Posts Tagged With: Closeted

Book Review: Crossing the Touchline by Jay Hogan

Posted on April 23, 2019 by susan65coug Miss Behaving

Reviewed by Susan65

Title: Crossing the Touchline
Author: Jay Hogan
Series: Auckland Med. #2
Heroes: Reuben & Cameron
Genre: M/M Contemporary
Length: 302 pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: April 23, 2019
Available at: Dreamspinner Press & Amazon
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: What if you’ve worked your whole life for a dream, to play rugby for the most successful sports team on the planet, the New Zealand All Blacks?

What if that dream is so close you can smell it?

What if you meet someone?

What if you fall in love?

What if your dream will cost the man who’s stolen your heart?

And what if the dream changes?

Reuben Taylor has a choice to make.

Cameron Wano is that choice. Continue reading →

Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, LGBT, Published in 2019, Susan65's Reviews | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Audio Review: The Locker Room by Amy Lane

Posted on March 29, 2019 by susan65coug Miss Behaving

Reviewed by Susan65

lovcker roomTitle: The Locker Room
Author: Amy Lane
Narrator: Sean Crisden
Series: NA
Heroes: Xander Karcek & Christian (Chris) Edwards
Genre: MM YA
Length: 7 hours 40 minutes
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: September 12, 2012
Available at: Amazon, Audible and iTunes
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: 

Xander Karcek has only wanted two things in his life: Christian Edwards and basketball—the man he loves and the game that let him escape a childhood he’d rather forget. His two obsessions have served him well. He and Chris beat the odds and stayed together through high school, college, and right on to the NBA.

But life under fame’s microscope isn’t easy, especially when two men are pretending to be frat-buddies so the world doesn’t know they’re the next best thing to married. Their relationship survives the sacrifices they make and the lies they tell to stay together, but when their secret is exposed, the fallout might destroy them when nothing else could.

Chris and basketball are the two things holding Xander together. Now the world is asking Xander to make a choice. Is there an option that includes a future with the man he loves?
Continue reading →

Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Audio Review, LGBT, Published in 2012, Susan65's Reviews | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid

Posted on March 27, 2019 by justjenbo

Reviewed by JustJen

Title: Heated Rivalry
Author: Rachel Reid
Series: Game Changers #2
Heroes: Shane Hollander/Ilya Rozanov
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 310 Pages
Publisher: Carina Press
Release Date: March 25, 2019
Available at: Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Nothing interferes with Shane Hollander’s game—definitely not the sexy rival he loves to hate.

Pro hockey star Shane Hollander isn’t just crazy talented, he’s got a spotless reputation. Hockey is his life. Now that he’s captain of the Montreal Voyageurs, he won’t let anything jeopardize that, especially the sexy Russian whose hard body keeps him awake at night.

Boston Bears captain Ilya Rozanov is everything Shane’s not. The self-proclaimed king of the ice, he’s as cocky as he is talented. No one can beat him—except Shane. They’ve made a career on their legendary rivalry, but when the skates come off, the heat between them is undeniable. When Ilya realizes he wants more than a few secret hookups, he knows he must walk away. The risk is too great.

As their attraction intensifies, they struggle to keep their relationship out of the public eye. If the truth comes out, it could ruin them both. But when their need for each other rivals their ambition on the ice, secrecy is no longer an option…

Continue reading →

Categories: 5 Star Ratings, Book Review, JustJen's Reviews, LGBT, Published in 2019 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Devil’s Bargain by Kathryn Sparrow

Posted on March 10, 2019 by susan65coug Miss Behaving

Reviewed by Susan65

Title: Devil’s Bargain
Author: Kathryn Sparrow
Series: King of Hearts #1
Heroes: Seth/Kevin
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 67,000 words
Publisher: MLR Press
Release Date: January 4, 2019
Available at: Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Seth Griffin is forced to live out his wildest dreams at the expense of his best friend, the man he loves.

Seth Griffin’s life was basically on track. Attend Cornell, double major in Mechanical Engineering and Astronomy, play basketball, and room with his best friend, Kevin. So what if he had a hopeless crush on his gorgeous, straight friend.

When Maynard Frederick Winthrop IV buys all of Seth’s family’s debt and threatens to foreclose, everything Seth has worked for is in jeopardy. Winthrop offers Seth a deal: spend a week at his mansion, a place that seems to defy logic and violate the laws of physics, performing challenges of Winthrop’s choosing. If Seth succeeds, all will be forgiven.

But can Seth do as Winthrop asks, especially when Kevin is the one who will pay the price?
Continue reading →

Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, LGBT, Published in 2019, Susan65's Reviews | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: The Ghosts Between Us by Brigham Vaughn

Posted on March 2, 2019 by susan65coug Miss Behaving

Reviewed by Susan65

Title: The Ghosts Between Us
Author: Brigham Vaughn
Series: The West Hills #1
Heroes: Christopher & Elliot
Genre: M/M Contemporary
Length: 372 pages
Publisher: Two Peninsulas Press
Release Date: March 1, 2019
Available at: Amazon
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Dr. Christopher Allen knows how to deal with death. He’s a psychiatrist who works with hospice patients and their families, helping them cope with grief and letting go. But Chris’s job doesn’t prepare him for the sudden death of his devil-may-care brother Cal.

At Cal’s funeral, Chris is completely thrown when he meets Elliot Rawlings, an artist Cal has been dating. Chris is hurt to discover that the brother he knew as straight was actually bisexual. Elliot is angry and resentful of having been kept hidden from Cal’s family.

After the funeral, a night of drinking at the bar with Cal’s friends leads to Chris and Elliot falling into bed together. The next morning, they’re overwhelmed by guilt and grief and agree to never speak of it again.

But Cal’s apartment needs to be packed up and Elliot reluctantly agrees to help Chris, as well as answer some questions about Cal’s life and their relationship. Despite their guilt and initial dislike for one another, they sort through the pieces of Cal’s life and begin to fall for each other.

Despite his best efforts to fix things, Chris’s family seems to be crumbling around him and he begins to question who he is and what his role with them is. As his feelings for Elliot grow, Chris must decide if they’re worth further damaging his fragile relationships with his friends and family.

Elliot’s rough upbringing has left him distrustful of getting close to anyone, much less another man who isn’t willing to acknowledge him in public. The odds seem stacked against Chris and Elliot, but if they can overcome them, they may be able to lay Cal’s ghost to rest, along with their own demons.

Reader Advisory: This story deals with themes related to alcoholism, death (of secondary characters), and past abuse/neglect.
Continue reading →

Categories: 4.5 Star Ratings, Book Review, LGBT, Published in 2019, Susan65's Reviews | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Credence by Delphia Baisden

Posted on February 27, 2019 by susan65coug Miss Behaving

Reviewed by Susan65

Title: Credence
Author: Delphia Baisden
Heroes: James & Kieran
Genre: M/M Contemporary
Length: 227 pages
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: March 1, 2019
Available at: Amazon
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: James Morgan, lead guitarist for the rock band Eden, seems to have it all. That is, until Theo, Eden’s lead singer and James’s secret lover, violently betrays him, sending James into a deep depression and cutting their current tour and the band’s life short.

Kieran Jackson, the lead vocalist for the less successful band Lost and Found, is at his wits’ end. At thirty-three, he never dreamed he’d still be opening for bands comprised of twentysomethings. When Eden pulls out of the last few shows of their summer tour, Kieran returns home burned out and heartbroken.

Over a year later, James, Phil, and David of Eden decide to reform under a different name with Kieran as their new vocalist. James, never having forgotten his single interaction with Kieran, nor the only time he ever listened to him perform, knows Kieran’s the best choice.

James is still closeted—and skittish after his last relationship—and one fumbling, drunken kiss threatens to undo everything he’s worked so hard to rebuild, as well as the cover he’s fought to maintain.

Can James overcome his past, confront his demons, and reclaim his former fame? Or will he and the newly formed True North remain in Eden’s shadow forever? Can he finally find comfort in who he is, accept his past, and reopen his heart? Or will the memories of Theo’s betrayal and the subsequent fallout dash any hope of finding—and trusting—love again?

Trigger warning: this book contains explicit rape, as well as one failed suicide attempt by a main character.
Continue reading →

Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, LGBT, Published in 2019, Susan65's Reviews | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Audio Review: Unwritten Law by Eden Finley

Posted on February 18, 2019 by susan65coug Miss Behaving

Reviewed by Susan65

Title: Unwritten Law
Author: Eden Finley
Narrators: Antony Ferguson & Joel Leslie
Series: Steele Brothers #1
Heroes: Law & Reed
Genre: M/M Contemporary
Length: 5 hrs and 45 mins
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Release Date: December 18, 2018
Available at: Amazon & Audible
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Being an identical twin doesn’t come without issues.

No one can tell us apart, not even our parents sometimes. We don’t usually use that to our advantage, but it comes in handy when my brother needs help breaking up with his boyfriends—which happens more than I’d care to admit. I know it’s enabling him, but I can’t say no to Anders. I will do anything for my twin. The breakups always go the same; they’re swift and simple.

Until Reed.

He’s everything I’ve fantasised about but never allowed myself to have. When I give in to temptation and begin to freak out, it’s not because he’s a guy. It’s because he thinks I’m my brother, and I can’t bring myself to tell him the truth.

**Unwritten Law is a 52,000 word stand alone with a HFN/HEA guarantee and no cliffhanger. It contains a mistaken identity trope. Please check trigger warnings in the front matter.**
Continue reading →

Categories: 3.5 Star Ratings, Audio Review, Book Review, LGBT, Published in 2018, Susan65's Reviews | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Audio Review: Born Again Sinner by Daryl Banner

Posted on February 12, 2019 by susan65coug Miss Behaving

Reviewed by Susan65

Title: Born Again Sinner
Author: Daryl Banner
Narrators:  Chris Chambers and Sean Crisden
Series: N/A
Heroes: Cody/Trey
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 10 Hours, 2 Minutes
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Release Date: December 12, 2018
Available at: Amazon and Audible
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: “Cody Davis is gonna make a sinner out of me.”

Yes, I know exactly who he is. The wounded soldier at the end of Willow Street. Intimidating. Devastatingly handsome. Muscular body chiseled from stone. Deep dark eyes that dare you to come near. Attitude for days. And I just became his caregiver.

Everyone warned me to stay away from him – including my father, the respected minister of our small town of Spruce. But clearly, I’m too stubborn to heed good advice, especially when Cody Davis is as frustratingly attractive – and persistent – as they come.

As the preacher’s son, I have strict morals I must live by. But each day spent with that aggravating hunk makes me question them. My safe and fragile world is turning upside down, and I’m not sure I have the strength to stop it.

And even worse: I’m not sure I want to. Temptation this bad never looked so good. This soldier is gonna make a sinner out of me.
Continue reading →

Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Audio Review, LGBT, Published in 2018, Susan65's Reviews | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Audio Review: Rank & File by L.A. Witt

Posted on February 8, 2019 by susan65coug Miss Behaving

Reviewed by Susan65

Title: Rank & File
Author: L.A. Witt
Narrator: Nick J. Russo
Series: Anchor Point #4
Heroes: Will & Brent
Genre: M/M Contemporary
Length: 7 hours
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Release Date: March 8, 2018
Available at: Riptide Publishing, Amazon & Audible
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Senior Chief Will Curtis is as straitlaced as they come. While his fellow Sailors have partied their way through their enlistments, he’s had his eye on the prize—making master chief and retiring after thirty years of service.

Lieutenant Brent Jameson is a Navy brat turned Annapolis grad. He’s lived and breathed the military his whole life, and he knows he’s destined for great things—once he’s done paying his dues at the bottom of the ladder.

When their paths cross, both men know better than to give in to temptation, but that doesn’t stop them. It also doesn’t keep them from coming back for more, even though being discovered would sink their careers. Something has to give—Will can retire, Brent can resign, or they’ll both face court-martial.

But there’s also the option neither wants to acknowledge: jump ship and walk away from each other instead of ending their careers over a fledgling relationship. And they should probably decide before they fall in love.

Except—too late. Continue reading →

Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Audio Review, LGBT, Published in 2018, Susan65's Reviews | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: In His Sights by L.A. Bryce

Posted on February 4, 2019 by susan65coug Miss Behaving

Reviewed by Susan65

Title: In His Sights
Author: L.A. Bryce
Series: N/A
Heroes: Noah/Mason
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 104,208 words
Publisher: JMS Books
Release Date: February 2, 2019
Available at: Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Meet two men who need each other’s help but don’t realize it until it’s almost too late.

Noah is gay and terrified someone might find out. So much so that when he was blackmailed with pictures of himself with another man, instead of coming clean, he left his SEAL team without a word.

The other man is openly gay Mason, a former Marine and now part of the FBI’s Joint Terrorist Task force. It takes eight years after their first meeting in the desert for a chance event bring the two men together again. Now Noah must decide if he’s ready to accept who he is or if it’s easier to cut and run. Can they navigate the obstacles in their path to build a relationship? And why does the thought of that scare them more than investigating a group of terrorists?
Continue reading →

Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, LGBT, Published in 2019, Susan65's Reviews | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment