A Stella Review: Tradeoff by Susan Laine

RATING 3,5 out of 5 stars

Milo Blake and his best friend, Jasper Reed, are college freshmen. Their shared passion is cars. Milo will build them, Jasper will drive them. That’s been their post-college plan since they were kids.

Until the day Milo gives Jasper a chance to test drive a new sports car—and Jasper, in a daze, smacks a grateful kiss on Milo’s lips. That single, spontaneous act changes everything. At least it does for Milo. Now, he sees his best friend in a different light.

So, he devises a new plan. He offers Jasper a mutually beneficial tradeoff: the perfect car for Jasper, the full gay experience for Milo. Essential car parts in exchange for a wide range of sensual acts—and zero emotional complications. When Jasper surprises them both and agrees to the audacious proposition, he and Milo are in for the ride of their lives.

Tradeoff by Susan Laine was a nice reading. Following Milo and Jasper during their tradeoff, or better the discover of their love, was really interesting. It was a good story, well written, sexy of course, cause seeing them trading car parts for a kiss or some necking was so hot.

I easily felt the connection between them, the MCs are first of all best friends, and although Milo wants more from Jasper and Jasper has no idea what he actually wants, their friendship come first, the worry of ruining it was real and clear from the well written scenes and dialogues.

Tradeoff is a fast paced read, but nothing was rushed, on the contrary I enjoyed every little moment Milo and Jasper shared. I knew there were a lot of years behind the present and in my opinion the author did a great work at showing me the deep feelings these guys had for each other.

It was time I finally read Susan Laine again and I’m happy I picked Tradeoff.

I don’t like the cover art by Harris Channing, I’m not sure why, but I wouldn’t have picked this new release just for the cover. I picked it because I know the author can write.

Sales Links: Bookstrand

BOOK DETAILS

ebook, 115 pages
Published May 18th 2017 by Siren Publishing
ISBN139781640103337
Edition LanguageEnglish

An Alisa Review: Defrosting Jack by Susan Laine

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Jack Frost has a problem. He’s the mythical power behind the elements of ice, snow, and frost, but his fame is being usurped by a fictional Frozen queen. So Jack’s the grumpiest man in Yuleland and is in need of a naughty distraction.

Rudolph Hreinn has a problem, as well. Rudy’s in high demand on Christmas, but the rest of the year he’s scorned by everyone for being different. So Rudy’s the saddest man in Yuleland and desperate for a nice diversion.

When the winter sprite and the reindeer shifter meet, after a rocky start, a friendship of like minds is born. Attraction soon follows. But then strange things start to happen. Odd omens warn them of dire consequences for Yuleland and for the winter holidays should they fall for each other.

Can love unite two lonely men and save Christmas? It’s the most wonderful time of the year—for some frosty reindeer games.

Jack gives off the impression he prefers to be solitary in defense to being continually pushed away. Rudy has been ridiculed for his heredity and prefers to spend most of his time alone. They both are tired of denying their attraction for the other and quickly realize they are the perfect counterpart to each other (hot to cold).

Jack and Rudy stand by each other through the whole situation, fighting for their love in spite of the consequences that have been foretold. We see both of their emotions and feelings pretty plainly even though Jack holds his tight to his chest when with others. I was rooting for these two to get everything worked out and continue building their connection to each other.

The cover art is very nice and gives a good visual for the characters.

Sales Links: Siren Publishing

Book Details:

ebook, 126 pages

Published: December 7, 2016 by Siren Publishing

Edition Language: English

A Paul B Review: Warrior Wolf and His Little Lamb (Pariah Pack #3) by Susan Laine

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Rhys Gunner has been away from his werewolf pack for some time. Having recently returned from the military, he is given the task from his alpha Max to find new hunting ground for their expanding pack of misfit shifters. With new pups and mates along with outcasts from other groups joining, they need to expand their territory. He stops at Sheppard farm, run but a family of sheep shifters. If nothing else, Rhys can satisfy his sweet tooth at the bakery the Sheppard family runs. The patriarch of the Sheppard family comes in to talk to his wife who is working the bakery. Rhys smells the scent of his mate not coming from Louis but from a handkerchief that he is carrying. Louis tells Rhys that it belongs to his son. Rhys takes off in search of his mate. He finds him in bed—with a woman.

Heath’s introduction to his mate could not have gone worse. In storms this giant of a man while he is fooling around with his girlfriend. Not happy with the interruption, Heath is further dismayed when he figures out his mate is not only male but a wolf shifter. How are a ram and wolf supposed to be mates? And to make matters worse, his girlfriend is getting a crash course of shifters and mating. Heath initially rejects Rhys’s advances but Rhys is determined to win over his “little lamb.” Things become even more complicated when Max demands that Rhys tell the Sheppards that their farm is now part of the werewolf pack lands due to an ancient werewolf law dealing with the property of their mates. While Rhys does not want to go against his alpha, he also doesn’t want to push Heath away just as he is starting to win him over. Rhys decides it may come down to his mate or his pack.

While I have enjoyed Susan Laine’s books in the past, I did not enjoy this one quite as much as her other books that I have read. I think the major problem I had with the book was all the puns using the wolf and sheep motif that are probably used to bring some humor to the book. While using them in moderation is fine, it seemed to me that I was hit over the head with them. Another point that bothered me was the Scooby Doo like ending where the wise old owl mediator solves the problem with Max’s recent behavior. On a side note, this is the third book in the Pariah Pack series but the first one I have read. So the point of Max’s behavior not being normal was sort of lost on me. Having someone say a secondary character in a book is acting strangely is one thing but having read the backstory in a previous book would have helped me connect why Max’s behavior was inconsistent with his past actions. While I have a couple of misgivings about this book, I would be willing to read others in the series.

The cover art by Harris Channing is a decent cover for the book. It has out two protagonists on the top half of the cover while a lone wolf is amongst a sheep herd on the bottom half.

Sales Links

Siren Publishing/Bookstrand

Book Details

EBook, 110 pages

Edition Language: English

Published: March 24, 2016 by Siren Publishing

ISBN: 978-1-68295-134-7

Series: Pariah Pack

An Alisa Review: Open Omega and His Bitter Bear (Pariah Pack #4) by Susan Laine

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

open-omega-and-his-bitter-bean As an omega, Woody Fry balances the unity of his wolf pack and serves as a gardener and healer. He’s an outspoken and optimistic twink who always supports his family and is ever ready to take a leap of faith. An unexpected intrusion into the wolf territory on an autumn’s day brings Woody face to face with a sullen, young coywolf and an equally morose, hostile bear in his prime.

Brown bear Lyss Arthur doesn’t trust anyone, preferring to keep to himself and radiating an air of rage. When the two opposites realize they’re mates, all bets are off. But Lyss isn’t on the market for a mate, so Woody has his work cut out.

Soon the wolf pack learns that the bear and coywolf are on the lam. They’re pursued by a lethal enemy who’ll stop at nothing to get them back. Protecting the bear and his teenage ward might prove deadly for everyone concerned.

Woody is absolutely adorable and so optimistic it’s like a breath of fresh air. Despite the bad things that have happened in his life he looks for the good in others and situations. Lyss is grumbly bear who doesn’t feel as though he can see any good in anything anymore.

In this story we can see how much Woody would like to push Lyss, but knows it’s best to wait. Lyss has trouble seeing how things can get better until it comes down to a confrontation and Woody’s pack stands up for him and the coywolf showing him that they are welcome and loved. I was rooting for these two the whole time even if Lyss did make a few stupid mistakes and had to be slapped upside the head with the truth for him to see it.

The cover art is very nice and gives a good visual for the characters.

Sales Links: Siren Publishing

Book Details:

ebook, 126 pages

Published: September 7, 2016 by Siren Publishing

Edition Language: English

Series: Pariah Pack #4

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Boston Bauble Party by Susan Laine

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Boston Bauble Party Looking for a sweet romance with a little BDSM kink thrown in? Add in menage and DP and this one might be just the ticket.

As the blurb states, Liam is inadequate below the belt, but what it doesn’t say is that it’s his balls that are small. The rest of him is a bit above average. But, his physical imperfection keeps him from getting involved with Doms or other sexual partners because he’s embarrassed. When he tells his roommate, Troy, that he’s going to have plastic surgery to enlarge them, Troy becomes determined to stop his foolishness and drags Liam along to a bauble party.

There they meet up with Burton, a wealthy Dom who Troy has previously met. Troy believes Burton and Liam will be a good match because the scar that keeps Burton from being able to open his mouth all the way prevents him from being able to enjoy sucking another man’s balls—until he meets Liam, and they all realize Troy was right.

The party, held in an exclusive club in a mansion, is all about pairing up in twosomes, threesomes, and more, and when the guys get to their room, Liam finds out just how happy Burton is with his little balls. And that’s before they all discover that they each mesh, including Liam and Troy. Apparently each of these best friends have been suffering from unrequited love.

The book is pretty much sex from beginning to end with a host of happy feelings thrown in for good measure. It certainly is not the best story I’ve ever read, and there’s quite a few times when I had to suspend disbelief, but I found it entertaining and sweet and just what I needed to take me away from some serious thinking for the day.

The very attractive, attention-getting cover by Harris Channing features three hot guys in various states of dress and undress—just right for this story.

Sales Links: Siren Publishing|

Book Details:

ebook, 106 pages

Published June 28th 2016 by Siren Publishing

ISBN13 9781682953679

Edition Language English

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