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Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris
Stay With Me by Alisha Steele
Fugitive Color by Z. A. Maxfield
Dead Moon Rising by Macy Largo
Shattered Illusions by Karen M. Nutt
Crystal Genie by Opal Carew
Truth in the Dark by Amy Lane
The Grace of God by Sam Cross
Crossroads: Revisited; Crossroads: Showdown; & Crossroads: Shadowland  by Keta Diablo
Winning Violetta by Jane Leopold Quinn
Patience by Lisa Valdez
Man About the House by Mina Carter
Dead House by  Keith Luethke
The Landlord by Jeff Erno
The Darcy Boys & The Case of the He-Bot Hunks by A. J. Ryan
Dark Knowledge by Keith Pyeatt
Got Men? by G. A. Hauser
Devonshire by Lynne Connolly
A Proper Seduction by HelenKay Dimon
Practice Makes Perfect by Jenna Byrnes
Perfect For Each Other by Jane Kent
Alive on the Inside by Angelia Sparrow & Naomi Brooks

Title: Dead in the Family
Author: Charlaine Harris
Author’s website: www.charlaineharris.com
Publisher: The Penguin Group
Release Date: May 2010
ISBN: 978-1-101-18731-9
Length: Novel
Format: Print
Genre: Paranormal
Source: R
Sensuality Level: 2.5 
Rating: 4

Reviewed by: Teagan S. Boyd

Sookie Stackhouse is slowly getting back to her old self. The war between the faeries is over with many casualties. Sookie herself is healing with the help of her lover Eric, and her life is being turned upside down with the comings and goings on her land. Though that war is over, there is unrest amongst the vampires as well as the shifters, and Sookie's life is still in danger from unknown sources. To make things worse, Eric's maker has arrived unexpectedly with a "new" brother for Eric. Things are not looking up.

********

The 10th book in the Southern Vampire Series, Dead in the Family has the reader visiting with old friends from the previous novels, as well as mourning the loss of some characters we lost in the last novel. I'm not sure what I expected, since in my own experience, the longer the series, the less likable they get as the series progresses. One of the things that has kept this series somewhat fresh is the addition of new characters and situations. As with most paranormal novels the ideas have the potential of no limits.

As I started reading, I found myself quite bored in the first chapters and couldn't muster much of a need to keep reading. Luckily I did. The story picks up pace, and gets interesting relatively quickly after those first few chapters.

Sookie continues to be her usual quirky self, and as always I enjoy reading about her. She takes on her world in her own unique way. She truly cares about those around her, and I think she has fine qualities that make her extremely likable. I also enjoy her feelings for the men in her life. She is easy to identify with.

Things about Eric are revealed that we never knew before, and this makes the read worth it. I liked the look into his background, and even got a glimpse of what makes him tick. Eric has always been one of my favorite characters, and he doesn't disappoint in this book.

All in all, as a fan, I still enjoy this series, and of course look forward to the next. I hope to see Sookie find true happiness at some point. Ms. Harris is a wonderful author that in truth rarely disappoints, and she has a fan for life in me.

Title:  Stay with Me (28 Days of Heart series)
Author:  Alisha Steele
Author’s website: http://www.alishasteele.com/
Publisher:  All Romance eBooks, LLC           
Release Date:  February 2010
ISBN: n/a
Length:  Short Novella
Format:  Electronic
Genre:  Fantasy, Romance
Source: R
Sensuality Level: 3.5
Rating: 4.5

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

Dionysos is one seriously bored god. Wine, women, and song just aren’t doing it for him lately; even the annual revelry of gods and mortals at the Pantheon doesn’t excite him. That is, until he meets the lovely Sianne. One look at her, and he feels like he’s either been struck by one of Zeus’ thunderbolts or is having a heart attack. He is eager to grant the tiny blonde any wish she desires and is surprised when she says that she wants to visit Athens of the Classical period. That’s a little more intricate than the usual frivolous boons that are asked of him. The price for Dionysos’s favor will be naked in nature, of course. He is the god of decadence, after all, and he can’t wait to get his hands on this beautiful creature.

Although Dionysos finds that he enjoys the time they spend in ancient Greece together, what he wants most of all is to have Sianne in his arms. Easier said than done, though, because she is skittish and difficult and professes to hate sex. Determined to vanquish her fears, Dionysos sets off to show her how wonderful shared pleasure can be between them. And in the process, he loses his heart.

********

I’ve always been a fan of mythology, especially Greek mythology, and as a youngster, I read and re-read these tales until the books were tattered and tired. Now decades later, I’m pleased when I stumble across stories that use the myths as inspiration, and when those stories are well-written and fun, I’m truly thrilled. Such is the case with Alisha Steele’s short novella (novelette, perhaps?), Stay with Me. This story is sweet, sexy, funny, and well-written, and I found it to be simply delightful.

Ms. Steele breathes rich and colorful life into the characters of Stay with Me, even given the brevity of this story. Dionysos is an irresistible main character, and since the story is told from his perspective, we get to share his thoughts and motivations. He is suffering from a terrible case of ennui when we meet him. He knows he’s gorgeous, is tired of quick and easy conquests, and is just plain spoiled, but that is part of his charm. Ms. Steele introduced Dionysos to us as a minor character in her novel Forgive and Forget (Published March 2008 by Loose Id, LLC). He is a mischievous and lascivious fellow who likes to spike the drinks and have a good time in that novel. He is a little “kinder and gentler” in Stay with Me but is still a truly fun character. He is so good-natured and affectionately arrogant, there is no way you can’t love this guy.

The humor in Stay with Me captured me. Yes, that is my usual reaction. I’m easy that way: make me laugh, and I’m yours forever. Ms. Steele has a deft hand with humor, and it seems to flow effortlessly in this story. Not only are Dionysos’ thought processes frequently comic, but the interaction between him and Sianne sparkles with wit and good humor.

This story is not all lighthearted laughter, however. It is also sweet and intensely sensual at times. It might not feature whips and chains and Velcro suits, but the love scene between Sianne and Dionysos is still sexy enough to make you catch your breath. Dionysos, being the god of decadence and all, definitely knows his way around the female anatomy (and he’s no slouch with the dudes, either). In spite of his overt sexual nature, he is exquisitely careful and gentle with Sianne, and that makes the love scenes that much more sensually appealing.

Whether you cut your teeth on D'Aulaire's Book of Greek Myths and can’t get enough of the Olympians, or if you’re simply looking for a quick and sexy read, I definitely recommend that you pick up Stay with Me. Ms. Steele will leave you entertained and smiling and hungry for more, and she has a very engaging writing style that I think you will enjoy. I certainly did.

--Bobby

Title:  Fugitive Color
Author:  Z. A. Maxfield
Author’s website: http://www.zamaxfield.com/
Publisher:  Loose Id, LLC
Release Date:  April 2010
ISBN: 978-1-60737-575-3
Length:  Novel
Format:  Electronic
Genre:  Mystery, Suspense, GLBT
Source: R
Sensuality Level: 3
Rating: 5

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

When the young ballerina who acts as artist Max Lancaster’s model disappears, Max is worried. It’s not as if they are involved – he’s gay, and she is still a high school student – but he has looked upon the young girl as his muse, and he genuinely cares for her. When Elena’s body is recovered by the police, Max is devastated by her loss. And to make things worse, he is the police’s prime suspect in her murder.

Police sketch artist Sumner Ellison has idolized Max ever since the day that Max was a guest lecturer at his college. He refuses to believe that Max could possibly be guilty of such a crime as murder. Even when evidence begins to implicate Max, Sumner stands firm.

Max’s arrest brings his protective older brother rushing to his side. Since they were children, David has watched out for Max, cleaning up his messes, and keeping him from harming himself…and others. He will do what it takes to keep his baby brother safe, but just how far is he willing to go? An investigation into Max’s past reveals behaviors and patterns of events that are disturbing to say the least, and soon Max’s sanity is in question by everyone, including himself.

********

With her novel Fugitive Color, Z. A. Maxfield proves to us once again why she is such a popular author. When we pick up one of her books, we expect a well-told story, complicated characters, and a wealth of emotion. Fugitive Color gives us all that with the addition of a truly fascinating mystery that will keep you in suspense for the entire novel.

As always, Ms. Maxfield’s writing style is polished and easy, pulling her readers right into the heart of the story. And what a story! This novel offers up compelling suspense, tension that will grab you by heart and squeeze, and emotion that will make you melt. Fugitive Color is a little bit different from others that Ms. Maxfield has penned, because the focus of this story is on the mystery, with the relationship between the two romantic leads taking a more minor role. The question is not so much “will Sumner and Max life happily ever after” but rather “can Sumner and David save Max from going to prison.” Before our heroes can worry about having a future together, they have to ensure that there is even a future to be had. Of course, that is not to say that there are no love scenes in this novel; the connection between Sumner and Max is as sexual as it is emotional.

The characters in Fugitive Color are complex and absolutely unique. There are no paper dolls or stereotypes in this story but truly unique individuals with backgrounds that have shaped who they are and how they react. Most are wonderfully ambivalent characters, and we don’t know how we should feel about them much of the time. We want to hate the police investigator for being on a witch hunt, but we can’t, because he is so passionate about finding justice for Elena. We want to hail David as Max’s hero…but is he? And honest and open Sumner, fueled by his passion and hero worship, is so determined to stand by Max regardless of the circumstances that he may be risking more than just his heart.

The dynamic between Max and his brother David is complicated and even a little bit strange. Max is probably a little too used to his big brother riding in like a savior and bailing him out of trouble. We don’t want to believe that Max could be guilty of this crime, but the evidence is impossible to ignore, and his sometimes annoying fatalistic attitude doesn’t help. His strange sleepwalking habits make us worry somewhat about his sanity: is his subconscious trying to manifest itself in his altered paintings?

Fugitive Color has a well-conceived and compelling storyline with a twist that will delight lovers of suspense. Ms. Maxfield definitely spins a mystery as deftly as she writes a romance. You don’t need to be a fan of her writing to enjoy this novel, but I have a feeling that once you have completed it, you’ll be checking out her backlist.  

--Bobby

Title: Dead Moon Rising - The American Heroes Collection: South Dakota
Author: Macy Largo
Author’s website: http://www.macylargo.com/
Publisher: Siren Publishing, Inc.
Release Date: June 2010
ISBN: 1-60601-929-5
Length: Novel
Format: Electronic
Genre: Contemporary/Ménage/Suspense
Source: P
Sensuality Level: 3.5 
Rating: 4.75

Reviewed by: Teagan S. Boyd

After a cheating ex-boyfriend had Sarah exiting Seattle and heading for her uncle's in Miami, she never thought she would find herself embroiled in a murder investigation. Though she doesn't like to broadcast the "intuitions" she gets, she is terrified when she feels the blackness of a serial killer as she drives her dying car through South Dakota. Luckily it's Patrolman Plato "Del" Delaney that finds her and takes her to the safety of his home. His lover, John, an ex-cop, welcomes Sarah into their home. They soon realize the killer knows Sarah is the only witness, and her life is in peril. Del and John find they can't imagine life without Sarah. But can they keep her alive long enough to show her?

********

If you are looking for an exciting thriller with a healthy dose of love and paranormal, this book will set you on fire. I was drawn into the story from page one, and didn't put it down until I was finished. At times I found myself scared while at other times I found the need to fan myself from the heat level. This book will pull you in and weave its web around you.

The suspense side of the story is so well interspersed with the romantic part of the story that it keeps the story flowing at a steady pace. I found the paranormal side eerie at times, and this added yet another dimension to the story. Sarah is a likable character. I always enjoy reading a strong, capable woman that isn't afraid to admit her insecurities. Her feelings for John and Del gave me the warm fuzzies. I especially enjoyed how their relationship developed.

Del and John's relationship was incredibly sweet. Ms. Largo does a wonderful job of creating a warm and loving relationship yet keeping it sexy as hell. I find that some ménage books lack a relationship with a solid backbone and center solely on sex; this book has a solid story with solid relationships. Of course, it sure didn't hurt that there was plenty of red-hot sex!

I am thrilled I picked this book up to read, and I can't wait to go surf around for more books by Ms. Largo.

Title:  Shattered Illusions
Author:  Karen M. Nutt
Author’s website: http://www.kmnbooks.com/
Publisher:  Tease Publishing LLC
Release Date:  July 2009
ISBN: 978-1-60767-058-2
Length:  Short
Format:  Electronic
Genre:  Paranormal Romance
Source: R
Sensuality Level: 1
Rating: 4.25

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

Cold and wet after having been caught in a thunderstorm during her usual walk along the cliffs, Brona returns to her home to find her sister missing and evidence that someone has intruded inside. Convinced something terrible has happened, she creeps through the house until she hears voices. It is with relief that she notices that the voices are those of her beloved husband, who must be home early from his business trip, and her sister Tara.

Brona’s joy in welcoming Liam home is shattered, however, when she witnesses her husband kiss her sister. But even as she suffers an agony of betrayal, Brona realizes that something is not quite right. Why does Liam wear such an expression of grief? Why can neither of them see her when she is standing right next to them, and why can she not shake the feeling that there is still an intruder in the house?

********

Karen M. Nutt’s Shattered Illusions might be short, but it packs quite an impact into these few pages. This somewhat eerie story of love, loss, and realization combines mystery and the paranormal as a woman finds out that her life is not quite what she had believed it to be.

I found this story to be a pretty compelling read. It swept me along with Brona as she cycles through fear, joy, betrayal, and ultimately acceptance and peace. Her adoration for her husband shines through the narrative, making it a very poignant love story. Even when she feels angry and betrayed, Brona can’t deny her feelings, and when she finally acknowledges the truth of the situation, her devotion to her husband leads her to realize what she must do to bring him peace.

The setting for Shattered Illusions is perfect for a ghost story. Ms. Nutt sets the stage carefully: a stormy windswept night along Irish cliffs, lightning and thunder, darkness and silence within the house, accompanied with the unsettling feeling that one is not alone. It is chilling enough to raise the hair on the back of your neck.

While the moment of truth is not entirely a surprise, Ms. Nutt does a good job leading up to it. She builds the tension gradually until it comes to a head in the shattering of Rona’s beloved mirror. And while that image may be a little heavy-handed, it is a very effective tool for delivering the climax.

If you’re in the mood for a bit of a chill as well as a love story, you could do worse than reach for Shattered Illusions. I’m glad read it, and I’ll probably be seeking out more of Ms. Nutt’s stories in the future.

--Bobby

Title: Crystal Genie
Author:  Opal Carew
Author’s website: http://www.opalcarew.com/  
Publisher: Red Sage Publishing
Release Date: June 2010
ISBN: 9781603104791
Length: Short
Format: Electronic
Genre: Fantasy
Source: P
Sensuality Level: 3 
Rating: 4.25

Reviewed by: Teagan S. Boyd

Celeste never thought when she bought the beautiful crystal that she would be getting three wishes along with some really hot lovin' in the form of a genie. Zurvan the genie is larger than life to Celeste, and he wants her to "help" him out with a little itch he has had for 30 centuries. Celeste can't help but wonder at the deja vu feeling she gets when she looks at Zurvan; she feels like she has been with him before. Zurvan is about to serve up a shock; they have a love that has endured centuries, but can they finally be together?

********

Crystal Genie is a cute fantasy come to life. This is a feel good story about everlasting love . . . and red-hot sex! This is not your typical fairy tale. Zurvan is all red-hot male. He has many dimensions, and the reader will enjoy them all from his rock hard body to his emotional feelings.

Celeste is an interesting character. She hasn't had luck at love, and her feelings about love are jaded by her parents’ issues. I loved her immediately when I read that she had violet hair with magenta . . . gotta love that colored hair! I found that she had a nice depth beneath the outside veneer. She is caring, loving, and a strong female presence.

There is an underlying complex story of betrayal and eternal love that adds a nice dimension to the overall story. The sexual encounters are erotically enticing and will have the reader panting for more.

This is my first novel by Ms. Carew, and I am happy I took the time to read it. She has a great way with words and imagination. I look forward to reading more by this talented author.

Title: Truth in the Dark
Author: Amy Lane
Author’s website: http://www.greenshill.com/
Publisher:  Dreamspinner Press
Release Date:  June 2010
ISBN: 978-1-61581-530-2
Length:  Novella
Format:  Electronic
Genre:  Fantasy, GLBT
Source: R
Sensuality Level: 3
Rating: 4.5

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

Deformed since birth, Naef has lived his entire life shunned and reviled by his fellow villagers. He has learned to avoid others and has taken up the solitary trade of woodworking, and although his clever hands create works of stunning beauty, he feels that he is as twisted and ugly inside as he is on the surface. He is happy to be alone, but he is not pleased that his sister loses suitors because of him, so when he receives the opportunity to leave their tiny island and act as companion to a mysterious and powerful man for a year, he takes it.

Naef’s new master, Aerie-Smith, suffers from a curse that forces him to exist in a beastly form. Naef doesn’t find Aerie-Smith monstrous, however. He finds the man beautiful and regal, with much within him to admire and even love. Mutual friendship builds between them on their journey to Aerie-Smith’s island, and much to his astonishment, when they arrive, Naef finds his body has been transformed into a form more beautiful then he could imagine.

As their year rushes by, love develops between Naef and Aerie-Smith, but they can only be together as two humans in the dark. Although he is now beautiful on the outside, Naef remains convinced he is as ugly as ever on the inside. He’s not sure what it is about him that Aerie-Smith finds loveable, but he’s not foolish enough to turn this wonderful creature away. Regardless of their current forms, they are happy together, but a shadow looms in the future. Aerie-Smith’s plans to break his curse will entail Naef carrying out one regrettable and unpleasant task at the end of the year, and Naef has a horrible suspicion that that task will mean an end to everything he holds dear.

********

We’re all familiar with the tale of Beauty and the Beast. We either grew up reading it in the nursery or, for the younger set, watching the Disney version with dancing dinnerware and cute lisping teacups. But what if the story were changed around a little bit? Amy Lane’s novella Truth in the Dark takes this classic fairy tale and stands it on edge in a story of love and sacrifice and the nature of beauty. Lover of retold fairy tales that I am, I found this story to be delightful. It is original, touching, and sometimes funny, and I found it to be a very entertaining read.

The “beauty” in this Beauty and the Beast is no beauty at all but a rather cranky and homely young man. Ms. Lane tells this tale from his point of view, so we share his thoughts and see the world through his eyes. She has attributed Naef with a wonderful, sarcastic mindset that makes him a very engaging character, no matter how physically unattractive he might be. Naef believes himself to be mean, nasty, and something of a monster even when he is wearing his surface enchantment, yet he has a great capacity for love, however hard he might try to deny it. And it is this very capacity for love that makes him truly beautiful.

This is a well-told tale with a narrative that swept me right into the story and that appealed to both my emotions and my sense of fun. The interaction between the two heroes is frequently quite humorous as they clash wills and curse colorfully at each other. Other comic elements can be found in Naef’s reaction to both his new appearance, which he is less than delighted with, and the animal forms of Aerie-Smith’s island villagers. His horror at the thought of eating bacon again after interacting with piglets who used to be children tickled me, as did his references to himself as “a chubby bunny” in his new form.

Truth in the Dark is not all humor, however. Ms. Lane weaves a thread of sadness and sacrifice into the storyline that captures our emotions quite securely. As I read, I found myself misty-eyed and sniffing a time or two, emotional marshmallow that I am. There might be sarcasm in this story, but there is also a sweetness that threatens to break the reader’s heart.

Overall, I found Truth in the Dark to be a very appealing take on the Beauty and the Beast tale. It entertained me, and it also made me think about the many ways that beauty can manifest itself. Not only do we perceive beauty with our eyes, but we see it with our heart as well.

--Bobby

Title: The Grace of God
Author: Sam Cross
Author’s website: samcrossnovels.blogspot.com
Publisher:  Damnation Books
Release Date:  June 2010
ISBN: 978-1-61572-133-7
Length:  Novel
Format:  Electronic
Genre:  Thriller
Source: A
Sensuality Level: 1 (higher for violence)
Rating: 5

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

Ever since a terrible accident stole his wife and son from him, Detective Lewis Cade has existed in a haze of grief and disassociation. He has no passion for his job or even for his life, and the last thing that he would ever consider himself would be a hero. But after a move that some would consider brave and others might call foolhardy saves the riders of a subway train from a couple of armed thugs, Lewis finds himself thrust into the limelight and heralded as a savior.

Not everyone is hailing Lewis as a hero, however. His actions capture the attention of a man twisted with hate and a desire for revenge. Jack Raye doesn’t particularly hate Lewis, but he does know that the man will make the perfect vehicle for his malicious game of death. He plans to watch from a distance as Lewis dances to his dissonant tune and obeys his horrible commands, and he knows exactly how to control Lewis. Because Jack has found the one thing left in this world that Lewis has left to care about.

Lewis isn’t a killer, but he will do whatever it takes to save the life of his young friend. As he races to meet Jack’s demands, Lewis’s world crumbles around him, and all the loss and pain that he has suffered come to a head. Whether it destroys him or redeems him depends entirely on the grace of God.

********

Before you pick up your copy of Sam Cross’s new thriller The Grace of God (and notice that I say when and not if you pick it up) and crack the spine for the first time, take a moment. Look around yourself, count your blessings, and appreciate the small joys that life brings you. Because you are about to step out of your rosy world into the life of a man who has none of that, and you are going to travel with him as his life goes from bad to worse and he becomes the pawn in a madman’s game of death and revenge.

This story is wonderful, and it is horrible; it is extremely well-written but at the same time very difficult to read, and I enjoyed it immensely. I admit to being a fan of Sam Cross; I’ve loved each book he has written and have wished they were all available in print so that I could hoard them on my bookshelf. The Grace of God is certainly no exception. In fact, the only thing that kept me from awarding this story ”keeper” status is the fact that it made me cry like an even bigger ninny than usual. That made reading it in public awkward to say the least, because while my fellow commuters are tolerant, they really don’t need to be subjected to the hysterics of an overly emotional reader.

In this novel, Mr. Cross gives us a hero who will capture both our attention and our sympathy. Here is a man who has lost all that he holds dear to him, and although he is not exactly a likable guy (understandable, given his situation), we share the pain of his memories with him. He may be bitter and angry, he may wish for the skies to rain hell down on the person responsible for the loss of his family, but he would never succumb to the temptation of violence. And he has opened his heart to his young neighbor in a way that makes you realize the he must have been a wonderful and loving husband and father.

Jack Reyes is an outstanding villain. He is hateful and evil and insane and oh-so-easy to detest. However, Mr. Cross doesn’t simply make Jack “bad” but gives us a prologue that explains his motivation. It doesn’t offer any excuses – Jack is clearly madder than Alice’s hatter – but it does give clues as to why he chooses Lewis to be his minion.

One of Mr. Cross’s writing strengths is his facility with action scenes. Whether it’s a car accident, a foot chase, or a life-or-death struggle, these scenes will suck you right into the heart of the action. They are realistic, all-encompassing, and urgent and are almost guaranteed to make your heart pump a little faster and your breath catch. Mr. Cross takes time, suspends it briefly and then stretches it, giving the impression of lightening fast speed as well as minute and almost excruciating detail. These scenes are brilliant, in my opinion, and are very well conceived and executed.

If you were to come to me asking if you should buy and read The Grace of God, my answer would be a resounding “yes.” Prepare to be fascinated, horrified, and riveted. Prepare yourself to be shocked, saddened, and perhaps even a little wrung out when the story is over. And, above all, prepare yourself for a one-of-a-kind, outstanding reading experience.

--Bobby

Title:  Crossroads: Revisited
Author:  Keta Diablo
Author’s website: http://ketadiablo.blogspot.com/ 
Publisher:  Phaze Publishing
Release Date:  June 2009
ISBN: 978-1-59426-778-9
Length:  Novella
Format:  Electronic
Genre:  Suspense, Paranormal, GLBT
Source: A
Sensuality Level: 4.5
Rating: 4

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

Ever since Frank McGuire pulled Rand Brennan off the street and made him return to college at the behest of the younger man’s mother, Rand has been living in Frank’s home. Rand’s heart simply isn’t involved in his pre-med program, and although he is no longer taking drugs, he is drinking quite a bit. When his grades begin to fall, Frank takes matters into his own hands to convince Rand to apply himself.

Matters may be tense at home, but they are even worse out in the city, where there has been a string of unexplained deaths of young gay men. Police suspect murder and have called for Frank’s assistance identifying the culprit. Frank’s psychic abilities are not always reliable, but he agrees to help, because the victim’s profile matches Rand perfectly. Frank may not be willing to admit his feelings for the younger man, but he’ll do whatever it takes to keep him safe.

********

The second story in Keta Diablo’s Crossroads series, Crossroads: Revisited picks up Frank and Rand’s story where the previous one left off. It blends mystery, suspense, and a bit of the paranormal into the saga of the love/hate connection between these two men, giving this novella depth and making it more interesting than a simple romance story might be.

Ms. Diablo has created a relationship between Rand and Frank that is complicated, volatile, and frankly not very pretty at all. In fact, it made me quite uncomfortable at times, and I feel hard pressed to call the emotion that exists between these two “love.” It is more along the lines of being an addiction than it is love, but somehow I don’t believe that either man is interested in following a 10-step program to seek a cure.

Neither character is particularly likeable, so watching their interaction is a bit like watching a train wreck: one views it with fascinated horror. Frank is verbally and physically abusive; he knows that Rand loves him and uses that against the younger man constantly. He seems to rule the household by punishment and threats. Rand is a brat who acts younger than his age. His “misbehavior” seems to be intended to get Frank’s attention, but it is not designed to encourage his affection. Both men seem to struggle against this relationship while at the same time being irrefutably drawn together.

The mystery and suspense in Crossroads: Revisited is well done and quite involving and gives readers something to concentrate on when the tension between the two main characters becomes almost too much. Frank’s attempts to help solve the crime by accessing his Inner Spirit result in riddles that have to be solved, and the suspense ramps up throughout the story in a manner that keeps the tension tight and the mystery interesting. Ms. Diablo definitely does a good job of hooking the attention of the reader with this storyline.

Overall, I have to say that while the “romance” of this series is about as dysfunctional as can be, I can’t help but hope that these two characters can find happiness of a sort together. Even should that not be possible, this story is worth reading for a pretty decent mystery and suspense. I look forward to seeing what kind of case Frank deals with next, and I’ll keep my fingers crossed that he and Rand don’t kill each other.

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

Just as Frank and Rand have finally found of measure of peace together, Frank begins to have visions that disturb and distract him. When he is called into a case that involves missing children, he tries to focus his consciousness on the meaning of the scenes that have been appearing to him, and in doing so he unexpectedly calls forth the ghost of a young girl. A girl who looks a lot like the missing children.

Frank’s not sure who his little girl ghost is, but she seems to know something. If he could just figure out how to communicate with her, he knows that she could help in the investigation. The constant presence of the ghost definitely puts a crimp in Frank’s love-life, and to exacerbate matters, Rand is beginning to make some decisions about his life and is pushing for a permanent commitment from Frank. Frank doesn’t do commitment, but avoidance of the “c” word  may very well come back to haunt him when the case takes a dangerous turn.

********

In the third story in Keta Diablo’s Crossroads series, Crossroads: Showdown, the paranormal element takes center stage, and Frank and Rand’s relationship takes a turn. I found this story to be well-developed and interesting with an involving mystery and an element of emotion that was missing from the previous two stories.

Although I didn’t care much for either character in the first two installations of the Crossroads series, Frank and Rand are much more sympathetic in Showdown. Each man begins to show signs of a real emotional attachment towards the other, Rand is beginning to grow up and make mature decisions about himself and his future, and Frank is less likely to bark orders and act like an all-around ass. As I read Crossroads and Crossroads: Revisited, I truly wondered whether either man was even remotely redeemable; with Showdown I see that they are. And I’m glad about that.

I think that my favorite aspect of Showdown is  the ghost of the little girl, Cricket. Ms. Diablo has made this child’s spirit an irresistible little character. Although we never forget that Cricket is a ghost, we also form an emotional connection with her, and we become just as invested in her ability to find peace and happiness as Frank seems to be. Cricket brings out the best in Frank; she helps to unlock his closed and ornery heart.

I found Crossroads: Showdown the most appealing installation of the Crossroads series so far. Ms. Diablo has given us an entertaining story as well as hope that maybe – perhaps – her two heroes can successfully find a future together.

Title:  Crossroads: Shadowland
Author:  Keta Diablo
Author’s website: http://ketadiablo.blogspot.com/ 
Publisher:  Phaze Publishing
Release Date:  May 2010
ISBN: 978-1-60659-956-3
Length:  Novella
Format:  Electronic
Genre:  Suspense, Paranormal, GLBT
Source: A
Sensuality Level: 3.5
Rating: 4

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

Tracking down a couple of missing boys takes Frank to New Orleans and the Hotel Provincial on Chartres Street, and this time, Frank is not working alone. He has Rand with him, and although Frank is not crazy about the idea, he plans to follow through on his promise to introduce his lover to the world of private investigation. The Provincial is rumored to be haunted, and something draws Frank to stay there; soon, Frank has his own ghostly encounter, and the spirits are not entirely friendly.

The two missing boys were last seen in a New Orleans cemetery. When Frank’s investigation finds clues linking the boys to the haunting at the Provincial, he begins to suspect that their disappearance has nothing to do with this world. Have the boys indeed been abducted by ghosts? Are dark forces afoot in The Big Easy? Before it is over, this case is going to take Frank to the very edge of the shadowland, test his developing relationship with his partner, and challenge his sense of justice.

********

The fourth and most recent installment of Keta Diablo’s Crossroads series, Crossroads: Shadowland, ramps up the paranormal, tosses in an additional dose of evil, and once again tests the bond between Frank and his lover Rand.

Ms. Diablo ensures that Frank and Rand’s relationship will never become boring, because it is constantly evolving. It ebbs and flows like the tide: sometimes the two are close, sometimes they feud, but the feelings between them will always be passionate in one way or another. I think we’ve all realized by now that Frank is not exactly a “touchy-feely” or demonstrative type of person. Rand seems to have accepted this even though he would like more. What Rand will not accept, however, is Frank’s dictatorial treatment of him. Rough he can deal with – craves, even – but not the overbearing Frank-as-God attitude. In Frank’s defense, he has obviously lightened up on Rand since the beginning of their relationship. When he calls Rand a “pretty boy,” the term is more affectionate and less of an insult than previously. This doesn’t mean that Frank can’t be a jerk; some things never change. However, we can see that he has Rand’s best interests and safety at heart, even though he finds out that the phrase “the road to Hell is paved with good intentions” is sometimes quite true.

The paranormal element in Crossroads: Shadowland is not just ghostly this time but takes on a slightly more frightening aspect. Ms. Diablo keeps her readers on their toes and takes Frank’s experience to a new level with the haunting at the Hotel Provincial. A couple of scenes can be labeled downright creepy, in fact, and horror lover that I am, I enjoyed these particularly.

Overall, this is a worthy addition to the Crossroads series. My favorite remains Showdown, but I enjoyed the intensity of this novella and will be looking forward to any additional stories Ms. Diablo may pen that feature this mismatched pair of heroes.

--Bobby

Note: The first book in this series, Crossroads, was reviewed by BookWenches in April 2009.

Title:  Winning Violetta
Author:  Jane Leopold Quinn
Author’s website: http://www.janeleopoldquinn.com/
Publisher:  The Wild Rose Press
Release Date:  June 2010
ISBN: N/A
Length:  Novella
Format:  Electronic
Genre:  Fantasy, Historical Romance
Source: P
Sensuality Level: 3
Rating: 4

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

When Princess Violetta’s father arranges a tourney and declares that the knight who triumphs will also win Violetta’s hand in marriage, the princess in question is furious. She doesn’t want to marry. She wants a love match like her parents had, not to be auctioned off like some prize cow. Out practicing her archery skills to calm her anger, Violetta almost skewers one of the competitors, Sir Stephen of Challon. Sir Stephen is a strange combination: he is an overdressed effeminate popinjay, but he is also the best knight in the tourney.

Prince Colin Drake has entered the tourney under false pretenses. His father and the King of Northland have been enemies his entire life, and Colin has been sent to spy on the competition, because whichever knight wins the hand of the princess will only make Northland stronger. Colin doesn’t expect to fall in love with the princess himself, but her arrow that nicked him must have been one of Cupid’s, because that is exactly what happens.

Violetta has fallen in love with Sir Stephen, but how will she feel once she finds out that he’s actually her father’s enemy? If Colin doesn’t tell her the truth, he may lose her. However, if he does confess his identity, then he is sure to be arrested and put to death by the king.

********

Jane Leopold Quinn’s novella Winning Violetta is a story for those of us who grew up loving fairy tales. This all-too-short tale is reminiscent of traditional fairy tales with a dash of Romeo and Juliet thrown in for good measure. It mixes a sensual romance with a little magic and fun, and I found to be a quick and diverting read.

Colin is very much a “Scarlet Pimpernel” type of character in the beginning, since he hides his macho and heroism behind a mincing and foppish veneer. I thought this plot device has a lot of promise and would have liked to have seen it played up in the story; unfortunately, this disguise falls a bit by the wayside and doesn’t have that much affect on the plot. Colin is still a sympathetic character, though, and he is in the unenviable position of having to weigh his new-found love for Violetta against his duty to his father. It is truly a no-win situation.

Violetta is a blend of tomboy and sheltered ingénue who feels betrayed by her father’s plans to break a promise he made years ago and marry her off to whomever. Although she plays the role of biddable princess, she has a spark of defiance within her that is just begging to be let out as well as the temper that redheads are fabled to have.

Although I enjoyed both Violetta and Colin, the characters who steal the show, in my opinion, are Violetta’s two faery god-sisters, Rose and Hyacinth. In a way, these two are the comic relief for the story. Ms. Quinn develops the faeries with passages of conversation that take place in the Fae Sanctum, where they plot and plan to bring the lovers together and quarrel with each other like sisters. Although their matchmaking attempts are somewhat bumbling and Rose has a mischievous penchant for voyeurism, they have also tender hearts when it comes to Violetta.

In a fairy tale, we expect the ending to read “and they lived happily ever after” and be wreathed with hearts and flowers and chirping birds à la Cinderella and Snow White. Winning Violetta doesn’t disappoint in this regard; it will leave you with a happy sigh and a smile on your face. Ms. Quinn has definitely given this fairy tale a “grown up” twist, which places it in a slightly different category than the stories penned by Andrew Lang or Hans Christian Anderson. That makes it a faery tale instead.

--Bobby

Title: Patience
Author: Lisa Valdez
Author’s website:  www.lisavaldez.com
Publisher: Berkley Sensation     
Release Date: April 2010
ISBN: 978-0-425-21054-3
Length: Novel
Format: Print
Genre: Erotic Historical BDSM
Source: R
Sensuality Level: 3
Rating: 3.25

Reviewed by: Teagan S. Boyd

Matthew Hawkmore's life is in tatters. He has just found out he is illegitimate, and so has all of society. He is pushed from his place in society, and his ex-fiancee's father is out to ruin him. His dark moods are getting darker, and he can't see the light until he meets Patience Dare, his new sister-in-law.

Patience Dare has one love, and one love only: her cello. After having her heart broken many years ago, she has decided the only thing she can rely on is her music and her cello . . . until she meets the darkly handsome Matthew Hawkmore. Something deep inside of Patience is drawn to the enigmatic man, and she isn't sure if she will lose herself and her needs to be with him.

********

Patience is the long awaited follow-up novel to Lisa Valdez' first novel Passion. Five years in the making, Patience has been on my "to get" list that whole time. When I read Passion years ago, I was smitten with the book. It was daringly one of the first Berkley novels that I read that I would have deemed more erotic than sensual, and I truly enjoyed it. Needless to say I was thrilled that the next book in this series was finally going to make its debut.

Patience is a foray into BDSM. The book is titillating as well as highly erotic. The sex scenes are steamy and will raise the temperature in the room quite a few degrees. The characters are unique with qualities that are appealing. I especially liked Matthew. He is a dark, alpha male with quite the sexual desire. His ability to "master" Patience is stirring. The core storyline of trust issues is solid, and I enjoyed the way Ms. Valdez brought this to its culmination. However, I would have liked to have seen more conflict throughout the story between the hero and the heroine. I felt as if it was rushed a bit too much into the ending for my liking. I would also like to have seen a bit less purple prose in reference to body parts and functions;  I found that to be unnecessarily distracting.

I am not sure if I had too high expectations or if I expected something different, but I will admit my disappointment in this novel. The book was dominated by lengthy sexual scenes that failed to keep this readers interest. I enjoyed the storyline, and the characters and don't regret the time I spent reading this. I am hopeful that Ms. Valdez will write the other sister's story in a timely manner. Waiting is not my strong point.

Title:  Wicked Wraiths: Man About the House
Author:  Mina Carter
Author’s website: http://mina-carter.com/
Publisher:  Changeling Press, LLC
Release Date:  2010
ISBN: 978-1-60521-400-9
Length:  Novella
Format:  Electronic
Genre:  Paranormal Romance, Humor
Source: P
Sensuality Level: 4
Rating: 4

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

Balancing school and two jobs doesn’t leave much time for Janelle to breathe, let along do her housework. She’s so tired that she’s on the verge of a burn-out, so when her friend Tori offers her a scroll with a spell that she swears will summon all the help she could possibly need, she figures it’s worth a shot. What harm could there be in a simple housekeeping spell? She doesn’t expect this spell to contain a little something “extra” just for her.

Corvin’s not having any luck attracting the gorgeous woman who was working in the club he and his friends visited. He’s a demigod, for Minerva’s sake, he should be able to snag whoever he wants. Even if he is currently wearing high heels and a dress. One encounter with the lovely Janelle, and he’s a lovelorn fool, it seems. Now he’s willing to do whatever it takes to win her attention and lure her into his bed. Even if involves a curse…and housework.

********

In book two in her “Wicked Wraiths” series, Man About the House, Mina Carter delivers a quick, funny, and sexy story that tells the tale of a woman with self-esteem issues and the demigod who desires her. She’s a harried student, and he is an overgrown adolescent who needs to grow up a little bit if he wants to win her. I enjoy Ms. Carter’s humorous tone, and this story was no exception.

Ms. Carter has a real talent for creating colorful and engaging characters, and these two charmed and amused me from the very beginning with their wry and good-natured internal voices. Corvin is part of “the god pack,” a trio of friends who are all the offspring of demigods, spoiled, and prone to mischief. His initial reaction to Janelle is that he wants her much like an overly-indulged child would want a favorite toy. He wants her, so he will have her, and he’s perfectly willing to use trickery in order to get his way.

Janelle is overworked and is on her last frazzled nerve. She writes off Corvin’s initial advances as a case of beer goggles and a drunken attempt to score with a fat chick, because her self-esteem won’t allow her to believe that someone like him could possibly be interested in her. Even though she has a poor self-image, however, she is more than capable of holding her own, and she is neither impressed nor intimidated by Corvin’s god-like status.

The interaction between Janelle and Corvin sparks with both sensuality and humor. They prove without a doubt that they are physically compatible in a sex scene that can only be called “hawt” and that proves that although Corvin might act immature upon occasion, he is definitely all man in the bedroom. Of course, we would expect no less from a demigod.

Although Man About the House felt somewhat rushed overall in the plot department, it was still entertaining. So far in this series, we have met two women who summon wraiths only to get something a little more substantial. First a sorcerer, then a god; I can only wonder what kind of “help” the women in this series will find themselves saddled with next.

--Bobby

Title: Dead House: A Zombie Ghost Story
Author: Keith Luethke
Author’s website:  n/a
Publisher: Living Dead Press
Release Date: 2009
ISBN: 978-1-935458-36-4
Length: Novel
Format: Print
Genre: Horror
Source: A
Sensuality Level: 4 (also 4 for violence and gore)
Rating: 4.5

Reviewed by: Teagan S. Boyd

Dead House sits alone on the edge of town; an old mansion with a bloody past. Though many horrible things have happened in the house over the years, the truth is much more horrific than anyone could ever have imagined. Occupant Victor Leeds is going to learn more than he ever wanted to know.

********

I find myself being drawn to horror novels, and yet I know that I can barely handle them. I am your basic lightweight. I love the thrill of the scary read, but in the aftermath I find I can barely handle the fears that irrationally stick with me. Dead House is one of those that stuck with me for much longer than I would have wished.

Filled with zombies, ghosts, and gore galore, Dead House will rivet the reader while at the same time they wish they could look away. The stark terror that it incites will have your blood pumping, not to mention having you looking over your shoulder for hours afterwards.

The story is solid and well-written with interesting characters. I was kept guessing throughout every chapter wondering what could possibly happen next. I especially enjoyed how the suspense built up gradually to the point of nail biting. The combination of zombies and ghosts worked well; though both were frightening, the ghost part was decidedly more psychologically frightening.

As the story unfolded, I would never have guessed the avenue it would take or the horror it would instill. With graphic descriptions and a twisted storyline, I felt as if I was right there with Victor running for my life.

Mr. Luethke has an undeniable knack for writing horror, and I never cease to be amazed by the minds of authors of this genre. I will even go as far to say it scares me; in a good way, of course. I got to enjoy the blood pumping, scaredy-cat, adrenaline rush that I associate with a good scare. Dead House will appeal to many readers...just make sure you leave the lights on!

Title:  The Landlord
Author:  Jeff Erno
Author’s website: michelenjeff-reviews.blogspot.com
Publisher:  eXtasy Books
Release Date:  2010
ISBN: 978-1-55487-545-0
Length:  Novel
Format:  Electronic
Genre:  Romance GLBT
Source: A
Sensuality Level: 3.5
Rating: 4

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

When Mark Matheson’s part-time gig cleaning apartments lands him in the middle of the filthiest apartment he has ever encountered, his initial reaction is to run away, because the task before him is on a herculean scale. But then he meets the homeowner, gorgeous and successful Aaron Culver, and what would have been a miserable task for Mark is fueled by daydreams of his new-found obsession. Shy and quiet Mark knows that Aaron is not only way out of his league, but straight with a girlfriend as well, but that doesn’t keep him from fantasizing.

Having just graduated college, Mark can no longer live on campus, and when he finds the perfect apartment close to his new job, he finds out that Aaron is his new landlord and also his neighbor. With the man of his dreams just downstairs, Mark finds himself dreaming of submitting to the confident young man. When Aaron’s overtures of friendship grow into something a lot more physical, Mark knows that his infatuation has turned to love.

Life would be just about perfect if it weren’t for one thing: Aaron’s girlfriend Robin. She expects Aaron to marry her, raise 2.4 children, and live happily-ever-after with her. To make matters worse, she’s a nice person as well. The last thing Mark wants to do is to hurt her. How can he possibly expect Aaron to give up his straight, successful lifestyle and the promise of a family for a guy as socially awkward and nerdy as he is?

********

Jeff Erno’s novel The Landlord is a tale of love and acceptance and misplaced self-sacrifice. In this story, a young man struggles to accept and acknowledge himself so he can embrace the love he has been given instead of running from the truth. On the whole, I found this to be a quick and enjoyable read with a level of detail that pulled me into the story. It also contains a couple of young main characters that alternately amused and annoyed me but who also made me hope that fate would look kindly upon them.

We get to know Mark very well in this story – he is, after all, the narrator. Mr. Erno does a good job of reflecting his youth in his narrative. I had no trouble at all believing that this was a young man just leaving “the nest” and the relative safety of his college environment to join the real world. He has extremely low self-esteem, is so uncomfortable in his own skin that he calls himself “a pathetic freak,” and believes that he has nothing to offer others socially. Mark is slightly obsessive/compulsive and tends to feel inferior to others, yet when he meets Aaron, he realizes that he actually enjoys this feeling of inferiority when it is part of a sexual relationship. Part of growing up for him is embracing his submissive side and admitting that he truly wants someone to control him.

Most of the conflict in this story is due to Mark’s emotional overreactions to events. To go along with low self-esteem, I received the impression that this character may be a bit bipolar also. His emotions run from highs to lows and back again; he constantly doubts himself as well as his lover, and this causes him to react to adverse situations in a way that merely compounds the difficulty. Mark convinces himself that his actions are entirely rational and mature, but he is actually anything but. Although he is on the whole a likable young man, his misguided belief that he knows what his lover actually needs truly made me want to smack a little sense into him upon occasion.

Aaron is Mark’s opposite. He is tall instead of tiny, laid back instead of wound up and emotional, “preppy” and very self-confident. Instead of acting like a jerk, as one might expect of someone with his combination of youth and success, Aaron is surprisingly nice. He also exhibits an unexpectedly mature outlook on a number of subjects, such as when he discourages Mark from judging himself against the physical standards of models and professional athletes.

The down-to-earth detail and realism in The Landlord lead the reader want to believe the story. Aaron’s disgusting housekeeping is so typical of a young bachelor that I had to laugh, as is his skill in the fine art of rolling a joint. Forays to the 7-11 for chili cheese dogs and Slurpees as well as to Burger King resound of middle America, making us believe that these two are just regular guys that we might meet on the street.

The characters in this novel speak using quite a bit of slang. It underscores the youth of the main characters and gives us an impression of how they would talk informally with each other, which is a positive, but I found it to be just a little bit distracting overall. As I read, I found myself mentally substituting “you” back for “ya” and adding dropped letters back in so that I didn’t twitch too much. (Yes, that makes me a language snob…shame on me!) This only marginally affected my enjoyment of the novel, however.

Mr. Erno gives his readers an engaging story in The Landlord. On the whole, I enjoyed it, and I appreciated the message that it sends: “With love there are no regrets.” Nicely done.

--Bobby

Title:  The Darcy Boys & The Case of the He-Bot Hunks
Author:  A. J. Ryan
Author’s website: http://www.geoffreyknight.blogspot.com/
Publisher:  Eternal Press
Release Date:  June 2010
ISBN: 978-1-61572-109-2
Length:  Novella
Format:  Electronic
Genre:  Humor, Satire, GLBT
Source: A
Sensuality Level: 4
Rating: 4.75

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

Their parents still on honeymoon and the incident involving the Secret Skulls Society behind them, Tommy and Dash Darcy plan to kick back at the lake house, drink their weight in champagne cocktails, and do whatever it is that mischievous and perpetually horny young men do to pass the time. When Tommy finds out that the hot and hardly-dressed young studs of the Abercumbie & Felch catalogue are holding a photo-shoot at their lake, his excitement manifests itself in a manner that could split eardrums, and he immediately decides to seek them out. When he finally stumbles across the frolicking young Adonises and their strange and portly French photographer, Tommy realizes that something is not quite right about the situation. These beautiful young hunks are not men at all; they are…he-bots!

No one can accuse Tommy Darcy of having brains as well as beauty, and sure enough, he soon finds himself captured by the evil Frenchman, who plans to add Tommy to his stable of mechanical models. It will be up to his devoted (and equally studly) step-brother Dash and Dash’s dearly departed daddy to rescue the hapless young Tommy. Assuming that Dash can get his guardian angel to put down his cigar and stop talking long enough to lend a hand, that is. Is Tommy doomed to an eternity of shallow surface beauty and laser surgery, or will his heroic brother manage to outwit the he-bots in time to save him? By golly, the suspense is almost overwhelming!

********

Just call me shallow, but I like nothing as much as a story that will make me laugh. Give me a romance, a suspense, or a well-conceived horror story, and you’ll make me happy of course. But give me humor, especially something with a clever twist, and I’m over the moon. When I got my greedy little hands on A. J. Ryan’s latest in his tongue-in-cheek mystery series, The Darcy Boys & The Case of the He-Bot Hunks, it was with a mixture of anticipation and trepidation that I opened the cover. I truly loved the previous story, The Darcy Boys & The Case of the Secret Skulls and thought it was the most hysterical thing I had read in ages, but was that story just a flash in the pan? Could Mr. Ryan keep up a steady stream of intensely clever wit and naughty humor, or would this story fizzle like a firecracker with a faulty fuse? The answer to that is a resounding “yes.” The Case of the He-Bot Hunks is every bit as entertaining as its predecessor. It hooked my sense of the absurd from the very first page, the first paragraph even, and kept me on the edge of laughter until the very end.

I’m quite willing to admit that this story, this series even, will not be to everyone’s taste. There will be those who sniff at it, using such words as “ridiculous” and “juvenile,” because one has to have a certain twisted sense of fun in order to appreciate this kind of over-the-top satire. Let them sniff, because a lot of us will find this particular naughty brand of humor to be immensely appealing.

The Case of the He-Bot Hunks mixes Austin Powers, James Bond, and Looney Tunes Cartoons together into a cocktail of hilarity. Tommy is completely brainless but so adorably sweet that you can’t help but love him; Dash has a clever side when he’s thinking with his big head and not his little one; and Dash’s heroic dead daddy has a potty mouth on him and an attitude that is anything but angelic. I thought I would expire from laughter as Dash tries to convince two less-than-brilliant robots that his Prince Albert piercing is something akin to the pin on a grenade, and the evil laser beam that threatens Tommy’s family jewels is truly inspired.

I can’t resist sharing with you my single most favorite clause in the story: “… the laser beam Magna-Doodled a path of destruction through the container …” I’m not exactly sure why this tickled me so much, but I just know that the next time I see a Magna-Doodle or an Etch-a-Sketch, I’ll be hard pressed not to laugh out loud.

A word of advice: if you want to maximize the comic impact of these stories, you should read them in order. The Case of the Secret Skulls introduces the appealing and sometimes air-headed Tommy and Dash to readers; The Case of the He-Bot Hunks picks up the action just days later. I wonder how much of a breather Mr. Ryan is going to give these intrepid young trouble-magnets before tossing them ass over teakettle into another outrageous adventure? I’ll be waiting most impatiently to find out.

--Bobby

Title:  Dark Knowledge
Author:  Keith Pyeatt
Author’s website: http://www.keithpyeatt.com/  
Publisher:  Lyrical Press, Incorporated
Release Date:  October 2009
ISBN: 978-1-60650-085-6
Length:  Novel
Format:  Electronic
Genre:  Paranormal, Thriller, Horror
Source: P
Sensuality Level: 1 (much higher for violence)
Rating: 4.5

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

Wesley has been a resident of Brookside Group Home for the Mentally Challenged ever since his mother abandoned him there nine years ago. He has been content with his life and his limitations, training for a job at Goodwill and interacting with his friend and attendant Bobby. Lately, though, he has found himself drawn into a world within his own mind, a world of colors and thoughts and memories that frightens him yet also beckons and promises. With each subsequent trip into his mind-world, Wesley emerges with increased mental capacity. He also has developed the ability to heal the sick and injured, a fact that would make him happy if he didn’t sense that all is not good in this landscape within his mind.

This newfound intelligence comes with a price. As Wesley plucks his thoughts out of his mind-world, the void is filled with a dark knowledge, an evil that is just waiting to take over him. He wants nothing to do with this darkness, but others lurk in the background of his mindscape who are desperate to embrace it. Now Wesley finds himself thrown into the middle of a life-or-death competition with brothers and sisters he never knew he had. This is a competition that Wesley is not even sure he wants to win, because the spoils of victory are so horrible that they may very well be worse than death.

********

Keith Pyeatt’s novel Dark Knowledge is the story about a good versus evil struggle, difficult choices, and sacrifice, as a man finds that some gifts come with unexpected consequences. While it is essentially a horror story, it is also a story of caring and friendship, and I found it to be a very interesting and involving read.

This novel is set in two worlds: physical reality and the world of the mind. We start off taking brief dips into the mind-world along with Wesley, and it is a somewhat surreal mix of colors, shapes, and textures in a bizarre landscape. As the story progresses and the conflict increases, the mind-world changes into something much more threatening, and what initially resembled a dream turns into a nightmare. I found this strange and distorted mindscape to be very well conceived, and while it is easy to get lost and confused while visiting, I believe this is exactly the impression we are supposed to receive.

Mr. Pyeatt has given us a memorable cast of main characters in Dark Knowledge, whether they be personable or not so much so. Regardless of his mental capacity, we connect with Wesley right away. He is one of those pure souls whom it is impossible not to love, and he broke my heart a little bit in this story. Although we celebrate his growing intellect, we also see the negative effect that it has on Wesley’s psyche. His sunny simplicity disappears as he realizes that with the good also comes bad, and he must struggle within himself against the seductive quality of the dark knowledge.

Another character we quickly become attached to is Bobby, Wesley’s attendant. He is almost too good to be true. Here is a man who can see beyond the surface of his charges to appreciate their spirits, regardless of their intellect. He sees Wesley as a friend in spite of his mental challenges, and it is that very caring and friendship that makes him step outside his boundaries to try to keep Wesley from harm.

Wesley’s mother, Lydia, straddles the line between good and evil. Mr. Pyeatt has made her a wonderfully creepy character – in fact, she frequently made my skin crawl – and it is impossible to like her, yet we can’t hate her either. Even though she is truly not a nice person and seems hateful and thoughtless towards her son on the surface, she is in fact doing her best to ensure his survival. Her twisted sense of love manages to redeem her somewhat in the end.

There is plenty of violence in this novel both in the physical world and the mindscape, although in the mind-world it takes on a surreal quality. A number of scenes are gruesome and bloody as the conflict escalates, and it peaks for Wesley in a climax that combines physical combat with a desperate psychological struggle.

In all, I found Dark Knowledge to be a very unique reading experience. It is fantastical, fascinating, and well-written, and it touched me emotionally as well as providing a bit of a thrill. I don’t think I’ll be forgetting Wesley any time soon. I don’t think I want to.

--Bobby

Title:  Got Men?
Author:  G. A. Hauser
Author’s website: http://www.authorgahauser.com/
Publisher:  The G. A. Hauser Collection
Release Date:  April 2010
ISBN: 978-1-45055-203-5
Length:  Novel
Format:  Electronic
Genre:  Romance GLBT
Source: A
Sensuality Level: 3
Rating: 4.5

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

Although he’s not really sure what motivated him to apply – a mental lapse or desperation from being unemployed, perhaps? – Conrad Hogan is excited to get picked to participate in the reality show called “Got Men?” He doesn't know why the producers chose him, but he has a suspicion that it has to do with him marking that he is gay on the application form. He has no idea what the show is supposed to be about, just that he and five other men will be confined in a house for three weeks with no contact from the outside would and that they will be filmed 24-hours a day for television and the internet.

Once Conrad arrives at the house, he sees that there are cameras everywhere, even the bathrooms and bedrooms, and he begins to wish that he had read the fine print in the contract. When he meets his fellow housemates – a teacher, a tattoo artist, a physical trainer, a wanna-be actor, and a med student – he begins to panic, because they are all simply gorgeous, and he is wildly attracted to each of them. Conrad’s a construction worker and firmly in the closet; there is no way that he is going to allow himself to be outed on national television. He’s beginning to believe that is indeed the purpose of this particular reality show, however.

As the men get to know each other, alliances and rivalries are born, and Conrad begins to fall in love with his housemate Sonny. The producers are ruthless in their determination to get the men to admit that they are gay, constantly tempting and teasing them, and the entire situation soon turns torturous for Conrad. He cannot allow himself to give in. When the three weeks are up, he will have to go home to face his friends and family, and they will in no way accept the fact that he is gay.

********

There are a couple of things that I feel almost guaranteed of when I pick up a novel by G.A. Hauser, and that is a mixture of fun and a little something to think about. Oh, and beautiful men, of course. The latest of her novels that I have had the pleasure of reading, Got Men?, which is set in the over-the-top and alien world of reality television, definitely lives up to the standard. This one is quick and entertaining, and it documents the dilemma that one young man faces regarding the possible negative repercussions of revealing his sexual preference.

I’m not a watcher of reality television, but I’ve accidentally witnessed bits and pieces of various shows. The goal seems to be shock factor and the utter spectacle of the whole thing, so the show “Got Men?” definitely seems like something that might be cooked up by a producer out there somewhere. I’m not going to say it is realistic, because let’s admit it… the “reality” of reality television is about as far from real as one can possibly get. The six young men in this novel who start off so foolishly confident end up being sacrificial lambs on the altar of the entertainment industry in Got Men?, and I found myself feeling sorry for them even as I enjoyed their story.

One issue that came to my mind as I read Got Men? is the difference that exists between various parts of the nation when it comes to acceptance of nontraditional sexuality. Sure, “wouldn’t it be nice” if there were no negative repercussions to people being outed like this, but we know that’s not the way the real world works. Also, there is voluntarily coming out, and then there is forcible outing. Guess which one we have here? The producers in this story swear that by creating this show they are offering positive role models to young gay men who are coming out. But are they, really? As I read, I saw a cold calculation under the surface veneer of concern; the real objective is merely the bottom line: money and ratings.

In this novel, Ms. Hauser gives us an entire crew of young men to love. Along with none of them being “out,” they each have their individual issues that make participating in this show difficult for them. Conrad, the main character, is the biggest, prettiest, most macho of the entire lot, yet he is also the most vulnerable and afraid.

Of course, this novel is not all about feeling sorry for the beleaguered participants. There is plenty of humor to be found, and the characters Tony and Kelvin provide the main sources of comic relief. Tony’s bluff and posturing might be annoying to his housemates, but it is also quite amusing. And Kelvin’s almost incapacitating joy at meeting Mark Richfield is not only funny but also is so cute that I just wanted to pinch him on the cheek. The cheek on his face, people…get your minds out of the gutter!

Since this is G.A. Hauser’s universe, we get to witness characters hopping between stories. I enjoyed seeing Tony from Leather Boys as well as Alfonso from Exposure featured in Got Men? Even though they are not main characters, they finally get their stories told. Other characters readers may have met before are the producers, Will and Charlotte. While I can’t say that I actually liked either one of them, they are each very strong personalities.

Overall, I found Got Men? to be very entertaining and a lot of fun even as I fumed against what felt like an injustice being served to the housemates. It was also addicting enough for me to not want to put it down. So I didn’t; I gobbled it all up in one long sitting. And as always, it left me looking forward to the next of Ms. Hauser’s novels.

--Bobby

Title:  Devonshire (Richard and Rose, Book Two)
Author:  Lynne Connolly
Author’s website: http://www.lynneconnolly.com/
Publisher:  Samhain Publishing. Ltd.
Release Date:  January 2009
ISBN: 978-1-60504-349-4
Length:  Novel
Format:  Electronic and Print
Genre:  Historical (Georgian) Romance
Source: R
Sensuality Level: 3
Rating: 4.75

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

After their misadventures at Hareton Abbey in Yorkshire, Miss Rose Golightly and her family have returned to their home in Devonshire. Rose anxiously awaits the date of her wedding to Richard Kerre, Lord Strang. She is still not sure what the exquisite and fashionable Richard sees in her quiet and comfortable self, and she is less than comfortable at being at the center of society’s attention after having been ignored her entire life, but she thanks her blessings that she has the love of such an incredible man.

As the last days before the wedding count down, Rose finds herself dealing with a number of unexpected difficulties. Not only has one of the local beauties determined to steal Richard away from her, but the refusal of both Rose’s brother and her neighbor to cooperate with local smugglers has brought them to the attention of some very ruthless and dangerous men. When the tension between the gang and the landowners explodes into violence, Rose finds her life in danger, and it is up to Richard to diffuse the situation and save his wife-to-be. Others might write him off as a shallow popinjay; they are about to find out that Richard is a man of intelligence and determination who knows how to fight. And how to win. 

********

While reading Lynne Connolly’s Yorkshire last year, I fell completely under the spell of her heroes Richard and Rose, and I determined to read more of their adventures. In general, I’m a bit leery of series that feature the same main characters over multiple volumes, because I’m afraid that I’ll become bored with them. (Yes, my attention span really is that short!) However, the pull of Richard and Rose was just too much for me to resist, so I finally sat down to enjoy the second novel of the series, Devonshire. And enjoy it I did. This story is just as irresistible as its predecessor.

In Devonshire, we find Rose back in her natural element among friends and childhood rivals. This story gives us a picture of the country gentry of the time, who are perhaps not so refined as the fashionable society of London. It also gives us a startlingly realistic picture of the village of Darkwater, which is a little run down. Cottages may look quaint on the exterior, but the poverty of the residents is reflected in the filth and eye-watering stench inside, reminding us of the huge financial and social gap between the “haves” and the “have nots” of the era.

I found the characters in this novel just as fresh and vivid as they were when I met them initially in Yorkshire. Both Richard and Rose have hidden depths, and this story peels away another layer to reveal more about their characters. Richard proves that he can be quite ruthless – cruel, even – when he needs to be, but he always reserves his softer side for Rose. The connection between these two is undeniable. Even though Richard has pushed people away his entire life, he opens himself to her emotionally, intellectually, and sensually. Rose is his rock, trusting in her heart that Richard loves her even as she wonders what her appeal could possibly be. She is unswerving in her devotion, regardless of the worries and poorly informed opinions of others.

One common feature that I have found in many historical novels is the kidnap of the heroine. But while Ms. Connolly does feature this plot device in Devonshire, this particular kidnapping is exceptionally well done. It is a nasty and frightening situation for the victims, and there were times when I found myself truly worried about Rose’s safety.

I found Devonshire to be very satisfying on many different levels. It contains a realism and a level of detail that brings the narrative to three-dimensional life and transforms the characters to living, breathing, rational individuals. It effortlessly pulled me into Richard and Rose’s world with a finely spun plot and a well-crafted mystery and held my fascinated attention until the very end.

The more of Ms. Connolly’s work that I read, the greater my admiration for her as a writer becomes. You probably would not be surprised to find out, then, that my Sony Reader is home to “a few” more of her books, and I can’t wait to read them all. I might even branch out and read one of her paranormals soon. That is, after I have gorged myself silly on her wonderful Georgians.

Note: This story builds on the foundation set by the previous novel in the series. In order to appreciate the characters and events in Devonshire, I strongly suggest that you read Yorkshire first.

--Bobby

Title: A Proper Seduction
Author: HelenKay Dimon
Author’s website:  http://www.helenkaydimon.com/
Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
Release Date: May 2010
ISBN: 978-1-60928-038-3
Length: Short Story
Format: Electronic
Genre: Contemporary
Source: R
Sensuality Level: 3
Rating: 4.5

Reviewed by: Teagan S. Boyd

Lauren had lost herself in a marriage that was as one-sided as it could get. Now, she has not only shed her husband, but she is about to shed the memories from the night that made the light bulb click on that her marriage was a mess. Her husband had forced her into a threesome for only his enjoyment. Unfortunately, he chose the one man she really wanted, and it left her cold and hurt. But now it's time to gain some of her dignity and sexual upper hand back.

Justin has always wanted Lauren, and when he stupidly went along with her husband's plan just to get close to her, he didn't realize until it was too late the damage that was done. Now he has a chance to make her see his true feelings. She has given him three nights of "sex only," but if Justin has anything to say about it, he will make Lauren see him for whom he truly is.

********

I found myself drawn into the story of Lauren and Justin from page one. Ms. Dimon pulls the reader in immediately with a bang. She leaves the reader wondering right off the bat what could possibly drive Lauren to proposition Justin as she does.

Lauren is complex on the surface, but in actuality she is supremely simple. She has been abused, and it is time for her to own herself again. I enjoyed her journey; though short, it was well-written.

Justin is a memorable character and the type of man that I think is realistic. His feelings for Lauren and his tenacious pursuance of her is admirable.

I usually don't buy books that have a divorcee in them; it just isn't what I usually enjoy. Ms. Dimon proved that I need to go back and try things I might not have liked before, because every story is different. I am very pleased I read this story. It was entertaining while having a solid story with many emotions.

Title:  Practice Makes Perfect
Author:  Jenna Byrnes
Author’s website: http://www.jennabyrnes.com/
Publisher:  Total-e-Bound Publishing
Release Date:  May 2010
ISBN: 978-1-85715-153-7
Length:  Short Story
Format:  Electronic
Genre:  Paranormal GLBT
Source: P
Sensuality Level: 3
Rating: 3.25

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

Julian Delaney doesn’t believe in magic. He’s a salesman at an exclusive menswear boutique; the only magic that he practices is in his ability to match a customer with the perfect outfit. So when a man professing to be a warlock shows up at his work and insists Julian is one as well, Julian figures that the man is not all right in the head. Pity, because Dante is absolutely gorgeous – a veritable Adonis – and Julian wants him as soon as he sees him. Dante is not crazy, however. He has been sent by the Counsellor of Conjury to begin Julian’s magical training. He is to be Julian’s guide and his mentor, and he plans to be Julian’s lover as well.

The sex is outstanding; the magic not so much. Try as Julian might, he can’t seem to get a handle on this magic Dante swears he was born with. He practices and practices, but every spell he casts goes awry, sometimes with drastic results. If Julian had his own way, he’d forget this whole magic thing and go back to being a normal person again. But there is a problem with that, because if he forgets about his magic, he might forget about Dante as well.

********

Jenna Byrnes’ Practice Makes Perfect is a quick and lusty trip into a world of where magic coexists with the mundane, wherein a young man finds that the man of his dreams comes complete with a crash course in the magical arts. I found it to be mildly amusing, as I believe it was intended to be, heavy on sex and a little rushed and light on plot.

Given the brevity of a short story, there is not a lot of time for character development. However, Ms. Byrnes does a pretty decent job of fleshing the character Julian out into someone we can enjoy. At the beginning of the story, I could almost see him buzzing around the clothing store helping customers and ogling Dante. His difficulties mastering magic as the story progresses are comic, causing us to wonder what on earth he could possibly do wrong next.

Dante I never really got a handle on. He is a fairy-godfather-cum-pretty-boy, but I found him to fall a little bit flat. Although he is purported to be a guide and a teacher of magic, I never received an impression of him as an authority figure. Instead, his main objective seems to be to get into Julian’s pants as soon as humanly (or even magically) possible.

Practice Makes Perfect struck me more as a set of sex scenes linked by a small amount of narrative than a full-blown story. I found that disappointing, because it had a certain amount of promise in the beginning. Overall, I feel that this story would have made a good novella had it been fleshed out with more plot to balance the sex scenes. I would have enjoyed getting to know a little more about the magical world, especially the strange repercussions of Julian’s initial forays into magic. In addition, I would have enjoyed seeing more of Julian’s coworker Marta. Her character showed great promise of being wonderfully odious and a source of comic relief. I have certainly read more enjoyable offerings by Ms. Byrnes in the past, and I could not help but be just a bit let down by this one.

--Bobby

Title:  Perfect For Each Other
Author:  Jane Kent
Author’s website: at Whispers Publishing
Publisher:  Whispers Publishing
Release Date:  May 2010
ISBN: N/A
Length:  Novel
Format:  Electronic
Genre:  Romance
Source: A
Sensuality Level: 3.5
Rating: 4.25

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

When Skye Hagens agreed to house- and pet-sit for her friends PJ and Bastian for a week, it was no big imposition for her. Her job as an independent researcher is certainly portable. She figured she would be spending a week with twenty pounds of furry feline affection to keep her company; she did not expect her friend’s hateful older brother to be part of the bargain. But here he is, big as life and twice as irritating, lounging in the bathroom doorway like he owns the place, watching her take a bubble bath. And the bubbles are fast disappearing.

Rome James didn’t realize that his sister and her husband would be out of town when he dropped by. Finding the very beautiful, very naked Skye splashing in the tub reminds him just how attracted to her he is, in spite of the fact that they have never gotten along. When they met three years ago, he dismissed her as a gorgeous bimbo, but since then he has come to appreciate just how special and intelligent she actually is. He’d like the chance to get to know her without pissing her off for a change, but he can’t seem to stop acting like an obnoxious adolescent around her.

In order to live in peace, Rome and Skye call a temporary truce and find out that they actually enjoy each other’s company, and the attraction that has been simmering for years between them bursts into sensual fireworks. Before they can get too tied up in each other, however, their lives are thrown into chaos, because somewhere, somehow Skye has picked up a stalker. And this person does not have her best interests at heart.

********

I have read my share of horror and suspense lately, so when I picked up Jane Kent’s novel Perfect For Each Other, I was in the mood for something else. I wanted a story that was light and romantic, something to pass a few enjoyable hours and leave me with a smile on my face. And that is exactly what I got. This novel is a good old-fashioned romance that tells the story of a man and a woman who are perfectly matched but are almost too busy quarreling to notice, and I found it to be diverting and sexy and just plain fun.

One of the tried-and-true romantic fiction formulas involves a hero and heroine who think they hate each other just to find out that the opposite is true. Perfect For Each Other follows this formula, spicing it up with a little bit of suspense and an intense sexual connection between the two main characters. Ms. Kent has created this story to be a spin-off of Getting It Right, which we reviewed last March. It is not necessary to have read the previous novella in order to enjoy this one, because Perfect For Each Other is nicely self-contained. However, readers will find that the two stories complement each other.

The two main characters in Perfect For Each Other are not stereotypical cardboard cutouts. Ms. Kent has developed both of them to be individual and three-dimensional. Yes, they are physically beautiful (hey this is romance…we want our people to be gorgeous!), but they are also smart and quick-witted and truly likeable. Their individual thoughts and little internal monologues reveal their true characters and are just as entertaining as their sparkling conversation.

One of the elements that I found the most appealing in this novel is the humor, which it has to spare. The interaction between Rome and Skye is frequently sexy and playful, and I found myself with a grin on my face for most of the story. Overall, I found Perfect For Each Other to be an easy and pleasurable read. This is Ms. Kent’s second published work, and it is evident to me that she is developing into an engaging story-teller. I look forward to seeing what she has to offer us next.

--Bobby

Title:  Alive on the Inside
Author:  Angelia Sparrow & Naomi Brooks
Author’s website: http://www.angelsparrow.com/
Publisher:  Amber Quill Press
Release Date:  December 2009
ISBN: 978-1-60272-614-7
Length:  Novel
Format:  Electronic and Print
Genre:  Fantasy, Horror, GLBT
Source: R
Sensuality Level: 5
Rating: 5

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

Nicholas Harper is a car salesman, a Scout Master, a devoted fiancé, and a born-again Christian. He’s content with his tiny little life in middle-of-nowhere Missouri and plans to settle in, marry his lovely fiancée and raise a devout God-fearing family. Or at least that was his intention until the train bearing the Phantasmagoria carnival pulled in to town and knocked his life off course.

From the moment Nick steps onto the carnival grounds and meets Jacob Plum, also known as Torturo, The Pain King, as well as the rest of the members of the Ten-in-One sideshow, he is swept into a new world. Completely beguiled by his newfound desire for Torturo, Nick allows himself to be seduced into joining the carnival and enters a strange new existence of fear and desire, pleasure and pain. He experiences emotions and sensations that his body welcomes but his mind rejects as ungodly and wrong.

Phantasmagoria is no ordinary travelling carnival. It is run on not just on money and magic, but also on blood and souls. Now Nick has found his own hell on rails and wants only to get away and leave this freakish world and these unnatural lusts behind. But there is no going back, because Phantasmagoria doesn’t let go of the ones it claims. It has other plans for Nick; plans that will change who he is and what he is, forever.

********

When Angelia Sparrow & Naomi Brooks’ novel Alive on the Inside was published by Amber Quill Press last year, I read the blurb on the website and made a decision not to read it. Too strange, I thought. Too weird. So I skipped over it in favor for the next book to come along and hardly gave it another thought. Recently, however, I found myself with this book in my hands with the directive to read it, so read it I did. Or perhaps the correct term would be “devoured” it, because that is exactly what happened once I opened the cover of this novel and found myself swept into its surreal world.

I’ll tell you right now that I did myself a disservice by not reading this book last year, because it is good, very good. It is strange and disquieting and at times a bit upsetting but also extremely well-written. And I can honestly say that I have never before encountered a story even remotely like it. Once I started to read, I don’t think I put this book down once until I finished but found myself turning the pages with fascinated horror, loving every minute of it. 

Ms. Sparrow & Ms. Brooks have populated their novel with characters that, in a normal world, would be considered freaks of nature. However, they make all the characters – whether seemingly normal or definitely odd – to be very believable, very “real” with distinct and sometimes bizarre personalities. That is not to say that they are all cuddly or loveable. Far from it, in fact. Neither of the main characters is particularly likeable. Jacob is an abusive alcoholic, jealous, and frequently sadistic. Nick is selfish and at times suicidal. He can’t completely let go of his fundamentalist principles and believes that his relationship with Jacob is immoral and that he is damned to hell because of it. They have a very volatile relationship, equal parts love and hate, but we also know that neither one of them could exist without the other.

The world of Alive on the Inside is surreal on an almost Salvador Dali-like scale. Lines between man and machine, organic and inorganic, reality and fantasy are blurred. Events that can only be labeled as “gruesome” are everyday occurrences. And it all comes together to tell a story that is fascinating, sometimes horrifying, yet also surprisingly touching in the end.

Readers who are easily upset by violence and gore or who are prone to nightmares may wish to give this novel a wide berth. If you are of a hardier constitution and enjoy the unusual and a trip way, way outside of the box, then I definitely recommend that you give Alive on the Inside a shot. I can almost guarantee that it’s not a story that you will forget any time soon.

--Bobby