Review: Home Team by Jameson Dash

Review: 4 stars out of 5

Aaron Buckley has made hockey his primary focus for most of his life from the moment he first hit the ice to his fifteen years in the NHL. Hockey was Aaron’s everything. He gave up family, friends, a social life and most importantly, he gave up the only man he has ever loved…Zach. Aaron knew that he wanted to play pro hockey and had to stay in the closet if he wanted to make it in the NHL. Zach wouldn’t be his secret and walked away from Aaron rather than hide who he was.

Now one of the league’s older players Aaron knows he’s at the end of his career. A huge screwup costs Aaron his spot on his team in LA. They send him down to the minors in Manchester, NH, back to where he started all those years ago. Home in Manchester, now on a team full of young rookies hoping to make it big, Aaron has time to think and reconnect with his past. His sister makes her home and business there as does the man he left behind.

When Zach, now a sports reporter, shows up to cover his first game home, it is clear that Aaron and Zach can have a second chance at love. But once again, Aaron must choose between hockey and love. What will his answer be this second time around?

Home Team is a book that will grow on you. The more you think about the characters, especially Aaron Buckley, the more they will grow on you. I started out thinking that Aaron was pretty stunted emotionally. It is his voice driving the narrative of this story. But the author’s subtle maneuvering of Aaron’s character and viewpoint will have the reader changing their mind as the story continues.

Aaron is at the end of a long career in the NHL, he is steadily losing ground to the younger players and it’s a year since he scored a goal. His is a voice weary, testy, and resigned. I really commend Jameson Dash for making Aaron such an irascible, somewhat unlikeable personality at the beginning of the story. At times Aaron’s voice seems flat, removed, and irritable. Then Aaron makes his costly error in judgement and his voice flattens out even further until it almost flatlines like his career.

Once Dash brings Rosie, Aaron’s sister and Zach into the story and Aaron’s life, things start to change in Aaron’s outlook although the movement of emotions in Aaron is almost glacial. I was puzzled over my inability to connect to this character because I love hockey players. But quite frankly, Aaron’s comes across as a jerk for the first part of this story, especially his attitude towards the “mistake” that cost him his spot in the major league. But the more I thought about it, the better Jameson Dash’s characterization got. This was a man who has shut down emotionally. Aaron is beyond tired, and stressed to his limits. He has lost his spot on his team, he lost his only friend who remains with that team, he lost his home and most likely his career. And probably, most importantly of all, he is in denial, Aaron doesn’t want to recognize that his career is over and that because of his own choices, he has left himself with nothing waiting for him.

The author’s characterization of Aaron is so good, so human that it took me a while to realize what he was trying to accomplish with keying us so intimately into the thoughts of a man like Aaron because it seems so counterproductive to our connecting with him. But again, only at the beginning. Then little by little as reality of his situation creeps into Aaron’s mindset, that along with the arrival of Rosie and Zach, propels Aaron and the reader out of his “funk” and into the warmth of possibilities and a redemptive love.

This is a spare form of narrative that works perfectly for the character and his story. Its as free of embellishment as Aaron himself. And the more I thought about this character and his growth throughout Home Team, the more Aaron and his story grew on me. I have not read other stories by Jameson Dash, this was the first. But if this story is a good indication of this author’s style and talent, then I can’t wait to see what they write next. Consider this book and author highly recommended.

Here is an excerpt as Aaron lands back home in Manchester, NH:

He finds his hat and sunglasses in his backpack, but there isn’t much of a crowd in the airport. Nobody is looking for him. Wives greet their husbands in rumpled suits, a group of teenage boys tangle in a massive hug, and Aaron spots what looks like a college basketball team, home after a disappointing tournament. Aaron wants to give the girls a high five and tell them to keep being awesome. But he’s not feeling very awesome himself. Instead, he keeps his head down out of habit and heads for the baggage carousel.

It’s different traveling alone than with the team. He’s still wearing a shirt and tie; the jacket was folded and shoved into his backpack before the flight took off from LA. He’s representing his team, even if his team doesn’t want him.

But he has to pick up his own equipment. Once Aaron gets the mammoth hockey bag and his suitcase onto a cart, stick bag balanced on top and his own backpack over both shoulders, he looks around for a chauffeur holding up his name. There’s no one waiting for him. There’s no one looking for him.

Cover art by LC Chase is just ok. It doesn’t pertain to this story, it could be any story about a hockey player. It’s just too generic.

Book Details:

ebook, 82 pages

Published September 25th 2013 by Dreamspinner Press

ISBN 1627981594 (ISBN13: 9781627981590)

edition language English

url http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com

Review: Fool For Love by Cassandra Gold

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

College professor Vincent Norton is feeling every bit of his forty-five years of age. Three years ago his partner of 20 years died in a car accident. Estranged from his family, now just his dad, Vince has used all his energy and time at his profession, teaching college kids and not much else, Even his apartment of three years still looks empty of personality or his past. His life is in on hold until he meets one of his neighbors from the apartment next door. One of a group of four college students, Vince finds the young man attractive and that is something he hasn’t felt for 3 years.

Rob Bridges is 21 and getting ready to graduate at a nearby college. He has been secretly crushing on the older man in the apartment across from his. That man is tall, gorgeous with just a little silver starting to show at the temple and Rob wants to date him. But he doesn’t even know anything about him other than he is a professor at Washington University, let alone that he is gay? What is a man to do?

An accident in the hallway brings the two men together and a date soon follows. And while Rob is sure Vince is the one he wants, Vince is having second and even third thoughts. The age gap between them is huge and surely Rob will tire of an older man, won’t he? Opposition to their dating mounts from all sides. Will Rob succeed in making Vince believe in their love or will Vince’s own doubts and outside influences push him away permanently?

In Fool For Love Cassandra Gold has written a very sweet love story. Her May – December romance between Vince Norton and Rob Bridges has many lovely qualities, including two believable characters who talk and act their age. Vince Norton is every bit the still grieving, stuck in stasis middle aged professor. He cares about his students and mourns the loss of the man he thought he would spend the rest of his life with. In an authentic touch, Gold has his apartment reflect this inability to move forward. It’s not decorated, bare walls and barren of spirit, it states that it is more of a staging area than a home. And I absolutely believed in Vince and his current situation. Her characterization is of a man who finally realizes he might be ready to move on but how and with whom?

Then into the picture comes Rob Bridges, another likable persona. He is intelligent, compassionate, and kind. He is also quite handsome. And Rob likes older men and has been secretly crushing on Vince next door. All well and good. Rob has three roommates who are also his friends. I liked their easy acceptance of his sexuality as well as the layers to their characterizations. If one acts like a jerk, he is also capable of an apology that makes sense. Again, I like the secondary characters involved in Vince and Rob’s story. They are all quite human, funny and flawed. And their presence goes a long way in making this story more viable and lovely to read.

Another moving element is the scenes with Vince’s Dad. I think Gold handled this aspect of taking care of older parents realistically and quite movingly. And unfortunately, I think it helped highlight what might be the one obstacle that will keep readers from connecting to this book and Vince and Rob’s relationship. And that would be the huge gap in their ages.

We aren’t talking 5, 10 or even 15 years here. No, the gap is that of 25 years and for many people that will be an insurmountable obstacle. And I think I count myself among them. Cassandra Gold did such a good job with her characters that Rob feels way too young for Vince. And yes Vince is far too old for a young man of 21. As the author has Vince point out, they are at two very different stages in their lives and that gets brushed over a little too quickly. When Rob breaks down in tears because Vince had to cancel out on an important date, while we might have had some empathy for him, it also highlighted just how young Gold had made him emotionally. Vince gets mistaken for Rob’s father while out on dates (again I can see that). And as Vince cared for his dying father and thought about himself and Rob in the same position, I found myself agreeing with him that it was entirely plausible. It’s not something you want to bring up in a love affair but 25 years is 25 years and Vince is turning 47 as the book ends.

And finally, because yes, my mind goes there. There is the physical differences in physiology between a 21 year old man and a 46* year old man. At 21 years old, the sexual drive can match up with the body’s ability. Unfortunately, not so with middle-age. And that wasn’t touched on at all. Perhaps because it’s not a very sexy thing to think about. Athough I have read some books where the authors treated aspect realistically and still made the relationship sexy. Certainly though it is a fact of life, not exactly dealt with here. But that’s what I kept thinking about. So yes, I just couldn’t make myself believe in this romantic relationship. To be honest, I don’t think I would by it as a M/F romance either. The difference is just too great.

There are a couple of odd phrasing here and some confusion about ages, all that is minor issues in an otherwise sweet narrative. So again, how you feel about the age gap between these two realistically portrayed men will define how you feel towards Fool For Love. It has many lovely elements but in the end I just couldn’t connect to the love affair. You make up your own mind.

Cover art by Valerie Tibbs is far preferable to the original. At least it shows two men of difference ages. But the blue tone makes it all a little hard to see.

*It states that Vince is 45 at the beginning of the book, then 46 and at the epilogue which occurs one year later, Vince is turning 47.

Book Details:

Note:This book is a re-edited, revised version of one previously released by another publisher.

Published August 20th 2013 by Loose Id, LLC (first published April 9th 2009)

original title: Fool For Love

ASINB00EOA5Q8I

edition language English

url http://www.loose-id.com/fool-for-love.html

characters Vince Norton

setting United States

Review: Conquer the Flames (Lang Downs #4) by Ariel Tachna

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Thorne Lachlan, a firefighter for the Royal Fire Service, arrives at Lang Downs when a grassfire brings him onto the station to ask for assistance and prepare them for evacuation if necessary. A former Commando for the Australian Army, Thorne has retired, beset by nightmares and blackouts, a victim of PTSD. Lang Downs is a sheep station unlike any other Thorne Lachlan has been to. With homey cottages ringed with gardens to the people who live there, Lang Downs starts to cast its spell over a man clearly in need of both sanctuary and home.

Then Thorne meets Ian Duncan, a long time resident of Lang Downs and the attraction between the men is both immediate and mutual. But both men are afraid of committments and relationships. Thorne because he fears he is a danger to all around him because of his PTSD. And Ian? Ian hides a deep secret that he had only told one man, Michael Lang, when he first arrived at Lang Downs at the age of 20. That secret has kept Ian a solitary man among friends on the sheep station, alone with his woodworking and small house. Still, neither man is capable of staying away from the other and slowly they begin to build a relationship and hopefully a future together. However, their pasts combine to raise up obstacles to their future. Thorne and Ian must face down their demons and get the help they have long needed before they can have a future together.

Conquer the Flames is the fourth book in the Lang Downs series and it comes close to being my favorite story yet. I had to wait several days to think about this review and why so much about this book spoke to me. And even now I am still not sure I can answer that question with a clear explanation.

In many ways, Conquer the Flames has a slower, deeper feel to the story as well as the men at the heart of the book. And that’s unusual considering the title and the profession that Thorne has found himself in as a firefighter. But if you are to continue the analogy, this is much more a slow burn than a fast moving line fire as the basis and the fuel for the flames have a deep foundation in both mens past history and traumatic events.

Once more Ariel Tachna has taken great care in building her characterizations to go with the beautifully created landscape and setting that is Lang Downs. Thorne is unlike any character that we have met here before. He is a former Commando whose time in the Army has left him with PTSD. He has anger management issues, blackouts and nightmares. And that doesn’t even begin to cover the events in his past that sent him running into the Army. Ian Duncan is also a damaged soul. His is a deep trauma inflicted in foster care and one he has never recovered from, even 20 years later. Both men are so marvelously crafted that it never occurred to me to doubt their authenticity or backgrounds. They feel so real, their problems and issues are so painful that the reader hurts along with them.

Tachna has treated each man’s problems with the gravity necessary when speaking of PTSD and abuse. She gets the symptoms right as well as the need for outside medical assistance to help each man overcome years of denial and repression. There are no immediate cures, no easy answers, just the accurate portrayal of time and the hard mental ,emotional work necessary to recovery and healing for each of them. The author also sidesteps a common flaw when writing about such damaged characters, and that would be a quick sexual relationship and instant love. Thank goodness none of that is found here. I think it would have not only ruined the relationship’s credibility but destroyed the story for me as well.

This is a romance but it is a simmering one. There can be no flashfires between men as hurt and broken as these two. Instead we get a slow buildup of trust and understanding that is as sweet and fragile as it is satisfying. Once you read this remarkable love story, you will understand it completely when I tell you I read and reread certain passages just to savor the scene and the emotions that were flowing over the pages. On more than one occasion I had to grab a tissue or two but they were honest tears brought forth by the real emotion and pain felt by Thorne and Ian, and of course the reader. Just a remarkable job by the author in every respect.

As with the other books in the series, all the other characters, including Caine and Macklin, are here and well represented. This story takes place five years after the events of Outlast The Night (Lang Downs #3), but the gap of time feels as seamless as the flow of seasons over Lang Downs. We see the couples settling into their relationships and lives on the sheep station, the young children are getting older and new ones are being born. And new people have been introduced to the series that just might make their way onto the sheep station just as the others such as Michael’s Lost Boys have found their way there too.

For the characters involved, and for the reader, Lang Downs remains an extraordinary place. Its a location where once we arrive, we don’t want to leave just like all those people who have found the path to Lang Down and home. I hope that Ariel Tachna has many more stories planned for this series. I intend to be there for each and every one. I am putting Conquer The Flames on my Best of 2013 list.

Cover art by Anne Cain is as beautiful as the story within.

Books in the Lang Downs series in the order they were written and should be read:

Inherit the Sky (Lang Downs, #1)
Chase the Stars (Lang Downs, #2)
Outlast the Night (Lang Downs #3)
Conquer the Flames (Lang Downs #4)

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 254 pages

Expected publication: September 27th 2013 by Dreamspinner Press

ISBN13 9781627983228

edition language English

series Langs Down

Review: Northern Star by Ethan Day

Rating: 4.25 stars out of 5

On the night before Christmas Eve in a hotel bar at the airport, 27-year old Deacon Miller is getting drunk. Fleeing a disastrous family holiday he never wanted to attend, Deacon received a text from his boyfriend, breaking up with him and throwing him out of their apartment. A heavy snowfall cancels his flight leaving Deacon stuck at the airport hotel, drowning his sorrows and regretting almost everything about his life.

Car Dealer Owner Steve Steele has spent most of his 45 years in denial about his sexuality until he just couldn’t face another year repressing his sexuality and his true desires. Unfortunately coming out also meant hurting people he loved, including his wife and step daughter. Now divorced, Steve is facing his first year anniversary as an out gay man and reflecting back on his failures and current lonely life.

When a chance encounter brings Deacon and Steve together on a night full of self recriminations and doubt, what happens when the one night stand turns into something neither man wants to forget or let go of.

I think when most readers think of Ethan Day, its his humorous stories like the memorable and guffaw inducing Sno Ho series (a favorite of mine) that often spring to mind. But Ethan Day has another side to him as a writer, the one that produces stories more serious, thoughtful tales like At Piper’s Point and A Token In Time (also favorites). And while laughter and humor is still an element to be found in each, something larger, more layered in scope is in play there.

Northern Star falls into the second category. Two men meet on a night when the past is overwhelming them, highlighting the emptiness and failure present in their lives. Deacon has just received a devastating text from his boyfriend, dumping him in terms crushingly succinct. He is also being thrown out of their apartment with no where to live and little time to find a place during the holiday season. It just screams of that aspect of modern day relationships where the use of the text message has become the method of choice for ridding yourself of an unwanted relationship. I don’t know anyone out there that can’t relate to that scene in some measure.

Then Ethan Day brings Steve Steele into the picture. Steve Steele (I love that name) is also at a place in his life that he never expected to be. Steve is a divorced, 45 year old car dealer who has finally come out of the closet, exploding his marriage, and family, hurting his wife who he loved and a step daughter who worshiped him. And although he has found a measure of acceptance within his immediate family and friends, he is himself alone and floundering on his first year anniversary of his coming out.

A snow storm and an airport bar are the means and impetus for the men to meet and fall into bed, presumably just a one night stand. This is an oft used familiar scene that appears in multiple media and it works here to bring Deacon and Steele together. Day perfectly captures Deacon getting his drunk on, his rambling internal monologue both hilarious and sadly recognizable to all who have been in that state sometime in their lives. Here is an excerpt:

“On your tab?” The bartender asked, setting down the freshly made cocktail. “Yup,” Deacon said, smiling slightly when his lips made a faint popping sound, like a cork being violently liberated from a wine bottle.

He did his best to ignore the judgmental expression on the bartender’s face. Glancing down at the name tag, he shook his head, disgusted anyone named Clifford would be casting stones. The pious pity of Cliffy wasn’t what Deacon needed at the moment, and he said as much with the dirty look he offered as a thank you for the drink.

They both turned, hearing a loud group of twenty-something’s come stumbling into the hotel bar. They were all visibly wasted, and from what he could make out from their rather gregarious bitching, they’d each been bumped from their flight as a result of their intoxication.

More rejected casualties, redirected to purgatory via this airport adjacent, cheesy-ass hotel bar that hadn’t been updated since the early nineties.

The burgundy and blue commercial grade fabric was rough to the touch, as if designed to ensure you didn’t make yourself comfortable. That combined with the brass railings that ran along the bar and atop the booths located along the far wall, all the mirrors and glassware dangling from above, the entire room screamed Loser-ville. “And I am right at home with my fellow loser-residents,” he muttered.

Deacon could practically smell the sweaty desperation of yester-year that hung in the air like the scent of stale smoke, from what had no doubt been the scene of many a one-night hookup over the years. Chewing on a chunk of ice, he took a moment to glance around the room at the rest of the poor schlubs.

Then Steve walks into the bar and everything changes.

Steve is an interesting balance for the character of Deacon. Where Deacon is young and damaged by his upbringing, Steve’s damage is self inflicted. He denied his sexuality, hiding in a marriage to a best friend’s widow until the truth and the stress made it impossible to continue living in a lie. It has taken Steve a long time to feel comfortable being gay, but the mistakes he made were real and inflicted pain on those that didn’t deserve it. Deacon’s pain was due to a alcoholic mother who still continues to put her addiction and selfishness above the needs of her children. Also a realistic and painfully accurate portrait of the effects of alcoholism on the person afflicted and the family involved. Added to that is the fact that Deacon’s mother is a pretty self absorbed human being and all the elements are there for extended child abuse and neglect.

One of the aspects of this story that I absolutely appreciated was the absence of instant love. Instant lust, sure, but love? No, that comes gradually and not without a fight. Because for every step forward Steve and Deacon take towards an emotionally rewarding relationship, Deacon retreats emotionally and sometimes physically. The reader’s compassion and empathy for this character is totally engaged as Deacon’s abusive past makes him question his worthiness and capacity to love.

In Northern Star, Ethan Day gives the reader a serious exploration of the journey to love and family by two outwardly disparate men who just happen to be looking for the same thing at this stage in their lives. For both Steve and Deacon family is important as love and it will be with the help of those families that will pull them through the events to come. And yes, there will be plenty of angst driven episodes to arrive as Deacon and Steven work their way through all the emotional and mental obstacles before they can be happy.

There are some wonderful secondary characters here. Ashley, Deacon’s sister, is a recognizable teenager, with plenty of her own issues at play. We also meet Steve’s colleagues from work (admirable and funny) as well as his ex wife and step daughter. I love that her pain from living with Steven’s lies is not glossed over but dealt with in a realistic manner, just beautifully done.

Will every reader love this story? Not if all you are expecting is snappy dialog and snort inducing laughter. Some of that is present here, it is a Ethan Day story after all. But this is a more serious story that deals with alcoholism, child neglect and abuse and its long term effects on everyone associated with the alcoholic. I think Ethan Day did a great job and gave us a wonderful romance too. Consider this highly recommended.

Cover art by Wilde City Press. Eye catching and cute.

Book Details:

ebook, First, 249 pages
Published September 25th 2013 by Wilde City Press
ISBN139781925031553
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://www.wildecity.com/books/gay-romance/northern-star/#.UkJOvkko5es

Review: Sonata by A.F. Henley

Rating: 4.5 stars ouf of 5

Ian James is feeling every bit of his thirty six years. His long term partner cheated on him, multiple times apparently, before leaving for good. Ian’s long promised promotion at work is two years overdue and counting. Now his sexual hookup, young sexy Jordan, has just told him to get lost after some quick mutual satisfaction. Even after Ian tried to pursue Jordan, all he got in return was an outright refusal. What’s a man to do?

Jordan has more than he can handle at the moment, two jobs and his young son Cole who happens to be autistic. When Jordan hooked up with Ian one night, all he wanted was just a quickie, no involvement, no phone numbers but the universe had other plans. When their paths intersected not once, but twice, it seemed as though fate was interfering. Yes, Ian had made it clear that he wanted to see Jordan again but meeting each other again and again was completely accidental. Can both men overcome their pasts and their fears to make a future together?

There is so much to love about A. F. Henley’s latest book, Sonata. From the lovely and relevant cover, the chapters titled with the names of musical movements to the in-depth research the author has done on Asperger syndrome, the story kept me involved and emotionally engaged from the opening page.

Henley’s characters are both desperate to connect with someone yet equally fearful for a connection to be made. Each man’s past makes them question their ability to see clearly about situations and individuals. Ian’s last boyfriend hurt him emotionally, cheating on Ian on numerous occasions, taking advantage of his generous and forgiving nature. Now Ian questions his own judgement when it comes to people and relationships. Jordan is hiding a traumatic past and trusts no one unless absolutely necessary. These characters contain all the nuances necessary to make them not only believable but endearing. For Ian and Jordan to go forward past their fears into a tenuous relationship, we watch them slowly let go of their closely held suspicions to reach a measure of comfort and trust with each other. It’s a slow, subtly shaded journey with pitfalls every step of the way.

Another remarkable character is the young boy Cole. Cole has Asbergers syndrome and Henley gives us an authentic portrait of the effects of this genetic disease on an adolescent. Cole’s behavior as well as the methods used to calm him down are realistic and medically authentic in nature and scope. But what I love most is that this is a balanced portrait of autism the author achieves in Cole. For every wail and out of control moment, there is an equal victory to behold. Small, fleeting and sometimes almost unnoticeable, but there to be seen and applauded. It is a marvelous element of this story and Henley’s treatment elevated this story past a romance into something very special. For a key to Cole is music. And Ian with his grandfather’s beloved piano opens the way for Cole to enjoy and communicate with others through music.

This is a age gap between Jordan and Ian and for some, this might be an issue. Jordan is younger than Ian, in actions and emotions. But I still felt enough of a real romantic connection between the two characters that it never bothered me. What did I have issues with? The ending. As with so many stories these days, it just petered off. For it to feel fully satisfactory, I wanted to know more about Cole and his current situation. I also needed more than a paragraph or two to pull all the events of the last fourth of the story together. It was a good ending but the story that preceded it deserved a great one and didn’t get it.

Still Sonata is terrific. It’s a story full of characters that pull you in and moments that have you cheering out loud (take that, Aubrey or )tearing up in response to the scenes you are reading. Leave me leave you with a scene with Cole and Ian:

Cole hitched a breath, mid-shriek, and paused for a second before resuming his demonic call. Ian forced him over to the tub, a square grungy hulk of an appliance, and shoved Cole’s ear against the side of the tub with more force than he’d have liked. But the moment Cole’s ear was pressed to the side of the tub, Cole stilled and silenced. A palm snaked up the slick surface of the bathtub and rested alongside Cole’s flushed cheek. His eyes drifted into unknown territory as he listened to the echo of water through metal.

A scary and ultimately beautiful moment for child and man. Grab up this book. I think you will love it as much as I did.

Cover art by Megan Derr. I love this cover, so relevant and lovely. Great job.

Book Details:

ebook
180 pages, printed version

Published July 17th 2013 by Less Than Three Press LLC

original title Sonata

ISBN13 9781620042137

edition language English

Review: Summer Lovin Anthology

Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5

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

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

Stories in the Anthology are:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This is how it starts, so irresistible.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Book Details:

ebook, 247 pages
Pink Squirrel Press

Published August 14th 2013 by Pink Squirrel Press

edition language English

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

other editions

None found

Review: Black Dog (Bannon’s Gym #1) by Cat Grant

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Eddie Roscoe has just arrived at his family’s diner to open up and start preparing for the breakfast run when he sees a young boy and drunk fighting in the back alley. After breaking it up, Eddie notices the kid’s bruises and other injuries arent’ exactly fresh. And from the backback the kid was fighting over and the state of the clothes the boy was wearing, Eddie can tell the kid is homeless. An offer of breakfast and a job brings young Tom into Eddie and his mother’s home and their family. But it’s another side of Eddie’s life that will bring a measure of safety to Tom as well as bring an old friend back into Eddie’s life.

Eddie Roscoe and Danny Bannon have loved and fought for over 15 years. But a shared trauma and the resulting guilt has kept them apart and sabotaged every effort they make to reunite. Now the arrival of Tom Delaney, a teenage runaway, will be the spark that brings them back together and units them in a common cause, that of keeping Tom safe while training him to be a mixed martial arts fighter.

Tom Delaney is young, angry and hurt. And he has aspects of his past life that he is keeping hidden from those trying to help him, namely Eddie, Danny, and Gloria’s Eddie’s mother. And when his past, in the form of his abusive father, tracks him down, it will take everyone around him to keep him safe and out of jail.

Black Dog is an emotionally gripping story, one that kept me awake in the wee morning hours until I had finished it. And that emotional connection is due to Cat Grant’s damaged and vulnerable characters and the situation they find themselves in. The people she created for Black Dog (and the series) are ones easy to connect with and they engage our sympathies immediately. First of all, we meet Eddie arriving in his old Ford 150 pickup to open the diner his grandfather started and he now owns with his mother, Gloria. The scene is vivid, so much so we can almost hear his footsteps sloshing through the puddles of water on the asphalt outside the diner. Grant sets not only the tone for the characters in her settings but for the rest of the story as well. A slightly run down family diner in a neighborhood that has never seen better days, its interior still proclaims its 50’s origin. And Gloria, Eddie’s constantly smoking mother is recognizable to all who have visited establishments like these. I absolutely love the character of Gloria Roscoe and some of the finest scenes in this book happen in her presence.

Eddie and Danny are also realistic characters. Their combined past contains a traumatic event that neither man has dealt with. It has destroyed their relationship as friends and lovers. And neither man knows how to get that back or get past the accident that has twisted their lives and emotions. It’s powerful stuff and Cat Grant delivers their pain and angst to the reader with authenticity and detailed scenes that will resonate with the reader. Here is a scene from the beginning, with Tom and Eddie at the diner after the fight:

Tom nudged his plate away and burped. Two spots of bright pink popped high on his cheeks. “That was really good. What can I do to pay for it?”

“It’s on the house.”

His eyes widened. “Seriously? I can’t even sweep up or do dishes or something?”

I pulled a quart of waffle batter out of the old green Frigidaire and swung around to study him. Reminded me of me at his age, all quiet intensity with a streak of sheer panic beneath the surface. Just like any other kid forced to strike out on his own. One thing was clear: he came from money. St. Pat’s wasn’t cheap, and nobody got straight white teeth like his without a few years in braces. From the way he spoke, he was no dummy. What was a kid like him doing living on the street?

Maybe I wasn’t born rich, but I knew what he was feeling. That hollowed-out ache inside, the panic and fear of seeing every new person as a potential threat. Where would I be now if no one had offered me a helping hand? And no, one lousy meal didn’t count.

“Leave your stuff in back,” I said. “There’s a broom and an extra apron in the closet. Start with the pantry. It’s a mess in there.”

“Okay.” He sprang up and headed in back, brushing past Gloria, who’d just come up to grab a stack of paper napkins. Her gaze followed him through the swinging doors.

“You sure that’s a good idea?” That was what she always said. And if the bemused tilt of her head was any clue, she knew she wasn’t about to dissuade me.

“If you want to clean up back there, have at it.”

“You and your charity cases,” she said, coughing out a raspy Marlboro laugh and planting a kiss on my cheek.

I’d caught something else in the kid’s eyes too. Frustration, determination, anger. Whatever mixture of emotions that spurred him to deal that drunk a beat down. He’d acted pretty matter of fact about his scrapes and bruises, but those other marks on his face . . . well, he hadn’t gotten them walking into a door.

That is such a telling scene, revealing so much about all the characters involved from Gloria and her ever present cigarettes to the fear in Tom’s eyes. It remarkable and it hooks the reader in emotionally from the start. We care for these people and we need to know what will happen next.

Black Dog is the first in the Bannon’s Gym series and I hope that these people will form the core of the series as Tom fights his way to the top of the MMA profession. The author makes the gym and those learning to fight there accessible to the reader. We learn about MMA and the fight training methodology common to the mixed martial arts. There is a lot of leeway with a gym as a setting in a series and I can’t wait to see how Grant develops this series.

I will admit that I came close to giving this story 5 stars but several aspects prevented that. The first being a pov that is constantly switching narrators. I wish Grant has stuck to just Eddie as the pov. He has a singular voice that rendered an intimacy to the narrative that is lost when the pov switches to another character or third person. If the story and characters had not been as great as they were, this unevenness in style would have brought the rating down even further. And the other is an awkward sentence that signals the end of the story. The scene itself works but it needed a little more, whether it was dialog or action, to feel complete. Still I felt happy at the end and ready for more. More of Danny, Eddie, Tom and Gloria, and more of Bannon’s gym.

So yes, I highly recommend this story. Go grab it up and get reading. I have added Cat Grant to my must have authors list. I think after this book you will be doing the same.

Cover art is great, love the black and white design and the tone. Perfect for the story

Book Details:

ebook, 1st edition, 82 pages
print book, 130 pages

Published August 2013 by Cat Grant Books

ISBN13 9780989694919

edition language English

series Bannon’s Gym

Review: Triple Threat (Triple Threat #1) by L. E. Harner

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Private investigators and partners of over 14 years, Zachary>>>>> and Archer Wilde have been happy together or at least Zachary thought so. Both were well known Master Doms when they met all those years ago, and it took Archer every bit of three years to woo Zachary and get him to submit. From there on, they were inseparable, as lovers and owners of one of the most popular and exclusive BDSM clubs. Then they sold the club, settling into a life of semi retirement as partners of a discreet recovery business with Archer taking only those cases that interested him and leaving Zachary’s life as a Dom in the past. But all that is about to change….

Archer is finding that their successful recover business is taking up too much of Zachary’s time, so Archer buys a personal assistant for Zachary, the submissive Jeremiah, thinking that will make his lover happy. It doesn’t. With their delicate balance upset, the men must still investigate the case of the missing insurance millions while trying to deal with each other and the addition of a third. Can the three men pull together to become a triple threat or will Jeremiah tear Zachary and Archer apart for good?

Triple Threat and its series are a part of the Pulp Friction offerings from authors Havan Fellows, L.E. Harner, Lee Brazil and T.A. Webb that feature a loose circle of friends and acquaintances. And as with the other series, Triple Threat is turning out to be just as terrific and substantial an offering as the rest of the stories.

It also marks a sort of departure for me as m/m/m and D/s are not the normal stories I reach out for when looking for reading material. But L.E. Harner does a remarkable job in not only creating characters one can relate to, she also makes the D/s BDSM lifestyle accessible and understandable to those unfamiliar with that life choice and sexual kink. I can honestly say that I enjoyed the relationships that develop within the story as well as those that were already established and I think others will too. The ease with which I connected with these characters and their situation is due primary to the wonderful writing style and character creations of L.E. Harner.

First, the characters. The pov is that of Zachary, Master Dom and submissive lover of Archer Wilde, a wealthy, brilliant man who also happens to be a Master Dom as well. Zachary’s voice is everything I have come to expect of the narrators in the Pulp Friction series. It is the wry, self depreciating, older voice of a man who has seen and done it all and come out the other side surprisingly content. At least that is the man we meet at the start of the story. A man whose continued calm, happy lifestyle is about to be upended. I love Zachary. As with all the characters found within, he is a man of many layers. Here is our first taste of Zachary and Archer:

“Margaret Blackwell,” I murmured as I led the impeccably clad young woman into the bright morning light of the glass ceilinged solarium. A small gasp escaped her lips as the tall, powerfully built man stood from the table where we’d been sharing a leisurely breakfast minutes before. He unfolded himself into his full height, and she sighed. I understood her sentiment completely.

“Miss Blackwell, may I present Archer Wilde.”

They met in the middle of the solarium, and Archer politely shook the limply proffered hand.

“Please, have a seat. Can Zachary bring you anything? Coffee? Hot tea?”

“No, thank you.” Margaret sat at the edge of the chair, her back ramrod straight and ankles demurely crossed. My, my. Someone attended cotillion as a teen.

“Zachary? Won’t you sit and join us?” Archer’s eyes sparkled with mischief and I couldn’t resist smiling back.

“No, thank you Archer, I think I’ll stand this morning.” We shared a look, then he turned his attention to his guest.

“How may I help you, Miss Blackwell?”

“I want you to find my husband, Mr. Wilde.”

“I see. I’m afraid there’s been some misunderstanding. I…we…”—he inclined his head to include me—“don’t take on missing persons cases. Those are best handled by the proper authorities.”

“I’m afraid that’s impossible. Nona Wilkerson says you are exactly what I need.”

“Ahh…the delightful Miss Wilkerson. You intrigue me. Is your husband in some sort of trouble?”

“My husband is dead, Mr. Wilde.”

Huh. That was a new one.

Just from that scene alone we understand not only who Zachary is but get a glimpse into their relationship as well. Zachary is the rough to Archer’s refinement and it works perfectly for them both. At least until now.

Just when we think we know who Zachary is, Harner surprises us with more information about his past that makes the reader reevaluate everything they thought they knew about the man and his motives. The twists and turns here are fabulous. That Zachary is both a Master Dom and a submissive would be contradictory except that he is only submissive for Archer. That fact is the key to understanding why Archer would upset the balance the two men have worked so hard to achieve for years. That plus the fact that Archer’s brilliance doesn’t always means he’s correct in his assumptions. Like every other character, Archer is full of flaws, he is human and therefore, will make more than his share of mistakes, especially in his relationship with Zachary.

Then Jeremiah arrives on the scene to Archer’s glee and Zachary’s dismay. This is a neat touch. It upsets an established couple of 15 years. It shows that Archer had not completely thought through his actions and makes Zachary deal with an aspect of his past he had pushed away. But of all the characters I had to work harder to understand Jeremiah. A submissive mindset is not one that I can relate to so Jeremiah took time to connect with. But again, Harner let’s us close to Jeremiah and his needs that it soon becomes clear that this is part of Jeremiah’s nature and he needs it to be whole. I like that we also see that Jeremiah is also young, highly intelligent and naive in some respects. It makes his submissive nature easier to connect with, especially as he becomes the third in an already established relationship.

The case of the missing insurance money also turned out to be more finely layered than I had anticipated. It turned out to involve someone from both Zachary and Archer’s past. It’s another terrific aspect of this story and the series as it has implications down the line for them all.

Are there scenes of BDSM? Yes and they are well done but not as explicit as you might think. So those of you are uncomfortable with the D/s element will still be able to enjoy the story. Same goes for the m/m/m aspect as well. It works here and you will come to care for all of these men, not just Zachary and Archer. Wick Templeton and Chance Dumont, or at least the Chances Are bar makes appearances. You will be as happy to see them as I was. Plus we get a few more details as to Wick’s background that we wouldn’t have otherwise.

Triple Threat is the wonderful start to a great series. It surprised me and drew me right in. I think it will do the same for you. All the stories in this series and the Pulp Friction group are short in length but large in characterization and plot. Pick it up now, and settle in for a wonderful read.

Cover art by Laura E. Harner. It’s delicious and perfect for the book and series.

Book Details:

ebook, 1

Published January 31st 2013 by Hot Corner Press (first published January 13th 2013)

ISBN13 9781937252366

edition language English

series Triple Threat

Review: Handle With Care by Josephine Myles

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Ben Lethbridge spent most of his life taking care of his little sister when his parents were killed. It was a job no eighteen year old should have to shoulder, especially a diabetic one. But Ben did it and with love and patience, becoming the parent, guardian and security for his 6 year old sister. And when his sister grew up, the lessening of those duties made Ben a party boy, determined to make up for those years he missed out on while she was growing up. But the excess to which Ben partied and drank was too much for his fragile body to handle and now he is paying for it by living on a home dialysis regimen and waiting for a kidney transplant that never seems to come.

The highlight of Ben’s day is his delivery boy coming to his house to drop off a package. Ollie is a young, purple haired skateboarder whose bright personality and gorgeous body is the stuff of Ben’s dreams, day and night. But not only is Ben not sure of Ollie’s sexuality, Ben feels unlovable and downright unsexy due to the tubes running out of his abdomen, his swollen physique, and strict daily regimen he is locked into. So, other than a casual greeting with Ollie, all Ben does is look. And dream.

But one day a package Ollie is delivering breaks and Ben’s gay porn CDs fall out. In the ensuing mess, it comes out that Ollie is as gay as Ben had hoped. And Ollie’s kinks mesh with Ben’s status. As with everything else in Ben’s life, nothing is ever easy and that goes for a relationship between Ollie and Ben. Can both men overcome the obstacles between them or will Ben let this chance at happiness slip away.

Handle With Care has so many terrific unexpected elements to it not normally found in m/m romance novels or any romance novel actually. Myles gives us two main characters whose physical traits, and past histories make them unusual to say the least. Her first MC is a young man responsible for his own (mostly) physical decline. Ben Lethbridge was a 18 year old diabetic when his parents death made him responsible for his young sister as her only guardian. Myles makes us understand why Ben would party to excess when he was finally able to let go, while remaining factual as to the physical ramifications that such an abuse of drugs and alcohol would have on a diabetic. Now in his thirties, Ben is living with the consequences and they aren’t pretty. Josephine Myles gives us graphic descriptions of exactly how Ben goes through his daily regimen that is barely keeping him alive. This happens early on:

Three hours after Zoe left I hooked up the catheter tube in my belly to an empty bag and started to drain out all the waste dialysis fluid. I’d infused a dialysate bag not long before she’d turned up, so I had to wait for it to diffuse before opening the parcel. It might sound silly, but I had problems getting it up with all the dialysate fluid inside me. I’d look down and see my bloated abdomen and that bloody tube sticking out of me, and any trace of arousal just evaporated. I’d just start thinking about how the fluid was sloshing around inside my peritoneal cavity, getting more and more toxic as it leached all the waste products out of my blood.

In some ways, I’d have preferred to stay on the haemodialysis, which was only three hospital visits a week, but what with the diabetes, it didn’t work so well for me. I felt terrible most of the time and kept having crashes. Peritoneal dialysis was better at keeping my blood sugar level, even if it could be a hassle having to infuse and drain four bags a day.

As the fluid drained out, taking all those toxins with it, I ripped open the cardboard wrapper and pulled out the latest acquisition to my library. I was getting quite a collection. Like I said, I had to get the variety somehow, didn’t I?

Vivid, matter of fact, and perhaps more than the reader would want to know. And this is perhaps the mildest of the descriptions of the reality that Ben faces daily as a man who needs a kidney transplant and lives a fragile life according to a medical regimen. Ben has a disease that many live with and more than a few mishandle it as badly as Ben does early on. He loves his sister, and has been her main support and companion for her entire life. Ben is intelligent and holds down a good job, albeit at home due to his physical condition. He seems like an ok guy. And while there is much to admire about Ben, there is also elements of his personality that made it hard for me to like him. Is he human? Absolutely but does that translate automatically into a character we can care about and relate to? I don’t think so. For a character to have a disability or a disease is not enough to make that person someone the reader would automatically connect with. They need a good or great core at the center to go along with whatever else is happening to them. Ben, unfortunately, is also a bit of a curmudgeon. He makes assumptions about everyone and everything, not always nice ones. He has a next door neighbor who fills her garden with gnomes and other statuary. Here is his thoughts on poor Mrs. Felpersham:

Ollie to be at the door on Monday morning. What I was expecting was Mrs. Felpersham, the old biddy who lives in the gnome-infested house next door and who insists on calling round once a week to ask how I’m doing. I wouldn’t mind if it were purely an innocent enquiry, but I swear she’s just looking for a chance to snoop around my flat and pass judgment.

In fact Ben rarely has a nice thought about any one with the exception of his sister. And that gets old fast. I kept telling myself that this was supposed to be reflective of Ben’s mental and physical state at the time. And while it may have been realistic, it didn’t make him any more accessible as a person.

And it’s not just Ben. His sister, Zoe, is as understandable and unlikable as he is. She is young and protective of her brother/guardian. In fact, due to Ben’s illness they have switched places with Zoe acting almost as Ben’s caregiver and sole companion. She cooks all his meals for him due to his dietary restrictions and acts as his only friend outside his house. Not exactly a healthy relationship but that never comes up. She wants Ben to date, she wants to control who he dates. She throws fits of anger and jealously that seem real given her personality and circumstances but do I like her? Again, no.

And then there’s poor Ollie, our young purple haired skateboarder who dreams of opening his own cafe. I actually liked Ollie the best but Myles has burdened poor Ollie with a back history as a doormate/domestic servant with benefits with an older man who took advantage of him. The history Myles created for Ollie seems authentic and potentially realistic. So does his behavior with Ben and that makes Ben’s actions later more than a little repugnant and hurtful. Ollie is young, ebullient and in financial straights. I understood and liked this character. Just not his choice of lovers, and that includes Ben.

I think my biggest issues here have to do not only with the characterizations but the relationship. These all felt like very real people. So were the events that happened to them, from the accident that killed Ben’s parents to the transplant that Ben undergoes to save his life. The location, the events, everything is beautifully layered and fleshed out but no matter how hard I tried (and truly I did try), I just never got the attraction between Ben and Ollie. That pull or magic that needs to be created on the page in order for the reader to buy into their love for each other seems utterly missing.

Josephine Myles is a terrific writer. She thinks outside the norm when it comes to her characters and plots. Sometimes they work and other times while we see the potential of the story, the actuality comes up short as it did here. I liked the chances the author took with her characters in this story. I like seeing people with disabilities or more common diseases being represented in romances as they deserve to be. I only wish I had liked these a little more. If you love Josephine Myles, then maybe you will feel differently than I do about Ben, Zoe and Ollie. But if you are new to this author, skip this one and proceed to her many other books. There is sure to be one you will love waiting for you on her shelf.

Cover art by Kanaxa is both lovely and touching. Great job.

Book Details:

ebook, 149 pages

Published April 24th 2012 by Samhain Publishing, Ltd.

ISBN 160928965X (ISBN13: 9781609289652)

edition language English

Review: Demolished by Astrid Amara

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

When Calvin Quarry meets up with his anonymous hookup, he is startled and upset to find out that the man is none other than Felix Bracks. Felix Bracks was responsible for the death of Calvin’s closest friend in high school and several of their classmates. Calvin flees from the encounter, horrified. But Felix pursues him, calling and texting Calvin over the next week or so. Felix wants Calvin to hear his side of the story. While it’s not something Calvin wants to hear, eventually he gives in and listens to a version of the story that differs greatly from the one he knew.

Felix Bracks has spent years as a social outcast because of that accident in high school. Physically and emotionally scarred, he thought he had recovered. But feeling the distain and hate from Calvin after all these years, hurts him. He is attracted to Calvin and wants the man to like him. But Felix only tells Calvin part of the truth, keeping the full story to himself.

When Calvin’s cousin Robbie gets involved in something sinister, something that is derailing his life, Calvin decides to investigate. After all Calvin is an journalism major, this is something he knows how to do. But as Robbie falls deeper and deeper into trouble, Calvin’s investigation starts to lead him not only to Robbie’s problem but Felix’s past as well. As the past starts to intrude on Calvin and Felix’s relationship, will they be able to trust each other or will the revelations from the past demolish the love they have found with each other?

Astrid Amara is an automatic go to author for me. I love her stories, especially her holidays with The Bellskis which rank among my favorite. So when I heard she had a new story coming out, I was thrilled. Demolished has all the elements I have come to expect from this author. Great characters and an mystery that involves the reader emotionally as well as mentally.

Amara starts us off with Calvin agreeing to meet his online hookup, Bikenut, in person for some hot, and decidedly casual sex.

After four weeks of online flirtations and cybersex, Calvin Quarry finally got up the nerve to meet Bikenut in person.

Meet wasn’t the correct term. Screw worked better. Bikenut agreed to host. Cal would knock on the man’s apartment door five times, walk in, and he would be grabbed and taken aggressively and quickly. Then he’d depart.

It was the kind of online hookup Cal always dreamed of engaging in but never had the nerve to. But after weeks of conversations online with the guy with the username Bikenut, a series of photographs showing the man’s impressive endowments, and the guy’s general sense of good humor and intelligence, Cal gave in to his fantasies and arranged the meeting.

But from the moment, Calvin and his online buddy meet face to face, everything starts to go wrong. Because Bikenut turns out to be Felix Brachs, the boy Calvin and his community love to hate. Felix was involved in a car accident turned fatal for several high school students, including Calvin’s best friend and secret crush. For that alone Calvin has hated Felix all these years. Amara does a wonderful job in making Calvin and then Felix, open and appealing young men. We understand the emotions each person is feeling and can relate to each of them, easily seeing that horrendous event from both sides of the story. As created by Amara, these are earnest young men with their futures ahead of them. But both Calvin and Felix have a joined past that they need to put behind them before they can go forward. The author’s characterizations give Calvin and Felix each a layer of vulnerability that goes hand in hand with their youthfulness. Each has experienced past angst and trauma, from the devastation of the accident to their coming out as gay youths. And in every scene, Astrid Amara makes us feel their pain and confusion with a vividness that is heartbreaking.

Robbie is another wonderfully engaging character. Younger than Calvin and Felix, Robbie is in trouble. His grades have fallen, he is sullen and keeping secrets. All the hallmarks of drug and alcohol abuse. Robbie’s situation becomes increasingly grave over the course of the story and the reader’s anxiety over Robbie’s future deepens as clues from the past intertwine with revelations about Robbie’s current predicament. For me, this is where Amara really shined. Amara’s portrait of Robbie, a youth in trouble, is both realistic and grim and handled with sensitivity. The author ticks off the boxes of the parental check sheet of things to look out for to see if a child is in trouble. But she incorporates that knowledge seamlessly into Robbie’s personality and behavioral changes noticed by Calvin and Robbie’s parents. We watch it happening, we see the missteps by Calvin that we know can be laid at his youthfulness and inexperience, and the dread just seeps into the reader, spreading over the story as we wait to see how it will all play out.

I have a few quibbles with Demolished. The first of which I am not sure really mattered in the end. Perhaps I have watched far too many police procedurals on cable, but I could see some of the plot twists and turns coming, including the biggest of them all. That said, the journey to that point was so suspenseful and thrilling it didn’t matter so much that I knew where we were headed to begin with. The other quibble was the almost instantaneous love that sprang between a young man with hatred in his heart and the object of his distain. I wondered if Calvin could really push all those carefully hoarded feelings away and fall in love almost immediately with Felix. Maybe or then again, maybe not. That was a harder bump in the road to get over. But once I accepted their relationship, the story moved forward quickly, attaching my feelings in the process.

If you are new to Astrid Amara, there are so many books out there for you to start with. Whether it is the science fiction of Hell Cop, the contemporary holiday romance of The Carol of the Bellskis, or the mystery romance of Demolished, you can’t go wrong. Start here and work your way through her backlist. Astrid Amara lives in Bellingham, Washington, the wildly quirky town that is home to another one of my favorite authors, Nicole Kimberling. I have never been to Bellingham but feel a road trip coming on. What a place it must be to have such wonderful authors residing there and writing such amazing stories. No matter, Astrid Amara is a terrific author. Begin your journey with her here.

Cover artist, Valerie Tibbs, has created a terrific cover for Demolished, the red is the perfect color in tone and emotion for the story within.

Book Details:

ebook, 165 pages

Published July 16th 2013 by Loose-ID

ISBN13 9781623004156

edition language English

url http://www.astridamara.com/books/demolished/

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