Book Review

Book Review: Let It Snow by Heidi Cullinan

Reviewed by Nikyta

1Title: Let It Snow
Author: Heidi Cullinan
Series: Minnesota Christmas #1
Heroes: Frankie Blackburn/Marcus Gardner
Genre: M/M Contemporary
Length: 228 Pages
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Release Date: November 26, 2013
Available at: Samhain Publishing, Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: The weather outside is frightful, but this Minnesota northwoods cabin is getting pretty hot.

Stylist Frankie Blackburn never meant to get lost in Logan, Minnesota, but his malfunctioning GPS felt otherwise, and a record-breaking snowfall ensures he won’t be heading back to Minneapolis anytime soon. Being rescued by three sexy lumberjacks is fine as a fantasy, but in reality the biggest of the bears is awfully cranky and seems ready to gobble Frankie right up.

Marcus Gardner wasn’t always a lumberjack—once a high-powered Minneapolis lawyer, he’s come home to Logan to lick his wounds, not play with a sassy city twink who might as well have stepped directly out of his past. But as the northwinds blow and guards come down, Frankie and Marcus find they have a lot more in common than they don’t. Could the man who won’t live in the country and the man who won’t go back to the city truly find a home together? Because the longer it snows, the deeper they fall in love, and all they want for Christmas is each other.
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Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, LGBT, Nikyta's Reviews, Published in 2013 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Her Wicked Captain by Sandra Jones

Reviewed by Heather C

22922437Title: Her Wicked Captain
Author: Sandra Jones
Series: The River Rogues #1
Hero/Heroine: Rory/Dell
Genre: MF Historical Romance
Length: 267 pages
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Release Date: November 4, 2014
Available at: Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Possessing uncanny people-reading skills like her mama, Philadelphia “Dell” Samuels has spent thirteen years in her aunt’s rustic Ozarks home, telling fortunes over playing cards and trying to pass as white. But the treacherous Mississippi River childhood her mama dragged her away from finally catches up to her on a steamboat captained by her old friend Rory Campbell.

Known to his crew as the Devil’s Henchman, Rory is a gambler in need of a miracle. Following the cold trail of his boss’s wife and bastard daughter, Dell, Rory has only one goal in mind: saving his crew from the boss’s cruelty by ruining him. The only one who can defeat the Monster of the Mississippi is the man trained to take his place. Rory’s convinced he can lure his boss into a high-stakes game against a rival, and with Dell’s people-reading skills, the monster will lose everything.

Under Rory’s tutelage and protection, Dell agrees to the tortured captain’s plan. Passion and peril quickly bring them together as lovers. But when Rory’s plan goes awry, the lives of the innocent depend on Dell’s ability to read the situation correctly—and hopefully save them all.

Warning: There’s not enough moonshine on the Mississippi to keep this fortuneteller from saving The Devil’s Henchman, a high-stakes gambler—and her childhood friend—from his boss’s cruel attentions. Touches upon issues of child abuse, revenge, and redemption. 
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Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, Heather C's Reviews, M/F, Published in 2014 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Prince of Faith by Belinda McBride

Guest Reviewed by Gyn

4Title: Prince of Faith
Author: Belinda McBride
Series: An Uncommon Whore #3
Heroes: Markus Dayspring/Caius
Genre: MM Sci-Fi
Length: 224 Pages
Publisher: Loose ID
Release Date: October 21, 2014
Available at:  Loose ID, Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb:  Held captive in a whorehouse, Markus Dayspring wakes every morning with a thirst for revenge, and collapses every night with a prayer for strength. He lives on in spite of deadly addictions and a crippling, shameful secret. When he’s rescued by a man from his past, his reawakened love threatens to crush his damaged soul.

Caius also has a secret, one that could ultimately kill him. But his vow to rescue Markus is stronger than guilt, fear and even his loyalty to King Helios. Too many have died because of Caius and rescuing the missing prince might allow him to sleep without nightmares.

Old habits are hard to break and new pain threatens their growing love. Yet one gleaming ray of hope continues to guide them to safety, even in the face of an unexpected violation of trust. With the stakes growing higher by the hour, Markus and Caius must learn to have faith before they can heal and face the future together.
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Categories: 3.5 Star Ratings, Book Review, Guest Reviewer, LGBT, Published in 2014 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: His by Jack L. Pyke

Reviewed by JustJen

22451364Title: His
Author: Jack L. Pyke
Series: Love’s Landscapes
Heroes: Daniel “Dan” Kershaw, Tom McKendrick
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 73 Pages
Publisher: Goodreads MM Romance Group
Release Date: June 10, 2014
Available for download at: MM Romance Group
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb:  Dear Author,
He offers such a pure, unfettered submission to the man strong enough to tame him; he’s the best thing that ever happened to this powerful (read: spoiled) Dom. Still… even the best of Doms aren’t infallible, and this one almost lost his beautiful boy. He straightened his head out quickly enough, but by then his boy wasn’t quite so forgiving. If his stubborn sub is so damn resistant to reason, drastic measures are called for… right? What choice does a desperate Dom have but to resort to a tiny bit of kidnapping, and a wee touch of restraint and, well… I’ll let the author decide what else it’ll take to get them to their HEA.

Photo Description:
Two men spoon together on a white mattress with blue swirls. One man (the Dom) wears nothing but black work boots as he shapes the other man. The Dom is caught kissing at the sub’s neck whilst the sub holds onto the Dom’s hand. The Dom looks fully sated; the sub, with eyes closed, shackles around his ankles, and a soft smile, looks fully claimed. Both look completely at ease. Tattoos circle the sub’s navel.

This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group’s “Love’s Landscapes” event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story.
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Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, JustJen's Reviews, LGBT, Published in 2014 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Bewitched at the Pumpkin Patch by Jackie Nacht

Reviewed by Nikyta

1Title: Bewitched at the Pumpkin Patch
Author: Jackie Nacht
Series: Holiday Jobs That Don’t Suck #1
Heroes: Lawson/Hayden
Genre: M/M Contemporary
Length: 42 Pages
Publisher: Extasy Books
Release Date: October 15, 2012
Available at: Extasy Books, Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Pumpkins and corn mazes—can Lawson stick it out long enough in his hellish holiday job for a chance to be with Hayden?

College football player Lawson’s funds are starting to get a little thin for him to make it to the end of the semester. Finding the flyer to work at the Pumpkin Patch seems to be the answer to his empty pockets, until he starts working there. Now he finds himself stuck in a job from hell. The only motivation he has is hoping that the pumpkin artist—art major Hayden—will notice him before the season ends.

Can he stick it out long enough to ask Hayden out? And will Hayden run screaming for the door when he finds out where he lives?
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Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, LGBT, Nikyta's Reviews, Published in 2012 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Early Book Review: No Boundaries by S.E. Jakes

Reviewed by JustJen

1Title: No Boundaries
Author: S.E. Jakes
Series: Phoenix, Inc. #1
Heroes: Marcus Lowry/Cole Jacobs
Genre: MM contemporary
Length: 187 Pages
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Release Date: November 4, 2014
Available at: Samhain Publishing, Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb:  When your past closes in, running isn’t always an option

The jobs Marcus Lowry works for at Phoenix, Inc. Investigations are quick and easy, and they don’t give him the nightmares his days as a CIA operative did. That is, until he gets involved in a case that grabs him by the throat and won’t let go.

Cole Jacobs left behind his old life on the streets to make a name for himself rebuilding high-end and vintage cars and bikes. But when a stalker threatens to kill him—and to hurt anyone who stands in his way—his past closes in on him, and he’s not sure where to turn.

The last thing Marcus wants to do is take on a charity case, and to say that he and Cole don’t see eye to eye at first is putting things mildly. But when the first attempt on Cole’s life nearly kills them both, Marcus realizes that Cole is in real danger, and Cole is forced to reveal everything. Almost everything. Because Cole’s deepest secrets could destroy them both.
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Categories: 4.5 Star Ratings, Book Review, JustJen's Reviews, LGBT, Published in 2014 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Book Review: In the Fire by Eileen Griffin and Nikka Michaels

Reviewed by Nikyta

1Title: In the Fire
Authors: Eileen Griffin and Nikka Michaels
Series: In the Kitchen #2
Heroes: Ethan Martin/James “Jamie” Lassiter
Genre: M/M Contemporary
Length: 93,000 words
Publisher: Carina Press
Release Date: November 3, 2014
Available at: Carina Press, Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Because the way to a man’s heart…

Eight years ago, the world was their oyster. Until, that is, competing chefs Ethan Martin and James Lassiter’s hot and heavy relationship fizzled after Jamie left for an internship in Paris. Even though Jamie’s career has taken off since his return to the States, with his own television show and a lot of fame, his feelings for Ethan have never quite gone away.

Ethan’s culinary career has developed more slowly, but he’s almost saved enough to buy the restaurant where he works and re-open it as his dream spot, Bistro 30. If only he could get the sexy chef who loved him and left him out of his mind.

But when someone starts sabotaging the restaurant and a fire threatens to take away everything Ethan holds dear, his only option is to rely on Jamie for help. Back in close quarters, the two men will have to find a way to work through their past if they hope to save the restaurant and their future.
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Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, LGBT, Nikyta's Reviews, Published in 2014 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Book Review: Judging a Book by Its Cover by L.D. Blakeley

Guest Reviewed by Morgan 

1Title: Judging a Book by Its Cover
Author: L.D. Blakeley
Heroes: Emory North/Bryce Palmer
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 32 Pages
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Release Date: October 22, 2014
Available at:  Evernight Publishing and Amazon
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb:  Agonizingly shy Emory North has his life mapped out for him: finish his business degree, go to work for his father, and one day take over as CEO of North Star Publishing. More at home amongst stacks of books, Emory has little to no interest in his lot as ‘North Jr.’, but has never had the courage to follow his true passion—writing.

Brash and ballsy Bryce Palmer, editor-in-chief of ECLIPSE magazine is known for bedding and discarding PAs like yesterday’s newspaper. He’s up against a serious deadline and down two staff members. And the last thing he has time for is babysitting the spoiled rich son of a CEO. But when Pierce Barclay North insists now is the time for his heir apparent to get his feet wet in the company waters, Palmer’s hands are tied.

But looks can be deceiving. And, sometimes, passion can spark in the most unlikely of places…
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Categories: 4.5 Star Ratings, Book Review, Guest Reviewer, LGBT, Published in 2014 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: The Replacement by Kol Anderson

Reviewed by JustJen

1Title: The Replacement
Author: Kol Anderson
Series: Broken #6
Heroes: Aaron/Carter/Vincent…
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 28 Pages
Publisher: Kol Anderson
Release Date: November 1, 2014
Available at: Amazon
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb:  Season finale. Find out what happens to Aaron and how “The Replacement” aka Carter Bennett is doing under a new owner.
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Categories: 4.5 Star Ratings, Book Review, JustJen's Reviews, LGBT, Published in 2014 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Heart by Garrett Leigh

Reviewed by JustJen

1Title: Heart
Author: Garrett Leigh
Heroes: Seb Wright/Dex
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 204 Pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: October 27, 2014
Available at: Dreamspinner Press, Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb:  Cornish pastry chef Seb Wright dreads the summer tourist season. The cash injection to his artisan fudge pantry is more than welcome, the extra work, less so. Then one summer, a shadowy Good Samaritan catches his eye. Irish Traveller Dex is bewitching, a beautiful sullen enigma who turns Seb’s world upside down until he disappears in the night, vanishing like a mystical summer rain.

Twelve months later Dex is in the midst of a dark storm. A slave to his master, ‘Uncle’ Braden, he spends his days cleaning caravans and his nights working in Braden’s other businesses. His short summer with Seb seems a lifetime ago. Lost in the savage violence of the murky underworld, he doesn’t dare dream he’ll ever find his way back, until one night, a brutal crime opens the door for a chance escape. A new life beckons, old faces emerge, and immersed in the heady vibe of London’s East End, new love begins to heal his fractured heart.
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Categories: 5 Star Ratings, Book Review, JustJen's Reviews, LGBT, Published in 2014 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment