Susan65’s Reviews

Book Review: Family Ties by Lisa Gray

Reviewed by Susan65

Family TiesTitle: Family Ties
Author: Lisa Gray
Heroes: Danny Carmody/Evan Dwyer
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 248 Pages
Publisher: JMS Books
Release Date: July 6, 2014
Available at: JMS Books, Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Danny Carmody has lived life privileged but lonely. He has always sacrificed his own needs to meet the demands of his family. Now he is faced with an arranged marriage intended to reunite the Carmodys and the Dwyers, the city’s two most powerful families. Out of his sense of duty, he agrees. But always a romantic at heart, he secretly nurtures hopes of finding love within this sterile business arrangement. Once he meets his intended groom, Evan — a talented, attractive architect — those hopes soar.

Evan Dwyer has grown up reviled by his family. Before he was even born, his mother was blamed for breaking up a planned marriage between the Carmodys and the Dwyers. As a result, both Evan and his mother have lived their lives in virtual exile. But now he has suddenly been deemed of use to the families, and they are blackmailing him into participating in the arranged marriage.

Furious, he reaches out to the FBI for help and finds only more complications. Too many people want to use him to advance their own agendas. By the time Evan realizes Danny might just be the safe harbor he’s looked for all his life, it may well be too late. Evan has set in motion forces that threaten to destroy any hope they have for a future together.(
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Categories: 4.5 Star Ratings, Book Review, LGBT, Published in 2014, Susan65's Reviews | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Does the Feeling Go Both Ways by A.R. Moler

Reviewed by Susan65

bbTitle: Does the Feeling Go Both Ways?
Author: A.R. Moler
Heroes: Landon Cross/Trey Jernigan
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 124 Pages
Publisher: JMS Books, LLC
Release Date: July 6, 2014
Available at: JMS Books, LLC, Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Deep cover DEA agent Landon Cross can’t seem to escape his past. First, his cover is blown by a guy he’d busted in another operation. Then, his rescuer is medic Trey Jernigan, his best childhood friend, first love, and a person Landon betrayed as teenager.

Now Landon’s life is a mess and so is he, physically and emotionally. Incredibly, Trey forgives Landon and allows his former friend back into his life in all kinds of ways Landon would never have thought possible.

But a crucial decision Landon made while undercover comes back to haunt him. Trey also has to deal with very tangible pieces of his own past. Will Trey and Landon be able to solve their problems and build a life together?
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Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, LGBT, Published in 2014, Susan65's Reviews | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: You Can’t Go Home Again by Michael Murphy

Reviewed by Susan65

1Title: You Can’t Go Home Again
Author: Michael Murphy
Heroes: Jack/Kevin
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 200 Pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: July 18, 2014
Available at: Dreamspinner Press, Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: In work and in love, life has taught seasoned police officer Jack that closeness only leads to pain. But Jack is wracked with guilt when his rookie partner Kevin is shot during an undercover assignment and dies in his arms. Why didn’t he take the time to get to know the rookie a little?

At the funeral, Jack takes a liking to Kevin’s brother, Devin. But Jack knows making a connection can cause more hurt, and living on opposite coasts is an added obstacle.

With his brother dead, Devin feels a responsibility to Kevin’s pregnant widow, Marie. He packs up and moves east, only to have Marie, outraged that he’s put his life on hold, slam the door in his face. Devin turns to the only other person he knows in town. As much as it goes against his philosophies on life, Jack takes him in without hesitation.

Their tentative exploration into romance is interrupted when Devin is mistaken for his dead brother and taken captive. Just as Jack opens his heart, reality slams into him. But he can’t lose anyone else. More than the need to simply save a captive drives Jack to find Devin and bring him home.
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Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, LGBT, Published in 2014, Susan65's Reviews | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: It’s Not Easy by Nic Starr

Reviewed by Susan65

It's Not EasyTitle: It’s Not Easy
Author: Nic Starr
Heroes: Ben Cooper/Spencer Henderson
Genre: M/M Contemporary
Length: 130 Pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: July 23, 2014
Available at: Dreamspinner Press, Amazon and All Romance eBooks
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Ben Cooper gave up on following his dreams to keep the peace in his family. Best friend Spencer Henderson has always been Ben’s rock. For Spence, who is in love with Ben, supporting Ben always came first, but as Ben starts to date their friend Suzie, Spence has to think of himself for the first time. The ramifications of one fateful night means leaving their small town may be Spence’s only option to protect his broken heart.

