Reviewers

Book Review: Lost and Found by Lucy Lennox and Sloane Kennedy

Reviewed by Susan65

Title: Lost and Found
Authors: Lucy Lennox and Sloane Kennedy
Series: Twist of Fate #1
Heroes: Zander Reed/Bennett Crawford
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 310 Pages
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: July 22, 2017
Available at:  Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: He promised to never leave me. But when I needed him the most, that was exactly what he did…
Wilderness guide Xander Reed has spent fifteen years trying to forget the night he turned to his best friend in his darkest hour, only to find the young man who’d sworn to always have his back was turning his on Xander instead. Two thousand miles and fifteen years of building a new life in the quiet backcountry of the Rocky Mountains should have been enough to put the memory of Bennett Crawford out of his mind forever, but old wounds run deep and when Bennett suddenly reappears in his life as part of a wilderness expedition Xander is guiding, the scars he thought long healed break wide open.

I’d only ever wanted to protect Xander from getting hurt again. I never considered the one he needed protection from was me…
Bennett Crawford was faced with an impossible choice the night his best friend needed him.

He chose wrong.

As the only son of one of the wealthiest families in New England, he should have had the world at his feet, but losing his best friend at the tender age of fourteen changed everything. And even though Bennett’s managed to hide behind a mask of contentment as he takes his place at his father’s side in the family business, inside he’s searching for the piece of himself that’s been missing ever since Xander Reed walked out of his life. Bennett’s only saving grace is his work with a group of inner city kids, and when he’s given the chance to show the troubled teens that there’s a bigger world out there waiting for them if they just have the courage to reach for it, he takes it.

But when he steps off that bus for what was supposed to be a week of fun and adventure, he’s instantly returned to the past when he discovers their expedition guide is none other than the boy he let go so long ago. Only, the soft-hearted, insecure little boy Bennett once knew is gone, and in his place is a brooding, bitter man who isn’t interested in second chances.

People leave. I know that now and nothing Bennett has to say to me will change anything…
All Bennett wants is another chance to show Xander that friendship was only the beginning. But when a stubborn Xander refuses to even hear him out, Bennett realizes he’s going to need to fight dirty.

Because now that he’s found Xander again, he’s not letting him go a second time…
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Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, LGBT, Published in 2017, Susan65's Reviews | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Ice, Snow & Mistletoe by Jocelynn Drake

Reviewed by Susan65

Title: Ice, Snow & Mistletoe
Author: Jocelynn Drake
Series: N/A
Heroes: John/Oz
Genre: MM Holiday
Length: 156 Pages
Publisher: Jocelynn Drake
Release Date: November 21, 2017
Available at:  Amazon
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: John Sullivan is escaping to Denver. Even with a massive snow storm on his heels, he plans to hide away in his cabin in the mountains and ignore Christmas. It’ll be just him and a bottle of whiskey until the new year when he must return to Cincinnati for his best friend’s wedding.

At least, that’s the plan until he runs into Oz at the airport.

Oz … the man who should have been just a fling. The man who was fun and laughs but quickly turned into so much more before he completely kicked John out of his life.

Oz who desperately needs his help…

John is ready to leave Oz stranded at the Denver airport in the coming blizzard, but he finds himself possibly staring down at the reason Oz pushed him away, and John can’t say no.

Second chances don’t come around often, but John is willing to fight for one with Oz.
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Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, LGBT, Published in 2017, Susan65's Reviews | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: No Filter by Nora Phoenix

Reviewed by JustJen

Title: No Filter
Author: Nora Phoenix
Series: No Shame #1
Heroes: Indy/Noah
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 290 Pages
Publisher: Nora Phoenix
Release Date: October 26, 2017
Available at: Amazon
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Indy will do anything to prevent his mobster ex from finding him. Their last encounter left Indy recovering for months in the hospital, and ever since he’s become an expert at hiding in plain sight. Determined to stay under the radar, he takes on a new identity and moves from place to place. His life has no room for friendships, let alone love, so he keeps his heart firmly closed. After all, he has nothing to offer but a damaged body and a broken soul. Plus, he’s so done with men. Until he meets the man who breaks through all his defenses.

Former Army Medic Noah came back damaged from his last tour—in more than one way. Between supporting his best friend-with-benefits Josh who’s struggling with PTSD, dealing with his own issues, and the stress of his job as a physician assistant, rebuilding his life seems impossible. There’s little time for what Noah needs, let alone for what he wants. When he meets Indy, Noah discovers what he wants more than anything: for Indy to stay. But how will a relationship with Indy work when Noah needs Josh as well?

Indy never expected the strong, confident Noah to be as damaged and broken as himself. But what will happen if he starts letting Noah in? Indy knows he should run to protect Noah and Josh.

Noah needs Indy to stay more than anything. But will what little he has to offer be enough to make Indy trust him and stay?

No Filter is a steamy M/M romance featuring an open relationship (no cheating!) that ends with a HFN, but with the promise of a HEA. It’s the first book in the No Shame Series, and is not a stand-alone novel. It contains hot sex, a hint of a ménage, lots of talk about hot sex, flashbacks of said hot sex, and…Oh well, you get the idea. Also: trigger warning for mentions of sexual abuse.
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Categories: 3.5 Star Ratings, Book Review, JustJen's Reviews, LGBT, Published in 2017 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Audio Review: Embrace the Fire by Felice Stevens

Reviewed by Morgan

Title: Embrace the Fire
Author: Felice Stevens
Narrator: Kale Williams
Series: Through Hell and Back #3
Heroes: Brandon Gilbert/Tash Weber
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 9 Hours, 42 Minutes
Publisher: Felice Stevens
Release Date: October 31, 2017
Available at: Amazon and Audible
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Brandon Gilbert has spent years in hiding, but he’s finally accomplished his dream of working as a public school teacher. When offered the chance to help bullied children, there was no way he could say no. Not to mention that meeting Dr. Tash Weber, the psychiatrist who helps them, a sad yet sexy older man, ignited a spark inside Brandon he’d never had before. Though five years have passed since the death of his lover, Dr. Sebastian “Tash” Weber has no interest in relationships or love. But young, enigmatic Brandon awakens his heart and his desire. Despite Tash’s best efforts to push him away, Brandon unlocks the passion for life Tash thought he’d lost forever. Falling in love wasn’t part of the plan for either Brandon or Tash, but neither family disapproval nor self-doubts can stop them from embracing the fire that burns between them. And when Brandon returns home to fight for a future he never imagined possible, he and Tash discover that the one thing worth fighting for has been with them all along.
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Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Audio Review, LGBT, Morgan's Reviews, Published in 2018 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Desperately Seeking Santa by Eli Easton

Reviewed by Morgan 

Title: Desperately Seeking Santa
Author: Eli Easton
Heroes: Gabe Martin/Mack McDonnall
Genre: MM Contemporary Holiday
Length: 225 Pages
Publisher: Eli Easton
Release Date: November 22, 2017
Available at:  Amazon
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Journalism student Gabe Martin gets his first professional assignment—to write about a Christmas charity dinner that benefits a children’s home. It sounds like a total snooze-fest until Gabe learns that the event’s Santa is a mystery man. He shows up in costume and no one has a clue who he is. Uncovering Santa’s identity sounds like the perfect angle to turn a fluff piece into serious journalism.

Mack “The Mountain” McDonall, at 6’10”, is University of Wisconsin-Madison’s enormous star wrestler. When Gabe first claps eyes on him at a wrestling match, it’s lust at first sight. Gabe’s friend, Jordan, sets up the pair on a date. But when Gabe chatters on about his plans for outing Santa, Mack goes cold, and their first meeting becomes an epic fail.

As Gabe researches the children’s home, he learns that Mack has secrets a guy famous for being a brute wouldn’t want the world to know. Can Gabe find his holiday spirit, write a killer article, win the heart of a surly giant, and give everyone a very merry Christmas?

NOTE: This 50,000 word short novel features a new couple but includes Jordan and Owen, from the author’s book “Superhero”. It can be read as a stand-alone.
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Categories: 4.5 Star Ratings, Book Review, LGBT, Morgan's Reviews, Published in 2018 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Broken Sun by B.D. Roca

Reviewed by JustJen

Title: Broken Sun
Author: B.D. Roca
Series: City to City #2
Heroes: James Morgan/Luc Sinclair
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 286 Pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: November 13, 2017
Available at: Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: James Morgan: outlaw in a ruthless biker club, the Bastard Legion. Willing to do whatever he must to claw his way to the top of the club’s hierarchy.

Two things stand in the way of his ambitions: his heroin-addicted brother and his bisexuality. In Morgan’s world, his attraction to men is a death sentence, and he has no desire to pursue it… until he tangles with Luc Sinclair.

Luc Sinclair: fellow Bastard Legion biker. Tattoo artist. Rebel who wants out of a club he’s grown to despise.

Luc has a sister he’s protecting from a Legion ex-boyfriend. Saving her makes him a target. Morgan intervenes, and all bets are off. The sex is as fierce and passionate as it is dangerous. But when Morgan’s junkie brother learns of the relationship, he sees a way to advance in the Legion and take out a brother he hates. Their three worlds collide—one is left for dead, another fighting for life, and the bond between them broken.

In a dark and violent world where it’s every man for himself, finding their way back to each other and the only truth they’ve ever found will be a long, hard fight.
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Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, JustJen's Reviews, LGBT, Published in 2017 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Audio Review: Afraid to Fly by L.A. Witt

Reviewed by Susan65

Title: Afraid to Fly
Author: L.A. Witt
Narrator: Nick J. Russo
Series: Anchor Point #2
Heroes: Travis Wilson/Clint Fraser
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 9 Hours, 22 Minutes
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Release Date: August 31, 2017
Available at: Amazon, Audible and iTunes
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Once a fearless fighter pilot, Commander Travis Wilson is now confined to a desk. It’s been eight years since the near-fatal crash that grounded him, and it still rules his life thanks to relentless back pain.

