Review: Guava Red: Almost Paradise by TC Blue

This series used to be called the Fruit basket series, so don't be confused by the new series title. I've been following it ever since book 1 Lemon Yellow: Making Lemonade, and have been thoroughly enjoying each new instalment. This book takes a slight detour away from the circle of close knit friends that have been featured in the previous three books and instead branches out, leaving only brief glimpses of Riley and Kelly from book three to satisfy fans of Riley and his foul mouth.

The story begins with two young men who meet on Hawaii. Bastian is the son of rich parents who have sent him to stay with his cousin who claims to have been turned straight. They are hoping that his influence will turn Bastian straight too and Bastian is humouring them, knowing that this will never happen. He meets Chase at a party and they hit it off straight away. Chase is looking around at schools in Hawaii, trying to decide what he wants to do with his life. Just as they are starting to really fall for each other, they are suddenly separated. Eight years later the two meet entirely by chance when Bastian arrives in Connecticut on business. This time Chase is determined to set the past to rights and start over with their friendship, hoping that it will lead to more.

Part of the reason why this story worked from me were the 'nice guy' characters of Chase and Bastian. When we meet them at the beginning they are typical young men. Chase is searching for a career and Bastian is using his year out to find out about the ground level of his family fruit growing business. When they come together there's a certain level of immaturity which fit well with their age and experience. Later we see them as more mature adults, making a name for themselves, but also with a more sensible outlook which enables them to put aside past hurts and talk to one another. I liked seeing this difference in their characters, it made them more rounded as individuals.

The accidental meet was handled in a believable fashion and I liked how the character of Riley's uncle Peter was used effectively as a bridge between the two men. Chase's job as a chef was an interesting twist and I really liked the way he interacts with his staff, especially his friend Brenda. There's a great sense of camaraderie between Chase and his staff which not only showed Chase to be a real good guy but also gave the restaurant setting a realistic feel.

In terms of the romance, once all past concerns are set aside, there's not too much more to this story than a slow deepening of feeling between the heroes. Whilst I enjoyed reading this, the lack of forward thrust in the plotting made it a book I finished thinking that I'd enjoyed it but it hadn't left a lasting impression. That isn't to say the book is dull, far from it. Instead the gentle pacing pulled me along and the sex scenes were well written with a good mix of hot and tender. However, the characters of Chase and Bastian are no more than just a couple of nice guys, and whilst I was pleased at their romance and liked them as characters, I don't think I really need a second book.

Overall, Guava Red: Almost Paradise was an entertaining read but not really more than that. I'd happily recommend it to those looking for a nicely written romance with decent characterisation. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series which I think deals with Riley's uncle, Peter and the relationship that he has with the frankly rather poinsonous Dex. I look forward to seeing whether the author can make a sympathetic character out of him!  Grade: Good.

Buy this book HERE.

Holiday!

Just look at that beautiful beach!  I wish I really was going there, but no, I'm off to the usual field-in-the-middle-of-nowhere-with-no-showers camping experience.

I've got a review scheduled here for tomorrow and then that'll be it for a few days, unless you hang about at Brief Encounters Reviews where I've got a few reviews coming up too.  See you when I get back when no doubt I'll fill you in with all the exciting reading I get through!

Review: Ridden Hard by Elizabeth Coldwell

I've read a few shorts by this author before and always liked her written style, so when I saw this book at X-cite, I thought, why not? The story tells of Jamie who's a struggling British actor. He manages to land a decent role in a British film about King Arthur and is very excited that he's managed to get a good part. Unfortunately, the only reason Jamie got the part is because he lied on his resume and said he could ride a horse. He can't. The filming is taking place in the Czech Republic and Jamie is rather nervous about being caught out in his lie. He manages to blag his way through the first 'meet the horses' session through sheer good luck, but still manages to catch the attention of Czech horsemaster, Andrej, who can see through Jamie's inexperience. Jamie begs Andrej to give him a few private lessons but finds he gets a whole lot more than he bargained for when he arrives for his first lesson that evening.

There was much to like about this cheeky D/s themed story. Firstly I found Jamie's narrative very engaging. He's a bit of a lad who enjoys a 'friends with benefits' relationship with a bisexual friend but doesn't have the time to commit to anything more. He's openly gay and like many actors he's a bit vain, but realistically so. He knows which roles are best for his looks and he's rather proud of the fact that he doesn't mind doing nudity and that he has the goods to show off! I also liked that he's open-minded and has a decent sense of humour, qualities which endeared him to me as a character.  When Jamie meets Andrej, he's attracted to him and quite open to a fling whilst filming is taking place. What he doesn't realise is how tuned in he is to Andrej's dominant style and I liked how Jamie just goes with the flow to see where it takes him. There's not a lot of soul searching on Jamie's part over why he gets off on being dominated, but that actually fit well with his open and accepting personality.

I also liked that there were little snippets which showed Jamie being an actor and what it's like on an film set. The few scenes where Jamie is performing or having conversations with his fellow actors added to the overall theme and setting, making the plot much more fleshed out than it would have been if the story had concentrated wholly on Jamie and Andrej. In many ways the switch between the film set and the stable highlighted the heightened emotions that Jamie feels when he's with Andrej. I certainly found those scenes compelling and the sexual tension between them is palpable.

I did have a couple of niggles. Firstly the bareback sex made me wince. I know that this is a particular bugbear of mine and some readers may not find it a problem, and also the lack of condom was used deliberately to show something of Jamie's trust for Andrej. Having said that it pulled me out of the story slightly as I thought "oh no, no condom" and spoiled what had been a very hot sex scene up to that point. Another niggle was that the end was a little too convenient, but I could also understand the need for it if the HEA was going to happen, so again that's just a minor point really. Maybe the end would have worked better if I had got some of Andrej's thoughts as well as Jamie.

Despite those niggles, this was still a really good story with a nice kinky twist. Those who like D/s stories are sure to enjoy it and it's certainly made me think I need to pull a few more stories out by this author. Grade: Very Good.

Buy this book HERE.

Review: Bullied by Jeff Erno

Although Bullied is published by Dreamspinner Press, it's not a conventional romantic anthology. Instead it's a set of seven short stories aimed at adults and YA, which all focus on the high school bullying of gay students.  Apart from maybe two of these stories, the rest do not have romantic themes and there is no sex in the book. Instead the focus is on friendship, tolerance or lack of it, the effect of suicide and the reasons for bullying or being bullied.

I had a couple of concerns coming into reading this anthology.  Firstly, I was worried that the stories were going to be depressing, or that they would all end up badly and I would be left feeling unhappy.  Actually, despite there being some difficult scenes, all the stories are essentially about hope and mostly end well.  Even the most difficult story containing suicide has an ending where there is a significant change in attitude and a reason for hope.  My second worry was that because of the theme, each story would be too similar.  Again, this turned out not to be the case on the whole.  The only similarities in the story tended to be the physical characteristics of the victim - usually small, slightly effeminate in voice and mannerisms, and unwilling or unable to stand up for themselves - and the bully, who tended to be athletic, popular and and bit of a jock.  However, given that, on the whole, those tend to be the characteristics of a victim of bullying and of the bully in real life, I could forgive that similarity.

What made this anthology very interesting in my view was that each story showed bullying from a different perspective.  The first story, Blending In, which actually turned out to be my favourite, was written from the point of view of gay student, Bryan. He is not being bullied because he's quite straight-acting and not out to anyone except his friend.  The victim of bullying is the rather flamboyant, Christian, who's over-the-top behaviour and actions makes Bryan cringe.  At first he has little sympathy for Christian and genuinely believes that he brings the bullying on himself by not toning down his 'act'.  As the story progresses and Bryan gets to know Christian a little better, so his attitude and willing to help Christian changes.  I liked that the story highlighted that it's not only straight people who can be complicit in bullying incidents.

In fact this was not the only story to explore the idea that those who stand back and do nothing are just as to blame as those throwing the punches or making the threats and calling names.  In what turned out to be the most emotionally painful story,  Different, the story takes four separate narratives. The first narrator, Caiden, is gay and the victim of sustained bullying because of his size and lack of athleticism. The second narrator, Rick, is openly gay, but his confidence, athleticism and charm means that he's generally well liked and so doesn't get bullied. The third narrator, Tina, is a tough lesbian who despises weakness in others and uses her strength and  sharp tongue to ensure she never gets bullied.  The fourth narrator is the mother of a teen suicide who looks back, too late, on how her behaviour and words contributed to the death of her son.  It was powerful and moving to see how the actions of all the characters, had they been just slightly different, could have altered the tragedy that occurs.

My second favourite story was the last story in the anthology, Kirby, which tells of Kirby who, as well as being gay, is also fat.  His best friend from school betrays him in a humiliating way and Kirby feels lost and alone until he meets Dustin, a new kid in school. I like Kirby a great deal and rejoiced as he slowly gained self-confidence. The scene at the end, left me smiling and was a good way to end an anthology of stories containing what had been a difficult theme to read at times.

As well as having the views of the victims of bullying a couple of the stories are taken from the views of bullies. The first of these stories is taken from the view of a jock who bullies a weaker gay student and the way his girlfriend helps to show a different side to the victim. The second story focuses on a student whose Christian upbringing blinkers him to the fact that his intolerance towards his former best friend is a form of bullying, especially when he turns a blind eye to how others are treating his friend.  I was a little concerned at first that this would turn into a 'all Christians are intolerant bigots' story, but that wasn't the case at all and the story was actually very balanced in its handling of the theme.

The theme of bullying means that there are some scenes in these stories which will be painful for some readers.  There are descriptions of violence, casual taunts, cyber-bullying and sustained abusive behaviour towards those who have done nothing to deserve the treatment they get.  However, as I said earlier, each story contains a thread of hope and many left me feeling happy that things are changing for the victim, mostly because of the actions of a friend and the knowledge that the victim is no longer alone in their struggles.  I urge you not to let the more violent parts of the book put you off reading the stories.  As well as being about bullying, the stories are also about the struggles that teenagers face in school, in their friendships and in their relationships with adults. It would the ideal book to give to a teenager who is struggling with bullying, as the YA theme is sensitively handled.

Overall, I very much enjoyed this anthology.  Yes, it was a difficult theme, but it was also very rewarding and satisfying to read these stories. The quality of the writing was high and the use of the first person narrative was particularly effective in getting into the minds of the victims and the bullies.  Even more encouraging is that the author is giving all royalties made in the first year of selling this anthology to an anti-bullying charity and DSP is matching those contributions too.  Talk about putting your money where your mouth is!  I'm recommending Bullied with a grade of 'Excellent'. It's a book you should read and recommend to your teenage children or grandchildren.

Buy this book HERE.

Why I read dark, edgy m/m romance

I have a bit of a confession to make:

I like reading dark, edgy romance stories

What does this mean, you may ask?  Well just recently I have read books which have included the following:

Non/dub-con
Torture
Slavery
Characters of dubious morality
Violence
Theft
Cold blooded murder
Blood-play

I bet some of you are reading that list now and thinking - oh heck!  There's no way I would want to read a book containing those themes/aspects.  Well, you know, that's fine by me. I realise that these sorts of themes aren't going to be to everyone's taste.  I feel like I ought to point out that I don't read books with these themes all the time. In fact, maybe only 1 book in 30-50 will be a dark and edgy romance.  However, just occasionally I want to read a book containing one or more of the themes above and I'm pleased that there are books and authors out there who cater to that need.

What has concerned me recently is that there seems to be a bit of an outcry going on at the moment about m/m romance books with these themes.  Despite the fact that the number of books like this are minuscule compared to the number of sweet or non-edgy m/m romantic books published every week, some readers are alarmed that there should be books like this out there and have even stated openly on some romance sites that people who read these sorts of books (ie. me) must have something wrong with them to want to read such themes.

Let's just get something straight here, shall we?


Just because I read books containing non/dub-con does not mean that I want to be raped, or that I have rape fantasies. I don't.

Just because I read books which contain violence does not mean I am a violent person. I'm not. In fact I'm a complete pacifist and avoid confrontation if at all possible.

Just because I read slavery books does not mean that I want to be tied up and degraded. I don't.

Just because I like to read about the psychology behind a man of dubious morals does not mean I want to have a relationship with or marry a man like that. In fact hub is entirely the opposite to that sort of man.

Just because I read dark, edgy romance it doesn't make me somehow sick or evil.  In fact I am frequently accused by my fellow m/m romance readers of being 'too nice'.

ETA: I've been, quite rightly, called up on the fact that by saying this I'm implying that if you do have rape fantasies or like to be tied up and degraded that this is somehow a bad thing and not normal.  That wasn't my intention and I'm sorry if it's been read that way. If that's your kink well, that's great for you.  Who am I to pass judgement on what goes on in the privacy of other people's lives?  In fact that's part of my point here, some readers are passing judgement on my private life or my personality based on the types of books I like to read.


I read these books because I am interested in people, in relationships and also the psychology of what happens to a person when they are put under duress.  I want to understand what drives a man to behave in a dishonourable fashion, how circumstance can change a person for good or evil and how love can grow and thrive despite oppression, or hatred, or even between those who some people think maybe do not deserve love.

More than that, though, I like to read about the redeeming power of love - not the way that some books depict love as instantly curing all ills, but rather how love can provide the beginnings of an increase of self-worth, and can be the catalyst for change.  Some of the authors who write books with difficult or edgy themes can show the power of love in a way that does not demean what the character has experienced, does not show love as a sticking plaster over the bad things that happen, but rather show that love can exist and thrive in the darkest places.  It's these books and authors that I like to read.

m/m romance is often seen as the 'ugly step-child' of the romance world.  Many m/m authors fight for a place within the mainstream romance canon. It concerns me that within m/m romance there are readers who would openly scorn what some m/m romance authors are doing and insult other readers who like those edgy romances.  As a reader there are many things about m/m romance which just don't float my boat. I frequently mention how the incredibly sweet and sugary romances are just not my thing. That doesn't mean that I think that those books should be banned, nor do I think that books like those should not have a place within our small genre.  I also find some edgy themes such as extreme BDSM or water-play not to my taste. I just avoid those sorts of books wherever possible and if I accidentally get caught out then, rather than blaming  the author or publisher,  I just chalk it down to experience and move onto the next book.  I know that there are many, many readers who love those books both sweet and not and it gladdens me that they can read and enjoy those types of romance because there's something out there for everyone.

Therefore I ask those readers and authors who condemn me and the authors who write the books I like to read, to show a little tolerance.  There's room within our sub-genre for all tastes and just because I read dark, edgy romance does not mean that my taste is any less valid than yours.  Live and let live is often my motto and in this case I think it's very appropriate.

Review: Double Feature by Aislinn Kerry

Set in the future when cloning is part of society, this novel looks at the uneasy relationship with Hollywood holovid star Adrien, his clone Cristian and Cristian's partner Felix. The story begins when Adrien is forced to take a short break to escape the heat of brewing scandal in his life. A misjudged one night stand leaves Adrien on the verge of being outed, something that would ruin his career as a Hollywood heart-throb. His friend recommends a bed and breakfast in a sleepy Spanish village. However, when Adrien arrives he discovers that the place is run by his clone, Cristian, who is bitter about the years of being compared to Adrien and full of self-loathing for his own looks.

This book has been rather tough to grade for me. I really liked the writing which flowed well and I also found the situation and the characters very interesting. I read the book quickly, engaged with what was happening on the page and wanting to know how it was all going to work out for the three men in the end. Having said that, there was also a lot of things that niggled me about the book. It's been a balancing act between those niggles and what was a rather good read.

Let's start with the things I liked. The dynamics between the three characters started off being very awkward. Let's face it, Cristian is not a nice man at the beginning of the story. His lack of self-worth makes him bad-tempered, prone to hostile silences and sharp words. It was difficult at first to understand what Felix sees in Cristian as he seems to spend a lot of time walking on egg-shells, tiptoeing round Cristian so as not to set off a bad mood. I liked Felix a great deal, especially in the way he grows and adapts as the story continues. He learns to stand up to Cristian, to defy him and also to be a little selfish as compared to the selfless way he behaves at the beginning. It's hard for Felix because he's a gentle man who likes to keep the peace, no matter what his own feelings may be and I was happy with the way Adrien was able to bring him to a place where he could ask for what he wanted. As Felix progresses so does Cristian who learns that he can be tender as well as strong. Adrien's arrival acts as a catalyst. He quickly comes between the two lovers - and those of you who don't like infidelity will not like this - but once the initial seductions take place, Adrien then brings Cristian and Felix back together. As a three they work, with Adrien balancing out the tensions between the pair. It was cleverly done.

The book has a number of sex scenes and a BDSM theme. I was a little uncomfortable with the way the BDSM was used as a cathartic act for Cristian, especially as it went just a little too far for my tastes, but other than that I liked that Adrien was able to bring that aspect to the relationship. The BDSM worked best, I thought, to show a development in Felix. The sex scenes had a nice progression to them as well as being well choreographed and hot. There may have been a lot of sex, but my attention didn't waver during the scenes. One thing I did find a little odd though was that  Adrien or Cristian never mention how bizarre it is to be having sex with someone who looks exactly the same as you. It seemed such an obviously strange thing to mention, especially as they occasionally compare sensitive body spots.

What didn't work so well for me was the plot involving the media and Adrien. Adrien has been brought up in a famous family, followed by the media all his life and yet he makes a number of stupid mistakes which lead to repercussions, such as swimming outside where anyone with a telephoto lens could take pictures. It jarred with the characterisation. I also found Adrien's publicist wholly objectionable, which may have been deliberate, but it made me wonder whether a famous man like Adrien would really put up being spoken to the way Amber speaks to him, no matter how much of a good publicist she was.

What I also found rather disappointing was that the futuristic setting wasn't used as well as it might have been. There were lots of great touches, such as the cars that drive themselves and the different technology but the real important stuff such as the cloning was glossed over a bit. I wanted to know a bit more about that, especially the politics behind it.

Fianlly, the book ends rather suddenly. There's a resolution but the end also marks a turning point in the relationship between the men. I'm guessing that there's another book in the pipeline, in fact I hope so because there's much more to explore with these men.

Overall, I enjoyed Double Feature. It was certainly a very unusual book in its themes and because of that, and the strength of the writing, I can recommend it with a grade of 'Very Good'. It's not a perfect book by any means, but one which I don't think I shall forget in a hurry.

Buy this book HERE.

Review: Dark Edge of Honor by Aleksandr Voinov & Rhianon Etzweiler

This science fiction story begins on the planet Cirokko, with Mike, who is an alliance spy. He's been assigned to report on the manoeuvres of the Doctrine forces who are attempting to establish control on the planet. The local Cirokko rebels, aided by the Alliance, are attempting to thwart this control. After spying on the general and his aide, Sergei, Mike is told to seduce Sergei in the hope it will get them vital information on the Doctrine's plans.

The main strengths and weaknesses of this book rested on the characters of the heroes, Mike and Sergei. Sergei was by far the most sympathetic, but also the most well rounded of the pair. We find out an awful lot about Sergei: His background; his thoughts and feelings about the Doctrine; his worries about the future; his honour verses self-preservation or the protection of Mike; his love for Mike. All these things are taken and examined in detail as the book progresses. The scenes where we are in Sergei's head shone brightly in the book, especially when he is under pressure or being forced into making tough decisions. By the end of the book I felt I knew Sergei intimately and I liked him a great deal. Mike, however, is less carefully drawn, to the extent that I felt I had barely touched the surface of the man by the end, and yet Mike's thoughts are pivotal to understanding many of the things that happen in the book. This is where the book was at its weakest. We never really find out why Mike is placed on Cirokko, other than to spy on the Doctrine army; we never really discover anything about his background or his thoughts on life outside of his career, other than to show it as being a more favourable life than that in the Doctrine. Out of the two men, Mike is the more morally ambiguous. He betrays Sergei's trust from the start, and continues to betray him but there's very little he does in terms of soul searching other than a passing regret. I think this is partly because some pivotal emotional scenes are taken only from Sergei's point of view and so we are denied any opportunity to see how Mike's actions affect him emotionally. I wanted to like Mike and believe that he loved Sergei, but the lack of information about him, and the way he seemed so emotionally cold most of the time didn't really endear him to me much.

Another difficulty for me in the book was that it was a bit of a slow starter. The first part involves Mike's seduction of Sergei and contains a number of sex scenes, including a dub-con scene which didn't involve both heroes. The dub con scene is only short and is an integral part of the plot, although I quite understand it may be off-putting to some readers. Whilst I understood the necessity of the sex scenes between Mike and Sergei because it showed us several things in particular about Sergei's character, the stance of the Doctrine on homosexuality and the growing feelings of Mike and Sergei towards each other, it did slow the pace of the book almost to a standstill. I struggled to keep going with it and had to force myself to keep reading a couple of times. A less committed reader may well have given up at this point, but I was glad I didn't because once the relationship was established, the story took an interesting turn, sped up in pace and I was hooked from then on until the end.

The second half of the book was a rather breathless ride. It's a tough read and contains scenes of torture and disfigurement which may not be to all reader's tastes. However, I found that the writing was at its strongest during these scenes and the high tension created by the situation compelled me through the book. It certainly wasn't dull!

Another aspect which worked was in the science fiction setting. The ethos and rules of the Doctrine were clearly explained as the story progressed and I liked that it wasn't made out to be some evil organisation. Instead both the good and bad points are shown through Sergei's eyes. This contrasted sharply with Mike's utter disdain for that way of life. The setting of the planet Cirokko was vividly realised in its gritty and dirty glory. I felt all the heat and discomfort that the heroes feel in the descriptions and sympathised with them. One slight niggle was that we never really get to find out why the Doctrine are so interested in Cirokko as a planet. I would have liked to know more about Cirokko's strategic importance to both the Alliance and the Doctrine.

Overall, this was a complex book which examines the things that men will do in times of war. Although Sergei comes across as the more sympathetic character, both men are flawed, making many of the things that happen more about shades of grey than black and white. This comes across especially in some of the secondary characters such as Mike's fellow spy, Pat, or the Revision officer, Nikishin. The writing is strong and those who like science fiction stories, or those set in times of war are going to find much to like about this book and I can recommend Dark Edge of Honor with a grade of 'Very Good'.

Buy this book HERE.

A-Z Challenge Review: Quarterback Sneak by Pepper Espinoza

Why I bought the book: It began with the letter Q!  Yes, if it hadn't been for this challenge I may never have bought or read this book. I didn't have any Q books on my TBR pile and so put out a plea on Good Reads for suggestions.  Thanks to Sagajo for suggesting this one!

Plot: The story begins when star Quarterback, Cache, is rushed to hospital. His team have won the championship but a last minute collision with an opposing team member has left Cache's knee badly injured, so much so that he may never play again.  Instead of the sports headlines being about his win or his injury, the papers have somehow got wind of the fact that Cache is in a relationship with Eric Patton, who plays for a rival team.  The fact that these rumours are true makes it difficult for both men as they have to decide whether the deny everything or be open about their feelings.

The story was told in two timelines. There's the present day time where Cache and Eric have to decide what to do about the accusations that they are gay and in a relationship.  As well as that strain, there's the worries that Cache has lost his career as a football player because of injury.  The second timeline is a series of flashbacks showing how the men get together and carry on their low key relationship.  I know that flashbacks aren't to everyone's taste, but I felt they worked well within the context of the story. It showed how the men have ended up where they are, and the slow evolving of feelings.

Characters: We only get Cache's views within the story and yet I still felt that Eric was just as rounded as character as Cache. In fact, I sympathised more with Eric, who is 100% committed to their relationship, to the point that he would happily risk his own high profile career rather than deny his love for Cache.  In many ways this story is the journey that Cache makes in understanding and consolidating his own  feelings for Eric in relation to his career. I followed with interest some of Cache's thought processes and wanted him to make the choice that would bring the men together, rather than force them apart.  The men worked well as a couple with just the right amount of friendly football rivalry to add spice to their relationship. The sex scenes were hot, but showed a progression away from mere sexual release to that of tender lovers.  The sex was also used to show some character development with Eric especially.

Overall: I know next to nothing about American Football, and was pleased that the focus of the story is mostly off the field.  The politics behind the players is still evident through the characters of Cache's very annoying publicist and the two team managers, and this aspect was an interesting part of the story.  My one niggle is the rather childish way that Eric forces a separation between the lovers which struck me as slightly out of character. However, I was slightly mollified that Eric admitted his stupidity towards the end, so I could forgive the use of that particular plot device in this case.

If you like sports-themed books then you should definitely add this one to your pile.  I really liked it and found the characters to be well rounded and very likeable.  The plot is simple enough with the main point of drama over whether Cache will admit his love for Eric and as such is quite static and takes place over a couple of days.  It still managed to keep my attention and I read the book quickly, keen to discover what was going to happen.  I'm giving Quarterback Sneak a grade of 'Very Good' and would recommend it.

Buy this book HERE.

Review: Starfall by Chris Quinton

This review can also be found at Three Dollar Bill Reviews.

I've read and enjoyed all of Chris Quinton's Manifold Press books and so I was keen to read this offering from Silver Publishing. I have to admit I was a little put off when I began reading the book because of the large amount of info-dumping at the start which nearly lost me within the first few pages. I found it a little difficult to keep track of the number of names, places and facts we are given at first. In the end I was glad that I pressed on through it because there was still much to like about the story.

The story is a mix of contemporary and science fiction and begins with two agents, Conn and Faye, who work for a private investigation company. Their job is to find a runaway young woman, Angi, and persuade her to return home for the reading of her grandmother's will. Conn and Faye have an uneasy relationship at present after an ill-advised bout of sex and the hope is that this assignment will help to mend the bridges in what had been a good team. When they arrive in Vermont, the pair meets Ash, a bartender and general handyman at the bar where the runaway now works. What neither of them realise is that Ash is an alien being who has come to Earth in search of his lost sister. Further complications arise from a rival gang of bikers in the small town, and the general mistrust of the local people.

In the end I had a mixed response to this book. The parts that I liked linked to the science fiction theme. The hints from Ash's past and his determination to find his sister, made Ash a strong and sympathetic character. I also liked the physical differences between him and the human Conn. There was enough to make him unique but not so much that he seemed weird and unsexy. The fact that Ash is part aquatic was another interesting difference. It was in the descriptions of Ash, his life as an alien and the way he is trying to integrate with Earth society which held and kept my interest through the story. In many ways the book is worth reading for this aspect alone.

Another part that worked well was in Conn's slow emergence from the closet. At the beginning he has made a terrible mistake in sleeping with his partner and the ramifications of this ripple through the story. His attraction to Ash is immediate but all the way through he is holding something back of himself until finally circumstances lead his to make that bold step forward. Things are further complicated by his self-image as a tough PI, especially as he finds it difficult to show weakness. I liked Conn and sympathised with his struggles with his attraction to Ash, and his fears of revealing himself to Faye. Conn's romance with Ash is another highlight and I found them an engaging and attractive couple.

What didn't work as well for me was the theme of the retrieval of Angi and the war between the bicycle gangs. The whole thing seemed out of place in a small sleepy tourist town and reminded me more of the 1950's than modern day. If the book had been set in the city then this would have seemed a little more realistic. Maybe I'm just ignorant of these things and small towns in out of way places in the US are filled with gangs of teenagers or young adults trashing the local businesses, although I can't say I noticed any when I toured Vermont a few years ago. It doesn't happen in Britain, that's for sure. As it is I was left scratching my head a little over why the whole plot with the biker gangs needed so much page space and a little irritated when it took me away from the parts I really wanted to read such as Ash and Conn's developing romance and the finding of Ash's sister.

So overall, there were parts of this story which really worked and those that didn't, hence the reason for my grade of 'Good'. The story leaves us with an epilogue which could possibly lead to further stories. I'm hoping so because I liked Conn and Ash a great deal and would happily read more about them.

Buy this book HERE.

Review: Hell's Pawn by Jay Bell

Having read the previous book by this author, Something about Summer, I was keen to read another book by Jay Bell. Hell's Pawn has a completely different feel to it, as it's a fantasy rather than contemporary, but the same great writing and characterisation are present.

The opening of the book finds our hero John, standing looking out across the fog at the Golden Gate Bridge. He has no memory of how he got there but soon realises that, since his last memory is of driving his car into a tree, he must be dead. He's taken to purgatory where he meets Dante. Purgatory is a dull place where souls have to earn points to escape. However, something seems off about this for John and it isn't long before he finds himself embroiled in a plot the free the souls from purgatory along with the help of Dante and an alluring incubus, Rimmon.

I have to admit I had a slight wobble with the beginning. I'm not keen on ghost books and this story treads that line a little. Once I got over the fact that the hero is essentially dead, and set aside my scepticism about the book's ideas of where we go when we die, then I found myself enjoying this book a great deal. One of my very few niggles is that the book has a bit of a slow start but once John escapes purgatory and enters hell, the pace speeds up and I was hooked from then on. The story rather reminded me of one of those Greek epics where the hero takes a journey in which he has to complete certain tasks in order to succeed. Certainly the presence of all the different gods from world religions helped to cement this idea. Part of the fun for me was seeing how the gods were portrayed and watching John wriggle out of various difficult situations.

It also helped that I liked John a great deal. He's an intelligent guy but more than that he's also sensible and a go-getter. I liked that he feels a constant sense of disorientation and wonder yet has the determination to succeed despite this. From the start he recognises that things aren't right and instead of sitting back and just accepting how things are, he sets about to find out how he can change things. This of course leads him into a whole heap of trouble and that was the enjoyable part of the book! His relationship with Rimmon is both a romance and not, and those looking for a HEA are heading for a disappointment. I didn't mind that aspect because the focus in the story is on the adventure plot with the romance being only secondary, and things work out OK for John in the end, even if it wasn't in the way I expected.

Another part I enjoyed was the way the author used all the world religions and mythology to weave a vision of the afterlife. It was imaginative, sensitive, realistic and also a little reassuring. The different religions and how their own afterlives contrast and intertwine with those of other myths forms a backdrop to the action in the book. As he journeys to each realm, John encounters different characters from legend, myth and religion who either help or hinder him, as well as a particular human who will be familiar to fans of the author's other books. All these characters have a role to play, but the constant is Dante and Rimmon who act as guides, advisers and occasional saviours. It was the complexity, not only in the story and setting but in the character of John that I found delightful and made this a book to be highly recommended.

I've already mentioned one of my niggles with the book - the slow start - and there is one other. John has a big secret (which I'm not going to reveal here) but when we discover what it is, it made me wonder why others with the same secret weren't in the book. Maybe it was because of John's unique restless character which made him unable to just accept purgatory, but I still thought it a little odd. Sorry for being vague, but I really don't want to give away spoilers!

These couple of niggles were not enough to detract from was was a very enjoyable rollicking ride of a book. There's a great mix of action, pathos, humour, love and camaraderie, all set in a unique series of worlds which are imaginatively described. Those readers who like fantasy books and are looking for something a bit different will enjoy Hell's Pawn. I did and it gets a grade of 'Excellent' from me. I shall be eagerly anticipating further books by Jay Bell in the future.

Buy this book HERE.

A couple of things...

I've had a couple of emails asking if I'm OK with all the rioting that's been going on in Britain these last few days.  Whilst I've personally answered the emails, I just wanted to reassure you all that I don't live anywhere near the places where the riots have taken place.  For a start there has been little or nothing in Leeds, mostly short incidents that have been dealt with swiftly by the police and I also live nearly 10 miles out of the centre of Leeds.  The main centres for violence in the North of England have been Liverpool and Manchester which are miles away from me.

I'm not sure how the media overseas has been showing the riots, and where their sympathies have been.  Over here there is 100% outrage by the media and the general public and a general condemnation over the lawlessness of a small minority of people.  What started out as a peaceful protest against the shooting dead of an armed man by the police, has turned into an excuse to create chaos and ruin the lives of those with a small business in some of the poorer areas of our country.  You may have seen scenes of looters targeting the large electrical chains but I wonder if you have also heard of the small furniture business owned by a family for over 100 years which was burned to the ground for no reason, or the florist shop which had all its windows smashed and interior destroyed because it happened to be on a high street targeted by rioters.  It's utterly shameful.

What is just as shameful is that these rioters and looters are not only the disaffected youth of this country, but adults who should know better.  Adults who are using their iphones and blackberries to co-ordinate the riots so that the best shops are looted.  It makes me completely embarrassed to be English.  Then yesterday three men were murdered, mown down by a car that was attempting to smash into a petrol station.  This senseless act was so unnecessary. These men were killed for what? A few packets of cigs and some chocolate bars.  The bewilderment and sorrow of the father of one of those murdered men brought tears to my eyes.

On the flip side to this has been that many in these poor communities are being brought together in the aftermath of the riots.  Many people have been going out onto the streets to help with the clean up bringing together people from different social classes and races.  It was heartening to read about this.

It bothers me that people in other countries read about the riots and think that Britain is a scary place, somewhere not safe to visit when that isn't the case at all.  Like all countries there are places which aren't safe, and just as I wouldn't feel safe walking through some areas of Los Angeles or New York, I wouldn't recommend some areas of London either, or Manchester, or Liverpool or Leeds.  The riots will pass, hopefully they are already calming down, and the country will go back to its usual state.  Please don't let these lawless scumbags affect your views on what is a beautiful and vibrant country.

On a more lighthearted note, I've discovered an amusing tumblr site which has been set up to undermine what the looters are doing by making them seem ridiculous.  The site is HERE, but this is my favourite picture:

Fianlly, I've been meaning to do a bit of a shout out to my new followers. I've picked up a number of new people in the last month so hello to you. Thanks for following :).

Ghostly Goings-On

Today over at Brief Encounters I've reviewed a story called Cemeteries by Lynn Lorenz. The author is someone whose books I've liked before and I was keen to read. However, there was a little cloud over my anticipation because I knew that it was a ghost romance. You see, I have this thing about romances with ghosts in them: They just don't really work for me.

Why is this? You may ask. Well a couple of reasons really:

1. I'm not sure I actually believe in ghosts.
I'm sure there are plenty of you out there with ghostly tales to tell and who do genuinely believe that ghosts exist. I have to admit, I'm not convinced of that fact and this scepticism bleeds into my enjoyment of ghost romance. I know what I ought to do, I ought to just treat it as fantasy or a paranormal. After all, elves and vampires don't exist either but I have no problem reading those types of books.

2. The stories are often difficult to resolve satisfactorily.
Ghost romances have to end one of two ways: Either the ghost somehow becomes alive again, or the hero dies and becomes a ghost himself. The former resolution can sometimes stretch realism and believability, especially when set in a contemporary setting, and the latter resolution just taps into the whole scepticism from the point above. How can it be a happy ending if the hero dies, especially when I don't really believe the ghost thing?

Having thought about it, I think it's the fact that there's always some pat answer about what happens after death that kills the romance for me. Despite my own beliefs, death is still a huge question mark in my mind and romances which try to convince me that love overcomes even the big D are, well, unconvincing to me. I know that some readers love the romance behind the idea that death is not the end of earthly love, and good for you if that's how you feel.  It just doesn't work for me though and as I result I just avoid those romances which have ghosts in them. I'd rather focus my paranormal reading on the undead vampires, than the very dead ghosts. Unless of course I get a surprise ghost romance (V and Jane, anyone?) in which case I'm likely to get rather miffed.

That doesn't mean to say that all ghost romances don't work. I can think of one story, Muse by Clare London, that did work for me. On the whole though most of the other ghost romances I've read have left me feeling a little flat, or sometimes downright incredulous.

So what about you, dear readers of this blog? Do you like ghost romances? If not, is it for the same reasons I've given above or do you have your own reasons? In which case, do share.

Review: Confessions of a Rentboy by TR Verten

Confessions of a Rent Boy was one of those books I may never have read if the author hadn't sent it to me to review.  The author is new to me and I'd never heard of the publisher, and since I'm one of these rather conservative readers who tends to stick to the bigger league m/m publishers this book would have passed me by entirely.  What a huge shame that would have been because I found this book utterly compelling.

I have to admit the title of the book led me to believe that this was going to be one of those red-hot, sex filled books where the hero loves his job as a prostitute and everything is rosy but this, thankfully, was not at all the case.  Whilst the book is certainly filled with a lot of sex scenes, the subject matter is a realistic view of life as a rent boy with some of the good, bad and in between points of selling your body for a living.  Having said that, this is not a bleak book, although the hero does suffer at times.  This is for two reasons: The strong narrative voice of Andy and the way that the sex is used to show the better clients whilst the worst ones are glossed over a little.

The book is set in Britain, mainly London, and Andy has the voice of many typical British men.  He's a bit of a lad, with a tough inner core.  He's self-deprecatory with a wicked wit and humour.  He's also very honest about his feelings, unapologetically so.  It's this 'take me as you find me' attitude that I found very sympathetic.  He's also unstable at times, mainly because whilst he's had a lot of sex in his life, he hasn't had much in terms of love and genuine affection.  At times I felt so sorry for him as he struggled with loneliness and disappointment, with betrayal and unrequited love.  This is then balanced by the pride he feels in his job, the act of giving of himself to provide a service to other lonely men.  I also liked that he's not conventionally handsome, and even struggles with lack of confidence in his looks and body.  It made him all the more human than these heroes with rippling muscles and movie star looks.  The character of Andy was entirely rounded, filled with depth of emotion, realistic feelings and actions.  He made me laugh, but at times I also wanted to cry.

As I said earlier there's a lot of sex in the book.  However, each sex scene was used to show us something of Andy's development as a person. We see the extreme nerves he felt with his first client, the way he slowly builds up a client base, the different types of men he encounters, and even the way he gentles the nerves of a virgin.  The sex scenes are all so tightly well written and sensuous, even when what is being described isn't always a positive experience.  There's a freshness about the writing and Andy's feelings, especially during the sex, that lifted it beyond mere titillation and made it a part of Andy's experience.

The question for me by the end was how much of this book is a romance.  There's a change in direction towards the end of the book where in a time of weakness Andy goes back to a previous lover. I wondered whether that would turn out to be the focus of the romantic core of the book, or whether he would begin a relationship with one of his clients. I'm not going to spoil things by giving too much away, but the romance is almost secondary in this book to the drama of Andy's life.  The book ends on more of a promise of romance. I found this satisfying enough as my imagination supplied the rest. However, some readers may feel that they want more of a solid happy ending for Andy.

Before I conclude, I want to point out that Andy is bisexual and as such there is some m/f sex in the book. This didn't bother me because it's only briefly described but it may not appeal to all readers of m/m books. I'd urge you not to let it put you off though because you would be missing out on a great book.

Overall, I found this book to be a surprising gem.  The writing is engaging, the character of Andy vivid and extremely sympathetic.  I may not have heard of this author or publisher before, but I'm definitely intending to check out further books from them in the future.  I highly recommend Confessions of a Rentboy with a grade of 'Excellent' to those looking for a book which is strong on character, emotion and drama. I couldn't put it down and intend reading it again very soon.

Buy this book HERE.

Review: The Rifter Part 6: Broken Fortress by Ginn Hale

This review can also be found at the DIK blog.

Warning: This review contains a number of spoilers for the previous parts of The Rifter.

After all the excitement of part five of this serialised novel, which ended on a heart-stopping cliff-hanger, this sixth part seems at first a little, well, dull in comparison. In actual fact that turned out not to be the case, as the quietness of the first few pages soon begins to build in intensity. It's a different feel, both in pace and tone, from the previous 300 pages, and at first I was frustrated at the change of pace because I wanted to know how things would work out for John and Ravishan. As it is, we get to find out some of their story within the memories of Kahlil and Jath’ibaye, some of which were tender reminders of their romance and some which were much darker. It also answered a few questions for me over Jath’ibaye's initial reaction to Kahlil when he sees him in part 2.

The book can be divided roughly into two themes. Firstly there is Kahlil's struggle with the knowledge of who he was and who he is. His changing memories cause him great consternation as does the knowledge that he is both Kahlil, who was sent to Nayeshi and spent years observing John from the coldness of grey space, and also Ravishan, who met John as a young man and fell in love. During the book there is a consolidation and affirmation of those feelings which led to a number of very romantic scenes. My one criticism, or maybe, again, it was more of a frustration, was that I really wanted to know Jath’ibaye's thoughts during the first half of this book. This is possibly because I'd just spent the last 300 pages in John's head and the switch to Kahlil then denied me John's voice. This frustration lessened as the book continued as I settled back into Kahlil's narrative, and also because of some of the events which happen later in the book.

The second theme is that of the coming war between Jath’ibaye's country of Vundomu and the counties of the South ruled by various Gaun'im. The political discussions and the rising tensions added to the interest, but the main attraction for me was in the threat from Fakiri and what he and his Lady are trying to achieve in the Northern lands once occupied by Rashal'pesha. We discover a number of chilling revelations about this and I am now very much anticipating the direction that the story is heading with Fakiri.

In and around these two main themes the author continues to add to the world of Basawar, the character of Jath’ibaye as Rifter, the role of the Kahlil and life at Vundome. We are introduced to new characters who help and hinder our heroes, and whose allegiances could easily change given a change in circumstance. The development of even minor characters and the way their thoughts and concerns are shown, creates vivid characterisation in even the most minor of roles. It is this masterful showing of character, along with the many thoughtful touches which seek to add even more layers onto the personalities of Kahlil and Jath’ibaye, which leaves me in awe of this author's talent.

I've been deliberately vague in some of my references in this review, simply because I don't want to take away anyone's pleasure by accidentally spoiling this book. Despite its slow start, and my initial frustrations, the way the the plot built, layer upon layer, through the book kept my interest and left me anticipating the coming events. We may be on the downward slope in terms of numbers of books left in this serialisation, but the story is in no way slowing down. Instead we are being pulled inevitably towards both disaster and victory; death and new life. I'm very much looking forward to what is coming in book seven.

You can either buy this sixth part - and then any of the other parts - separately for $3.99 each, or buy the whole book at $29.95 and each month the new part will be sent to you via email. More information about this and the buy now page can be found HERE.

Review: Push Pull by Joely Skye

Push Pull is the sequel to the very enjoyable Wolf Town (reviewed at Wave's site here). The last book told us of how Rory, a werewolf, met Scott, a minder, and started a relationship, even though minders and werewolves are usually enemies. Scott was being hunted by minders who wanted him to join their pod, and Rory took Scott to Wolf Town to protect him. This story picks up shortly after the action packed end to the previous book. Scott and Rory have settled into life together, but Scott knows that there's still danger out there. When Scott receives threatening emails from another minder, he knows he has to leave in order to protect Rory. What he hadn't realised is that the wolves of Wolf Town are not prepared for Scott to sacrifice himself for their benefit.

What I liked about this book is the relationship between Rory and Scott and in particular how they are so different and yet so right for each other. Rory is such a sweetheart and although he's a bit clueless at times, he still does his best for Scott. The scenes where they are together, either in bed or just as a couple were sweet and gave me the warm fuzzies. It was in the small things such as the loving looks, the tender touches and sex scenes, that made the romance shine through the book. Scott is more reserved and often uses actions rather than words to show his love. This was a bit of a theme for the story and I liked seeing how Rory slowly worked out why Scott did so much for him.

Another part I enjoyed was the gentle humour used in the book. This centred mostly on werewolve habits and society. The very reserved Scott often finds himself overwhelmed by werewolves who can't help but stick their noses into what he sees as his privacy. The way that the pack system is shown, with everyone involved in each other, looking out for one another and perfectly happy with everyone knowing your business grates on Scott's nerves, but it's done with a twist of humour so it becomes a fond exasperation, rather than a cause for conflict. One particular episode, where Scott gets ill, sending Rory and his family into a confused panic had me chuckling away to myself.

The part of the book which worked less well was in the slight suspense plot leading to the confrontation at the end of the story. I liked that it was used to highlight how much Scott has been adopted into the pack in Wolf Town, but the sketchiness of the motivations of the bad guy left me scratching my head. I didn't understand why Garrett wanted to meet Scott, why he was threatening him. There wasn't a satisfactory reason given for Garrett's behaviour. In the end it was a weak ending to what had been a fun and enjoyable read.

Apart from that weak ending to the suspense plot, this book was still worth reading because I got the see the conclusion of Scott and Rory's story. For me that was the most satisfying part of the book and I recommend it to those who have already read and enjoyed Wolf Town. It looks like there might be a spin off story between two of the other wolves and I shall look forward to reading that when it's released. Grade: Very Good.