With trouble escalating at home and Spence out of reach, Ben finds it harder to cope. Without Spence’s help, Ben’s life may finally spiral out of control.
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Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, LGBT, Published in 2014, Susan65's Reviews | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

SJD Peterson Week Review: Conner’s Courage

Reviewed by Susan65

Conner's Courage (Whispering Pines Ranch, #4)Title: Conner’s Courage
Author: SJD Peterson
Series: Whispering Pines Ranch #4
Heroes: John Price/Conner Burnett
Genre: M/M Contemporary
Length: 198 Pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: August 3, 2012
Available at: Dreamspinner Press, Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: John Price and Conner Burnett have been part of the Whispering Pines Ranch for the past thirty-seven years. A loving couple who have overcome every obstacle thrown at them, John and Conner are a testament to the strength of true love. But now John is in the hospital with a diagnosis of cancer, fighting for his very life.

As his lover struggles, Conner looks back on when they first met. The early seventies wasn’t an easy time to be a gay man, especially in a small country town. Considering John’s pride, Conner’s need to be himself, shame, bitterness, and two stubborn natures, their love story almost wasn’t written. But they beat the odds, and Conner will be damned if he’ll let anyone take John from him now. He had the courage to stand up for what he wanted in 1974. If need be, he’ll go toe to toe with God himself to keep the man he fought so hard to love.

Authors Note:
Please note that I am a firm believer in safe sex practices. However, this novel was set in 1974 with no AIDS in sight, and most venereal diseases treated with a simple shot, it was “The golden age of Gay sexuality.”
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Categories: 4.5 Star Ratings, Author Week, Book Review, LGBT, Published in 2012, Susan65's Reviews | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Hard Act to Follow by K. Vale

Reviewed by Susan65

Hard Act to Follow (Shooting Stars, #3)Title: Hard Act to Follow
Author: K. Vale
Series: Shooting Stars #3
Heroes: Kyrie/Greg
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 249 Pages
Publisher: Liquid Silver Books
Release Date: August 18, 2014
Available at: Liquid Silver Books, Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Kyrie is an actor with a physical aversion to telling lies, a one-eyed cat, and horrible taste in men. His ex-brother-in-law and best friend, Greg, harbors a secret crush he can’t shake. After denying his feelings for Kyrie for too long, Greg finally gives in to desire one drunken night. Come the morning, the facts get twisted. Kyrie pretends he doesn’t remember a thing—a lie that eats him alive—and Greg can’t stop thinking about how he screwed up the best thing in his life.

Before they can clear the air, Kyrie follows his dreams to New York City, but could he also be running away?

A mistake from Kyrie’s past detonates their silence, and Greg is forced to confront the man he loves. Is their new truth strong enough to support a relationship, or are they doomed to crumble under old fears? Their friendship could evolve into something a million times stronger, but maybe Kyrie’s act is just too hard for Greg to follow. Continue reading

Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, LGBT, Published in 2014, Susan65's Reviews | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Book Review: Upside Down by Andrew Grey

Reviewed by Susan65

1Title: Upside Down
Author: Andrew Grey
Series: Broncos Boys #2
Heroes: Lowell Cartwright/Jeremy Hodgson
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 200 Pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: August 15, 2014
Available at: Dreamspinner Press, Amazon and All Romance Ebooks
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Lowell Cartwright’s life as a mercenary problem solver has taken its toll, and after one more difficult job, he wants out. For help, he turns to Bull, a soldier of fortune turned club owner—not exactly a friend, but the best chance Lowell has. He visits Bull’s club to scope it out and meets Jeremy Hodgson. The twink captures his attention in a big way. Bull tells Lowell to stay away from the club until he decides whether he can help, so Lowell stays in town. When he spots Jeremy passed out on the floor of a convenience store, he goes to Jeremy’s aid.

Lowell piques Jeremy’s interest immediately, pushing all the right buttons. Then, when Jeremy needs help, Lowell’s kindness turns interest into something more.

But trouble comes knocking when Jeremy’s place is bugged. Maybe Lowell’s past is catching up to him, or maybe the danger centers on Jeremy’s roommate Tristan’s mysterious boyfriend. Whatever the source of the problem, the future Lowell and Jeremy hope for doesn’t stand a chance unless they can find a way to protect themselves.
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Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, LGBT, Published in 2014, Susan65's Reviews | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Forbidden Mate by Toni Griffin

Reviewed by Susan65

cTitle: Forbidden Mate
Author: Toni Griffin
Series: Holland Brothers #4
Heroes: Patrick Holland/Jake Richmond
Genre: M/M Paranormal
Length: 205 Pages
Publisher: Mischief Corner Books, LLC
Release Date: July 5, 2014
Available at: Mischief Corner Books, LLC, Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Finding his mate should have been Patrick Holland’s greatest day, instead it turned into a nightmare with one phone call. His mate didn’t want him. His heart broke, but at sixteen he was too young to do anything. The next ten years—ten long years— of Patrick’s life are spent at odds with his mate. Split by forces he can’t comprehend and a long line of misunderstandings, Patrick doubts he’ll ever get the man he’s both loved and hated.

Jake Richmond never expected to come home from Uni to find the youngest Holland brother was his mate. Knowing the news might uplift his still grieving father, Jake shares the news only to have his young mate threatened. Jake does the only thing he can think of, protect Patrick. The next ten years are nothing but torture for Jake as he watches his mate grow into a remarkable young man.
They say time heals all wounds, but how much time?

Please note: FM has been reedited, and expanded by about 50,000 words.
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Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, LGBT, Published in 2014, Susan65's Reviews | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: I’d Kill For You by G.A. Hauser

Reviewed by Susan65

1Title: I’d Kill For You
Author: G.A. Hauser
Heroes: Dee Williams/Karl Mullens
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 211 Pages
Publisher: The G A Hauser Collection, LLC
Release Date: May 1, 2014
Available at: Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Working undercover was not one of Dee William’s favorite assignments, but when things in his life got too complicated he decided to accept the offer. Dee was to infiltrate one of LA’s most violent street gangs, and help the authorities build a RICO case against the gang leader. What Dee finds is that the gang is not the real target of the Bureau. They are out to net bigger fish, leaving Dee to broker drug deals worth millions of dollars and placing his life on the line.

Karl Mullens was trapped. His sister, who had died of an overdose, had left him to pick up the debt, and that meant Karl was forced to join a gang he despised, to repay it. With the lives of his family in the balance, Karl endures the violence and pressure from the gang, until a new member joins them, goes through the brutal hazing and begins to show the top dog just how much of an asset he is by bringing big hauls of cash and heroin into their pockets.

What neither Karl nor Dee expected was the risky attraction that formed between them, and soon, both men learn each other secrets and sexual desires. Desires that place them in greater danger.

The only thing left for each man is the hope of getting out alive. But now Dee and Karl know they have an ally in this gang of murderers and thieves. Each other. And there is no doubt the bond they have created together gives them one choice; to kill to protect one other.

And on the mean streets of the worst areas of LA, death means nothing…
But Dee finds, love means…everything.
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Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, LGBT, Published in 2014, Susan65's Reviews | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Book Review: Betrayal by Maggie Walsh

Reviewed by Susan65

9Title: Betrayal
Author: Maggie Walsh
Series: The Angel Pack #1
Heroes: Jesse/Micah
Genre: MM Paranormal
Length: 132 Pages
Publisher: Siren-Bookstrand, Inc.
Release Date: August 6, 2014
Available at: Siren-Bookstrand,
Inc.

Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: When Jesse and Taylor get kicked out of their homes they take off and end up in New York City. Jesse’s voice lands him a singing job at an all male club. When the owner discovers their secret, he offers to help them. That kind gesture turns into the biggest mistake of their lives.

When Micah hears the angelic voice coming from the beautiful man, his world turns upside down. Micah realizes that the angel is his mate. Now that he’s found him he may never get to claim him.

Someone is trying to kill Jesse. At the same time, someone from Micah’s past comes back to claim Micah as their own. Is it coincidence or a set up? When the person trying to kill Jesse accidentally gets Micah instead, can Jesse find the culprit and the cure before it’s too late? And if Micah survives, will he be able to move past the betrayal of one of his own?
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Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, LGBT, Published in 2014, Susan65's Reviews | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment