Posts Tagged With: racism

Book Review: Benoit by R.J. Scott and V.L. Locey

Reviewed by Susan65

Title: Benoit
Authors: R.J. Scott and V.L. Locey
Series: Owatonna U Hockey #3
Heroes: Ethan/Ben
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 192 Pages
Publisher: Love Lane Books Unlimited
Release Date: May 17, 2019
Available at: Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: When the lines between career and love blur, will Ethan and Ben find a way to create a future that will work for both of them?

Senior year is here, and everything is on the line. Benoit’s time to shine in the crease is now, and he’s going to do everything he can to make sure those professional scouts take notice. He’s earned a great reputation for his skills in the net, and his laid-back demeanor is his key to maintaining his cool when things get heated in the goal crease.

As the Eagles roar into a new season, Ben’s laser-sharp focus is shattered by his attraction to Ethan Girard, the team’s new defensive consultant. Trying his best to ignore the budding friendship that’s taking a hard, fast turn into something far more passionate, Ben is determined to keep his mind on the sport he loves and not let his feelings for the handsome older man creep into his performance. But love, like hockey, is wildly unpredictable, and soon Ben finds that he’s unable to distance himself from Ethan who is slowly and surely working himself into his heart.

Famed Boston defenseman, Ethan Girard, isn’t stupid. Celebrating his thirty-second birthday in the emergency room after breaking his leg, and with a warning that healing will be a long process, he knows he has to think about his future. He was drafted at eighteen, and he’s never known anything but hockey, but with no contract in place yet for the new season he considers that maybe it’s time for him to hang up his skates for good.

Volunteering to help out with the Owatonna Eagles fills his time, but from the moment he lays eyes on goalie Ben, he knows his world will never be the same again. Falling in lust is as easy as stealing his first kiss, but Ben refuses to engage. Has Ethan finally met his match?
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Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, LGBT, Published in 2019, Susan65's Reviews | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Audio Until September by Chris Scully

Reviewed by Morgan

UntilSeptember_AudiobookTitle: Until September
Author: Chris Scully
Narrator: Michael Pauley
Heroes: Archie/Ryan
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 7 Hours, 51 Minutes
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Release Date: June 13, 2016
Available at: Amazon, Audible and iTunes
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: As a teenager, Archie Noblesse clawed his way out of the poverty, heartache, and abuse of the reservation and left his family behind. Desperate to shake the shadow of his past, he reinvents himself as Archer Noble, an outspoken blogger and controversial author who lives only for himself. But when his beloved sister dies, Archer is saddled with guardianship of his niece and nephew.

Elementary school teacher Ryan Eriksson is devastated when his best friend Marguerite is killed, leaving her two young children orphaned. Helping Archer with his new responsibilities eases his grief, but when Archer offers him custody of the children, Ryan’s left with an impossible choice: get the family he’s always wanted, or respect Margie’s wishes and convince Archer to give parenting—and his heritage—a chance.

To buy time, Ryan promises to stay for the summer, hoping that Archer will change his mind and fall for the kids. But Archer’s reluctant, and the growing attraction between him and Ryan complicates matters. Legal decisions must be made, and soon, before Ryan returns to school. But with hearts involved, more than just the children’s future is on the line.
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Categories: 5 Star Ratings, Audio Review, LGBT, Morgan's Reviews, Published in 2016 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Audio Review: Pura Vida by Sara Alva

Reviewed by Morgan 

61Ih1Mh73wL__AA300_Title: Pura Vida
Author: Sara Alva
Narrator: Joseph Northton
Series: Love Has No Boundaries
Heroes: Simon/Juan
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 2 hours, 23 minutes
Publisher: Sara Alva
Release Date: August 7, 2015
Available at: Amazon, Audible
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Simon has found himself in an open relationship for the summer—though not by choice. Instead of wallowing, he’s decided to make the most of a family vacation to Costa Rica by hooking up with the first hot guy available. Trouble is, he has no clue how to go about doing that.

Luckily, he runs into someone with a little more experience. But when the moments of lust turn into something more, Simon isn’t so sure he’ll be able to return to his old relationship. And there’s no way to hold onto this new one, either, as thousands of miles will separate them in only a few short weeks. Either way, he’ll have to learn to let go.

This story was written as a part of the Goodreads M/M Romance Group’s “Love Has No Boundaries” event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story.
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Categories: 3.5 Star Ratings, Audio Review, Guest Reviewer, LGBT, Published in 2015 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Audio Review: The Fight Within by Andrew Grey

Reviewed by Morgan

1Title: The Fight Within
Author: Andrew Grey
Narrator: Andrew McFerrin
Series: The Good Fight #2
Heroes: Bryce Morton and Paytah Stillwater
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: Book – 206 Pages / Audio – 7 Hours, 7 Minutes
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: Book – March 4, 2013 / Audio – December 15, 2014
Available at: Amazon, Audible and iTunes
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Bryce Morton needs a change of scenery. Since his partner’s death a year ago, he’s become withdrawn and quiet, so his friends, Jerry Lincoln and Akecheta (John) Black Raven, convince him to go camping with them on a Sioux reservation. Though he’s not immediately sure he’s done the right thing, Bryce becomes more interested when he meets Paytah, the man who owns the reservation’s trading post.

Paytah Stillwater’s life is filled with hurt, and sometimes the only thing he has left is pride. After being abused as a child and disbelieved when he spoke up, he has withdrawn into himself—but he can never truly put his past behind him, because the source of his pain still lives on the reservation. Paytah is proud of his heritage and careful with his heart, but when Bryce commits a selfless act of kindness for one of the reservation’s children, the walls around Paytah’s heart begin to melt.

Bryce and Paytah each fight the pain within them. When Paytah’s abuser sets his sights on one of the reservation youngsters, Bryce and Paytah must set their individual fights aside. Finding a way to stop the abuser unites them to fight their way forward—together.
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Categories: 3.5 Star Ratings, Audio Review, Guest Reviewer, LGBT, Published in 2014 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Audio Review: The Good Fight by Andrew Grey

Reviewed by Morgan 

1Title: The Good Fight
Author: Andrew Grey
Narrator: Andrew McFerrin
Series: The Good Fight #1
Heroes: Jerry Lincoln and John Black Raven
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: Book – 200 Pages / Audio – 6 Hours, 13 Minutes
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: book – September 3, 2012 / Audio – October 29, 2014
Available at: Amazon, Audible and iTunes
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Jerry Lincoln has a problem: his Sioux Falls IT consulting business has more work than one man can handle. Luckily, that means he can hire some help. Jerry just hopes his new employee, John Black Raven, ends up being more helpful than distracting—but John’s deep eyes and long hair are very distracting.

John came to town for an education and a chance at a life he couldn’t have on the reservation, but what’s important to him now is getting a job and keeping it. Six months ago, his sister died, and now her children are in foster care. Despite having the law on his side, John can’t get custody—can’t even see his niece and nephew.

As Jerry and John grow closer, John discovers he doesn’t have to struggle alone. Jerry helps him win visitation rights and provides much-needed support. Yet their victories aren’t without setbacks. Child Services is tangled up with money, politics, and red tape, and Native American children are their bread and butter. But John and Jerry are determined to fight the good fight and to win—in more ways than one.
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Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Audio Review, Guest Reviewer, LGBT, Published in 2014 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Restless Spirits by Jordan L. Hawk

Reviewed by Heather C

23569031Title: Restless Spirits
Author: Jordan L. Hawk
Series: Spirits #1
Heroes: Henry Strauss and Vincent Night
Genre: M/M Historical Romance
Length: 69,000 words
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: January 6, 2015
Available at: Smashwords and Amazon
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: After losing the family fortune to a fraudulent psychic, inventor Henry Strauss is determined to bring the otherworld under control through the application of science. All he needs is a genuine haunting to prove his Electro-Séance will work. A letter from wealthy industrialist Dominic Gladfield seems the answer to his prayers. Gladfield’s proposition: a contest pitting science against spiritualism, with a hefty prize for the winner.

The contest takes Henry to Reyhome Castle, the site of a series of brutal murders decades earlier. There he meets his rival for the prize, the dangerously appealing Vincent Night. Vincent is handsome, charming…and determined to get Henry into bed.

Henry can’t afford to fall for a spirit medium, let alone the competition. But nothing in the haunted mansion is quite as it seems, and soon winning the contest is the least of Henry’s concerns.

For the evil stalking the halls of Reyhome Castle wants to claim not just Henry and Vincent’s lives, but their very souls.
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Categories: 5 Star Ratings, Book Review, Heather C's Reviews, LGBT, Published in 2015 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: The Fight for Identity by Andrew Grey

Guest Reviewed by Morgan

3Title: The Fight for Identity
Author: Andrew Grey
Series: The Good Fight #3
Heroes: Will Martin/Takoda Red Bird
Genre: M/M Contemporary
Length: 200 Pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: May 10, 2013
Available at: Dreamspinner Press, Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Will Martin’s racist father, Kevin, hates Native Americans and wants to keep them off his property, never mind that part of the ranch land is sacred ground for the Sioux. When they request access for prayer, Kevin refuses—but Will doesn’t share his father’s views. Ever since he first saw Takoda Red Bird during one of the Sioux sacred ceremonies, Will has been fascinated. He grants the tribe access.

Takoda defies Kevin on a regular basis. He often sneaks to the sacred site on the rancher’s land for prayer and knows Will has seen him there. When, out of spite, Kevin places the land up for auction, Takoda knows it is time for action and bands together with Will to stop the sale.

In the fight that follows, Will gets more than he expected. He starts out helping the tribe preserve their identity… and ends up finding his own.
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Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, Guest Reviewer, LGBT, Published in 2013 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: The Fight Within by Andrew Grey

Guest Reviewed by Morgan

3Title: The Fight Within
Author: Andrew Grey
Series: The Good Fight #2
Heroes: Bryce Morton/Paytah Stillwater
Genre: M/M Contemporary
Length: 206 Pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: March 4, 2013
Available at: Dreamspinner Press, Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Bryce Morton needs a change of scenery. Since his partner’s death a year ago, he’s become withdrawn and quiet, so his friends, Jerry Lincoln and Akecheta (John) Black Raven, convince him to go camping with them on a Sioux reservation. Though he’s not immediately sure he’s done the right thing, Bryce becomes more interested when he meets Paytah, the man who owns the reservation’s trading post.

Paytah Stillwater’s life is filled with hurt, and sometimes the only thing he has left is pride. After being abused as a child and disbelieved when he spoke up, he has withdrawn into himself – but he can never truly put his past behind him, because the source of his pain still lives on the reservation. Paytah is proud of his heritage and careful with his heart, but when Bryce commits a selfless act of kindness for one of the reservation’s children, the walls around Paytah’s heart begin to melt.

Bryce and Paytah each fight the pain within them. When Paytah’s abuser sets his sights on one of the reservation youngsters, Bryce and Payton must set their individual fights aside. Finding a way to stop the abuser unites them to fight their way forward – together.
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Categories: 3 Star Ratings, Book Review, Guest Reviewer, LGBT, Published in 2013 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: The Good Fight by Andrew Grey

Guest Reviewed by Morgan

The Good Fight (The Good Fight, #1)Title: The Good Fight
Author: Andrew Grey
Series: The Good Fight #1
Heroes: Jerry Lincoln and John Black Raven
Genre: M/M Contemporary
Length: 200 Pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: September 2, 2012
Available at:  Dreamspinner Press, Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Jerry Lincoln has a problem: his Sioux Falls IT consulting business has more work than one man can handle. Luckily, that means he can hire some help. Jerry just hopes his new employee, John Black Raven, ends up being more helpful than distracting—but John’s deep eyes and long hair are very distracting.

John came to town for an education and a chance at a life he couldn’t have on the reservation, but what’s important to him now is getting a job and keeping it. Six months ago, his sister died, and now her children are in foster care. Despite having the law on his side, John can’t get custody—can’t even see his niece and nephew.

As Jerry and John grow closer, John discovers he doesn’t have to struggle alone. Jerry helps him win visitation rights and provides much-needed support. Yet their victories aren’t without setbacks. Child Services is tangled up with money, politics, and red tape, and Native American children are their bread and butter. But John and Jerry are determined to fight the good fight and to win—in more ways than one.
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Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, Guest Reviewer, LGBT, Published in 2012 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Book Review: Wild Burn by Edie Harris

Reviewed by Heather C

16103311Title: Wild Burn
Author: Edie Harris
Series: Wild State #1
Hero/Heroine: Delaney Crawford & Moira Tully
Genre: M/F Historical Romance, Western
Length: 283 pages
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Release Date: January 15, 2013
Available at: Samhain PublishingAmazonAll Romance eBooksBarnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf at: GoodreadsBooklikes

Blurb: Shoot first. Ask her name later.

Infamy weighs heavy on Delaney Crawford’s broad shoulders, first as a supposed Confederate turncoat, then as a relentless hunter of Cheyenne dog soldiers. Summoned to the small mining community of Red Creek, the exhausted, embittered Del is doing what he does best—ridding the town of its savage scourge—when one of his bullets misses the mark.

Ex-nun Moira Tully has been working with John White Horse for months to integrate a band of peaceful Cheyenne with the local townsfolk. Now he’s hurt, and she’s been caught in the crossfire. There’s only one man to blame for her simmering anger and the inexplicable attraction that tilts her heart on its axis. Del.

When Del is forced to acknowledge the truth that the Cheyenne are no threat, his task just gets more complicated: fighting a wild attraction that catches flame at the most inconvenient times, and figuring out the treacherous motives behind his hiring.

But the most heart-wrenching challenge could be overcoming sordid pasts that won’t stay in the past—pasts that threaten to bury all hope of happily ever after.

Product Warnings
Features a trigger-happy Southern gentleman, an ex-nun gone rogue and consistently thwarted desires that frustrate them both. Continue reading

Categories: 3 Star Ratings, Book Review, Heather C's Reviews, M/F, Published in 2013 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment