4 Star Ratings

Challenge Book Review: Rasputin’s Kiss by L.M. Somerton

Reviewed by Susan65

1Title: Rasputin’s Kiss
Author: L.M. Somerton
Series: Investigating Love #1
Heroes: Alex Courtney/Conor Trethuan
Genre: MM Thriller
Length: 222 Pages
Publisher: Totaly Bound
Release Date: March 7, 2014
Available at: Totally Bound, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, All Romance Ebooks and Kobo
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: What if the last thing you felt was the kiss of a knife? Rasputin’s kiss is lethal. He’s a ghost-killing and disappearing into the night. With few leads and four bodies on his conscience, Detective Inspector Alex Courtney and his team are running on empty and it’s only a matter of time before Rasputin strikes again. When Alex recruits a young detective to play the part of his boyfriend and provide a tempting target for a killer, he knows he is taking a huge risk. He doesn’t expect Conor Trethuan to be a perfect potential submissive. When their mutual attraction becomes more, Alex has to face the conflict between his possessive instincts and the need to push his young lover into danger. Investigating their feelings has to come second to investigating the case. There’s no time to decide if what they feel for each other is real. With Rasputin closing in, they may not live to find out.(
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Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, Challenge Book Week, LGBT, Published in 2014, Susan65's Reviews | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Boystown: Season One by Jake Biondi

Reviewed by JustJen

1Title: Boystown: Season One
Author: Jake Biondi
Series: Boystown #1
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 316 Pages
Publisher: Jake Biondi
Release Date: November 8, 2013
Available at: Jake Biondi, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and All Romance eBooks
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb:  One of the most diverse and lively neighborhoods in the country, Chicago’s BOYSTOWN has something for everyone. So it’s no wonder that Jesse Morgan and Cole O’Brien chose to live there upon graduating from college. Ready to begin the next phase of their lives in an exciting new city, Jesse and Cole quickly find themselves at the center of a new group of friends. Joyelle and Derek Mancini have been happily married for years, but Derek is harboring a secret that could tear them apart. Derek’s brother Emmett is about to discover that his boyfriend Keith Colgan has a past that will haunt them both. Long time couple Logan Pryce and Max Taylor must face a crisis that neither of them expected. And, before they realize it, Jesse and Cole find themselves at the center of it all in the adult playground known as BOYSTOWN.
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Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, JustJen's Reviews, LGBT, Published in 2013 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Challenge Week Review: Sex & Sourdough by A.J. Thomas

Reviewed by Nikyta

1Title: Sex & Sourdough
Author: A.J. Thomas
Heroes: Anders Blankenship/Kevin Winters
Genre: M/M Contemporary
Length: 266 Pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: December 13, 2013
Available at: Dreamspinner Press, Amazon, Barnes and Noble,
All Romance eBooks
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Anders Blankenship never intended to hike the Appalachian Trail alone, but when his boyfriend cancels, Anders steels his courage, leaving the abusive relationship to tackle the long-distance hike. Though a hiking virgin, he’s glad he made the decision when he receives threatening messages from his ex. Luckily, Kevin, an experienced backpacker, takes him under his wing.

Kevin Winters isn’t looking for a hiking partner, let alone a fling with a cute man on the rebound. After learning he has the autoimmune disorder that killed his father, Kevin left his family to wander remote trails. Convinced his future holds only pain and death, Kevin refuses to get close to anyone. The family sourdough recipes he recreates over a campfire are his only solace.

In the wilderness, Anders and Kevin discover a lot of common ground. While the future holds uncertainties they may not be ready to deal with, it might also hold the chance for happiness.
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Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, Challenge Book Week, LGBT, Nikyta's Reviews, Published in 2013 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Book Review: Sleigh Bells in the Snow by Sarah Morgan

Guest Reviewed by Ami

1Title: Sleigh Bells in the Snow
Author: Sarah Morgan
Series: O’Neil Brothers #1
Heroes: Kayla Green/Jackson O’Neil
Genre: MF Contemporary Romance
Length: 384 Pages
Publisher: Harlequin HQN
Release Date: October 29, 2013
Available at:  Harlequin, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, All Romance Ebooks, iBooks and Kobo
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb:  Once upon a time, Christmas was Kayla Green’s favorite time of year. Now all the workaholic wants for Christmas is for it to be over—as fast as possible! So when duty calls her to snowy Vermont to close a deal with a new client, Kayla is grateful for an excuse to avoid the holidays for another year.

Jackson O’Neil left a thriving business behind to return home and salvage his family’s resort—it’s in his blood, and he can’t let it fail. Now that he’s got marketing whiz Kayla Green working with him to put Snow Crystal on the map, success is on the horizon. The fact they strike enough sparks off each other to power all the Christmas lights in Vermont is just an added bonus.

Kayla might be an expert at her job, but she’s out of her depth with Jackson—he makes her crave the happy-ever-after she once dreamed of, and it’s terrifying. As the snowflakes continue to swirl, will the woman who doesn’t believe in the magic of Christmas finally fall under its spell?
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Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, Guest Reviewer, M/F, Published in 2013 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Run for the Roses by Elizabeth Noble

Reviewed by Nikyta

Run for the RosesTitle: Run for the Roses
Author: Elizabeth Noble
Series: Circles #1
Heroes: Val & Wyatt
Genre: M/M Contemporary
Length: 164 pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: May 2, 2014
Available at: Dreamspinner Press, Amazon, All Romance eBooks & Barnes and Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Wanting to end his pattern of choosing controlling and abusive men, Vladimir ‘Val’ Mihalic figures it’s better to live alone than live in fear. Just when things are settling down—his biggest trouble recently is a Kentucky Derby hopeful that won’t load into a starting gate—his best friend Janelle’s violent ex-boyfriend kidnaps her. After she’s seriously injured in a car wreck, Wyatt Harig, Janelle’s estranged father, comes around to tend to his daughter. Despite Val’s determination to avoid relationships, Wyatt interests him in ways that make his resolve waver. As complications and repercussions pile on in the aftermath of Janelle’s kidnapping—including a gambling charge and a murder—Wyatt and Val must work together to seek answers. And the closer they get to each other, the more Val wants them to stay that way.
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Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, LGBT, Nikyta's Reviews, Published in 2014 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Early Review: For the Longest Time by Kendra Leigh Castle

Guest Reviewed by Ami

1Title: For the Longest Time
Author: Kendra Leigh Castle
Series: Harvest Cove #1
Heroes: Samantha Henry/Jake Smith
Genre: M/F Contemporary Romance
Length: 352 Pages
Publisher: Signet
Release Date: July 1, 2014
Available at:  Signet, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and iBooks
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb:  For Samantha Henry, it took a ten-year absence to appreciate the close-knit New England town with an appeal all its own….

After a perfect storm of events leaves Sam high, dry, and jobless, she has to head home to Harvest Cove to regroup. Growing up, she was the town misfit, and a brief high school romance that resulted in heartbreak made her realize she was never going to fit in. But now with the support of her mother and an unexpected circle of allies, Sam starts to wonder if she’s misjudged the town all these years.

Life’s been good to Jake Smith. He transitioned from popular jock to town veterinarian without any trouble. But Sam’s homecoming makes him question his choices. The sharp-tongued beauty was never a good fit for the small community, but he’s never forgotten her—or how good they were together. While she makes it clear she’s not about to repeat the past, Jake’s determined to convince her to give him—and Harvest Cove—a second chance.

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Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, Guest Reviewer, M/F, Published in 2014 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Rock Stars Week & Early Review: Tequila Mockingbird by Rhys Ford

Reviewed by Heather C

1Title:  Tequila Mockingbird
Author: Rhys Ford
Series: Sinners #3
Heroes: Connor Morgan/Forest Ackerman
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 250 Pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: June 27, 2014
Available at: Dreamspinner Press
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Lieutenant Connor Morgan of SFPD’s SWAT division wasn’t looking for love. Especially not in a man. His life plan didn’t include one Forest Ackerman, a brown-eyed, blond drummer who’s as sexy as he is trouble. His family depends on him to be like his father, a solid pillar of strength who’ll one day lead the Morgan clan.

