Review: Home Sweet Home (Home #5) by T. A. Chase

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Yancey MacCafferty and Juan Romanos have been in love since the first time they met. In a gay bar in Texas, an underage Juan just wanted to dance. But danger was all around him. Yancey, a young rent boy, sees Juan’s innocence and naivete and falls in love, all while saving Juan from a predator on the dance floor. Eventually both ended up with their brothers on the ranch owned by Les Hardin and Randy Hersch, where they finished growing up and found their dreams. For Juan, it was all about the horses and being a world class equestrian, eventually ending up at a show bar on the East coast. Yancey chose another path, that of college and an education needed to become a veterinarian. And all during those years, Yancey and Juan never stopped loving each other, even though each was at opposite ends of the country.

Now Yancey has graduated from college and is ready to reunite with the man he loves and start his career. But to do that, he will have to leave the people he has grown to love including his brother for a new veterinarian practice in Virginia, just miles away from the show barn where Juan rides and lives. He and Juan have been parted long enough. He is sure that Juan feels the same way. Or does he? Yancey isn’t sure, exactly but its time to find out. Can Yancey and Juan’s puppy love mature into the forever love they have always wanted or will the reality of being and living together bring their dreams crashing down?

I have been waiting like so many others for Juan and Yancey’s story since the first time we met them in Home of His Own (Home #2 – their brothers, Brody MacCafferty and Tony Romanos story). These two young men were instantly endearing and their love story so heartwarming that it almost eclipsed that of their brothers. Happily, I can announce that it was worth the wait. Home Sweet Home is a wonderful story, reminescent of the first book in the series, No Going Home which remains my favorite.

In every book of the series, we kept getting glimpses of Juan and Yancey as they grew up. The author always managed to throw in little details of their lives, whether it was Yancey returning for the holidays from college or Juan’s equestrian training at Edward’s barns in Virginia. These small mentions managed to keep our interest in these young men alive and pique our curiosity over their future. In fact, one of the many aspects I love about this series is that Chase continues to bring together all the characters from other books into the latest stories. These people form a family, one cobbled together by need and choice so to have that family remain topical in every book is important to the cohesion and strength of the series.

The characters of Yancey and Juan have also grown as their characters have aged. From teenage gay boys to confident, mature young men, Chase has developed their characters realistically relative to their age. It’s wonderful getting reacquainted with these older versions of the boys we first met. Along with their characters, their love for each other needs to grow as well. Luckily, Chase has taken care of that too. The author has her characters adjust their views of each other and their careers in a very human and authentic manner. I just loved how tentative and yet determined each man is to make their relationship and Yancey’s move work. It is emotionally satisfying and oh so enjoyable to read about.

If I have a quibble, it would be with the ending. In the epilogue we fly forward from 1 year to 5 years into the future, missing out on so much of their lives together that it felt like a missed chance to round out their story in favor of a quick finish (note see my mini rant on storying endings). I don’t know if this rushed ending is due to Chase finishing up the series or just their story. Either way, it didn’t measure up to the first part of the story and that was a shame. But even with that quibble, I still love this series and recommend it. The Home series is heartwarming, sexy, and full of wonderful characters you will never get tired of. Home Sweet Home is another great installment and one you won’t want to miss.

Cover art by Posh Gosh. The young model in front is perfect for Juan and the cover gorgeous in design and detail.

Here are the Home series book in the order they were written and should be read to understand the characters and the events:

No Going Home (Home #1) – my favorite
Home of His Own (Home #2) Tony and Brody’s story (second favorite)
Wishing for a Home (Home #3) Derek and Max’s story
Leaving Home (Home #4) Peter and Chaz’s story
Home Sweet Home (Home #5) Juan and Yancey’s story (a tie with their brothers)

Book Details:

ebook, 137 pages

Published May 27th 2013 by Total-E-Bound

ISBN 1781843228 (ISBN13: 9781781843222)

edition language English

url http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=2125

series Home #5

Review: Fall For Me (The Rock Gods #1) by Ann Lister

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Ryan Pierce, music reporter for Music Spin magazine, has an assignment to interview the lead singer of the rock band Black Ice. But his past experience has not prepared him for the rocker he is to interview. Dagger Drummond is all swagger, sex on two legs. He is also tired and not happy about being interviewed after his last gig. He tells his manager to cancel the interview and enters his tour bus. But miscommunication follows, with Ryan, Dagger’s manager in tow, entering his tour bus to everyones embarrassment and anger. Accident aside, the mens attraction to each other is instant and fierce, not that either would show it. Dagger is all about manipulation and Ryan is straight, isn’t he?

What follows is a complicated relationship that deepens quickly. Ryan is left reeling not only over his new found attraction to the very male Dagger but hiding explosive information about Dagger that could make him as a journalist but ruin Dagger’s life. Will Ryan choose his career over a chance at love?

Ann Lister is a new author for me and her subject matter is one genre I grab up immediately – that of a story about a rock star and love. So with those things in mind, I really wanted to like the first book of Lister’s that I have read. What I found after enthusiastically diving into Fall For Me is all together different. Don’t get me wrong, this is a nice story about love and discovering your sexuality. But in my opinion, it never rises higher than just nice or perhaps sweet. And the reasons for that are both varied and elemental. Its all about the characterizations, writing style and editing. Or lack thereof.

When reading contemporary fiction, I want my characters grounded in reality and I can’t quite say that about the character of Ryan Pierce. As created by Lister, Ryan is an entertainment reporter with years of experience covering the rock music beat. Yet he comes across as not only naive about the rockers he interviews but unaware of the ethics of his profession. Especially with regard to getting involved with the subject of his assignment. One of the major ethical considerations for those who work in the news industry is that the reporter stay clear of any bias, so that their objectivity can’t be questioned,and that it cannot be said of their article/newscast that it tilted towards favoritism. But Ryan and Dagger become best friends, texting away almost immediately. Several of Ryan’s actions defy common sense to a huge degree and further disconnect the reader from any belief that he is a seasoned reporter or responsible adult. Ryan’s disingenuousness is almost beyond belief as is Dagger’s pursuit of a man in a profession he is wary of and a reporter who could out him to his adoring public. Dagger mentions numerous times that he doesn’t trust the media. Yet Dagger’s implicit belief in Ryan’s honesty and trust is swift and unyielding. Consistency is a problem in Fall For Me especially with regard to her characters and their personality traits and backgrounds. Ryan has worked for Music Spin for years but the interview scene sounds anything but professional. Here is a quick example. Ryan is back at the office and meeting a new intern, Sebastian, for the first time.

“I’ve heard you’re the ‘go-to’ guy for interview skills.”

“Is that so?”

“It’s been suggested I talk to you, maybe watch you work, so I can improve how I conduct an interview.”

Ryan scratched his head. “Well, I don’t have anything scheduled until next week. Then I’ll be sitting down with Zander Metcalf and his band Ivory Tower.”

“Damn! Ivory Tower? Their new album is their best yet.”

Ryan nodded. “Well, you’re welcome to tag along with me, if you want.”

“I’d like that,” Sebastian said. “Maybe you’ll let me take you to dinner a few days before that and I’ll help you outline your interview material?”

“I suppose that’d be okay,” Ryan said.

Never would a seasoned reporter let a new intern outline his work for him. Not in any respect does the character of Ryan Pierce work as a real reporter. However, the character of Dagger is still more authentic than Ryan and I could easily see him as a rock star, mostly. Many rock stars today are savvy about media exposure and working the press is as much a part of their business as the music. Dagger seems oblivious to that as any 80’s rock star would be. In my opinion both characters could have been shored up by better research and more attention to detail.

Unfortunately, the plot was very predictable. So formulaic that I knew exactly how the story would play out by the third chapter, not great in a book that contains 19 chapters. When that occurs in a book I am reading, I would expect other aspects of the narrative to elevate the story past the predictable into a higher state. A level that said the author had put their own stamp on the plot in some way, whether it be in the outstanding characterizations, the high quality of the writing or the dialog that is so entertaining and yet pertinent to the characters and situation that it sings. Lister failed to do that here as well. I know it is hard to add a new element to such a well used story but a savvy writer can find a way.

At issue here is also Ryan’s sexuality. Ryan thinks he is straight. He had a long term girlfriend. But his attraction to Dagger has him reexamining his past and his feelings towards Dagger and all men in general. Even Ryan can’t decide if he is gay for Dagger or just gay. I liked that the author had him bringing up the “gay for you” question for discussion. But again, Ryan’s actions and the dialog kept this aspect of the story from feeling authentic and involving. Plus Dagger goes from manipulator to man in love just as neatly and quickly as can be expected. Somehow neither man ever really involved me in their issues or their possible future.

One last element to talk about is the editing. This story is far too long. It is repetitive and dense in some areas. There are many paragraphs, even pages that could be cut to make this a tighter, better balanced story. As it is, getting to that last page made a very long journey indeed.

Not everyone will feel this way about this book. Some will love it just for the subject matter alone. Those readers will be very happy to find out that this book is the first in a series about the other musicians in the band and their friends. But I have read far too many outstanding books about rock bands and their singers and those make this story anemic in comparison. For those rock star addicts out there and those alone, this one is for you.

Cover Art Design: Kari Ayasha. It is a nice design, a little dark in tone and color.

Book Details:

Kindle Edition

Published May 11th 2013 by SleighFarm Publishing Group

ASIN B00CQWDQA6

edition language English

series The Rock Gods

Review: Wicked Solutions (Wicked’s Ways #1) by Havan Fellows

Book Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5

Series Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Wick Templeton is an ex cop, and a man with a plan. Wick’s plan, as a private detective, is to take only the cases that interest him and only when he feels like making the effort. That’s what happens when an injury forces you to retire from the police force, you cop an attitude. Although if anyone was asked, it was an attitude you always had. When an ex boyfriend calls in need of his help, Wick decides a little wicked intervention is needed to protect the ex and solve the case. What he doesn’t figure on is an enigma called Ned Harris.

Friend or foe? Criminal or cop? Wick doesn’t know but he likes the way the man fills out his slacks. But Ned the puzzle is going to have to wait because there is a crime to solve and Wick is the man to do it.

What a great story and a delicious new addiction! Havan Fellows has created an over the top private eye, Wick Templeton, in an action-packed adventure series guaranteed to bring a smile to your face as well as quite a few snorts as Wick moves through an investigation like a devil with guns, knives and sarcastic comments to spare.

In the first story of the series, Wicked Solutions, we are introduced to Wick Templeton, a man who lives his life on his own terms and no one else’s. Here he is:

Wick Templeton had retired from the police force years ago when an injury to his left side kept a doctor from clearing him to do anything but paper pushing.

He wasn’t a paper pusher. He needed the action of the streets, his fingernails dirty to feel like he contributed. Otherwise he was mean as a bear, and not the type he preferred in his bed either.

So he made do with his own company, so he could do things his way and play by his rules. Technically he wasn’t a private investigator, though he did have his license, for legal purposes. No, he leaned more toward the title of problem solver, hence the name Wicked Solutions. Have a spouse cheating on you and require proof? Sure, he’d take the pics if his schedule permitted. Have an issue with an overly friendly person who pops up everywhere?

Wick would help out there also.

Here is a man in pure pulp fiction form and we love him for it. Wick is smart, crafty, and dominant in every way. Oh, and have I said sexy? He is that too. Wick has more layers to him than a puff pastry. And it seems that the more Fellows reveals about him, the more we understand that what we are given is just the “tip of the iceberg” as far as his character goes. And the mystery about Wick, and Ned, and all of the other people we meet is part of the delicious fun of this book and the series.

In each story, Wick is given a mystery to solve. In Wicked Solutions, it appears that an ex-boyfriend is being set up to take the fall for some illegal activities and needs Wick’s help to keep his job and prove his innocence. While Wick is not eager at first to help, when he does agree, he will do so by all means, legal or not. He has a small group of friends he trusts, including one who is an IT wiz. It’s such a giggle and a snort to watch as Wick goes about the business of offending and outsmarting all of those around him. I just loved it.

Havan Fellows writing is so well done here. The story flows smoothly, the dialog crisp and perfect for the characters, and the ending leaves one wanting more while still giving the mystery the resolution is deserves. Just a great job all around. There is an element of romance here but it builds slowly over the next four books. We see in this book only the interest between the men and the hint of what will follow. It really works as a neat tease for the rest of the series.

At 43 pages, it is a quick read. Far too short for my tastes because I just love this character. But it works at 43 pages, a true complete story. It also sets up the next book in the series, as does each book that follows. I have to admit I read them all in one sitting, grabbing each up like a bonbon and devouring them. You will want to as well. But you must start with this one and get a feel for Wick and all the wonderful, snarky adventures to follow. I can’t recommend this character and this series highly enough. You are going to love him too!

Wicked’s Ways series:

Wicked Solutions

Wicked Bindings

Wicked Incarceration

Wicked Guidance

Cover art by Laura Harner. The design works to brand the series but I wish it had been a little more “pulp fiction” in design.

Book Details:

ebook, 43 pages

Published January 15th 2013 by Appleton Publishing Avenue

ISBN13 9781937252342

edition language English

series Wicked’s Ways

Review: Mixed Tapes Volume #2 Edited by Kris Jacen

Rating 3.5 stars out of 5

Remember when there was nothing finer than someone putting together a tape of music that meant something to you both. A song here that brought back memories of a special date or a song there that spelled out the love you had for each other. That special list of songs on that Mixed Tape told you someone was thinking about you and your relationship with them when putting that list together. Here is the second volume of songs and the stories that revolve around the relationships forever tied together by musical memories.

Mixed Tape – Volume #2:

“Never Goin’ to Let You Go” by Embry Carlysle
“Living On My Own” by Megan Slayer
“Save Your Love For Me” by Lex Valentine
“Up Where We Belong” by Rob Rosen
“It’s Raining Men” by Diana DeRicci
“How Soon Is Now” by Christopher Koehler

I did not read the first anthology in this series although I love the subject of these two volumes. I still have locked away somewhere a tape or two that a former boyfriend mixed together for me, tapes that still manage to bring back smiles and perhaps a few tears along with the memories. Among these stories I have found a new author to love, and several stories to recommend. I am not sure if any of these stories have companion pieces in the first volume but one story here in particular is sending me back to check. Here are the stories as they line up in the anthology:

1. How Soon Is Now by Christopher Koehler. Rating: 4 stars

Toby Meyer and Derek Tremaine are university undergraduates. And each has been eyeing the other for months but neither has worked up the courage to approach the other man. For Derek, past mistakes have made him overly cautious about relationship until the sight of Toby makes Derek want much more with the other man. For Toby, Derek is frustration personified. He can’t understand why the man won’t ask him out on a date. One night at a party which change the stalemate Toby and Derek are locked in. For someone else has his eyes on Toby and Derek must decide to act for both their sakes.

I wished this story had been a little longer but the characters were interesting and endearing. Derek especially was a interesting take on the “larger man”. His sense of fashion is an important part of his personality, a trait more often seen in the young quirky characters instead of someone as huge as Derek. Loved him, and this aspect of the story. I only wish it has been a little longer and the resolution more drawn out.

2. It’s Raining Men by Diana DeRicci. Rating: 5 stars

Dallas and his group of friends have come to Paper Dolls to cheer on their friend in the drag queen contest. But from the moment he lays his eyes on Pepper Prince (aka Peter), the hostess of the club, Dallas knows he must do everything possible to get to know the man on stage. Pepper Prince has a firm policy to never date any of his “dolls” or members of the audience who comes to see them. Dallas, however, is impossible to ignore and persistent beyond measure. When they do finally get together, the sparks fly. But Peter has been hurt in the past. Can Dallas overcome Peter’s past to make a future for himself and Peter together?

This is simply an amazing story. Outstanding characterizations and terrific plot make this story a true standout. DeRicci layers the story with several couples that you want to know better, along with the point of view of gay man who loves dressing as a woman and being a man. The author makes Peter such an accessible personality, so well grounded in his beliefs that every reader will be able to understand exactly where Peter is coming from emotionally and applaud him. Dallas too has so many wonderful strengths and accompanying insecurities that the pair is terrific apart and as a couple. I simply wanted more of them, and their friends. This is the best story of the anthology. I want more in this universe.

3. Up Where We Belong by Rob Rosen. Rating: 3.5 stars

A limousine driver is standing in an airport holding a sign with a name on it – Ted Jackson. Unfortunately for him, two men with the exact name arrive at the airport at the same time, one from the East Coast and one from the West. The solution? Both men take the same car to their hotel and a romance ensues that turns into something much more for them both.

This is a very cute story. I loved the idea of two men with the same name and one very confused limousine driver. There are some hot sexy scenes and a quick resolution. Another case of instant love but here it kind of works. Short and sweet.

4. Living On My Own by Megan Slayer. Rating 3 stars

Kelsey’s life is in turmoil. He has just been dumped by his ex who has made awful accusations about him, his sister has trashed the house he let her stay in and he is lonely beyond measure. Then Daniel Tate shows up, the man Kelsey has never gotten over. They had a wonderful life before Daniel’s drinking destroyed their relationship. Now Daniel is back and sober. Daniel also wants Kelsey back. Can Kelsey work through all the pain he has been put through and trust Daniel again? Or will their last chance at a relationship be lost forever?

I liked Kelsey and Daniel well enough, although I would have appreciated a little more back history on them both. They were involved in a BDSM relationship and they pick back up on that immediately as soon as Daniel reenters Kelsey’s life. Kelsey has just been humiliated in public due to a man he trusted, the trust he had previously place in Daniel had been destroyed due to Daniel’s drinking. So how it is that they pick back up on that part of their relationship immediately given their test issues? I liked the rest of their story well enough but this issues dragged it down to a 3 star rating.

5. Never Goin’ to Let You Go by Embry Carlysle. Rating: 2 stars

Takes place in Chicago in the 1980’s. Friends Drake and Shane come to grips with each other and their sexuality. Drake is gay and unashamedly so. Shane is sure that he is straight to the point of making fun of gays and throwing around gay slurs. Shane is also attracted to Drake which confuses him and makes him act out in a cowardly fashion. Months and months go by and the miscommunications and misplaced emotions pile up. Can Drake and Shane break through Shane’s self imposed barriers to have the relationship they want with each other?

Sigh. I almost didn’t make it through this story. It feels impenetrably long, like slogging through molasses on a cold day. The writing is overly dense, the same issues repeated innumerable times throughout the story until the reader just doesn’t care any longer how the boys resolve their problems to have any sort of relationship. Shane particularly is not a likable or endearing character. I am not sure why the author feels like the reader should connect with him, Instead we are left thinking that Drake should have moved on eons ago. My least favorite story of the group.

6. Save Your Love by Lex Valentine. Rating 2.5 stars

Starts out May 1987 in San Jose, California. On his 18th birthday, Jay Sparks loses his virginity and finds out he is gay at a rock festival. Jay also discovers that Matt Langdon, his friend and first lover is also his forever love. But it will be years and many different paths and lovers for each of them before they will be ready to take the chance on a relationship and a forever love.

I just couldn’t connect with these characters, however much I wanted to. Jay, now a rock star, and Matt, a firefighter, keep meeting, usually on birthdays, having sex and telling each other how much they love each other. They also have to tell each other they just got tested and when was the last time they slept with someone else. Conversations then occur where they deny their many lovers mean anything and that they know this causes each other pain. *head desk* Nothing about their relationship or feelings felt very realistic or believable, When Jay says “I don’t understand how I can be with other guys when loving you feels so right, ” well, by that time I really didn’t care. Far too short to make the reader engaged in such a relationship. My penultimate least favorite story in this anthology.

Book Details:

ebook, 253 pages
Published June 18th 2013 by MLR Press
ISBN 1020130092
edition languageEnglish
seriesMixed T

Review: The Boy Who Came In From The Cold by B.G.Thomas

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Life has not been easy for Todd Burton. He lives in a small town, Buckman, Missouri. His father died when he was young and his mother remarried to an abusive man who makes Todd’s life miserable in every way possible, including calling him a “fag”. All Todd has ever wanted was to be a chef but his dream and small efforts are ridiculed by mother and stepfather alike. One night, the taunts and abuse become too much, and Todd flees his home and town, running away to Kansas City to pursue his dream of being a chef. But the reality of life in Kansas City is a harsh one and soon Todd is left out in the cold, evicted from his apartment with no where to turn.

Gabe Richards, a wealthy businessman, finds Todd outside his apartment building freezing to death. The sight of the young man brings back memories that Gabe thought he had buried. He offers Todd a place to spend the night and food to eat and as the men get to know one another, the night becomes a week, and then more. But the situation is fraught with tension and awkwardness. Todd has always assumed he was straight, so why is he checking out Gabe like he would a girl? Could he actually be gay? And for Gabe, Todd brings up memories of another young man in Gabe’s past, one associated with pain and betrayal.

Gabe and Todd find themselves falling in love despite their pasts. For Todd, being evicted and coming in from the cold might be the best thing that ever happened to him.

I have some very mixed feelings about this story because I really liked parts of it. B.G. Thomas has a lovely writing style and his characters, specifically, Todd Burton and Peter Wagner, a friend and employer of Gabe, are fantastic. Todd is someone we could empathize immediately. Even when he is using offensive words like “fag”, we know its because those words have been thrown at and around him all his life. It’s a knee jerk reaction, especially in someone questioning his true sexuality. I have to admit having to suspend some belief in Todd’s miraculous culinary skills. Given his background, would someone like Todd really know what to do with fennel or taste white pepper in wine? But as I love a cooking element in a story, I can accept his interest and gift in putting flavors together to create something wonderful. Todd’s questioning of his sexuality is another terrific aspect of this story, although his leap into bed with Gabe as well as his embrace of his “gayness” came a little too fast for someone who just found out that they were gay. But again, I can accept that too because Thomas made it seem realistic.

Peter Wagner, vaguely British, kind and over the top is perhaps my favorite character, Think Peter O’Toole in My Favorite Year and you have some approximation of Peter Wagner. I loved him and every scene he appeared in. Thomas must have a real fondness for him too because his descriptions of Wagner and his actions are vivid, almost Technicolor, trying hard to express the heart and vitality of this man. Here is a sample of Peter at his best:

“Yes,” Peter decreed. “Sexily aromatic, like linen sheets after making love on an island in Greece.” Peter took another sip. “It is superb. And now if I might?” Peter lifted a fork as if it were a conductor’s baton, then a knife, cut into the thigh Todd had placed on his plate and sliced it quickly and masterfully. He brought the morsel to his mouth, stopped, inhaled. Then popped it into his mouth.

Todd held his breath.

A corner of Peter’s mouth slowly tipped upward. He opened his eyes. “Heaven,” he whispered.

Todd felt a rush. He had no idea why. He had no idea who this strange man was with his flourishes and declarations, his nimble swagger, and the graceful way he moved his hands and arms and lanky body. Yet, the compliment Peter had given him might have been the best in his entire life.

And we get that because Peter has become so real to us as well that we understand the sentiments involved. Great job, great characters indeed.

Gabe Richards is a little more problematic for me. It is with him and an event and people in his past that I have issues with. Gabe is described as a successful businessman with a painful past that both Peter and Gabe’s friend/assistant are aware of. This past involves a young man who had been sexually abused by his father for years and was living on the streets when Gabe found him. This character and his situation are the dramatic fulcrum upon which Gabe’s past angst pivots. And this is the element that dragged the story down for me.

It’s my opinion that if an author uses rape or sexual abuse as an element in their story, they have a responsibility to treat it as seriously and realistically as the topic deserves. This includes have the adult characters suggest counseling and police action for sexual abuse/rape, especially in underage victims involved in this storyline. The fact that this is fiction does not reduce that responsibility for the author. But when an abused underage young man is instead “adopted” as a son, calls the men who adopted him “Daddy One” and “Daddy Two” and is then looked at as a possible bedmate by both of them, then the subsequent story is undermined for me. That this young man is then also portrayed not as a victim but instigator of a painful event, then that aspect of the story becomes an object of disbelief. For that element to have been realistically portrayed, the author should have gone into the ramifications of parental sexual abuse, including perhaps the need for validation by a father figure and other long term aspects of paternal sexual abuse, especially if untreated. I am aware that this is only a part of Thomas’ story but it is still a small but important one. The author could have left this element out all together and chosen to make this a shallow opportunistic young man. If Thomas had, this would have been an altogether different review. As it is, it reduced the rating almost to a 2.

Outside of the sexual abuse section , this story also contains a case of “instant love”, something I am seeing a lot of these days. Gabe and Todd have one week together, during which time Todd not only comes to grips with his sexuality but also falls in love with Gabe, who very conveniently falls in love back. Sigh. Gabe’s past “homelessness” really isn’t, as he left his apartment for the night. So not the same as Todd. Again, a suspension of belief is called for. The author then wraps up all the loose story lines in a manner that seems a little pat. Again, while I could accept most of them, the resolution of the plot with the young sexually abused man is handled just as badly as was the character’s introduction. He runs off to confront his father by himself. No police involved, no one helping him because “he has to do it by himself”. And the last chance to redeem this plot element is lost.

Why give this story a three rating? I had to ask myself that question too. I did love parts of The Boy Who Came In From The Cold. I loved some of the characters and plot points. The parts that bothered me about the story are, in my opinion, hugely relevant, enough so to drag an otherwise charming story downward. So the writing, and some of the characters saved this story for me enough to give it a 3 star rating. For other readers, maybe they will skim over those sections that bothered me or it won’t be so obvious as to be an issue for them. You can make up your own mind.

Cover art by Aaron Anderson is lovely except (and I can’t believe I am saying this) but the model is a little too old for the character of Todd. Usually it is the other way around. But the graphics and overall feel is lovely.

Book Details:

ebook, 284 pages

Published May 29th 2013 by Dreamspinner Press

ISBN 162380714X (ISBN13: 9781623807146)

edition language English

url http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3822

Scattered Thoughts July 2013 Book Review Summary

Scattered Thoughts July 2013 Book Review Summary

It was an outstanding month with regard to books I read. So many great books and authors that it made this month a joy to be a reader and reviewer. And even more remarkable is that every one of the 5 star rated books were all part of a great series, whether it was a long established series or a series just getting started. Mary Calmes released her 7th book in her A Matter of Time series,, Missouri Dalton new Guidebook series promises to be an instant classic for young and old, Amy Lane made us weep as she finished up her beloved Promises series, and Kendall McKenna continued to prove she is one of the best military fiction writers I know with her third book in the Recon Diaries series. And that’s just the tip of the books read and reviewed this month. So many great stories, truly something for everyone.

All the reviews are linked. So take a look, see what story you might have missed or new author to add to your must read list. The bar has been set really high for August. Just saying.

July 2013 Book Review Summary
5 Star Rating:
Birds of a Feather (Bellingham Mysteries #5) by Nicole Kimberling (contemporary romance)
Forever Promised (Promises #4) by Amy Lane (contemporary romance)
Necromancy and You (Guidebooks #2) by Missouri Dalton (YA horror supernatural fiction)
Parting Shot (A Matter of Time #7) by Mary Calmes (contemporary romance)
The Final Line (Recon Diaries #3) by Kendall McKenna (contemporary romance)

4 to 4.75 Star Rating:
Attachment Strings (Jeff Woods Mystery #1) by Chris T. Kat (4 stars) (contemporary romance)
Fever Anthology by M. Rode (4 stars) (contemporary romance)
Grime and Punishment (The Brothers Grime #1) by Z.A. Maxfield (4.5 stars)(contemporary romance)
Son of a Gun by A.M. Riley (4 stars) (contemporary romance)
Sweet Young Thang (Theta Alpha Gamma #3) by Anne Tenino (4.25 stars)(contemporary romance)
The Curtis Reincarnation by Zathyn Priest (4.25 stars)(contemporary romance)
Vampirism and You (Guidebooks #1) by Missouri Dalton (4.75 stars) (YA horror supernatural)
Worlds Collide (Sanctuary #7) by R. J. Scott (4.75 stars)(contemporary romance)

3 to 3.75 Star Rating:
Bully For You by Catt Ford (3.75 stars) (contemporary romance)
Love On The East End by Lily Sawyer (3.5 stars)(contemporary romance)
Pick Up Men by L.C. Chase (3.75 stars) (contemporary romance)
Tattoo You by Willa Okati (3.75 stars) (contemporary romance)
The Heir Apparent by Tere Michaels (3.75 stars) (contemporary romance)
Waiting for Ty (Lovers and Friends #2) by Samantha Ann King (3 stars) (contemporary romance)

2 to 2.75 Star Rating:
Changing Planes by Karenna Colcroft (2 stars) (contemporary romance)

1 to 1.75 Star Rating:
Side Line by Ben Ryder (1.5 stars) (contemporary romance)

Review: Grime and Punishment (The Brothers Grime #1) by Z.A. Maxfield

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Jack Masterson was a firefighter until one massive blaze ended his career and put him on disability. Needing a new career and a way to help people involved, Jack created The Brothers Grime, a biohazard cleanup company. The Brothers Grime go to work at the crime scenes after the police and other agencies have cleared the site for clean up. Jack’s company’s job is to help people move on from a traumatic event by physically cleaning up all the mess left behind, the blood, the gore, everything. Then one night, The Brothers Grime get a call that changes everything for Jack. A man committed suicide at his cousin’s house and a clean up is needed. The suicide? One Nick Foasberg, former friend and more of Jack Masterson.

Jack’s memories of Nick are as traumatic as the accident that disabled him, perhaps more so. A high school attack on Jack involved Nick and others, an attack so savage it put Jack in the hospital for months and has had ramifications for Jack’s life ever since. And Nick’s suicide brings them all back with a vengeance. Further complicating things is Ryan Halloran, Nick’s cousin and owner of the house Nick was living in. Ryan looks like Nick while acting nothing like him. Nick’s life had been spiraling out of control for years as drugs and alcohol took control of his life. Ryan, a nurse, had been trying to help Nick recover.

