Posts Tagged With: Contemporary

Ariel Tachna Week Review: Home for Chirappu

Reviewed by Nikyta

HomeforChirappuLGTitle: Home for Chirappu
Author: Ariel Tachna
Series: Celebrate! – 2014 Advent Calendar
Heroes: Nik & Trent
Genre: M/M Contemporary/Holiday
Length: 53 pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: December 1, 2014
Available at:  Dreamspinner Press & Amazon
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Nikhilesh (Nik) Sharma hasn’t been home to Alappuzha, India, since he came out to his family ten years ago. Now that his relationship with them is less strained, he’s bringing his boyfriend Trent along to celebrate the winter holidays. As excited as he is to see everyone again, he worries the foreign culture, religious differences, and disapproval might shock Trent. At the same time, Trent worries Nik’s big, close-knit family won’t accept an American—much less a man—as Nik’s partner and that his presence will impede the otherwise happy reunion. Whether the trip leads to misunderstandings that will drive them apart or to a new understanding that will draw them closer than ever, it’s sure to be an experience they’ll never forget.
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Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Author Week, Book Review, LGBT, Nikyta's Reviews, Published in 2014 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Summer Symphony by Brandon Shire

Reviewed by Susan65

1Title: Summer Symphony
Author: Brandon Shire
Heroes: Martin Zoric/Ren Wakahisa
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 164 Pages
Publisher: TPG Books
Release Date: October 1, 2014
Available at: TPG Books, Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Martin Zoric had vivid dreams of fatherhood, of a small hand pressed to his, of pink dresses and girlish laughter. Then his wife had a stillbirth and his world fell apart.

He listened to the unwanted apologies, stood by his wife as was expected of him, and kept his façade strong and firm for the entire world to see.

But does he have the strength to let go and really grieve?

When Ren Wakahisa landed in Croatia he was hoping to escape the cultural pressures put on him to conform. His family wanted him to forsake love for duty. They viewed his happiness as secondary to familial prosperity.

Does he have the courage to be who he wants to be? Or, will he yield to their wishes?

Summer Symphony is the story of how two men find their answers and what they learn about strength, and grace, and the endurance of love
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Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, LGBT, Published in 2014, Susan65's Reviews | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Audio Review: Snow Globe by L.E. Franks

Guest Reviewed by Morgan

1Title: Snow Globe
Author: L.E. Franks
Narrator: Dave Gillies
Series: Dreamspinner Press Advent 2013 Advent Calendar
Heroes: Kris Hamilton and Tyr Tollefson
Genre: M/M Contemporary
Length: Book – 44 Pages / Audio – 58 Minutes
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: Book – December 1, 2013 / Audio – November 10, 2014
Available at: Dreamspinner Press, Amazon, Audible and iTunes
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Kris Hamilton escaped the rat race in LA to live his dream of owning an art studio and making snow globes in a Christmas-themed town in northern Minnesota. But life in a tiny town isn’t as peaceful as advertised, and being treated like an outsider is making Kris’s Tourette’s flare up. When he inadvertently offends Tyr Tollefson—a beautiful blond giant of a man—Kris is ready to chuck it all. But he strikes up an unlikely friendship with Tyr’s cousin Bun, who shows them the magic of Christmas and gives them both a lesson in love and acceptance.

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Categories: 4.5 Star Ratings, Audio Review, Guest Reviewer, LGBT, Published in 2014 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Late Bloomer by Bru Baker

Reviewed by Nikyta

LateBloomerLG

Title: Late Bloomer
Author: Bru Baker
Heroes: David & Erik
Genre: M/M Contemporary
Length: 64 pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: December 10, 2014
Available at: Dreamspinner Press, Amazon, & All Romance eBooks
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: If not for his family and his Christmas tree farm, David Rochester would be a recluse. And Erik Shriver wouldn’t know a quiet moment if it smacked him in the face. But now David’s farm has brought them together. When Erik’s flurry of bad jokes and frenetic energy sets David off kilter, his family notices and begins conspiring. They push David and a very willing Erik together again and again until David stops denying his attraction. But an almost-hermit and a soon-to-be-former club boy each bring baggage into a relationship. They’ll have to take things slowly to find the middle ground between David’s taciturn silence and Eric’s boundless chatter.
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Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, LGBT, Nikyta's Reviews, Published in 2014 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Let the Music Say I Do by J.D. Walker

Reviewed by JustJen

1Title: Let the Music Say I Do
Author: J.D. Walker
Series: Wedding Bell Blues Book 1
Heroes: Jared Page/Joey Seever
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 32 Pages
Publisher: J.D. Walker
Release Date: October 19, 2014
Available at: Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb:  Jared Page and Joey Seever have a complicated relationship. They’re ex-lovers and former band members who still play together musically on occasion. Whenever Joey needs someone to fill in for a gig, Jared is the one he calls, despite their past history and the fact that Joey hadn’t wanted to take their relationship to the next level — marriage — and then cheated on him. Jared still has feelings for Joey even after all these years, though he’s become bitter and resentful.

The next time Jared fills in for a gig, he finds out that Joey has slept with a band member named Grady. Worse, Joey messed things up by cheating on Grady just like he had with Jared. In the fallout that follows, Jared says and does some things he instantly regrets.

He knows their friendship is worth saving, and he wants another chance at Joey’s heart, too. But there are things in Joey’s past that keep him running from commitment. Can they mend their relationship? Will Jared be able to convince Joey that love is nothing to fear, and marriage is just music to which to say, “I Do?”
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Categories: 3.5 Star Ratings, Book Review, JustJen's Reviews, LGBT, Published in 2014 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Book Review: Puzzle Me This by Eli Easton

Guest Reviewed by Morgan 

1Title: Puzzle Me This
Author: Eli Easton
Heroes: Luke Schumaker/Alex Shaw
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 88 Pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: October 2, 2013
Available at:  Dreamspinner Press, Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb:  Luke Schumaker designs computer games, working from his home. Every day he walks his dog in the woods nearby, never suspecting that someone who is completely smitten is watching.

The watcher is Alex Shaw, and he too works from home, designing logic and crossword puzzles. Alex’s options are limited: he’s too shy to approach Luke and his wheelchair won’t let him follow into the woods. His solution? Secret messages for Luke in the crosswords he writes for the local paper.

When Luke decodes them, romance begins, but then they face greater puzzles, like Alex’s interfering sister and what commitment to a man in a wheelchair really takes. And, most puzzling of all, how do you know if love is real?
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Categories: 5 Star Ratings, Book Review, Guest Reviewer, LGBT, Published in 2013 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: The Last Guy Breathing by Skylar Cates

Reviewed by JustJen

2Title: The Last Guy Breathing
Author: Skylar Cates
Series: The Guy #3
Heroes: Henry/Locke
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 154 Pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: December 8, 2014
Available at: Dreamspinner Press, Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb:  Henry Clueley doesn’t want to be in Glamour, not after moving far away to overcome a difficult, if privileged, childhood. He’s no longer that pudgy kid desperate to escape his hometown, but it still holds painful memories. When his recently widowed mother needs him, however, “dependable Henry” does the right thing—even if it means leaving the IRS to take a boring corporate position. Things don’t stay boring for long. Soon Henry helps the local sheriff’s department unravel a crime. Posing as half of a fake couple seems like a fun idea… until Henry learns he already knows the deputy playing his other half.

Deputy Locke may be new to the Glamour Sheriff’s Department, but he’s fought his way up in the world and is determined to make a good impression. He keeps his private life quiet, even from his beloved younger brother. Locke knows better than most the need to protect what’s his.

Henry resents the arrogant, gorgeous cop, and Locke thinks Henry is sheltered and spoiled. Their secret and steamy encounter only adds to the animosity. As they join forces, Henry thinks a relationship with Locke would be catastrophic, but the white-hot passion between them makes it hard to resist.
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Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, JustJen's Reviews, LGBT, Published in 2014 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: The Holiday Hoax by Skylar M. Cates

Reviewed by Nikyta

1Title: The Holiday Hoax
Author: Skylar M. Cates
Heroes: Evan Goodman/JD Laurens
Genre: M/M Contemporary/Holiday
Length: 83 Pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: December 12, 2014
Available at: Dreamspinner Press and Amazon
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: I’m Evan Goodman, budding actor, future star, college freshman. Oh, and let’s not forget—recently dumped. If only my family wasn’t expecting to meet my new boyfriend over the holiday break. Enter JD Laurens—a sweet and quiet science major who mostly keeps to himself. When he gathers the courage to come out, poor JD gets abandoned by his only family right in front of me, and now he has nowhere to go for Christmas. But I have a proposition for him: pretend to be my boyfriend for the holidays so I can take him home. It’s a win-win. What could go wrong?
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Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, LGBT, Nikyta's Reviews, Published in 2014 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Audio Review: Living Again by Brynn Stein

Reviewed by Morgan 

1Title: Living Again
Author: Brynn Stein
Narrator: Randy Fuller
Heroes: Daniel Larson and Jonah Thacker
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: Book – 200 Pages / Audio – 6 Hours, 20 Minutes
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: Book – July 21, 2014 / Audio – November 6, 2014
Available at: Dreamspinner Press, Amazon, Audible and iTunes
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Daniel Larson has walled himself off from any possibility of romance since his lover died violently five years ago in Afghanistan. The same bomb that ended his partner’s life took the lower part of Daniel’s left leg. The only support Daniel has, his Uncle Lawrence, is dead-set against anything homosexual, including Daniel.

Now, a popular language teacher at the local university, Daniel’s suffering from a car accident that broke his one good leg. His uncle, who is much better at throwing money at things than offering emotional support, provides a rented power chair and a private in-home nurse. Unbeknownst to his uncle, the nurse comes in the form of a man named Jonah Thacker.

Instantly attracted, Daniel and Jonah fight their mutual feelings in favor of professionalism. They become friends anyway, and Jonah shares his life with Daniel, including his handicapped son, Ethan. As Jonah and Daniel grow closer, Daniel becomes more involved in Jonah and his son’s lives, even being there for Ethan when his medical conditions worsen. But when Daniel’s uncle finds out the nurse he’s hired is male, he uses all of his resources to keep Jonah and Daniel apart.
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Categories: 1.5 Star Ratings, Audio Review, Guest Reviewer, LGBT, Published in 2014 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Batteries Not Included by J.L. Merrow

Reviewed by JustJen

1Title: Batteries Not Included
Author: J.L. Merrow
Heroes: Sam/Shane
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 30 Pages
Publisher: J.L. Merrow
Release Date: December 14, 2014
Available at: Amazon and Smashwords
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb:  How would you react if you woke up one morning to find you were in bed with your favorite rock star? More to the point: how would the rock star react?

Animal rescue worker Sam is content to dream of rock sensation Cain Shepney. Trouble is, his meddling mother Lillith thinks he deserves to have all his dreams come true — and she isn’t above performing a little magic to achieve her ends! Sam’s shocked to wake up one morning to find himself actually in bed with his celebrity crush — but that’s nothing to how Cain feels about it! Suddenly Sam’s got to deal with an irate, naked, and very distracting rock star in his bed.

Cain has it all — he’s good-looking, famous, and adored by millions. But his life takes a turn for the surreal when he wakes up in bed with Sam. Expecting everyone to be worried sick by his disappearance, Cain’s horrified to find his manager — and even his mum — insisting he’s an imposter, and the real Cain Shepney is right where he belongs.

Sam just wants to help, but with Cain convinced he’s a crazed, celebrity-kidnapping stalker, Sam’s got his work cut out for him. Can he get the object of his affections to trust him long enough to find out just what the hell’s going on?
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Categories: 3.5 Star Ratings, Book Review, JustJen's Reviews, LGBT, Published in 2014 | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment