Author Archives: Heather C

Early Review: Sharp Love by Ava March

Reviewed by Heather C

1Title:  Sharp Love
Author: Ava March
Series: Gambling on Love #2
Heroes: Jack Morgan/William Drake
Genre: MM Historical
Length: 77,000 words
Publisher: Carina Press
Release Date: June 9, 2014
Available at: Carina Press, Amazon, All Romance eBooks and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: London, 1822

William Drake has lived among thieves, bastards and beggars all his life, doing what’s necessary to survive. As a young orphan, that included looking after his best friend, Jack Morgan. But as they grew older, Jack took the honest path, leaving Will behind to fend for himself the only ways he knows how.

When an unsavory errand for his employer brings Jack back to London’s underbelly, he needs Will’s help. It’s there, among the alleys they ran through as children, that the love he’s always felt for Will returns. As their nights together grow hotter, Will discovers something new about his old friend—Jack’s need to serve extends into the bedchamber.

Will has never fully abandoned his dream of escaping London with Jack. But what could the Duke’s driver want with a dishonest cheat like him, beyond a bit of rough sex? It takes the gamble of Will’s life to find out if he can win Jack’s heart…

Note: This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations that some readers may find objectionable: D/s theme and elements, and male/male sexual practices.
Continue reading

Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Heather C's Reviews, LGBT, Published in 2014 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Book Review: Objects Of His Obsession by Jae T. Jaggart

Reviewed by Heather C

HIS_FINAL_TOTAL_HellfireVampires_inc1-3Title:  Objects of His Obsession
Author: Jae T. Jaggart
Heroes: Benedict & Evander
Genre: M/M Historical Romance
Length: 56,000 words
Publisher: Jae T. Jaggart
Release Date: March 7, 2014
Available at: Amazon & Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: London, 1898

Lord Benedict Yeats has two obsessions.

One of which has a definite pulse – the seductive and beautiful Evander St John, Duke of Casterwell. A man he has a certain history with.

A man who tells Benedict that he has spent too long amongst sand and dead things. He might not be wrong. Casterwell’s world is one of sexual sophistication and games that Benedict cannot hope to match.

But when Benedict returns from working on a famous dig in Cairo, Casterwell invites him to a country house party that will change his life. An Egyptologist of growing renown, Benedict will also catalogue the famous Casterwell collection of antiquities.

And almost certainly, will become one of Casterwell’s string of lovers. But will he be the one to break through that glittering façade? Or will the scars of Casterwell’s dark, bloody past and his complex and fiercely deceptive private life tear them apart?

Warning: Contains two men wildly obsessed, a lust too long denied, hot m/m sex between a naive Egyptologist and one very determined duke, and absolutely no cursed tombs. Approx. 56000 words.

Review:

Lord Benedict Yeats has long been obsessed with Evander St. John, ever since they crossed paths that fateful day in school…the obsessed archeology student catching the eye of the wealthy only son of a Duke.  Evander has played the lead role in Benedict’s fantasies for all these years, afraid to take that last step in confirming his sexuality.  That is, until Benedict is invited to spend the week cataloging the huge Egyptian artifact collection amassed by Evander’s grandfather, and Evander proposes to make Benedict’s obsession a reality.  The problem: Evander’s wife, Juliana, stands in the way of Benedict’s morals.  Of course that doesn’t stop Benedict from succumbing to his obsession.  

I really liked this story…

I really liked how the story was separated into parts designating Benedict’s vs. Evander’s POV.  It starts off with the large, beginning portion of the story being told entirely from Benedict’s POV, which left me wondering all about what Evander was really thinking; I wasn’t sure how he really felt for Benedict.  Was possessing Benedict just a goal?  Another notch on his bedpost?  Or did he really feel something for Benedict.  Oh he felt for him alright!  I’m not sure how realistic Evander’s I-always-knew-we-would-be-together-one-day speech was, but I still loved that scene and his admission.  

I really liked the setting.  From London, England to Cairo, Egypt to Paris, France.  Although, the setting doesn’t play a huge role in the story, I still liked seeing the different backdrops.  Actually, I would have liked for those locations to have been more descriptive and predominant in the telling of the story, but I concede because it wasn’t actually important to the plot.  

And speaking of the plot, I really liked it.  Yeah, I know its a bit cliched for a m/m historical…the I-want-to-be-with-men-and-my-wife-approves trope.  But that was actually one of my favorite factors in the story!  The relationship between Evander and Juliana and how there was never any betrayal.  I will say that I found that whole scenario to be very predictable and not at all surprising, but I still really liked seeing the entire thing play out.  

There was A LOT of sex!  Evander and Benedict get it on pretty early in the story and its totally hot!  Wow, those two together was just…umm.  They were only a little kinky, but I think it was the intensity between them that got to me.  On another note, I think this is the first time I’ve ever wanted the bedroom scene to turn into a menage, because that would have been HOT!  Unfortunately, that would have never been appropriate for any of these characters and I’m happy to see it will never happen…

I really liked the simplicity, but I think it may have been just a bit too simple.  I think there were plenty of places where the story could have been expanded, made a little more angsty.  Shared a little more about Benedict’s work.  Maybe add a little bit of mystery.  But no, its all sweet, romance and the only conflict is Juliana…and she’s not even a real conflict at all. 

Overall Impression: I Really Liked It

*I received a copy of this book from the author in return for a fair and honest review.*

Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, Heather C's Reviews, LGBT, Published in 2014 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Book Review: The Bastard by Inez Kelley

Reviewed by Heather C

21636649Title: The Bastard
Author: Inez Kelley
Series: The Baddest Boys in History #1
Hero & Heroine: Vike & Lacy
Genre: M/F Paranormal Romance
Length: 533 pages
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: May 16, 2014
Available at: Amazon, All Romance eBooks and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: In the battle between good and evil, humans have never been more than collateral damage. Now they are prey. Mankind doesn’t need a hero. It needs a sinner.

Corrupt. Wicked. Nefarious. Contemptible….

The Baddest Boys in History are back!

You read about them in school. Now learn the truth. Real men. No vampires, no werewolves, no magic. Just down and dirty raw power —sin to sin, evil to evil, bad to bad. They fight for humanity. It was that or eternal damnation.

They agreed to risk their souls. No one told them they would lose their hearts.

THE BASTARD

Vike died in blood, in battle, in betrayal. His ruthlessness was second only to his brutality. Now one woman makes his blood sing and he’ll stop at nothing to save her. He only has to face half of Hell to do it.

Lacy is unknowingly descended from an ancient Holy line. Someone is slowly destroying her life and wants her dead. A fierce Viking comes to her rescue, and in his arms, she finds more than safety.

If Vike can’t protect Lacy, he’ll have to kill her. And for a bastard, what’s one woman worth when the entire world is in jeopardy?

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Categories: 4.5 Star Ratings, Book Review, Heather C's Reviews, M/F, Published in 2014 | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

Kim Fielding Week Review: Buried Bones

Reviewed by Heather C

17877349Title: Buried Bones
Author: Kim Fielding
Series: Bones #2
Heroes: Dylan & Chris
Genre: M/M Paranormal Romance
Length: 74,353 words
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: May 22, 2013
Available at: Dreamspinner Press, Amazon, All Romance eBooks & Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Werewolves don’t have a how-to manual—nor do men embarking on a new life together.

It’s been a few weeks since Dylan Warner wolfed out and killed Andy, the crazed werewolf who originally turned him and later tried to murder Chris Nock. Architect Dylan and handyman Chris are still refurbishing Dylan’s old house as they work out the structure of their relationship. They come from very different backgrounds, and neither has had a long-term lover before, so negotiating their connections would be challenge enough even if Dylan didn’t turn into a beast once a month.

To make matters worse, Dylan’s house is haunted, and events from both men’s pasts are catching up with them. Dylan has to cope with the aftermath of killing Andy, and Chris continues to suffer the effects of a difficult childhood.

In his quest to get rid of the ghost, Dylan rekindles old friendships and faces new dangers. At the same time, Chris’s father makes a sudden reappearance, stirring up old emotions. If Dylan and Chris want to build a lasting relationship, they’ll have to meet these challenges head-on. Continue reading

Categories: 3.5 Star Ratings, Author Week, Book Review, Heather C's Reviews, LGBT, Published in 2013 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Kim Fielding Week Review: Good Bones

Reviewed by Heather C

13576676Title: Good Bones
Author: Kim Fielding
Series: Bones #1
Heroes: Dylan & Chris
Genre: M/M Paranormal Romance
Length: 60,671 words
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: April 2012
Available at: Dreamspinner Press, Amazon, All Romance eBooks and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb:  Skinny, quiet hipster Dylan Warner was the kind of guy other men barely glanced at until an evening’s indiscretion with a handsome stranger turned him into a werewolf. Now, despite a slightly hairy handicap, he just wants to live an ordinary—if lonely—life as an architect. He tries to keep his wild impulses in check, but after one too many close calls, Dylan gives up his urban life and moves to the country, where he will be less likely to harm someone else. His new home is a dilapidated but promising house that comes with a former Christmas tree farm and a solitary neighbor: sexy, rustic Chris Nock.

Dylan hires Chris to help him renovate the farmhouse and quickly discovers his assumptions about his neighbor are inaccurate—and that he’d very much like Chris to become a permanent fixture in his life as well as his home. Between proving himself to his boss, coping with the seductive lure of his dangerous ex-lover, and his limited romantic experience, Dylan finds it hard enough to express himself—how can he bring up his monthly urge to howl at the moon? Continue reading

Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Author Week, Book Review, Heather C's Reviews, LGBT, Published in 2012 | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Book Review: Hold the World Together by Pepper Espinoza

Reviewed by Heather C

21964324Title: Hold the World Together
Author: Pepper Espinoza
Heroes: Alfred & Sam
Genre: M/M Historical Romance
Length: 31,000 words
Publisher: Amber Allure
Release Date: April 2014
Available at: Amber Allure, Amazon, All Romance eBooks and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb:  Harvard graduate Alfred Chan jumps at the chance to teach languages at the new University of California, eager to leave his life behind even if it means a dangerous cross-country journey. He knows there are bandits in the western mountains, but he never expects the most infamous of those bandits to stop his wagon train and steal him away into the night.

Sam and Shane Lyons are wanted for robbing stagecoaches and wagon trains across the western territories, and they don’t just take money. Sometimes, they kidnap educated men. A mysterious Chinese scroll holds the promise of a better life for the two brothers, if only they can find somebody able to read the strange marks on the page. They whisk Alfred to their hideout high in the ragged cliffs of the Uinta Mountains, and there, during a brutal winter, they warn him that his life will end if he fails to deliver a full translation.

Alfred knows he should fear for his life, but somehow, when he’s with Sam, he’s not afraid of anything… Continue reading

Categories: 3.5 Star Ratings, Book Review, Heather C's Reviews, LGBT, Published in 2014 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Challenge Week Review: The Body on the Beach by L.J. LaBarthe

Reviewed by Heather C

17377221Title: The Body on the Beach
Author: L.J. LaBarthe
Hero: Billy Liang
Genre: M/M Historical Mystery
Length: 25,500 words
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: March 13, 2013
Available at: Dreamspinner Press, Amazon, All Romance eBooks and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: In 1920, a body is found on Brighton Beach, Adelaide. Billy Liang has been living a respectable life as the representative of Adelaide’s Chinese community—with his lover, lawyer Tom Williams, discreetly at his side. When evidence seems to implicate the people Billy represents, he steps up to help solve the murder. He and Tom deal with illegal opium dens, fantan games and gambling, racism, and being shot at. Though Billy’s family accepts the love he and Tom share, Australia’s laws against sodomy and homosexuality pose a constant danger. Now, the body on the beach brings a whole new threat to Billy and Tom’s life in Adelaide.  Continue reading

Categories: Book Review, Did Not Finish, Heather C's Reviews, LGBT, Published in 2013 | Tags: , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Book Review: Highfell Grimoires by Langley Hyde

Reviewed by Heather C

18617680Title: Highfell Grimoires
Author: Langley Hyde
Heroes: Neil & Leofa
Genre: M/M Steampunk
Length: Novel
Publisher: Blind Eye Books
Release Date: May 22, 2014
Available at: Blind Eye Books and Weightless Books
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Born to privilege, gifted in languages and spells, Neil Franklin has planned his brilliant future—from academic accolades to a proper marriage—and is intent upon upholding his family name and honor. The sudden death of his parents shatters all of that, leaving Neil and his younger sister beggared and orphaned.

When Neil’s estranged uncle offers him a bargain that will save him and his sister from debtor’s prison or exile, Neil eagerly agrees. Handing over the family grimoire as collateral for their debt, Neil devotes himself to working as a teacher for wayward youths at a charity school high in the clouds.
But Highfell Hall is not the charity Neil imagines it to be and the young men there aren’t training for the dull lives of city clerks. Amidst the roaring engines and within the icy stone halls, machinations and curious devices are at work. And one man, the rough and enigmatic Leofa, holds the key to the desire that Neil has fled from all his life and a magic as dangerous as treason.

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Categories: 5 Star Ratings, Book Review, Heather C's Reviews, LGBT, Published in 2014 | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Urban Fantasy Week Review: Magic Gifts by Ilona Andrews

Reviewed by Heather C

13299211Title: Magic Gifts
Author: Ilona Andrews
Series: Kate Daniels #5.4
Heroine & Hero: Kate & Curran
Genre: M/F Urban Fantasy
Length: 100 pages
Publisher: Ace
Release Date: July 31, 2012
Available at: Amazon and Barnes & Noble as an extra in Gunmetal Magic
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: This novella takes place at the same time as Andrea’s book, right after MAGIC SLAYS, and the two stories intersect.

A dinner date after a hard day at work sounds heavenly. Of course, when that date is between the Beast Lord and Kate Daniels, things don’t go as planned. Before you know it, undead are running amok, heads are being chopped off, lawyers are deployed and used with extreme prejudice, and drunk vikings are calling people out. Continue reading

Categories: 3.5 Star Ratings, Book Review, Heather C's Reviews, M/F, Published in 2012 | Tags: , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Book Review: Necropolis by Jordan L. Hawk

Reviewed by Heather C

21533138Title: Necropolis
Author: Jordan L. Hawk
Series: Whyborne & Griffin #4
Heroes: Percival Endicott Whyborne & Griffin Flaherty
Genre: M/M Historical Romance, Paranormal
Length: 69,700 words
Publisher: Self-published
Release Date: May 5, 2014
Available at: Smashwords, Amazon, All Romance eBooks and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Introverted scholar Percival Endicott Whyborne has spent the last few months watching his lover, Griffin Flaherty, come to terms with the rejection of his adoptive family. So when an urgent telegram from Christine summons them to Egypt, Whyborne is reluctant to risk the fragile peace they’ve established. Until, that is, a man who seems as much animal as human tries to murder Whyborne in the museum.

Amidst the ancient ruins of the pharaohs, they must join Christine and face betrayal, murder, and a legendary sorceress risen from the dead. In the forge of the desert heat, the trio will either face their fears and stand together—or shatter the bonds between them forever. Continue reading

Categories: 4.5 Star Ratings, Book Review, Heather C's Reviews, LGBT, Published in 2014 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment