and of course, an HEA
Each book in the Lights Out collection is a standalone story, and the books can be read in any order.
I’m a fan of the black op action team romance series and Full Contact is the second in Kelly Fox’s Wrecked:Guardian series of the same trope.
The characters were encountered in the first book, Hard Target, when the mercenaries were assigned to help Rafi, then an associate linguistics professor who falls for one of the team, Everett.
We met Anders, a medical doctor with his twin brother, Odd. And Rafi’s tightly guarded cousin, Omar.
This is Omar’s and Anders romance, definitely an opposites attract, frenemies to lovers sort of relationship. That’s all on Anders who started out a very problematic character.
Fox makes Anders by definition a man who doesn’t have any real idea of the way he’s acting is being seen by others. He acts impulsively and childishly, pranks frequently getting out of hand. And in the case of the pranks he plays to get Omar’s attention, they are hurtful and disrespectful, in one case dangerous.
So I really didn’t think that I could relate to Anders at all.
But Fox does a terrific job here, taking the reader’s frustration and the other people’s and makes it part of the story. There’s feedback for Anders over his behavior, communicating how impactful his actions are being, and the changes it brings about to his personality.
I love when an author takes that approach.
There’s more here. It’s also about Omar’s horrific background, the terrors he’s been through, and the PTSD he’s enduring.
Fox’s stories include a fast tracked high action plot, filled with the team following the events around an investigation, many things go boom, bullets fly, and yes, people end up in the hospital.
It’s very satisfying. I liked the character growth and that it sets the stage for more interesting things to come for them as the relationship progresses.
I’m recommending this and the series to date. A fun, exciting mercenary adventure romance romp!
If that joker doesn’t stop annoying me, I’m going to give that mouth of his something better to do.
The first time I saw Anders F***ing Bash, he was shirtless, armed, and simultaneously the most beautiful and frustrating man I’ve ever met.
He has not gotten any uglier. Or any less frustrating. And today I finally took a swing at him.
Our boss thinks a simple op in East Texas is exactly the thing we need to mend our relationship and restore the team dynamic.
I think two men are driving to the Pineywoods and only one is coming back.
Look y’all—sane isn’t really where I shine.
Does it make sense to mess with the Guardians’ new hired gun every chance I get? No. Does it mean I’m going to stop? Also no.
Honestly, there’s nothing more fun than irritating a sexy grump who can’t stand how pretty I am.
That said…the more I get to know him, the more I realize how much he’s hiding behind those walls of his. And this little road trip is the perfect opportunity to thoroughly explore the real Omar.
I just hope I haven’t pushed him too far this time.
Full Contact is a mercenary MM romance set in Austin and the Pineywoods of East Texas. It features smoking hot mortal enemies, a small vehicle fire, inappropriate bumper stickers, and a couple of alligators named Millie and Dave.
This is the second book in the Wrecked: Guardians series. Several characters from Wrecked, my series about a gym for combat vets, crossover in this series. While you don’t need to read the Wrecked books to enjoy the slightly more nefarious Guardians, most folks end up wanting the juicy backstories.
I backtracked to pick up this book after reading the wonderful new romance, The Husband Game : An M/M Hockey Romance (Relationship Goals Book 1). Those characters got together here first in Unwritten Rules and I needed that scene and first meeting.
But in Unwritten Rules, I got not only that first time sparking between Austin and his kitten, Charlie, (who’s an impactful character here), but the other characters in that novel. The ones that formed the foundation of Charlie’s and Austin’s found family.
And that special romance referred to is the one between former Olympic Gold Medalist figure skater Taylor Hollis and NHL Evanston River Otters hockey player Jamie Walsh. It’s a very heartwarming story, containing plot lines that weave together a multitude of issues . Vaughn’s characters deal, realistically, with late sexual awakening, being a single parent, complex family dynamics, and sports induced trauma.
Here it’s shown in two different aspects of how sports can injure its athletes. The outwardly inflicted injuries, the hits and physical damage taken from playing the game that lingers long after the players have quit. Then there’s the hidden damage, the quiet, yet equally devastating injuries that sometimes manifest itself throughout a lifetime of an athlete’s career. The author uses both Taylor and Charlie to illustrate different aspects of how each man internalized the pain and incredible stress that the international world of competitive figure ice skating puts an athlete through. Taylor chose to make poor relationship choices and let others treat him badly. But Charlie, due to a complicated adolescence and parental issues, developed anorexia, an eating disorder. One so severe he’s been hospitalized in critical condition.
There’s also homophobia in the locker room, broken marriage, and other serious topics. All of which are treated with respect and care by the author within the storylines of Unwritten Rules.
That’s a lot to think about and take in. But these characters, via an excellent narrative and great dialogue, fold them into their journey towards a new relationship and eventual family.
One thing I really appreciate in a romance is having a couple that communicates. There’s nothing more frustrating than having to write a review that says if they had just talked about whatever the issue was, then the book would have been better.
Luckily, that wasn’t the case. Both Taylor and Jamie are adults who talk about potential issues and figure out how they want to handle them together. Are there some moments where they face real challenges? Personal crises? Yes. But it makes for a great story and believable relationship.
We root for them harder.
And it was really interesting to get a different perspective on Charlie here. It’s a younger man we see ,who is still very much grappling with his anorexia, struggling with his therapy. It makes meeting the older man all the more special and satisfying in the other book.
The characters and players from the team are extremely well written and engaging. That goes for that adorable daughter, Asa Bear, too. I so enjoyed reading this book and getting to know all the surrounding cast of characters that I’ll be picking up the rest of the series while I wait for the release of the next Relationship Goals story.
Rule #1: Don’t fall in love with your family’s sworn enemy
Taylor Hollis brought home gold at the Olympics, then quit competitive skating at the height of his career.
Four years later, he lives a quiet life teaching figure skating classes and looking for the perfect guy to settle down and build a family with.
When the Evanston River Otters hire Taylor to take part in a feel-good media piece, he’ll have to defy his father and work with the son of the man he detests.
And his one weakness is a hot older guy who’s good with kids.
Rule #2: Choose your loyalties wisely
Last season, Jamie Walsh left the Chicago Windstorm after a nasty divorce and falling out with his linemate.
Now he’s getting settled as a new forward for the Otters.
His biggest priority is his five-year-old daughter, Ava, but he can’t ignore how attractive he finds her skating teacher.
The only man he’s ever been interested in.
The more time they spend together, the harder it is for Jamie to ignore his feelings.
Too bad Taylor’s father has always blamed Jamie’s dad for ruining his hockey career.
Jamie and Taylor are perfect for one another but they’ll have to ignore both of their families’ unwritten rules if they let themselves fall in love with the enemy.
TRIGGER WARNING:
Frank discussion of eating disorders and past infidelity of secondary characters.
If you’re familiar with Brigham Vaughn’s hockey series , Road Rules, then you’ll know where the reader’s seen the characters before:
“…Charlie appeared on page in Unwritten Rules, I knew I needed to tell his story. I had already planned to revisit the Toronto Fisher Cats team who were featured in Bending the Rules and knew Dustin would have a story.”
— Author’s notes, The Husband Game : An M/M Hockey Romance (Relationship Goals Book 1) by Brigham Vaughn
I have to admit I wasn’t. But after reading this outstanding story of recovery, resilience, and love, I’m absolutely backtracking to pickup those two books and the rest of that connected series.
However, I don’t believe I was missing anything by not reading those books prior to coming at this new series and novel. Vaughn’s ability to thread certain elements and subjects into her storylines and character traits beautifully prepares her readers for the real issues that arise here that Dustin and Charlie need to address.
Ah, those wonderful men ! Vaughn has created two incredibly compelling and different characters in Toronto Fisher Cats ice hockey captain Dustin Fowler and former Olympic figure ice skating champion Charlie Monaghan. They quickly became two of my all time favorites.
Dustin is a new captain trying to make his team come together after some trying times and an emotional retirement of a beloved teammate. Charlie has deeply hidden illnesses, rooted in his childhood, his abusive relationship with his mother, and the sport he loved but grew to see as so toxic.
I think this is one of the best examples of the “woke up married “ tropes I’ve read in that the author working back from that ridiculous scenario, starts to build a beautiful and believable relationship story between these two people.
Especially when one is still fragile and hiding a secret that’s so important to his health and well being. This condition is one that’s slowly revealed in the storyline but it’s no surprise , given the sport, that we’re talking about an eating disorder.
Brigham Vaughn’s realistic and sensitive written treatment of anorexia, including scenes and discussions about eating disorders, come with a trigger warning from the author. So please read.
Charlie is a layered, endearing character in a multitude of ways. His mother has damaged him , emotionally and physically with her parenting skills or lack of, and her husband enables her. The way it’s implied until the end is so skillful.
Charlie is amazing, from his outlook and continued resilience that’s making his recovery so successful to the bravery that will let him go forward with the relationship.
Dustin too, shouldering the weight of the team , needing help and learning how to deal effectively with his own struggles with being a better leader.
I loved the way the author lead us and the characters through a new chapter in each other’s lives, slowly becoming friends and then as they grow closer, more confident together, falling in love.
This was a great surprise and a total favorite. I’m highly recommending it as well as going back to read those other books.
There’s another story on the way. Check it out below.
Relationship Goals:
✓ The Husband Game #1
◦ The Head Game #2 – Sept 22,2023
Description:
Hockey Captain Wed in Secret Vegas Ceremony – Partner’s Identity Remains a Mystery
What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. Or does it?
Toronto Fisher Cats ice hockey captain Dustin Fowler attended the NHL awards and came home with more than the Ted Lindsay Award.
A cryptic social media post from the hockey forward himself revealed that he was wed in a secret ceremony in Las Vegas this past weekend.
His caption stating, “Sorry, ladies, Toronto’s most eligible bachelor just went off the market. I married my kitten tonight and I’ve never been happier,” sent tongues wagging across the league.
But who is “Kitten”?
Without verification from either the team’s head office or the new groom, rumors swirl about exactly who Fowler’s partner is.
A credible source from within the organization suggests that “Kitten” is none other than retired men’s figure skating champion Charlie Monaghan.
We here at JockGossip would like to offer our warmest congratulations to the newlyweds.
TRIGGER WARNING: Contains scenes and frank discussions of eating disorders (anorexia) and past parental abuse/neglect.
The Meaning of Life by B.A.Tortuga , another of this author’s cozy cowboy romances, is a sweet contemporary low angst story.
If that’s what you’re looking for, then this is the book for you.
It has cowboys, babies, a ranch and a HEA, in a quick read.
However, if you’re looking for anything that reminds you why you should be reading a B.A. Tortuga book and not just any other random nice cowboy romance, don’t frustrate yourself and read this story.
The Meaning of Life by B.A.Tortuga reads like a formulaic story, imo, so similar in plot lines to many of the cozy cowboy books this author has previously written.
Someone’s unexpectedly a dad, orphaned babies, throw in a ranch and some dogs, horses, odd animals. A ex boyfriend or man who was a crush or old friend shows up. Has to be a rodeo or rodeo cowboy in there somewhere. A minor drama. HEA.
In a few of those books, we do get a sense of a realistic dynamic and a growing relationship. A great feeling of place and B.A.Tortuga’s unique perspective on local culture and sense of cowboy history. Those are terrific stories.
But here that’s missing.No real sense of a real relationship of any depth. Instead it’s almost a calendar of steps towards a commitment and family.
All a little too pat. They move in, boom. Instant love, boom instant happiness, boom instant family. Halloween, Thanksgiving. Christmas. Check all the boxes.
There’s a drama. It’s over so everyone can get on with their lives as they want to see them happen. HEA.
It’s sweet, and non demanding. And utterly forgettable. It nice.
Sometimes that’s exactly what’s some people need. I listed the cozy cowboy romances below. If this is your jam, you might want to check it out!
When tragedy strikes in the parking lot of a rodeo event, bullfighter Jasper Dean loses his best friend Kayla, inherits her barrel racing horse, her pack of dogs, and her two babies, who also happen to be his biological kids. He has no idea what to do about any of it, and JD struggles to juggle all of his new responsibilities. So when an old friend makes an unexpected offer of help, he grabs it with both hands.
Nash Remington was right there when the crime happened, and he’s mourning just like the rest of his rodeo family. When he seeks out JD to deliver Kayla’s horse, which he’s been caring for, he makes the offer for JD to come to his ranch to let him and his family help JD figure out what to do next.
The two men have to deal with loss, their old attraction to each other, new love, and a whole new family dynamic, all while balancing work and life and trying to make sense of a terrible loss. Can they find the meaning of life together?
Into The Tempest moves the story and our characters from the rain drenched lowlands wilderness of Kakadu National Park to the sunny port of Darwin in the Northern Territory of Australia. The switch in locations brings us to Tully Larson’s home, where his family and his family’s shipping business is situated, giving the reader and Jeremiah another perspective on this seemingly simple, yet complex man.
It’s also allowing Jeremiah a new opportunity, however unsought at first, for being in charge of Darwin’s Bureau of Meteorology, an antiquated tiny satellite branch of that agency that time seems to have forgotten.
Walker’s stunning continuation of her Storm Boys series is no less remarkable, suspense filled or adrenaline driven by having removed itself from a naturalistic landscape to that of the port city of Darwin.
The romance between Tully and Jeremiah is firmly intertwined with the meteorological phenomenons central to each book’s narrative. Here it’s Tropical Cyclone Hazer bearing down on Darwin, with Jeremiah’s small, decrepit station, full of outdated instruments, at ground zero. It’s the station for all the area’s emergency data and meteorological information going out to the public and other agencies. And it’s all done manually , by one person.
I’m not sure if Walker has weathered through a cyclone or how she’s able to get to the heart of this storm in the manner that she has, because , through her amazing writing, Cyclone Hazer becomes a major narrative catastrophic event that creeps into the literal air , moment by moment, energizing the characters, and then the community.
The sheer power of vivid imagery, the violent nature and intensity that builds throughout the story of the impending disaster is felt, not just by Tully, worried about his family and community, but by Jeremiah, feeling the weight of responsibility for things outside of his control, and for characters like the constantly retiring meteorologist Doreen and her wife, Suri, whose PTSD is being triggered.
There’s more fascinating and compelling elements here. That of family, lighting, romantic relationships, and commitments. And a community that will need to be rebuilt at the end. Plus a baby Magpie.
But this story belongs to Tropical Cyclone Hazer, Tully, Jeremiah, Doreen, and Bruce, Doreen’s small ever present dog. That small group that heard the frantic beeping that starts it all, that turns this book into a narrative powerhouse.
I can’t imagine it ending at a third story. Tully and Jeremiah are so strong, so complex and moving a couple, that surely it will take more than just one more book to finish their arc. I could spend 10 novels with them and not be done.
Yes I’m highly recommending this book , but pls read them in the order they are written to understand the characters and relationship growth.
The Storm Boys:
✓ Outrun The Rain
✓ Into The Tempest
◦ Touch The Lightning-July 18, 2023
Second Chance at First Love: Prequel to The Storm Boys
Jeremiah Overton is now in charge of Darwin’s Bureau of Meteorology, and his storm chaser boyfriend, Tully Larson, couldn’t be happier. For Tully, it means watching summer storms with the love of his life but for Jeremiah, it means relearning everything on equipment that’s older than he is.
But summer storms also mean it’s cyclone season. While Tully’s no stranger to tropical storms and the occasional cyclone, for Jeremiah, it’s a first.
As Tropical Cyclone Hazer bears down on the city, Jeremiah and Tully prepare to stay behind. Jeremiah knows what to expect, theoretically, but living through it is a different story.
“That is totally spacy! Oh my God, Duri, that is super spacy! Like beam me up, Socrates!” Eli huffed and glared at me. “What now?!”
Excerpt From
The Chanteuse and the Bodyguard
Yes, as Gigi/Eli says “what now?” What am I going to do without this absolutely magnificent, beautiful, and heartfelt series about drag queens getting their happily ever afters In Mother Sitka’s Campo Royale’s drag club in Wilmington, Delaware.
I love so many of Locey’s other hockey players and series but this? It’s special. And that narrative magic has grown book by book, couple by couple. It started out strong and it’s ending just as endearing and more deeply satisfying than when we first all met backstage at the club, amidst drag queen chaos.
Locey gives us a mystery, a new perspective on a drag queen who’s been a part of the series from the beginning, that’s Jo Jo Jewels! Aka Duri Yoo, a Queen whose makeup and drag appearance is inspired by the Asian BL characters and anime series he’s so crazy about . Jo Jo and Gigi are also the only queens who actually sing their own songs instead of lip-syncing.
Duri is such a beautiful character, whose personality and demeanor are due as much to his family and cultural background and support as it is to his own sweet nature. Concerned about his body , due to harmful bullying, and past relationships, Duri is a darling we can immediately relate to.
As his bodyguard does. Keaton Black Bird, owner of his own security firm, has had his firm hired to guard Gigi when fan letters and gifts turn violent. As Duri is Gigi’s best friend, the duty extends to both.
Locey weaves a wonderful story , one that draws the reader in on many levels. There’s the funny, snarky friendship between Gigi and Jojo, two queens sharing wigs and tea backstage, the family Duri has at home, and then the marvelous developing romance between Duri and Keaton .
It’s almost impossible to choose which aspects of this book I enjoyed most. Gigi is a favorite of mine, able to deal out the bast shade while being all up in everyone’s business. What a Queen! And to pair her up with Duri, who’s drag is so different and who’s personality is just as mesmerizing but in a totally unique way, it’s just works to highlight each of them to the best extent.
The romantic relationship side between Keaton and Duri let’s us into each person’s world, their backstories, their fears, their “realness “, and the foundation where they connect and relate on a emotional level. Outwardly different, inwardly touching and connecting. Locey makes it so easy for the reader to see into this dynamic and get it!
We love these two characters together immediately and jump right on their journey together.
It’s a wild one, complete with stalking fan, nasty gifts, and some very scary moments. If the stalking is a trigger for you, please take note.
It all ends on a positive and lovely note back at Campo Royale with all the Queens and their significant others.
Is this the end? Likely. But perhaps, if we’re good, Locey might deliver up a Christmas reunion story or two to help us through our withdrawal.
I’m so sorry for the series to end, but thrilled I got to know them all. I’m absolutely recommending all the books, this included.
Read them in order for a fabulous journey through the love lives of the Queens of the Campo Royale!
It’s going to take all his skills to keep an innocent songbird safe.
Duri Yoo is struggling with life. Maybe the funk that’s hanging on his shoulders like a soggy sweater has to do with his thirtieth birthday, which is just around the corner. Maybe that blah feeling is due to everyone at the Campo having found their true heart’s desire except for him. Over the past few months, Duri has started questioning everything right down to if he needs to change his stage name from Jo-Jo Jewels to…well, he hasn’t a clue. All he knows is that he’s feeling down in the dumps. Heck, even his fellow queen has picked up a new secret admirer/super fan. He’d stamp a high heel in vexation, but the way things are going the darn heel would snap right off. When he’s sure life couldn’t get any worse, he’s proven wrong. And yet horribly right…
Keaton Black Bird’s job is straightforward. He’s hired to protect people. Generally, ridiculously rich business tycoons or heads of state. Being hired to keep a drag queen out of harm’s way is a new one for the former Secret Service agent. However, he’s being paid incredibly well to ensure that one of the Campo Royale’s performers isn’t harassed off-stage while the tiny queen’s hockey playing boyfriend is on the road. It’s while he’s protecting one drag queen he meets another, and the connection to Jo-Jo Jewels is undeniable. Keaton’s never been in such a unique situation before. All the men in his past were more or less like him: austere, professional, athletic. Jo-Jo is none of those things, but the owner of Black Bird Executive Protection is falling hard and fast for the delightful and quirky songbird. Unfortunately, emotions tend to cloud the mind, and Keaton and Duri soon find themselves in a situation that’s far more dangerous than either of them could have imagined.
The Chanteuse and the Bodyguard is a bodyguard romance with an anime-loving songstress, a rugged guardian, lots of BL adoration, a huge loving family, rainbow-toned wigs, unexpected danger, and a techno-colored happily-ever-after. (This book contains scenes of stalking/violence that some may find upsetting.)
The Puckboys series have been such a great fun sport’s romantic romp from the beginning story! Now with Foolish Puckboy, it’s so wonderfully entertaining and appropriate that authors James and Finley bring the entire Queer Collective into the story at the very beginning, just as Alek Emerson has come out as pansexual, transferring to Seattle’s NHL team, and starting anew!
“The guys file in, Oskar, Ezra, Ezra’s boyfriend and teammate Anton, Tripp and his husband Dex from the Vegas team, and trailing behind them are Ayri Quinn and Asher Dalton from Buffalo—the two other newest recruits to the Collective alongside me. Ayri’s been playing for a few seasons already, but Asher’s a rookie this upcoming season. I nod at them. “Asher. Ayri.” Asher wears a stoic scowl,”.
And the party is on.
And wild enough to prompt a call to the local firefighters when the rooftop is set ablaze during the night.
The reaction of a drunken Alek to the gorgeous firefighter Gabe is hilarious and sets the tone for the rest of the book.
“As soon as I get him to the couch, he flops face forward onto it. I turn to go help Sanden with the others when Aleks grabs my thick work pants. His bicep pops beneath his tattooed skin, and I swallow and drag my eyes away from it and up to his. In the soft light inside, his eyes look … blue? Green? A nice color. He doesn’t look away. Just stares. And this shivery sort of awareness runs through me. “Zing,” he whispers before passing out.”
— Foolish Puckboy (Puckboys Book 4) by Eden Finley, Saxon James
That comes after a meetup to end all meetups!
Aleksander Emerson, newly divorced and newly out bisexual NHL hockey player has just met gorgeous gay firefighter Gabe Crosby, and the fireworks are exploding.
But both men have a multitude of reasons not to get involved with each other. For Alek, he’s been in a longstanding monogamous relationship that turned into a heterosexual marriage, and only now is he able to explore his bisexuality without having a commitment or need to settle down.
For Gabe, it’s the money, the lifestyle that professional players make and live that’s contrary to his values and need to have a family and stability.
Eden Finley and Saxon James give us great characters and a dynamic relationship that overcomes both of their personal goals each time they meet up and continue to get to know one another better.
The conversations go from hilarious to deeply sexy to personal to profoundly moving. Especially when each is at their most vulnerable.
My issues with the story and relationship kick in towards the end when that one element seems to always arise, a lack of communication. There’s a misunderstanding, and instead of asking questions, or communicating, that lack of talking to one another becomes an issue.
Yes, it makes for a dramatic moment but for me it lessens the adult factor and pulls me out of the storyline. It’s just didn’t work for me.
The authors, of course, turn it around, and there’s a terrific ending. But that narrative wobble had me asking more questions about the ending than being totally satisfied.
This is still a good couple in a highly entertaining series. One I’m definitely recommending.
After my divorce, I’m ready to have fun, date around, and not get into anything serious. Then I meet Gabe Crosby, superhero firefighter and a disgrace to the Crosby name. He doesn’t even like hockey!
Yet, there’s a draw to him I can’t deny—something I haven’t felt since my teens. But that’s the problem. I have no idea what dating is like, let alone how to do it with another man. He makes me flakey and nervous, and I’ve never been that guy.
Gabe turns me inside out and upside down in the best possible ways. I only recently became single, but if I continue to chase after him, I might not stay that way for long.
GABE
When I meet Aleksander Emerson during an emergency call-out, there are three things that catch my attention: his sexy tattoos, his kind eyes, and his drunken offer to have my babies.
He’s new to Seattle and recently divorced, so I take him under my wing–and under my sheets. I’m showing him what the world of hookups is like, only those hookups turn into sleepovers and dates and public displays of jealousy.
Aleks is in his casual era, and I’m working my way toward settling down and starting a family. What the two of us have is fun, but not a good idea permanently.