Lieutenant Commander Clint Fraser almost drowned in a bottle after a highly classified catastrophe while piloting a drone. His downward spiral cost him his marriage and kids, but he’s sober now and getting his life back on track. He’s traded drones for a desk, and he’s determined to reconcile with his kids and navigate the choppy waters of PTSD.

Clint has been on Travis’s radar ever since he transferred to Anchor Point. When Clint comes out to his colleagues, it’s a disaster, but there’s a silver lining: now that Travis knows Clint is into men, the chemistry between them explodes.

It’s all fun and games until emotions get involved. Clint’s never been in love with a man before. Travis has, and a decade later, that tragic ending still haunts him. Clint needs to coax him past his fear of crashing and burning again, or their love will be grounded before takeoff.
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Categories: 4.5 Star Ratings, Audio Review, LGBT, Published in 2018, Susan65's Reviews | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Snow Angels with Bear by Bonnie Dee

Reviewed by Nikyta

Title: Snow Angels with Bear
Author: Bonnie Dee
Series: Love Off Leash #4
Heroes: Eric & August
Genre: M/M Contemporary
Length: 92 pages
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: November 16, 2017
Available at: Amazon
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Can this romance stand a snowball’s chance in hell?

Hitting a dog in a snowstorm is a heck of a way to meet a guy. When August Long rushes an injured stray to the vet, he’s blown away by the gruff yet sexy doctor. August never intended to hook up with a small-town local, but Eric Grover woos him with snowmobiling, cross-country skiing and a passion hot enough to melt the winter snow.

No one seems to know why an ex-military surveyor has moved into Hopewell Springs and Eric is intrigued by the stranger. Tall, handsome August lights his fire while filling a need for companionship he hadn’t realized he lacked. Spending time with August and Bear, his recovering German shepherd, makes Eric begin to believe love is possible.

But there’s a shadow threatening their budding romance. August fears telling Eric everything his job entails and keeps the secret until the truth detonates, nearly destroying them. For the two men to reconcile their differences, it may take a Christmas miracle—and the intervention of an adorable dog or two.
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Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, LGBT, Nikyta's Reviews, Published in 2017 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Unbroken Hearts by K-Lee Klein

Reviewed by Susan65

Title: Unbroken Hearts
Author: K-Lee Klein
Series: Unbreak My Heart #2
Heroes: Brett Taylor/JT Campbell
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 187 Pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: October 11, 2017
Available at:  Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Country singer turned rancher Brett Taylor fought his way out of the bottle so he could have JT Campbell in his life. JT’s patience, intelligence, and humor broke through Brett’s walls of depression, and now the once-isolated rancher and his young California guy in search of himself are together on Brett’s Texas ranch.

While Brett and JT are more in love than ever, they’re still dealing with past baggage and learning how to move forward. Brett’s former lover casts a long shadow over their lives—one JT tries to pretend doesn’t bother him. Can Brett soothe his fears with the sort of sappy, sentimental Valentine’s Day JT was taught to shun growing up—but secretly always wanted?

When Halloween rolls around, a costumed night out at the local bar might lead to another romantic first. And on Christmas morning, JT awakes to some sweet loving and the most meaningful gift he could ever imagine. The New Year truly brings a new beginning—ushered in by some silly, sparkly, and sexy fun.

One year. Four important holidays. Two men who have worked hard for the love and trust they share and the bright future that’s finally within their grasp.
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Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, LGBT, Published in 2017, Susan65's Reviews | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Ante Up by Kim Fielding

Reviewed by Nikyta

Title: Ante Up
Author: Kim Fielding
Series: Dreamspun Beyond
Heroes: Ante & Peter
Genre: M/M Paranormal
Length: 220 pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: November 15, 2017
Available at: Dreamspinner Press & Amazon
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Love is a high-stakes game.

A century and a half ago, Ante Novak died on a Croatian battlefield—and rose three days later as a vampire. Now he haunts Las Vegas, stealing blood and money from drunken gamblers and staying on the fringe of the powerful vampire organization known as the Shadows. His existence feels empty and meaningless until he meets beautiful Peter Gehrardi, who can influence others with his thoughts.

An attraction flares instantly, bringing a semblance of life to Ante’s dead heart. But the Shadows want Peter too, and they’re willing to kill to get him. As Ante and Peter flee, they learn more about themselves and each other, and they discover that the world is a stranger place than either of them imagined. With enemies at their heels and old mistakes coming back to exact a price, how can Ante and Peter find sanctuary? Continue reading

Categories: 3 Star Ratings, Book Review, LGBT, Nikyta's Reviews, Published in 2017 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment