3 Stars for The Moment of Truth (Moments in Time #2) by Karen Stivali #Bisexual #MM #Romance #New Adult @karenstivali

Title: Moment of Truth (Moments in Time #2)
Author Name: Karen Stivali
Publication Date & Length: March 4, 2015 – 130 pgs

Collin expected to spend another summer fixing cars and working at the college pizzeria. Instead, he’s living in a beach house on Fire Island, waiting tables at a hip seaside restaurant and, for the first time since he and Tanner got together, they can publicly be known as boyfriends. Being “out” takes some getting used to, but with the help of new and old friends, Collin is happier than he ever imagined. And more in love. But newfound freedom brings unexpected challenges, and when friends get flirty, old insecurities arise. Moments of doubt and jealousy threaten their happiness, and Collin and Tanner must confront the truth or risk losing it all

This is a continuance of Moment of Impact.  The boys have been together for a while and they go to spend the summer working on Fire Island.  They stay in the shared house Tanner spent the previous summer in.

If we learned more about Collin’s life in Moment of Impact, Tanner’s world becomes much more clear in the second part of the story.  This time the supporting characters are more deftly drawn and more fully developed.  Even Collin’s family is allowed to break type and emerge as more human.

Everything about this story feels more fully developed.  The hot, hedonistic summer island setting is realistic enough to make me nostalgic for my own university summers.  Tedious shift work, after hours clubbing, beach parties and the joys of shared houses are all carefully drawn.

It was the main characters I didn’t always believe. Tanner and Collin feel oddly conservative for two newly legal gay men in such a wildly liberal environment.  Tanner introduces Collin to everything sexual, but he doesn’t help him party or even play very much.  And yet – Collin is wary about night clubs, but not about tattoos?  I’m not sure either character was very believable in the environment they were living in.

Again, both stories together are only the length of a short novel, so it is difficult to understand why they are being sold as two separate books.  I would have preferred them as part one and part two of the same book, saving readers a second purchase.

So yes, this was a more engaging story than the first.  It is more complex and is without the editing errors present through the first.  It is a simple young adult story about finding an adult identity, holding on to a relationship and becoming independent.

Sarah

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His smile twitched as he started up the next staircase. The last one. The one that led to our room and nowhere else. My hearth hammered hard and fast, and not from stair climbing. I needed to touch Tanner, soon, or every part of my body from my brain to my balls was going to simultaneously combust.

Tanner pushed our door open with exaggerated care and stepped inside. Jesus, is he trying to make me crazy? All I want is to….

My back slammed against the wall, and before I could complete my thought, Tanner’s mouth was on mine. The kiss was savage, tongue hot and heavy against mine, cock hot and heavy against mine. Even through our shorts, I could feel how ready he was. My head swam.

Desperate for more, I grabbed on to him, rolling us toward the door and kicking it shut. Tanner let out a grunt as I pressed him against the hard wood. Could anyone hear us? I didn’t care. I just needed this. Tanner. Now.

As soon as I shoved his T-shirt up his ribs, he yanked it off and tossed it aside. Warm smooth skin greeted my fingertips, filling my nose with his scent. God, I missed this. My mouth returned to his, tongues dueling as my hands fumbled with his fly. I couldn’t stop rubbing against him enough to get the zipper down. Tanner grabbed my ass, crushing his cock alongside mine, humping against me with enough intensity I had to force myself not to come.

I didn’t want that. Not yet. Not standing against the door when that crazy big bed was only feet away. As if he read my mind, Tanner shoved me backward, taking advantage of the moment our bodies parted to strip off his shorts. I tugged off my shirt, and before I could launch it across the room, Tanner had my shorts undone and down. Kicking them away put me off-balance, and Tanner steadied me with one hand clutching the back of my neck and the other wrapped around my cock.

Whimpers echoed through the room. My whimpers. His thumb slicked over my swollen head, round and round in circles that left me dizzy and panting.

“Let’s try out the bed.” Tanner’s voice was low and thick. I’d have said yes to anything he asked with that I couldn’t actually say a word, so I nodded and pulled us down onto the mattress. Holy Jesus. Soft cool sheets, warm hard body, wet velvety tongue. Heaven. Fire Island was heaven.

Karen Stivali is a prolific writer, compulsive baker and chocoholic with a penchant for books, movies, and fictional British men. She’s also the multiple award-winning author of contemporary and erotic romances. She writes novels about love…like real life, only hotter.

Karen’s lifelong fascination with people has led her to careers ranging from hand-drawn animator, to party planner, to marriage and family counselor, but writing has always been her passion. Karen enjoys nothing more than following her characters on their journey toward love. Whether the couples are m/f or m/m, it’s guaranteed that Karen’s novels are filled with food, friendship, love, and smoking hot sex—all the best things in life.

When Karen isn’t writing (and often when she is), she can be found on Twitter attempting witty banter and detailing the antics of her fruit-loving cat, BadKitteh. She loves to hear from readers (and other writers), so don’t hesitate to contact/follow/like her at the links below.

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3.5 and 2 Stars for Pianissimo by Lauren Shiro #FF #Historical #Paranormal

Title: Panissimo
Author Name: Lauren Shiro
Publication Date & Length: October 16, 2014 – 193pgs

Darryl and Corinne Richards purchase their first house. With Darryl’s army career coming to a close, they feel ready to settle down in Louisville, Kentucky. With impeccable timing, Darryl is sent on one final tour, leaving Corinne to live in this new house and new city alone.

Overwhelmed, Corinne becomes reclusive, living a quiet, boring life with her cats as she adjusts to her new surroundings. The problem is: someone or some thing does not want her life to be either quiet or boring. And then there’s the creepy piano in the basement…

There is more to that creepy, dilapidated piano and her new home than Corinne could ever imagine. Through highs and lows, twists and turns, she begins to understand that even the most softly played music is powerful – and that even soft realizations and quietly subtle changes can have a profound effect.

I have mixed feelings about this novel. I really enjoyed the historical parts, and I adored Margaret and Agnes. I wish the whole book had been just them without the modern-day parts. They were simply wonderful, and I feel a bit short-changed on seeing their relationship blossom.

I found it confusing at times when it switched back and forth between Corinne’s story of restoring the piano and the past. It was often abrupt and didn’t flow smoothly. The whole thing could have benefitted from tighter editing and some well-placed scene breaks.

I also had mixed feelings about Corinne and the other modern-day people. It read like it was aimed at people who aren’t sure they like gay people rather than at people interested in reading about two women in love. That might be why I didn’t care for the present day stuff—I’m really not the target audience for this story.

Because I enjoyed Margaret and Agnes so much, I look forward to reading Ms. Shiro’s other work, which might be more to my taste.

3.5 stars

Amy

This book had an interesting premise, but I was definitely disappointed by it. There is relatively no plot, and the plot that is there isn’t in the main part of the book. It was very hard to get into, reading wise. The main character is ridiculously whiny, and by the time we get to any other character in the book, it’s a respite.

I wish that this whole story had been Agnes and Margarette–that would have made it completely interesting and able to hold my attention. Corrine seemed to be a character thrown in there to drag it back to the present, and like I said before, she was really whiny.

I loved the idea of the piano being the connection between all these women and having little bits of information about Agnes and Margaret be filtered through the beginning part, but the main character made it very difficult to continue reading.

Writing wise: the beginning of the book, until we get to actual scenes with Agnes and Margaret is very redundant and repetitive. It’s not well-written. Corrine will say she’s going to do something and then we get to read about her doing it. The redundancy of writing like that happens throughout. What the writing lacked was a really good copy-editor who could catch the redundancy and tone of the main character.

Overall, the interesting premise and my love for any piano fic is what saved this piece and allowed me to continue reading it.

AJ

I give this book 2 stars. If there was supposed to be a plot I’m not sure what it was. I think the idea of the book is good and with a good copy editor it might be an OK book but as it was I found it extremely redundant and boring.
I did like the fact that it shows gays have been around forever and that they are people. It made some good points and has the ability to possibly open some eyes.

Amber

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4 Stars for Gage’s Gift (Kansas City Heat #5) by Jenna Byrnes #MM #Police @Totally_Bound

Title: Gage’s Gift (Kansas City Heat #5)
Author Name: Jenna Byrnes
Publication Date: March 27, 2015

A child is snatched from her home, the one place she should feel safe. Will the KCPD find her before something more sinister happens?

Detective DeMarcus Gage of the KCPD Missing Persons Unit knows that most child abductions are perpetrated by family members or persons known to the child. True ‘stranger’ abductions are rare—and taken very seriously by the police. When eight year old Leticia Braden disappears from her front yard the family is ruled out as suspects but actual leads are few.

Her traumatized parents need all the support they can get, and designate Leticia’s uncle Jack Braden to be their liaison with detectives. When he meets Jack, Gage struggles to keep his mind on the case. The two men share an immediate case of lust, which they fight to keep under control for more reasons than one. Jack’s not out of the closet, and Gage isn’t keen about sneaking around. A relationship beckons, but finding Leticia is their first priority. And as every cop knows, time is not on their side.

This is book 5 in the Kansas City Heat series but can be read as a stand alone.

DeMarcus Gage is a Detective on the Kansis City Missing Person’s Unit.

Jack Braden is the uncle of a little girl abducted from her street.

When Gage answers the call of a missing 8 year old, and meets the sexy uncle Jack, the attraction is immediate. However the priority is finding the missing little girl.

This might have been a short story but you don’t feel like you are missing out on anything. The author is knowledgeable about police terms. I couldn’t help being impressed with the professional attitude by Detective Gage during the investigation, even with his growing attraction to the Uncle. The uncle, Jack is not out to everyone, and he struggles with that secret. You can feel his anguish.

This story captures your attention with sexy, intense men dealing with a serious situation and resolving it in a timely manner. I would read more in this series!

Kimberley

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Jenna Byrnes could use more cabinet space and more hours in a day. She’d fill the kitchen with gadgets her husband purchases off TV and let him cook for her to his heart’s content. She’d breeze through the days adding hours of sleep, and more time for writing the hot, erotic romance she loves to read.

Jenna thinks everyone deserves a happy ending, and loves to provide as many of those as possible to her gay, lesbian and hetero characters. Her favorite quote, from a pro-gay billboard, is “Be careful who you hate. It may be someone you love.”

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5 Stars for A Walk Through Fire by Felice Stevens – #MM #Romance @FeliceStevens1

Title: A Walk Through Fire
Author Name: Felice Stevens
Publication Date & Length: November 25, 2014 – 239 pgs

Years after running away from an abusive foster family, Asher Davis still struggles with the guilt of leaving his foster brothers behind. He’s climbed to unimaginable heights as a ruthless, high-powered attorney, creating a life of power and control. He takes whatever and whoever he wants.

Blaming himself for the death of his parents, Dr. Drew Klein retreats into a shell of loneliness, merely going through the motions of life. After a disastrous, short-lived marriage, Drew decides to leave his lucrative medical practice to set up a clinic for abused young men and women. The decision has more repercussions than Drew could ever imagine when the dark and sensual Ash Davis volunteers to help.

Although Drew isn’t gay, Ash is inexplicably drawn to him. He vows to simply bed him and forget him like he’s done with every other man. However, Drew’s sweet and caring nature and unexpected passion both stun and frighten Ash, who questions his right to any happiness at all. And when Ash befriends an abused young man who unwittingly draws the clinic into danger, threatening Drew’s safety and that of his beloved grandmother, Ash discovers that there is nothing he won’t sacrifice to protect the love he never thought he’d find.

What a wonderful book!  Two fabulously complex men and an exciting, intriguing storyline with a beautifully written cast of supporting characters makes for an excellent read.

Asher Davis grew up in care and had to fight hard to turn his life around.  When we meet him, he runs a law firm bequeathed to him by a long term mentor.  Even though the adult Asher has money and professional prestige, he still carries the scars of his abusive childhood.  He has a reputation as an egotistical playboy, but behind the expensive suits, Asher is lonely and afraid.

Dr. Drew Klein has just divorced his wife after only six months of marriage.  He is a highly skilled plastic surgeon, but he wants to use his skills to help teenagers suffering from abuse and neglect.  Drew is still grieving his parents‘ death.  Surrounded by a tight group of friends and family, he is finally realising his dream of opening a clinic for abused teens.

The men meet while finalising Drew’s divorce, but Asher is quickly drawn into Drew’s plans for the clinic.   As the clinic becomes a reality, the men find themselves interacting more frequently.  And the attraction is instant.  But Drew is straight and Asher doesn’t do relationships.

I loved this.  The relationship between the two men is tenderly and sensually written.  Asher’s unlikely relationship with Drew’s grandmother is also beautiful to read.  Drew’s friends and family are colourful and fully developed.  Even the clients at the clinic are sketched carefully and accurately.

Stevens doesn’t shy away from grief and pain and she never suggest easy answers for any of the problems she presents.  As a result, this isn’t a simple romance, it is a story of lives entangling and families expanding.

Highly recommended.

Sarah

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I have always been a romantic at heart. I believe that while life is tough, there is always a happy ending just around the corner. I started reading traditional historical romances when I was a teenager, then life and law school got in the way. It wasn’t until I picked up a copy of Bertrice Small and became swept away to Queen Elizabeth’s court that my interest in romance novels became renewed.

But somewhere along the way, my tastes shifted. While I still enjoys a juicy Historical romance, I began experimenting with newer, more cutting edge genres and discovered the world of Male/Male romance. Once I picked up her first, I became so enamored of the authors, the character-driven stories and the overwhelming emotion of the books, I knew I wanted to write my own.

I live in New York City with my husband and two children and hopefully soon a cat of my own. My day begins with a lot of caffeine and ends with a glass or two of red wine. I practice law but daydream of a time when I can sit by a beach somewhere and write beautiful stories of men falling in love. Although there is bound to be angst along the way, a Happily Ever After is always guaranteed.

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4 and 5 Stars for The Truth As He Knows It by A.M. Arthur – #MM #Romance #Giveaway @am_arthur

Title: The Truth As He Knows It
Author Name: A.M. Arthur
Publication Date & Length: February 10, 2015 – 289 pgs

Lies are the chains that keep you weighed down at rock bottom.

Officer Noel Carlson isn’t out to anyone in small-town Stratton, Pennsylvania, only to distant friends and family, so a relationship is out of the question. That doesn’t stop him from wanting one, though.

When a night-shift call brings him face to thonged butt with a hired stripper whose girl-party gig went terribly wrong, Noel takes pity on the guy and lets him go. But he can’t get the encounter out of his mind.

Shane has big-time debts to repay, especially to the brother who sacrificed nearly everything for him. His two jobs, in a deli and as a stripper, leave him no time for a social life. But a non-date of hot sex and takeout food with Noel? He can squeeze that in.

The bond they form is stronger than either expected or wanted. Especially since the step Shane’s about to take to put his brother—and his soul—back in the black isn’t quite legal. And he never calculated just how much his determination to make things right will cost him in the end.

Warning: Following on from the Cost of Repairs series, this book contains a closeted cop who’s looking for love, an indebted stripper who doesn’t believe he’s worthy, and a tasteful abundance of dirty guy sex. Also contains references to past physical abuse some readers may find disturbing.

The things you will do for a loved one.

LOVE the cover!! It’s intense and you can feel it.

This journey with Officer Noel and Stripper Shane pulls you in from the beginning. The author does a phenomenal job of making you feel. I felt like I was in the corner of each page, living it right along with them. I wanted to jump in and hug both Hero’s.. many times!!

Officer Noel Carlson isn’t out to anyone in small-town Stratton, Pennsylvania, only to distant friends and family.

Shane has big-time debts to repay, especially to the brother who sacrificed nearly everything for him. Shane’s two jobs, in a deli and as a stripper, leave him no time for a social life.

When Officer Noel and Stripper Shane meet the first time, there are sparks, but both are “on the job” so to speak. Noel and Shane had traumatic events in their pasts and it leaves them shy to trust someone. What ensues can be described as an intense-sexy hot-heartbreaking-heartwarming journey that you won’t soon forget. There are secrets. There is a friend that Noel is standing by after a traumatic beating left him with the loss of his short-term memory. A brother that embodies everything you want in a family member. He made sacrifices for Shane and your heart will break for him. Every aspect of this journey was handled the way we all wish life was. It was tough, but once out in the open, each issue was dealt with in a timely manner. That is not to say that there weren’t some really gut-wrenching moments, but I loved the way this author didn’t drag out the drama. The sexy time was smoking hot!! A few ugly cry moments that will wrench your heart. A.M. Arthur has a way with words that will stick in your heart!…. everything you want in a romance!!!!

My only disappointment, the side story with Tristan was kind of left up in the air.

Tears and Smiles!!!

If you love vulnerable, masculine sexy men attracted to men (which I am) don’t hesitate, read this!

Kimberley

Have the Kleenex ready. This book was unbelievably good. It was written so well that once you started it, it just flowed and kept you interested.  There were so many emotional events that I was amazed how well everything was handled in the writing.  The author tackled several large issues; bullying, abuse, and loss of loved ones. I was impressed with the  sensitive way that the author captured how Shane felt when he reported the woman from the party.

The love between Noel and Shane was amazing, add in Shane’s brother and there was so much caring.  So many times I found myself breaking out the tissues, I loved how Noel took care of his friend Tristin and how Shane excepted him.
And Shane, so many secrets he needed to keep that I found myself hurting for him.

This was a fantastic read! I loved it and highly recommend this book.

Sherry

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“I want to see you again,” Shane said.

Noel grinned, flashing those dimples. “I’d like that too. My work schedule is pretty weird, though. I’m first shift, which is eleven at night to seven in the morning, five days, starting tomorrow.”

Shane worked that one around. It gave them daytime hours, and evenings on Wednesday and Thursday. He worked at the deli tomorrow, and Saturday was off the table. Probably Sunday too, for good measure. “When do you sleep?”

“Usually when I first get home, from about eight to two or three. Sometimes longer, depending on the night.”

“So you’re usually free dinnertime until like ten?”

“Pretty much.” Noel cracked an unexpected yawn. “Sorry, my schedule is a little off after spending the day with Tristan. I try to keep similar sleep times on my days off so I don’t get too screwed up.”

Shane stood, surprised. “How long have you been awake?”

“About thirty hours.”

“Shit, why didn’t you tell me that?”

“Because I wanted to do this tonight. I’ve been thinking about you all week, and I’m glad I saw you at Mineo’s today. Really glad.”

“Me too.” Shane draped his arms around Noel’s waist. “And since this has been a fantastic night, I’m going to go before you pass out from exhaustion.”

“Do you want to get together tomorrow?”

He considered it for about two seconds. “My weekend’s pretty booked with work and stuff. Monday? We could maybe go out for real this time?”

“Sounds good. I’ll call you when I get up Monday and we can hammer out the details.”

“Okay.”

Shane collected his clothes and dressed, taking his time because Noel was watching. The opposite of a striptease, and Shane kind of loved the novelty of it. He meant his good-night kiss to be soft, quick, but Noel held him tight and devoured his mouth until Shane was breathless and half-hard. God, he could kiss Noel for hours and not get tired of it. But he saw the fatigue in Noel’s eyes, and it was time to leave.

“See you soon,” Shane said. “And thanks for dinner.”

“You’re welcome, cowboy.”

Shane strolled back to his car with a bounce in his step, positive he’d never be able to hear the word “cowboy” again without thinking of Noel Carlson.

A.M. Arthur was born and raised in the same kind of small town that she likes to write about, a stone’s throw from both beach resorts and generational farmland.  She’s been creating stories in her head since she was a child and scribbling them down nearly as long, in a losing battle to make the fictional voices stop.  She credits an early fascination with male friendships (bromance hadn’t been coined yet back then) with her later discovery of and subsequent love affair with m/m romance stories.

When not exorcising the voices in her head, she toils away in a retail job that tests her patience and gives her lots of story fodder.  She can also be found in her kitchen, pretending she’s an amateur chef and trying to not poison herself or others with her cuisine experiments.

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3 Stars for Moment of Impact (Moments in Time #1) by Karen Stivali #MM #Romance #NewAdult @karenstivali

Title: Moment of Impact (Moments in Time #1)
Author Name: Karen Stivali
Publication Date & Length: January 7, 2015 – 110pgs

Outside Collin Fitzpatrick’s dorm room is a dangerous place. Beyond his door the students of his small, conservative college think he’s straight, as does his Catholic family who’d disown him if they learned the truth. Inside, he’s safe with his incredibly sexy roommate Tanner D’Amico. Their room makes a perfect place to hide away and fall in love. The moment they cross the line from roommates to lovers, Collin becomes caught between their heavenly passionate encounters and the hellish reality that someone might find out and destroy everything. Tanner’s not used to being so confined, and wants to show the world how much he loves Collin. But Collin’s not sure he’s ready for the impact stepping outside will make.

This is the story of Collin and Tanner, college roommates.  The story is told in the first-person, from Collin’s perspective.  As well as the central romance, the book tells the story of Collin’s coming out, his relationship with his religious family, his emerging sexuality and his struggle to accept himself and trust others.

This book falls into the genre of New Adult – but a better term might be emerging adult.  At the start of the book, Collin is still very entangled with his mother’s beliefs and rules.  He doesn’t start to think for himself until Tanner pushes him.  In this story, readers watch Collin start to lose his fear and begin to establish himself as his own adult.

Tanner is very different.  His bohemian parents accept and encourage him – but they are both noticeably absent from his life as a young adult.  While Collin is strangled by family ties, Tanner seems completely untethered to his own family.

The relationship starts slow and builds gently through the story.  Most of the time it is believable and the two main characters are genuinely likeable.  The supporting characters never move beyond stereotype which is a bit of a let down.

I was put off by a formatting error in this book.  Numbers randomly appear and the text is often displaced around each number.  In places, it was hard to read around the interruptions.

I am also annoyed that this story has been broken into two separate books when the whole story is only the length of a short novel.  Whenever an author does this, it feels like a cash-grab at the expense of readers.

This is a simple New Adult romance.  It is an easy read with likeable characters.

Sarah

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Karen Stivali is a prolific writer, compulsive baker, and chocoholic with a penchant for books, movies, and fictional British men.

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3 Stars for A Very Holland Valentine by Toni Griffin #MM #Romance #Shifter #Paranormal @MischiefCorner

Title: A Very Holland Valentine
Author Name: Toni Griffin
Publication Date: February 14, 2015

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching and with it the completion of the renovations to their home. None could be happier about this then Zack who can’t wait to get away from Maryanne and all her fussing.

Plans are being finalised for all four couples for the happy day. However, sleezy tradies, an over protective mother- in-law and unexpected complications throw spanners in the works.

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This was a sweet book.  After a long series, the brothers and their mates live together in a shared house with their growing families.  It is a glimpse into the characters’ HEA life.

Readers who have followed the whole series will enjoy catching up with favourite characters.  And that’s what this is, a catch-up.  All the men are blissfully mated.  There is no conflict, there are no problems, just sweet escapism as all eight men and their children live together in harmony.

Readers will need to have followed the series in order to enjoy this story.  There is no backstory offered at the start, so it really isn’t a stand alone read.  Without context and background information, it is nearly impossible for new readers to differentiate characters and mates.

Without having read the earlier books, I was a little taken aback by male pregnancies.  Perhaps it would be different if I knew the back stories.  I’m not a huge fan of m/m books where one partner takes on a ‘woman’ role and the other a ‘man’ role.  I know the whole shifter concept lends itself to this style of relationship, but this series, with pregnant men, takes the roles to a whole new level.

Personally, if I want to read about pregnancy and domestic bliss, I’ll read m/f.  I tend to read m/m to avoid saccharine domesticity and gender stereotypes, so this story wasn’t really for me.

I’m sure readers of the previous five books will enjoy this short story.

Sarah

Toni Griffin lives in Darwin, the smallest of Australia’s capital cities. Born and raised in the state she’s a Territorian through and through. Growing up Toni hated english with a passion (as her editors can probably attest to) and found her strength lies with numbers.

Now, though, she loves escaping to the worlds she creates and hopes to continue to do so for many years to come. She’s a single mother of one and works full time. When she’s not writing you can just about guarantee that she will be reading one of the many MM authors she loves.

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4 Stars for To Stand Close by Faith Ashlin #MM #AlternateReality @Totally_Bound @Ashlin_Faith

Title: To Stand Close
Author Name: Faith Ashlin
Publication Date : March 27, 2015

Can love grow and survive for two men on opposite sides of the deepest of chasm—slavery?

In this world one country has cut itself off, and is closed and mysterious to everyone else. What’s the secret it’s hiding? Magic? Monsters? No, just the cruel reality of slavery. But inside its borders life goes on as normal, and it competes with the rest of the world at sport just like everyone else, just to prove that it’s the best.

Nicky accepts that, and is happy in his own small, simple life as a gymnastics coach. He accepts it because he’s never known anything else, but he stays as far away from the brutality of slavery as he can, until he’s given a present he doesn’t want and isn’t allowed to refuse.

As for love? Well, he loves his sport, isn’t that enough?

Reader Advisory: This book contains scenes of slavery.

This is the strangest book I’ve read in a very long time.  The premise is of a closed rogue military state not too far from our own countries, where residents enjoy the same language, television and culture as we do.  Well, until we get to the slavery part.

This is so much more than a gay romance.  It is a story of friendship and devotion.  Tere were elements of Atwood and Orwell here, but the author doesn’t focus on social criticism.  Instead, she gives us Nicky, a very talented gymnastics coach who is preparing an elite team of women’s gymnasts for the world championships.

And she gives us Michael.  An American backpacker turned sex slave who is gifted to Nicky by his atheletes’ grateful mothers.

So.  Bizarre.  But really well written. The gymnasts and their training regimes are witten in such painstakingly vivid detail we can almost smell the chalk, sweat and leather.   Equally vivid is Nicky’s cramped, claustrophobic one bedroom flat.   In contrast, the exact details of the country outside Nicky’s flat and the gymnasium remains blurry and grey.

The relationship that develops between Nicky and Michael is awkward and uncomfortable.

The relatioship that develops between Nicky and Michael is awkward and uncomfortable.  The way Nicky tries to be a good slave owner gives us so much scope for social comentary.  But the men remain real, not symbols.

The central problem of the story is so much more complex than that in most romance writing.  If you own someone, how do you ever know if they really love you?  Is it right to give love to or desire love from a posession?

I’ve only given this book four stars because I would have liked to see more world building and the ideas presented could have been developed so much further in a longer story.  Perhaps a sequel or a prequel will have to assauge my curiosity.

Even if the premise sounds odd, I would recommend reading this book.  It was a very good read.

Sarah

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When Faith was clearing out her attic many years ago, she found a book she’d written as a ten-year old. On rereading it she realized that it was the love story of two boys. Over the years her fascination with the image of beautiful young men, coiled together as they fell head over heels in love, became a passion for her.

Since that first innocent book – written in purple sparkly pen – she has written many stories, set in varied worlds but always with two men finding their way to happiness.

Nothing much has changed because now she can be found in a daydream, wandering around the supermarkets of London, or sitting in a meeting at work still dreaming up stories.

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4 Stars for Best Chance (More Than Friends #6) by Aria Grace #MM #Romance #Erotica @ariagracebooks

Title: Best Chance
Author Name: Aria Grace
Publication Date & Length: February 28, 2015 – 90pgs

Book 6 of the More Than Friends Gay Romance Series
Each book may be read as a stand-alone. Reading in sequence is not required.

More Than Friends #1 (Free)
More Than Friends #2: Drunk in Love
More Than Friends #3: Choosing Happy
More Than Friends #4: Just Stay
More Than Friends #5: Hands On
More Than Friends #6: Best Chance

Vinnie is happy as a bartender at Ray’s and not looking for anything serious to complicate things. He has great friends and a simple life. When Chance comes into his bar, he brings more than just the possibility of a fun fling.

Vinnie isn’t sure he’s ready to commit, especially when there is a toddler in the mix.

This is a charming story of two men who had a relationship in high school meeting up more than ten years later.

Vinnie is a slightly directionless red-headed bar tender.  In his late twenties, he hasn’t ever made any serious commitments or had a long-term relationship.

Chance is a single father.  He is building his own business while caring for a young son.  After a long hetero marriage he is finally ready to be honest about the fact he is gay.

Back in school the men fooled around for a summer.  They never talked about their feelings and the relationship ended when they went back to school.

When Chance walks into Vinnie’s bar and the men meet for the first time since school, things are more than a little bit complicated between them.

This short story is tender and nuanced.  It is told alternately from Chase and Vinnie’s perspectives.  The dual narrative allows Grace to sensitively explore both men’s memories, feelings and insecurities.

An excellent short story – I just wish Grace had written this as a full novel!

Sarah

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“It’s not exactly the penthouse, but it’s home.” I reach back for Chance’s wrist and tug him in behind me.

“I didn’t come here for the amenities,” he says, resting his hand on my hip and squeezing.

“No?” I turn so his arm is wrapped around my waist. “What did you come for?”

My face is inches from his. His warm breath washes over me as I stare into those desperate eyes.

“This.” Chance’s eyes drop to my mouth as his head tilts and he leans into me. As soon as his full lips close over mine, I want to sing. I instinctively open my mouth to accept his tongue as it lightly brushes over mine. We aren’t tentative kids anymore. We’ve both had time to perfect our techniques over the years so by the time I drag Chance into my room, I’ve touched every space in his mouth that I can reach.

Our hands aren’t left idle as we tug on clothes and pull down zippers until we’re both naked and panting on my bed.

“God, I’ve missed you, Vin,” Chance says against my chest as he drops kisses on my skin.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Aria enjoys the year round sunshine and laid back environment of the west coast. She lives with her husband and two children on a quiet hill that gives her lots of time to read and write. Her first series was a semi-traditional look at sexy gigs found online. She has now ventured into the exciting M/M world of gay erotica. She loves to hear from readers so please feel free to drop her a note or visit her at http://www.ariagracebooks.com.

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3 Stars for Jens & Elliot (Storming Love Series 2, Blizzard #1) by Sara York #MM #Romance

Title: Jens & Elliot (Storming Love Series 2 Blizzard #1)
Author Name: Sara York
Publication Date & Length: January 25, 2015 – 68pgs

Jens Arnesen is only looking for a taste of the city, a place to experience Boston. What he finds is a sexy naked man who ends up being more than he bargained for. Elliot Matthews needs a place to stay until the storm blows over and the airports open. Being walked in on by Jens starts out as an annoyance but grows into the best thing in his life. When the skies clear and the airports open, they have no choice but to part. If only they lived closer to each other then life would be perfect.

When the storm throws them together, can Jens and Elliot make the most of the situation?

This is the story of Jens and Elliot, two men travelling for business.  In Boston, they both arrange to let the same flat for the same weekend.  Just as Jens arrives, a blizzard hits.

This is a short story.  It is a simple story.  It is a sexy story.  The men are hot, the sex is hot, the snow is cold.  It is the perfect story to read in front of a fire on a cold February night.

I really like the way Sara York’s writing style has evolved since the first Texas Soul books a few years ago.  Her writing is now much more polished and the dialogue between the two men rings true.

My only reservation about the story is that the ensuing relationship between the two men isn’t very believable.  But hey – it was billed as romance, not erotica.

Sarah

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Writing is Sara’s life. The stories fight to get out, often leaving her working on four or five books at once. She can’t help but write. Along with her writing addiction she has a coffee addiction. Some nights, the only reason she stops writing and goes to sleep is for the fresh brewed coffee in the morning.

Sara enjoys writing twisted tales of passion, anger, and love with a good healthy dose of lust thrown in for fun. Almost a quarter of a century ago Sara met her lover, falling for him after knowing him for ten minutes. Sara’s passion for him comes out in her stories, mixing with her passion for life, love, and good times, flowing onto the page and becoming tales from the heart.

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