tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88678039899024055762024-03-14T01:40:06.582-07:00On Top Down Under Book ReviewsBook reviews and observations by an American and an Aussie with focus on the erotic genre...but we're up for anything, just try us!kazzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03484517880483861603noreply@blogger.comBlogger429125truetag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8867803989902405576.post-59288303462321143112013-11-13T18:21:00.000-08:002013-11-13T18:24:13.670-08:00<ol>
<li><strong>On Top Down Under Book Reviews has officially moved! As of August 2013 On Top Down Under Book Reviews is at a new site listed below under "Links." Please come join us at the new visually dynamic site. </strong></li>
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<u>There will be no more reviews posted on this site.</u> </h4>
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As of August 9th, 2013, On Top Down Under Book Reviews has moved to a new WordPress book review blog. Cindi and Kazza K are still the primary reviewers. The new look is modern and allows for much more detailed information on each review - such as page number of the book, publisher, genre of the book, rating, buy links, reviewer break down, author break down, and more. Our home page is a cover fetishist dream, with large covers of the books reviewed - front and centre - on our home page. Simply hover over a cover for the abbreviated information or click on the cover to enter the full review. There is a link to our Facebook page, and for those who like it a bit raunchier, our tumblr page.</div>
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For the home page - <a href="http://ontopdownunderbookreviews.com/"><strong>http://ontopdownunderbookreviews.com/</strong></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTKXYsyIYAWyuC0jgBR_CdRuovu5EzBqUDNdVwozf8p5g52FD67XKWh6hcJ5vH-Zfv05I9-FxPm5kW_Mbnx_dgouAdlGLZYpckjkyKv7jLWbvW5dQlgr4jLKGQUdPqJ902Qd4FgID9vHM/s1600/New+Website+On+The+Way.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTKXYsyIYAWyuC0jgBR_CdRuovu5EzBqUDNdVwozf8p5g52FD67XKWh6hcJ5vH-Zfv05I9-FxPm5kW_Mbnx_dgouAdlGLZYpckjkyKv7jLWbvW5dQlgr4jLKGQUdPqJ902Qd4FgID9vHM/s320/New+Website+On+The+Way.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Also, On Top Down Under Book Reviews will be celebrating our one year anniversary on October 6, 2013. We are very proud of this milestone.<span style="color: red;"> </span>More on that will be posted as we move closer to that date.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As always, if you have any questions or concerns, email us at the address below or click our pictures on the right of this post and send us an individual Goodreads message or contact us at </span><a href="mailto:ontopdownunderbookreviews@gmail.com" target="_blank"><strong>on<span style="font-family: inherit;">downunderbookreviews@gmail.com</span></strong></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">. Any and all email addresses given will remain confidential. We go to great lengths to keep our own personal information private and respect the need for privacy and anonymity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are excited to see what is in store for On Top Down Under Book Reviews in the coming years. We look forward to sharing that growth with you, our members. Thank you for your support of this blog and we hope it continues to the new one.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cindi and Kazza K</span></div>
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kazzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03484517880483861603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8867803989902405576.post-66522042573943835402013-08-09T18:30:00.001-07:002013-08-14T19:59:48.932-07:00On Top Down Under Has Moved.<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
On Top Down Under Book Reviews has officially moved!</h3>
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<u>There will be no more reviews posted on this site.</u> </h4>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
As of August 9th, 2013, On Top Down Under Book Reviews has moved to a new WordPress book review blog. Cindi and Kazza K are still the primary reviewers. The new look is modern and allows for much more detailed information on each review - such as page number of the book, publisher, genre of the book, rating, buy links, reviewer break down, author break down, and more. Our home page is a cover fetishist dream, with large covers of the books reviewed - front and centre - on our home page. Simply hover over a cover for the abbreviated information or click on the cover to enter the full review. There is a link to our Facebook page, and for those who like it a bit raunchier, our tumblr page.</div>
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<strong>Links:</strong></div>
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For the home page - <a href="http://ontopdownunderbookreviews.com/">http://ontopdownunderbookreviews.com/</a></div>
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For our about page: <a href="http://ontopdownunderbookreviews.com/about/the-blog/">http://ontopdownunderbookreviews.com/about/the-blog/</a></div>
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<strong>To Join Our New Site:</strong><br />
<br />
If you look at the bottom right of screen on the new site you will see a "Follow" pop-up. If you would like to follow us, and we hope you will, please add your email address there and confirm with the email that follows it up. It is discreet, your name is not displayed anywhere, and you will receive a condensed digest of the books reviewed all in one email.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTKXYsyIYAWyuC0jgBR_CdRuovu5EzBqUDNdVwozf8p5g52FD67XKWh6hcJ5vH-Zfv05I9-FxPm5kW_Mbnx_dgouAdlGLZYpckjkyKv7jLWbvW5dQlgr4jLKGQUdPqJ902Qd4FgID9vHM/s1600/New+Website+On+The+Way.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTKXYsyIYAWyuC0jgBR_CdRuovu5EzBqUDNdVwozf8p5g52FD67XKWh6hcJ5vH-Zfv05I9-FxPm5kW_Mbnx_dgouAdlGLZYpckjkyKv7jLWbvW5dQlgr4jLKGQUdPqJ902Qd4FgID9vHM/s320/New+Website+On+The+Way.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Also, On Top Down Under Book Reviews will be celebrating our one year anniversary on October 6, 2013. We are very proud of this milestone.<span style="color: red;"> </span>More on that will be posted as we move closer to that date.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As always, if you have any questions or concerns, email us at the address below or click our pictures on the right of this post and send us an individual Goodreads message or contact us at </span><a href="mailto:ontopdownunderbookreviews@gmail.com" target="_blank"><strong>on<span style="font-family: inherit;">downunderbookreviews@gmail.com</span></strong></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">. Any and all email addresses given will remain confidential. We go to great lengths to keep our own personal information private and respect the need for privacy and anonymity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are excited to see what is in store for On Top Down Under Book Reviews in the coming years. We look forward to sharing that growth with you, our members. Thank you for your support of this blog and we hope it continues to the new one.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cindi and Kazza K</span></div>
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kazzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03484517880483861603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8867803989902405576.post-55133485487198153032013-08-04T15:42:00.001-07:002013-08-04T15:42:52.716-07:00Love Comes in Darkness (Senses #2) by Andrew Grey<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"You're not funny, Uncle Howard. You're special, like Daddy Patrick. He doesn't talk, but he uses his hands to speak. You're blind, but you use your hands to see." - Hanna</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>- Review by Cindi</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>5 out of 5 stars</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Howard Justinian is blind and has always had to fight for his independence. It started with his parents (most notably his mother) then went on to his sister and then others. Sure, he's blind but he didn't want to have to depend on other people for the rest of his life so he went to college, graduated, moved to his own place, started a very lucrative business and lived his life according to Howard, not anyone else. He has great friends, Ken and Patrick (and their little girl), and he doesn't want for anything. He admits to needing help on occasion but he doesn't need to be coddled. Just let him live his life according to Howard and he'll be just fine. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Howard has been in a relationship with Cedric, a neighbor, for a few months. Cedric has always been all about control and has spent the entire relationship trying to control every aspect of Howard's life from day-to-day things to what goes on in the bedroom. While on the way to a party at Ken and Patrick's house there is an argument between the two men (once again about Cedric's control issues) and in a fit of anger, Cedric pulls the car over and leaves Howard on the side of the road completely helpless. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"You think you're so independent and don't need me, then you can find your own way to the party. Now open the damn door and get the hell out."</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Are you serious?" Howard asked, scared.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Get the fuck out!" Cedric screamed, and suddenly Howard was more afraid of Cedric than anything else.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thanks to the kindness of a stranger, Gordon Jarrett (Gordy), he is kept safe until Ken and Patrick arrive. It turns out that the party had been rescheduled and that Cedric knew this. He left Howard helpless as an act to finally get him to see things his way. Thankfully, Cedric had already shown his true colors before this incident so the relationship had already ended, at least in Howard's eyes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The next day Howard gets the chance to see Gordy again and this starts the slow build of a new relationship. Gordy has his own issues from his past but he still moves forward in order to build something with Howard. There is a bit of stubbornness on both men's parts (Howard's especially) but after a misunderstanding and facing a few fears the two begin dating, which leads to a sexual relationship. Howard is still fiercely independent but yet he allows Gordy to help when he can. The introduction of service dog, Token, makes his life even easier. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The reader is introduced to Howard's sister Lizzy and her six-year-old little girl, Sophia. Sophia is a treat immediately. She adores her "Uncle Howie" and his blindness means nothing to the little girl. Lizzy, on the other hand, is the typical protective sister who only wants what is best for her brother and sometimes her tone comes across as mean but the reader can easily see that it is all out of love.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As Howard and Gordy are working on building their relationship, tragedy happens and Howard loses his sister. He is listed in her will as the guardian for Sophia which terrifies him, with good reason. He is blind. He can barely take care of himself. How can he take care of a six-year-old little girl? And what about Gordy? His dependence on Gordy is bad enough but what happens to their relationship when a little girl is brought into the mix? They haven't been together long enough for the "L" word to even be spoken so Howard is convinced that Gordy will disappear because of Howard's added responsibilities. During a couple of pages there I could see where Howard was coming from because of Gordy's actions. But this is Andrew Grey and we know he will give us the happily-ever-after even if it takes a little while for the two men to get their act together. With everything, one thing the reader knows is that Howard and Gordy love each other deeply and that they want to be together for the long haul. It takes some time to get to that point but when they do it is well-earned. I fell in love with Gordy immediately. Howard as well though I wanted to bop him in the head a few times because of his stubbornness. Token is the perfect service dog and companion. Sophia is written as a typical six-year-old little girl and I simply adored her.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Your heart will break over the loss of Lizzy. Not only is Howard forced to mourn his sister but he is forced to do so while taking on the responsibility of a little girl who has just lost her mother. This is all written very well; the fears, the tears, Sophia's reactions, all of it. You feel what Howard is feeling and you cry for the little girl who is only six and does not yet understand what death means and that her mommy will not be coming home.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Sophia," he said softly, and she came over. Howard lifted her back onto his lap.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Where's Mommy?" Sophia asked.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"That's what I need to talk to you about." </i>God, how do I do this? How do I tell a little girl that her mommy's gone and never coming back?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"I'm sorry, Soph, but she's not coming back. That's why I'm here. Because your mommy is gone and she's not coming back...." Howard could barely get the words out, and he could hardly believe he was actually telling Sophia that her mother... his sister... was dead. This wasn't fucking fair.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"But she has to," Sophia said, and then the tears started. "Mommy has to come back." Howard held her tight as tears came from both of them. This time he made no effort to stop them. "She has to," Sophia gasped between her tears.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the first reviews I ever did for On Top Down Under Book Reviews was for Love Comes Silently, the first Senses story by Andrew Grey. You can find my review <a href="http://bookreviewsandtherapy.blogspot.com.au/2012/10/love-comes-silently-andrew-grey.html?zx=855342a503d5e5fc" target="_blank">here</a>. I remember ending that book thinking that Andrew Grey had seriously outdone himself with that story. You are introduced to Ken and his six-year-old daughter, Hanna, who had just been diagnosed with cancer. You were also introduced to their neighbor Patrick who had been on the verge of taking the world by storm when he was involved in a horrible accident that left him unable to speak. I fell in love with all three characters but mostly I fell in love with the way the story was written. While it was a love story, the center was really Hanna. I smiled a lot but I also shed a lot of tears. When I found out that the author was writing another story with the same characters, I was eager to read it as soon as I could get my hands on it. Love Comes in Darkness centers on other main characters but I was thrilled to know that I would see my favorite little girl again and I was not disappointed. Hanna is in this book quite a bit and it was a pleasure to see her farther down the road after Love Comes Silently. It was also wonderful to see her two daddies again, Ken and Patrick.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I shed quite a few tears reading Love Comes In Darkness. Howard has a lot thrown at him and he must find a way to overcome it all before he can move forward and do what's right for his niece. Gordy is there every step of the way, though he has understandable fears.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Overall, this is an outstanding book. I smiled at the antics of Sophia and Hanna and Token. I love how the author wrote Howard's story in a </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">real </i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">way where the reader can feel what he is feeling in regards to his blindness. I like how Cedric was written and Gordy's angry reaction to him. I loved revisiting the characters from the first book and once again being able to see how Hanna is doing down the road. All in all, I simply loved this book. While you do not have to read Love Comes Silently to get a feel for the characters as it is a great stand-alone, I do recommend it because it is simply an amazing story. Love Comes in Darkness is the perfect addition to the series. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange for a fair and honest review.</i></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8867803989902405576.post-61681302114303284412013-08-02T15:31:00.000-07:002013-08-06T15:27:18.768-07:00A Marrying Man (Sequel to A Betting Man), Sandrine Gasq-Dion<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>*** This review contains slight spoilers. ***</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>- Review by Cindi</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>3.5 out of 5 stars</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Spencer and Blaine are introduced in A Betting Man. You can find my review of that one <a href="http://bookreviewsandtherapy.blogspot.com/2013/05/a-betting-man-sandrine-gasq-dion.html?zx=9ef1ca4473fbb06a" target="_blank">here</a>. Blaine had made a bet with his business partner Kent that he could not make the next person (male or female) fall in love with him. The next person Kent sees is a bicycle messenger, Terry. Kent and Terry's relationship is based on deception from the start (by both) but it all ends with one big happily-ever-after. Blaine was the perfect bastard. He was obnoxious, snobby, pretentious. A character a reader loves to hate. But he did have chemistry with Terry's boss Spencer so I was expecting to see their story soon and that's what we have in A Marrying Man. The Blaine in A Marrying Man is nowhere near the one in A Betting Man. It's like the author wrote about two totally different people. I will come back to that.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Blaine and Spencer don't seem to like each other much. Spencer makes it his mission to embarrass Blaine and Blaine gets tongue-tied every time Spencer is around. Throwing the two together to plan a wedding does not seem like the smartest thing to do but they agree to do it because they love their friends. The normally strong and confident Blaine turns to mush every time Spencer is around. In reality they want each other... bad. Blaine knows that Spencer had been married (to a woman) in the past so he is convinced that he's straight. When the two are caught together in the middle of the day by Terry (when they should <i>never</i> be together), Spencer makes a move to throw Terry off and this confuses Blaine who has been holding onto a crush since the first time he saw Spencer many, many years earlier. One kiss is all it takes for that crush to slap Blaine in the face.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is a lot of back and forth with this book once Terry accepts the proposal and the planning gets going behind his back. Spencer keeps touching or kissing Blaine. At first, it's to keep Terry from finding out why they are together but then Spencer continues to do it and this leaves Blaine confused. Only later does Spencer confess that he is bisexual and is interested in more than a ruse to throw Terry off. They begin a tentative relationship with Blaine insecure because he doesn't believe that Spencer really wants him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is a nice group of secondary characters. Some I fell in love with, some not. Spencer has an eight-year-old daughter that even Terry didn't know about, Valerie. I adored this child immediately. His ex wife Vanessa is the perfect bitch and the author wrote her well.... until the end. Without giving it away I will say that I didn't even come close to buying what happened with Vanessa at the end and that completely took away from the story for me. The same thing occurred with Porsche, a former girlfriend of Blaine's (and Kent's too, if I'm recalling correctly). In my opinion, the author should have left both females as they were and not tried to change their characters. It was extremely unrealistic and again, I don't buy it with either of them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love all sets of parents with the exception of Blaine's. Unrealistic again and there is one scene in the book that went a bit beyond what I needed to see. I adored Spencer's, Terry's and once again we got to see Kent's hilarious southern parents. My huge gratitude to the author for leaving out the southern-speak in this one as compared to A Betting Man. That had been my biggest issue with that particular book and thankfully, it is kept to a minimum this go 'round (I was actually called out... nicely and privately... by other fans over my comments in regards to southern-speak in my review of A Betting Man. I still, months later, stand by what I said). There is a bit of joking back and forth between them and Terry's British parents but I found that to be charming. Spencer's brother Slater is an absolute blast as are Casper (Blaine's assistant) and Drakon (Spencer's). Slater and Casper have chemistry so no doubt they will have their book soon. I'm also holding out hope for Drakon and Blaine and Kent's boss. I am looking forward to both, especially Slater and Casper's. Slater is annoying but you seriously can't help but love him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The story is told in first person with each chapter alternating between Blaine and Spencer. There are issues with Vanessa and Spencer (and the custody of Valerie) that added to the story though (going back to what I said about Vanessa above) I am not a fan of how that played out. It all came together a bit <i>too nicely</i>. The same applies to a couple of other things in the book but I won't elaborate as it would be too telling. There is also a major overuse of exclamation points that I found distracting.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Overall, it was a a good story. Much better than A Betting Man in my opinion, though if you read that one you will not believe by reading A Marrying Man that Blaine is even the same person. Had I read A Marrying Man as a stand-alone my rating would most likely be higher because I actually liked Blaine in this one and I was prepared to hate him, for at least a little bit. I wanted to hate him because of his actions in the previous book. I understand him changing after his guilt over the bet but I don't get him going in a completely different direction. I wanted to see the obnoxious snob from before. I didn't want to see him going from being a pretentious prick to quickly being a quiet "pretty boy" who doesn't have the confidence to speak up and turns into a blushing schoolgirl every time Spencer is around. I liked his pretentious personality. Granted, I wanted to see him redeem himself but I wanted to see him work for it. Because his change occurred off page in between books I feel that I, the reader, missed a lot of the story. The ending was nice and I enjoyed revisiting the characters from the first book.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love the cover.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>This book was provided by Wilde City Press in exchange for a fair and honest review.</i></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8867803989902405576.post-83045107338934303652013-08-02T08:06:00.001-07:002015-02-24T19:12:39.275-08:00Worlds Apart, Barbara Elsborg<br />
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<em>"I ask nothing of you," Niall said. He'd said that before. What did he mean?</em></h4>
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<strong>-Review by Kazza K</strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: red;">**Contains Spoilers**</span></strong></div>
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At the beginning of World's Apart, Taylor's parents have moved to Spain. They are selling their family property in Leeds, Sutton Hall, and have asked Taylor to move in while it is on the market and they are living elsewhere. It needs a bit of upkeep and to be cleaned up. Taylor is in a very loose 'relationship' in Yorkshire, but after his parents ask him to come back he wants to help them out, and besides he can run his private investigation business from anywhere. Taylor had no problems leaving his latest squeeze. He has a philosophy of not getting attached anyway -<br />
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<em>He didn't do involved, he didn't do emotion. It made life simpler.</em><br />
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So Taylor heads back to Sutton Hall. There is much sadness around the property as Taylor's ten year old sister disappeared from there one day, never to be seen again. Obviously it is something none of them have ever recovered from, her room is left the same as it was before she disappeared.<br />
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<em>Taylor loved and hated</em> <em>Sutton Hall in equal measure. He'd lived here for fourteen happy years and then four hellish ones. He never thought he'd call this place home again.</em><br />
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Before Taylor heads back, his parents let him know that a man by the name of Niall is also living at Sutton Hall. He tends the garden in return for free board and has been doing so for about six months. Taylor isn't sure about sharing with someone he doesn't know but soon enough he finds Niall good company - he cooks, bakes, is all around quite domestic, and is easy to get along with. <br />
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Niall is one of the nicest characters you will ever find in a book. He is utterly in love with Taylor. Has been from when they were young. Only Taylor doesn't know or remember this. Niall is someone who believes wholeheartedly in love and is very kind and self-sacrificing. I loved him from the beginning and my affection only grew as the book progressed and his feelings and his secrets came out. He cannot ever tell Taylor that he cares or what he wants. He has a year for Taylor to fall in love with him without initiating anything, no matter how hard he wants to. If he doesn't succeed he dies. He doesn't have to be here and in this position but he chooses to be where Taylor is and his chance at being loved in return.<br />
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But first things first. Taylor needs to hire a new administrative assistant for his PI business, enter Roo. Roo is short for Roosevelt, her parents weren't exactly the kindest people around. But Roo is feisty and quirky and kind. When she feels down or like she can't do something she thinks of Roosevelt quotes to help her through. I really fell for Roo from the outset. She is talked into going for the job at the PI agency and has to go straight from her shitty casual job to the interview. Both Taylor and Niall are looking at the lack of decent candidates, people with no initiative, when Roo turns up -<br />
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<em>Five more minutes before Taylor heard Niall exhale in frustration, and then the door of the living room flew open and a chicken burst in. "What he fuck?" Taylor gasped.</em><br />
<em>"Hi, everyone," the chicken said in a perky voice. "Thank goodness I'm not late. I had difficulty getting across the road." She laughed and then sighed when no one else joined in. They sat staring at her in mute shock.</em><br />
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From the moment Roo burst onto the scene I was hooked. She talks a mile a minute, there is often not a filter, but what she says is always funny and always interesting. Roo finds Niall absolutely delicious from the outset but someone like him can't be into her. At first Niall isn't too keen on Roo as Taylor seems interested and he loves Taylor. But pretty soon he can't help having feelings for her as well. In the mean time Taylor and Niall are getting close...and intimate. Both men like Roo but something <br />
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always happens that stops them from acting on it. She is getting mixed signals from both of the men so it is confusing. Then she even catches Taylor and Niall in the orangery one night giving each other a blowjob and she figures they are gay. But a woman can fantasise.. However, you know it isn't going to be long before all three give in to the feelings they have for one another, but is isn't all smooth sailing. Taylor seems to have an innate inability to have or show no feelings. Niall has a past and Roo has her own issues to overcome.<br />
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The contemporary aspects of Worlds Apart are all well handled and then there are the paranormal aspects of the book. Throughout you learn bit by bit that Taylor had an imaginary friend when he was young, one that disappeared at the same time as his sister. He didn't remember this and there are reasons for that. But eventually it all comes back to him. Niall is a faery and he had his reasons for disappearing. The expression faeries at the bottom of the garden certainly rings true here. The latter part of the book looks at Faeryland and the world building is excellent. The characters get better as the book progresses and I loved the fact that love is love and that some parents never learn how to accept their children, or let go, are themes in this charming book.<br />
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I liked how this book could be termed an <em>out for you</em>, but no fuss is ever made about that. It happens fairly quietly. Yes, Taylor has his moments of thinking that he isn't gay and isn't sure why he is so attracted to Niall, but he fairly quickly accepts the fact that he is sexually fluid. Ms Elsborg handles it all so well - that sometimes we just love someone because they are worth loving, irrespective of gender. I also liked that all three MC's had distinct voices and complimented one another in different ways - Taylor so solid and, at times irritable, but decent. You learn more about his lack of ability to love as the book heads into the paranormal and that changes. Niall with his big heart and gentle, giving ways, and Roo with her positive outlook, self-deprecating manner, and the fact that she helps solidify their relationship. Their ménage. <br />
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One of the things I liked about Worlds Apart is that the three MC's were all well developed and given their individual POV. There was the right amount time taken with both contemporary and paranormal elements. All loose ends were tied up and there is a HEA via a lovely epilogue.<br />
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I recommend this book for lovers of ménage, paranormal, contemporary romance, some mystery, lovely characters and charming storytelling. <br />
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<br />kazzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03484517880483861603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8867803989902405576.post-15145114408008950232013-08-01T09:00:00.001-07:002013-08-06T14:52:35.767-07:00The Mirror, Bell Ellis<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Vic Ledore, a bartender, is a huge antique buff. He can easily spend hours inside an antique shop. He also feels that he can somehow understand each object, that they speak to him in a sense. While checking out the newest antique shop in town, Nooks and Books, Vic discovers an old mirror that he is convinced he must own even if it costs him a weeks worth of tips. The frame itself is art, with carvings of a war scene with soldiers, horses and even angels and ghouls and gargoyles. In the almost vacant top-left corner of the frame, in the midst of parting clouds, stan</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ds a single figure, a man. Unable to make out the face clearly due to age and damage of the mahogany, Vic can tell that the figure in the wood looks alone, sad. The mirror itself is supposedly haunted, according to the sales clerk, and is known as The Montmarche Mirror. Not really believing in an actual haunting, Vic pays for the mirror and takes it to his home. Once on the wall he notices an odd thing about the mirror itself. There are gold flecks in the glass that are unlike anything he's ever seen before. Only later does he discover that the haunting mentioned in the shop is more true than he could have imagined. Inside the mirror, Vic's own reflection, is a man from the early 1800s. A man who is determined to make himself known to Vic.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Over time Vic is able to learn by speaking to his reflection that the man in the mirror is Philippe Montmarche who had killed himself in New Orleans in the 1800s when his lover, Jean, had gone off to war and did not make it back home alive. Vic and Philippe are both convinced that they are..... Vic and Philippe..... the same person as the faces in the mirror are not just similar but Philippe had looked <i>exactly</i> like Vic when he had been alive all those years ago. All who had owned the mirror before Vic saw the same face... the face of Vic. I know it sounds confusing but in the story it actually made sense. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Philippe can never find any peace and be allowed to move on until he finds Jean again. Vic has met someone, Jules Cassell, who he himself would love to have a relationship with but Vic is hesitant because he has these deep feelings for Philippe, feelings that make no sense because the two men are convinced they are the same person. How can Vic be falling in love with <i>himself</i>? I have to admit that particular part of the story was a bit on the 'ew' side for me but thankfully it is cleared up later. The closer Vic gets to Jules the more things start to make sense. Vic has been able to go <i>inside</i> the mirror and to feel what Philippe and Jean were feeling but it takes a sudden, drunken revelation for everything to come together and for Philippe to finally have his much-sought-after peace in death.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is an odd story. I'm not necessarily saying that in a bad way but I did find myself confused a few times. I liked Vic right off. Philippe, not so much. I also really liked Jules though he came across (which was obviously the point) as a bit flighty and <i>out there</i>. I admit to having to read the last couple of pages twice before I was able to actually understand where the author was going. While I got the little twist thrown in, I had to go back and check the characteristics of all of the characters involved in order for it to make sense to me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Overall, a nice story that would benefit from being about fifteen or so pages longer. I do not feel that the characters were given enough time for such an ambitious story though everything does come together nicely at the end. My apologies if my review is confusing but this particular story is a difficult one to explain.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br />This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange for a fair and honest review.</i></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8867803989902405576.post-83081423718935374222013-07-29T18:20:00.001-07:002013-08-06T14:42:46.279-07:00Sonata, A.F. Henley<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>*** This review contains <i>a lot</i> of spoilers. Keep that in mind before reading. Also, my apologies for the length.***</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>2.5 out of 5 stars</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ian is frustrated. He has a boring job at an investment firm. He's a workaholic but not by choice. He is thirty-six and has no one to go home to each night so he always ends up working late into the evenings and his weekends are spent working as well. Even after his last relationship ended as a result of infidelity on the other man's part, he still wants someone in his life, someone he can love. He goes to a bar after work one night and it goes as expected.</span></div>
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<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The three scotches meandering through his bloodstream should have been easing the tension in his shoulders, not increasing it. Yet even with his jacket off Ian could somehow still feel the constriction of the fabric, as if it were the very thing binding him into his middle-aged hole of existence.</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>His clothes screamed out the warning of too-old-to-be-cool and yet still too young to be the daddy replacement the rest were looking for. "Twenty-five or fifty-five, anything in between is simply viral," Ian's flamboyant ex used to always tell him.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The night is a wash and he makes a quick trip to the men's room thinking he'll be leaving soon and going back to his lonely apartment. Only that's not exactly what happens. While standing at the urinal he is approached by a man much younger than him and within seconds they are in a stall at the stranger's urging. What happens next shocks Ian but he eventually goes with it because he knows that men like him don't get approached for a quick fuck from strangers often, if ever. The stranger turns out to be a man named Jordan though Jordan is definitely not interested in trading info with the older man. He wants to get off and get gone. Ian, on the other hand, feels funny doing a quickie with someone he doesn't know so he tries to make it a little personal. I found the way he went about making things a little personal as needy, clingy. This set the stage for my opinion of Ian throughout the rest of the book I'm afraid. More on that later. Jordan comes across as a jerk in a sense but then again, not really. He makes it clear what he is there for and he has no desire to get chummy with Ian afterward.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Are we done bonding now?"</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>He didn't wait for Ian's reply. He reached for the jacket, dragged it off the hook and handed it to Ian.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Let's fuck."</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Can I buy you a drink?" he'd asked, still panting from release, still trying to convince his legs that he could, in fact, remain standing.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Nope," Jordan had said, tucking away body parts and straightening his clothes. "Now you can piss off."</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ian leaves the bar convinced he'll never see Jordan again but life has a funny way of changing things. First, he runs into Jordan at a mall while he's out with his best gal pal Aubrey. At this time, Ian also meets Jordan's 'son' Cole who is screaming in the middle of the mall. That meeting also goes as expected for Ian as Jordan makes it clear that he is not interested. Later, Ian runs into a female friend of Jordan's in a grocery store (who he had also seen at the mall) and ends up at Jordan's apartment building helping the woman, which then turns into Ian being pushed to take something up to Jordan's apartment. When the latter happens is when I seriously began to have major issues with this story. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jordan's 'son' is Cole and he is eight-years-old. Cole is not like all other children his age and when Ian knocks on the apartment door the child begins screaming. Ian, who doesn't know this child from Adam, immediately takes charge to quiet Cole down. The way this is done worked to quiet Cole but it also angered me. I am a parent and had someone, <i>a total stranger</i>, grabbed my screaming child and done what Ian did I would be doing more than having a meltdown. Ian would be on the ground and I assure you that Ian would be getting no "thank you" from me for getting my child to be quiet. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This visit begins a relationship of sorts though I had a difficult time buying it. Jordan is twenty-two and takes care of Cole. There is major secrecy surrounding both and Ian doesn't just try to get to know Jordan and Cole, he comes across as a clingy stalker who thinks it's his duty in life to <i>control</i> Jordan and Cole. I also found Ian to be the type of man who is so desperate for someone, <i>anyone</i> that he would latch onto the first male who looked in his direction. Jordan does not need a man in his life. He doesn't <i>want</i> a man in his life. He only wanted to scratch an itch at the bar that first night, not pick up a clingy older man who later searches his apartment looking for signs of neglect (in regards to Cole of course).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>After all, should things be too severe, as much as Ian would hate to do it, he wouldn't be above a call to protective services. Jordan might be pretty, he might have a nice body and suck a good cock, but there wasn't a circumstance listed that would have Ian tolerating neglect.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Good point and I applaud people for wanting to do what's right for a child. However, Ian had been inside Jordan's home for all of five minutes and had seen Cole exactly twice. He knew exactly nothing about either of them at this point but yet he immediately latched on to "neglect" because the cabinets and refrigerator were not overflowing and because there was a little dust on some surfaces.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"What is it with you people? Like just because I'm not rich or old that somehow means that I can't take care of Cole?"</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At this point, Jordan's absolute devotion to Cole had been obvious. Jordan had very little money and he had very little as far as material things but he did everything in his power to care for Cole. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The relationship between Ian and Jordan is an odd one at best. For Jordan, it seems to be only about sex and this is made known early on, though he does eventually profess his love for Ian. Ian immediately jumps into the relationship with feelings and not just the sexual kind. Ian also has a very bad habit of discussing personal things in regards to Jordan and Cole with his best friend, Aubrey. This over sharing comes back to not only haunt Ian but Jordan and Cole as well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Aubrey is the token bitchy female friend found commonly in M/M books. Only she takes her bitchiness to a new level and almost destroys everything that Jordan has worked for with Cole. What came later not only made me angry with Aubrey but with Ian as well. Jordan's secrets are forced into the light and instead of standing up for his man and the child he's grown to love, Ian takes a complete step back. Granted, Ian has a health scare as a result but what about later? When he's better? He had promised to be there for Jordan and Cole but when it counted he was nowhere to be found. The story then jumps several months in advance and concludes with what I consider to be a very rushed ending where I felt that nothing was resolved except a quickie between Ian and Jordan after they reunite after months and months of zero contact. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cole has Asperger's Syndrome. While I could never claim to be an expert, I am very close to someone who knows Asperger's well. I understand that Sonata is fiction and I credit the author for getting specific symptoms of Cole's condition correct. There were quite a few, however, that are not that close to what I learned from my friend who has a vast amount of knowledge on the subject. Because of this, I have to say that the lack of realism in some scenes in this story strongly took away from the story for me. Had I never heard of Asperger's or even known a little about autism, those particular parts of the story (with the exception of a major instance at the end that would not be realistic for a child with <i>or</i> without Asperger's or autism) would have most likely been a non-issue for me. But as I know some about the subject, they weren't. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>What I liked</u></b>:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Jordan. Jordan, while young, did what he felt was right in regards to Cole. The decision may not have been the correct one but it was done completely out of love. He would go to the end of the earth for the child and this shines through brightly.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Cole, though my heart broke for him. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- The large age difference between the main characters. Ian is thirty-six and Jordan is twenty-two. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- The cover is beautiful.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">What did <i>not</i> work for me</u>:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Cole's Asperger's and the way it is described. As mentioned above, some things are described accurately but some aren't. He is yanked out of his parent's home and forced to go on the run for four years. This means four years without the proper care needed. At eight he has not gone to school nor even learned how to spell his name. He has zero routine. He rarely speaks. The only people he comes in contact with are Jordan, a female neighbor and her child and later, Ian. The way that Cole is described is as a child with a severe case of Asperger's or as a child with severe autism as both seemed to be intertwined in his case. If it is severe then he would not be able to function as he did in this story without proper care and he most definitely would not have had what I would consider to be a 'miraculous' recovery later on... in a span of a few months... by learning how to spell, write, play piano, do a piano recital in front of a loud crowd, or handle noises or situations that he could not handle months earlier. In other words, Cole goes from being almost 100% unresponsive to suddenly being able to do all the things he was unable to do during the first eight years of his life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Aubrey. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Ian. The best way to describe Ian is needy, clingy, obsessive, stalkerish... among others. Not only does he immediately try to have a relationship with a trick but he acts whiny when he is told "no". He pushes and pushes and comes across as weak. Then later he tries to appear as if he's the strong one who should be in complete control of Jordan and Cole. The word 'neglect' is tossed around often in regards to Cole's care when he knows absolutely nothing about Cole or the situation. He physically grabs a screaming child (who is unable to be touched) and locks himself in the bathroom with him, locking Jordan out I must add, in order to run water in the tub to calm Cole down. I touched on this above. Had anyone grabbed my child the way Ian did Cole, he would be picking himself up off the ground and I would most likely be arrested for assault. Especially with him being a total stranger who has seen the child exactly two times. I will say again that what Ian did to quiet down Cole <i>did work</i> but this mom here has a difficult time getting past the fact that he grabbed the child in the first place.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- There is a lot of jumping ahead in this book. Early on, Jordan goes from refusing to be kissed to suddenly being in a relationship with Ian. The biggest jump in time is when this reviewer needed more detail, at the end. There is so much build-up in the story with Jordan, Ian and even Cole but then something major happens and suddenly the story is jumping ahead weeks and then months with very little detail to explain that time. The detail that is there? All about Ian. I would have preferred to see what happened to Jordan and Cole during the few months as they were the center of the story for me. By reading what Ian went through during that time did not endear his character to me in any way, shape or form. He walked away when he should have been there for Jordan and Cole. Never is it explained why he did not do a little research to find out what happened to Jordan and Cole after Ian's friend, Aubrey, brought everything crashing down on them. He just went on with his life and that was that. Only when he receives something in the mail from Cole does he decide to man up and do something.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Jordan and Cole's parents. Because of the time jump mentioned above, I had a difficult time buying into their sudden change in regards to their children. Had the author come back with their father being out of the picture, perhaps I could accept it. That was not the case. He miraculously changed his ways. It must be noted that Jordan/Justin had kidnapped Cole when Jordan/Justin was eighteen and Cole was four, four years prior. I find it difficult to believe that after that, they would all be one big happy family a few months later.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- The ending. It did nothing for me other than prove that Ian and Jordan's relationship is based solely on sex. When they should have been discussing all that had occurred in the previous months, they were having a quickie in the parking lot. And then it ended. What happened next? Did Jordan and Ian go on to live happily-ever-after? What about Cole?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- The Jordan/Justin thing. I totally understand it and I get where the author was coming from but I could not go from reading Jordan Jordan Jordan to suddenly Ian calling him Justin without hesitation. Ian met him as Jordan, not Justin. One would expect Ian to slip up once the real name comes out. Nope, that did not happen even one time once Jordan's real identity was made known.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I want to stress that I went into this book with an open mind once I got to the part of the book about Cole having Asperger's Syndrome. I am aware that this is a fictional story but it is written about a very real condition. While Cole may have still shown some signs at the end, I find that by changing him almost completely over a span of a few months to be extremely unrealistic and inconsistent with what I know about the subject. Someone I care about has Asperger's and I know for a fact that one must do more than Cole did in order to get where he did at the end of this book. I am aware that each case is different but Cole's quick behavior-change seemed to me to be a bit much.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Overall, I enjoyed the story though I was not a fan of Ian from the onset. This, in turn, jaded the rest of the book for me, on top of the other things mentioned above. I fell in love with Jordan/Justin and Cole immediately. Had the book focused more on them instead of Ian perhaps my opinion would be much different.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>This book was provided by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.</i></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8867803989902405576.post-65684589889586117972013-07-27T20:49:00.000-07:002013-08-24T08:29:07.527-07:00On Top Down Under Book Reviews is Moving<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When On Top Down Under Book Reviews was created in October 2012, never would we have dreamed that it would grow as quickly as it has. Two total strangers, from two different<span style="color: red;"> </span>hemispheres, came together over the shared love of books. A friendship between these two strangers happened first, of course, otherwise there would be no collaboration. Not only has the friendship grown but so has the reviewing site.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Soon On Top Down Under Book Reviews will be switching over to a new-look WordPress site. The look of On Top Down Under may change but the books will still be reviewed the same, by the same two people with some guest reviewers thrown into the mix, and there will still be current and personal posts as well. Our name will remain the same. Our little reading hobby has taken on a life of its own and we, both Kazza K and Cindi, feel that it's in the best interest of the blog to move to a site with more flexibility and<span style="color: red;"> </span>another server,<span style="color: red;"> </span>one that is more accepting of the types of books we review and our occasional NSFW photo or GIF. Okay, sometimes more than occasional.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As changes occur they will be noted with additional blog posts. We hope that our members will continue to follow us once the transfer is complete and that all will continue to support us as we continue to grow. We are aiming for September 1st as our transfer date as our resident computer guru has been working diligently to make everything happen quickly. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What will change? On top of having a more professional and inviting look, the site will be easier to navigate as each post will be properly categorized. Purchase links will be in place for ease of use as well as other dynamic more user-friendly functions. Our Facebook page will be accessible with the click of a mouse as will our Tumblr account. Our contact information and submission policies will also be easier to find. The only major thing (other than appearance and navigation) that will change is that each current member must rejoin the site. Once this is done, emails will be sent to members advising all of new reviews, contests, interviews and other posts. Choosing to follow our new-look site allows subscribers anonymity and access to reviews as soon as they are posted via email, if desired. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Also, On Top Down Under Book Reviews will be celebrating our one year anniversary on October 6, 2013. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are very proud of this milestone.</span><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">More on that will be posted as we move closer to that date.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are excited to see what is in store for On Top Down Under Book Reviews in the coming years. We look forward to sharing that growth with you, our members.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cindi and Kazza K</span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8867803989902405576.post-38246251249694027622013-07-26T08:17:00.000-07:002013-08-06T13:12:28.027-07:00Deep In The Count (Love Has No Boundaries), Madison Parker<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>- Review by Cindi</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5 out of 5 stars</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My luck with YA/NA books with jocks and nerds hasn't always been that great. For some reason when I pick one up they are always the same story: The jock is in the closet and falls in love with the nerd. The nerd is either hesitant to date the jock or is too clingy. The jock ends up hurting the nerd because someone discovered the jock's love for men and his reputation is on the verge of being in tatters.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Deep In the Count</i>? Not even close to the others I've read. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Brandon is a star baseball player at Virginia Tech University. He's openly gay and has no problem with people knowing. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> He is a popular pitcher and never lacks for friends. Brandon is out and he's totally not ashamed of who he is or the fact that he is attracted to men. The girls want to date him anyway. The guys want to be him or at least spend time with him. His jock boy reputation is just fine, thank you very much, gay or no.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">His best friend Jack is very straight but accepts him for who he is. Jack is the stereotypical jock. His roommate, Corey, is the complete opposite of him and the dorm room proves this. Jack's side is a disaster. Corey's is perfectly organized with nothing out of place. During a visit to Jack's room Brandon discovers that Jack's roommate is gay. Corey isn't there at the time but that gets Brandon thinking. Corey is a nerd and Brandon has always had a thing for the smarter guys. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Is he cute?"</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Really? You're asking me if he's cute? This conversation is getting way too gay."</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Well, he ain't Zac Efron. He wears glasses. And he's always playing with one of those Rubik's cubes. He's like, off-the-charts not cool."</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"I bet he's really smart, though."</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"He's a freaking brainiac, and I'm sure he thinks we're a couple of dumbass jocks. Guys like him don't hang out with guys like us."</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>.. Brandon sighed. "Yeah. You're probably right."</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A few days later Brandon is having problems in a math class so he goes to the tutoring center. <i>If he didn't pass his math class, he'd be at risk of being placed on academic probation, which could cost him his scholarship. Without baseball, what the hell was he going to do with himself? </i>There he finally gets to meet the elusive Corey. It doesn't take long before Brandon is letting Corey know that he's interested in more than just tutoring but Corey is hesitant. Corey has his entire life planned out and he has no desire... or time... to get involved in any type of relationship much less with a jock who has yet to decide what he wants to do in the future. This kind of starts a back and forth that turned sexy quick. Corey's way of 'teaching' Brandon the math he needs is cute and it's sexy though Corey doesn't so much as allow a kiss. But Brandon has a plan that will speak to Corey's nerd side and I have to say it was one of the most unique ways of 'wooing' someone I've ever read.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I fell in love with these guys immediately. It is refreshing to see a jock written in a book that is not trying to hide who he is. Brandon knew what (and who) he wanted and he set out to win the man of his dreams. Corey is not your stereotypical nerd either. Oh sure, he's a smart guy and he focuses a lot on his studies but he knows (eventually) that he wants Brandon and when Brandon starts trying to win him with something dear to his heart he knows he's sunk.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm a total baseball freak so this short was right up my alley. Not only is it about baseball but the author uses baseball terms to help Brandon with his tutoring. There's even a glossary of baseball terms at the end of the book. And here I thought I knew all there was to know about baseball. I just learned new terms that I didn't even know existed. I won't dare say which ones were new to me as I'd never hear the end of it from my baseball-lovin' sons. Ah, but not all is great. Brandon is a Boston Red Sox fan (this reviewer is a huge New York Yankees fan, as in <i>obsessed</i> New York Yankees fan. For those who follow MLB you know the two most definitely do not go together). I was able to overlook that as it was only mentioned once. :D</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is a great set of secondary characters from Jack to Corey's bestie, Samantha (who lives 1,000 miles away and communicates with Corey via text or Skype). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The way that Brandon gets Corey to rethink his 'anti-dating' stance is via messages left for him in code. Corey is studying cryptology so this is the perfect way to be won over. The last message is left for the reader to decipher. The author gives hints and even a website to go to for help or to just solve the code. I'm ADHD so I admit to cheating and using the site to decipher the final message though looking at it now I could have easily figured it out without any help. This is yet another unique part of this story.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I fell in love with this author's writing style when I read another short of hers a few months back. I quickly became a fan and have since read her others. I would have a difficult time picking a favorite but </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Deep in the Count</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> is up there. It's funny. It's sexy. It's really, really cute. Highly recommended.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Overall, a great short. I loved all the characters and I found the story to be unique. I love how the author made each character 'out' so the story focused on getting the men together, not the trials of being in a relationship with one or both in the closet. Another great read by Madison Parker.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This was written as a part of the Goodreads M/M Romance Group's <b>"Love Has No Boundaries" </b>event. The free download link can be found <a href="http://www.mmromancegroup.com/?p=28549" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>This short story was reviewed for this blog at the request of the author.</i></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8867803989902405576.post-28675783964308655562013-07-25T08:51:00.002-07:002013-08-06T03:28:18.837-07:00Wolf at the Door, K Drew.<br />
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<strong><em>To say the property was welcoming would be to compare a viper's grip to a mother's hug. The house possessed a furious quality, a silent anger that was impossible to ignore. If a home could speak, this one told me to get into my car and drive away, but in spite of this I stayed.</em></strong></div>
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<strong>- Review by Kazza K<em></em></strong></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>A glorious cover.</strong></td></tr>
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I love paranormal. It's my biggest reading shelf. I'm also a huge fan of Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights and Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, just the tip of the iceberg really. I do love that brooding, atmospheric, gothic romance style. So when I read the official blurb for Wolf at the Door I thought - stately house + mysterious inhabitants + brooding character + disappearing men + paranormal = Kazza.<br />
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When Wolf at the Door starts Nicholas Ashbee is in an interrogation room at a New York police station. He is a suspect in the death of Lilith Blackwood...and he has seen better days. The detectives are spouting cliché lines at him to get him to confess to the brutal murder of his charge. From the interrogation room the reader very cleverly gets transported back, you get to know Nicholas Ashbee and those he crosses the path of. And you get to see the last month spent at the Blackwood house. It is never written in jarring flashbacks it is always a trigger or some other smooth transition from present to past. The story builds from the focal point at the beginning to the end which is just past the beginning.<br />
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Nicholas grows up in the uninspiring town of Constance, Illinois. He lives in a trailer park that is full of dysfunction. This starts with his mother, Cheryl, who has alcohol and other substance abuse issues. He nurses his grandmother who has diabetes and stomach cancer until she dies, and he is gay in a town where "his tribe" is not many. Life is not a great joy to Nicholas and those around him. He has some gay encounters in a tunnel in the local park and he has trouble sleeping as spouses abuse the local hooker at the trailer next door or someone works on their bike, loudly, at early hours of the morning. They exist, and Nicholas wants to do enough to get out of his much despised poverty <br />
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<em>Nothing much was spared from ruin at Singer Trailer Park. Things had a way of breaking down here, not only the property, but also the people. I saw my fate spelled out on the worn faces of the residents each day.</em><br />
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But Nicholas decides that if he works hard enough at school it can be his ticket out - <br />
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<em>After my eighteenth birthday, I decided to focus on school and try to drag myself up out of the gutter within which I had gestated. <br /> I was driven to become more than just an extension of my parents' ravaged lives and pitiful mistakes, and for a time I succeeded. Perhaps I was a little too successful in my attempt to erase any trace of where I came from. I may have overcompensated.</em><br />
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He nursed his grandmother - he looked after himself from a young age - so he has a pragmatic career path -<br />
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<em>Nursing is what you aspire to when you grow up in a dilapidated trailer park in Constance, Illinois, where dreams of rock star fame and teenage revolt are replaced with far more practical goals.</em><br />
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Nicholas attains a small scholarship into a New York college, Desentia, which specialises in medicine, and specifically nursing. By the end of the year he had done well enough to be awarded the coveted Blackwood Internship. Past recipients have apparently gone on to exclusive, private hospitals and great things, so they are told. So gaining this internship appears to be the right step in Nicholas' career. Nicolas is sick of poverty, sick of being at the bottom of the socio-economic rung -<br />
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<em>That's the real difference between being rich and poor. If the poor make a mistake, they pay for it for the rest of their lives, and the world never forgets...or forgives.</em><br />
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Pretty soon Nicholas discovers that the Blackwood Internship may not be as thrilling as it first seems.<br />
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While Lilith is nothing if not interesting, Sebastian, her incredibly sexy, and seemingly much younger husband is cold and uses Nicholas to do many things around the house - prepare breakfast, dress animals killed on the estate, clean, garden, prepare a banquet for Lilith's upcoming birthday festivities, serve at the party, all on top of nursing duties.<br />
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Nicholas notices things that are unusual but sometimes so much so that you wouldn't think anything more than you have imagined it. From the time he arrives at Blackwood he feels like he is being watched. Loki, Sebastian's dog, is almost like a wolf with uncanny closeness to his master and aggression towards Nicholas until his master's attitude changes. Lilith is incredibly old yet has moments of lucidity and activity followed by periods of being almost catatonic and seemingly at deaths door. When he visits the woods an occurrence is so surreal he questions it ever happened. Nicholas vacillates between leaving the estate and feeling compelled to stay for Lilith and for his odd and growing attraction to Sebastian. I can't say a whole lot more without giving away major plot and the ending. So I will break down what I liked and what didn't work so well for me.<br />
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<strong>Things that worked -</strong><br />
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It definitely fulfilled my desire for a gothic romance with a paranormal slant. <br />
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There is a beautiful turn of phrase and lovely prose in this book. K Drew has quite the style -<br />
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<em>Something compelled me to venture into the woods and discover more about Blackwood, a history as twisted as the branches of the dead foliage which bore its name.</em><br />
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<em>My grandmother had always taught me that dreams were a means of entering an alternate world. A domain uninhibited by social formality, where the truths we don't wish to acknowledge exist. As I would later learn, she was absolutely correct, and this series of images that my mind had conjured was no silly daydream, but a premonition of dangers to come.</em><br />
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Interesting characters. Nicholas Ashbee really has a darkly resigned perspective very much skewed by the desire to earn a living, break the cycle of poverty --<br />
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<em>"You have an impressive grasp of Victorian literature," Sebastian said reverently.<br /> "I considered becoming an English major before going into nursing," I stammered.<br /> 'What prompted you to give up the rewards of literature?"<br /> I suddenly turned serious and told him, "I gave up beauty for practicality a long time ago."<br /> "One should never have to choose between the two." <br /> "You have to when you're poor."</em><br />
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I appreciated the name of the nearby town, Drekton, that was visited for a bar pick-up-fix if so desired. Clever.<br />
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I'm a people<strong>/</strong>character observer so the descriptions of the residents of the Singer Trailer Park were incredibly well drawn. Life in Constance was starkly observational and real. Nicholas' mother could not be mistaken for mother of the year material.<br />
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Once the paranormal aspects were written in they were well done. There was a true gothic build. The latter part of the book had some good world building and action. I wanted to know what would happen.<br />
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The ending. I wasn't sure where it was heading and I thought I may have to throw my Kindle, but no such thing was needed. My Kindle and I were both left intact! I really enjoyed the ending and I'm glad it is not cookie-cutter, but it was the most optimistic part of the book and I liked Nicholas' thoughts. K Drew did a great job with the end in my opinion.<br />
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I enjoyed the way this book subtly compared the life of those with wealth against those without. It was a good study in human nature and perceptions. It parallels life and behaviour of people in Constance, in the lower socio-economic demographic, against those of the rich in the Blackwood's world.<br />
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Even though there is only one sex scene in this book it has definite erotic undertones throughout, which worked well given the style of the book.<br />
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There were some rather gruesome and graphic parts to this book. Not often, but when they occur they fit with the story and style.<br />
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<strong>What didn't work for me -</strong><br />
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Whilst I loved the background on Nicholas' hometown of Constance and the trailer park's inhabitants I could have done without other minute details. I believe I read at the end that the writer draws or paints and I would say that the writing at times is done with an artists eye to detail but not so much from the author's eye for multi-layered character development. For example, Detective Anderson, who has a bit part in the book - he is in it twice for a few moments - has everything described from the colour of his clothes, to stains on said clothes, to moustache etc. Clive, who disappears, the same thing. I was more interested in getting to know Sebastian more and I felt that time spent on him would have been a better investment from the writer.<br />
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So, having said the above, there was not enough emotional development of Sebastian. This book is purely Nicholas Ashbees' narration, so Sebastian needed some stronger development to shine through. What there was given was good and intriguing, but I wanted more. Towards the end I was all over Sebastian. I am really hoping there is another book to follow this up.<br />
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I needed to know some more about Loki, the lake, the woods.<br />
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The narrative was, at times, too sophisticated for the MC. Nicholas could look at something and compare it to this artist or that artist, and had more than a basic or working knowledge of art history. At his age, his level of education, his lack of a parent, or family who would show him these things, take him to art galleries, travel the world, it seemed a stretch. Example, he knew to compare a guest and his mask at Lilith's party to that of the <em>horny devil from the commedia dell'arte</em>, <em>which suited his personality like a glove</em>. Hell, Nicholas kicked my arse in art appreciation and intricacies.<br />
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<strong>Overall - </strong><br />
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Wolf at the Door is very much written in a true noir, gothic romance style. It is heavy on details, and while I may not have liked all of the detail I appreciated the intricacies and the writing. The thing is, the characterisations did suffer somewhat because of it. BUT...I liked the book so much, and as I reviewed it I appreciated it even more - if you write reviews as often as I do you will possibly appreciate that last comment. Do not go into Wolf at the Door thinking this is a werewolf novel, or that it will be driven at a rip-roaring pace, because you may be disappointed. Go into it thinking very descriptive writing, moody feel, enigmatic characters - bar the narrator, Nicholas. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I am looking forward to more from a talented and incredibly promising author, K Drew.<br />
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<strong><span style="color: red;">4 Noir Stars</span></strong></div>
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<em>This book was supplied to me by the publisher, Dreamspinner Press, in return for an honest review.</em></div>
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kazzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03484517880483861603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8867803989902405576.post-61319559041481150722013-07-24T14:22:00.000-07:002013-08-06T12:36:31.611-07:00Billy's Bones, Jamie Fessenden<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>This book contains scenes that some readers may find disturbing and that could be considered triggers for abuse survivors. The author handles these scenes with sensitivity but a few are quite graphic in nature. Keep that in mind before choosing this book as your next read.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>- Review by Cindi</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>5 out of 5 stars</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Kyrie eleison down the road that I must </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first time Kevin Deroacher meets Tom Langois he is thirty-two, newly married and has a baby on the way. He has also recently tried to hang himself and has been referred to Tom, a psychologist, by another doctor after Kevin's release from the hospital after the suicide attempt. After the initial consult, Tom is convinced he will never see Kevin again as a patient and that prediction turns out to be correct. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>When Tom shook his hand and looked into those sleepy, soft hazel eyes for the first time, he was struck not by the pain he often saw in his client's eyes, but by the confusion he saw there, as if Kevin had no idea why any of this was happening.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fast forward three years.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tom has bought a home that has an outdoor hot tub in need of repair. He is given the name of a local contractor, a "Mr. Fix-It" if you will, to call about the repairs. The name of the contractor is Kevin Deroacher, a name that Tom recognizes immediately as the lost man who had come into his office three years earlier. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Tom debated whether he should call Kevin, feeling he might be violating the professional relationship between a therapist and his client. But Kevin had seen him only once, three years ago. And it was just to get the goddamned hot tub fixed. So he gave in and dialed the number.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is no recognition of Tom's name but when the two men come face-to-face Kevin remembers Tom well because of his soothing voice during their one and only meeting prior. Kevin is now divorced. It doesn't take long for Tom and Kevin to become friends (not therapist and patient), though it is more than obvious to Tom that Kevin never dealt with the issues that caused him to attempt suicide three years earlier. There are nightmares and panic attacks and Kevin does things that he would not do had he properly been treated years earlier instead of abandoning it all. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kevin doesn't remember much from his childhood. Kevin doesn't <i>want</i> to remember much from his childhood. He knows that something horrific occurred when he was a child but he has blocked it all out and has no desire to remember any of it. However, there are triggers.... a song on the radio, the forest, among many other things that most would consider minor. To Kevin, they force him to panic and to run. As much as Kevin doesn't want to remember he knows that he has to or he will never be able to live a normal life. He is a loner with few friends because he's never been able to get too close to anyone. That caused the demise of his marriage and has kept him distanced from others. He remains friends with his ex, Tracy, but even she knows very little about his life before she came into it years before. Meeting Tom again not only triggers things for Kevin but it makes him want to have a relationship with someone, a man, for really the first time ever. Unfortunately, the time spent with Tom pushes Kevin in a direction that he would prefer to not go. After a few panic attacks (one violent), Tom encourages Kevin to see his friend and fellow psychologist Sue for therapy. Seeing Sue is a long time coming but the more his feelings for Tom grow the more he knows that he can't keep going as he is. The two have quickly fallen in love but their relationship is not normal in any way.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kevin can't be touched. Kevin can't be kissed. There can be no sexual contact at all. Certain smells trigger attacks. A specific song triggers attacks. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"We have this fucked-up relationship that feels almost romantic one moment and like we're just friends the next. You don't want to have sex with me, but you like being naked with me and sleeping in the same bed with me. I don't know what to make of it."</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"I can't think of any way to ask this," Tom said, "without sounding like I think you're five years old. So forgive me. But... you </i>can <i>tell the difference between platonic love and romantic love, can't you?"</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Then are you saying you want to be my boyfriend?"</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"If you can handle a boyfriend who can't kiss or have sex..."</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is a hard book to read. Don't get me wrong, it's written brilliantly and it is very obvious that the author did a lot of research in order to get Kevin's problems down accurately. This is by no means a typical M/M love story. What Kevin went through as a child is so horrific that I literally had a hard time turning the pages on my Kindle Fire because I knew what was coming next. When Kevin's memories start coming back I admit to getting teary more than once. One set of memories came back and I got emotional, as expected. Another set of memories returned and I had a hard time continuing because my heart broke in so many places not just for Kevin and what he was forced to endure but the other party involved. I'm not going to give it away but this particular scene is why I posted a bright red warning at the top of this review. You can't read that without getting angry, disgusted, sad. You want to reach inside the book and protect two innocents and kill the one who dared harm them. I'm an emotional reader. I am also a mother of three sons. Reading this really affected me as I'm sure it has other readers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is no miracle fix for Kevin in this book. It is a very long road for him to get where he needs to be and even after everything comes back, he still has a long way to go before he is able to get beyond his childhood. His mother is horrible and I found myself cussing her on more than one occasion. I mention above that this is not your typical M/M love story and I really need to stress that point again. This is no happy and roses story. Kevin and Tom do find their happily-ever-after but Kevin's past life will always be there and Kevin will always be forced to deal with the ramifications of it. I applaud the author for writing this story <i>real</i>. Sure it's fiction but I know that there are cases such as Kevin's in the real world. Anyone who can read this book and not be affected is much stronger than me. I finished this book hours before typing this review and I am still strongly affected by it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is an interesting set of secondary characters from Kevin's ex wife and her new man to Sue, Kevin's new therapist. His mother plays a large part as does his late father. My favorite secondary character, however, is Shadow the dog, who Tom adopts at Kevin's urging. Sometimes Shadow seemed to understand Kevin more than any humans could.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As Tom and Kevin's relationship begins to grow, Tom wants to jump in and try to fix Kevin but at the same time he is scared of what will come out if he keeps pushing. As a psychologist, Tom is able to surmise early on what Kevin went through as a child because of some of Kevin's odd behaviors as an adult. This causes friction between the two men because Kevin wants a boyfriend, <i>a partner</i>, not a therapist. </span><br />
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<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"No! You aren't trying to help me. You're trying to </i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">fix </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">me so you can have a normal boyfriend. One who likes to suck your cock and take your dick up his ass! And if I can't be </i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">fixed</span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, then fuck me! You'll go find somebody else."</i><br />
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<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"I do want to fix everybody. That's why I became a therapist. Most of the time, I'd argue that's a good thing, but... well, I guess you're right about me trying to fix you so you can be my boyfriend. Part of me was probably thinking that if I helped you figure out why you had such an aversion to sex, then we could </i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">have</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <i>sex."</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is an issue with Sue, Tom's friend and fellow therapist. Sue, understandably, feels that Tom should stay far away from Kevin as he was once one of his patients, even if they only met one time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"You really shouldn't be seeing a guy you've treated."</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"In any event," Sue said, "you shouldn't be </i>friends<i> with somebody you've treated either."</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"I saw him once, three years ago. I think we're well past him thinking of me as an authority figure."</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Besides," Tom added, "neither of us sought each other out. Destiny just threw us together again."</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is much more I could say in this review but I am choosing not to. I do not wish to type any type of spoilers as anything else I say would take away from the story for others. I will say that this is my first book by Jamie Fessenden and if Billy's Bones is anything to go by, he has definitely gained a new fan. Rarely do I find an author who can write a story like Billy's Bones. It's honest. It's brutally real. It made me want to grab every book the author has released to date. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All is not serious as there are quite a few humorous moments as well. Kevin has a warped sense of humor and it shines through brightly. Even after all Kevin has been through, he is still able to throw out a funny line or two here and there. He is also quite blunt in describing certain things with an example being how many times he masturbates and how he goes about doing it. Tom feels that by shocking others Kevin is able to take the attention off of his real problems. Tom also finds some of these shocking statements to be more telling than Kevin probably wants.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Someone asked me before I started typing this if the door is left open for a sequel. I will say yes but I want to stress that there is a HEA. Any future book would (I assume) deal with the relationship as Kevin continues to heal. I would gladly read any future books about Tom and Kevin on the day of release.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Overall, I have to say that this is an outstanding book. I told someone today that it is definitely one of my favorites of 2013. Thinking back I now have to say that it's one of my favorites of all-time. There are no words to express my total love for this story and the author's writing. This was an easy 5 stars for me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Note that there are warnings posted by the author before you get to Chapter One. I suggest reading those as well as everything else written before the story begins. Kevin's suicide attempt (that led him to his initial meeting with Tom) is described later, along with the feelings involved at the time. Kevin's childhood memories are described in detail and the reader is not only given a glimpse of what Kevin endured but is forced to feel things along with him as well. These memories are not pretty nor are they glossed over. Keep that in mind before reading. There is also an issue that some might find disturbing in regards to Kevin and Tom's relationship as the first meeting was as patient and therapist.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>This book was provided by Dreamspinner </i></span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Press in exchange for a fair and honest review.</i></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8867803989902405576.post-80746881763889674932013-07-23T06:48:00.002-07:002013-08-06T03:07:44.630-07:00Sidelined (Southern Scrimmage #2), Mercy Celeste<br />
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<em>This beautiful boy, with gorgeous eyes, smiled at me. And I had to go out and throw him on the ground a few times...</em></h4>
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<strong>-Review by Kazza K</strong></div>
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<a href="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1373160274l/18166046.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Sidelined" border="0" height="320" id="coverImage" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1373160274l/18166046.jpg" width="210" /></a>Tracy Wright is a coach at a local high school in Alabama. A school that has seen three high schools amalgamated into one. Which means three football teams that have been, are being, consolidated into one. Nothing like rivals now having to be team members and only one spot per player. The team is a mess, certainly not cohesive, and the school has decided that they will be bringing in another assistant coach to help. They already have one defensive coach now they'll add a new offensive coach to the mix. But Coach Wright is not impressed when he finds out who that is- <br />
<br />
<em>"Not fucking Levi Brody.</em><br />
<em>"Why not? He's an alumnus. He's more than qualified to -"</em><br />
<em> "Not Brody. I won't have his prima donna ass on my field. Let him find another team to play God on. I don't want him here. We can't afford to pay him anything close to what he thinks he's worth -"</em><br />
<em>"You asked for qualified coaching assistants, and I found you probably the best one on the planet. And he volunteered. This is a win-win situation, coach." </em><br />
<br />
Tracy and Levi played on opposing teams when they were younger. So clearly Tracy is not impressed by the new choice of assistant coach. But why is that? Why such disdain?<br />
<br />
Levi Brody has been let go from his team The Pirates in New Orleans. He's in pain and reeling from a career-ending injury to his shoulder, the ease with which his football club has dumped him - paid out his contract, told him to go. His (friends in the) team don't know -<br />
<br />
<em>Hey, 501, let's go tee up. Then you can treat me to a couple rounds at Rascals.</em><br />
<em>So Slayer was back in New Orleans but hadn't gotten the memo that Levi wasn't. </em><br />
<br />
<em>They didn't know yet. None of them. Management took the god damned cowards way out and cut him on the quiet. And no one knew. Yet.</em><br />
<em></em><br />
So Slayer, one of Levi's best friends, calls him - <br />
<em></em><br />
<em>"Where the hell are you anyway? I'll come get you, and we'll talk to management. They can't just cut you. You got us two rings, man."</em><br />
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Levi is back in Alabama, his home town. Jude, Levi's brother, still lives in Alabama. In the town they grew up in. That's why Levi is back. Jude is a lawyer. Lives in the local McMansion that people say came off the winnings of his brother's NFL success. Jude has offered Levi up to the local school, with a few provisos; like naming the local sport field after him. Only thing is he didn't bother telling Levi. Oh, and, Levi isn't taking any calls from his brother at the moment.<br />
<br />
Tracy is pissed off about the whole Levi Brody thing. It has stirred long buried emotions back up - by sixteen Levi Brody made Tracy know for sure he was gay. He was a fantasy before he went away to play professional football - even after. Levi will never be interested in him and he sure as hell isn't interested in Levi anymore. He's going to be a pain in the arse and turn his team and coaching into a circus. Levi didn't even turn up when he was supposed to for coaching. He neither wants or needs this shit. So Tracy goes to the local bar before he heads home. He is going to have a few quiet drinks to help deal with it all. While he's at the bar the football news is on and it is announced that Levi Brody has been let go. Things get a bit heated with some patrons - <br />
<em></em><br />
<em>"Bet he's off getting a blow job from that lousy fag they let play on the team..."</em><br />
<em>One of the pool table boys shouted at the TV, "Go look for him in Murphy's bed." </em><br />
<em>Tracy lunged off the stool and had Brody around the waist before he'd made more than a couple of steps. "Easy they're just assholes. Easy," he said softly, pulling the long lean quarterback away from the commotion. </em><br />
<em>"Fuck off." Levi turned to look at Tracy as he shoved him off. Nobody talks about Bo that way and gets away with it."</em><br />
<em></em><br />
Levi is under the influence and Tracy can't let him drive home in the state he is in, so he ends up having to drive Levi home. They talk, a bit, Levi a mixture of snark and off-kilter, and Tracy holds his own or is trying to figure out what the deal is. And, of course, Levi is still as sexy as ever -<br />
<br />
<em>The bark of laughter from the dark rippled over his skin like a caress. Damn, the man had a sexy laugh. One that had Tracy trying to get his body under control. Hard fucking body and a sexy laugh. Not something he wanted to know right now.</em><br />
<br />
When they drive by Jude's McMansion Tracy is stunned to find that Levi is living in a single wide. What the hell is up with that? But right now Levi is not 100% steady on his feet. Irrespective, he has a tight arse and a nice sway to it. Tracy is not staying, no way no how...but - <br />
<br />
<em>He put his hand on the gearshift and started to reverse out of the yard, because this was dangerous territory, watching Levi Brody move and wondering what those long damn legs would feel like..."</em><br />
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<em>Tracy stood on the small stoop watching as Levi made his way deeper inside...<br /> ...Levi opened the small amber bottle and shook out a pill, then chased it with whiskey straight from the bottle.<br /> This was his high school nemesis. The damned reason he knew he was into guys. Levi Brody, the one who did the impossible...falling the fuck apart right in front of him.</em><br />
<em></em><br />
Tracy goes in after Levi to see if he is okay. But Levi isn't. There is no one around to look out for him, his shoulder is obviously giving him a hard time and he is washing painkillers down with whiskey. Levi ends up literally crying on Tracy's shoulder, venting his sadness - he's lost, cut from his team, in pain...and one thing leads to another. Tracy is holding his high school fantasy and Levi is keen on taking this further - <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDDtJuCkm4PGXqMTiBLjUGMfiS7T9S4qQhPySZdduZd_9JNg7XGsN7jkON42LRUmX5jWoZTlc5cwjHe9X68QRgG_HfkIMAGW0ZlSdBeGtknYX6VtLbSiofLVu-9EPZhe9H7QrjBM01ouXC/s1600/Sexy+naked+guys+kissing.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDDtJuCkm4PGXqMTiBLjUGMfiS7T9S4qQhPySZdduZd_9JNg7XGsN7jkON42LRUmX5jWoZTlc5cwjHe9X68QRgG_HfkIMAGW0ZlSdBeGtknYX6VtLbSiofLVu-9EPZhe9H7QrjBM01ouXC/s400/Sexy+naked+guys+kissing.png" width="266" /></a><em>Tracy didn't know what to say. Or do. He turned to meet Levi's mouth when his breath ghosted over his lips. Slow dancing to no music turned to soft kisses in the middle of Levi's childhood home. This wasn't happening. This so wasn't happening.</em><br />
<em>"Levi?"</em><br />
<em>"You want me. I can tell. I need to be with someone. Take me to bed...."</em><br />
<em>He slid his hand down Levi's back to grasp his ass, pulling him flush against him. He lost all pretense and groaned as Levi's rock hard dick pressed against his...</em><br />
<em>"I want you to take me to bed. Want you to fuck me until I forget...</em><br />
<em>Want it. Need it. It has nothing to do with the liquor."</em><br />
<em>Tracy's body clenched in need. God damn, Levi was a bottom. He was going to burn in hell for this...</em><br />
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And they have some smoking, needy, lost-in-lust sex. Tracy is very dominant in bed and Levi a power bottom. There is some nice dirty-talk going on in bed... or wherever they can fuck. And, let me tell you, Sidelined has some incredibly erotic sex in it. Inventive - including hot kilt sex, and sex with an unexpected bottom...and then some.<br />
<br />
Sidelined is not anywhere near as angst-filled as Six Ways From Sunday, the first in this series. There is still enough tension to keep the pages turning. Certainly Levi calling Tracy Bo in the beginning sets the tone. Tracy is worried that he is a substitute for another man - because he is blonde like Bo and built like Bo. Irrespective of the fact that he desires Levi, Tracy has his not-so-happy feelings too -<br />
<br />
<em>Tracy leaned over him, his heart beating hard. "I wanted to hate you. I was set to hate you. How did you get so damn close this fast?"</em><br />
<em>"I'm irresistible, And Cute. And hot. And sexy. And I love dick. And football. And you're the only game in town."</em><br />
<em>Tracy felt the knife twist in his gut about the time his balls drew up tight. Levi's mouth went slack as he came in Tracy's hand. He wanted the fun back. But he didn't want to be Levi's default fuck.</em><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcIFbN7dF8R-cXhRWOoJLAM_4Ff7_YBk94q4VagFf1aB2zVDWjzjgSZb9ouw6ZEb_9b1hqfu3TWb2BdSD2uMU-9GZ27EJBbZ54X_mEcS3x92Ph39BVSFD3PftF7DC5it_yXQ0LnGLm27Vw/s1600/Kilt+Boy+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcIFbN7dF8R-cXhRWOoJLAM_4Ff7_YBk94q4VagFf1aB2zVDWjzjgSZb9ouw6ZEb_9b1hqfu3TWb2BdSD2uMU-9GZ27EJBbZ54X_mEcS3x92Ph39BVSFD3PftF7DC5it_yXQ0LnGLm27Vw/s400/Kilt+Boy+2.jpg" width="181" /></a>But Tracy likes Levi and he doesn't give in too easily. Okay, so it seems like it's about sex initially for Levi. But feelings grow. It's not just Tracy that has them. It's whether Levi will share his feelings and whether Tracy believes him. But there are some light hearted times and events. Tracy's family are lovely and Tracy is a nice guy who is thoroughly gone on Levi - he has never really gotten over his <br />
first crush. I really liked Tracy and Levi. They were meant for each other. They fit well together and both give as good as they get from one another. They have some fun as well - <br />
<br />
<em>"Mmmm, Doctor Tracy, I love it when you get all analytical on me. Tell me, Doc, I have a stiffening of my third lower appendage, and need a cure. Can you help me?" Levi backed his ass against Tracy's stiffening lower third appendage and rubbed sensuously.</em><br />
<br />
But Levi has some issues from his childhood that make him seem a little 'off' at times. As the book progresses they come out gradually. His childhood, his life, his secrets, other aspects of his persona, and why. I did not expect it and I liked that Mercy Celeste went somewhere a little different with the characters, particularly Levi. There is a tying-in to Bo and Dylan - the MC's in Six Ways From Sunday - using some flashbacks and also because they actually are in the book. They form an important part of Levi's backstory. It was interesting to see how Bo and Dylan coped after Dylan came back a broken man in SWFS.<br />
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<strong>Overall - </strong><br />
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If you like the following - semi-angst, sexy, sexy men, and erotic writing, humour and snark, two engaging characters, something a little different for one of the characters that you don't expect, some jocks and a HEA. And if you enjoy Mercy Celeste's writing, then I say don't miss Sidelined.<br />
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<strong><span style="color: red;">4.5 Viking King Stars</span></strong> </div>
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PS: There is a sneak peek at book #3 at the end. That should be interesting.<br />
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<br />kazzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03484517880483861603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8867803989902405576.post-6512102893596500732013-07-23T04:07:00.000-07:002013-08-06T02:53:15.899-07:00My Life as a Myth, Huston Piner<br />
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<h4 align="center">
<em>If you're not too long, I will wait here for you all my life.</em></h4>
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<em>-Oscar Wilde</em></h4>
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<strong><em></em></strong> </div>
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<strong>-Review by Kazza K</strong></div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17343906-my-life-as-a-myth" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="My Life as a Myth by Huston Piner" height="320" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1363012422l/17343906.jpg" title="My Life as a Myth by Huston Piner" width="213" /></a>It's August 27th, 1969. And it's Nick Horton's first day of high school. He feels like a text book case of a loser. He doesn't have many friends and school is not a joy. He's certainly not overly confident and feels somewhat like an outcast - <br />
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<em>A social life? I don't have one; the few acquaintances I have don't really count. If I vanished out of their lives, they'd never notice. My only real friend is Bruce Philemon, he says I just need to try harder. So to help me try harder, I'm starting this journal.</em><br />
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And that is exactly what Nick does. He starts a journal and that is how this book is told.<br />
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While Nick is waiting for the bus home, Andy Framingham decides to chat up a girl. When the girl's older, and larger, boyfriend is going to show him just how he feels about that, Andy throws a can of coke down on the pavement spraying everyone with the contents -<br />
<br />
<em>Just as they prepared to kill Andy and hide the corpse, Mr Wiggins, the elementary school principal came running from the building. He yanked Andy out of harm's way and announced he would report everyone to the high school principal.</em> <br />
<em>"Horton? I remember you, still making trouble, eh? Well, this time Mr Fuddle will see you pay for it."</em><br />
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This starts off a series of events in Nick's life. Nick really isn't trouble. He just wants to go to school, not get beaten up, not be embarrassed in PE -<br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><em>The way some of them show off makes me very nervous. Talk about embarrassing! You'd think "faggot" was my name! Today I just tried to keep my head down, change fast, and get out of there.<o:p></o:p></em></span></div>
<br />
...and the change rooms, have some friends and a bit of a social life, ride the bus in peace, get a locker in a better location - not on <em>Dead Student's Row,</em> as he names it - and go home every day without much drama. But the list that Mr Wiggins gives the principal at his high school has his name at the top for the coke-can-fountain incident, not Andy Framingham. Then a few other events occur where Nick is the one seen to be doing something he shouldn't. But the real bombshell occurs when Nick mixes up the name of the film he is to meet Bruce at, and ends up in a theatre watching Fellini's Satryicon. The film is a bit of a revelation, so much so it is raided by the police, he is taken out like a criminal, photos are taken, he makes the news and the front paper of the local paper. Nick is suddenly a rebel. <br />
<br />
Meanwhile, Nick has come to the attention of Jesse Gaston and his gang - Gary, Matt, and Bobby Warren. Jesse is an interesting character who seems to get intense delight in taking Nick under his wing and talking up his bad boy persona. When Nick jokes that he is <em><strong>Napalm Nick</strong></em> Jesse runs with that name. Napalm Nick is a good rebel's name, something he can work with. And work with it Jesse does. Jesse is the ultimate school spin-doctor - <br />
<br />
<em>Every time I attempted to reveal the truth about how I ended up at a movie destined to be raided, Jesse always jumped in to enlarge on my magnificence, my audacity, and my criminal invincibility.</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em>I've come to realize that it is useless to argue with Jesse Gaston. When he decides to do something he can come up with a hundred reasons to convince you to go along.</em><br />
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And very soon Nick becomes cool. Rumours spread, aided by Jesse. The girls all want to be with him, guys want to be seen with him, and his social life has never looked better. The thing is, Nick is not Napalm Nick, he's just a fourteen year old trying to find his way and discovering bit by bit that he isn't attracted to girls. He is, however, attracted to guys and in particular he's attracted to Bobby Warren.<br />
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Nick comes from a fairly typical suburban family of the era - his mum stays at home, his dad works, there are rules, but a certain amount of freedom. And, oh yes, he has two older brothers, Nathan who died in Vietnam after being drafted, and Raymond who has disappointed the family by growing his hair, and dropping out to live in a commune - very sixties. Neither name is allowed to be spoken in the household for the last three years for different reasons. Pretty hard on a young boy who just wants to talk about his brothers. But, once again, fairly typical of many families of any era, just change the war. <br />
<br />
Increasingly, Nick is realising that girls just aren't who<strong>/</strong>what he finds attractive. He tries everything to see if he can be like other guys who talk about girls. Who like Playboy. But perplexingly (at first) he's not. He also isn't enjoying being Napalm Nick. It's not who he is either, but it's better than being a loser...and there are perks. Plus there's a protection in the group and he cant bring too much attention on himself for other reasons - <br />
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<em>Damn it! The truth is maybe I do sort of like guys. I just don't know. But I can't let Jesse and the guys think I'm a fag. Okay. I'll be Napalm Nick for a month or two longer. Maybe after things die down I can move on and be a normal teenager again. That's not too much to ask, is it?</em><br />
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But Jesse continues to weave his magic and the rumour mill just chugs along. Nick also makes a friend with a senior, Brian. Brian is a popular jock but he likes Bobby and is rather mellow and very much full of live and let live philosophy. There was definitely more of a story to Brian and I would like to know more about him. Meanwhile, Nick and Bobby are growing closer and closer. Nick gets to stay over at Bobby's. He lives in the FROG - front room over garage - and his parents are former beatniks who are liberal in their thinking. Nick and Bobby discover a lot of things together, their likes are similar, they are both sweet, young boys, they are gay, they grow close as friends and fairly soon they are intimate with each other. The author does a good job of displaying teenagers - their language, their fears, their worries, their intensity of feelings. After Nick wakes up naked next to Bobby the first time -<br />
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<em>I dried my hair with the damp towel. Bobby had rolled over and snored quietly, now clutching a pillow. I finished dressing and watched him sleep for a minute, taking in how perfect he was from head to toe. My God, he's beautiful, I thought, and I felt myself stiffen. It took me a couple of minutes to tear myself away from just admiring him.</em><br />
<em>There are some things you just know you'll remember all your life and I knew right then that even when I'm a hundred, remembering him sleeping like that will bring out the same feelings in me.</em><br />
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To later when they are intimate - <br />
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<em>Then something in me snapped, and all my frustrations transformed into desire. When we got to my room, I closed and locked the door behind me. I put my hand on Bobby's shoulder, turned him around, took him in my arms, and kissed him. His eyes told me it was unexpected but welcome, and we fell onto the bed.</em><br />
<em>I felt him up and loosened his shirt and trousers. He stiffened as I ran my fingers through his hair. He moaned softly and at that moment, I don't think I could have stopped myself it I tried.</em><br />
<em>Right now Bobby's sleeping next to me. He's beautiful when he sleeps. I can't believe how much I love him. It's not just the physical stimulation I get from him. It makes me just as happy to do things for him as when he does things to me. It's even enough just to be with him, like now, and to know that he loves me as much as I love him.</em> <br />
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And the two boys do fall very much in love. But life is not easy.<em> Napalm Nick</em> is a lot to live up to. Jesse complicates this immeasurably and everywhere Nick turns there is pressure - girls he isn't interested in wanting more, being gay but having to hide it, being a rebel that he isn't. A new series of events as someone is blowing up trashcans at school and one of the teachers is now tailing him everywhere he goes as they believe <em>Napalm Nick</em> is the person behind it. <br />
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Then there are family matters ready to take centre stage in Nick's life. His brother - Raymond - comes home unexpectedly for Christmas. He hitch hikes from San Francisco and while their mother is glad to see him, their father isn't. But Raymond stays and cleans himself up - a shave, a hair cut - and even his father is feeling better about Raymond now. Nick is glad to have his brother home and he feels that Christmas is better for having him there. There is much to learn about one another in a short time - like Nick is now smoking pot, cigarettes, drinking beer, and taking magic mushies -<br />
<br />
<em>He and I snuck off to get high before supper. This time he provided the weed....He called the marijuana Acapulco Gold, whatever it is, it's damn potent. When we got home and wandered into the kitchen, both smiling from ear to ear and giggling, my mother cracked us up saying how nice it was to see her "two little boys" having so much fun together.</em><br />
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But Raymond has a secret and when it is revealed things will never be the same in the Horton family again. <br />
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I won't say anymore about the plot because I will ruin the book and it is best read. What I will add is this. Every chapter is headed up with a song title of the period that is incredibly apt. The last two chapters were beautifully named. Perhaps some people may feel unsure about the use of drugs or alcohol by minors, but this is what was happening at the time. Still does now. It isn't glorified, it's just part of the times and the story. Did every kid experiment in the 60's? No. But a lot did. The 60's was a crazy era of change mixed with a lingering conservatism. I lived during this era, was around the same age as the characters and I did all of these things...and then some. The music listed - I had every single one - bar the jazz - on vinyl. The attitudes that are portrayed were so real. The culture. But <br />
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here's the thing, this book translates well to today. There is still the group mentality, the homophobia. How difficult it is to be an outcast at school. How the word "faggot" is more than just a name. How friends can turn on you and the hurt that is associated. The fracturing of a family. The mistakes parent's make, and the repercussions. There are some real messages that are not lost between 1969 and 2013. <br />
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My Life as a Myth is one of the most realistic LGBTQ YA books that has crossed my desk and I encourage anyone who may be remotely interested to read this book. I am so glad I did. I will also add this - there is no HEA. I say this because some people will rate badly if that is the case and they are not aware of it. So, I'm throwing that out there as much as I don't want to have to say that.<br />
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If you like a period piece. If you are interested in the 60's. If you like LGBTQ YA, if you like humour, a message, young love, and can handle a bittersweet piece of fiction that is firmly rooted in reality, then please do yourself a favour and read the beautifully written, wonderfully named My Life as a Myth.<br />
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<strong><span style="color: red;">5 Stars</span></strong></div>
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<em><strong>It may be hard to be true to yourself, especially if you're different and people hate you for it; but it's still harder living your life as a myth. It's a lie and in the end it's self-defeating. In the long run, it's better to let people know the real you. It may be hard, but it's a lot less complicated, and at least you find out who your real friends are.</strong></em><br />
<em><strong>If you love someone, go on and tell them. If they can't love you just because you're different, you're better off without them. And when you find someone who loves you too, don't let anybody or anything stand in your way.</strong></em><br />
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<strong><em>- Bobby Warren.</em></strong></div>
kazzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03484517880483861603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8867803989902405576.post-43706202904982058112013-07-21T18:26:00.000-07:002013-07-21T18:30:58.994-07:00Sweet Young Thang (Theta Alpha Gamma #3), Anne Tenino<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Collin Montes played a huge role in his fraternity (Theta Alpha Gamma, aka TAG) at Calapooya College accepting openly gay and bisexual pledges. His frat brother Brad helped him to get the ball rolling when he himself came out to the shock of other members not long before. Collin's Uncle Monty is the president of the TAG Alumni Association and makes it clear that he and the other alumni are not pleased with the frat's new acceptance policy. There is fear by some of the alumni (commonly described as the 'Good Ol' Rich Boys' club) that by accepting gay and bisexual members that TAG will gain a bad reputation and might turn into a fraternity that gets bashed for its new acceptance policy. A threat to remove alumni funding is not just implied, it's promised. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A fire and eventual bomb at the frat house confirms Monty's suspicions (he thinks) and he <i>strongly encourages</i> his nephew to push his frat brothers to change the policy back to what was in place before Brad's coming out moment. The old policy was basically a <i>don't ask, don't tell</i> situation when it came to gay and bisexual members. Collin refuses to try to have the policy changed back as he himself has a personal stake in it. Collin is gay but in the closet to his family and (he thinks to) his friends and frat brothers. Only when he meets someone worth coming out for does he realize that staying in the closet is no longer an option, not with his friends and mother and most importantly his uncle... his uncle who has practically raised him since his father died when he was four. Monty has controlled every aspect of Collin's life from what schools he attended to even his college major. The plan is for Collin to graduate university and work for the family company. Collin has never questioned Monty as he always believed that the man had his best interests at heart. Only later when Monty shows his true colors does Collin see him for what and who he truly is.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Firefighter paramedic Eric Dixon is called out to the scene of a fire at his old fraternity. One of the current members has been injured as a result of the fire (and an explosion caused by it) and while Eric doesn't do anything unethical with the patient's care, he does take notice of a young man close by... a young man he falls instantly in lust with. When there is a bomb scare in the uninhabitable frat house later, Eric sees the man again but with all the chaos of the scene, the young man disappears once again. Only later does he finally meet Collin and hook up with him. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is a large age difference between Eric and Collin. Eric is thirty-six and Collin is only twenty-one. Normally I am all about substantial age differences but I had a few issues with it in this case. Collin, while responsible, came across at times as much younger than his twenty-one years. I have three sons varying in age from nineteen and twenty-five so I am very familiar with how a twenty-one-year old male acts. Also, Eric. Eric is only thirty-six but you would swear he is much older in the way he is described at times. Having gray hair at an early age is one thing but I felt that Eric came across as a bit too stodgy with some of the comments he made. As he and Collin </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">quickly begin their relationship (not just sexual but with </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">feelings</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">... over the course of a week) comments are made about Collin, a twenty-one-year old college student, and his phone and emails. I considered it to be a bit odd because I know thirty-six year olds who are more obsessed with technology than even teenagers. I am quite a bit older than that myself and I completely related to Collin, not Eric, in that regard.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The book started out good. I love the slight mystery with the fire and the bomb. I like how Collin and Eric met. I even liked Collin's bastard Uncle Monty. The secondary characters I love as I am a huge fan of the other books in this series. Kyle (a fraternity brother) will forever go down in my reading history as the <i>greatest straight friend ever</i> (who helped with one of the greatest coming out scenes ever in <i>Frat Boy and Toppy</i>). However, there are a few things that seriously bugged me while reading this book. The endearments and pet names mainly. I am a southern girl (born and raised in Mobile, Alabama) so endearments are part of my every day life. If I go one day without hearing one or using one then something would seriously be wrong in my world. It's the norm in my part of the country. But Eric went entirely too far with his endearments to Collin. To the point where instead of enjoying the story I was making fun of the character.. even during very serious parts of the book.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Sexy Eyes. Sweet Thing. Sweet Thang. His Boy. Sweetness. Sweet Boy. His Sweet Boy.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">... to name a few.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We're not talking a few times here. It was on <i>every single page </i>several times. If Eric wasn't calling Collin one of these pet names he was thinking them in his head. <i>His boyfriend</i> is also used a lot by both characters and Collin is big on "His Sexy Man" or "My Sexy Man".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is the third story in the Theta Alpha Gamma series and before I started this book I went back to <i>Frat Boy and Toppy</i> to reacquaint myself with Collin as he played a big part in Brad and Sebastian's story. My skimming turned into my reading almost the entire book all over again. <i>Frat Boy and Toppy</i> is one of my favorite books and I have read it many times. It even made my favorites list on this blog for books published 2012. Each time a new book in the series comes out I am eager to jump into it and <i>Sweet Thang</i> was no exception even if I am definitely not a fan of the cover or even the title. I wanted to enjoy this addition to the series and I <i>did </i>enjoy it. I liked Collin in the first book and I liked him again in his own. I even liked Eric though I did find the relationship to be a bit on the 'daddy' side with him and Collin. I'm okay with that as I'm a fan of those types of books as well. What I didn't enjoy were (as I said) the distracting use of endearments and pet names. I feel that the constant use of them took away from the rest of the story. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another thing that bothered me early on was the author bringing in a little discord between Brad and Sebastian from <i>Frat Boy and Toppy</i>. When I read a book centered around a couple I want their HEA to come at the end of their book. I love seeing characters from earlier books revisited in later ones but not if it's to disrupt their relationship. Only later into <i>Sweet Young Thang</i> did I see where the author was going with them. I realized that it had to be brought up as Collin played a part in their relationship early on. For awhile there I was nervous because again, Brad and Sebastian are one of my favorite M/M couples.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The mystery of the bad guy was figured out early on but not the reasons for it. I enjoyed watching Eric and Collin as they moved from hooking up to a real couple. There is a major sweetness with these two and even if it was <strike>much</strike> too sweet at times I really did like watching them get where they needed to be at the end.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The secondary characters are perfect. From Kyle (the perfect straight friend) to all the others in the fraternity house, some of which had me laughing out loud. Uncle Monty is a true control freak and is written perfectly as such. The fraternity aspects of the story are not very realistic in some instances but that was okay because it was all humorous and I got a big kick out of some of the antics. The mystery/suspense was written well though not much real time was given to it. The resolution was nice. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is also a slight history between Eric and Uncle Monty that I wish would have been more realized.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I do think that the book could have been cut in half in length and still been a good story. Even with what I consider to be too much length, I enjoyed it as I am a big fan of the Theta Alpha Gamma Series. A new gay character is introduced so I look forward to seeing where the author takes him and his story. I only hope that the use of overly sweet pet names and endearments aren't in any future books. I'm fine with <i>sweetheart </i>or <i>dear</i> or <i>honey</i> or even<i> baby</i>. <i>Sweetness</i> and <i>sweet thing</i> and <i>my sweet boy</i> were a bit much when used to excess.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Overall, I enjoyed the book. The love story is an insta-love situation as everything that happens between Collin and Eric occurs over the period of one week. Normally I'm not a fan of insta-love but with everything else going on the story seemed like it all happened over a longer period of time. The sex between Collin and Eric is hot, frequent and written extremely well. It was nice seeing Brad and Sebastian again even if the author had me worried for a little while there. Thankfully their issues were resolved rather quickly. I love how everything finally came to a head with Collin and his Uncle Monty even if I do feel that it was slightly rushed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I look forward to number four in the series.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>This book was provided by Net Galley and Riptide Publishing in exchange for a fair and honest review.</i></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8867803989902405576.post-77310600569872698732013-07-19T12:05:00.000-07:002013-07-19T12:36:20.070-07:00Zombie Boyz (Anthology), TJ Klune, Eric Arvin, Ethan Stone, Daniel A. Kaine, Ethan Day, Geoffrey Knight<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>- Review by Cindi</b></span><br />
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<b style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5 out of 5 stars</b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When I saw this was coming out my immediate thought was a big "Uh, no. I don't do zombies" but then I saw the list of authors who contributed and knew that I would be reading it as soon as I could get my hands on it. Each story is co-written by some of the best M/M authors out there. I wasn't sure what to expect when I started but I knew it would be entertaining. Each story has humor and there is quite a bit of gore thrown in as well. There's sex, intrigue and well, zombies. So grab a <strike>stiff</strike> drink, make everyone go away for awhile and get ready for a wild ride. Oh, and you know that TJ Klune is one of the contributors so I highly suggest you grab a box of tissues while you're at it. This is the first anthology I've ever read (and I've read quite a few) where each story was an easy 5 stars for me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Guess Who's Coming At Dinner </i>by Geoffrey Knight & Ethan Day</b></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Is that what I think it is? Grammy Gabby shrieked, her eyes bulging so big that her gigantic, tinted 70s-style specs slipped an inch down the bridge of her nose.</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>And all my studly zombie boyfriend Zane could do was grin that big, stupid, handsome, kinda-undead smile of his while he pawed and tugged at the raging tentpole erection in his ripped jeans and announced to the whole table in that animalistic tone of his, "Me haaaaaawny."</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The story starts out at the dinner table of nineteen-year-old Chandler Cox. Life as Chandler and everyone else knew it disappeared after the </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pandemic Transviral Apocalypse of 2013, "which was quickly shortened to PTA for tweeting purposes." </i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chandler has just brought his boyfriend, Zane Addison, home to meet the family for the first time for Grumpy Grampy's 90th birthday. Of course in the post-apocalyptic zombie world, Zane is not exactly the type of person that good old mom and dad may wish for their son (the fact that their son's 'friend' has a penis may also have something to do with their lack of excitement over said friend). Seated around the dinner table are Grumpy Grampy, Grammy Gabby, Chandler's sister, Sister Mary Abigail, his mom and dad and his drunken Aunt Tilly (who is also a big ho). Zane's conversation (and actions) don't exactly endear him to those sitting around the dinner table (with the exception of Chandler who is right there with him).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The story starts at the dinner table but goes back in time with hilarious flashbacks by Chandler describing how the Pandemic Transviral Apocalypse of 2013 occurred. I'm not one for flashbacks in any type of story but the way these are done are hilarious. It has been a long time since I've highlighted on my Kindle as much as I did with this story.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>To say the PTA came out of nowhere is an understatement. Apart from Charlie Sheen, everyone else was leading a fairly normal life up until that point in modern history.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Zane, the high school quarterback I had watched out of the corner of my eye between classes and had breathlessly fantasized about while alone--night after blissfully hot masturbating night--over the past three years. You know, the good old days before Grampy moved into my room.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Yep, just my luck to have officially fallen heels over head in love the very same night that a zombie apocalypse kicked off.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Totally f'in rude, right?</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"What the F are you talking about, dude?" That was my normal bad mood response when trapped within the hallowed high school walls of Shawnee Hills High, where using your grown-up words was apparently still a no-no. Lesson learned after receiving two weeks of detention when my Chemistry teacher, Mrs. Venable, overheard me telling her to go fuck herself.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>.. I felt I owed it to Zane to rescue him from whatever was going on. Even though he was now foaming at the mouth.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>God, he even made </i>that <i>look sexy!</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I quickly shook away any and all completely inappropriate thoughts about self-lubrication---</i>so not the time, asshole!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I punched the gas pedal and gunned the engine--a macho choice of words, I know, but I was suddenly feeling so butch and brave that I heard myself shout, "Get away from my man, you bitches!"</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>If I hadn't been terrified for my life, I'd have totally sprouted some serious wood over my newly discovered masculinity.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>He looked so cute, I just wanted to chew him up. In a non-people-sushi-cannibalistic sort of way.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Zane Addison's cock pulsed and throbbed before me, hard and huge and perfect, its veins thick, its head big and bulbous, its slit shimmering with precum.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Precum that was tinged with the slightest hint of greyish-green, but hey, nobody's perfect.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I could go on but then there wouldn't be room on this review for the other two stories. :) The entire story kept me giggling from literally the very first paragraph until the last one. The whole world has either turned into cannibalistic zombies or is boarded up and hiding from them. Chandler finally, </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">finally</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> falls in love and Geez, the entire apocalypse thing had to happen that same night and the new love of his life becomes one of the undead (with a side effect being extreme horniness as the first paragraph suggests). Thankfully, and with a hell of a lot of laughs along the way, Chandler gets his man and they have their HFN ending (they are teenagers so I wasn't exactly expecting a HEA). The secondary characters are a blast, from Chandler's crazy family to his bestie and even the undead creatures.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An excellent story. I've read each of these authors separately before so I had an idea of what to expect. Any author who can keep me giggling is great in my book and in the case of <i>Guess Who's Coming At Dinner</i> you get the talent of two. I will be reading everything these two authors have written, alone or collaboratively. That, I have no doubt.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cooper is on holiday in Vegas from England. The trip was planned as a <i>t</i></span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ry to work things out </i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">type trip with his boyfriend Ewan but that didn't quite work out the way Cooper planned so he makes the trip alone. Not long after arriving everything goes to hell. The zombie apocalypse that he had predicted and prepared for back home was happening and </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">where</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> did it just happen to be happening? Right dab in the middle of Las Vegas where he just happened to be staying. And yes, Coop really did predict the downfall of civilization by zombies and he completely prepared for it but of course it happens when he's in the states so all the preparations were for naught. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kaleb Pierce has to make just one more pizza delivery before he can head home, clean up and go out to a club. His tips had been good that night so he has enough cash to go out and have a little fun. When he pulls up for that delivery, however, everything goes to hell. The person who ordered the pizza is an old friend. The old friend walks out as does his wife... his wife who is obviously very ill. The wife attacks her husband would have also attacked Kaleb had he not hauled ass out of there, dialing 911 on the way. It doesn't take long before Kaleb discovers that people have been infected by something and this something has gotten to his mother. His brother is nowhere to be found so he sets out to find him. Thankfully he gets word back that he is fine for the time being so Kaleb sets his sights on survival. Along the way he meets an arrogant Brit, Cooper. Cooper makes it clear that he has no interest in having anything to do with the other man even if the other man knows more about the city than he does.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Bloody Americans," he muttered. "How can you be so ignorant?"</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Look, no offense, but I don't care what you want to do, or what you think I should do. Like I said, come morning we're going our separate ways. You do what you think is best, and I'll do what I need to do."</i></span><br />
<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"No offense taken, arrogant prick," Kaleb mumbled.</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cooper is an arrogant ass. He wants to be in control of everything and has no qualms leaving Kaleb behind. Unfortunately his arrogance puts him in a bad situation later and thankfully Kaleb rides to the rescue just in time. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAtipqQT_O4YaSVxM8weUlYqzn0Hsj55dq2aCdVrQBPvSamVyAxYGlIIw21T4h9YZCkROLub3zYDUm4QYviqLG-DVeVGIQNHNJTOw8hY8ajCLb1KDZn-JrOoXT-THeH_RjW6W4ufaS8rM/s1600/Zombie+Brains.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAtipqQT_O4YaSVxM8weUlYqzn0Hsj55dq2aCdVrQBPvSamVyAxYGlIIw21T4h9YZCkROLub3zYDUm4QYviqLG-DVeVGIQNHNJTOw8hY8ajCLb1KDZn-JrOoXT-THeH_RjW6W4ufaS8rM/s1600/Zombie+Brains.jpg" /></a></div>
<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A mile down Paradise Road, Kaleb saw movement near a gas station. At first it seemed like four creatures, but upon closer look, it was actually three zombies and an arrogant prick.</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"You didn't have to help me," he said, " I would have been fine."</i></span><br />
<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kaleb glowered at him. </i><br />
<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Yeah? Well, unlike you, I'm not completely heartless. Now, do you want a ride or not?"</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A reluctant alliance is formed and they set out together. One, to get Cooper to an airport heading back to England to the jerk he left behind, and two, Kaleb must get to his brother who managed to get a text through to him detailing his own destination for survival. Along the way the two men must battle the undead, some of which actually have a little intelligence. These are the ones who are the hardest to kill but somehow Cooper and Kaleb find a way. And if they should happen to decide to have sex even though they don't really like each other? It is the end of the world after all. *grin*</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I really enjoyed this. Cooper comes across as the above-mentioned ass who must be in control at all times but in reality, he's been knocked down one too many times by his ex and has zero self-esteem. The banter between him and Kaleb is hilarious. There is a bit more detail and gore in this story than the one before it but never was it to the point where I felt too squeamish, though I do admit to a few "Eww!" moments. There are also a few (hot) sexual situations that I felt were written very well. I love the way everything played out and was very pleased with the ending. I would love to see these guys revisited in a future story. A great read.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Ghoul's Gym</i> by TJ Klune and Eric Arvin</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Uly and Jake have been together for a year. They just had a disagreement but they have a rule to never leave the other without saying goodbye. It's a good thing too because a few hours later both their worlds fall apart. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Uly is a big muscle guy who works for a gym that's used predominantly by gay men. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Uly's a big fucker, muscles piled on top of muscles. Some people might think it's gross how jacked he is, but not me. There's something about the way his veins look so pronounced that gets my cock hard. The cut and defined lines of his arms and thighs. The massive chest. Everything about him is big. Every single part of him. Personality, body, mind. Everything.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Except for me.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jake? Well, he's tried everything imaginable but just can't get any bigger. He's a small guy and he feels inferior to Uly. Uly's boss at the gym is a real bastard and he wants Uly to himself so he is quick to say that a man like Uly needs a man like him, Stephen <i>Fucking</i> Dorian. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>He's made it no secret how he thinks Uly would be better off sitting on </i>his <i>cock rather than mine. Stephen Fucking Dorian isn't exactly an expert in subtlety. </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Oh look," he says every time he sees me. "Here comes Uly's princess. How is the sweet pea these days?"</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So when Uly is asked to go into work two hours earlier than normal (by Stephen <i>Fucking</i> Dorian) Jake makes a decision. He will do whatever it takes to get the body that he feels he should have to be able to stand next to a man like Uly. He will make his man proud. But first, he has to call Dusty, the resident drug dealer. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>It only rings once. He's reliable, but then drug dealers usually are.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I don't know what I expected the home of a drug dealer to look like, but I'm pretty sure I saw a tea set complete with a crocheted tea cozy sitting on the table in the kitchen we passed. Somehow, a big man like Dusty doesn't scream tea cozy.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A visit to Dusty is made and as a result, things begin to spiral out of control for Jake. Uly is dealing with his own problems at the gym when some of the patrons start getting sick and start <strike>eating</strike> hurting other people.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm not going to go in to all the details of this story as it would give too much away. There is a diverse cast of secondary characters from the gym bunny muscle men to the "Alphabet Twinks". There is quite a bit of gore in this story as compared to the other two in the anthology. Be prepared as parts are pretty graphic.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's no secret that Eric Arvin and TJ Klune are two of my favorites. I've read all of TJ's and (including this one) ten of Eric's. So of course the first thing I did when I started this was look for each author's individual writing style. It didn't take long to see the differences and to know who wrote what. However, everything flows so smoothly that someone not as familiar with the work of both authors would not know that it was not written by one person. The collaboration is done well and the writing is perfect. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I would never give the ending away but I will say to be prepared. This is supposed to be the first of a few stories so the story doesn't end at THE END. Also, keep in mind that TJ Klune wrote half of this story and anyone who has ever read his stuff knows to expect to cry like a little girl at some point. He doesn't disappoint in Ghoul's Gym. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Overall, a great story. It's creepy. It's gory. It's funny in some places. The reader is left to anxiously await the continuation and as always, I will one of the first to read it when it is released. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A huge thank you to my blog partner for sharing the equal rights zombie pic.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>This anthology was provided by Wilde City Press in exchange for a fair and honest review.</i></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8867803989902405576.post-64879386681524397852013-07-18T05:23:00.000-07:002013-08-06T02:34:37.312-07:00Cowboy Waltz, Cameron Dane<br />
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<strong>-Review by Kazza K</strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: red;">**WARNING, SPOILERS ABOUND**</span></strong></div>
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<a href="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1373241260l/17927512.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Cowboy Waltz" border="0" height="320" id="coverImage" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1373241260l/17927512.jpg" width="212" /></a>Jed Hastings is twenty seven. He works for Cliff as a stock manager. He works on a rodeo circuit as well as out of a base in Wyoming. He is responsible for training horses and the care of a team of horses for the circuit. He cannot stand the current assistant he has. He is unreliable and not doing his job properly. Cliff (Jed's boss) isn't at the coalface like Jed is and as much as he says he will get a new assistant for Jed, it isn't happening. Jed doesn't see how it is so hard to get someone to work out and do the job properly. And, the thing is, Jed has noticed a guy hanging around the current rodeo and he thinks he can replace Blake with this new guy. The guy hanging around has new boots and is too spiffy to be a cowboy but he spends his time around the horses all the time, so he's not a groupie either. Jed decides to suss out just how keen this young man is.<br />
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Booker West is eighteen. He is bright-eyed and bushy-tailed about everything. He's hanging around the horses at the latest rodeo when a guy approaches him and asks if he has ever worked with them before, been around rodeos. Booker hasn't. He's been working at a fast food restaurant but he wants to be around the horses, around the rodeo. Turns out his mother spent a lot of time on the rodeo circuit having sex with riders and Booker is the end product of one of those encounters.<br />
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After making sure Booker is clear on what he is getting into - back breaking work, being away from any family for long periods - he hires him on a one month probation period. Booker does that easily, his enthusiasm for everything in life shines through and he loves the horses. Jed ends up nick-naming Booker<strong><em> Colt</em></strong> because he has unbridled enthusiasm and the, sometimes, uncoordinated movements that a newborn colt has. Marcy, one of the other people working on the circuit tells Jed he needs to make Booker a permanent offer otherwise others will snatch him up. They've all noticed what a good, hard, worker he is and a nice young guy as well. Something that Jed knows to be the truth so a permanent offer is made. <br />
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Jed and Booker are living in close proximity. They share a trailer together whether on the road or back at the ranch. They get to know one another really well, they talk and share a mutual love of the horses and a simple, hard working lifestyle. The thing is, Booker is gay and Jed likes women. Booker doesn't tell Jed that he is gay, and while Booker has developed the hots for Jed, he doesn't do anything about it, apart from fantasise. He also likes learning the ropes from someone like Jed, who knows what he is doing and who gave a chance to someone like him - someone with no experience. So he isn't going to blow that opportunity, and also being around Jed, by outing himself.<br />
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Booker and Jed have been working together for over eight months now and are developing close ties. Booker has noticed that Jed is toey during storms, that he paces in their small trailer when a storm comes through. Jed is none to happy about sharing his personal life but after he gets a bit tetchy with young Booker, Jed lets Booker in - his dad died in a car accident during a storm when Jed was eight. They unsettle him to this day as he remembers the night vividly.<br />
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Likewise, Jed wants to know what drew Booker to rodeo, to this life. He has such a passion. Why is that? Booker's sister has raised him since he was five, there is fifteen years between them, and two different fathers. Booker doesn't know who his father is, and that's okay, but he wants to know more about his mother and what motivated her - <br />
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<em>"I can't clearly define what pushed me to this world so completely, but I guess my interest lay more in trying to absorb everything around me so I could better understand the pull of the rodeo. I wanted to discover what made it so powerful that my mom chose to follow it and the cowboys to the exclusion of everything else...even her own kids."</em><br />
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<em>"After she passed, I missed her cowboy stories as much as I did her."</em><br />
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Two years in and Jed and Booker are still close as can be, in a platonic way, much to Booker's quiet disappointment. It's his birthday, he makes a nice meal, but Jed forgets - he has a date with a woman in town. On he way in Jed remembers it's Booker's twentieth birthday and comes back with a leather and metal bracelet with the date Jed started working for the company on it, and some western movies, as presents. They watch the movies, fall asleep on the lounge, and Jed wakes to a lap full of Booker. He likes it, strokes his body, but it freaks him out- he isn't into men. It's just heat off Bookers warm body and the comfort. They're friends. But several other instances arise where Jed is thinking about Booker - wanking off about Booker. He fantasises about Booker and a girl he thought Booker might like, which then morphed into him and Booker having sex. Now Jed is thinking maybe when Cliff sells up he needs to go elsewhere because being in such close proximity to Booker for the past two years is messing with his head -<br />
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<em>He could not let these fantasies continue. Even if it meant walking away from Booker for good.</em><br />
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Three years in and The Sprawling Ride buys Cliff's business. Jed is reeling that such a large concern would buy the ranch and the stock and that he will be relegated to just another worker. Despite being told they could probably work on for the new organisation Jed's concerned about what happens to him and Booker now. Sure Booker is the most accepting person he has ever known, but things won't be the same, maybe they won't be sharing their trailer anymore. Yes, he is relegated into a lower position but, no, they aren't separated. However, things start to heat up and Jed has to get out after a night of passion does his head in. He is straight. He is NOT gay, and even though a number of things have occurred there has always been a reason or excuse for them in Jed's mind. Not anymore. Not after they spend a night fucking each other into the mattress over and over.<br />
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<strong>What worked for me -</strong><br />
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Irrespective of whether I did or did not like the main characters they definitely elicited emotions from me. I need something passionate about a book, whether I be in love with the characters or angry at them.<br />
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I won't lie, I like an age difference and there is nine years between Booker and Jed. And I like a virgin in the pairing as well. So I got that.<br />
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I really liked the nick-name - Colt - that Jed gave to Booker. It worked well.<br />
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I love Cameron Dane's sex scenes. They can be long, and they are, and they can have <em>"dark tunnels"</em> and<em> "steaming channels"</em> but I love them nevertheless. The sex here was Cameron Dane-erotic and hot. It was angry. There are few writers who can write such protracted sex scenes and keep me glued. There is always such emotion attached to the writing and the characters involved during sex, and Cowboy Waltz was no different.<br />
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You cannot say that Booker did not fight for the man, the relationship, and life he wanted. And his dogged determination won out. He deserves the 2013 perseverance medallion.<br />
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Lyle, Jed's brother. He loved Jed. He didn't understand homosexuality. Didn't accept it too well when he caught Jed all over Booker. When Jed finally admitted he liked a man - mind you Jed telling him he <em>opens up his hole and takes it</em> may have been a tad TMI for any brother to hear - he loved his brother enough to be there for him and listen. He sets Jed straight about their mother. He and his wife, Meg, who is twelve years older than Lyle, and can't have children, met with tough opposition from Jed and Lyle's mother. Lyle had to fight for his relationship and marriage and he wasn't letting their mother dictate who he could and could not love, so he understood Jed's concerns over their mother's reaction.<br />
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The brief references to Luke and Cain from Falling. It made me want to pick that book up...again.<br />
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For the last 10% of the book I genuinely liked this pairing of Jed and Booker. I wish like hell this book had been edited more tightly, and the layer upon layer of angst and annoying behaviour was stripped back and the latter heartfelt aspects of the relationship were given more time. Because not long before the end it worked.<br />
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The fear of people coming out to a family member was certainly conveyed here. <br />
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There is something, just something, about Cameron Dane's writing that I cannot resist. And as much as I fought with aspects of this book, and I sure did, I still appreciated reading a Cameron Dane novel.<br />
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<strong>What didn't work for me -</strong><br />
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<strong>The characterisations of the MC's</strong> - This book is protagonist-centric. So, to drive this plot properly, sympathetic characters were mandatory. I can deal with a damaged<strong>/</strong>difficult character for only so long, unless I can see the reasons why. There<strong> must be</strong> something redeeming that this reader is aware of to make me invested. There <strong>must be</strong> some experience that I can understand as to why they are behaving the way they are. It has to be relatable -<br />
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<strong>Booker</strong> was, to me, likeable, but not loveable - although I am sure others may find Booker a lovely character. Yes, he is sweet. And as optimistic and shiny as he is, he needed to stand up for himself more and he needed to simply stand out more. <br />
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Then there was <strong>JED!!</strong> I struggled with him throughout the book. He stood out, but he was a terribly unsympathetic character. He pushed my limits. I only liked him in the last 10% of the book. Why is that? Well...simply put, he is unlikeable. He isn't damaged, he is just annoying and aggravating for a lot of the book. Some examples being - Jed makes fun of Booker one night, tells other people on the rodeo circuit personal things about Booker - his dreams, ambitions, his quirks. He ridicules him because he is in a snarky mood - after four beers. Booker works with these people, they like him, but, hey, let's humiliate Booker, shall we? Nothing like getting a laugh at someone else's expense. I know that endears people to me. Booker walks in on this as things are being said, is understandably upset, but Booker forgives Jed really quickly. Booker is badly injured, taken to hospital, where Jed stays the first night, then for two weeks leaves Booker on his own when he needs his friend. There was never <strong><em>any</em></strong> good excuse for that either. Jed decides to leave Booker after they finally have sex. He doesn't tell Booker, he finds out elsewhere that Jed is leaving. <em><strong>Surprise!!</strong></em> At his going away party he tries to hit on a sweet woman, Ali, and another man, Harlan, tells Jed to back off, at which point Jed charmingly says that Harlan is only doing this to get between Ali's legs. Marcy, the tour mother hen, takes him back to Booker to get him patched up after Harlan slugs Jed. Dutiful, reliable, kind Booker patches him up. Then Jed leaves. After he has left, Booker goes to Texas, at the behest of Lyle, to <em>"fix"</em> Jed. Jed is drinking and being self destructive in general. Then Jed tells him to <em>"go"</em> because he will keep drinking if he stays - he can't deal with being gay, he can't lose his family. This after Booker helps him, and they have sex. Jed tells Booker he will never choose him over his mother and his brother, and they won't accept him being gay, so their relationship is not happening. <strong>Never</strong>. So Booker leaves, anything to help Jed get better. Jed's sister-in-law, Meg, invites Booker back out to Texas for dinner, she wants to meet Jed's BFF. He goes, does nothing than be a friend during their night at Jed's brother and sister-in-laws, even though it nearly kills him to be so close to the man he loves and respects, and pretends to be something else. Jed follows Booker out and as Booker is getting into his car to leave, makes moves on him. Booker asks Jed <em> "please don't do this unless you mean it,"</em> but Jed keeps on going, Booker can't resist Jed, and when Lyle comes out and catches them Jed freaks out -<br />
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<em>...Booker said, "I can help you. I went through this with my sister, and I can help you get through it with Lyle too."<br /> Jed squeezed his eyes shut even tighter. "If you want to help, then leave."</em><br />
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He then shoves Booker away, slamming the door in a concerned Booker's face.<br />
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Booker did not respect himself enough when it came to Jed. There is fighting for a relationship, <strong>and</strong> <strong>then</strong> there is two-plus-years-non-stop-spent-in-a-mixed-martial-arts-cage-fight for a relationship. Booker was in the latter. I just kept thinking enough is enough. Move on, Booker. Make him come to you. Make him grovel.<br />
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Annnddd....there should have been some grovelling from Jed to Booker. Didn't happen. Gets back to Jed and characterisations again, doesn't it?<br />
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I wasn't buying the reasons for the bad behaviour of Jed. His father died when Jed was eight. He learns that his dad wasn't husband-of-the-year material - he drank, screwed around. His mother never remarried and worked two jobs to give her sons a good life. But Jed just kept thinking he had this bad DNA. It pissed me off. Yes, I know that there is a genetic predisposition towards alcoholism but, give me a break, it wasn't enough to drive some of the behaviour or the angst here. I just want to say you are what you decide to make of yourself.<br />
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<strong>In general -</strong> <br />
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Cowboy Waltz is a GFY or an OFY, so be aware of that going in. It is not my favourite, but Cameron Dane has written a couple that I have loved. This book spans approximately a five year period from the hiring of Jed until the conclusion of the book. You get both POV of the main characters, so you know how they are feeling - and there is quite a bit of inner monologue. In my opinion Cameron Dane always does that better than a lot of other authors. There was a HEA and an epilogue to let you know where Jed and Booker were at.<br />
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<strong>Overall - </strong><br />
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While I did not love Cowboy Waltz I did enjoy it, in a love hate sort of way...but I'd rather passion than none at all. I must disclose that Cameron Dane is an automatic buy for me. Remains so. If you like cowboys, if you like a bucket-load of angst. If you like any of the following - friends to lovers, an age difference, a virginal character, GFY<strong>/</strong>OFY, a character who is tolerant with a troubled character. If you like Cameron Dane then you may well enjoy Cowboy Waltz.<br />
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<strong><span style="color: red;">3 Stars</span></strong></div>
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<br />kazzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03484517880483861603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8867803989902405576.post-59153023493406354542013-07-17T18:40:00.000-07:002013-07-17T18:40:21.831-07:00Improves with Age, Lavinia Lewis <div style="text-align: center;">
<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: start;"><b>"Weren't things supposed to improve with age? Fine wines, brandy, men? A little white on top was supposed to make men look distinguished--at least that's what I'd always heard."</b></i><br />
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<b style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3.5 out of 5 stars</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>- Review by Cindi</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The blurb of <i>Improves with Age</i> drew me in for several reasons. One, I am big on opposites attract stories. Two, the characters are older than what I normally see in M/M romance. I love books and shorts with men of a <i>certain age</i> so I knew this one was right up my alley. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Reece Watkins has just returned to his hometown of Riverview, Montana after being gone for twenty-eight years. At forty-eight, he has been mourning the loss of his partner of twenty years, Mike, for the past three. Needing a change from the hustle and bustle of Seattle, he buys a house in Riverview, uprooting not only himself but his thriving accounting practice that he will now be handling remotely as compared to working in a busy office every day. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What he didn't expect was the heavy snow to cause a hole in the roof of his new home. All of the local contractors in the area are booked solid for the next few weeks and Reece can't wait that long. A contractor he speaks with suggests the services of someone else who might be willing to do the repairs. That someone else turns out to be a former classmate of Reece's, Nick Kennison.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nick Kennison had been the star football player in high school and had dated (and eventually married) the head cheerleader. Seeing Nick at his door after all those years makes Reece tongue-tied. Reece had been the class nerd who <i>may</i> have had a little crush on the captain of the football team once upon a time... the captain of the football team who was obviously straight (or so Reece thought). But here he stands in front of Reece and it's obvious that while Nick may have dated and eventually married a woman that he is definitely now very interested in Reece. Literally minutes later there is a hand job and blowjob and eventually Nick gets around to checking out the hole in the roof.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>... what scared the living daylights out of me was that Nick was looking at me with a hunger in his eyes that I didn't know what the hell to do with.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Guess I'd better show you my hole," I mumbled, nodding to the stairs.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I froze on the creaky floorboard when I realized how that could be interpreted and to my dismay, Nick laughed long and hard as he followed me up the stairs. When we reached the landing, he put his hand on my shoulder and leaned until his warm breath tickled my earlobe. "That sounds like an offer I can't refuse, Reece," he whispered.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This begins a relationship of sorts with the two men deciding (after the above-mentioned hand and blowjob) to start dating. There is very little to be said after that really as the story is quite short. Told in Reece's point of view as he is the one dealing with the loss of Mike and his feelings of dating again after a twenty-year relationship, I found that nice in a way as the reader is inside his head as he goes back and forth with the guilt that plagues him over falling for someone other than Mike. However, I would have liked to have been inside Nick's head as well. Divorced with two grown children who are aware that he is gay, he has his own issues with the holidays coming up and introducing a man to his kids for the first time ever. Also, I felt that Reece went a bit far with the constant <i>'I'm old. I'm gray. Why would anyone want me?'</i> spiel. Nick is the same age as he is even if he doesn't have as much 'snow on the roof' as the saying goes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Overall, I enjoyed this story but again, I would have liked to have seen more of what Nick was feeling. The author didn't drag out the angst when it came to Reece dealing with his guilt over Mike but there is a little there and it was written well. There are a few sexual situations but they didn't consume every other page of the story. What is there is nicely written. I thought the <i>quick up against the wall hand job and blowjob</i> within five minutes of meeting again was hot as hell.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br />This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange for a fair and honest review.</i></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8867803989902405576.post-33297602261616992122013-07-17T11:47:00.000-07:002013-07-17T11:47:23.510-07:00Haunted, Brynn Stein<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>- Review by Cindi</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lenard Blake has just gone through a nasty divorce. His ex wife comes from a very influential family in Denver, Colorado, so he is shamed and blacklisted by everyone. He loses his job as a detective and when he tries to find work in other parts of the state, the door is slammed on him each time. The divorce was no fault of his, but that doesn't matter to those who know his meddling ex in-laws. Knowing that the only way to have any kind of life (or career) away from the influence of his former father-in-law, Lenard purchases a house sight unseen in a small town in Virginia, as far away from Denver as he can get and still find a new job. The price is <strike>too</strike> right and the house is, according to the internet posting, a beautiful old farmhouse. Exactly what Lenard is looking for. The house has been sitting vacant for fifteen years and Lenard doesn't question why the house is being sold at such a cheap price. He makes an offer that is immediately accepted and is on the road to his new home in Virginia. He has been hired by the local police force as their newest detective so Lenard is excited about his new life. Unfortunately, when he arrives at the "beautiful old farmhouse" it is in no way as it appeared online. The outside of the house is in a state of disrepair and the screen door literally comes off the hinges when he opens it. Inside is not much better and on top of all the dust that has accumulated, practically every single room has something that is in need of serious repair. That is, with the exception of the master bedroom that does not have a speck of dust or anything out of place. That room is beautiful.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Within minutes of arriving Lenard notices odd things. Old sheets that he knows he removed from the living room furniture have been replaced when he walked out of the room. The back screen door flaps in the wind when there is none blowing. Within days, he has gotten a feel for the house and has also been informed by his new coworkers of the fact that his new home is reportedly haunted by a young man who had been murdered there fifteen years earlier. At first, Lenard is understandably skeptical but the ghost has made his presence known since the minute Lenard stepped foot on the property. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Over time other odd things begin to occur. Lenard walks into his kitchen each morning with his breakfast laid out on the table, tea and a glass placed there another time after he replaces the damaged door frame, books that he leaves on a desk are suddenly back on their rightful places on the bookshelves. These things happen so often that finally Lenard is convinced that not only is his house haunted, but it's haunted by someone who does not wish him any kind of harm.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This leads him to do research on the former inhabitants and then to actually speaking with the ghost, who Len is convinced is Jason Miller, the man who died under mysterious circumstances fifteen years earlier at the young age of twenty-three. The more he speaks with Jason (who speaks back and is even able to manifest himself) the more he learns about Jason's death and his family who were all either killed under mysterious circumstances or who disappeared under them. An investigation is launched by Lenard and his skeptical partner Dan and over a short amount of time the friendship that has developed between Lenard and the ghost of Jason Miller becomes a love affair. But what happens when the murders and disappearances are solved? Will the </span><strike style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ghost</strike><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> person that Lenard is in love with disappear as ghosts are known to do when they no longer have unfinished business on earth? This is kinda/sorta explained toward the end of the book.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You obviously have to suspend belief as <i>Haunted</i> is about a man falling in love with a ghost. I love these types of stories so I had no problem jumping into it and remembering that the book is<i> fiction</i>. However, some might want more of a realistic story and if that's the case, I suggest you move on as this one is .... as I said .... about a man and a ghost falling in love.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The mystery of what happened to Jason and his family does not stay a mystery for long but it does take awhile for Lenard and Dan to find the evidence needed for justice to be served. Lenard had left Denver in order to get away from one influential man only to be thrust right back into another town across the country with one who is influential in his own right. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is a little bit of humor as Jason calls Lenard (a police detective) various nick names from television and film (Starsky, Hutch, Dick Tracy, Spenser, Magnum, the list goes on). I loved Jason's character from the moment he was introduced, ghost or no. I liked Lenard as well though I ended this with a couple of questions in regards to him. He was obviously married to a female and the divorce is the reason he moved across the country. So is the Jason thing a gay-for-you type situation or was Lenard supposed to be bisexual? Or was he gay and in the closet while he was married? This may have gone unnoticed by some but throughout the entire (short) story I kept hoping to see those questions answered.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another thing that I wouldn't say <i>bugged</i> me but that I noticed and found a bit distracting, was the use of <i>his lover</i>, <i>friend </i>(used <b><i>a lot</i></b>), <i>the ghost</i>, <i>the detective</i>, <i>old man</i>, etc. This is a little overdone in my opinion though I was able to overlook it for the most part.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is zero on-page intimacy in this story though the reader knows that Lenard and Jason do have a sexual relationship.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The person responsible for Jason's murder (and that of his family) is eventually caught after a bit of violence. I kept wondering how the author was going to make things work at the end with Lenard and his ghost but when it is done, it is done well, considering. I only wish the ending would have had a little bit more (or perhaps an epilogue) added.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Overall, a nice story. I will definitely be reading more by this author.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange for a fair and honest review.</i></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8867803989902405576.post-5806978929924382182013-07-16T18:54:00.000-07:002013-07-16T19:53:58.078-07:00Stranded, Andrew Grey<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>4.5 out of 5 stars</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This book is a huge difference from what one would expect from Andrew Grey. That's not a bad thing by any means. I always think it's a good thing when an author is willing to take chances and step away from his or her norm. If you've read Andrew Grey before you know to expect the love story and the happily-ever-after. That's a given, right? But do you also expect to see quite a bit of intrigue and suspense? Sometimes maybe but not like <i>Stranded</i>. This is my eighth by this author and I can say that it is much different from the seven I've read before it. Oh, the love story is there (would it be an Andrew Grey book without it?) but there is so much more to this story than just a love story.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kendall Monroe is a popular Broadway actor. He has just completed the best run of his career when his latest show closes due to bad planning by the higher-ups. For the first time in years he is not rushing to rehearsals or performances. He has been with his partner, Johnny Harker, for ten years and wrongly assumes that his free time will be spent with the man he loves. Johnny is a famous mystery author and can't quite get used to having Kendall at home while he's trying to write the next great novel. He is famous in his own right with several books on the best seller list. When Kendall is given a chance to do a movie in Hollywood he weighs the options but in the end decides to go for it. Johnny is not exactly jumping to spend time with him so why not? Kendall is not fooled into thinking that the once great relationship is still on even footing but he chooses to pretend all is well and turn his cheek because sometimes one doesn't want to know the truth. He takes off to Hollywood with Johnny's blessing and begins a very grueling filming schedule. The director is a jerk but Kendall quickly puts him in his place and becomes respected as a result. The assistant of another assistant (Juan) hits on him but later becomes an ally and a good friend. The lead female actress in the movie acts more like a spoiled teenage prom queen than a trained actor but she eventually comes around. Kendall is no fool, having dealt with some of the worst of the worst during his Broadway career so he quickly puts those who consider him a naive boy from New York in their place. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Things are going well for Kendall on the filming front until certain things start to happen. One, there's the distance between him and Johnny and Kendall is convinced that Johnny is having an affair (all the signs are there). Two, there is a stalker who has set his/her sights on Kendall. Johnny, who was once loving and sweet, has taken a major step back from Kendall so Kendall is constantly worried that there will not be a relationship to go home to once the filming is complete. Someone on the film crew is sending creepy messages and flowers so he has that to deal with on top of his relationship issues. The messages and flowers are only an annoyance until the stalker takes things too far. One instance is something that happens with his dressing room and another is so major that it almost costs Kendall his life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is a slow build up in this story. It begins with Kendall's Broadway show closing and the reader getting a glimpse of his early relationship with Johnny. When Kendall goes to Hollywood to begin filming the movie, there is more build up that involves flashbacks to his and Johnny's earlier days, among other things. While I'm all about a good build up in stories at times I was thinking that it was going a bit too far. 50% into the book and I was waiting for something to happen other than the flashbacks and the filming. I will be the first to complain about flashbacks in books. I hate them. <i>I seriously hate them</i>. At times they work but not when they are happening every few pages. By the time I got to the 50% mark I admit to being extremely frustrated with seeing all of them in regards to Kendall and Johnny's earlier relationship. But then things started to happen and I realized that the story as a whole would not have worked without them. The reader is able to get a big look at the Johnny of days gone by... and this is not the Johnny of the here and now. You are literally looking at two different people. I constantly found myself wondering "is he?" or "isn't he?" with Johnny. I was not sure until long into the book. However, Johnny either proves his worth or shows what kind of a bastard he truly is toward the 60% mark on my Kindle. I refuse to type a spoiler of what happens there.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kendall is extremely claustrophobic. This claustrophobia almost prevented him from accepting the role in the movie <i>Stranded</i>. There is a scene that involves him being handcuffed to a steering wheel inside of a car in the middle of nowhere in the desert. Granted, there will be a film crew all around him during the filming but his fear is very real and he wants to get the scene over and done with, film crew or no film crew. But what happens when his stalker takes things too far once the filming of that scene is over? Flowers and notes have been delivered all over the place and the stalker's behavior is quickly escalating. No longer is the person just leaving flowers but he has begun to go in a more dangerous direction. He wants Kendall and nothing will keep him from either having him or making sure that no one else can. Kendall tries discussing this with Johnny but Johnny is not taking him seriously. Keep in mind that Johnny is in New York while Kendall is hundreds of miles away in Hollywood and with every call Kendall is convinced that Johnny is moving away from him and the long-term relationship. Suddenly, life is imitating art or is it all part of the movie? Kendall has been handcuffed to a steering wheel in the middle of the desert inside of a locked car. His claustrophobia has kicked in and not only that, but he is literally on the verge of death if he is not rescued soon.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is so much more I can say about this book but I refuse to. If I go into what happens after Kendall gets locked in the car it will give the entire story away and again, I refuse to do that. The question is where does Kendall go once he is rescued? Do he and Johnny go back to the same bland existence or do they move on away from each other or maybe, just maybe, find what they had before? Does Kendall continue with movies or does he go back to his real love, Broadway?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I admit to complaining about the flashbacks early in the book, as I said. I shy away from books that suggest they may have them because I feel that it distracts from the story if I am one minute in the now and then instantly thrust back several years earlier. But with this story, it would not have worked without them. I had a hard time reconciling the sweet and kind Johnny to the one years later. I did not like him at all, though the author did an outstanding job making it look as if they were two totally different people. I liked Kendall immediately and continued to as the story played out even if I didn't agree with a few things he did (or didn't do) early on as far as his relationship was concerned. Ten years with a man you would expect there to be an open line of communication and instead of taking a step back you would expect there to be discussions about concerns and questions. I will, however, say that I ended this book very pleased with the outcome. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is an amazing set of secondary characters who play a huge part in the story, from the bitch actress to the Australian director (who tends to lose his accent quite a bit) to the stalker, among others. I had an idea early on who the stalker was and it turned out that I was correct. Don't get me wrong, Andrew Grey did a great job in making the reader believe one thing when in reality it was something else.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All in all I will say that this is a very good book. I mentioned the slow build and I even mentioned my thinking at times that it was too slow early on. However, the slow build up was necessary for this reader to get where she needed to be when everything else played out later. There is a lot of guessing and questioning what is right there in front of you. Kudos to the author for having me convinced one thing was about to happen when in reality it was going in an entirely different direction. The time Kendall spent in the car locked up was written brilliantly. I am extremely claustrophobic myself and I could so sympathize with the character and what he was going through. Normally I'm not a fan of books with established relationships and I will say that I never really felt any love for Johnny with the exception of the Johnny I saw in the flashbacks. That Johnny was a great person who would do anything for the man he loved. The question is whether that man can ever be found again after so much time and distance. You would have to read the book to find out.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you are looking for a typical and sappy romance go somewhere else. While the sappiness and sweetness is in <i>Stranded</i>, it is more about the suspense and discovering what is or what isn't there right in front of you. Sometimes what you hope for is not in the cards and sometimes it is. Sometimes it takes an almost tragedy for the right thing to happen in the end. I loved the way this book ended and I can't compliment the author enough for stepping a little outside his norm. As always, I will be eager to see what he puts out next.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've always had a thing for men wearing glasses so I adore the cover. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange for a fair and honest review.</i></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8867803989902405576.post-59960152673575234012013-07-16T01:16:00.000-07:002013-08-06T02:17:43.133-07:00Hunted: A Cyn and Raphael Novella (Vampires in America #6.5) D.B Reynolds<br />
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"<em>But, Lucas," he added, his voice going cold and deadly, "once that's done, we're going to find out who was after us and why. Because, if there's to be a hunt, I intend to be the hunter, not the hunted."</em></h4>
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I do love this series. I eagerly await each new release and I devour them. Have done ever since I discovered the terrific Raphael. Why do I "devour" them? Because they are well written, the MC's are always interesting and the women are generally very strong characters as well. These vampires are powerful and fierce, and they do not muck around with their opposition, they destroy them. There are interesting political machinations when they deal with one another and humans. Loyalty is expected and they are incredibly territorial. To top it all off, they are downright sexy.<br />
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I love Raphael and Cyn. They are one of my favourite couples of any genre of any time. I'm really enjoying that D B Reynolds has adopted this format of a novella between new books to give us more of Raphael and Cyn. It also helps introduce the new Vampire and his<strong>/</strong>her short backstory for the upcoming book. This approach to the series is working really well. I would be devastated if I didn't get my Raphael and Cyn fix, but I don't want them taking over the new vampire's book when it comes out. So, they are kept in the mix, and there is a progression of the series all at once. Perfect. I hope D B Reynolds keeps this format up.<br />
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Hunted is about Raphael and Cyn on their way to Chicago for the council meeting and, primarily, for the competition<strong>/</strong>challenge<strong> </strong> to take over that territory after Klemens was taken down in the last book, Lucas. They stop over in Lucas' home of South Dakota on the way through. Lucas is one of Raphael's <strong><em>children</em></strong> and he is backing a particular candidate (Aden) as the new Lord for Klemens' old territory. On the way to Lucas' property they suspect they are followed. Starting off a chain of events. Several attempts are made on Lucas and his guests, which will not be allowed to stand - if Cyn is in harms way Raphael is one pissed off Vampire Lord. There is much to this novella, with reasons why territorial claims are going to be fought more intensely now and why some challengers might soon be stepping up to the plate. There could be challenges even when there isn't a territory to be claimed. There is much potential for this series to diversify further.<br />
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In Hunted there are some ends tied up from the last book and Cyn and Katherine get some time to know one another, which is good. Cyn is recruiting members into the Mates Club for the partners of Vampire Lords, where they can roll their eyes and have a mutual discussion about what it is like to be mated to them - and not all the mates are female. Cyn also gets to use her PI skills and investigate who is behind these attempts in Hunted. She also sets Aden on the way to (maybe) having some respect and upgraded ideas about the value of a female, outside the bedroom. Oh yes, Aden is going to be one interesting read because he appears to be a card-carrying misogynist, but you know that will all change. I am so hoping for one strong gal to bag this Vampire Lord in-the-making - he has to win the challenge first.<br />
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There are also plenty of sexy moments here between Raphael and Cyn -<br />
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<a data-ved="0CAUQjRw" href="http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=1kxLwcycUSwBPM&tbnid=DsPELS6BBYfg6M:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fimggot.com%2Fsingle%2F296110&ei=AwHlUdrJBYHxkAWKt4HACQ&bvm=bv.48705608,d.dGI&psig=AFQjCNH29znXkEg7rg_DLtT-yJqoGpvMyw&ust=1374048880961635" id="irc_mil" style="border: 0px currentColor; clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img height="393" id="irc_mi" src="http://imggot.com/img/2012_11_always-kiss-me-good-night-747098-475-523.jpg" style="margin-top: 0px;" width="357" /></a><em>He kissed her then, his lips moving over hers in a sensuous caress as he pressed his hips between her thighs. There was no foreplay, no preparation, just his cock, familiar in its weight and thickness, in the velvet stroke of it as he pushed deep inside her with a single thrust. She was wet and ready for him, had been ready from the moment he'd rolled her beneath him.</em><br />
<em>She hungered for him always, for his touch, his heat, the spark of silver in his eyes, the deep growl of his voice.<br /> "I love you," she whispered, as he plunged between her legs harder and faster until they tumbled over the edge of ecstasy together, their passion a searing heat that entwined their fates forever. "I am yours, "Raphael rasped against her ear. "Always, <strong>lubimaya</strong>. Always."</em><br />
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Cyn gets to do her thing, and Raphael gives her a bit more latitude. But they bounce of each other deliciously as they are strong personalities in their own right. Cyn also learns more about Raphael and the political aspects of all things vampire. <br />
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I mostly read in the LGBTQ genre these days, but I never miss this series. I think that sums up the value I place on the writing of Vampires in America - the characterisations, the plots, the passion, the strong world building. It is also why I recommend this series to all paranormal lovers across the board. This novella was a good read in every way - action, intrigue, humour, romantic and sexy. <br />
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<strong><span style="color: red;">5 Fang-Boy Stars</span></strong></div>
kazzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03484517880483861603noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8867803989902405576.post-86023964360111621812013-07-14T17:31:00.003-07:002013-08-05T21:39:31.212-07:00Confessions of a Gay Rugby Player<br />
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<strong>If you are looking for a M/M romance all I can say is "Wrong Way, Turn Back." </strong></div>
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<strong>-Review by Kazza K</strong></div>
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<a href="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1368965012l/17934177.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Confessions of a Gay Rugby Player" border="0" height="320" id="coverImage" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1368965012l/17934177.jpg" width="203" /></a>Rugby Union is great game. It's a rough game - look it up if you never have and check out a ruck or two. I'll give you an idea. My brothers played Union. They are 6'7 and 6'5. Imagine them bearing down on you and you have to try and tackle the big buggers as they come at you with the ball. No padding, no nothing - shorts, jersey and a football. Imagine a team of them on top of you gouging the shit out of you, turning you into a pretzel in a ruck. So yeah, they are an adventurous, very hardy sort, and this was portrayed well in Confessions of a Gay Rugby Player. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibFYBaCjM4td7l3FO-pJFwXmUYlvFEtVjrz-e-HfRKXgF_p0IT08TuVZ4wCxICYDsxvN-4lrVWKhFWWezMPrYLdzAzfCPdzeRBwxZTc_GGTbV8xwffxwJJQ-7f7OacQJ1atnmjs_klW27U/s1600/Ruck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibFYBaCjM4td7l3FO-pJFwXmUYlvFEtVjrz-e-HfRKXgF_p0IT08TuVZ4wCxICYDsxvN-4lrVWKhFWWezMPrYLdzAzfCPdzeRBwxZTc_GGTbV8xwffxwJJQ-7f7OacQJ1atnmjs_klW27U/s320/Ruck.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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Conor Murphy is part of the Dublin Chiefs, an Irish Rugby side that has just been beaten by the team from San Francisco, but not without a tight on-field tussle, particularly between Conor and the sexy San Fran player Tonio. Conor would like to get some of that action with Tonio, but off the field this time...in the bedroom. Conor shares a room during the tournament with fellow player and friend, Sean -<br />
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<em>I'm fond of telling Sean he is like the big brother I'm glad I never had. That's how close we are, thick as thieves. It's the back row forwards union.</em><br />
<em>Sean has taken me from a closet case to an "out and proud" A list gay. Well, I like to think of myself as an A list gay, anyway. No one else thinks that, but my ego is not for turning.</em><br />
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So Conor, Sean, and the lads from the team are about to go out and celebrate the tournament closing party at a local bar with other team members. On-field competition may be over but now the off-field fun is just starting -<br />
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<em>XXXL is an enormous venue. Like most nightclubs, it's dimly lit with pockets of darkness and plenty of hidey-holes. The club smells of fresh sex; we immediately feel at home.</em><br />
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<em>The crowd is a horny mix of players, supporters, and cowboys. Seems like the hot cowboys got an invite, so things could get very interesting. </em><br />
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From here things get down and dirty. Conor is on the look out for Tonio -<br />
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<em>He is tall, like me, and has a great physique with a deep tan. Thick, black hair and chocolate brown eyes top off the gorgeous package....</em><br />
<em>He has great arms and pecs, and I can see the dark chest hair poking out from under his vest. This man is mine.</em><br />
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But he gets distracted by a hoover-esque blow job by a cowboy from Texas, Chad -<br />
<a data-ved="0CAUQjRw" href="http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=OmZRzjGsN4hsjM&tbnid=ASwVmXKOjcrq8M:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffringefamily.typepad.com%2Fblog%2F2013%2F01%2Fgifs.html&ei=pqPiUcSvKsPSkAXBuoCYBA&psig=AFQjCNHlZq2vfzWjLwZkAW8B1yEFU8y-2w&ust=1373893769362880" id="irc_mil" style="border: 0px currentColor; clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img height="320" id="irc_mi" src="http://fringefamily.typepad.com/.a/6a0105364a8fba970c017c364133be970b-800wi" style="margin-top: 0px;" width="280" /></a><br />
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<em>After making my balls suitably wet and tingly, he moves back to my shaft. I seize the moment, grab the long blonde hair on his head and stuff my cock deep into his throat, He takes my unsubtle hint and gets to work. like the true born cocksucker he is.</em><br />
<em>....as the pent-up belligerence takes over, and I start to throat fuck him very hard. Deep, long thrusts into his mouth. I want to feel his lips all over my shaft....</em><br />
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After his encounter with Chad, Conor is still plenty horny and back on the hunt for Tonio; wanting to let the off-field games truly begin. He runs into Stefan an old <em>"ride"</em> from the Copenhagen team, but his third time with Stefan is not to happen tonight, maybe next time. Conor finally links up with Tonio, they dance until 3am. Then it's time to get back to the hotel room to claim it before Sean does - whoever gets their sock on the door first has the room to themselves...and their fuck buddy. But they make a pit stop on the way to Conor's bed in a small utility room and Conor starts in on Tonio. The book goes into a pretty long fuck-fest from here starting with ice, an ice box, armpit licking, through to fucking and felching. Snippets of some of the action ahead -<br />
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<a data-ved="0CAUQjRw" href="http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=OSmqRWIqBi32aM&tbnid=hpNy6Y5XApF5vM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fxxgifs.com%2Findex%2Ftags%2Fgay&ei=TD3jUdrELoKjlQXqhoBI&bvm=bv.48705608,d.aGc&psig=AFQjCNHDTQAk_Z9synOcsd2Yr1m0HpqEeA&ust=1373933206020761" id="irc_mil" style="border: 0px currentColor; clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img height="320" id="irc_mi" src="http://xxgifs.com/_data/i/galleries/sexporngifs19/horny-gay-guys-does-hot-blowjob-th.gif" style="margin-top: 117px;" width="320" /></a>I<em> grind my hard groin against his, as I tongue-wash his pit. I give him the look half way between "I love you" and "I want to kill you." it is my famous "I will fuck you to death" look.</em><br />
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<em>I rub the melting ice cubes over Tonio's ass cheeks before biting his left buttock. I'm all about the biting today. </em><br />
<em>"Spread your ass, boy." Two broad hands reach back and reveal his fuck hole to me</em><br />
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<em>Tonio has a wonderful dick with a thick vein that runs along the top. Like most men from this side of the ocean, he is cut. .. </em><br />
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<em>I take Tonio into my mouth. At first I gently suck on the tip of his meat, rolling my tongue around the head without applying too much suction. Then my throat relaxes and engulfs Tonio's cock I feel him grab the back of my head, and he face fucks me...</em><br />
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<a data-ved="0CAUQjRw" href="http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=zE2cbgTO8nmnlM&tbnid=fL641OM0OBoeRM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Finnocentharlot.tumblr.com%2F&ei=kDzjUe2JEYnwkAXL-YHgDg&bvm=bv.48705608,d.aGc&psig=AFQjCNEFF59rTf6q0iupGZkoov0hB0y1vw&ust=1373932903434679" id="irc_mil" style="border: 0px currentColor; clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img height="179" id="irc_mi" src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/7940599a921fdbd8f503940aa93de3b9/tumblr_mfq7ogGxOZ1rw3zyao1_500.gif" style="margin-top: 56px;" width="320" /></a><em>My right hand moves to wank his cock off in unison with the thrusts into his ass. We are glued together in one hot, nasty fuck.</em><br />
<em>"Squeeze your ring," I whisper into his ear. "Tighter." </em><br />
<em>"Fuck me harder, you cunt!" His power ass sure is well trained. I give him what he wants and fuck him more violently.</em><em> I can feel the sticky pre-come in my hands, and I move my fingers to his mouth so he can taste it. He greedily sucks on them....</em><br />
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So this gives you a pretty good idea of what Confessions of a Gay Rugby Player is like. It is<strong> gay erotica</strong>, with some humour, some charming Irish turns of phrase, a bit of Rugby, just enough to give the reader a feel for the toughness of the game - although I do not know of guys who are thinking about arse when they are playing, you're liable to get your block knocked off. No matter, it's all good dirty fun. All of it presented in an easy to read style. And I liked it indeed. But then I do like some down and dirty erotica<br />
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<strong><span style="color: red;">4 Rugger Bugger Stars</span></strong></div>
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<em>This book was supplied to me by the publisher, Wilde City Press, in return for an honest review</em></div>
kazzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03484517880483861603noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8867803989902405576.post-33432779417606449152013-07-13T00:07:00.003-07:002013-08-05T20:31:45.282-07:00I'll Be Watching You, Benjaim Cole<br />
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<strong>-Review by Kazza K</strong></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><strong>*THIS REVIEW CAN BE CONSIDERED AS CONTAINING SPOILERS**</strong></span></div>
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<a href="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1371923481l/18110140.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="I'll Be Watching You" border="0" height="320" id="coverImage" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1371923481l/18110140.jpg" width="203" /></a>I'll Be Watching You is a novella with an interesting premise. A serial killer who becomes besotted with young men of a particular type. Who decides he is in love with them, stalks them, drugs them, ties them up and strangles them to death, all whilst crying and listening to the Police's stalker anthem, I'll Be Watching You.<br />
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When the book begins Angel doesn't know what has happened to him he is disoriented and sees a body on a bed being strangled. He wants to help the young man but he can't seem to work out how. Pretty quickly he realises it's his body he has watched being strangled and he is now in the afterlife.<br />
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We then move to Andy and Jeff. They're friends who are at a horror movie, something they both enjoy. Andy is a Chatty Cathy throughout the movie and gets <em>shushed</em> by a fellow movie goer - who ends up getting up and moving seats, letting them know he is not impressed. After the movie, Andy and Jeff see the same movie- goer who <em>shushed</em> them eating at a fast food outlet. Andy can't help himself, he's a friendly guy, he has to talk to the guy he obviously upset in the movies to generally explain himself and apologise if he ruined the movie. Andy can't help but get upset when people stupidly make bad choices or walk into danger in the horror genre. Henry sees Andy as perhaps a tad annoying but easy on the eye.<br />
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Brendan, the serial killer, is having problems with his apartment's electrical equipment so he calls out a service electrician. Andy is the electrician that ends up at his place, but he can't find any reason why these strange and random occurrences are happening. But he is nothing if not thorough, so he goes next door to see if the neighbour is experiencing the same difficulties. Of course he isn't, because it's the spirit of Angel who is fritzing out the electrical appliances. It's Angel's way of getting back at Brendan. Angel is lonely and angry and he wants to drive his killer crazy with his new found electrical-fritzing prowess. The thing is, the next door neighbour is none other than Henry the Shusher. Once again, Henry sees that Andy is a nice looking guy and he is nothing if not a genuinely friendly person, so he is attracted to him, and Andy to Henry. Meanwhile, Andy has now just come onto Brendan's psycho-stalker radar big time - he fits his type very nicely indeed. So I'll Be Watching You can get cranked up again.<br />
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Andy and Henry start dating as another dynamic enters the picture.Veronica, aka Ronnie - Andy and Jeff's gal pal - has the hots for Andy, even knowing that he is gay. She, too, has a kind of Andy-obsessed thing going on, although she is a good friend.<br />
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So you work out pretty quickly that the story is going to go down the path of Brendan stalking and somehow getting his mitts onto Andy. You also know Angel will figure into it somehow. How it will all come together is the unknown.<br />
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<strong>What worked for me - </strong><br />
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The premise is a good one (and I do like that song)<br />
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I found myself laughing at Andy being chatty in the movie. I know what it is like to want to talk to the move screen, or at least the characters. I also understood Henry feeling miffed. <br />
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Andy is a sweet guy and I liked that<br />
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The character of Angel is an interesting addition to the story<br />
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Brendan is sufficiently creepy<br />
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For someone who likes M/M romance with a bit of horror - that is not too horrifying, but has its moments - this is a good book<br />
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I felt for Angel and he tried so hard to do the right thing. His frustrations<br />
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It is at heart a sweet book, despite the topic<br />
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I appreciated the irony of both Andy and Henry doing what characters in the movies do<br />
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<strong>What didn't work for me -</strong><br />
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The constant changes of POV - Angel, Brendan, Andy, Ronnie... it is way too short a read for this and it became choppy because of it. And there were too many POV. Why did Detective Gutierrez get a POV?<br />
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And speaking of Detective Gutierrez, I wanted to slap her into next week - who comes into a crime scene where a serial killer is dead, a victim tied naked to the bed, and takes the time to notice how sexy the victim is - no! that was inappropriate. I like certain things in my fiction rooted in fairly reasonable reality<br />
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Andy is a likeable guy, Henry seems nice, but there wasn't enough development of the characters and their relationship. Too much was thrown under a wide umbrella encompassing other characters. Because of this the MC's chemistry suffered<br />
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There was a gap between Andy and Henry getting together and the point where they were intimate. I felt like I missed that important lead up and then that moment when it all happens for the characters as a couple; where we get to see a build and a spark<br />
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I didn't feel like Angel had the proper farewell. I wanted more<br />
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<strong>Overall -</strong><br />
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There are things that are both positive and negative about I'll Be Watching You. It is sweet at heart, and there was a good concept here. The execution needed a bit more. There is a paranormal aspect, there is humour, a murderer, as well as a romance - all in a quick and easy read. If you like those things then I'll Be Watching You may be what you are looking for. I liked the quirky and enigmatic The Vampire's Partner more than I'll Be Watching You, but based on both books I will be looking for more from Benjamin Cole to read in the future.<br />
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<strong><span style="color: red;">3 Nearly But Not Quite Stars</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: red;"></span></strong> This book was supplied to me by the author in return for an honest review</div>
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kazzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03484517880483861603noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8867803989902405576.post-25396716198392523612013-07-12T11:18:00.000-07:002013-07-12T11:18:14.778-07:00Greeting Cards, Tinnean<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>- Review by Cindi</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>3 out of 5 stars</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ben Haggerty comes home from a long day at work expecting to find his partner of eight years, Rick, waiting for him. What he finds instead is an empty apartment. Not only has Rick disappeared but so have his belongings and more than his rightful share of the joint bank account. The apartment has been cleaned thoroughly, something Rick has never done. He leaves behind a letter....</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"... Things aren't the same between us--let's face it; they haven't been for a very long time .... it will only be temporary, Ben, I promise, but I need this time away, so please don't try to find me."</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The reader is privy to the type of person Rick is early on. The way he treats Ben is appalling, as Ben thinks back over comments and actions made over time, never thinking that what was being said or done was wrong.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Blue-collar workers are so low-class." (</i>When Ben's 'blue-collar' job was keeping Rick in nice things.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Rick never made the bed. Not that Ben minded. A genius of his lover's magnitude didn't have time for mundane things like tidying their apartment.</i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"YOU can't string together two solid thoughts."</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rick was right when he teased Ben about having an IQ of a bunch of brussels sprouts.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ben is a low voltage electrician who has spent the past eight years working hard to try to save enough money for a house he can share with Rick. His profession is a source of scorn and amusement to Rick, who is working toward his masters degree. But Ben is </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in love</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> so he's always made excuses for Rick's behavior even finally getting to the point where he believed the horrible things that were said to him on a daily basis. His self-esteem is at an all-time low. He's only had one lover and that was the man he has spent the past eight years with. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rick's disappearance devastates Ben. The holidays are coming up and not only does he no longer have the man he loves but he has been estranged from his parents since he was forced many years ago to choose between them and Rick. (He obviously makes the wrong choice.) Finally he begs a computer savvy friend to find a current address so that he can at least send Rick a card asking when he will finally be coming home. The card ends up getting delivered to the wrong address and this is where the story begins.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jason Prescott accidentally opens a card that was obviously not meant for him. He is saddened by what he is reading as the person who wrote the letter is obviously mourning the loss of a relationship. </span></div>
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<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"It's been more than three months. I know you asked me to give you some space, but I can't stand this silence between us any longer. I keep asking myself what I did to drive you to the point that you felt you had to leave--whatever it was, I regret it more than I can say. Please forgive me."</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jason immediately finds a card of his own and writes a nice note back to Ben along with sending the other back. </span></div>
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<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But eight years together. Wow. Jason had never been in love with anyone for longer than a week, but during those seven days his feelings had burned hot and high. Once it was over, though, and after a week or two to recover, he'd be back in the saddle. </i></div>
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<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">God, wouldn't it be wonderful to have someone miss me to that degree? Jason thought.</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This begins a correspondence between Jason and Ben that continues all the way to the end of the book, even long after they become a couple.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jason's IQ is even higher than Rick's. Only twenty-three, he has already gotten several master's degrees and is successful enough to already own a house of his own. From the moment he accidentally reads Ben's letter to Rick, he feels sympathy for Ben, who he is convinced is an older man wishing for a woman to come back home to him. A couple of cards later Jason realizes how wrong he had been in his assumptions. Ben is in fact a gay man only three years older than Jason himself. As the two men continue to send cards back and forth in the mail, Ben slowly starts to get over Rick. He and Jason have not yet spoken but it's obvious that the two are headed toward something and that something will no doubt be more than mere friendship.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's when Ben and Jason speak for the first time that the book starting going downhill for me. The old fashioned, pen-pal-through-snail-mail-relationship was unique. I enjoyed watching as they went back and forth getting to know each other. I enjoyed watching Ben as he finally, </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">finally</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> starting moving away from the loser he had been with for eight years. But when Ben and Jason finally meet, it is a nonevent. Details are missing. Details that were critical to me, the reader. The correspondence with the greeting cards was cute as each one was silly and fun. But yet when they become a couple the cuteness and silliness of the cards is pretty much all there is as the guys jump from one thing to another and the couple aspect of the story is kind of put on the back burner. So much detail in the cards and the writing inside each but yet very little when the two men meet face-to-face. I wanted to continue seeing emotion. I wanted to see details of how they got where they eventually got with their relationship. Instead, the book veered off course by bringing in other characters and other situations (all of which were important) and pushed Ben and Jason <i>as a couple</i> aside.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are, however, a few things I did like about this story. Everything as far as specific characters comes full circle. People who know Ben also know Jason and Rick is somehow also included in part of that circle. Rick is the perfect bastard. The author wrote him well. He did a good job destroying not only Ben's self-esteem but other things (that I won't give away) too. My problem there is that I don't feel that Rick was completely realized. He pops up a few times in the story after his initial disappearance. He stays true to character by being a jerk but yet so much more could have been added to his story.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I liked Jason immediately. I liked Ben as well though I found him to be a bit much when it came to his waiting around on Rick. Also, while I get that the point of Ben was to show him as feeling as if he didn't measure up to those more intelligent than him, I felt that the author took his being </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">treated</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> as one who is less intelligent to </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">being one </i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">who is less intelligent. Rick had done a number on him so his believing it was understandable. But did the author have to turn around and make Ben look as if he had the IQ of a fence post? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">There is zero on-page sex in this book with the exception of a mention of a blowjob and one of the characters wiping come off his mouth. This is fine for me as I don't feel that on-page sex is always necessary for a good story. However, I feel that a little bit of intimacy between Ben and Jason was warranted. Hugs, a few kisses (not off-page)... something. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Also, something I noticed in the one and only other book of this author's I have read is the excessive use of exclamation points. They are prevalent in <i>Greeting Cards</i> as well. I would be okay with a few scattered here and there but this story (as the one before it) has so many that it quickly got distracting.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love the correspondence with the cards as my family is all about goofy cards. Each one is silly and is in honor of one those random holidays that somehow has made it to calendars all over the place, one being <i>National Goof Off</i> <i>Day!</i> (I love that one). Jason also has a tradition with his sister with the cards as well. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I enjoyed all of the secondary characters, even Rick, who the reader will love to hate. I just can't force myself to get beyond Ben and his constant need to not only feel as if he is not as smart as other people and even </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">beneath them</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, but to actually act as if he has no brains at all. I believe the author did a disservice to his character by having him come across as not being very bright. He has a nice career and makes a decent salary (college degree or no) so he obviously has the ability to learn new things so I don't get the point of having him come across as one who lacked any type of intelligence.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Overall, the story was okay. As I said, it started off well and got me interested immediately. Had it kept moving in the direction in which it started, this would have easily been a five-star read for me (even with all the exclamation points). Unfortunately the story was more exciting to me when Ben and Jason didn't know each other than when they actually became a couple.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange for a fair and honest review.</i></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8867803989902405576.post-28368079468041638882013-07-10T17:20:00.000-07:002013-07-11T08:58:35.546-07:00A Wild Ride, Andrew Grey<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>- Review by Cindi</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>5 out of 5 stars</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dante Rivers just lost a rodeo competition by two one hundredths of a point. Not just lost but lost to the biggest jerk in the circuit. He's frustrated and full of energy. He needs to get laid. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>What he wanted, no, </i>needed, <i>was a hard, down-and-dirty fuck. And he knew just where to get it.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He ends up at a local bar and there he meets Ryan Abbott. Ryan is out with his best friend Jacky and catches Dante's attention within minutes of walking into the bar. Ryan and Jacky had just watched Dante at the rodeo but they don't recognize him until much later. A game of pool and a lot of flirting later, Dante and Ryan go back to Ryan's hotel room. After a night of hot sex that gets both men thinking things neither should be thinking about, Dante tries to sneak out in the middle of the night but is caught by Ryan. A quick goodbye and Dante makes his exit vowing to never see Ryan again. Dante is a tough bull rider. He is always the one in control and that is the image he portrays to the public. But only a few minutes with Ryan Abbott and he is willing to allow Ryan to simply take him... take him as well as every ounce of control he possesses. He loves it. A lot. This scares Dante so he tries to make a quick exit before Ryan discovers the emotions that are written all over his face. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But neither man can forget that one night.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ryan had a bad experience in college when he and his boyfriend were experimenting with BDSM. Ryan, a natural Dom, swore after that incident that he would never allow himself to take charge like that again with a man. He has kept his sexual exploits vanilla until he meets Dante. Somehow he knows that Dante, the strong, assertive bull rider, really just wants, <i>needs</i>, to give up complete control if only for a little while. When Dante rushes out in the middle of the night he is not the only one scared. Ryan is terrified because the feelings he long suppressed are suddenly coming back in full force. The incident in college almost destroyed him and the thought of hurting another man terrifies him. But he can not deny what happened with Dante and he's unable to forget the feelings, <i>the longings</i>, that Dante brought out in him. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>How many times had he told himself he wouldn't do this anymore? He'd lost count, but it had to be nearly a million, and here he was right back where he'd said he wasn't going to go. He knew he should stop, but he couldn't. He could see what Dante needed and he could give it to him. Dante needed it, he needed it too, and heaven help him, Ryan wanted it. He denied this part of himself for so long he simply couldn't do it any longer.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Hasn't anyone seen what's inside you before? What you really need?" God, Dante practically screamed to Ryan loud and clear, and his eyes begged for it even if he wasn't willing to admit it out loud.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"This isn't about your being my submissive or me being your Dom. I hate labels, and they don't mean shit. This is about you surrendering the control you're so desperately clinging to for a little while. So while we're here, I'm in control, and all you're supposed to do is listen to my voice and feel. Let go of everything."</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dante is unable to forget the utter joy of being able to relax and allow another man to take charge. Thankfully, the men will never see each other again. Right? <i>Wrong</i>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ryan is a stockbroker who handles financial matters with his business partner, Marie. He receives a call in regards to meeting up with a new client, an elderly man named Hyram Murphy. A quick visit an hour outside of town and Ryan comes face-to-face once again with Dante, who happens to be Hy's grandson. After a bit of back and forth between the two men over time they come to an understanding. Ryan will give Dante what he needs in the bedroom (or barn) and Ryan will get what he needs in the process. Only later do real feelings come into play and each man must deal with those while trying to maintain a light D/s relationship. The BDSM play is mild. Extremely mild. There is no humiliation or bondage or anything along those lines. It is all about taking and giving up control. This was written perfectly. Even those completely opposed to BDSM in books should have no problem with the way it is written in <i>A Wild Ride</i>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With the relationship comes other problems. Dante is a year away from retiring from the rodeo circuit and he's close to losing his major sponsor because of rumors of him being gay. He depends on that sponsorship to care for his grandfather who has ALS and whose health will continue to get worse over time. Hy is convinced that he knows what is best for Dante in regards to his health which is why Ryan was hired in the first place. Also, Dante hopes to finally get that much-sought-after championship under his belt before he officially retires from the circuit. There is a little drama when certain things come to light in regards to Hy and his plans for the future but this drama is thankfully resolved quickly. There is a violent incident much later when Ryan is caught up in something that is meant for Dante. This opens the door for Dante to take control and to take care of Ryan but in a different way from how he himself has been taken care of up to this point. It is at this moment that I absolutely fell in love with Dante. I had loved his character throughout (starting with watching him sign autographs at the beginning of the book for children) but this cemented it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As much as I loved Dante and Ryan, the true star of this book is Hy. I fell in love with him instantly and that love continued to grow the more I read. All he cares about is not being a burden to his only grandson and while he doesn't go about things necessarily in the right way, his heart is in the right place. Watching him as his illness took hold broke my heart but it never broke Hy's spirit. You can't help but love him.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"I know you were prob'ly trying to protect me and wanted me to be happy, but there's nothing you need to hide." Gramps shifted and looked down the drive. "And there's nothing you need to be ashamed of. You're my grandson and I love you, and it don't make any difference to me if you like bulls or cows. I just want you to be happy."</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>He really hadn't expected rejection from his grandfather, but acceptance and Gramps's obvious peace with it were more than he could ever have hoped.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am a southern girl but I admit to not being a fan of bull riding or anything pertaining to the rodeo, though I do <i><b>so</b></i> love seeing a man in chaps (I'm not blind nor am I stupid). However, Andrew Grey took a subject that I tend to avoid and made it very interesting. I cheered for Dante when he won and I was saddened for him when he didn't. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have read quite a few books by Andrew Grey and I have enjoyed them all. While I don't think any of his books will ever compare to </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love Comes Silently</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> in my eyes, </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A Wild Ride</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> comes pretty close. Not only is this the perfect love story between two men but it is also a story about family and how one will go to any lengths to protect that family. There are a few </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Aww.."</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> moments toward the end and I admit to getting a little teary as a result. That alone says a lot about my enjoyment of this book.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Overall, an outstanding book. Definitely one of my new favorites by Andrew Grey. I highly recommend this for those looking for a nice love story between two very stubborn men. Throw in Hy and a couple of the other secondary characters and you really can't lose with this one.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Check out that cover. Beautiful.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange for a fair and honest review.</i></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8867803989902405576.post-35490700605351094802013-07-09T10:02:00.001-07:002013-08-05T08:42:07.273-07:00Love, Like Water, Rowan Speedwell<br />
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<em><strong>"Takes more than water and land to make a place like the Triple C. Takes hope, and faith, and courage, and love..."</strong></em></div>
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<strong>-Review by Kazza K</strong><br />
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<span style="color: red;"><strong>**CONTAINS SOME SPOILERS**</strong></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18054865-love-like-water" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Love, Like Water by Rowan Speedwell" height="320" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1370918498l/18054865.jpg" title="Love, Like Water by Rowan Speedwell" width="213" /></a>Joshua Chastain is in a bad place at the beginning of Love, Like Water. He is having nightmares about violent men, a young girl - fifteen and five months pregnant - in a warehouse, on the floor, with orders to shoot her being given. He is in a hospital, his mother visiting and telling him, carefully, that she has organised for him to get out of Chicago. Away from the mess that is his life and recuperate at his Uncle Tucker's ranch, the Triple C. That Uncle Tucker is getting older and wants Joshua to come in, learn the business, do the books and, if he likes it, maybe he can take over its running one day.<br />
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Josh is a former FBI field agent and had been under cover with an Hispanic gang in the worst area of Chicago slowly gathering information on all its illegal activities. He was a natural choice - he is of Puerto Rican heritage, he knows the culture, his father associated with the gang's leader and he has a memory like a steel trap. It's been three long years and he has come out of the operation after the gang was raided, people killed, and a trial in the wings for the remaining members. He's also been addicted to heroin, by orders of the leader, Chete Montenegro, made a <em>hype</em> for questioning orders more enthusiastically then he should have.<br />
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Elian Kelly is the foreman for the Triple C ranch and he has the job of picking Tucker Chastain's nephew up from the bus when he comes into Miller, New Mexico. The ranch is a fair way out, Tucker isn't around, so Eli does as asked - it's what you do for the boss, it's what you do for friends. But when he sees Joshua for the first time it's one heck of a shock. He is supposed to be FBI, and Joshua looks nothing like FBI - <br />
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<em>As he walked toward the truck, he shambled like an old man, but his upper body was held tight and stiff, like he was braced for a blow. He walked like the human version of the abused animals the Triple C got sometimes, like a horse beaten too long for no reason at all. And then Eli met the guy's dead eyes, and thought, shaken, <strong>If I saw a horse with those eyes, I'd shoot it myself.</strong></em><br />
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At twenty eight Joshua has seen a lot, been through a lot, and is a wreck of a man. He is emaciated - still not eating - battling addiction, the loss of his job, and going from the FBI out to a ranch he hasn't visited in a long time. Who knows how his uncle will view him. Will he even care? Why should he? Life isn't worth much and Joshua is worth less than that. Josh does what is expected by going to New Mexico, getting into the vehicle that will take him out to the ranch in the middle of nowhere - not talking but listening to the man, Eli, talk to him about everything and nothing in general - <br />
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<em>Joshua sat and listened to the guy talk, finding a whisper of interest he wouldn't have thought still existed in his blackened soul. The guy had a soft, easy voice, restful and slow, like he was smiling inside. It made Joshua feel like he was in a completely different universe, one where people actually cared about what happened. Rescued animals? Fixing broken horses?"</em> <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS6ExeCzU-idebMA9Nev60hyphenhyphen0PtMix7VNQ6z-Atez3ux1ki-QSZ-0WliyTJg-hJl7TYLCLMjakZM-SSkmnlSrodOFhzmbZMZBdl__yTYRkbGo6drvmYLVEDKdyb10Kscn04gSbVxSq2cZP/s1600/Sexy+Cowboy+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS6ExeCzU-idebMA9Nev60hyphenhyphen0PtMix7VNQ6z-Atez3ux1ki-QSZ-0WliyTJg-hJl7TYLCLMjakZM-SSkmnlSrodOFhzmbZMZBdl__yTYRkbGo6drvmYLVEDKdyb10Kscn04gSbVxSq2cZP/s400/Sexy+Cowboy+3.jpg" width="266" /></a>Elian Kelly is thirty three and the foreman at the Triple C. He has a good relationship with the boss, Tucker, and the staff in general. Tucker knows Eli is gay and it doesn't bother him. It is what it is. He doesn't profess to understand why men like men, but he believes in live and let live. Besides, Eli is a damn good foreman and a nice man. Eli likes working with the horses, helping them to know that not all humans are cruel. He had dreams of being a rodeo star - eventually he gave it a shot - but only after he took care of his <em>ma</em> and his family when his father died. Not much of a career, a bit old to be starting out, and then the Triple C came along and that's where he still is.<br />
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Tucker can see fairly quickly that Eli likes Joshua. That he has been trying to take him under his wing. But taking someone under your wing that has no real reason to want to live is not an easy task. Josh makes some effort but he struggles against his nightmares, his anorexic state, and not feeling like he fits in, no matter how nice his uncle is, no matter how much Eli tries to talk and fill in the blank, awkward silences. And no mater how nice Sarafina, who is the cook, and the real mistress of the Triple C, is. <br />
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Eli decides that the new horses coming in from Kansas, and from the ASPCA, might be a good opportunity to get Josh involved in the ranch and to see how things can improve - you may start out looking and feeling bad, but life can be so much better. Eli looks at people and horses pretty much the same - treat them with kindness, approach the spooked ones carefully and gently, and they will probably come around. But Joshua's ordeals are never far behind. He feels uncomfortable feeling things for Eli -<br />
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<em>He didn't know what Elian Kelly wanted, he just knew that the patient watchfulness made him nervous, made him curious, made him crazy. Made him want to walk over to where he stood, put his head on his shoulder, and wait for those patient arms to come around him, pat him gently, and tell him everything was going to be okay.</em><br />
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Joshua is so spooked, feeling like a burden, and now desire for a man he feels unworthy of, who probably isn't gay. He takes off into the desert, in warm weather, hoping to never be found. Only he doesn't count on Eli and how much he cares for him. Eli finds Josh by riding his horse, Milagro, out into the desert with all the right equipment, including a sat phone and reflective blanket. When he finds a severely heatstroke-affected Joshua, who is barely alive, he lets some impassioned feelings out -<br />
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<em>The water ran from the sides of his mouth. Eli set the bottle down carefully and held Josh in his lap under the silver blanket, waiting helplessly, his heart breaking. "Oh, baby boy," he whispered, "don't do this to me. <strong>No me hagas esto, mijo</strong>. Please don't. Please don't."</em><br />
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From here things develop between Eli and Joshua. Eli is gone over the damaged Joshua -<br />
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<em>He was so fragile. So thin. So beautiful, even with the sunburn and the ointment and the hollows under his eyes.<br /> ...once he filled out he'd be too beautiful for Eli to bear.</em><br />
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And Joshua deciding that he wants to live. He wants to help his uncle out. And he wants to be around the comforting Eli Kelly. Someone he would have been attracted to before the assignment. Someone he needs now -<br />
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<em>Eli was everything Joshua wanted: clean, strong, honest. Straightforward. Gentle.</em><br />
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As time passes, they bond over horses, over Eli's ability to be so calm and dependable, the ranch and an ever-growing physical attraction. Josh hasn't been with a man in over three years and his desire for Eli ramps up -<br />
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<em>(He) Wondered how he would taste, what it would be like to lie down with that strong, hard body beside him, around him, in him.</em><br />
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After his attempted suicide in the desert - although Tucker and Eli close ranks around Josh, saying he got lost - Josh has to see a psychiatrist on a regular basis. He is dealing with a heroin addiction and plenty of issues -<br />
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<em>"What are your dreams about?"</em><br />
<em>Josh rubbed a fingertip over the arm of the chair.</em><br />
<em>"Memories," he said finally.</em><br />
<em>"Bad memories."</em><br />
<em>The shrink didn't say anything.</em><br />
<em>"You want to know about me?" Josh looked up to see McBride watching him, a thoughtful expression on his face.</em><br />
<em>"I'm gay. I'm a heroin addict. I'm ex-FBI. I've killed people."</em><br />
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Josh settles in, relatively speaking, to life on the ranch. Getting to know Eli. Getting to know his uncle better. Getting healthier. Getting to know the horses. Getting to know the land. The book has it's fair share of (justifiable) angst. But it also has a quiet, country perspective on life, dry humour, friendship, and a sense of family. And, of course, the developing but difficult relationship between the MC's is always there, front and centre. There is also a major turn that I won't discuss as it's a spoiler but the book went in a different direction than I thought it would. I like thinking one thing and getting another.<br />
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The writing is technically strong, emotionally it tugs at the heartstrings, and there are some lovely words written by a good author. That Joshua is not someone who can be fixed overnight was written well. Eli was the right character to be dealing with, and falling for, Joshua. They are a great couple, totally believable and I fell in love with them, particular Elian Kelly.<br />
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You get both Joshua and Eli's POV here and it is great to see what both men are thinking and feeling - Joshua so scarred, Eli trying hard to do the right thing by Joshua, but being confused just how to go about what he has to to make Joshua feel okay. <br />
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The sex is smoking hot - <br />
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<em>"Fuck. You." Josh jerked his arm out of Eli's grasp and stalked toward the door.</em><br />
<em>Eli saw red. He caught Josh just before he walked out into the sunshine and yanked him into the dark corner beside the door. Joshua's eyes went wide and startled, and Eli felt a rush of lust more powerful than he'd ever known. He shoved Josh against the wall and crowded in, finding his mouth just as his body slammed up against Josh's. He heard a muffled yelp, but them Joshua went soft in his arms. Only for a moment though; in the next, Eli found himself with an armful of fierce....</em><br />
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<em>He was groaning low in his throat as he rocked his hips into Eli.</em><br />
<em>"Fuck," Eli hissed as Joshua's teeth closed on his shoulder.</em><br />
<em>"Yesss," Joshua hissed. Fuck me. Fuck me."</em><br />
<em>"Not here...."</em><br />
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<em>He handed Eli the lube, then turned and bent over, his palms flat against the wall.. "Fuck me," he sad over his shoulder.</em><br />
<em>"Jesus Christ!" Eli popped the lube and swiped some on his cock, the reached for Joshua's ass, sliding two fingers in deep. Joshua moaned, "Good!" as Eli stretched him, then in a blur of need and heat and unexpected fury, Eli buried himself in Joshua, slapping his hands over Josh's on the walls. He drew back, rocked hard into him, heard Josh hiss, felt him shudder, and did it again, and again his hands holding Josh's flat on the wall.... </em><br />
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The secondary characters are also multi-dimensional - either good people or loathsome. Uncle Tucker is a gem of a man. Sarafina, the motherly figure Josh needed, <strong>and Jesse needs his own book</strong>. I would be all over that one. Everything about Love, Like Water is written right, and this is now one of my favourite books. If you love your M/M served up with good characterisations, angst to burn, a damaged character, a sexy, gentle cowboy, great secondary characters, a good sex to plot ratio - but when it happens it is red-hot - a HEA - they get one but it takes a while, they work for it - and just some heartfelt moments, then this is your book. I can't recommend it highly enough.<br />
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<strong><span style="color: red;">5 Beautiful Angst Lovin' Stars </span></strong></div>
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<em>"You're too good for me. Where did you learn to dance like that?"</em><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmixUM-N19C8jFVOnCuLwac5B6GYJ04wRLQM8cEz2fJX9OQLgrrr-oLaFOsl8yv_WMVdt42OlnrVktHdbcC0BEiw-t-rPFhtw6UPVUcjhnZn0ycgH-GFMo1y6Qi7PPkfmzPBkruBNoGREF/s1600/Sexy+Man+waterfall.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmixUM-N19C8jFVOnCuLwac5B6GYJ04wRLQM8cEz2fJX9OQLgrrr-oLaFOsl8yv_WMVdt42OlnrVktHdbcC0BEiw-t-rPFhtw6UPVUcjhnZn0ycgH-GFMo1y6Qi7PPkfmzPBkruBNoGREF/s320/Sexy+Man+waterfall.png" width="213" /></a><em>"I'm Puerto Rican," he replied, his body still moving. I was born knowing how to dance."</em><br />
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<em>Joshua shot Eli a quick grin then took a couple of quick steps so that he was dancing directly beneath the little waterfall that fell from the canyon wall. He was singing something about water, about love running like water, and dancing as if his soul were on fire. He was so beautiful Eli almost wept.</em><br />
<em>He came out of the waterfall as he finished the song, walking straight for Eli, taking him into his arms and kissing him, hot and fierce.</em><br />
<strong><em>Eli closed his eyes and fell.</em> </strong><br />
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<em>This book was supplied by the publisher, Dreamspinner Press, in return for an honest review. </em>kazzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03484517880483861603noreply@blogger.com6