Nick’s suicide brings the men together. And while Ryan only knows part of Nick’s past with Jack, the two men decide to gain closure and clean up Ryan’s house together. As an attraction grows between them so does Jack’s guilt over a secret he is keeping hidden from Ryan. Ryan has made Jack feel alive again after years of numbness and Jack doesn’t want to lose this chance at love. Both men need to move beyond their involvement with Nick and their pasts before they can find love again with each other.

I love Z.A. Maxfield’s stories and Grime and Punishment is no exception. In this first book in a new series, the author delves into the relatively unknown field of crime scene environmental cleanup, a fascinating aspect of the trauma crimes leave behind. With that occupation as a foundation, Maxfield gives us a group of emotionally and physically wounded men around which to build her story and series. I am sure I am not the only one who has not given a thought as to what happens when the police and medical examiners leave a scene. Maxfield takes us there and shows us the people and companies that make a living cleaning up the tragedies that life brings. The reality of these firms is both ugly and redeeming. They descend upon the scene, jockeying to throw in their bids and grab up the job before anyone else and that often means talking to the victim or victims shortly after the trauma has occurred. The manner in which that interaction is handled swings between sensitivity and rapaciousness.

For Maxfield’s character, Jack Masterson, this is not merely a job but a way in which he can help the victims move forward with their lives. He has been on the both sides of this job and knows that he and his people can make a difference and not just a living. Jack Masterson is one of the walking wounded. Jack was traumatized early in life by an attack during high school brought on by someone he loved and trusted. And that betrayal has caused Jack to emotionally withdraw from life. Jack is a masterful creation, a complex personality whose frailties, his emotional and physical vulnerabilities make him an easily accessible character to identify and like. And as he starts to change and become alive once more, the reader is so heavily invested in his emotional growth and rebirth that we feel we are there with him every step of the way.

Ryan also has many layers to him, a nurse drawn to the downtrodden and lost, he too must look closely at himself and his motives with regard to his relationships with Jack and Nick. The build to a relationship between Ryan and Jack is slow and full of obstacles. It is instead a very realistic portrait of two men wary of each other and their pasts who cautiously proceed forward together with no guarantees. I loved this aspect of the story and look forward to much more of them and the series.

Of course, there are so many others to grab your attention. Police officer Dave, so deeply in the closet he has built that he sees no way out, Dave too was affected deeply by Jack’s past as was everyone Jack has remained close to. The Brothers Grime is full of people who care for Jack, whether it is Gabe, Jack’s cousin or the others that work with them. All characters feel so alive that it is easy to entrust your affections to this diverse group of individuals and their various situations.

i love the way Maxfield has built her narrative here. At the start, it seems slow, almost a little frozen, just as Jack is. He is numb emotionally, physically hurting and so is everyone around him. All are bogged down in life, frozen in status as the story starts and the narrative reflects that. It’s mood is just as dark and deep as the characters at this stage in the story. But as their emotional stasis breaks up and the characters move forward in their lives, then the narrative moves forward at a pace equal to the characters emotional rebirth and growth. It becomes lively, and light in places, only to swoop downward at the first hint of returning troubles. Really, Grime and Punishment represents just a remarkable job of storytelling by the author.

I highly recommend this story and can’t wait for the next installment in the series. This is a great introduction for those of you new to Z.A. Maxfield. And for those of you already fond of this author, here is a new story of hers to love.

Book Details:

ebook, 176 pages

Published May 7th 2013 by Loose Id (first published 2013)

original title

Grime and Punishment

ISBN13 9781623003111

edition language English

url http://www.loose-id.com/grime-and-punishment.html

series The Brothers Grime

This Week’s Reviews From Scattered Thoughts

Just coming off a wonderful and exhausting week of company and lunch with my fellow Metro M/M Romance Group. A friend on her way back to the Azores stopped midway to stay with me last week. It was a terrific visit and we got all caught up on things going on in our lives. Then on Saturday, my M/M Romance Metro DC Group met at my house for drink, food and book talk. It was great. So Sunday? That was the day I collapsed. And cleaned. And did some catchup writing. Now I am about a day behind but not feeling very guilty about it. Everyone needs at least one day off and yesterday was mine.

So here is how the week is now shaking out. Not an awesome week, there is one or two redeeming books. I am saving one stupendously awful book for next week when I will have some great ones to balance it out. And of course, I have to have one book rant included for the week as well. This one involves book titles and the willy nilly manner in which some words are capitalized and others are not, depending upon editor, publisher and author. Makes me crazy and now you are going to hear about it.

Monday, July 29, 2013: This Week’s Reviews

Tuesday, July 30, 2013: Fire and Light by Berengaria Brown

Wed., July 31, 2013: Grime and Punishment by Z.A. Maxfield

Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013: The Boy Who Came In From the Cold by B. G. Thomas

Friday, Aug. 2, 2013: Welcome, Brother by Erica Pike

Saturday, Aug. 3, 2013: Book Titles and Capital letters are Making me Crazy!

Review: Parting Shot (A Matter of Time #7) by Mary Calmes

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Det. Duncan Stiel, closeted homicide detective, had a childhood so bad that he never talks about it. All the events in his past has lead to Duncan growing up as an adult who keeps his personal life and his emotions hidden, including his sexual orientation. Duncan’s reserve and determination to remain closeted has already cost him the only real relationship he has had to date (see Acrobat). So when Duncan meets and hooks up with Aaron Sutter, billionaire and equally closeted gay man, Duncan thinks that finally he has met a man on the same page emotionally as he is. No longer will he have to worry that Aaron will want him to meet family or friends, or even come out of the closet where Duncan is most comfortable, all the things that caused his last relationship to break up. Duncan is a man consumed by his job, including the need to occasionally go undercover. The last thing Duncan ever expected was to find love with Aaron Sutter.

Aaron Sutter has finally realized that Jory will never be his and that it is time to move on. Duncan Stiel is as far from the type of guys that Aaron normally finds attractive, Instead of a slender blond twink, the detective is tall, muscular, and an alpha in every way. And in no time at all, Aaron is smitten, lusting after the detective in a manner so unlike himself that Aaron is astounded at his own behavior. When Duncan is hurt, Aaron has an epiphany that shakes him to the core, making Aaron question the decisions he made in the past.

But Aaron is also involved in a mean, and desperate fight with his father over control of Sutter Enterprises. Staying in the closet and away from Duncan might be the only way he can stay in control. Duncan too is involved in a criminal case so dangerous that it threatens not only his fragile new relationship with Aaron but their lives as well. As the obstacles mount up against them, the men must fight not only against outside influences but their own inner demons as well if they are to find their way to love and a future together.

I love Mary Calmes. She is a wonderful storyteller who has created a pantheon of characters both memorable and addicting that they have cried out to be included in one book after another. Parting Shot is not only an addition to A Matter of Time series but incorporates characters from other favorite novels of mine as well, including Mine and Acrobat. The inclusion of these characters is important in a number of ways in describing why Mary Calmes is so good as what she does. Both men, Nate and Terrence Moss (also known as Conrad Harris) make only a brief appearance here, but just the mention of their names brings up a well of memories and emotions created by their stories (Acrobat and Mine respectively). They make an impact despite the brevity of their scenes in Parting Shot because of Mary Calmes’ incredible gift of creating characters we commit to memory and bury deep within our hearts. Just look at Duncan Stiel and Aaron Sutter.

Both men started out as satellite characters in other stories. Aaron Sutter was once the boyfriend of Jory Keyes before Sam Kage arrives into the picture. Aaron continues to flow through their story, a man determined to regain Jory’s affections and then finally as a true friend to be counted on. Hard to make an arrogant billionaire with a predilection for sharing his lovers with other men likable but Calmes made him a complex and ultimately appealing character. No matter his actions, there was just something about Aaron as created by Calmes that spoke to the reader and garnered their affections. Aaron just demanded that he have his own story and now he has gotten it, to my absolute delight.

Duncan Stiel was a little harder sell. He was a complete jerk when he appeared in Acrobat, although handsome, and competent, a complete alpha male. Parting Shot helps explain Duncan’s behavior by presenting us with his past. Once we see his traumatic childhood revealed, then those personality traits that made him so unappealing becomes understandable. Duncan Stiel of Parting Shot is someone the reader connects with on every level. I just love him.

These two men have arrived independently at the same stage in their lives where they want a real relationship. Both have Jory and Sam as an example of what they are missing in their lives and what they can attain if only they take a chance and change. The men meet and fall instantly in lust. That’s extremely realistic knowing what we do about these men. But what follows is also just as authentic given their personality traits and their pasts. They just mesh with each other in almost every way. I have seen this happen in real life. When the timing is right, things (and people) just fall into place. Not the case of “instant love” that appears so often in other stories but a connection based in reality and the personalities of the men involved. I believed totally in their relationship and feelings towards each other. It just felt right.

Aaron and Duncan are also an extremely sexy couple. They are equals in and out of the bed. I loved that about them as well. Their sex scenes together are hot, sensual, realistic, and sometimes quite funny. Aaron is really out of his element here and Mary Calmes incorporates that aspect into their relationship in some wonderfully funny scenes and dialog. They cracked me up, just amazing.

Duncan is involved in a case with some very dangerous criminals, pulling him undercover yet again several times in the book (including a undercover gig that brings in Marshall Sam Kage). This storyline flows along side one in which Aaron is dealing with his father who is determined to overthrow his son as the head of Sutter Enterprises so the father can resume his control over the company. The corporate fight Aaron is engaged in is just as critical as the criminal investigation Duncan is engaged in. Each power struggle and criminal case has ramifications for both men. It will cause them to examine their closeted lives and determine the paths their lives will take in the future. Powerful stuff indeed. And Mary Calmes makes it just as exciting and suspenseful as it sounds.

This is a completely absorbing novel. Once you pick it up, be prepared to remain situated until you have finished the book. It pulls you into the lives of Duncan and Aaron and all those around them. If you are new to the series, it helps to read the preceding books to fully understand the nature of these men and the relationships they had in the past. Grab up Mine and Acrobat while you are at it. Have a very merry Mary Calmes sort of weekend! I highly recommend them all, including Parting Shot.

Cover art by Reese Dante. I love Dante’s cover but it really doesn’t pertain to this story. It could be the cover for any number of books and that’s too bad because this story had so many elements that could have been used to make it relevant to the story within. Consider this cover a misstep.

Here are the books of A Matter of Time in the order they were written and should be read:

A Matter of Time (#1)

A Matter of Time (#2)

A Matter of Time (#3)

A Matter of Time (#4)

Bulletproof (A Matter of Time #5)

Just Jory (A Matter of Time #5.5)

But For You (A Matter of Time #6)

Parting Shot (A Matter of Time, #7)

A Matter of Time, Vol. 1 (A Matter of Time, #1-2) reworked and reedited

A Matter of Time, Vol. 2 (A Matter of Time, #3-4)reworked and reedited

Book Details:

ebook, 264 pages

Published July 19th 2013 by Dreamspinner Press

ISBN 1623808758 (ISBN13: 9781623808754)

url http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4020

series A Matter of Time

Review: Attachment Strings (Jeff Woods Mystery #1) by Chris T. Kat

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

A mother (the Mayor’s daughter) receives a letter threatening to kill her disabled child if she hasn’t left town with the child by a specified date. While her husband doesn’t take the note seriously, the mother does and reports it to her father. With the Mayor’s family involved, the police assign Detective Jeff Woods and his partner, Detective Parker Trenkins to the case and their initial findings are unsettling. It’s not only the Mayor’s daughter whose disabled child is threatened but others as well. At the center of the investigation is St. Christopherus School, a private school for disabled children. where a number of accidents involving their children has occurred.

Gay and in the closet, Jeff Woods seeks out one night stands at local gay bars to ease his sexual frustration and stress over the case. At the bar, is a young man, Alex Fisher, who is determined to pick up the attractive detective, no matter how many snubs he receives from Jeff. He succeeds after convincing Jeff he wants a casual hookup only. But their one night stand turns into something neither man was looking for, with a casual sexual encounter turning serious towards the end.

Both men flee back to their private lives in response to their feelings. Jeff to his job and investigation and Alex to his life centered on his disabled brother and the multiple jobs he needs to support them. As Jeff’s investigation spreads out to other students in the school, he encounters Alex and his brother. Their attraction and connection snaps to life when they meet again. It also brings up a prejudice against the disabled that Jeff didn’t know he had. Detective Jeff Woods and his partner must fight their own prejudices and their past to find a hidden killer targeting disabled children before Alex and his brother become the killer’s next victims.

It took me a while to like the main characters and storyline of Attachment Strings. At the beginning, this is a pretty gritty and brutal story. Jeff Woods and his partner, Parker Trenkins, are not easily likable men. Trenkins, who becomes important later on, is a loudmouth, a seeming bigot, definitely not someone you would want as a partner. What a surprise he turns out to be. But it is Jeff Woods character that must overcome several large obstacles before the reader’s affections are engaged. Woods is all about control. He doesn’t appear to have any prejudices, he is gay and in the closet, although not very deeply. Chris T. Kat gives us a complicated man in Jeff Woods because she makes him stubborn, somewhat arrogant, and finally so prejudiced against a section of society especially vulnerable and fragile that his bigoted attitude is just so ugly that it threatens to derail her story. That is one mess of a main character and a huge portion of readers might not make it through the first ten chapters to get to the best portion of this story and the redemption of Jeff Woods.

Yes, I said ten chapters. That is almost one third of the book but it is necessary to outline and set the foundation for this story that I found kind of brave. One remarkable aspect of Attachment Strings is that disabled children are not those portrayed as glowing totally unrealistic little kids, who always smile like cherubs, are easy to care for and put up little to no fuss. No, Chris T. Kat gives us realistic portraits of children who drool, flail, gibber and hoot. Kids that others, including some adults, look askance at even as the kids are strapped into chairs, with helmeted heads and uncontrollable limbs. The children that no one really wants to look at but would never admit to that fact. This is our and Jeff’s first introduction to Sean, Alex’s brother:

A shrill, piercing whistle startled both Parker and me. Alex appeared to be the only one unperturbed. He smiled at the child in his arms and asked, “You wanna stand and say hello?”

Another piercing whistle answered. This time Parker and I merely winced. We exchanged a worried glance when Alex shifted the weight of his bundle until the child stood on his feet.

“Should he, uh, even try to stand?” Parker asked cautiously.

“I’m holding him and he loves to stand and walk.” Alex wound his arms around the child’s torso and together, they maneuvered him around until he faced us.

The boy’s movements were spastic and I hastily took a step backward, barely evading getting hit by his flailing limbs. The boy was as blond as Alex, but he bore not even a trace of Alex’s beauty. The skin on his face was stretched taut and saliva trickled from the corner of his mouth in a steady stream. The bandana he wore functioned probably as some kind of bib; it just looked more stylish. I wrinkled my nose. The sight of this kid was not pretty. Most definitely not.

And the descriptions of life with Sean get more graphic as Alex feeds Sean while answering Jeff’s questions. Jeff’s reaction to Sean surprises both himself and his partner. It’s ugly and perhaps even pretty common. This is also where the story really grabs onto the reader’s attention and heart. We watch not only as Jeff comes to grips with his feelings and prejudices but also watch the love and care that Alex feels for and gives to his brother. In fact, this story is full of parents, and teachers who are fervent in their love and support of these special children. We are pulled into that love and intimacy along with Jeff. And that makes the killer all the more heinous.

Jeff’s partner, Parker Trenkins, is another quirky character. It is hinted that he is in a D/s relationship towards the end, and his character undergoes several transformations in this story, all terrific and believable. I loved him, he is a surprise in every way. I can see that more of his character will be revealed as the series continues and I can’t wait to see the true Parker that emerges.

Along side the relationship drama playing out, we have a murderer on the loose and a case with very few clues as to who the killer is. The threatening notes are scary and nauseating in content, with a brutal view towards these children as burdens on their parents and society. This is an absorbing case and my only quibble with it is that I wish it had played out a little more in depth towards the end. As it is, it is still a chiller of a mystery. And the closer the killer gets to Alex and Sean, the faster your heart will beat that Jeff and his partner will get there to save them in time.

I think my only quibbles here with this story and the author is that I wish she had truncated the section of the story where Jeff’s initial feelings of disgust are displayed from ten chapters into perhaps even five. By shortening this portion of the story, she would have been able to engage the reader sooner and been able to concentrate on the investigation in greater detail. As it stands, I am sure that a fair number of readers won’t make through to the heart of the story, and that would be a shame indeed. For this is where it starts to turn:

THE fork crashed down hard on the plate. So hard in fact that a delicate fracture line became visible. Alex’s furious face softened as he turned around to his brother. The boy mewled pitifully and tears rolled down his cheeks. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, baby. I didn’t mean… they don’t… oh please, hush now. No one is disgusted by you.” Sean started to cry in earnest. Parker and I exchanged an embarrassed and very helpless look. We watched uneasily as Alex heaved Sean out of his wheelchair and placed him on his lap. He rocked back and forth lightly, all the while murmuring soft, soothing words into Sean’s ear.

It took Sean a long time to calm down. Alex asked me to hand him a paper towel and used it to clean up Sean’s face. My gut knotted in sympathy when Sean’s face emerged from his hiding place against Alex’s chest. It was blotchy and his eyes were red-rimmed and swollen. Suddenly, he simply looked like a lost and hurt little boy. There was no place for any kind of disgust in my heart, only guilt and shame.

Trust me, this is a story you will want to read. Hang in there and be rewarded with an unusual detective and his partner who we will be seeing more of. Attachment Strings is the first in the Jeff Woods Mystery series and I can’t wait for another installment.

Cover art by Catt Ford is terrific and pertinent to the story. Great job.

Book Details:

ebook, 244 pages

Published June 17th 2013 by Dreamspinner Press

ISBN 1623808634 (ISBN13: 9781623808631)

edition language English

url http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3951

series Jeff Woods Mystery #1

characters Jeff Wood

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