3.5 Star Ratings

Book Review: Playing with Shadows by Sasha L. Miller

Reviewed by Nikyta

Playing with ShadowsTitle: Playing with Shadows
Author: Sasha L. Miller
Heroes: Corin & Rafferty
Genre: M/M Fantasy
Length: 21,000 words
Publisher: Less Than Three Press
Release Date: May 1, 2012
Available FREE at: M/M Romance GR Group, Less Than Three Press, Amazon & All Romance eBooks
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads & Booklikes

Blurb: Corin is nearly done with his term amongst the priests. In a matter of months, he’ll be able to return home and leave his miserable days in the temple behind him. He’s tired of lazy priests and tired of stories of demon shadows that move of their own volition.

Then Corin starts to see things, and the priests begin to act strange, and he begins to wonder.. is he losing his mind, or are the shadows more than they seem?

This story was written for the Love is Always Write event at the M/M Romance Group on GoodReads.

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Categories: 3.5 Star Ratings, Book Review, LGBT, Nikyta's Reviews, Published in 2012 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Summoner’s Dirge by Evelyn Shepherd

Reviewed by Nikyta

Summoner's DirgeTitle: Summoner’s Dirge 
Author: Evelyn Shepherd
Series: The Last Canticle #1
Heroes: Balin & Damir
Genre: M/M Fantasy
Length: 317 pages
Publisher: Loose Id
Release Date: March 4, 2014
Available at: Loose Id, Amazon, All Romance eBooks & Barnes and Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads & Booklikes

Blurb: Because of the strange tattoos that decorate his body, Damir Rosen has lived a secluded, quiet life on his farm outside of Canaan. But the peace and calm of his daily life is shaken when he finds a broken and half-dead man in his field. Taking a grave risk, Damir heals Balin and discovers a passion he never thought possible in the exotic stranger from another land.

On a mission to kill the king of Pheor when his airship crashes in the mountains, Balin grieves that he’ll die before he ever finishes the job. An unexpected angel—who glows with the strength of the stars—saves him, though, and now Balin must decide whether remain with the sensual man who brought him back from death or finish the job that could stop a war.

Tragedy strikes, forcing Balin and Damir onto the run. With the aid of a group of sky pirates, they begin a journey, one Damir only dreamed of ever taking. If Damir can overcome his grief, and learn to trust Balin, they may just be able to uncover the truth behind Damir’s healing powers, save the world, and each other in the process. Continue reading

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

Book Review: Butterball by Michelle Robbins

Reviewed by Susan65

ButterballTitle: Butterball
Author: Michelle Robbins
Heroes: Travis Wentwood and Jeremy Roberson
Genre: M/M Contemporary
Length: 37,000 words
Publisher: Amber Allure
Release Date: March 23, 2014
Available at: All Romance eBooks
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: For Travis, it’s business as usual at Wentwood Investments,, other than the annoying task of finding a new account manager for his expanding office. Everything changes, however, the moment Jeremy Roberson walks into the room for an interview. The cuddly butterball is everything Travis likes in a partner, except for The Closet locked around the man.

Jeremy’s worn a mask for so long he isn’t sure who he is anymore. Every lie of his life has somehow become the truth, and yet those lies never hold. Desperation and despair have been his roommates, especially since the moment he’d hurt someone else in his attempt to deny his truth.

But Travis has other ideas for them, beautiful, wonderful moments and promises for tomorrow. All Jeremy needs to do is take that all important step and find the strength to finally come out.

Not much fun, sure, but Travis might be able to help. He has kicked down a few closet walls in his past also. And if he’s going to find paradise with Jeremy, it appears he has to kick down those walls again.

Good thing Travis knows how to fight.

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Categories: 3.5 Star Ratings, Book Review, LGBT, Published in 2014, Susan65's Reviews | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Early Review: Tough Love by Heidi Cullinan

Reviewed by JustJen

18170925Title: Tough Love
Author: Heidi Cullinan
Series: Special Delivery #3
Heroes: Crescencio “Chenco” Ortiz/Steve Vance
Genre: M/M Contemporary
Length: 408 pages
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Release Date: April 8, 2014
Available at: Samhain Publishing, Amazon & Barnes and Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads & Booklikes

Blurb: Crescencio “Chenco” Ortiz pulled himself up by his garter straps after his father’s will yanked the financial rug from under his spank-me pumps. He doesn’t need anyone, yet when Steve Vance steps into his life, the prospect of having a sexy leather daddy on tap begins to take on a certain appeal.

There’s a hitch when he learns Steve is friends with Mitch Tedsoe—the half-brother Chenco never knew except through his father’s twisted lies. Despite his reservations, soon Chenco is living his dreams, including a performing gig in Vegas. Now if only he could get Steve to see him as more than just a boy in need of saving.

Steve’s attraction to Chenco is overshadowed by too many demons, ones he knows his would-be lover is too young to slay. Yet as he gets to know the bright, determined young man whose drag act redefines fierce, Steve’s inner sadist trembles with need. He begins to realize Chenco’s relentless tough love might be the only thing that will finally set him free.

Warning: This story contains glamorous drag queens, exhibitionist secondary characters, and no-holds-barred BDSM play, including watersports. Readers advised they may well leave this novel feeling uncharacteristically fierce.

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Categories: 3.5 Star Ratings, Book Review, JustJen's Reviews, LGBT, Published in 2014 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Book Review: Dead Man and the Lustful Spirit by Lou Harper

Reviewed by Heather C

20632218Title: Dead Man and the Lustful Spirit
Author: Lou Harper
Series: Dead Man #1.5
Heroes: Denton & Bran
Genre: M/M Paranormal Romance, Mystery
Length: 8,230 words
Publisher: Harper Books
Release Date: January 24, 2014
Available at: Smashwords, Amazon, All Romance eBooks & Barnes and Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Denton is a necromancer and his boyfriend Bran is a witch. It’s not as exciting as it sounds. They don’t even get to dress the part, unless it’s New Year’s Eve and they’ve been invited to a costume party. Denton is happy to let his hair down, but coaxing the reclusive Bran out of his shell is hard enough without a demonic spirit crashing the party.

Convincing the spirit to return whence it came from will call on Denton’s special skills, but not in necromancy.

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

L.A. Witt Week Review: Wrenches, Regrets and Reality Checks

Reviewed by Heather C

21472262Title: Wrenches, Regrets and Reality Checks
Author: L.A. Witt
Heroes: Reggie & Wes
Genre: M/M Contemporary Romance
Length: 18,000 words
Publisher: Amber Allure
Release Date: March 15, 2014
Available at: Amber Allure
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Ever since Reggie’s garage became part of a popular reality show, business has been booming. As much as he hates playing games with the network, at least he doesn’t have to worry about his bottom line anymore.

As the show’s lowest-ranking producer, Wes is tasked with proposing a new spinoff show to Reggie. He has a hard enough time looking the sexy mechanic in the eye on a normal day, but this time, he’s holding cards he can’t show. With execs breathing down his neck, he’s there to pitch a show he knows Reggie will never agree to do, even if his refusal puts his existing show on the line.

The network is counting on Reggie refusing to sign. But they’re not counting on their messenger falling for the man they’re trying to fire…

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

Book Review: Be Were by Eliza Gayle

Reviewed by Nikyta

Be WereTitle: Be Were
Author: Eliza Gayle
Series: Southern Shifters #5
Heroes: Niki & Dean
Genre: M/F Paranormal Erotica
Length: 41,000 words
Publisher: Gypsy Ink Books
Release Date: January 27, 2014
Available at: Smashwords, Amazon, All Romance eBooks & Barnes and Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads & Booklikes

Blurb: Dean had a family once. Until tragedy and betrayal consumed them. Now he lives on his own terms keeping life simple and carefree. Then one night leads to one bite and he’s forced back into a dangerous world that reminds him he’s still as angry as ever and this time he’s not leaving until he gets what he wants. Niki.

Niki Harris has lived a life of secrets and solitude with no interest in making a change. But an easy one night stand turns complicated and she finds herself marked. Now she has to decide, tell the sexy shifter with a possessive streak a mile wide she’s pregnant and in danger or do what she’s always done–run.

Be Were is the continued story of Dean and Niki from the free story, White Cougar Christmas. (If you have not read WCC, no worries. It is included as the first chapter of Be Were).

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Categories: 3.5 Star Ratings, Book Review, M/F, Nikyta's Reviews, Published in 2014 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Early Review: A Matter of Disagreement by E.E. Ottoman

Reviewed by Nikyta

Title: A Matter of Disagreement
Author: E.E. Ottoman
Heroes: Andrea & Gregory
Genre: M/M Trans* Historical Fantasy
Length: 23,000 words
Publisher: Less Than Three Press
Release Date: March 26, 2014
Available at: Less Than Three Press
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: The rise of mechanical animation, and its popularity at court, is threatening to end Andrea’s scholarly pursuits of spell craft and literature—and force him to let go of his assistants, who depend on him to support their families. In retaliation against the field that is ruining his life, Andrea begins to campaign against it. The efforts gain him notoriety, but do not solve his financial dilemmas.

When he is dragged to a party by his brother, he comes face to face with the man who pioneered mechanical animation: Leon Gregory de la Marche VI, Marquis de la Marche. And he is not at all what Andrea expected. Continue reading

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

Book Review: Normal Enough by Marie Sexton

Reviewed by Heather C

20803150Title: Normal Enough
Author: Marie Sexton
Heroes: Kasey Ralston & Brandon Kenner
Genre: M/M Contemporary Romance
Length: 24,000 words
Publisher: Amber Allure
Release Date: March 16, 2014
Available at: Amber Allure
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: When Brandon Kenner shows up at Kasey Ralston’s garage with a 1970 Chevelle SS 454, Kasey is smitten by both the man and his car. Between what Kasey considers a shameful fetish and his long estrangement from his family, Kasey finds it easiest to be alone, even distancing himself from his coworkers. But Brandon doesn’t think Kasey’s fetish is weird. In fact, he likes it.

Kasey doesn’t know how to resist a man as charming as Brandon, and he’s more than willing to be seduced. But what are Brandon’s long-term intentions? Kasey is afraid of hoping for too much, but equally afraid that when all is said and done, Brandon will leave, and Kasey will be left alone once again. Continue reading

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

Book Review: Artist’s Touch by Kerry Adrienne

Reviewed by Susan65

Title: Artist’s Touch
Author: Kerry Adrienne
Heroes: Kenon Alavi and Wally Harte
Genre: M/M Contemporary
Length: 147 Pages
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Release Date: February 26, 2014
Available at: Ellora’s Cave, Amazon, All Romance eBooks & Barnes and Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads & Booklikes

Blurb: Every starlet wants master painter Kenon Alavi to do her portrait…and more. But Kenon prefers firm to soft and sates his desires with the boyfriends of the women he paints, enjoying the diversity of many lovers but shunning any attachments.

Wallace Harte’s English degree isn’t helping him and working at a bar is the closest he’s gotten to being the Second Coming of Faulkner. Something’s gotta give soon, or he’ll be out on the street.

Kenon zeroes in on the bartender at an art exhibition, intending to add him to his long list of conquests, but Wally bolts, initiating a heated game of cat and mouse. Kenon delights in the game until he discovers what Wally is writing. Feeling betrayed, Kenon swears off all entanglements until he reads Wally’s story and discovers true love is sometimes between the pages and not the sheets.

Inside Scoop: This book contains hot, sexy scenes of M/M interaction of an artistic nature. Who knew having your portrait painted could be so hot? Continue reading

Categories: 3.5 Star Ratings, Book Review, LGBT, Published in 2014, Susan65's Reviews | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment