Fun! I loved Heaven by Jet Mykles so much! It had the feeling of a younger read to me in spite of the main protagonists being in their late 20s to earFun! I loved Heaven by Jet Mykles so much! It had the feeling of a younger read to me in spite of the main protagonists being in their late 20s to early 30s. Rock star romance has a special place in my heart because I was a rock star fan as a young girl. I remember wishing someone would sing just to me. It was one of those silly fantasies which has lasted throughout my life. I liked how Johnnie was confident and charismatic in spite of Tyler's hang-ups. I thought they were a really fun couple.
I honestly was surprised by the love being believable between a rock star and a staid hotel manager. It was a nice change of pace where I could see them being a good couple. Both of them needed something different from each other; they were able to ground one another and uplift each other at the same time. I loved Johnnie being there for Tyler when his dad passed. I loved him emailing, sending gifts, teasing him. It was nice to see a nice guy getting picked first for a change. ...more
Blaze and Jason really are on a Hollywood whirlwind romance which continues in a much better fashion in Home for the Happy Holidays in Hawaii and LA!
Blaze and Jason really are on a Hollywood whirlwind romance which continues in a much better fashion in Home for the Holidays. I loved the fact things didn't go completely smooth for them with either of their families. Jason comes from Hollywood royalty yet his sibling rivalry with his brother hit home for me on a personal level. His extended family were great about his relationship with Blaze and I loved the glamour of their Christmas celebration. I loved getting to go to the islands with Blaze and Jason more though! Blaze has this very traditional family whose love for one another is shown in reserved, yet really beautiful ways until his grandmother admits to hating losing both of her grandsons to the outside world.
Who doesn't want their family to stay close to them so they can love them all the time rather than only on the holidays?
I really enjoyed the way both Blaze and Jason worked so hard to make themselves 'fit' into each others' lives without trying to change themselves at the same time. Their romance worked a lot better for me in this book since they did address some of the issues of age and financial status which separate their worlds. I enjoyed seeing them working to fit together because they both simply know they belong together.
Overall I can round this one up to a 4 star read thanks to the holiday cheer and while some editing and pacing issues remained, none of them were enough to dampen my enjoyment of the story. I will be continuing on in the journey with Blaze and Jason. I'm hoping for them to pull through for the long haul! ...more
Traditional Japanese characters are few and far between in modern literature; I was thrilled to see Takeo being represented with wonderful attention tTraditional Japanese characters are few and far between in modern literature; I was thrilled to see Takeo being represented with wonderful attention to detail along with an obvious appreciation for his upbringing in Blue Days by Mary Calmes. I've loved everything I've read by Calmes to date which meant I wasn't surprised to find I ranked it 5 stars almost from the beginning.
I loved the slow burn of the build-up to the relationship between Dwyer and Takeo. Their mutual respect for one another showed through in careful treatment of each other in all their interactions. They were wonderfully considerate to each other regardless of the disapproval of others or any kind of concern for others looking in on their relationship. I fell in love with their friendship before I fell in love with their love story. That's really impressive to me in a short read.
Blue Days won't be the last I read of the Mangrove Stories. I'm so thrilled I got the opportunity to grab this one at Dreamspinner Press so I can have it in my permanent library. ...more
Ben is an instantly likable character with his curiosity, kindness, and practicality even while on holiday in one of tSweet romance-on-the-run story!
Ben is an instantly likable character with his curiosity, kindness, and practicality even while on holiday in one of the most luxurious places in the world; Leo is so smooth he might as well be buttered silk. They could not be more different as a couple yet I found myself drawn to their romance anyway. Their differences were what made them work so well together. Leo had to look at life from the perspective of someone who'd not grown up surrounded by wealth while Ben had to learn to accept wealth could be simply a part of someone's life without being the only thing which defined them.
I loved the way Louisa Masters managed to bring so much of Australia into Ben's depiction while staying true to Monaco and France with Leo. Leo's comrades-in-arms -Malik and Lucien- were delightful scoundrels while Ben's bestest Dani made everything seem so much more amazing when seen through the eyes of a third party. A solid four-star read, The Bunny and the Billionaire is a great way to take a book vacation, experience the best of the best, and guarantees to put a smile on your face with it's fairy tale (beginning, middle, and end) love story....more
Brynn Stein wrote a fantastically fun creature-feature read with Haunted. Her detective, Lenard, is absolutely the dogged Hottest Cold Case Work Ever!
Brynn Stein wrote a fantastically fun creature-feature read with Haunted. Her detective, Lenard, is absolutely the dogged type of man devoted to the law who would keep working a case even if all the people involved in it were dead for years. Her ghost, Jason, makes finding justice seem important yet not as important as finding love even after death. Both men worked so well together their love story was nearly as thrilling as the build-up to resolving the multiple murders involved in Jason's death.
Haunted is a short read which packs a big kick. I loved how everything could have focused on a Halloween theme yet the book goes wild right after in the time frame where everything, everywhere is all about Christmas. I admit I might have laughed and cried a little at Len trying to put a Christmas tree up for Jason yet forgetting trees need ornaments. I definitely cried a little over their first holiday together. This was a very fun read I'd highly recommend for someone looking for a little holiday fun or a lot of ghostly detective work....more
Intersex people are sorely misunderstood and underrepresented in fiction. I was so glad to discover Chyna Doll featured an intersex teenager trying toIntersex people are sorely misunderstood and underrepresented in fiction. I was so glad to discover Chyna Doll featured an intersex teenager trying to come to grips with what it means to have a body which is physically different from the way society defines gender identity. Chyna is wondrously Chyna through Mickie B. Ashling's clever writing skills. There's not a moment where I, as the reader, cared whether Chyna chose to identify as female or male in the end because all I wanted was Chyna to find happiness in a life dredged down with unnecessary shame, confusion, and pain.
I chose to read this book first because I was interested in the young lovers' story. I've been on a first-love kick lately and Chyna Doll is a wonderful first love story. Luca has been raised by gay fathers and doted on by a married pair of gay uncles which makes him possibly the least judgmental teenager on the planet while Chyna has been forced to live as a female in spite of having functional male anatomy on the exterior with female anatomy inside which may or may not ever be functional.
There's a middle section of the book which focuses on Luca's fathers who are away on holiday to Italy to try to deal with his Daddio's midlife crisis. It's honestly fairly disruptive to the story though I imagine I would have enjoyed the glimpse into their continued relationship more if I had read the three books prior to this one before picking up book four in the series. The interlude isn't exceptionally long which I was grateful for though it does give some excellent character development for Luca's parents, Grier and Lil. It was enough to make me want to read the earlier books. I only wish it hadn't been in the middle of Luca and Chyna's story since I'm an awful person who only wanted to stick to the main love story at play in the book.
I'd rank this a solid 4 stars since there were several things I wanted resolved better -Chyna's mother, Chyna's health, and the dynamic between the twins now Chyna and Chip are addressing her intersex status fully- but a lot of things I wanted more detail on? They didn't detract from a Happy-For-Now ending which was very believable as well as enjoyable to read. ...more
Sweet and heartfelt, Elaine Ashford manages to completely capture the insanity which surrounds a wedding while downplaying it all at the same time in Sweet and heartfelt, Elaine Ashford manages to completely capture the insanity which surrounds a wedding while downplaying it all at the same time in order to make Kissing The Best Man a family story above all else. I loved seeing Seth getting to know his brother again. Jeff (Seth's brother) and Rowan are a very believable couple; their wedding as an event was depicted perfectly to frame the highs and lows of The Big Day.
Kent comes across as the kind of guy who anyone could easily love. He's hot, funny, and charming. Seth has never really met anyone like him. Their romance is fairly fast-paced, but not exactly insta-love. I do wish I'd understood a little more of Seth's life experiences prior to meeting Kent because he seemed alternately an inexperienced virgin or a carefree Casanova. Their relationship -such that it is- has this very much Happy For Now feeling to it and it set up the scene for bringing Seth and Jeff back into contact with their estranged parents. I could have used a little more information on the parental front for that matter.
Overall, Kissing the Best Man is a cute, fun read which passes quickly and I'm glad I got to read it through Kindle Unlimited....more
Period pieces are often hit or miss for me. Cari Z's Perilous blew the genre out of the water for me! I loved how it had the feel of the sea in the hePeriod pieces are often hit or miss for me. Cari Z's Perilous blew the genre out of the water for me! I loved how it had the feel of the sea in the height of the Napoleonic War when Her Majesty's Royal Navy was a fleet to fear. There's a lot of care taken in the development of Tom and Christopher's relationship which I absolutely loved as it felt authentic to me; the era of The Perilous was not kind to men who loved men and Cari Z beautifully captured the way 'discretion is the better part of valor' while showing the genuine feelings the men had for one another at the same time.
I wish I could go back in time to shake hands with these men. Their love is the kind which deserves a handshake to recognize the nobility involved in it. It doesn't hurt Tom is exactly the kind of stoic hero who makes me glad writers share their work since that kind of man? Should always exist somewhere, even if it's only in the pages of a book. Don't get me wrong: Christopher is no slouch. He's charming, smooth, and sweet for a man from a titled family. I wish this piece had been longer only because I'm selfish and didn't want it to end, but, in all honesty, Cari Z could not have told a more complete story if she'd added another hundred pages to Perilous. It was a solid five stars for me....more
Tanya Chris gave me more than a few reasons to consider "Giving Chances" this Christmas while reading this novella. Giving Chances is a sweet ChristmaTanya Chris gave me more than a few reasons to consider "Giving Chances" this Christmas while reading this novella. Giving Chances is a sweet Christmas treat which emphasizes the importance of self-acceptance as well as giving others the chance to accept and be accepted in return. People are only who they are and no people are perfect; everyone should get at least one more chance to remain a part of each other's lives.
Mitch comes from a large Catholic family who has not accepted his coming out well. They have ignored him, seemingly turned their backs on him, and only this year decided to invite him back. A lot of the current political climate with the legalization of gay marriage as well as the Presidential election results were brought up regarding his side of this story. I can honestly admit I don't enjoy politics in my holidays, but I do understand the author's motivations for including the content as it does a great job of explaining the motivations behind his family's actions after he came out.
Jackson has just come out of his latest long-term relationship with strict orders from his closest friend to avoid starting up with a new relationship immediately. I loved Jackson being both a very sensual man due to his career as a massage therapist as well as his comfort with his sexuality along with his desire to have a solid, long-term relationship which could result in marriage, children, a dog, a house with a picket fence, and the whole works. It's rare to see a man who wants permanence. I loved how up-beat he was since his positive attitude is what helped encourage the Christmas theme throughout.
The novella has an epilogue set a year after the events of the book which I truly was grateful for as it showcased how both characters had experienced growth both independently as well as together. Overall, I'd rank it a solid four-star read filled with lots of holiday goodness to warm up the Christmas spirit inside any reader. I'm adding Tanya Chris to my list of authors-to-watch for the future!...more
Dreamspinner had this book on the Daily Deal so I snatched it up based on the premise. I love the idea of a man trying to determine what actually defiDreamspinner had this book on the Daily Deal so I snatched it up based on the premise. I love the idea of a man trying to determine what actually defines him as a gay man. Renae Kaye captures the essence of a man who wants to retain his "manhood" perfectly in Dave/Davo. He's a very likeable character in spite of sometimes saying things or thinking things which are homophobic. His experience with his teacher is presented as a jumping point from which he fell into the pool of common standards for defining gender identity. His horror at being presented with a pink bundle of joy who is now the center of his best mate's world? It made me laugh right out loud.
Men who have never been around babies being suddenly forced to interact with a baby is always priceless to me.
Dave loses his mind trying to cope with the fact his friend hasn't changed yet has obviously changed at the same time due to the addition of a daughter to his life with his partner. Patrick and Jake are such a fun couple. I loved Davo interacting with them while trying to come to grips with who he is as a gay man. They were patient with him as well as grateful for his help with their little Maxine. Their dynamic was great all around. Lee fit in perfectly with them to make it a doubles night.
Lee hurts me I love him so much. His comfort in who he is as a man -a man who happens to sometimes like to wear dresses- shines through with his generosity of spirit. There's this amazing tenderness to how he loves Dave while Dave is learning to love him as well as himself. His family were fantastic side characters; I literally cheered for his mother threatening Dave about breaking her son's heart if he's only playing. My favorite scenes were actually the ones at the Drop-In where Lee volunteers with GLBT youth to try to help them find some acceptance as they also learn to love themselves. I loved getting to see Dave being himself with them while seeing them for who they were and accepting them in spite of what he'd been told about "those gays" in the past.
You Are The Reason made me love the scenes with the baby almost as much as if Maxine were Lee and Dave's baby. I think that's what was so wonderful about Maxine: she was able to make all these people realize we can find our family -choose our family- as much as we can be born into a family. That was amazing for me as a person who loves my own "found family" as much as my birth one.
I would recommend You Are The Reason to anyone looking for a nice coming-into-your-own book, anyone who loves found family stories, people who want to read about unconditional love/acceptance, and people who simply love a beautiful love story with a happy ending. It's a definite 5-star-read for me....more
The Replacement Guitarist has a lot of that 'I just can't quit you' vibe going for it; Lori Toland can definitely convey the depth of emotiAll for You
The Replacement Guitarist has a lot of that 'I just can't quit you' vibe going for it; Lori Toland can definitely convey the depth of emotion the characters feel for each other. I never doubted Blaze or Jason. They're very transparent for male characters. I appreciated how Toland chose to make it okay for Blaze to be a twenty-three-year-old male virgin since it honestly made sense with his personality type just as it made sense for Jason -powerful manager and son of Hollywood royalty- to have a hidden vulnerability to him. I couldn't have asked for more well-rounded characters.
I will say I could have asked for better editing. There were several places where I was pulled out of the story by strange pacing -days passed in what seemed like minutes or the timing was simply poorly portrayed- and I totally lost the thread of their romance when there would be words missing or misspellings. I'm generally not one to get hung up on grammar or typos. I think it was only because they were too frequent which dampened my enthusiasm.
Overall, I enjoyed the love story between Blaze and Jason. I'll be back for the rest of the series. I just know I wouldn't call this Lori Toland's best work....more
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