Category Archives: Erotic

November 29, 2015 · 11:56 pm

Review: Fish Stick Fridays by Rhys Ford

Title: Fish Stick Fridays by Rhys Ford
Half Moon Bay Mystery Series Book One
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Genre: Contemporary, M/M, Erotic, Romance, Mystery/Suspense
Length: 204 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by the Author

Summary:

Deacon Reid was born bad to the bone with no intention of changing. A lifetime of law-bending and living on the edge suits him just fine—until his baby sister dies and he finds himself raising her little girl.

Staring down a family history of bad decisions and reaped consequences, Deacon cashes in everything he owns, purchases an auto shop in Half Moon Bay, and takes his niece, Zig, far away from the drug dens and murderous streets they grew up on. Zig deserves a better life than what he had, and Deacon is determined to give it to her.

Lang Harris is stunned when Zig, a little girl in combat boots and a purple tutu, blows into his bookstore, and then he’s left speechless when her uncle, Deacon Reid, walks in hot on her heels. Lang always played it safe, but Deacon tempts him to step over the line… just a little bit.

More than a little bit. And Lang is willing to be tempted.

Unfortunately, Zig isn’t the only bit of chaos dropped into Half Moon Bay. Violence and death strike, leaving Deacon scrambling to fight off a killer before he loses not only Zig but Lang too.

Review:

The first installment in Rhys Ford’s new mystery series, Fish Stick Fridays, is a delightfully heartwarming romance. The mystery aspect of the storyline is compelling, but the marvelous cast of characters is what makes this novel such an outstanding read.

From the wrong side of the tracks with a bit of a sketchy past, Deacon Reid turns his life around after his sister dies so he can become his niece Zig’s guardian. Deacon is WAY out of his comfort zone when it comes raising a little girl, but he is determined she will have a better life than he or his sister did. Deacon is patient but firm with Zig and although she tries to keep an emotional distance between them, he does a pretty good job giving her the stability she needs to heal from her traumatic past.

Bookstore owner Lang Harris is everything Deacon isn’t: refined, wealthy and privileged. However, this does not mean that his life is any more perfect than Deacon’s. Lang has been hurt in the past and he is still trying to move on from a disastrous relationship that left him both physically and emotionally shattered. His relationship with his family is also strained but Lang is quite happy with the life he has made for himself in Half Moon Bay.

Zig is a precocious but lovable eight year old who steals every scene she stars in. She is tough, scrappy and swears like a stevedore but behind all her bravado is a scared little girl who is trying to cope with a painful past. Deacon will do just about anything to protect her and it is incredibly touching watching him go the extra mile to try to make the transition to their new life together easier for her.

The mystery element is understated but it is still an integral part of the storyline. Clever misdirects and a few red herrings make it impossible to figure the perpetrators’ identity until nearly the end of the novel. This aspect of the plot is action packed, intriguing and quite suspenseful.

Fish Stick Fridays by Rhys Ford is a heartfelt novel of love and family that I highly recommend to fans of gay romances. It is a perfect blend of sweet and sexy with just a hint of danger. The characters are beautifully developed with slight imperfections that add to their overall appeal. This well-written and fast paced novel is the perfect beginning to the Half Moon Bay series and I cannot wait to read the next installment!

Filed under Contemporary, Dreamspinner Press, Erotic, Fish Stick Fridays, Half Moon Bay Mystery Series, Mystery, Rated B, Review, Rhys Ford, Romance, Suspense

November 23, 2015 · 11:58 pm

Review: The Truth About Him by M. O’Keefe

Title: The Truth About Him by M. O’Keefe
Everything I Left Unsaid Book Two
Publisher: Bantam
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic, Romance, Suspense
Length: 337 pages
Book Rating: C+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

For fans of Christina Lauren and Jodi Ellen Malpas comes the next novel in M. O’Keefe’s breathtakingly sexy series about a woman called into a journey of the heart, body, and soul.

We played our roles, told each other lies.

But now Dylan is no longer just a mysterious deep voice on the other end of the line. We’re face-to-face and our relationship is very, very real.

We still have secrets—but so much is crystal clear:

The thrilling danger.

The raw, naked desire.

The need to keep feeling the way he makes me feel. Forever.

Dylan is putting up walls, trying to keep me safe, but he can’t shut me out. He has seen my darkness and rescued me. Now it’s my turn, if only he will let me.

Review:

In The Truth About Him, the second novel in M. O’Keefe’s two book series Everything I Left Unsaid, the cliffhanger from the first installment is quickly resolved but there is plenty of peril ahead for Annie McKay and Dylan Daniels when someone from his past unexpectedly re-emerges.

When the previous installment ended, Annie’s past finally caught up with her with a very unexpected arrival. With her situation becoming more precarious with each passing second, a dramatic turn of events quickly closes the chapter on this part of her life. However, before she and Dylan can move forward with their budding romance, Dylan’s previous connection to a motorcycle club brings danger to the people around him.

With her past finally resolved, Annie really comes into her own during The Truth About Him. She is more confident and she does not hesitate to voice her opinions. She does not let anyone (including Dylan) make her decisions for her and although she sometimes is a little too stubborn, it is quite refreshing watching her stand up to her friends and neighbors. Annie is also willing to take a risk when it comes to matters of the heart and she does not hide her feelings from Dylan.

Dylan is still working to make peace with his somewhat dysfunctional family life. All of his secrets are finally revealed but forgiveness remains elusive. He remains uncertain about a future with Annie but despite his best efforts to stay away from her, he finds it impossible to resist their attraction. When things become rocky between them, Dylan makes a conscious effort to stop running from his problems and only then does he make progress conquering the lingering demons from his past.

While Dylan and Annie are more honest with each other in this installment, their relationship gets a little lost in all of the drama from Dylan’s past. There is still plenty of unadulterated lust between them and their sex scenes remain extremely erotic. However, the storyline takes on a suspenseful element once Dylan is reunited with a couple of people from the motorcycle club and there is quite a bit of danger surrounding everyone as this part of the plot plays out. In the midst of these story arcs, Dylan’s relationship with his father remains contentious and he is slow to relinquish his anger or offer forgiveness for the series of events that occurred between them several years earlier.

For the most part, The Truth About Him is an engaging and satisfying conclusion to the Everything I Left Unsaid series. The novel is well-written but the storyline is a little busy and somewhat slow paced. The main characters are fully developed and mostly sympathetic. All of the storylines featuring Dylan and Annie are completely resolved, but there are a few story arcs with secondary characters that leave a lot of unanswered questions. Hopefully M. O’Keefe has plans for future novels which will bring closure to these dangling storylines.

Read my review of Everything I Left Unsaid HERE.

Filed under Bantam, Contemporary, Erotic, Everything I Left Unsaid Series, M O'Keefe, Rated C+, Review, Romance, The Truth About Him

November 22, 2015 · 11:58 pm

Review: Hold Me Close by Megan Hart

Title: Hold Me Close by Megan Hart
Publisher: MIRA
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic, Romance
Length: 352 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Apart, they are broken, but together, they are whole

Effie and Heath are famous. Not for anything they did, but for what happened to them as teenagers. Abducted and abused by the same man, they turned to each other for comfort until they were finally able to make their escape.

Now adults, their relationship is fraught with guilt and despair. Whether fighting or making love, their passion is strong enough to destroy them both—and Effie’s not about to let that happen. She knows it’s time for her to have a “normal” relationship, and Heath is nothing but a constant reminder of the dark past they share. Heath, on the other hand, knows Effie is the only woman he can ever love. She may want to forget what happened, but he’s convinced that they must face their past together in order to move forward. So while Effie continues to bring new men into her life, Heath becomes obsessed with proving he’s the one she needs.

Then a new crisis arises and Effie begins to lose every scrap of self-control she ever had. As she struggles against her desire to return to the one man who understands her, she discovers that sometimes the only safety you find is with the person who is the most dangerous for you.

Review:

With a unique but compelling storyline, complex and somewhat broken characters and dark, violent sexual encounters, Megan Hart’s latest release, Hold Me Close is a gritty and sometimes, heartbreaking, erotic romance.

Effie Linton and Heath Shaw have a long, complicated history together with a tragic past that both binds them together and pushes them apart. They were kidnapped as teenagers and held together in captivity by a sociopath who physically abused Heath and put both of them through physical and mental torture for three long years. During this time, they turned to each other for comfort and close to twenty years later, they are still drawn to one another. Heath would like to make their relationship permanent, but Effie longs for a vanilla relationship with someone who is not tied to her past. However, is it possible for Effie to walk away from the one man who not only truly understands her but also shares her darker desires?

On the surface, Effie appears to have moved past the trauma from the kidnapping. She has a thriving career as an artist and she is a good mother to her pre-teen daughter, Polly. But the inspiration from her art comes directly from her past and she cannot make a clean break from Heath no matter how hard she tries. She is closed off from everyone except Polly and she still maintains an unhealthy relationship from someone in her past. Effie makes a real effort to forge a safer relationship with a man she meets through an on line dating service, but she is unable to fully commit to an exclusive relationship.

Heath remains on the periphery for much of the novel, but he is an incredibly likable and sympathetic character. He truly loves Effie and he remains loyal and steadfast to be both her and Polly. Despite an initial downward spiral after they were rescued from their kidnapper, Heath’s life is finally on track and currently, he is in a much healthier place than Effie. He truly believes they belong together and for a while, he allows Effie to return to him whenever she needs the sexual satisfaction he can provide. However, once he realizes she is serious about finding someone else to settle down with, Heath refuses to allow her to continue pulling him back into her life.

Effie’s journey through the darkness of her past takes time but is very much worth the wait. It is incredibly frustrating watching her refuse to recognize what she shares with Heath is real and not quite as dysfunctional as she believes. The constant push/pull between them is exasperating but there is no denying the emotional connection they share. Their sexual scenes are darkly sensual and laced with violence but Effie and Heath crave the kink that they experience together. The anticipation of what direction the story is going to go and which man Effie will ultimately choose makes it virtually impossible to put down this captivating novel.

A fascinating story about overcoming a traumatic and life alternating event, Hold Me Close is another well-written and riveting erotic romance by Megan Hart. Some of the flashbacks to what Effie and Heath endured during their kidnapping are difficult to read but overall, this portion of the storyline is not overly explicit. This backstory paints a vivid portrait of how these events shaped both Effie and Heath, and, ultimately, their extremely complicated relationship.

Tremendous character growth along with a surprisingly uplifting conclusion make Hold Me Close a thought-provoking and enjoyable read.

Filed under Contemporary, Erotic, Harlequin, Megan Hart, Mira, Rated B, Review, Romance

November 15, 2015 · 11:58 pm

Review: Beloved Unmasked by Brita Addams

Title: Beloved Unmasked by Brita Addams
Cherished One Series Book One
A Tarnished Novel
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Genre: Historical, M/M,Erotic, Romance,
Length: 274 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by the Author

Summary:

Cherished One: Book One
A Tarnished novel

Born to a spiteful prostitute in Storyville, the red-light district in New Orleans, David comes into the world as Picayune, meaning “of little value,” or, as his mother reminds him, “nothing.” In the early 20th century brothels and clubs, his love of music sustains young Pic until a life-changing meeting places him on the road to respectability, and Pic reinvents himself as David Reid.

As David realizes happiness for the first time, conscription forces his friend and first love, Spencer Webb, into the Great War. While he pursues a law degree, letters from Spence connect David to his hopes for the future. After staggering news at war’s end, David must find a way to move forward. Under the tutelage of his benefactor, David’s career prospers, but specters from Storyville threaten all he’s worked so hard to achieve.

The past holds both pain and love. Will facing it head-on destroy David or give him everything he’s ever dared dream?

Review:

No one writes better historical novels than Brita Addams so it comes as absolutely no surprise that her latest release, Beloved Unmasked, is another brilliantly written and well researched gay romance. Spanning several years, this first installment in the Cherished One series takes place in New Orleans and features David Reid’s journey from abused son of a prostitute to well-respected lawyer.

Despite his humble beginnings and the abuse at the hands of his mother, David Reid (aka Picayune) remains optimistic and determined to make a better life for himself. He is well respected by everyone he meets and he is not afraid of hard work. He has people looking out for him who encourage him to get an education so he can take a different career path. Once he makes it out of the district and realizes his dreams, David never forget those who helped him and he remains loyal to them long after everyone has moved on.

Growing up in the red light district, David is no stranger to sex, but he wants more than quick, meaningless sexual encounters. His relationship with rent boy Spencer Webb is full of laughter and although David’s feelings run deeper than friendship, Spence holds him at arms’ length. Spence’s own past is troubled yet he manages to remain light, carefree and accepting of his fate. When the US enters World War I, Spencer is conscripted into service then sent to France in the months leading up to the end of the war.

However, the person who has the most influence on David’s life is Emile Dauterive. A successful lawyer with political aspirations, Spence introduces the two men and when David strikes out on his own, Emile offers to help him achieve his goals. Emile has David’s best interests at heart and he provides him with a place to live, a job and the money to go college. He wants nothing in return except friendship and David graciously and eagerly accepts his conditions. Although he sometimes oversteps in an effort to protect David from getting hurt, Emile cares deeply for him and their friendship easily weathers a few storms.

Beloved Unmasked by Brita Addams is an engaging rags to riches story that is well-researched and stars a cast of memorable characters. The novel is impeccably researched and rife with historical details that bring the time period, characters and setting vibrantly to life. With unexpected plot twists and the tiniest hint of drama, this first installment in the Cherished One series is a captivating tale that readers of historical gay romances do not want to miss. An outstanding novel that I absolutely loved and highly recommend.

Filed under Beloved Unmasked, Brita Addams, Cherished One Series, Dreamspinner Press, Erotic, Historical, M/M, Rated B, Review, Romance, Tarnished

November 4, 2015 · 11:58 pm

Review: Rock Me Two Times by Dawn Ryder

Title: Rock Me Two Times by Dawn Ryder
Rock Band Series Book One
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic, Romance
Length: 320 pages
Book Rating: C

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

First in Dawn Ryder’s sizzling new Rock Band series.

Rock star Syon Braden writes and plays the most extreme-and profitable-music from the depths of his shredded heart. He’s got a double platinum record, adoring fans, and success for his band Toxsin-but it’s what he can’t have that he craves. Custom leather designer Kate Napier has her sights set on success, and that means keeping irresistible rock stars like Syon out of her bed. The chance to tour with the band and provide them with a fantastic custom wardrobe is too major an opportunity to turn down. But immersion in the dark, wild world of Toxsin on tour means Kate’s about to get rocked…hard…body and soul.

Review:

Rock Me Two Times is the first installment in Dawn Ryder’s newest series, Rock Band. Fans of erotic romances starring bad boy rock stars are sure to enjoy this outing starring one of the band members and a custom leather designer.

Kate Napier is not at all happy when her business partner, Percy Lynwood, makes arrangements for her to make a last minute wardrobe repair for über popular rock group Toxsin. She is instantly attracted to hot band member and songwriter Syon Braden, but she has a strict no rock star rule. However, when presented with the opportunity to go on tour with the group, she cannot deny the publicity would do wonders for her business. Trying to keep her distance from Syon is virtually impossible, but will their relationship last once the tour ends?

Insta-lust flares between Kate and Syon right from their very first meeting which pretty much sets the tone for their passion fueled relationship. Syon is possessive, demanding and persistent while Kate wavers back and forth between sticking to her rules and giving in to her desire for him. Syon is intense and dedicated to his career but he can be overbearing when it comes to getting what he wants. His business sense is something Kate respects since she is equally serious about her own career. However, her previous relationship leaves her reluctant to become involved with another rock star but her attraction to Syon proves too powerful to resist. Not all the members of Toxsin are happy with their burgeoning romance and it soon becomes obvious someone is willing to go any lengths to sabotage Kate’s business association with the group.

While Rock Me Two Times has an interesting storyline, it unfortunately gets lost amongst the numerous sex scenes between Kate and Syon. The sex scenes are incendiary but the encounters eventually become repetitive. Regrettably, character development also suffers a bit as well and it is difficult to feel much of a connection to the main protagonists or the secondary characters.

Rock Me Two Times by Dawn Ryder is fast paced with plenty of smoking hot sex scenes. Fans of erotic romances are sure to enjoy this first installment in the Rock Band series.

Filed under Contemporary, Dawn Ryder, Erotic, Rated C, Review, Rock Band Series, Rock Me Two Times, Romance, Sourcebook Casablanca

October 8, 2015 · 11:57 pm

Review: Signs of Life by Melanie Hansen

Title: Signs of Life by Melanie Hansen
Resilient Love Series Book Two
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Genre: Contemporary, M/M, Erotic Romance
Length: 234 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Blog Blog Tour Company

Summary:

A Resilient Love Story

Successful lawyer Jeremy Speer has it all—a loving husband, a beautiful home, and a cherished dream that’s about to become reality. He’s learned not to take happiness for granted, meeting the challenges of life and love head-on with unwavering commitment and fierce devotion. A series of tragic events leave Jeremy shattered, adrift on a sea of unimaginable pain. He’s able to piece his life back together, but instead of embracing it, he merely exists, using isolation and punishing physical exertion to keep the world at bay.

High school teacher Kai Daniels has a heart for at-risk kids—he was one himself, and a teenage brush with the law and some troubled years behind bars left him scarred inside and out. With courage, hard work, and the support of friends, he’s built a fulfilling life that leaves no time for a relationship.

An intense encounter with Kai at a gay club ignites a spark in Jeremy that he thought was extinguished forever, but he’s unwilling to destroy the fragile peace he’s managed to create, and he leaves Kai humiliated and disappointed. Things should have ended there, but a bizarre occurrence brings the two together in a way neither of them expected.

Review:

Signs of Life is a poignant, heartwarming and scorching hot romance. Although it is the second installment in Melanie Hansen’s Resilient Love series, it can be read as a standalone.

Jeremy Speer is incredibly happy when his life takes an unexpectedly tragic turn. Unable to cope with his deep sorrow, he goes down a very dark and pain-filled road but once he finally hits rock bottom, his best friend Jase DeSantis is there to help him turn his life around. Two long and lonely years later, Jeremy is still picking up the pieces of his life when he has a one night stand with Kai Dainels. Surprised by the heartrending memories this encounter stirs up, Jeremy abruptly abandons Kai but a surprising twist of fate brings the two men a few months later. With their attraction for one another burning hotter than ever, Jeremy and Kai agree to a friends with benefits arrangement that soon transitions into something deeper. After suffering such a shattering loss will Jeremy open his heart to the possibility of love?

Jeremy is slow to recover from his loss and he is sometimes his own worst enemy. Meeting Kai is just what he needs to jump start his life but Jeremy is not in any rush to make big changes. He is finally getting his professional life back on track but he is still very hesitant to step out of his self-imposed isolation. An act of vandalism shakes him up and sets the stage for his unanticipated reunion with Kai. Still not ready to open himself up to further hurt, Jeremy is honest about not wanting an emotional entanglement but his relationship with Kai provides him with startling insight into just how far he has come in the past few years.

Kai is caring, compassionate and so bighearted it is impossible not to like him. He has come a long way from his dysfunctional and troubled youth and now a teacher for at risk teenagers, he hopes that he can be a positive influence in their lives. Kai has also had his fair share of heartache but his good Loren helped him overcome the abuse in his past. Their friendship has become a bit of a crutch for both men but neither of them realize this until Kai’s relationship with Jeremy goes through a bit of a rough spot.

The first chapter in the novel is full of gut wrenching and tear-inducing angst. Thankfully, by the second chapter, the worst of the heartbreak is over and Jeremy is truly moving on with his life. His first interlude with Kai is dirty and raunchy and it takes him totally off guard since he has never had sex like that in his life. Their down and dirty, no holds barred sex continues and their sex scenes remain blistering hot and plentiful for the rest of the novel.

Jeremy and Kai’s no strings arrangement progresses naturally into a real relationship. This shift is gradual and although Jeremy is still reluctant to risk his heart again, he does not let his fears hold him back. Despite his occasional annoyance, Kai is very understanding of Jeremy’s anxiety over his safety. But this also leads to Kai trying to protect Jeremy from further upset and this leads to tension in their relationship. This conflict is resolved fairly quickly with very little angst or unnecessary drama.

Signs of Life is a wonderful novel of healing and love. The characters are superbly developed, multi-faceted and likeable despite their flaws and imperfections. The storyline is complex and Melanie Hansen strikes the perfect balance between heartache, incredibly hot sex and genuine emotion. A wonderful addition to the Resilient Love series that old and new fans are sure to love.

Filed under Contemporary, Dreamspinner Press, Erotic, M/M, Melanie Hansen, Rated B, Resilient Love Series, Review, Romance, Signs of Life