Saturday Shorts

It's been a slow week for shorts this week because I've been away and only taken paper books with me.

Gravedigger by Joseph Hansen
I bought this at greenmetropolis.com because Josh Lanyon had mentioned this author several times as a great writer of gay mysteries. Although it is technically a novel, at 173 pages I felt it was sufficiently short to include here. The story revolves around Dave Brandsetter, a gay man who works as an investigator for an insurance company. This is the sixth book in the Brandsetter series, but you don't actually need to have read the others to understand this one. In this book Brandsetter is investigating the supposed death of a young woman by a serial cult killer. Her father claims that she is one of the bodies found at a mass grave when the cult leader flees but both the insurance company and Bransetter are sceptical about this. I liked how the investigation unravelled in a meticulous, painstaking fashion as Brandsetter patiently interviewed people, carefully trying to piece the clues together. This was offset by the occasional seat of your pants action sequence which left you breathless. Alongside the mystery plot was a sub-plot involving Bransetter's budding relationship with a young black man, Cecil, who apparently featured in a previous book. This was interesting because Brandsetter is a middle aged man who feels that he is somehow taking advantage of Cecil, even though this is clearly not the case. Best by far though was the setting. This book was written in the eighties before mobile phones or computers and it was such a nostalgia trip to see how people coped with the lack of technology, even as recently as 20 years ago. Put simply, I really enjoyed this book and read it in one sitting. I'm seriously considering buying the new anthology of all the Brandsetter novels which has been recently published and I'm giving this a grade of 'Excellent'.

Hot Weather by Matthew Haldeman-Time
I reviewed another book by this author a couple of weeks ago where I'd liked the writing but had some reservations about the story. Because of this (and also because I'd read a number of the author's free stories on his website) I decided to buy this short story from Samhain and I'm very glad that I did. It's the summer and John is in his first job since leaving College. His car's in the garage so he walks into a nearby diner for lunch where he meets Keith who is spending the summer working at a waiter to pay his way through College. John and Keith hit it off straight away both in their interactions and their sexual chemistry. Keith, however, doesn't want to end up as a notch in John's bedpost so he makes him wait. The result is both tender and explosive. I've mentioned before that I like this author's style of writing and this story complemented his descriptive style: I could feel the heat of summer soaking through the entire story and I felt deeply the frustration of John as he faced his first summer in a job, unable to go and enjoy himself at the beach as he had done in previous years. In many way this was a story about growing up and learning how to be an adult as much as a love story. Both John and Keith were believable, well rounded characters and I was entirely satisfied with the ending. Overall, this was an interesting and engrossing read with a grade of 'Excellent' and I'm going to look out for more published works by this author.

A Dubious Honour

Today I have been the recipient of a blog award from my good buddy Kris at Kris 'n' Good Books. Usually, when this happens I am in raptures and inordinately pleased that someone would recognise little ole me in this big internet pond. Today, I'm not so sure about this because the award has originated from Little CJ. Apparently if I fail to pass this onto two other blog writers then Lil CJ will make a voodoo doll of me and stick pins in it. I'm not entirely sure that the buffer of the Atlantic Ocean will work in preventing torturous pain from this, plus I'm very scared of Little CJ, so I've decided I'd better pass it on quickly.

So with further ado, I pass the Little CJ Blog Award to:

KZ Snow's Dreams know no Bounds - Her blog is so much more than an author plugging their stuff. She's hosted some interesting discussions and she's so articulate it makes me cry when I compare myself to her. She's also been so bloody miserable recently she could do with some cheering up.

and....

LesleyW's Book Nook - I love her heartfelt reviews and discussions of British TV shows.

Well done to you both (I think).

Review: Interstellar Service & Discipline: Lost Star by Morgan Hawke

THE BLURB

Once upon a time, before the Victorious Star, there were a prince and a prisoner...

Aubrey was a tech engineer with a dirty little secret that the Moribund Company was willing to destroy everyone and everything to get their hands on. When Deshryt Seht, blood prince of Skeldhor, saved the dying boy's life, it set off a contest of wills as strong as the call of their blood. Unfortunately Aubrey has one more secret that severs their relationship before it can truly begin.

Though years and an ocean of stars separate the prince from the prisoner he saved, neither the prince nor the Moribund Company will let him escape. What was Lost will be found, winner take all.

THE REVIEW

This book is a prequel to the two other books in the Interstellar Service & Discipline series: Victorious Star and Fallen Star. Whilst the other two books are menages, this book contains only a m/m pairing. You do not need to have read the previous books to understand and enjoy this one.

Lost Star begins by pitching directly into the action of a battle. Our hero, Aubrey, is a young human tech-engineer on a space craft which is under attack from mercenaries from the Moribund Company. Humans in the future have adapted their brains so that they are almost like computers with coding and subroutines that they can programme into themselves and used to interface with other computers via a jack in the back of the skull. Aubrey is a talented programmer who has created a number of his own encrypted codes which can access and override the computers on spaceships. He uses this code to defeat the enemy ship by persuading it to leave. Unfortunately for Aubrey another ship comes out of hiding and captures him. Moribund himself is travelling on the ship and immediately sets about using Aubrey's code to capture ships and kill all those on board. Aubrey is kept helpless in a liquid chamber, only useful as tool for capture and murder until, one day, he is able to escape to a strange planet where he meets Seht. Seht is able to cure the now very ill Aubrey, but as a result demands that Aubrey be his slave.

One of the things I found most interesting about this book was its themes of control and power. At the beginning of the book Aubrey is physically weak. He is underage and has non of the technical 'augmentations' which humans can buy to make them physically strong. As a result he spends much of the first part of the book being dominated and controlled by others: firstly Moribund and then Seht. However, though he is weak in body, his spirit and will are strong. He constantly looks for ways to either escape his situation, even through death, or to defy those who wish to dominate him. I found this a very admirable character trait and I felt all of Aubrey's helpless frustration at his lack of control over his surroundings or the actions of others. As the book progresses Aubrey is able to take back control over his life and, without giving any spoilers away, the reversal of power at the end of the book and the way that Aubrey matures and develops as he gains power was delightful to read. I applaud the author for producing such a sympathetic, strong lead character.

One of the important factors of sci-fi novels is the world building and I wasn't disappointed with it in this book. The author has managed to cram in a lot of information, especially in the first few pages, about human physiology, the way that space ships work, space battles and other species. However, at no point did I feel overwhelmed by facts or that the world building was inappropriately dumped into the book. Everything was seamlessly added into the story and we are left to pick up information as we go on through the book. This occasionally led to a few surprises (such as the physiology of Seht, and the slave/master relationship of their culture) but as a certain suspension of disbelief is necessary when reading sci-fi , I didn't even feel that any new facts or information were out of the realms of possibility.

There were a couple of issues with the book. Firstly, Aubrey and Seht hardly know each other before they are making an emotional commitment to each other, one that I didn't feel was necessary at that point in the book. Secondly, the character of Seht is not as well drawn as Aubrey and I never really understood his motivations in rescuing Aubrey or his feelings towards him, other than wanting to humiliate and control Aubrey. This was mainly because the story is told only from Aubrey's point of view, but I would have liked at least some reasons as to why Seht acted like he did. Finally, the sex scenes were rather overwrought and I found myself wanting to roll my eyes at some of it which left me feeling detached from the emotion of the scenes.

However these were minor issues in what was actually a pretty terrific book. The world building, along with the vivid descriptions of spaceships, planets and alien species meant that it was easy to picture what was happening. This in turn added colour to the various exciting action sequences in the book and made this a breathtaking, exciting book from start to finish. I didn't want to put it down and read it almost in one sitting. I'm giving this a grade of 'Very Good' and I would highly recommend that you read this book, especially if you like sci-fi. I don't like menage, so I won't be reading the sequels to this book, but I shall look out for any further m/m books from this talented author.

Review: St Nacho's 2: Physical Therapy by ZA Maxfield

THE BLURB

When Jordan Jensen moves to St. Nacho’s he has one goal in mind: starting over. He wants to reconnect with best friends Cooper and Shawn yet is uncertain of his welcome. He has the skills to get a job, but isn’t sure any prospective employer can get past the time he spent in jail for alcohol-related vehicular homicide. He’s past the worst part of his life but knows it will haunt him forever. So Jordan plans a life of quiet service. One thing he knows for sure: finding love is entirely too much to ask.

On the first day of his new job, Jordan meets Ken Ashton. Ken has every reason to hate Jordan for his past and only one to seek him out: Ken's baseball career was shattered in a drunk-driving accident. But for some reason he can’t explain, Ken needs Jordan’s touch and finds healing within Jordan’s warmth and strength. Jordan wants to give Ken everything his new partner needs.

Without entirely understanding it, Ken and Jordan develop a powerful emotional and erotic connection, but Ken must help Jordan find the faith to trust it. Unexpected help comes from the people of Santo Ignacio--and the town itself--a place where Physical Therapy can be a path toward spiritual healing and powerful, passionate love.

THE REVIEW

I was really looking forward to this book after reading and enjoying St Nacho's so much. I was also very interested in seeing how ZA Maxfield was going to redeem the character of Jordan. In St Nacho's Jordan is the bad guy, the wall between Cooper and Shawn. He is selfish, needy, violent and aggressive. He uses emotional blackmail to force Cooper to stay with him. He abuses their friendship and then shuts Cooper out at the end of the book. To be frank, he was not a nice man.

This book picks up some months after the last book. We're never told how long, but it's long enough so that Jordan has gone through therapy, plus had some time gaining qualifications as a sports and massage therapist. He's a changed man. Gone is the out-of-control, desperate man we see in St Nacho's. Instead Jordan is coming to terms with his past and, although he is still wholly guilt-ridden, there's a calmness and a maturity about him which made me warm to his character. The result of this change is that Jordan now seeks to make amends by trying to please people. He likes his job because he knows he is bringing some relief and pleasure to others, but on the flip side he now hates causing any pain and upset.

Jordan comes to St Nacho's because he wants to be near Cooper, plus he was attracted by Cooper's description of the place. What was most interesting is that St Nacho's is almost a different town in this book to the previous one. In St Nacho's the town is described as hot and sleepy, with accepting, friendly people. In Physical Therapy, the town is still sleepy, but is rainy, cool and often shrouded in mist. Some of the people are friendly, but many hate and revile Jordan for his past deeds. I really liked that the author had showed this contrast and the way that it fitted into the two different stories. Cooper needed sunshine and acceptance, Jordan needed somewhere peaceful and the opportunity to atone for his past.

That atonement comes in the shape of Ken who is recovering from an injury caused by a drunk driver. It is a situation steeped in irony that the one person who Ken feels a connection to after the accident is Jordan. Throughout the novel there is the repetition of the word 'right': In their touch, their personalities and their feelings, leaving us with the sense that they were 'meant to be' despite all the difficulties and oppositions that they inevitably encounter through the book. Ken is younger than Jordan and only just at the point where he feels he can come out to his family. I liked that Ken acted like that young man; slightly impetuous, almost forcing himself onto Jordan at one point, before panicking and backing down in the next. He was the perfect foil for Jordan's measured carefulness.

As always in ZA Maxfield's books the secondary characters, no matter how little page time they get, were delightful. Izzie the ex-body builder; Ken's teenage brother, Mark; Jordan's mother and many more wonderfully complex characters were woven seamlessly into this story adding a depth which complemented the main pairing of Jordan and Ken. We even see a bit of Cooper and Shawn but not so much that it detracts from primary romance.

I really liked this book. In fact I liked it so much I can't really think of any negative points. There were a few things which didn't bother me but may not appeal to some readers. Firstly, this book is very angst ridden: Jordan is still trying to come to terms with his guilt both about the accident and his subsequent behaviour plus Ken is grieving over his loss of mobility and the death of his friend. If you don't like angst, then this book won't be for you. Secondly, despite it being an accident, Jordan has killed a child and does spend time reflecting on that accident and the fallout from it. If you find that type of storyline upsetting, then again this book is not for you. Finally there is a subplot involving spousal abuse, and although there's no actual scenes depicting this, it may also be upsetting for some readers.

Overall, this was a delightfully written, very engrossing book with strong believable characters and situations. ZA Maxfield is one of my auto-buy authors and hasn't disappointed with this book. I highly recommend it with a grade of 'Excellent'.

Holiday!

I'm not going to be around for a few days because I'm going on holiday. Woo hoo!

Well, actually I'm not too excited cos it's only camping and usually at this time of year it's bloody freezing at night (and sometimes during the day too) plus I'm going to North Yorkshire to camp in a field with no toilet or shower facilities. The view, however, makes up for all that as the picture below shows.


Yes, that's my tent (and my eldest daughter about to enter it). The toilet tent is the small green one at the back. The blue sky is not usual!

Anyway, I shall be back at some point on Tuesday but won't have time to post (mainly due to sorting out the huge pile of wet and dirty clothes we seem to accumulate when camping) so I shall be posting again on Wednesday.

So to all the Brits out there, I hope you enjoy your bank holiday weekend and let's keep our fingers crossed for some sun. For the rest of you, I shall be thinking of you all when you're at work on Monday and I'm sightseeing in Richmond.

Review: David's Dilemma by Lynn Lorenz

THE BLURB

When David’s father moves in, David loses more than his study. He loses his life. His father has Alzheimer’s and each day is a struggle for both of them. His father’s blunt, bigoted attitudes about David’s lifestyle, friends and neighbors pushes David out of his circle of support and into a world of loneliness, repeated conversations, and the fear that his father will wander off or burn down the house while David’s at work.

With David’s life in turmoil, now is not the right time to meet a man. And definitely not the time to try to have a romantic relationship. But when his father does wander off, David turns to the local police for help, and he meets Detective Travis Hart.

Travis’s life is not much better. Just coming off a nasty break up with his much younger lover, Travis struggles with his attraction to David. A rebound romance is not what Travis is looking for; he wants commitment and forever. Both men realize what they really need at this point in their lives is not a lover, but a best friend.

Through phone calls, they begin a friendship and share the moments in their days, David’s coping with his father and Travis’s struggle with his job as a cop. But as their friendship and attraction turns into the love, David’s father spirals deeper into a disease that robs him of memory and replaces it with fear and delusions, until the situation becomes something that neither David or Travis ever expected...

THE REVIEW

I was attracted to this book for two reasons. Firstly, I was interested to see how such a serious theme as Alzheimer’s could be incorporated successfully and in a believable way to a romance and, secondly, it looked like this book was going to be a slow burner with lots of sexual tension to it. I seem to have read a lot of books lately where the heroes have jumped very quickly into bed with each other and I was due for something a bit different to that.

The book begins when David returns home to find that his father has disappeared. It may not sound too serious, but David's father has Alzheimer’s and is almost at the stage where he may have to be institutionalised for his own safety. David doesn't want to go down that route yet, mainly because he feels guilty about abandoning his once strong minded father to institutional care. David sets off to find his father but can't see him anywhere in the neighbourhood. He ends up at the nearest police station where he meets Detective Travis Hart. Travis helps David find his father and whilst doing so an attraction blossoms between them. David is unwilling to act on that attraction because his father is strongly homophobic and although David came out to him many years previously, his father keeps forgetting so David doesn't want to invite a man to his house, plus he can't leave his father on his own in the evenings. Both men are unwilling to lose the connection between each other so they settle for regularly talking to each other over the phone.

I have to say that I really liked David. He has spent the last year of his life looking after his intolerant, racist father whose mind is slowly deteriorating and yet he faces his task with a mixture of resignation and humour. Each day he has to remind his father that he is gay and at one point he muses on whether he should just get a flashcard so that he's not repeating himself. David is also very human and goes through periods of frustration, mainly because he has had to put his life on hold for the past year as he cares for his father. This frustration is followed by intense guilt and remorse. These feelings were so understandable and David was so well rounded that I couldn't help but warm to him. This is David's story and David is the main focus of all the events, so it's not surprising that Travis doesn't come across as strongly. We do get to hear his thoughts and opinions, especially about his growing feelings for David and the stresses and strains of a job in law enforcement, but I still finished the book feeling that I didn't know him as well as I knew David.

The other character who plays a large role in this book is David's father, David snr. He was a strong, independent man before his illness and in his head he still feels strong and independent. The reader gets to see David snr's thoughts at certain points throughout the book. This adds to the emotional intensity of the novel as at each point we see how much further David snr's mind is degrading. At first he seems reasonably normal, but as the book progresses so does his confusion and paranoia, leading to an explosive event at the end of the book. It was necessary for us to see that slow change in David snr so that the end was wholly believable. Without his thoughts, the ending may have seemed a bit over-the-top and out of place, especially as David has no idea how bad his father has become. The character of David's father brought out quite a mix of emotions in me. On one hand I felt dreadfully sorry about the loss of his mind and the confusion that is wrought within him, and on the other I found his homophobic, racist attitude quite repellent. It is the sign of a great author if they are able to make such a character at all sympathetic and I felt that Lynn Lorenz had done a very good job with David's father.

The degradation of David's snr's mind is a mirror opposite to the relationship that grows between David and Travis. I liked how the men got to know each other before they were able to meet and consummate all that simmering lust and when the sex finally took place, it was all the more tender and satisfying for the long build up.

Although the romance was lovely, the relationship between the men really took a back seat to the drama between David and his father. This was a story of a man struggling with Alzheimer’s and of his son who is struggling to care for a very difficult man, both in his temper and attitude to David and his sexuality. It's not a light, carefree read as you would expect from a book which deals not only with someone suffering from Alzheimer’s, but also some of the more difficult aspects of Travis' job. It is, however, a moving, emotional and compelling read and I would highly recommend it with a grade of 'Excellent'.

An Intelligent Man?

I've read a couple of books recently where the heroes have either dropped out of school or failed school in some way. It always puzzles me a bit because I don't entirely understand the US school system. In Britain you stay at school until you are 16 and then you have the option of staying on for a further two years to gain extra qualifications or you can go to a local college to qualify for a trade or even get an aprenticeship or job. There is no 'failing' school as it were, and although you can certainly fail some of your exams, if you get a C in English and Maths then that usually covers you for many of the starter jobs at 16.

Anyway, back to the point of this post which is whether it is important for the hero of a romance to be intelligent. Just recently I read a few reviews of a book where one of the hero was, to put it bluntly, as thick as two short planks. The reviewers were completely scathing of the book, not just because of the lack of intelligence in one of the heroes, but it did go some ways towards the reasons why the reviewers hadn't liked the book.

This got me thinking about whether it is important for romance books and in particular m/m romance to have heroes who are intelligent. This doesn't have to equate itself to qualifications; the heroes can be intelligent in other ways. However, would we readers find a man who is rather dense an attractive prospect for a hero?

There's a bit of a joke in m/m romance about us women wanting our heroes, especially our Alpha heroes, to have a job which is seen as 'manly'. Unfortunately, many of the 'manly' jobs out there, such as builders, car mechanics, truck drivers or sports stars are more suited to those men who work better with their hands than their brains. To get around this, authors often place these men in positions of authority, such as a site foreman or owner of a car workshop as that shows they have the brains and the business acumen to have worked their way up from ground level. Or if they are sports stars they have come to it through the college schemes. Or sometimes they are dyslexic which accounts for why they didn't do so well at school. It makes me wonder though if this is actually necessary. Why should all the heroes in m/m be intelligent men? It somewhat implies that all gay men are intelligent which I know not to be the case as I have a gay friend who is incredibly sweet and lovely but was at the back of the queue when brains were being handed out.

I've been wracking my brains trying to think of some examples of m/m books which have main heroes who are not too smart. At the moment I can only think of a few. There's a terrific story about truck drivers in Love Ahead by Madeleine Urban and Abigail Roux where they are both of average intelligence. Some of the twinkier heroes can also be slightly lacking in brains, like Kit in Freeman by Clare London, for example (although she may disagree with me on that one ;)) On the whole though, our heroes are men who are articulate and intelligent. Even some of the heroes who on the surface seem a bit slow, like D in Zero at the Bone by Jane Seville or Rory in Drawn Together by ZA Maxfield, are actually not as dim as they initially seem.

So, what's the reason for all these intelligent men? Do authors think that the predominately female audience for m/m would not be interested in reading about a man who lacks somewhat in the brains department? I don't really know the answer to that question as I haven't read enough books with those kinds of heroes to be able to make a judgement. Maybe you can answer that question for me or suggest examples of great m/m books where the hero isn't a complete brain box.

Review: Blue Ruin 2: Close to Me by Katrina Strauss

A few weeks ago I mentioned that I had re-read the first book in this series, Blue Ruin 1: Some Kind of Stranger, and had liked it better for a second reading. With that in mind I picked up the second book to see whether my new found love for Derek and Blue would continue. I have to say that I liked this book considerably more than I did the first.

This book was really Blue's story, rather than Derek's and whilst we do get some of the book from Derek's point of view, we spend most of the time in Blue's head. This meant that I was able to sympathise more with Blue, than I did previously. In the first book I had several issues with Blue mostly to do with Blue's submissiveness and his lack of focus or direction other than staying with Derek and being taken care of by him. In this book we see that Blue's contentment with being a 'pet' was actually reasonably short lived as it doesn't take him long to get bored with sitting around all day in Derek's apartment and I liked that Blue recognised the need to go back to school and make something of his life. When he starts an intensive class which would enable him to finish school, he meets some people his own age and it's then that we also get to see another side of Blue, that of older teenager with his friends, larking about and essentially acting his age. This also went a long way to improving my opinion of him as he becomes less of a 'type' and more of a character. Blue's friends also go some way to breaking up the claustrophobic feel of the first book, where Blue and Derek are the main focus for much of the story.

When Blue goes back to school he meets his former nemesis, Cameron, who, as a young teenager, had bullied and beaten Blue for being gay. Blue has very mixed feelings for Cameron: On one hand he hates him for causing such misery during his school years and leaving behind deep psychological scars. On the other hand, Blue recognises that, despite Cameron's behaviour, he has always felt an attraction to him. When he sees Cameron again and learns that he is not only gay but deeply sorry for the hurts that he inflicted on Blue at school, he is even more confused. He still feels the attraction, but he loves Derek. It was this 'will they, won't they?' that forms the main thrust of the plot in this book. Blue's reactions to Cameron, a mixture of lust, guilt and hurt, were complex and believable, as were his conflicting actions of responding to Cameron despite his love for Derek. Blue is a nineteen year old boy, who has only had one lover in Derek and so it was entirely understandable that he is ruled by his teenage hormones for most of the book.

Derek very much takes a back seat in this story. He is hurt by Blue's feelings for Cameron and yet he is also old enough to understand why Blue is acting as he is. At one point Derek even reflects that at nineteen he was less controlled than Blue is now. It doesn't stop him feeling jealous though and showing Blue that jealousy through the sex scenes. One part of the book that I liked especially is where Derek himself is tempted to stray, the results of that scene provided a lovely contrast to the behaviour of the much less mature Blue.

If I have any complaints about this book it would be how quickly Blue forgave Cameron for his past behaviour, although I can quite see that it fitted in with Blue's rather too trusting nature. I also felt, rather like the first book, that the serial killer mystery was rather over the top and perhaps a little tagged onto the main story. However, Looking at the blurb for the third book, I can see that the events in that mystery plot are going to feed into it so maybe once I've read number 3 I will feel differently about this aspect of the plot in book 2.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. I felt that it built on what we knew of Blue and Derek from the first book, making them more rounded and less like yaoi stereotypes. I liked the dynamic of bringing in another man and how that impacts on the relationship of the couple, plus the added interest of Blue's friends. It was one of those books where I found myself thinking about the characters and the story even when I wasn't reading it. I highly recommend it to those who have already read the first book in the series and this gets a well deserved grade of 'Excellent'.

An Apology

We apologise for the temporary interruption to our schedule blogging. Please be advised that full service will resume tomorrow when Jenre pulls her finger out of her arse is able to find the time to write a review.

Thank you for your patience in this matter.

Saturday Shorts

This week I'm reviewing a set of shorts by Sean Michael, all based around the same two characters, Denny and Cain and how Denny introduces Cain to his shaving fetish. I shall take each book in turn.

Cherry Sours
This is the book where we meet our heroes for the first time. Cain is looking for some Cherry Sour sweets at the US equivalent of the pick n mix sweet counter of the supermarket, when he meets Denny. Denny comes on very strongly to the somewhat shy and then startled Cain and sweeps him off to his flat where he proceeds to seduce him. The author did a very good job of showing Cain's utter confusion and amazement at being picked up by Denny. He's a bit frightened at first, especially when Denny insists on shaving off his beard and then, later, other parts of his body. He's very insecure about many things and Denny's take charge attitude and his open admiration for Cain is a perfect foil to Cain's lack of self-esteem. I felt these characters complimented each other perfectly and it was delightful to see how quickly Cain was turned on by Denny's shaving fetish, even though he protested all the way. The only part I felt was a little unrealistic is when Denny convinces Cain to skip work, even though Cain knows he will be fired from his job for not turning up. It is strongly hinted that Cain's job may well be lost anyway, but I felt that to give in to Denny, a man he had known for less than 12 hours, showed a weakness in Cain that was hard to stomach. Having said that though, Cain's lack of job is an important theme which carries on to the next book, so I can see why the author has written it that way. Grade: Very Good.

Lemon Drops
This story picks up a few weeks after the end of Cherry Sours. Cain can't find a job and as a result he has been evicted from his flat. He doesn't want to tell Denny and rely on his support, so he stays with him when he can and when Denny is away on business he sleeps on the street or stays in all-night cafes. One night Denny returns home sooner than expected and finds Cain at such a cafe. Denny then has to 'punish' Cain for not telling him how desperate things had become. I have to say that there wasn't very much different in this book to the last. The shaving fetish is taken further and their relationship deepens into love. In some ways I felt more respect for Cain, especially as he tries to work out his problems for himself before getting caught out by Denny. I still didn't feel like I knew Denny very well. In the first book we are told nothing about him other than he is a business man and he has a shaving fetish. I didn't really find out much more about him here. However, the gentle yet demanding way he treats Cain makes him a sympathetic character. I have to admit, though, that I was getting rather tired of the shaving followed by sex formula by the end and wished the sex scenes had a little more variety to them. Grade: Good.

Sweet Tart
This was a New Year short which consisted of one sex/shaving scene. Whilst it was well written and interesting to revisit the characters, it didn't actually add anything to their story arc. Grade: Good




Licorice Whips
After the obligatory sex/shaving scene with the added bonus of a piercing, the story moves on to focus on Cain. He's finally hit the big time as a comic book artist and has to embark on a book signing tour. Cain finds it very difficult to be away from Denny and misses him terribly, not just because he loves him, but also for the comfort and security that Denny gives him. His manager, Will, is putting the heavy moves on Cain which sends him into a panic. He tries to repel Will, but still finds it difficult to stand up for himself. I thought this was the most interesting book out of the set. The two heroes are very comfortable and secure in their love for each other and, whilst still feeling petrified, Cain acknowledges that he must be able to function in the real world without Denny. The manager, Will, is pushy, flirting with Cain and putting a few moves on him and perhaps you may think a bit too pushy but he wasn't a monster. I liked that the author had avoided the trap of making Will seem like too much the bad guy because that meant that we were able to see how reliant Cain is on Denny. He was unable to cope with even light flirtation and a few gropes before being sent off into such a panic that he felt physically ill. It did make me feel a little impatient with Cain, but I also felt that the previous books had shown Cain to be a man who finds it difficult to make decisions or cope well with stressful social situations. In that way Cain and Denny are perfect for each other and I was quite relieved when Denny appears at the end to save the day. Grade: Very Good.

I enjoyed reading these shorts about two very different men who complement each other perfectly. The shaving fetish scenes were a bit different from anything I've read before, although it did get a bit repetitive after a while. Having said that, the sex was very well written and gave me an insight into why Denny got off on Cain being so smooth as well as the sexual thrill Cain gets from being shaved. I'd recommend these books for those who are interested in reading about this fetish and for those who are looking for a set of hot reads.

Alternative Books to m/m Romance

Last week I asked you all to pitch in and give me your suggestions for books other than m/m romance but which have a strong m/m pairing. I was overwhelmed by the response both on the blog and by email - thanks to you all for your suggestions.

So, here is the list in all its glory. I've tried to organise the suggestions into genre but if you didn't tell me the genre I've put it under m/m fiction. I've also included any helpful comments made by people. One reader, Richelle, emailed me all the links to the books, so you can click on the titles for those suggestions and go straight to buy them!

General m/m Fiction

Dream Boy by Jim Grimsley
Love story about 2 teenage boys, one with an abusive father. Very well written and the ending can be interpreted in many diff ways (the way I read it, it was not an HEA). It's a great story and very moving.

Comfort and Joy by Jim Grimsley
A more typical romance between 2 men, but with the issue that one of them has hemophilia and is HIV positive. The prequel to this, Winter Birds, is very good as well-- it recounts the abusive childhood of the character with hemophilia.

First Person Plural by Andrew Beierle
Really interesting story of conjoined twins, one gay and the other straight and how they deal with each others relationships.

Seventy Times Seven by Salvatore Sapienza
The main character is an openly gay Catholic brother and teacher. The story is in large part about religion and homosexuality, but there is a nice romance as well with an HEA.

Common Sons by Ronald Donaghe
2 teenage boys fall in love in 1960's rural New Mexico. Great love story and coming out story. This is actually the first in a series of 4 books that follow the boys until they are old men.

Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman
Wonderful story of first love between a 17 yo boy and a visiting 24 yo scholar. Set in Italy. Beautifully written but not your typical m/m romance ending.

Looking for It by Michael Thomas Ford
Novel about a group of gay men in upstate NY. Lots of great characters and varied relationships (new love, long-time couples, etc).

The Brothers Bishop by Bart Yates
Story of 2 gay brothers. This book is really quite tragic, and there is incest and sex with minors (both of which I normally would not like in a book), but the story is so well done that I really liked the book anyway.

The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff
It's about a sisterwife in a Mormon community who is accused of killing her husband. The main protag is her gay son who has been shunned. He starts a rather sweet relationship with another Mormon during the course of the story. It's a pageturner, for sure.

Mr Benson by John Preston
BDSM

This Thing Called Courage by JG Hayes
A collection of gay lit stories

What Worse Place can I Beg in Your Love by Syd McGinley

Administration Series by Manna Francis
Far from a traditional romance but both M/M hot and a damned DAMNED fine read.

Exposure by Kit Zheng

Carter Beats the Devil by Glen David Gold
A rambling, fascinating, exciting story of a magician. His brother was gay but it was just accepted into the plot, subtly and pleasantly.


Classics

Maurice by E. M. Forster

A Separate Peace by John Knowles
It's very similar in tone to Dead Poet Society and is not classified as gay and the undertones are subtle, but very present.

The Persian Boy and The Charioteer by Mary Renault


Historical

The Catch Trap by Marion Zimmer Bradley

Eye in the Door, The Ghost Road and Regeneration by Pat Barker
They deal, though somewhat peripherally, with gay soldiers and gay poet soldiers, esp Regeneration, which isn't book 1 but a great place to start. It takes place mostly in a mental hospital for shellshocked English soldiers. Not at ALL a romance, though there is minor sex.

Cry to Heaven by Anne Rice
About an eighteenth-century Italian castrati. Exquisite and affecting.


Fantasy

The Nightrunner books by Lynn Flewelling

Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner

Valdemar Series by Mercedes Lackey

Point of Hopes and Point of Dreams by Melissa Scott and Lisa Barnett

The Last Herald Mage Trilogy by Mercedes Lackey

Doctrine of Labyrinths, The Melusine, The Virtue and The Mirador by Sarah Monette

The Steel Remains by Richard Morgan

The Archer's Heart by Astrid Amara

Hurog Duology by Patricia Briggs

The Chosen by Ricardo Pinto


Action/adventure

Shadow of the Templar by M Chandler

Zero at the Bone by Jane Seville


Mystery

Fatal Shadows by Josh Lanyon

LA Heat by PA Brown

Maloney’s Law by Anne Brooke
Clare London: Paul Maloney is a gay PI, the prose is delicious and very readable, the plot exciting, his character fascinating. I haven’t finished yet, but I’m loving it.


Horror

Verdant by Jordan Castillo Price

Drawing Blood and Lost Souls by Poppy Z Brite


YA

Hero by Perry Moore

Geography Club by Brent Hartinger
GLBT students start a GSA under a different name.

A Really Nice Prom Mess by Brian Sloan

Masks by Hayden Thorne

Vintage by Steve Berman

Without Sin by J Tomas

Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan

David Inside Out by Lee Bantle


Culinary Fiction

Liquorverse: Liquor, Prime, Soul Kitchen and D*U*C*K by Poppy Z Brite
These books tell the story of a gay chef couple in New Orleans.


Non-Fiction

The Kid and The Commitment by Dan Savage

Richelle: These aren't m/m romance books and aren't even fiction, but I *heart* them so muchly that I had to mention them. The Kid tells the true story of how sex-columnist Dan Savage and his boyfriend adopted their son. The Commitment, written a few years later, tells about Dan and his boyfriend deciding whether or not to get married. Both are very candid and funny and are really great reads. I've recommended the books to several friends, all of whom have loved them. These books are especially pertinent right now in the US where gay adoption and gay marriage are so hotly debated.

Richelle: And being the Dan Savage fangirl that I am, I have to mention his weekly sex advice column is great too.


There were also a number of other authors mentioned without books. I haven't posted them here, but you can go back and read them in the comments section of last week's blog post here.

Once again, thank you all for your suggestions and comments.

Review: Taste Test: Chrome by Tory Temple

THE BLURB

How much trouble is a shiny Fiat worth? Quite a bit, if you're into Chrome. Three stories follow one hot car through its life, from Nicholas and John who celebrate their newly solvent status by buying a car, and enjoying the reclining seats, to Evan, who inherits the car from his dad, and shares the benefits with his best friend.

Finally, the now-vintage Fiat ends up with Tanner, who hopes to impress fellow car show enthusiast Billy. All of these boys have one thing in common. They love the glow, gleam and glitter of Chrome.

THE REVIEW

I picked up this short because I though the premise sounded interesting. Each of these three tiny short stories are all connected by a orange Fiat.

In Gleam we have established couple Nick and John, buying their first car together in 1977. At first John isn't sure about getting the car, but soon warms to it once they buy. I liked that the author managed to establish firm characteristics for these guys and it was amusing that the car changed John slightly. This was definitely my favourite out of the three stories and left me satisfied at being drawn into the lives of this couple for a time.

The next story, Glow, picks up 18 years after the previous story and started off as a lovely YA friends to lovers tale of Evan and Leo and how the Fiat plays an important role in bringing them together. The bulk of the story was delightful and I really felt for Evan as he sends out tentative feelers towards his friend. I was less satisfied with the conclusion to the story as we are left hanging somewhat and I wanted to know what was going to happen to these guys. As a result I was rather frustrated moving onto the next story.

Finally we have Glimmer. This was set at an indeterminate time after Glow. The little Fiat is bought by a classic car enthusiast, Tanner, who lovingly restores it so he can enter it into a car show. He is also hoping to show the car off to fellow enthusiast, Billy. However, the evening before the show he meets Billy in the supermarket and takes him for a ride in the car. I finished this story feeling happy for these guys and their new relationship but, unlike the previous story, I was content to leave them there with no real need to know any more about them.

Overall I liked these stories, but the short format made for a frustrating read at times. The author writes well and I thought the author did a good job with such a restrictive format, but I just wish she'd written more. It was an interesting idea to link the stories through the car although it did make for rather bittersweet reading. This will be a good short to pick up for those who wish to have a taste of the writing style of this author and I'm giving it a grade of 'Good'.

PWP Part Deux

Don't you just want to put your tongue on that outtie belly button? No? Must just be me then.

So after reading over the comments of yesterday's post, I began to realise that there are a few issues around the topic of m/m books with lots of sex. As far as I can see they are as follows:

1. On the whole most readers like some sex in their m/m books, but not at the expense of the romantic plot. If readers want to read porn then they'll go and buy just that, but if a book is said to be a erotic romance then there has to be some romance in it or we get rather miffed.

2. Lots and lots of sex in a novel (or even perhaps a novella) length book means that mostly the book gets a little dull and tedious.

3. Many people (including me) buy short fiction when they want a sexy read and aren't too bothered by lack of plot in that case as long as there is some character development.

4. That publisher's labels and warnings are too generic and only give an indication that there is sex in the book, not necessarily that the whole book is made up of sex scenes - although I'm not sure how they would do this, any amusing suggestions a la Samhain would be welcome.

5. That there hasn't been an increase in the amount of sex in m/m books, just that I seem to have been unconsciously choosing those to read recently (ie. Jen is a pervert).

So what do you think - and I'm talking to you silent masses out there as well as the gobby more vocal ones - do you agree with these statements? Would you rather see a reduction in sex scenes for m/m books and more of a plot-centric book, as Jane Seville mentioned yesterday? Do you think the balance is fine as it is? Or do you think I should just shut-up and post some more reviews :)?

PWP

Is it my imagination or are m/m novels getting more and more sex-heavy? I've read a number of books recently where I've got to the end and thought 'hmmm, so that was basically a story about two men having sex'.

Now let me just say at this point that I'm not a prude. I like my m/m books to have some sex in them and I like a well written sex scene. However, books which are just about the sex and not about the plot are, to be honest, terribly dull. There's only so many ways to describe the sexual act before it gets repetitious and boring, so if a book is just that - scene after endless scene of the different ways men can insert tab A or B into Slots C or D then I'm afraid I either start getting impatient to get back to the story or, if that doesn't look like it's going to happen, I switch off the book reader, never to return to the book. Often I never return to the author.

This makes me wonder why there are so many books like this out there at the moment, these so-called Porn Without Plot books. More specifically, to whom are the authors and publishers aiming these books? It's common knowledge that m/m is read mostly by straight women, so do they think that the only reason women read these books is for the sex? I think they are very misguided if that is the case. The sex is only a small part of why I read m/m. I read it for the refreshing balance in relationships between two men, as opposed to a man and a woman; for the different plot devices used in this genre; and because I was always more interested than the hero than the heroine in romance novels. I can't be the only one who is just as interested in the plot as the sex (or maybe I am, certainly some of these books make me feel that way). Perhaps it's also because I was never interested in erotic romance, with its often cold-hearted descriptions of sex in the name of romance, which in some ways is a good way to describe these PWP m/m novels.

There are some authors who can write books containing a lot of sex scenes and make them all so distinct that they never come across as gratuitous or dull. KA Mitchell and Jordan Castillo Price are two such authors I can think of off the top of my head, perhaps you'll be able to think of more. I think it's a real gift for an author to be able to do this. These books aren't PWP, the sex is the plot and character development all rolled into one which is frankly awe-inspiring.

For the majority of writers, this isn't the case. A well placed sex scene can be hot and beautiful and sweaty and leave me feeling all tingly, but put that same sex scene in a book over and over again and I'm yawning. I don't always ascribe to the 'less is more' mentality, but I often think that a book would be better if there were fewer sex scenes and more scenes of the characters sitting on the sofa holding hands and watching TV; or joking and laughing whilst cooking a meal; or going for a walk together, because you can say more about intimacy with those acts than page after page of sex.

Review: Drive Me Home by Chrissy Munder

I've not made it a secret that I've read and enjoyed a number of Chrissy Munder's short stories so I was interested in whether she would be able to sustain that quality of writing over an extended piece such as a novel. Drive Me Home is the first novel length story that Chrissy has written and although there were some things which I didn't care for, it was, on the whole as good, if not better in places as her short stories.

The book begins with a prologue where our hero, Eric, is so drunk he can't stand properly. He is picked up by a man who takes him outside and proceeds to have sex with him. During this rather harsh and brutal scene Eric is lost in his own misery, specifically that of the events leading up to this self-destructive act: losing access to a beloved niece who, after the death of his brother, he helped to raise from birth. This happened because his Sister-in Law has married a man who objected to Eric's sexuality. As the sexual act comes to a conclusion, Eric finally reaches breaking point, lying half naked in a gutter in a back alley.

Fast forward and we meet Eric again. He's out of hospital, off the medication and determined to make a new start in Las Vegas. He begins working as a driver for a limousine company where he meets two very opposite men. On one side we have Brad, the mechanic, who is violent, secretive and a risky person with whom to start a relationship. On the other side we have Marc, a rich businessman who openly admires Eric and can offer him security. Eric is attracted to both, but what will he choose: Risk or safety?

The majority of this book is written from Eric's point of view and this is where I felt the book was at its weakest. I didn't really like Eric very much. Mainly, I think, because he is very opposite to me. He is needy, self-doubting, unable to make decisions and a dreamer. He has spent the time since losing the court case drifting from one town to the next in an aimless fashion, unable to take control of his life. He continuously blames this on other people: It's his Father and brother's fault for dying and leaving him with no-one to tell him what to do; it's his sister-in-law's fault for remarrying. His total inability to take control; the way he constantly looks to others to make decisions for him; the way that he switched his affections between the two men, depending on who had spoken to him that day; the way that he speaks in monosyllables when confronted with authority made him rather infuriating. This might not have been so bad if there had been some change in Eric by the end of the book, but there wasn't. Even right to the end he let others take control and make decisions for him. There was a point when Eric does choose between Brad and Marc but I felt that choice was only made because one of the men had taken the initiative first. I didn't for one minute think that had the other man acted quicker that the end result would have been the same. The HEA worked, but it could so easily have been a HEA with the other man. Perhaps that was the point: That Eric is passive and needs someone to approach him, someone to control him and that, in the end, the first one to realise that won the day.

The strength of this book lay in the writing and most specifically the descriptions of Las Vegas. We are given a very different view of this town from either the tourist's perspective or that of CSI. This is a city baking in the desert sun and I could feel the sweltering heat permeating throughout the book in vivid detail. We also see into the lives of the ordinary men and women working in the service industry that keeps the city turning over and I liked the secondary characters who work with Eric, some of whom were more fleshed out than either Marc or Brad. There were also a number of other delightful little details, such as Eric's interaction with the Japanese businessmen or Eric's odd friendship with one of his fellow drivers, Christopher, which made the book stand apart a little from the ordinary.

The mystery plot was interesting and I didn't wholly guess the outcome. The slightly disorientating way of showing the point of view of the two men working under cover, the way that we never really know who they are until quite close to the end was rather chilling. You knew that they were working towards something big, but you didn't know who was going to be affected in the fall out.

Overall, I finished this book thinking that I had enjoyed reading it and that I would recommend it, despite my annoyances with Eric. I certainly found the prose and the story to be compelling enough that I read it almost in one sitting. Even now, days later, I am still thinking about this book, reflecting on its themes of passivity and control; mulling over what it was about Eric that made me so cross; and thinking over the implications of the ending for the two men. For that reason alone I think this deserves a grade of 'Very Good'.

Saturday Shorts

Out of the Blue by Glyn Sotiňo
This charming novella was a lovely, bittersweet paranormal. Our hero, Aidan, is suffering terrible grief after the death of his partner, Richie, in a car accident two years previous to the book which also left Aidan with a bad scar on his face. He mourns Ritchie so deeply that he has all but shut himself away from the world. Richie's Mother is having a birthday party and she asks Aidan to attend. She also wants some of Richie's belongings returned to her. As Aidan is looking for these items he discovers a small glass bottle. When he removes the lid a genii, Zahir, appears and and wants to grant Aidan three wishes. The only thing Aidan wants is Ritchie back, but that can't be done so he uses his wishes throughout the story to help others instead. Aidan's shift from being completely grief stricken to starting to feel the attraction to Zahir and opening himself up to the possibility that he can love another was really delightful. It was a gradual journey through the novella and never felt forced or unrealistic. The relationship developed slowly and by the end of the book I was happy with the way that the events of the story had unfolded. It helped that both had suffered and were therefore almost kindred spirits to begin with, each able to sympathise with the situation of the other. All in all a well written book on the theme of lost love and second chances, which gains a grade of 'Very Good'.

The Whole Deal by Lorne Rodman
I was attracted to this novella by the fact that one of the heroes, Denny, only has one leg. There's a conception in m/m novels that the heroes have to be physically perfect, so I thought it was a nice change to see a hero with a disability and I was interested in seeing how the author was going to develop this relationship and maybe show how Denny copes with his disability. I'm sorry to say that although that aspect was handled quite well, I was generally disappointed with this book. There were many things I didn't like about it: The characters were two dimensional at best, mainly because the whole book is just a large number of sex scenes with some minor plot to fill in the gap. The sex wasn't even that great, just dull, with each scene reading pretty much the same as the last one. The dialogue was boring with many words and phrases such as 'wow' or 'nice' or 'cool' being terribly overused. The one good thing about the book was the way Denny coped with his disability. He has a very matter of fact way of dealing with the prosthetic leg and isn't afraid to ask Robin for help when he needs it. Robin admires Denny for the way he manages with only one leg and I liked his kindness and attentiveness in helping Denny move about. However, this wasn't enough to pull this story out out the mire so it gets a grade of 'Poor'.

Audition by Thom Jaymes
This book caught my attention because I was in the mood for something hot and short to fill in a gap between books. It's about a famous singer, Adrian, who is interviewing for a new bodyguard after the last one stole from him. The final man to be interviewed is Duke, a long-time fan of Adrian. There is an instant attraction between the pair and before anyone can start singing "I will always love you" Duke is banging Adrian into the desk. Sounds good, doesn't it? Well it wasn't. The whole story was a disappointment from start to finish. The dialogue was clunky, the characterisation non-existent, the sex pedestrian. Worse than that was the fact that both men were thinking about about hearts and bunnies and together forever when they'd only met each other for 30 minutes and half that time they were having sex. It was totally unrealistic, even for erotic romance, and gains my first ever grade of 'Terrible'.

All in all, a bit of a sub-standard week for shorts. Let's hope next week is better.

Short Review: Happy Ending by LB Gregg

Plot: This, the second book in LB Gregg's Men of Smithfied series, begins just as explosively as the last book. Our hero Seth is stressed. He has a high powered job, plus he is grieving for his twin sister, who died of cancer three months prior to the start of the book, and who left him the guardian of her six year old daughter, Molly. When we first meet him he is waiting for his weekly massage. His usual masseur is not able to come and the replacement is David, who is so skilled that Seth becomes rather *ahem* overheated, much to David's complete outrage. Later that day, Seth sees David again, waiting tables at a bar/restaurant. There's attraction but also antagonism between them as they try to hook up, sort out Seth's many misconceptions and deal with ex-lovers, stalkers and Molly's biological father.

Characters: I liked Seth, really liked him. He was, to be honest, a bit of a bastard. When we meet him at the beginning he seems your typical selfish Alpha male, but he has also has a number of things going for him. Firstly, he's trying his best to look after Molly, even whilst trying to cope with his own grief. He's endearingly clueless about how to look after children and treats Molly a bit like a mini adult, but I liked how he really did care for her and wanted what was in her best interests, even if it didn't tally with his own. Secondly, he genuinely loved his sister and grieves her loss. He spent the last few months of his sister's life caring for her at the expense of a long term relationship with someone he loved. Finally, he's honest and upfront with people. He doesn't mince his words, which sometimes makes him seem abrupt, but I liked how he wasn't prepared to lie or hide the truth. David wasn't so clearly defined. In fact he came across as a bit too good to be true and even his inexplicable temper tantrums weren't enough to change the fact that he was rather too perfect. However, I did understand that David was supposed to be the polar opposite to Seth and therefore balance him out.

Overall: This was a fast paced read, full of LB Gregg's trademark humour and wit. If I have any complaints it's that there was a little too much crammed into this short novella and as a result the ending was rather rushed, even if I did see it coming pages before it happened. Having said that, I read this compulsively from start to finish and was satisfied when I closed the book. I didn't like this book as much as Gobsmacked, but it was still a good read, meaning this book gets a grade of 'Very Good' from me.

Review: Reckless Seduction by Amanda Young

Having reviewed the sequel to this book, Reckless Behavior, last week I decided that perhaps I ought to read the first book in the series and see whether it answered any of the questions that I had after reading the second book. I have to say that actually it didn't, but it was an enjoyable read nonetheless.

In this novella we are introduced to nineteen year old Cody who has had the hots for his uncle's friend Dante ever since he hit puberty. Dante has basically ignored him, thinking him a spoiled brat. However, Cody has a plan. By a stroke of good fortune he manages to get hold of a pass to a Halloween event taking place at the club which is run by his uncle and Dante. It is here that he makes his first move on Dante. Once Dante realises who Cody is, he rejects him, not wanting to take advantage of Cody or ruin the friendship he has with Cody's uncle. Cody doesn't give up that easily and, later that week, whilst Dante is staying with Cody's uncle, he sneaks into Dante's room and attempts to seduce him.

I liked the enterprising young Cody in this book. He wanted to lose his virginity, but was determined that he wasn't going to do it with someone his own age. He recognised that Dante was a good choice for his first lover and then set about making it happen. He had a charming youthful enthusiasm which made me warm to him as a character. He was also remarkably self-aware for a young man of nineteen, perhaps a little too self-aware and I did occasionally wonder whether young men actually do think and speak in such a mature fashion. Cody seems so self-assured, even when being rejected by Dante, that I felt he seemed mature beyond his years. Mind you, perhaps we needed to see that in Cody to make the age difference between them more palatable. We find out very little about Dante in the story except that he's a bit of a man-slut which was then at odds with the sudden feelings he has for Cody - enough to make him want to have a relationship with him when he's never had the urge to commit before.

I said in my review of Reckless Behavior that I'd wished to know more about Cody's uncle. Well here I was equally disappointed as he is only used as a barrier between Cody and Dante. What a shame as I still found him to be an interesting character and wished to know more about this seemingly conservative gay man, who gave up part of his life to raise Cody. Perhaps the author might be persuaded to base another novella around him?!

On the whole I enjoyed this book more than the sequel. It was well paced, with nearly all the interaction focused on the main protagonists. The sex scenes were hot but also, because they were from Cody's point if view, they had a rather jubilant feel as he experienced sex, and good sex at that, for the first time. The attraction that Cody feels for Dante was believable and I was satisfied with the HFN at the end of the book, especially knowing how that relationship pans out in the sequel. All in all I would recommend that you read this book, especially if you are in the mood for a short, sexy read and I would give it a grade of 'Very Good'.

M/M Theme Day

It's romance Jim, but not as we know it

Many of us are used to reading our m/m with a healthy dollop of romance or erotica, but what about those of us who like m/m but have a strong interest in other genres too? One way to go, I suppose would be to start reading gay fiction, but I have no idea where to begin with this. How do I know which books to buy if I, say, want to read a m/m horror or mystery or sci-fi which may have some romantic elements or sexual tension but won't necessarily have the HEA that is expected in romance?

Clare London offered up an interesting idea last week (I bet you thought I'd forgotten about this, didn't you, Clare? Either that or I was humouring you) of opening up the blog for a m/m theme day. For me to metaphorically throw open my doors to my lovely readers and see if you have any suggestions for books in a genre other than romance which contain a pairing of gay men.

I can start with three: The creepy horror Perfection by Clare London, the mystery Fatal Shadows by Josh Lanyon and the historical The Charioteer by Mary Renault. All of which have romantic elements but the romance is not the dominant theme in the book.

So what about you my dear readers? Do you have any suggestions for those of us who love the pairing of two men, like the sexual tension and even the sex but want something that isn't a romance per se? Leave a suggestion in the comments section or even email me if you wish and I'll put together a list of suggestions for next week.

Feel free to pimp your own stuff if you feel that it fits into this category.

Review: Master of Obsidian by Jamie Craig

I picked up this book after a comment exchange with Teddy Pig last week. I hadn't read a book by this collaboration before (although I had read books by the individual authors, Pepper Espinoza and Vivien Dean) so TP recommended that I try this one. I was slightly taken aback by the warning on the publisher page: This book contains graphic violence, hardcore bondage and punishment, torture and blood play. May not be suitable for the more sensitive reader. However, I've read quite a number of light BDSM books so I thought I'd give this one a go and I must say I'm glad I did.

Jesse Madding has been working for vampire Gideon for two years and loved him from afar for almost as long. He hasn't wanted to reveal his affections to the closely guarded Gideon because he doesn't want to ruin their friendship. Gideon runs a paranormal detective agency and they are currently looking into the murder of a councillor's son. It looks like there's a strange new drug called Obsidian, which takes away a vampire's inhibitions and could have led to a vampire killing the man whilst under the influence of the drug. Gideon accidentally comes into contact with Obsidian which leads to Gideon seducing Jesse and opens up the possibility that the pair can become more than just friends. As part of this, Gideon introduces Jesse to a vampire club which caters for those who enjoy wild, uninhibited sex and blood play with vampires. It is this club which turns out to hold the key to who is manufacturing Obsidian.

I really liked the character of Jesse, perhaps more than I did Gideon who was a little more difficult to get a handle on. There was one aspect of Jesse's character that worried me rather at the beginning of the book and that was his motivation in taking part in the more brutal aspects of the BDSM lifestyle. When I read a book where the characters are involved in a lifestyle of which I know nothing about and wouldn't be interested in doing myself, it's important that I have an understanding of why the characters are interested in that lifestyle themselves. Early on in the book Gideon takes Jesse to a BDSM club and a series of events occurs which involves Jesse being totally degraded. During this scene I spent quite a lot of time wondering why he allowed himself to be treated in this way; he's an intelligent man and I didn't buy the whole 'I'm doing it because I love Gideon' excuse. There had to be something already in him which didn't shy away from all the things that happened to him at the club. Up to that point in the book I hadn't seen that in his character and I was starting to feel a bit disappointed with the characterisation - after all, it's a big step from liking your sex a bit rough to all out sexual degradation. I needn't have been worried because shortly after leaving the club the authors give the reader an insight into Jesse which shows that he is attracted to that type of sexual play. I just wish that we had been given the explanation before the club scene and I may have felt a bit happier with it then.

As I said earlier, the character of Gideon is slighty less rounded. He's a very old vampire who, up to about 50 years previous to the book, was an evil vampire. During the sixties he met a woman who changed him and he became a good vampire. We are never told how this happened or why, which was a little frustrating. I am assuming that the rest of his story is going to be fed to us throughout the series (there are currently five books in the series) which is a shame because the other books are menages and I'm not interested in reading those so it looks like I'll never find out about him! I do accept that this was mainly Jesse's book and so I wasn't too bothered that Gideon remained somewhat of an enigma at the end.

There wasn't much I didn't like about this book, except maybe for the very short menage sex scene at the club. As for the rest of the book, I enjoyed the mystery subplot; the sex scenes were more than hot; the story tightly plotted and interesting. All the great aspects that I have come to expect from these authors in their individual books were here too. I must not be an especially 'sensitive reader' because I found the BDSM scenes, especially those in the club, not at all off-putting - in fact I was fascinated at the lengths that people will go to get their sexual thrills. I'm a fan of horror stories and this had lots of elements of that genre too. I closed the book happy with the way it ended and glad for the tender relationship between Gideon and Jesse. I won't be reading the sequel, I don't think I need to know that the pair introduce a woman into their lives, and I'm happy to leave them where they are now. This gets a grade of 'Excellent' from me and I highly recommend it for those who are looking to take a step on from reading light BDSM, or who already enjoy books containing scenes of heavier BDSM.

Author Interview: LB Gregg

This month's author interview is with the charmingly witty LB Gregg. Many of you will know her as Lisabea, author of the successful blog 'Nose in a Book' which I have been following for a long time, way before I became a blogger myself, although in recent months she has turned her hand to writing m/m novellas. Her first book Gobsmacked was in the top five at All Romance Ebooks for many weeks and her new book in the Men of Smithfield series, Happy Ending, was released last week by Aspen Mountain Press.

On Writing

You were a very successful blogger before you turned your hand to writing. How difficult have you found the transition from blogger to writer?
Define ‘very successful”. I’ve made some wonderful internet friends through blogging, friends in RL now, so if by that you mean successful, than yes, I was. I adore my blogging pals and I thanked them in Happy Ending.

Still-- I’ve found the transition a bit bumpy. I miss reviewing. It eats too much time and I have to put family first, writing second, and the blog way down the list (and it shows. Boo.).

At the moment you are writing mostly novellas. Do you have any plans to write a novel length book or even to go the other way and write short stories?
I need to figure out how to write a full length novel! Surely there’s a book out there that will tell me how! ::thinks::

Hopefully I’ll work my way up to longer stories. You know, I’d never in my life completed a story before Gob. It’s truly a first work, so 38K seems huge to me!

How much time do you spend writing each day (or each week, if you prefer)?
I honestly don’t know. Some days I write or edit or revise between blogging, promo, preparing gourmet meals (lie), training for the triathlon (another lie), and my RL chores. I try to set a daily word count goal and, whether it’s 500 or 5K, I strive to meet the goal. I have a writing friend who—when we’re on top of our game—sets challenges with me. When I’m in the thick of things, I can work for 10 or 12 hours. Lately...er...maybe an hour.

At the moment you are writing mostly contemporary romance with a mystery sub-plot. Have you considered writing in other genres? If so, which and why?
I’ve tried. But I haven’t yet found my way deep enough into anything other than this particular type of story. Perhaps as I gain experience, I’ll branch out of my comfort zone. I understand were ménage m/m/m double donged alien cowboys are very popular this year. Maybe I should try that?

How difficult was it to get published?
Getting published wasn’t difficult: writing a book that folks might want to read was extremely difficult. Writing, revising, writing, revising, rinse, repeat...it requires discipline and a willingness to suck it up and take constructive criticism. Yeah. That’s hard.

Do you have particular authors who have influenced your writing?
Sure. It’s no secret I’m friends with Josh Lanyon. He’s been tremendously supportive. I like Josh’s style of tightly constructed novellas using unities of character, place and time. His characterizations are brilliant and his dialog sharp and snappy and the emotional journey of a certain character has been heart wrenching and inspiring.

And I’m mad for JL Langley. I love JL’s no holding back sex scenes. She builds tension beautifully while she adheres not to a fanfic construct, but to that of traditional romance. I think it sets her apart. Plus she’s a nice chick.

Outside of the narrow realm of m/m, I like the zippy, funny writing styles of Jennifer Crusie and Janet Evanovich. And I love Meljean Brook. She writes some of the most complex and compelling heroines in romance.

What piece of advice would you give to new writers?
Get your first draft done. Just pound that puppy out--it’s going to be an ungainly, ugly mo-fo but it’s the first draft of many. Stick with it, find good readers-- ideally a critique partner who has been published-- and don’t take their criticism personally or lightly. Don’t lose heart. Writing is organic, or it is for me, and characters, plots, themes grow and mature over time. It’s quite exciting, but it pays to have a knowledgeable person give you clear, constructive feedback.

Margaritas help.

And for God’s sake...follow the submission guidelines!

On Your Books

Your series “Men of Smithfield” is set in the NE town of Smithfield. What inspired you to place all your books in one setting?
This isn’t all I have up my sleeve! It’s just what I’ve finished and published this year. I sold the Smithfield stories and I’ve been compelled to finish three—almost four. There will be other characters in other places, some day, they’re simply not written yet.

I’ve lived in one small Connecticut town or another for thirty three years—write what you know. I love it here--the seasons, the food, the people, the way we don’t say hello or wave to people on the street... I like apple cider and hay rides and skiing and Fourth of July parades and all the small town wonderment of our lives. I think it’s a good fit for the kind of characters I write.

Although maybe a werewolf should come to town...

Is Smithfield modelled on an actual town or is it all just in your head?
It’s a few real towns blended together with bits of make believe thrown in. The next book takes place at an imaginary boarding school set somewhere just on the outskirts of Smithfield.

Both your novellas begin with *ahem* explosive openings. Why did you choose to begin in that way?
Hey, every book needs a hook! The goal is to keep readers turning the page so I like to start off with a bang.

In Gobsmacked, you examine the theme of infidelity and in Happy Ending you focus on bereavement. Why choose these heavy themes as a starting point for a book?
I wrote Happy Ending over a short time period of time last fall when our family experienced a sudden loss. Writing was therapeutic. Instead of focusing on Seth’s grief, though, I wanted to explore themes of family. For Seth—that had always included his sister. For David-- it’s Katie. I wanted to create a positive gay family dynamic, particularly since Connecticut was on the verge of legalizing gay marriage. In Smithfield, men like Seth and David can raise their family just like anyone else.

Gobsmacked? Infidelity is a theme that generally works in romance. You know that cheatin’ son of bitch boyfriend? He’s an instant villain. And who hasn’t had their heart broken, or seen someone stupidly involved with the wrong guy?

However, I like to think of Gob as a best friend romance. There’s great tension created when one friend crosses the line.

Your books follow a traditional m/m pattern of Alpha and Beta males paired together. What is it about that pairing that appeals to you as a writer?
Contrasts. Conflict and contrasts are all part of the dynamic you need to build in romance. While my beta males have had certain obvious weaknesses, in many ways they counter balance their physically larger lovers.

In Happy Ending you write from the Alpha male’s POV, which is quite unusual for m/m novels. Why did you choose to do that?
I know that recently there has been discussion about character voice. While I certainly don’t get led by the nose by some voice in my head, I will say that Seth’s character voice was easy to take on and to stay in while writing. What does that say about me? Heh. I’m a BOY!

Once I found where Seth was coming from, the massage scene was fun to write. We see what an ass Seth is, but underneath, he’s vulnerable. And it was a pleasure to show him struggling with his attraction to David. David really brings something out in Seth. At first Seth assumes it’s his worst behaviour, but later, he understands that David brings out the best.

Why do you use so much humour in your books?
Do I? It’s hard to be funny. Most of the time you run the risk of your jokes falling flat. To some people, I’m not humorous at all. ::cough-G-cough::

It’s difficult to write a comic love story. I don’t think mine are particularly hilarious, but there are parts that are amusing.

Do you choose the titles for your book? If so, why those titles?
They come to me. Well, those two did. I hope they accurately capture the tone of the work. This third book is nameless. It’s driving me nuts.

There has been much publicity on the importance for authors, such as yourself, to keep up an internet presence. How easy do you find it to publicise yourself?
Ebook authors need to have an internet presence in order to sell books. We have to be available to our readers, to get our name out there, and to promote our past and present work. It’s a lot to do--and I do not find it easy to publicize myself at all.

Lisabea may flitter about like a loon. but in my author role, I tends to hold back. I have dual personalities and it can be a little...confusing. I find it awkward to pedal my wares on my friend’s blogs.

That said : my book is only $4.50! You should buy it!

You have just released a new book...tell us about it.
Happy Ending! I love these guys!

He was everything I never, ever wanted. And I wanted him badly.

All Seth really wanted was a simple massage—was that too much to ask? When his usual therapist is replaced by a sexy young masseur, Seth finds himself obsessed with the unpredictable - and wholly inappropriate - David Cooke. Pushed to the breaking point by forces both mysterious and not so mysterious, Seth must lose his rigid control to find the happy ending both he and David deserve.

This book was a joy to write. The story came to me last summer, a few days after RWA, when G and I were visiting a spa for our anniversary. BAM that first scene was born. What sets this book apart is that the story is told from our Alpha male’s first person POV. He’s got a lot to deal with in his life. He’s all about rigid self control and his sense of duty and responsibility. Seth’s reaction to David is immediate, uncontrollable, and surprising. The two really balance each other and I find that through David, I like Seth more.

What’s next for you?
I’m completing book III of Men of Smithfield—still untitled. The POV character, Michael, is an English teacher and drama coach at swanky Dalton Prep. Unfortunately for Michael, his former boss and one time fling, security specialist and ex-marine Max Douglas, is on the scene–hired to protect a high profile student. Let’s just say that the artsy Michael and the militant Max have different styles of leadership. Sparks fly.

Thanks LB, for giving us an insight into how you write and the inspiration behind your books. As always you can click on the book covers to find out more and even buy the books.

For those who wish to find out more about LB's books her website is here and her LiveJournal is here.

Lisabea the blogger can be found at her blog Nose in a Book here.

Saturday Shorts

I've done nothing but read shorts this week as I'm reviewing a number of them for Wave's blog. I'm just going to discuss them briefly here, but they'll be longer reviews coming up at Wave's over the next couple of weeks. All the authors in the reviews this week were new to me.

Lessons in Mastery 1: Under Control by Laine Williams
This clever, New Zealand set short story from Laine Williams takes a snippet out of the lives of an established couple and uses it to show the dynamics of power within relationships. On one hand we have loving couple, Mark and Keith and compared with them are two abusive relationships: One between a gay couple and one involving Mark's father. The two main characters in the story were easy to like, especially Keith who is a patient, gentle man. He provides safety for Mark, treating him with respect whilst also understanding that Mark has to be shown that dominance doesn't always mean abuse. Mark initially comes across as needy and weak, but as the story progresses we gain insight into why Mark behaves as he does, and with that knowledge I found myself warming to him. The only concerns I had in recommending this book is that familial or spousal abuse is a difficult topic for some people and this will not have a general overall appeal. However, if this topic isn't painful for you or you are interested in reading a thoughtful book on the nature of abuse and the implications for those who work with abusees, then I highly recommend that you read this book and it gets a grade of 'Very Good' from me.

Give It Time: The Seven of Wands by BA Tortuga
This story is another book where we get a comparison: On one hand we have Biscuit, who rides bulls at a rodeo and on the other we have Jonesy, who works in sports medicine and whose job it is to patch up the bull riders when they come back injured. Biscuit sustained a groin injury a couple of weeks prior to the start of the story, yet goes out bull riding again and makes the injury worse. Attraction blossoms as Jonesy is trying to clean up the injury. There's a real concern that if Biscuit doesn't let himself heal then he will be impotent for the rest of his life, so Jonesy uses that attraction to persuade Biscuit to stop riding for a few weeks. One way to describe the writing in this book is sparse. It was nearly all dialogue followed by the thoughts of either Biscuit or Jonesy, depending on which head we were in at the time. There were also very few dialogue tags so I sometimes got a bit lost as to who was speaking and it didn't help that everyone had a proper name and a nickname so it took me a little while to figure out who was who. However, once I got used to all that, then reading this book was a real treat. I liked both men and the whole book was infused with humour, earning a grade of 'Very Good' from me

Chew Toy by Julia Talbot
This short snippet of a story contains a great dollop of cheeky humour. We begin with our hapless hero, CIA agent Jack, forced into a circus tiger's cage by a KGB agent and left to be the tiger's next meal. Jack is fortunate in two ways: Firstly, the tiger has been fed recently, so isn't hungry and secondly, the tiger is actually imprisoned shifter, Pasha. Their escape from the cage and beginnings of a life on the run form the rest of this little tale. There's not much that can be said in such a short story but I admired that the author was able to fit in a little back story on both the main characters so that we find out something about their lives and making them more than two dimensional. I liked the premise and Jacks wry observations, especially when he seriously doubts his sanity at the beginning of the story. There were lots of other humourous touches too which made me smile and made me make a note to look up some of the author's other work. The only complaint was that it was a bit too short and read more like the opening chapter to a book. Still this gets a grade of 'Very Good' from me.

Affair in Paradise by Matthew Haldeman-Time
This little story was an interesting inversion on the D/s theme. Adam is on holiday with his friend Tracy, when he meets Brett. There's an obvious attraction between them but Brett isn't responding to Adam's increasingly obvious flirtation. In desperation, on the last night of the holiday, Adam takes Brett down to the beach to seduce him. Once he takes charge, Brett is happy to join in, and Adam realises that Brett is a sub. It was all done very well. Adam has never been involved in the 'lifestyle' and hasn't really got a clue as to what he is doing, so instead of the usual dom training a sub we get the sub who has to train the dom, or at least give him a few pointers. As the story was so short, it was difficult to get a real handle on these guys. The character of Adam was easy to like especially his relaxed, easygoing nature. He likes taking charge in the bedroom, but is a bit baffled by some of the ways that Brett behaves. Brett wasn't so easy to understand, especially as we only get a small amount of his POV. The story was infused with a lot of quirky humour which always appeals to me, plus the sex scenes were a pleasing mixture of hot and tender. My only complaint was that the story ended abruptly, leaving me with a number of unanswered questions. This was incredibly frustrating and went quite some way to me giving this a grade of 'Good'.