No, Connor has everything worked out—a career in law enforcement, a nice house, and a family. Instead, he finds a murdered man while on a drug raid and loses his heart comforting the man’s adopted son. It wasn’t like he’d never thought about men — it’s just loving one doesn’t fit into his plans.

Forest Ackerman certainly doesn’t need to be lusting after a straight cop, even if Connor Morgan is everywhere he looks, especially after Frank’s death. He’s just talked himself out of lusting for the brawny cop when his coffee shop becomes a war zone and Connor Morgan steps in to save him.

Whoever killed his father seems intent on Forest joining him in the afterlife. As the killer moves closer to achieving his goal, Forest tangles with Connor Morgan and is left wondering what he’ll lose first—his life or his heart.
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Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, Heather C's Reviews, LGBT, Published in 2014, Theme Week | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Early Review: When Day Breaks by Maya Banks

Guest Reviewed by ~V~

1Title: When Day Breaks
Author: Maya Banks
Series: KGI #9
Heroes: Swanson/Eden
Genre: M/F Romantic Suspense
Length: 304 Pages
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: June 24, 2014
Available at: Berkley, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb:  The Kelly Group International (KGI): A super-elite, top secret, family-run business.
Qualifications: High intelligence, rock-hard body, military background.
Mission: Hostage/kidnap victim recovery. Intelligence gathering. Handling jobs the U.S. government can’t…

Eden is said to be one of the most beautiful women in the world. Her face has graced countless magazines and her body has sold millions of dollars of clothing. But her fame and beauty has earned her more than she ever imagined. Evil is stalking her, determined to extinguish the ethereal beauty forever.

Swanson or “Swanny” as his teammates call him is always up for the next mission. He came back from Afghanistan wounded and scarred. Hardly the kind of man who even belongs in the same room with Eden. And yet there’s something about the quiet beauty that stirs his blood and makes him dream of the impossible. Because Beauty loving the beast only happens in fairy tales and KGI doesn’t deal in fairy tales. Ever.
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Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, Guest Reviewer, M/F, Published in 2014 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Desires’ Guardian by Tempeste O’Riley

Reviewed by Nikyta

Desires&#39 Guardian by Tempeste O&#39Riley eBookTitle: Desires’ Guardian
Author: Tempeste O’Riley
Series: Desires Entwined #2
Heroes: Chase & Rhys
Genre: M/M Contemporary
Length: 200 pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: June 6, 2014
Available at: Dreamspinner PressAmazonAll Romance eBooks & Barnes and Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Most people see Chase Manning as the party-boy twink he seems on the surface. Only James, Chase’s BFF, knows the depth of his loyalty and the extent of the wounds Chase carries inside. When Chase meets Rhys Sayer, things don’t go well, but he can’t shake his attraction to the huge, sexy man.

Rhys is a man of contradictions and fear—a strange combination for a PI and bodyguard. He’s in a bad place emotionally when he sets eyes on Chase for the first time. When Chase puts the moves on him, Rhys insults him, thwarting any possibility of a relationship. Rhys doesn’t see himself as a complicated man, but he dreads the very kind of connection he desires.

Just as they’re trying to overcome their uncertainties, Chase is put in harm’s way. Luckily Rhys and their friends have all the right talents to help Rhys save the man of his dreams. Continue reading

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

Rock Stars Week Review: Changing the Things You Can by Ari McKay

Reviewed by Nikyta

11Title: Changing the Things You Can
Author: Ari McKay
Series: 2014 Daily Dose – Mended
Heroes: Devon/Michael
Genre: M/M Contemporary
Length: 59 Pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: June 1, 2014
Available at: Dreamspinner Press, Amazon & All Romance eBooks
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Devastated by the death of his best friend from a drug overdose, rock star Devon Bailey retreats to his hometown to grieve. When his fragile emotional state causes him to break down in a local bakery, owner Michael Behrman comes to his rescue.

Michael’s nurturing instincts prompt him to reach out to Devon, offering support and a comforting shoulder, and the two grow closer. Michael’s feelings for Devon deepen into something more–but how can he know whether Devon feels anything more for him than gratitude?
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Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, LGBT, Nikyta's Reviews, Published in 2014, Theme Week | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment