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The following titles were reviewed in May 2009:

Dreaming of You by Ethan Day
A Damsel Without a Dress by Rita Sawyer
The One That Got Away by TC Blue
Dancing in the Dark by T.D. McKinney
Bashed by Rick R. Reed
Getting Back to Delaney by Christie Walker Bos
Poker Night: Texas Hold ‘em by Carol Lynne
Sense and Sensuality by Cara Hart
A Heart Divided by J. M. Snyder
The Brotherhood: To Slay or to Lay by Elizabeth Miette
Vampire Nights by G.A. Hauser
Bent by Sean Michael
Men of August: Marly’s Choice by Lora Leigh
Empire 1: After the Fall by Cat Marsters
Fire Angel by B.J. McCall
Dead Wreckoning by Sylvia Dickey Smith
David’s Dilemma by Lynn Lorenz
The Wise Guy by Lex Valentine
Driven to the Limit by Alice Gaines
Finding the Words by Terry O’Reilly
Free Falling by Sandy James
Lightning in a Bottle by Barbara Elsborg
Horizons by Mickie B. Ashling
Kensington’s Soul by Faith V. Smith
Complications by Cat Grant
Carey’d Away by J.M. Snyder
High Lonesome by Stacey Coverstone
Soldier by AKM Miles
A Band of Roses by Pat McDermott
Faking It by Pam McKenna
True Mates by Zena Wynn

Title: Dreaming of You
Author:  Ethan Day
Author’s website:  www.ethandayonline.com
Publisher: Loose Id, LLC
Release Date: May 2009
ISBN: 5781596329225
Length: Novel
Format: Electronic
Genre: Contemporary GLBT
Sensuality Level: 3.5
Rating: 4.25

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

Ever since he was fourteen years old, Aden has been having dreams that feature the same man. Sometimes they’re married, sometimes they’re not; the scenarios change, but they are always lovers. He is Aden’s “Mr. Right.” For the past fifteen years, Aden has been looking for his dream lover, convinced that the man is out there somewhere and that they are destined to meet and spend their eternities with each other. Consequently, none of his real life relationships last very long, because no one can measure up to a fantasy. That is, until he meets Logan Price while at a conference in Atlanta.

Logan is the direct opposite of Aden’s dream guy, but something about him attracts Aden. Maybe it’s because the man is funny, maybe because he finds Aden’s various quirks to be cute and even endearing, but something between them clicks and feels comfortable and “right.” After a week in each other’s company and several months of a long-distance relationship that involves a lot of phone sex and a huge long-distance bill, both Logan and Aden believe that it may be time to take the next step and for Aden to move to California to be with his lover.

Everything would seem to be perfect, if only for one thing: Aden hasn’t stopped dreaming about his mystery man. Even as he falls in love with Logan, he feels as if he’s somehow betraying the man in his dreams, and the “what ifs” continue to niggle in the back of his mind. What if his dream man really is out there looking for him? There is no doubt that Logan loves Aden unreservedly and that they are perfectly matched for each other. Will Aden toss over his chance for real, true love for a dream?

********

Ethan Day’s novel Dreaming of You is an entertaining trip into the world of one man who is so caught up in his dream world that he nearly misses out on a chance for real happiness. This story is whimsical and well-written, with characters who will capture your affection while at the same time spurring your laughter.

The story structure of Dreaming of You is unique but quite well done. The story begins “in medias res,” and while this narrative method can be awkward (at least in my opinion), Mr. Day makes it work. It teases us with just enough information to make us wonder what on earth is going on, and that makes us eager to delve into the story.

Because this story is told by Aden, we are immediately drawn into his character. And what a character he is, too. Comically clumsy, foot stuck perpetually in his mouth, Aden generates equal parts affection and exasperation in the reader. This man exhibits one surprising quirk after another. He is self-deprecating, comically dramatic, and focused to an extreme on making people like him. He argues with himself and even answers himself occasionally. Yet take a ride in his car ride with him, and he switches personalities. It’s hair-raising and terrifying and absolutely hilarious to watch him zip through traffic, turn erratically, shout at clueless and innocent drivers, and give everyone the finger. This man is definitely his own worst enemy. We wonder sometimes if he can go five minutes without making an ass out of himself, but rather than being annoying, this is a strangely charming characteristic.

The secondary characters in Dreaming of You are perfect foils for Aden, especially Logan and Aden's slightly obnoxious and overtly sexual female friend Finn. She’s the perfect “fag hag” sidekick and is mouthy and funny and absolutely devoted to Aden. Logan is almost Mr. Perfect, and although he is not developed as fully as Aden is, he fills his role perfectly, giving Aden a reality to contrast with his dreams.

The comic element in Dreaming of You is first-rate. The repartee between the characters is clever, lively, and pointed as it zings through the air looking for a target. And the physical comedy, as we watch the wonderfully clumsy Aden embarrass himself numerous times, triggers hilarity. I found myself grinning throughout the entire story and laughing out loud a number of times.

Readers looking for an engaging romantic comedy with characters who will make you laugh as well as win your affections will want to give Dreaming of You a shot. A little laughter plus a little romance equals a story that is simply a whole lot of fun.

--Bobby

Title: A Damsel Without a Dress      
Author: Rita Sawyer
Author’s website: www.ritasawyer.com
Publisher: Pink Petal Books      
Release Date: May 2009           
ISBN: 978-0-9824885-6-0
Length: Novella
Format: Electronic
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Humor
Sensuality Level: 3
Rating: 4.25

Reviewed by Teagan

Stacey is the maid-of-honor in her half-sister’s wedding, and isn’t enjoying wearing a dress that does nothing for her. That still doesn’t mean that she wanted to be standing in the elevator with her dress on the floor trying to get rid of a pesky spider intent on terrorizing her. Things are not exactly going according to plans. It’s bad enough she is paired with best man, Alex, a notorious flirt that seems to have set his sights on her. What will she do when she finds Alex coming to her rescue when she finds herself without a dress? Can Alex make her see that his interest is serious?

********

A Damsel Without a Dress is cute, sweet, and sexy and is combined with the right amount of humor to make it a winner. This is an easy read that flows well and keeps the reader’s attention. I especially liked the fact that it was a spider that put Stacey in her predicament; I can totally relate. Alex is a knight in shining armor that any woman would want coming to her rescue. His character is well-written with realistic qualities. The secondary characters add the right amount of drama without taking anything away from Stacey and Alex. I am a sucker for humor, and this book fits the bill perfectly. If you are looking for a quick, enjoyable book, pick this one up. Ms. Sawyer’s writing is delightful.

--Teagan

Title: The One That Got Away
Author: TC Blue
Author’s website: http://www.torquerepress.com/orders/blue/author.html
Publisher: Torquere Press, Inc.
Release Date: March 2009
ISBN: 9781603706605
Length: Novella
Format: Electronic
Genre: Contemporary GLBT
Sensuality Level: 4
Rating: 4

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

When Michael’s boyfriend breaks up with him, it throws him into a spiral of depression, self-doubt, and angst. Michael had thought Alex was “the one,” and he had been convinced that his feelings were reciprocated completely. Now all he sees in the mirror is a skinny, ugly loser who can’t hold on to a good thing. He’s so down that even his best friend and apartment-mate, Jim, can’t cheer him up.

Jim never understood what Michael saw in Alex. Sure the guy was gorgeous, but that was about all he was. And any guy who can’t see how wonderful Michael is? Not worth keeping, that’s for certain. Wanting to prove to his friend how attractive he really is, Jim coaxes Michael into bed with him. He has wanted to get his hands on his friend for a long time, and having Michael for lover is beyond wonderful. Although Michael believes that their affair is “friends with benefits” and sex for sex’s sake, Jim inadvisably falls in love.

Will Jim be able to settle with friendship and sex instead of love, however? Michael shows no sign of being interested in anything else. Sure, Jim’s nice. He’s his best friend, and sex with him is fabulous. But Michael is so hung up with what he has lost in the past that he doesn’t see the love that is staring him in the face.

********

TC Blue’s novella The One That Got Away is a story about love, loss, and communication – or a lack thereof. The narration flows comfortably, making this a pleasure to read, and the characters and their main conflict are interesting enough to grab your attention and hang on to it. It is surprisingly emotional for a story where it takes an act of god to get the characters to admit they love each other, but it is this emotion that causes the reader to be fully invested in the outcome.

While there are a couple of points in the story where large chunks of time pass, it doesn’t feel choppy or jarring. The progression of time feels natural, because we are following the two heroes as their relationship develops and disintegrates.

In Jim and Michael, Blue has given us a couple of characters who are sympathetic enough to care about but flawed enough to become just a little bit exasperated with. These two simply cannot communicate; it’s as if their lips are glued shut. Each is afraid of the other’s reaction, but while avoiding the issue and ignoring the elephant in the living room, they manage to hurt each other horribly. I have to admit to wanting to smack Michael a few times over the course of the story. He is very self-centered in a clueless and “woe is me” kind of a way. While he is not solely to blame for the situation between him and Jim, his actions are at times immature and thoughtless.

One cannot place all the blame for the guys’ difficulties on Michael’s shoulders, however. Jim is completely capable of opening his mouth and talking, but he chooses not to, and while we can’t expect him to read Michael’s mind, he surely knows his friend well enough to know how certain actions might affect him. There were points where I wanted to give these two guys a "talking to" for wasting so much time, energy, and emotion.

There is never any doubt that these two are perfectly suited for each other in the bedroom, because the sex scenes between the two are hot enough to set off the smoke alarms. We the readers can tell that they’re making love, even if they’re deluded enough to think it’s just sex, because there is a lot of repressed emotion in these scenes.

Maybe we should call this a cautionary tale. See what happens when you don’t talk with the one you care about? (Along the lines of “see what happens when you run with scissors?”) As we read The One That Got Away, we can only hope that these two clueless men will come to their senses, see what is in front of them, and find a happy ending together. It’s not going to happen by osmosis, though. One of them will have to take that first giant step.

--Bobby

Title: Dancing in the Dark 
Author: T. D. McKinney
Author’s website: www.tdmckinney.com
Publisher: Amber Quill Press, LLC       
Release Date: 2004       
ISBN: 1-59279-290-1
Length: Novel
Format: Electronic
Genre: Contemporary Vampire
Sensuality Level: 3
Rating: 5

Reviewed by Teagan

There is a serial killer on the loose in New Orleans, and FBI Special Task agent Jack Niemczyk has been assigned to help the local police catch him. The killer has been dubbed the View Carré Vampire because he drains his victims of blood. After weeks of no leads Jack’s irritating police liaison, Remy Lambert, is sure that the Master can help them find the killer. Little does Jack know that there is a semi-secret family of vampires in New Orleans, and he is about to come face to face with creatures he doesn’t think exist. Upon meeting the Master and his brazen wife, who he is sure is a streetwalker, Jack can’t believe the people Remy is actually asking for help from these low life criminals.

Everything he has ever believed is put to the test when he finds himself begging Baby Roxton, the Master’s wife, to make him her own. Even though his initial reaction to her was disgust, he finds himself drawn to the pain and ecstasy only she can bring him. As the Queen’s Pet, he has the money and influence to find the killer, and he intends to do just that.

********

Though Dancing in the Dark has been around for five years, it is new to me and I am hooked. Complex, compelling, and unique characters and an in your face storyline explains why this book has been a bestseller at Amber Quill Press. I was ensnared from the beginning and glued to the story page after page. Without giving too much away, I love how the author starts the story off as a crime story and it quickly ascends to an emotionally charged dark fantasy. This story appeals to the reader on so many levels: vampires, crime, suspense, romance, and just the right amount of eroticism. Jack is not necessarily a likable character or an easy one to understand, yet this is what makes him such a memorable character.

The vampire world that Ms. McKinney has created is fascinating, and she does a fabulous job of explaining it within the storyline. Baby Roxton is complex, and I found myself contemplating her hours and even days after I was done with the book. My first impression was through Jack’s eyes, and so I saw her as an undesirable hooker type. I was quick to change my view as her character develops, and all of her facets start to surface. She has such depth, I think it would be hard to even try to figure her out, and all I can say is . . . I want more. September can’t come quick enough for me when the sequel, Walking After Midnight, is released. T.D. McKinney is a must read author that writes with so much diversity, and she has something for everyone.

--Teagan

Title: Bashed
Author: Rick R. Reed
Author’s website: www.rickrreed.com
Publisher: MLR Press, LLC
Release Date: March 2009
ISBN: 9781608200290
Length: Novel
Format: Electronic and Print
Genre: Horror/Suspense
Sensuality Level: 3.5
Rating: 5+ Keeper

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

When Donald and his lover Mark leave their club one cool October night in Chicago, their minds are on each other and the love they share. Life is filled with the joy they have found and the promise of a future together. It takes only an instant, however, for an act of violence to shatter their lives forever. After a few brutal, bloody moments, the assailants drive away high on the endorphins of their hate crime, leaving one man dead and the other battered and unconscious.

Donald may physically recover from his injuries, but his emotional and psychological recovery is not so easy. He knows that he must adjust to life without his lover, but Mark continues to haunt him. He also knows that the three men who attacked him remain out there and that with his memory damaged from head trauma, he can’t help the police find them.

The assailants may remain free, but one of the young men is horrified and sickened by the crime he participated in. Justin might not like gays, but he never intended his evening of fun and games to end in murder. But how much longer can he pretend that the incident never happened? The ringleader of his group would love nothing more than to eliminate any witnesses to that night’s events. When Justin finds out that the survivor lives within close proximity, will his fear of discovery lead him to betray the man’s whereabouts? Can Justin live knowing that he’s responsible for the end of yet another man’s life?

********

When you pick up a copy of Rick R. Reed’s Bashed, don’t expect it to be an easy throwaway read. This is a novel about love, violence, fear, and hope that will capture your attention with the very first page and hold it hostage until you close the book at the end. It tosses its reader into the middle of a nightmare as all the fears that one man holds come true and he and his lover are attacked for daring to be a different from what society might call a norm. It takes a peek into the ugly mind of someone who would take their pleasure in causing harm and pain, and it pulls the reader along for a painful ride in the aftermath of violence.

If you are familiar with Mr. Reed’s work, you know that horror is his forte, and in Bashed he has almost outdone himself. This is not a tale à la Freddy Kreuger or Dawn of the Dead. The horror here is in just how real it all is, knowing that these acts of violence really do happen to innocent people and that they are not as rare as we might want to believe.

This story will fully engage both your heart and your mind. It will make you think about the nature of love and how it shows itself in our lives as well as what hate actually means. In general, we hate what we fear, and we fear what we don’t understand or agree with, and this is illustrated clearly here.

Mr. Reed has written this story from multiple points of view, which gives his readers not only a well-rounded view of the storyline but also insight into the actions and motivations of various characters. We experience Donald’s terror and pain during the attack and his hopelessness as he deals with the gigantic rift that losing Mark has placed on his soul. We watch Justin deal with the angst of being sixteen and the peer pressure that causes him to go along with his friends’ decision to bash a few gay guys even though in his heart he knows that what he is doing is immoral. And most frightening of all, we share in the poisonous thoughts of Ronny, the main perpetrator, as he prepares to take his crime one step further.

Yet with all the horror and suspense, there is an underlying thread of hope that runs through Bashed. There is hope that Donald will be able to rebuild some semblance of his life after losing his lover, hope that he may find love once again, and hope that Justin might find the strength to do the right thing.

As I read this novel, I found myself at times tense with suspense, at times wiping a few tears, and always feeling a sense of shame that such hate and intolerance exists in the world. For its depth of emotion, realistic horror, and atmosphere that lingers long after the story is complete, I’m storing Bashed on my keeper shelf. This isn’t a story that you finish and forget. It’s one that you’ll remember for a good long time.

--Bobby

Title: Getting Back to Delaney
Author:  Christie Walker Bos
Author’s website: http://christiewalkerbos.com/
Publisher: Cerridwen Press
Release Date: October 2008
ISBN: 9781419917868
Length: Novel
Format: Electronic and Print
Genre: Contemporary Humor
Sensuality Level: 2.75
Rating: 4.75

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

After her divorce was finalized, Delaney MacKenzie decided to begin to live for herself. She has always loved art; her mother was an artist, and Delaney herself has dabbled in textiles in the past. Opening her own art gallery on Venice Beach was supposed to realize her dreams…but all it has done is strain her bank account and her nerves. She has little traffic and fewer sales, and she figures that if she can’t turn business around in the new few months, she is going to have to give up her dream, sell the gallery, and return to the corporate world.

Tyler Szymanski is a combination surfer boy and marketing guru. As he helps his brother open a gallery on the same Venice Beach street, he meets Delaney, whose own sterile space is in direct contrast to the beautiful and vivid woman she is. He’d love nothing more than to help her save her dream, but she’s prickly and unapproachable about it. There is no reason why the two galleries can’t coexist profitably on the same street. If only she’d let him show her, get to know her, and also possibly even love her a little.

Delaney has been pretty unlucky in love up to now. She wants to be loved and accepted for who she is, but with two failed relationships in her not-so-distant past, she is a little bit leery about getting involved yet again, especially because the men in the past have all wanted to change her to fit their needs. So is this thing with Tyler “third time’s a charm” or is it “three strikes and you’re out”? She’s not all that sure she wants to know, if truth be told. With both her gallery and her emotions hanging in the balance, it will take a little love and a lot intervention from her friends to set Delaney straight and to show her that her dream is closer than she thinks.

********

If you love somebody but want to change them, then who is it that you actually love? The other person, or possibly just yourself? Christie Walker Bos’s novel Getting Back to Delaney is about a woman who has spent her life trying to live up to the ideals and expectations of others – to be who they want her to be – until she realizes that she needs to be true to herself for a change.

If I had to use one word to sum up this entire novel, it would be this: delightful. Ms. Bos has written this story with an irresistible undercurrent of humor that netted me very early on, capturing both my attention and my emotions until the very end. Getting Back to Delaney brings the beach and canals of Venice, California, alive and celebrates its free spirit and bohemian attitude. Reading this story not only entertained me, but it also made me want to visit Venice, browse the galleries, and perhaps do a little people-watching while I’m at it.

While the setting is beautifully rendered and the story flows with an easygoing style that makes reading it a pleasure, the crowning glory of this novel is unquestionably its characters. Ms. Bos has done a wonderful job giving us characters we can believe in and then making them shine. The main characters – Delaney and Tyler – are well-drawn and sympathetic, with quirks that make them both loveable and entirely human. And they share a trait that you don’t frequently find in romantic fiction: they are both over forty. I found this to be both refreshing and realistic, perhaps because I, too, am on the “other” side of forty, but also because this story acknowledges the fact that forty does not equal decrepit and that many people do not truly find their place in life until their middle years.

The way that Delaney and Tyler fit together feels very right. When they aren’t busy bonking heads, they are easy and relaxed together. And most importantly, they enjoy each other, and that fun is an integral part of the love between them.

If I had to choose favorites in Getting Back to Delaney, however, I would have to choose the three awesome old ladies who live next door to Delaney: Rose, Gwen, and Amelia. These three refer to themselves as “observant busybodies,” and while they serve partly as comic relief, they also inject a big dose of heart in the story. You simply have to love them, whether they’re antagonizing the neighborhood gossip, serving tea and brownies with questionable ingredients, or simply giving Delaney the love and support that she so desperately needs.

So what did I like about this novel? What’s not to like? I thoroughly enjoyed Getting Back to Delaney: it is filled with life and color and is...yes... just plain fun. It left me with a smile on my face, and that makes it one heck of a good read in my book.

--Bobby

Title: Poker Night: Texas Hold ‘em
Author:  Carol Lynne
Author’s website: http://www.carol-lynne.net/
Publisher: Total-e-Bound Publishing
Release Date: March 2009
ISBN: 978190710132
Length: Novella
Format: Electronic
Genre: Contemporary GLBT
Sensuality Level: 3.5
Rating: 4

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

Every two weeks for the past three years, Zac and his five closest friends have gathered at Zac’s home to play poker. They’re a diverse bunch of guys, united by the fact that they’re gay, and their gatherings give them a chance to relax, let off a little steam, and fleece each other for every penny they can. On the night that they decide to play Texas Hold ‘em, Zac’s life changes, because the pizza they order is accompanied by the most delicious delivery boy Zac has ever seen.

Eric is an intern at the local hospital. In order to make ends meet and pay down his outrageous student loans as soon as possible, he moonlights delivering pizza. He’s tired and worn down, and there are few nights when he gets more than a couple of hours sleep. Although he doesn’t have room for a social life, he’s determined to find time for Zac. Even if that means just stealing a kiss or two while delivering the man a pizza.

After spending just a little time together, Zac is already falling in love with the cute blonde. He can see how Eric’s exhaustion is impacting his health, and he’d dearly love to help somehow. But all of Zac’s attempts to help are met with resistance. Eric refuses to rely on anybody else for support, even if that other person claims to love him. Will his stubborn pride tear away the best thing that has ever happened to him? If he doesn’t get his priorities figured out, he might lose Zac forever.

********

Texas Hold ‘em is the first story in Carol Lynne’s new Poker Night series. This novella features the character Zac, but it also sets the stage for future stories that will feature the friends with whom he shares poker nights.

Ms. Lynne doesn’t derail Zac and Eric’s romance, but she still manages to give Zac’s poker buddies enough attention to make us very interested in reading about them as well. She is extremely talented at creating little pockets of the universe for her stories and then weaving the stories together so that all of her characters interact. Sometimes her worlds and characters are larger than life, and sometimes they’re not, but they are always entertaining for the reader.

Zac and Eric are not huge and colorful characters in Texas Hold ‘em, but that doesn’t mean that they’re mundane and uninteresting. Far from it. They feel realistic, and it is this realism that makes us care for them. Eric is struggling through his medical internship trying to make ends meet by running himself ragged. He has the usual gigantic pile of student loans that all newbie doctors have (on average, new doctors amass about $100,000 of student debt), and he has placed all his focus on paying these off quickly. Eric has developed tunnel vision regarding this, and it has become more important to him than his health or his relationships. His absolute refusal to allow Zac to help him would be annoying if we didn’t understand his background and his need for independence. It doesn’t keep us from feeling bad for Zach when he keeps hitting that brick wall, however.

Ms. Lynne always slips a little adventurous sex into her work, and Texas Hold ‘em is no exception. After reading this story, laundry – and especially the spin cycle – will simply never be the same. Bravo to her for instilling a little bit of humor into the mix. This always improves my reading experience.

With Texas Hold ‘em, Ms. Lynne has definitely snagged my interest in this new series. Book Two appears to be scheduled for release at the end of June, and I will definitely be looking forward to it. Zac and Eric’s story hinted at who might be the subject of this next book, but for now we can only wait and see. 

--Bobby

Title: Sense and Sensuality  
Author: Cara Hart
Author’s website: N/A
Publisher: Resplendence Publishing, LLC       
Release Date: May 2009         
ISBN: 978-1-60735-031-6
Length: Short Story
Format:  Electronic
Genre: Contemporary
Sensuality Level: 3
Rating: 3.75

Reviewed by Teagan

Dr. Eleanor McLaren is not your typical strip club patron. Her friend is getting married and the bachelorette party is in full swing at The Seven Circles Club, and as usual Elle is watching out for her reputation as a professor. Her sister has decided she needs to live it up a bit and buys her a lap dance. One thing leads to another, and the vaguely familiar masked hunk and Elle have a night to remember . . . or was it all a mistake?

Eddie Harrington has had the hots for Elle for a long time, and he can’t believe it when her sister wants to buy her a lap dance. Even though he is a professor, he is working as a bartender at the strip club to pay off a debt. If anyone is going to give Elle a lap dance, it is going to be him. Is Eddie finally going to get his wish and have his fantasies about Elle come to life?

********

Sense and Sensuality is a short story with a big punch. Sexy and delicious, this story keeps the reader’s temperature elevated. Elle and Eddie come together with unmitigated fire, and burn up the pages. Even though Elle is concerned with her reputation as a professor, and she comes across as a prude, she packs one hell of a punch, literally. I like how she jumps at the challenge given to her by both her friends and Eddie, and her inner sexy siren is unleashed. Eddie is sweet but sinfully sexy. His feelings for Elle really endear him to the reader. Ms. Hart’s writing is very entertaining, and I look forward to reading more from her.

--Teagan

Title: A Heart Divided
Author: J. M. Snyder
Author’s website: www.jmsnyder.net
Publisher: Amber Quill Press – Amber Allure
Release Date: May 2009
ISBN: 9781602725119
Length: Novel
Format: Electronic
Genre: Historical GLBT
Sensuality Level: 1.5
Rating: 4.25

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

Anderson Blanks is a lieutenant in the Confederate army. He’s weary of the war, as are many of his fellow soldiers, and he knows that there is a distinct possibility that he might not survive. When his camp sentries report hearing ghosts in the darkness, Andy knows that what they are probably hearing is an injured man. Andy doesn’t care if the man is rebel or Yankee; he knows that the humane thing to do would be to find that man and help ease his dying moments, so he heads out on a mission of mercy. When he stumbles over the injured man in the dark, he is completely unprepared to find that the man is none other than Samuel Talley, his childhood sweetheart. He and Sam parted ways three years ago, when Andy’s father discovered their affair and ran Sam off the plantation.

The joy that Sam and Andy feel at being reunited is severely tempered by Sam’s injury. Sam has a bullet wound in his leg that is threatening to go septic, and if they don’t find medical attention for him soon, he could die. But Sam is wearing a Union uniform, so Andy can’t take him back to camp – they’d just shoot him – and Andy would run the same risk if he were to approach the Union camp for help. After yearning for his lover for three years and hoping to one day be reunited, has Andy found Sam just to lose him once again?

********

J. M. Snyder’s A Heart Divided is a picture of the last days of the Civil War. It puts a human face on this war that divided friends, lovers, and families and shows the soldiers for the weary, hungry, and homesick individuals that they were. It gives us a picture of a starving and downtrodden Confederate army and men who feel as if God has turned his back on them and left them to die. This novel is well-written and involving, investing the reader emotionally in the story.

Snyder paints a very clear picture with words in A Heart Divided. We are pulled right into the hot and muggy Virginia woods along with Andy. We feel his despair at fighting a war that has been lost in every sense but actual surrender and his frustration at General Grant for what he feels is sacrificing the troops for a lost cause. In the midst of the blood, disease, starvation, and death, the love that Andy and Sam share stands out like a beacon. Yet even this is mixed with a measure of despair, as Andy wonders what he might live for should Sam die of his injuries.

There is a scene in this story where Andy explains exactly why he is fighting in this war. If readers haven’t been won over by his characters before this scene, they will most certainly be captivated by him afterwards. This shows him to be a man with integrity and a sense of duty, which is admirable no matter which side he’s fighting on.

The ugly reality is that the Civil War was incredibly costly in terms of human life and devastation. Andy and Sam’s story is obviously fiction, but what about other friends and families who ended up on opposite sides of the field during that war? It’s enough to make you think and to pray that history never repeats itself.

Whether you are a history buff or not, A Heart Divided is a worthwhile read. This is a moving story of love, hope, and duty that will capture your attention and make you wish for a happy ending for everybody involved.

 --Bobby

Title: The Brotherhood: To Slay or to Lay      
Author:  Elizabeth Miette
Author’s website: http://www.amienogrady.com/
Publisher: Ravenous Romance           
Release Date: January 2009
ISBN: 978-1-60777-112-8
Length: Novella
Format  Electronic
Genre: Contemporary Fantasy
Sensuality Level: 3
Rating: 4.75

Reviewed by Teagan

Could short and busty genius, Alexandra Russell, be The Chosen One? That's what the Brotherhood is telling her and the bad guys, the Darkness, a clan of vampires, apparently is of the same mind. She has been recruited by the Brotherhood, and has started training with The Slayer, and she has a vague feeling she knows him. She would like to know him much better since he turns her on, and she feels like she seriously needs some deflowering.

Her life is not what it once was; everything is not what it appears, and long forgotten memories are seeping back in while her olfactory senses are sharpening. Her skill at killing vampires is developing quickly along with her special senses; still, something is missing. She must fight the lust that burns in her when an old acquaintance returns, and threatens all she holds dear. Can Alex make the choice or will it be taken from her?

********

Humor and action-packed suspense run rampant in the first installment of the The Brotherhood series. To Slay or to Lay combines all the elements needed for one kick-ass story: action, suspense, romance, sex, and humor. In my book, this is the type of story that gets a person hooked. The storyline is complex yet easy to follow, and the writing flows so well that the reader will be totally immersed in the story. Alex is strong, complicated, and easy to identify with. I know I say this time and again, but give me a character that isn’t model perfect, and you will hold my interest much better. Alex doesn’t disappoint; she is hilarious, and her physical attributes are decidedly realistic. Richmond, The Slayer, is a complex character that I am not sure could ever be fully understood. His stoic resolve to protect Alex and yet keep her in the dark about so many things makes the reader both love and hate him. The confusion in Alex is palpable, and the good versus evil is written very well; it keeps the reader guessing the outcome. Ms. Miette has a winner here, and I can’t wait to read the second book in the series and hope for more (hint hint). 

 --Teagan

Title: Vampire Nights
Author: G. A. Hauser
Author’s website: www.authorgahauser.com
Publisher: Phaze Books
Release Date: February 2009
ISBN:   9781606591420
Length: Novel
Format: Electronic
Genre: Contemporary Vampire
Sensuality Level: 3
Rating: 4.25

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

Vivienne is not looking forward to her high school twentieth reunion. All she really wants is a bubble bath and a nap, but she promised her old girlfriends that she would be there, so she drags her stressed and overtired self out, prepared for an evening filled with “remember when.” It’s wonderful to see her old friends, but the real shock happens when she comes face-to-face with RJ, her high school sweetheart. Twenty years ago, RJ broke her heart by leaving town without a goodbye. Vivienne never fully recovered from that youthful betrayal, and to this day she is reluctant to give her heart.

Strangely enough, RJ doesn’t appear to have aged a day since graduation. He still has the face and body of an eighteen-year-old, and his touch brings back wonderful and passionate memories. For Vivienne, seeing RJ again is a chance for a little bit of closure in her life. Although he begs her for a second chance, she knows that getting involved with him yet again would most likely lead to heartbreak. He’s not willing to tell her what happened all those years ago to make him leave, so how can she trust him if he won’t tell the truth? Besides, Vivienne has a new man in her life, and Daniel is shaping up to be everything she ever wanted. They have passion and laughter and just plain comfort together.

Faced with making a difficult choice, Vivienne finds herself caught in a game of tug-of-war between the two men in her life. She loves Daniel without question, but somehow RJ still has a claim on her, and she just can’t shake it off. When she spends time with him, she finds herself not feeling well, blacking out and losing days at a time and suffering from low blood pressure. He’s always watching, always waiting, and refuses to leave her in peace. But while he claims love and devotion to her, there is still something just a bit sinister about RJ. Daniel is determined to protect Vivienne from this old flame who appears to be stalking her, but that is a much more difficult chore than he first believed. Because he’s not simply up against a man, he’s challenging a vampire.

********

With Vampire Nights, G. A. Hauser offers her readers something just a little different from her usual fare: a vampire tale. A heterosexual vampire tale, in fact. Many of us know Ms. Hauser best for her novels that feature homoerotic romance, so this is a bit of a change. Change can be good, however, and I found this novel to be quite enjoyable – perhaps not a deep and thought-provoking read but an entertaining one nevertheless.

The characters in Vampire Nights are finely drawn and vivid. They are natural enough to feel real and flawed enough to be sympathetic.

This story features the same undercurrent of good humor that we find in much of Ms. Hauser’s work. Her characters laugh and play together and enjoy each other, although there is definitely a threatening nuance in the air. As with many of her other stories, the characters don’t have any trouble finding love with each other. It’s the other “stuff” that gets in the way – Vivienne’s little vampire problem that is as tough to eradicate as any pest infestation would be.

For all that we simply have to love Vivienne and Daniel (because, really, you have no choice), RJ is also worth our attention. He may appear a bit sinister, but he’s more of a brat than he is truly evil. He’s lonely, heart-sore, and determined to somehow regain his lost love. It’s mighty tempting to feel sorry for him, and one might be lured into thinking him harmless if it weren’t patently obvious that associating with him is bad for Vivienne’s – and anyone else’s – health. When faced with denial, RJ acts just as we would expect a brat to act: he has a tantrum. And handsome as RJ undoubtedly is, a vampire having a tantrum is just plain ugly.

Overall, Vampire Nights is definitely worth some attention. It is filled with human love and vampire angst and not just a little bit of fun. Good show, Ms. Hauser. What’s next?

--Bobby

Title: Bent
Author: Sean Michael
Author’s website: http://www.seanmichaelwrites.com/
Publisher: Torquere Press, Inc.
Release Date: September 2008
ISBN: 7981603704342, 1603704345
Length: Novel
Format: Electronic and Print
Genre: Contemporary GLBT
Sensuality Level: 4.5
Rating: 4.25

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

Jim Upton’s life is in shambles. Two years ago, he was falsely accused of rape, and his world collapsed. He lost his position as a university professor as well as his home, his lover, and the respect of his friends and associates. Now he lives in a tiny one-room apartment, existing on too much coffee, not enough food and a refillable prescription for Xanax, and he barely makes ends meet. Angry and jumpy, rude and overall pretty unpleasant to everyone he meets, Jim is no longer living – he’s simply existing.

Marcus Goodfellow is pretty good at reading people. From the moment that he first encounters Jim, he can tell that the man’s obnoxious surface is masking an inner pain, and he thinks that he’s just the man who can help the surly professor. Marcus is a dominant, active in the BDSM lifestyle, and he sees the submissive in Jim, even if Jim won’t acknowledge it yet. Caffeine and anti-anxiety medication are the last things the man needs; he needs love and discipline and perhaps a spanking or two to give him the opportunity to heal. And while Jim finds Marcus’s ideas more than a little bit shocking, he can’t deny that something deep down inside him responds to everything the big man is offering him.

Building a relationship based on an alternative lifestyle isn’t easy, however, especially when one is packing as much baggage as Jim is. Jim remains convinced that the pleasure he finds in submission is somehow wrong and that it proves he is broken and flawed. Marcus knows that he must be patient. But can he convince Jim that they belong together and that the lifestyle they have chosen is the right one for them? Progress is slow and setbacks are many, but he is determined to give their love the chance it deserves.

********

What defines “normal” anyway? What’s right for one man (or woman) is not necessarily ideal for another. If everyone were the same and lived the same kind of life, then the world would be a mighty boring place to exist in, wouldn’t it? Perhaps we should celebrate our individuality, whether this leads to us following what would be defined as a “normal” lifestyle or one that might be considered somewhat alternative. In Sean Michael’s novel Bent, his characters deal with this very issue. This is a story about accepting and even embracing who you are in spite of any fears about the real or imagined perceptions of others.

This novel is very typical of Mr. Michael’s work. It is well-written and very sensual, and it focuses on the characters and their internal conflicts rather than external source of tension. The story is told in a set of scenes separated by time. Each scene is a mini-story of its own, documenting a milestone in their relationship, whether it be a step forward or a step back.

Mr. Michael’s unique narrative style pulls us into the minds of the characters, so we watch their struggles on two different levels – as observer and as participant. We experience the confusion on each of the two main characters’ parts as they try to reconcile their fears and emotions and work to build a relationship based on love and the BDSM lifestyle. Jim has been broken down through the events in his past and has lost his self-confidence to a point where he must keep himself on a strict schedule just so he can stay sane and feel like he is in control of his life. His lifestyle balances on the edge of self-abuse. When he meets Marcus, he is stretched so tightly that it feels as if he’ll snap should any more tension be placed on his shoulders. Marcus’s intervention in his life pulls him out of what has become an unhealthy environment. He teaches Jim that he is anything but worthless and weak and that there are people out there who will appreciate and care about him regardless of societal “norms.”

In Bent there is no question that the reason this alternative lifestyle works for Jim and Marcus is due to the love, trust, and respect that they feel for each other. This is not just one man whaling on another one. As the two characters explore each other sexually, it is extremely clear that this is a consensual act that involves limits. There is a safe word involved, and as soon as that word is invoked, all activity stops immediately and without question. Although we may not find this particular style of sexual interaction to be our own preference, we can’t help but respect the choices that are made by the characters. Rather than appearing creepy or uncomfortable, the rules and bondage and spanking seem to be right for these two.

The story ends without a physical resolution to the main external conflict in the story. At first, I felt some disappointment in this. However, upon reflection, I see that in Jim and Marcus’s world, this issue ceases to exist as soon as Jim makes an emotional peace with it. It’s quite clever, really, and shows just how far Jim has progressed in his journey to regain his identity and self-worth.

Fans of Mr. Michael’s writing will doubtless enjoy Bent. Those new to his work will need to check their inhibitions at the door, open their minds a little, and prepare to be charmed by the characters as they go on an intense journey of self-discovery.

--Bobby

Title: Men of August: Marly’s Choice 
Author: Lora Leigh
Author’s website: http://www.loraleigh.com/
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave Publishing    
Release Date: August 2003
ISBN: 9781843603313 (Electronic),
9781843606147 (Print)
Length: Novel
Format:  Electronic and Print
Genre: Contemporary
Sensuality Level: 3.5
Rating: 4.5

Reviewed by Teagan

Marly has longed for Cade for years. She loves him and knows deep inside that he loves her too, he just can’t admit it because he still sees her as a little girl. Marly is determined to show him that she can handle his love like the woman she is. For years, Marly has heard all the rumors about Cade and his sexual preferences but is sure she can handle what he wants.

Cade has been running from his past, he knows that if he shows his true feelings for Marly that there is a good chance he will lose her forever. His dark past has made him the man he is, and he won’t make excuses for his sexual preferences. Marly needs to understand that she has to give him all or walk away completely. It is a sacrifice he isn’t sure she completely understands or what it entails. Marly must decide if she is up to all that will be required of her. It is Marly’s Choice.

********

Marly’s Choice holds a special place in my heart; it was one of my first e-book purchases, and I decided to go a bit retro and review it. In my first foray into erotic romance, I was not disappointed. The first book in the Men of August series is a wonderfully sexual tale. Though not for the faint of heart, the book is magnificently enticing and walks on the naughty side. A complex story weaves around the reader, keeping them guessing at what will happen next. I have said time and again that I love a story that involves conflict, and Marly’s Choice does not skimp on that point. The conflict and clash of wills between Marly and Cade is so well-written, the reader feels caught up in the emotions. Marly’s love for Cade is pure and selfless, she will do anything she can to make him realize his feelings for her and act on them. Her emotions are worn on her sleeve, and this flows right out of the pages.

Cade is complicated. His demons are dark, deep, and keep him in constant turmoil over his feelings for Marly. His inability to accept that she just might be able to handle his brand of love is the crux of the situation. His need for dominance forms his personality, and Marly, though submissive to a point, is still able to rally and defy him to get his attention. The interplay between the couple is dynamic and will keep the reader wondering what might be coming next. I found Cade’s harsh ways completely enraptured me just as they do Marly. Cade is the truly epitome of the alpha male.

The signs of a talented writer are etched all over this story; she succeeds in drawing the reader in and has them feeling the same feelings as her characters. The suspenseful subplot is a wonderful addition to an already sizzling story. Thank you, Ms. Leigh, for introducing me to erotic romance in such a wonderful way.

 --Teagan

Title: Empire 1: After the Fall
Author: Cat Marsters
Author’s website: www.catmarsters.com
Publisher: Changeling Press, LLC
Release Date: February 2009
ISBN: 9781605211909
Length: Novella
Format: Electronic
Genre: Science Fiction/Paranormal
Sensuality Level: 4
Rating: 4

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

After the apocalypse known as “the Fall,” most of the world is ruled by the Empire, a totalitarian regime headed by a corrupt Emperor. Paris, London, and New York are under water. Pockets of dissent exist, but most rebellions are snuffed out before they can amount to much.

Nalina is a tiger shapeshifter. Although she has been raised to be a chaste Neo-Puritan, her wild and sensual nature cannot be stifled. She longs for the sexual freedom her body demands, but when the Emperor claims her for his harem after the death of her husband, she realizes that she doesn’t want to be just another body in his Hall of Pleasure. After her home is destroyed, she finds herself on the run with John Carver – ex Royal Guard, mercenary, vampire, killer. Many people fear Carver, but not Nalina. After seven years of a marriage in which sex was considered a duty rather than a pleasure, she finds passion and even love in the arms of this man.

Carver has loved Nalina from a distance for seven years. There is no way that he will give her up to be the Emperor’s concubine. He will protect her at any cost, because there is nothing in the world that means more to him than she does. Not political alliance. Not even his own life. But with a price on both of their heads, how long can the two of them expect to evade the long reach of the Emperor? Traitors abound, and no matter how far they run, they will always be in danger of discovery.

********

Empire 1: After the Fall by Cat Marsters is a look into a post-apocalyptic future, where humans are in the minority, and fey creatures abound. An intriguing blend of science fiction and fantasy, this is a fast-paced and highly sensual story about loyalty, honor, integrity and two individuals who find love against some pretty terrible odds. There is zero lag time in this narrative. From the prologue, the reader is thrown right into the middle of things, and the action slows down only for a few pretty intense sex scenes before charging on again.

For all that this is an overtly sexual story, there is a thread of humor that runs throughout. Whether it takes the form of a little tender repartee between the two main characters or a few pleasure bots with outrageously nasty names, it is just enough to break up what could potentially be a gloomy atmosphere. This is a dark and messy world filled with political intrigue and violence, so a little comic relief is definitely welcome.

As well as taking us on a wild ride and making us squirm in our seat during the love scenes, Ms. Marsters has developed characters who will attract and intrigue us. Nalina grabs us right away, especially because the narrative is written in the first person from her point of view, causing us to live the action with her. She is more than just an eager participant in sexual shenanigans – she is intelligent and honorable, and she loves with her entire being. Carver is the picture of the tortured hero. He has a shadowy and tragic past, has loved Nalina from afar for years, and is willing to face death in order to protect her. He’s rough and intimidating, yet he shows her absolute tenderness. How can we not love a hero like that?

As Nalina and Carver run from an exceedingly despicable villain, we find ourselves holding our breath and hoping that they can make it through what seem to be impossible odds. This blend of action, emotion, sex, and just a dash of humor make Empire 1: After the Fall a very entertaining read. With a name like Empire 1, it makes me wonder: when are we going to see Empire 2? Soon, I hope.

--Bobby

Title: Fire Angel
Author: B. J. McCall
Author’s website: http://www.bjmccall.com/
Publisher: Red Sage Publishing, Inc.
Release Date: February 2009
ISBN: 9781603102742
Length: Novella (short)
Format: Electronic
Genre: Contemporary Paranormal
Sensuality Level: 3
Rating: 3.75

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

Having been rescued by firefighters when her home burned, Ella Lansing is lying in the hospital in a coma. Or at least her body is. Her spirit is caught in the midst, between the mortal world and afterlife. She’s not ready to let go, however. She wants to have a life first, complete with husband, children to raise, and a home. Until she can figure out how to return to her body, however, the best she can do is reach out to the one person she can actually touch and feel: Colin Callahan, the fireman who rescued her.

Colin has had an incredible string of luck lately rescuing women from burning buildings. It’s not all his doing, though. He has help in the form of a fluttering light that guides him to the victims, and if he weren’t afraid that it would label him as crazy, he would almost believe that the light had wings like an angel. Add to this the dreams that he has been having lately about a beautiful winged woman visiting him at night to touch him in a most non-angelic fashion, and he begins to question his own sanity.

The dreams are real, though, and soon Colin begins to look forward to his nightly visit with his angel. Their bond is undeniable, and even though she is just a spirit, he begins to fall in love with her. This is frustrating, considering the fact that Ella’s physical self is lying miles away in a hospital showing no signs of progress. If Colin and Ella want any kind of a future, they’re going to have to figure out how to wake her up.

********

Short, sweet, and sexy, B.J. McCall’s Fire Angel mixes a paranormal love story with a dash of suspense. This story starts out with a bang and a conflagration, with Ella in danger and her firefighter rescuing her like a savior out of the smoke, and it establishes the connection between her and Colin immediately

This is a quick and enjoyable read that will especially appeal to readers who like firefighter heroes, because Colin is definitely the stuff that calendars are made of. Ms. McCall has developed him to be more than just a pretty piece of eye candy, however. It is obvious that he is a true hero, because saving these women who have been trapped in the fires is extremely important to him. Even before he meets Ella in angel form, he feels a lot of guilt about not getting to her in time to keep her safe.

Ms. McCall has done an excellent job making the fire scenes in Fire Angel exciting and dangerous. As I read, I could almost smell the smoke and hear the roar of the flames and the crash of collapsing timber. Not only does this serve to highlight Colin’s heroism, but it also underscores the villainy of the arsonist.

Colin and Ella are an appealing pair who share an undeniable chemistry. Their connection is not just sexual, but it is also rooted in a sense of comfort with each other, and this gives the love scenes that much more impact.

Overall, Ms. McCall has done a nice job in Fire Angel of delivering a sensual romance that will entertain her readers. In true romantic fashion, the hero gets to save the girl, stop the villain, and live happily ever after.

--Bobby

Title: Dead Wreckoning
Author: Sylvia Dickey Smith
Author’s website: www.sylviadickeysmith.com
Publisher: L & L Dreamspell  
Release Date: April 2009
ISBN: 978-1-60318-183-9
Length: Novel
Format: Print
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Sensuality Level: 3
Rating: 5

Reviewed by Teagan

Sidra Smart is a newly licensed private investigator and she has been thrown directly into the middle of a very questionable case. Boo Murphy has been accused of murder, and since she claims she saw the famous missing schooner, the Hotspur, in a Texas swamp, she is famous in more ways than one. Sidra finds herself looking into the entire affair and never figured she would be caught up in a plot that is thickening and twisting at every turn. Pirates, ghosts, smuggling, murder and mystery abound . . . can Sid figure it all out in time?

********

Hang on for a fantastic, funny, and mysterious ride. Dead Wreckoning will have you begging for more from this very talented author. The book is packed with wonderful characters and adventure.  Sidra, or Sid, is an ex-wife of a minister who spent the early years of her life living only for the church and her husband with nary a thing to say. She has now morphed into a life-loving, free-speaking, liberated female private investigator, and she is hilarious. Her ability to overcome all the sour grapes that life has thrown at her and still come out fighting makes her an extremely likable character. She spends the first half of the book not sure if she is going to take on Boo's case even though she has been working on it the whole time. The paranormal element in the book is wonderful. It is not necessarily what the book centers around but it adds a great element to the mystery. The Texas "talk" is bang on, I felt like I was right there in the bayou with Sid. The secondary characters complete the story; from the crazy Boo to Sid’s over-the-top Aunt Annie, they add depth to the story. Sylvia Dickey Smith has an innate capability with words. She weaves humor and mystery together and leaves the reader yearning for more.

--Teagan

Title: David’s Dilemma
Author: Lynn Lorenz
Author’s website: www.lynnlorenz.com
Publisher: Amber Quill Press/Amber Allure
Release Date: May 2009
ISBN: 9781602725133
Length: Novel
Format: Electronic
Genre: Contemporary GLBT
Sensuality Level: 3.5
Rating: 4.75

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

David Delaney has been watching his father slide into Alzheimer’s disease for the past year, and it is a painful process for both of them. After the doctors declare his father unfit to live on his own, David assumes the role of his caretaker, but he’s not truly prepared for the impact that this is going to have on his life. He hasn’t had a lover since his father moved in. He has hardly had a chance to breathe on his own since then. He doesn’t understand how serious his father’s condition is, however, until the day that the elder Delaney wanders away from home in his pajamas and David has no choice but to involve the police in his search.

The detective assigned to David’s case is Travis Hart. Although Travis has recently split from his faithless lover, he is attracted to David immediately and is delighted to find his feelings reciprocated. Sympathetic to the problems that David is facing, Travis is willing to simply be the man’s friend for the time being. Instead of dating, they spend hours on the phone talking, getting to know each other, and developing a deep friendship. And it’s not just David who needs a strong shoulder to lean on occasionally. Travis has his own issues as well: stress, nightmares, a potentially life-threatening job. It’s not long until both men cling to those phone calls like a lifeline, and friendship deepens into love.

Joy is tempered by frustration, however, because as long as David’s father resides in the house, the two men can’t be together the way they want and must subsist on phone calls and the occasional stolen moment together. David truly has a dilemma. He is determined not to put his father into a nursing facility until he absolutely has to, but will he recognize when the time is right, or will he let the love and filial guilt he feels blind him to what his father truly needs?

********

Lynn Lorenz has a talent for grabbing her readers and yanking them right into a story, and her novel David’s Dilemma is no exception to this rule. This novel combines memorable characters, a unique and emotional storyline, and just a touch of suspense into a package that will capture both your interest and your heart. She has taken a difficult subject – elder care by adult children and the potentially devastating effect this can have on the lives of everyone involved – and has treated it with sensitivity while acknowledging that this is also a fact of life. This is an unusual subject matter for a romance novel, but Ms. Lorenz makes it work. Not only does it work, it makes for a story that is fascinating, tragic, and very appealing.

There is no antagonist in David’s Dilemma, unless you want to vilify Alzheimer’s disease. There is no beating this villain, however…it wins every time.

David and Travis are both extremely appealing characters, and we can’t help but wish them happiness as they discover their love for each other. Ms. Lorenz doesn’t make life easy for them, however. The amount of stress present in each man's life is astounding. David experiences resentment at not being able to live his life, frustration at having to repeat himself constantly, and guilt that he feels this way. He places himself under an enormous amount of physical and emotional pressure keeping his father safe and cared for. Travis deals with blood and death and violence in his daily life as a detective, and it is taking a toll on him as well. These two rely on each other to be a release valve of sorts, so it is not surprising that when they come together physically, the results are approaching combustion.

Yet even in the presence of all these intense emotions – frustration, anger, sadness, fear, desire – our two heroes manage to find intense joy and just plain fun together. Ms. Lorenz reminds us that the roots of love lie in friendship and that even just a little bit of laughter can be a healing experience.

Although Travis and David are the heroes of this novel, parts of the story are told from the senior Delaney’s point of view. This allows us to experience his perception of what is going on around him, which makes him a much more sympathetic character than he would have been otherwise. We see that he’s not just some batty old man, he’s a man who was self-sufficient until recently and who is experiencing confusion, anger that he feels is justified, and horror as he realizes what is happening to him.

As we read David’s Dilemma, we gradually begin to see where this story is headed. We fear tragedy and hope for the best. We see that difficult decisions, the decisions we don’t want to make, are sometimes the right ones for everyone involved. David’s dilemma is not his problem alone. There are millions of people across the nation that are living in his shoes, caring for aging and fragile parents to the best of their abilities.

David’s Dilemma is a story about friendship, love, and family. I dare you to read it and not be touched on some level. It’s not a tear-jerker – far from it – but it will make you think. And that is what makes this a very worthwhile reading experience.

--Bobby

Title: The Wise Guy    
Author: Lex Valentine
Author’s website: http://www.lexvalentine.com/
Publisher: Noble Romance Publishing LLC      
Release Date: March 2009
ISBN: 978-1-60592-024-5
Length: Novella
Format: Electronic
Genre: Contemporary Paranormal
Sensuality Level: 3
Rating: 4

Reviewed by Teagan

Rand Wise is a good guy, and he truly believes that the good guy finishes last. All of his friends have found their partners and married. Maybe it's time to change his attitude and his image and see what life throws at him. He knows that his true mate is out there somewhere, and he just can't seem to find her. What’s a wizard to do?

Brenna Thorne may be a klutz, but she knows what she wants, and what she wants right now is S-E-X. It has been quite a long dry spell. After seeing her sexy neighbor in the buff, her sexual tension is at an all-time high. Working on becoming a witch and having inherited her uncle’s magic home, she still feels that her life is missing something. Is that something her sexy neighbor?

A higher power is at work, and the couple isn't sure if it's a case of magic or if it’s the real thing. Are they destined to be together as mates, or will a bit of magic ruin a good thing?

********

“Thoroughly enjoyable” is how I would term this quirky romance. The story is unique and refreshing with just a smidgen of darkness to entice the reader. Rand and Brenna both seem to have an uncertainty about love, and that makes them come to life within the pages of the book. Rand’s attitude that he needs to be more of a bad boy to attract women makes me think of how men might really think, and I believe the author has hit the nail on the head. Brenna is adorable; I love the klutzy part of her character, because I can personally relate, and the infusion of humor adds a great balance to the story as a whole. These two characters work very well with each other and the paranormal aspect adds a great dimension that rounds out the story perfectly. The sex is hot, hot, hot! Though part of a series, this book can stand alone. Ms. Valentine’s talent shines throughout The Wise Guy and I can’t wait to read her other work.

--Teagan

Title: Driven to the Limit
Author: Alice Gaines
Author’s website: http://home.pacbell.net/halice/
Publisher: Changeling Press, LLC
Release Date: April 2009
ISBN: 9781605212074
Length: Anthology
Format: Electronic
Genre: Fantasy Paranormal
Sensuality Level: 4
Rating: 4.25

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

Driven to the Limit is an anthology of three stories by Alice Gaines that feature women and their Mannhof motorcycles. While the bikes are the ultimate in German engineering, they have one feature that distinguishes them from any other motorcycles out there: they are sentient beings, crafted for one woman only and engineered to be all their lady rider could want both on the road and in the bedroom. The directive given to each motorcycle by its creator: save their lady. Whether his rider needs to be rescued from external forces or simply from herself, the Mannhof focuses on her needs with a single-mindedness born of true love and absolute devotion. How can a woman resist the perfect combination of man and machine, especially when it is presented in such an appealing package?

One Owner, Lady Driven – Claire is wealthy, the CEO of a multi-national corporation. She craves the power that the Mannhof tempts her with and is willing to pay a million dollars for the beautiful motorcycle. Focused on power and control in her life, she doesn’t care who she alienates or what enemies she makes. It is up to Will, her Mannhof, to coax out the loving human woman who is hiding under Claire’s cold and unfeeling shell.

Driven to the Limit – Lauren is out of drug rehab, but she has returned to the very person who caused her substance abuse problems in the first place – psychotic rocker Kid Dagger. The only positive side to her return to “The Pit” is the Mannhof motorcycle, which she adores, sitting in the garage. Jake’s title may belong to Kid Dagger, but he is destined for Lauren. His mission is to show Lauren that she is not the worthless drugged-out groupie she believes herself to be and to convince her that one is not necessarily defined by the mistakes of one’s past.

Driven to Justice – Charley may be a tough motorcycle cop, but she’s not recovering from the assault she suffered months ago. In fact, she is on the verge of being fired, since she refuses to see a psychologist about the attack. That would be a sign of weakness, and weakness is simply not an option in her world. Her Mannhof, Nick, appears out of the blue when she is at her lowest point. His goal is to help her recover as well as to love her. Through Nick, Charley will learn the true meaning of strength.

*******

Motorcycling has become a very popular pastime lately, and not just among men. More and more women are discovering the joys of the ride and the open road. In fact, around twelve percent of motorcycle owners these days are women. Not an insignificant number if you consider the fact that a dozen years ago, only about three percent of the bikes out there had lady riders. Yet the world of the motorcycle continues to be mostly male-dominated, and the typical image of a woman on a bike is with her firmly in the passenger seat, hanging on to her man. It’s enough to set most woman motorcyclists’ teeth on edge, I assure you.

When I picked up Alice Gaines' collection Driven to the Limit, it was for two reasons: not only did this look like something a little bit different, but the subject matter is very dear to my heart. You just don’t see many stories about lady riders and their motorcycles out there – in fact, I think I’ve read only one in the past. I am a rider, and I adore my motorcycle, so to find a collection of three stories where not only are the bikes powerful machines but also their riders’ dream mates? It’s the ultimate lady rider fantasy, no question about it.

As excited as I was to find these stories, it was still with some trepidation that I began to read them. In the back of my mind, I was a little bit afraid of what I was going to find. What if this collection was a complete piece of fluff with no basis in reality; just how crushed was I going to be? After building this up in my mind, could I stand it if I found the stories to be disappointing? Well…my fears were unfounded. Not only was I not disappointed in the stories of Driven to the Limit, but I quite enjoyed them.

These three novellas are meant to be read together, as each builds on the previous one, and they all revolve around the same central theme: the love of one man (or motorcycle) contributing to the redemption of the woman.

Ms. Gaines has given us unique, well-developed, and strong characters in these stories, especially the female characters. Each of the three women is distinct, and each is as different from the others as she could be. Claire is a power-hungry bitch, Lauren is a drugged-out groupie, and Charley is a “kick ass and take names later” police officer. They each begin as a bit of a stereotype and evolve into someone much more sympathetic to the reader by the end of their story. Likewise, the three motorcycles are very original heroes. Ms. Gaines has done an outstanding job melding man and machine in these three and has made something almost believable out of what could have possibly been outrageous. Each is a combination of innocence, strength, and innate wisdom wrapped in a heavenly masculine package. Add to that the fact that they’re also motorcycles, and you have a bike-crazy female’s dream come true.

These stories are sexy and entertaining, and they definitely held my interest as I read them. Strong women, hot motorcycles, and even hotter men? I don’t think I can find a better combination than that. Driven to the Limit made me want to grab my leathers, pull my beautiful bike out of the garage, and go for a ride. Well done, Ms. Gaines. Bravo.

--Bobby

Title: Finding the Words
Author: Terry O’Reilly
Author’s website: www.terry-oreilly.com
Publisher: Aspen Mountain Press
Release Date: March 2009
ISBN: 9781601681928
Length: Novella
Format: Electronic
Genre: Contemporary GLBT
Sensuality Level: 3
Rating: 4

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

Ryan Phillips is a speech therapist at University Medical Center. He helps patients who have suffered brain trauma recover their language function. Having just split with a lover who didn’t understand the word “commitment,” he has sworn off relationships. That is, until he meets a new patient, André Thompson. André is suffering from post-operative trauma after brain surgery. Handsome, animated, and recently divorced, he appeals to Ryan on so many levels, and Ryan finds himself having unexpected fantasies about the man. As they work through therapy together, the men develop a rapport that develops into mutual friendship.

When a little bit of casual snooping on Ryan’s part reveals that André is gay, he begins to hope that perhaps they could have a future together. Ethically, he can’t get involved with the man while he’s a patient, but there is nothing that prevents their association once his patient is discharged from the hospital. Ryan can tell that André likes him, but his being gay does not necessarily mean that he wants to a relationship with Ryan. Is André merely expressing his gratitude to his therapist, or could he possibly return Ryan’s affection?

********

In Finding the Words, Terry O’Reilly delves into a world that we don’t often see in romance – that of brain trauma and recovery. I know very little about aphasia and apraxia, so I don’t know exactly how accurate this story is at describing their affect on a person or the recovery process. I do feel as if Mr. O’Reilly manages to explain these conditions very well within the context of the story, however. I have only read one other story that featured a main character with brain trauma, so I thought the subject matter for this story was very original.

The point of view of this story is Ryan’s, and he is a well-developed and overall quite sympathetic main character. Getting to know André poses a few challenges, especially given the fact that he can’t hold much of a conversation; however, Mr. O’Reilly makes him much more than a two dimensional character or a prop. He is someone we become emotionally invested in over the course of the story. Some of André’s word errors are very amusing, but even as we are chuckling at the mix-ups, we are rooting for the man to recover. Finding the Words documents his recovery very clearly, so that we feel like we’re experiencing it along with Ryan.

Overall, I found Finding the Words to be well-written and enjoyable. Mr. O’Reilly has approached his subject matter with sensitivity and pragmatism and has given us a memorable story as a result.

--Bobby

Title: Free Falling
Author:  Sandy James
Author’s website: http://www.sandy-james.com/
Publisher: Siren-Bookstrand, Inc.
Release Date: April 2009
ISBN: 1606013076
Length: Novel
Format: Electronic
Genre: Contemporary Suspense
Sensuality Level: 2.75
Rating: 4.75

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

Dr. Laurie Miller may have been born into money, but she has dedicated her life to counseling and helping the less fortunate. She promised her parents that she would take over her parents’ charitable foundation when she turned thirty, but the last thing she wants to do is give up the free clinic and the patients who need her so much. Her gift of sensing other people’s feelings has made it difficult for her to get close to anyone, but when she meets Ross Kennedy, she knows that they are meant to be together. Because Laurie can’t read Ross, and there is a saying in her mother’s family: “Wed the one who cannot be read.”

Ross is an attorney who puts in hundred-hour work weeks. Having come from a poverty-stricken background, he is driven to succeed beyond all else. His chance meeting of Laurie during a Montana snowstorm changes his life, because he has never met a woman who affects him as deeply and immediately has she does. Knowing that Ross has nothing but disdain for people who inherit their wealth, Laurie doesn’t tell him about her moneyed background. Unfortunately, this is a falsehood that will come back to haunt her.

As Laurie and Ross strive to overcome the obstacles that her money and dissemblance have placed between them, their lives are turned upside down. Laurie is being targeted by a stalker, and his threats are escalating at an alarming rate. He wants something from her – a diary from the days of Prohibition that he believes that it will lead him to a treasure cache lost for generations – and he’s willing to go to just about any length to get it from her. Ross and Laurie find that when faced with the attentions of a madman, the differences between them are perhaps not as important as they thought.

********

Heads up, romance lovers, because I’ve got a good one for you. If you enjoy a little something extra in your stories, Sandy James’s novel Free Falling may be just what you’re looking for. This novel combines romance, suspense, and just a dash of paranormal into a very readable and enjoyable package, and I think it will please the most discerning of readers. I certainly enjoyed it.

The romance portion of this story is very appealing. It mixes a little reverse snobbishness on the hero’s part with mistaken identity and falsehood to create romantic tension between the two main characters. Ms. James has injected this story with emotion and tenderness, but she hasn’t neglected the differences of opinion that couples – even couples as much in love as these two – all have.

A thread of mystery and suspense is woven throughout Free Falling. It is less evident in the first half of the story, which focuses mostly on the development of the interpersonal relationship between Ross and Laurie, but as the novel progresses, the tension grows. The diary entries at the beginning of each chapter are meant to pique the interest of the reader, but it is not until we are well into the story that we understand where they are headed. I’m going to admit that I found them a little puzzling at first, but as the characters themselves became involved in the mystery, I appreciated having the opportunity to discover the answers along with them.

One of the most outstanding attributes about Free Falling is its characters. Ms. James has developed a wonderful cast and has breathed enough life into them to make them almost jump off the page. Ross is very much an alpha male, but he is also obsessive-compulsive and a little bit snobbish. He has a lot of emotional baggage from his childhood, and it is up to Laurie to teach him how to relax, have a good time, and let the past go. Laurie is very insightful, especially regarding Ross’s hang-ups, but for all that she is a counselor, she has low self-esteem due to her size. Ross has to show her that the beauty she has within her radiates outward and makes her absolutely stunning.

But it is not just the primary characters that make this story. The secondary characters are equally appealing. They are well-rounded and developed fully enough to make them distinct and memorable, and they give the plot additional depth.

I found Free Falling to be a very pleasant surprise. It is the second novel in Ms. James’s Damaged Heroes series, but it is not necessary to read the first story to enjoy this one – it is completely self-contained. Of course, now that I’ve read Ross and Laurie’s story, I’m probably going to have to go back and read the previous novel. If it is anywhere near as well-written as Free Falling is, then I’m in for a very pleasurable experience.

--Bobby

Title: Lightning in a Bottle
Author: Barbara Elsborg
Author’s website: http://www.barbaraelsborg.blogspot.com/
Publisher: Loose Id, LLC
Release Date: February 2009
ISBN: 9781596328938
Length: Novel
Format: Electronic
Genre: Contemporary Vampire
Sensuality Level: 4
Rating: 4.5

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

Felix may be the thirteenth Earl of Sherbourne, but his title is just about all he has. He’s always been a bit of a wastrel, flitting around and doing whatever he wanted and staying as far away from responsibility as he could possibly get. He wasn’t prepared for his parents to die suddenly and to leave the biggest of all responsibilities sitting in his lap – his ancestral home, Pevenhurst Castle. Unfortunately, he has been forced to sell Pevenhurst to pay the inheritance taxes, leaving him with only the tiny unheated carriage house to live and work in.  He’s an artist, but now he’s stuck engraving headstones for deceased pigs in order to make ends meet. He’s pretty bitter about the direction his life has taken until he meets the lovely Erin Markov, daughter of Pevenhurst’s new owners.

Erin barrels into Felix’s life with an irresistible force and a zest for life that is like a spark of energy in his cold world. She is reckless and wild, irrepressible and insatiable. Their connection is instantaneous, the sex is out of this world, and Felix finds himself caring for her deeply after a very short period of time. However, as bright a star as she is, there seems to be something just a little bit off about her. She claims to have lost her memory and to be recovering from a terrible illness, she hardly eats at all, claims an allergy to sunlight, and sleeps like the very dead. And then there was the time that she bit him and drew blood. And are those fangs that he sees in her pretty little mouth? Felix doesn’t believe in vampires, but it’s hard to deny the facts when they’re staring him right in the face.

********

With Lightning in a Bottle, Barbara Elsborg brings us the third novel in her Truebloods series. This story features the youngest of the three Markov siblings, Erin, and while her brothers Luka and Alex make a brief appearance towards the end of the book, this story is pretty self-contained. It is not necessary to read the previous two stories – The Consolation Prize and Falling For You – in order to enjoy this one, although your reading experience will undoubtedly be enriched by reading them in order.

After enjoying the first two novels of the Trueblood series so much, I greatly anticipated reading this story. I was not disappointed – this is an extremely entertaining and highly sensual read. The characters love and play hard and genuinely enjoy each other. Their love scenes are extremely sexy, although occasionally I felt as if the conflict of the story was pushed into the background to become secondary to their physical relationship. Indeed, there were times that I wondered whether Erin and Felix were ever going to come up for air, because this pair can hardly be in the same room without ripping off each other’s clothes and having their wicked way with each other. This doesn’t keep Lightning in a Bottle from being very engaging, however. As with the two previous novels, it mixes humor with a darker element, and the end result is dynamic and entertaining and a remarkable read.

The character Felix is a lot of fun. He is wonderfully imperfect, self-deprecating, and has an outstanding sense of humor. He has made a lot of mistakes in his life, and some of them have landed him in pretty serious trouble, but he redeems himself through his love of Erin and the extremes he’s willing to go to in order to keep her safe. Erin is basically a whirlwind in female form. She is a daredevil and a sexual dynamo and is supremely indifferent to the opinions of other, and half of the fun of this story is trying to figure out what kind of trouble she will land herself in next. She needs a keeper, and this gives Felix a purpose, which is something he was direly lacking before she stampeded into his life.

Barbara Elsborg’s Truebloods series is pure entertainment wrapped between three sets of covers. If you read one, you’re going to want to read them all, because her vampires – and their mates – are sexy, fun, and addictive. I’ve enjoyed them immensely, and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.

--Bobby

Note: We reviewed The Consolation Prize and Falling For You in February 2009. You can find these reviews on the archived February 2009 review page.

Title: Horizons
Author: Mickie B. Ashling
Author’s website: http://mickieashling.livejournal.com/
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: April 2009
ISBN: 9781935192879 (Electronic); 9781935192862 (Print)
Length: Novel
Format: Electronic and Print
Genre: Contemporary GLBT
Sensuality Level: 4
Rating: 4

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

Clark Stevens is a star football player at UC Berkley who has a bright future in professional sports ahead of him. It’s all he’s good for, really, because he’s less than intelligent. Or so his father tells him. His controlling father has mapped out every portion of Clark’s life, planning his professional career and denying him the medication he needs to get a handle on his ADD. So far, Clark has toed the line. He has even buried his homosexuality, knowing that it would interfere with his father’s plans for him. But when Clark lands in the emergency room and meets Doctor Jody Williams, he can’t deny his attraction to the man.

Jody is out and proud and refuses to compromise because of the bigotry of others. He is stunned by the young blonde god that appears in his emergency room. When he finds out about Clark’s learning disability, he volunteers to help, and during the course of their time together, he finds out that there is much more to the young man than physical beauty and a football uniform. Even though Clark is clearly struggling with his own identity, Jody finds himself falling in love.

Clark doesn’t want to give up what he has with Jody, but he knows that if he comes out regarding his sexual orientation, it will most likely ruin his chance at a professional career. It will also enrage his family, especially his father. Is Clark willing to risk exposing Jody to the possible danger that this would put him in? Sometimes loving someone means having to let go for that person’s own good, even if it results in a broken heart.

********

What if you had to choose between the one you love and your family? Or your career? Mickie B. Ashling’s Horizons is a novel of love and the struggle for personal identity. It is also a story about staying true to oneself in spite of the wishes and expectations of others.

In Horizons, the “I love you” is almost the easy part. The hard part is the struggle that the main characters have to go through in order to hang on to what they have found together. Ms. Ashling doesn’t make love easy for them; she makes them earn it the hard way. Clark is not only conflicted regarding his homosexuality, but his ADD and especially his family’s dismissal of him because of it has impacted his self-worth. Jody, who has been hurt by losing a lover in the past, doesn’t want to be stuck in an illicit relationship with someone who refuses to publically acknowledge who they are. He knows that he cannot make Clark’s decisions for him, though – Clark has had enough of that in his life already.

This story is told using two different points of view – both Jody’s and Clark’s. Jody’s POV is done in the third person, which one might think of as “typical” narration. Clark, on the other hand, tells his story in the first person. I found this approach to be unique and also quite effective. Clark’s narration brings the reader into his character on a very personal level. While he would be personable without this point of view, this makes Clark someone that the reader can truly care about. We experience his confusion, his joy, and his devastation on a very intimate level, and we are therefore quite invested in him winning his happiness.

Horizons is a well-written and emotional (but not maudlin) story, and I found myself becoming quite involved in the lives and travails of the heroes. I rooted for Clark to forget his obnoxious family and the expectations that others had placed on him and for him to grab on to the love that was being offered. I also hoped that Jody wouldn’t give up on the young man and that he would understand the strain Clark was going through. If anyone deserves a happy ending, it is these two. Overall, Ms. Ashling has given us an enjoyable read with Horizons; I’ll definitely be keeping my eyes open for more of her work.

--Bobby

Title: Kensington’s Soul
Author: Faith V. Smith
Author’s website: http://www.faithvsmith.com/
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Release Date: February 2009
ISBN: 1601545533
Length: Novel
Format: Electronic and Print
Genre: Contemporary Vampire
Sensuality Level: 2.5
Rating: 3.5

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

Zachary Kensington has been a vampire for centuries. He hates his existence, detests the darkness in his heart and soul, and refuses to prey on humans for blood. His one desire, above all else, is to regain his soul and to become mortal once again. Until he can find a way, he will spend his time seeking out and destroying evil in the world. In the twenty-first century, Zache is a homicide detective for the Savannah police department working the night shift with his human partner.

When Zache meets trauma surgeon Miranda James, he believes he has found someone he could love forever. She beautiful, feisty, and surprisingly innocent, and he would like nothing more than to woo and wed her. That is assuming she can handle the fact that he’s a vampire, of course. But before he can make a move, a serial killer begins to haunt Savannah, and it is up to Zache and his partner to stop the carnage. The crimes are horrible, bloody, and viciously evil, and all clues point straight toward the one person Zache never wanted to encounter again – Gabriella Sanspree, his ex-lover and the vampire who created him.

Gabriella wants Zache back, and she’ll keep killing and enjoying every second of it until he admits that he is hers. She’ll gladly destroy anything in her path in order to get what she wants. Since Zache is interested in the young surgeon, Miranda will just have to go…and perhaps suffer a little bit along the way.

********

Faith V. Smith’s novel Kensington’s Soul is a story of a vampire with a tortured psyche and his quest to find his soul, win the love of his life, and keep the streets of Savannah safe at night. This is a story of good versus evil, as the hero Zache tracks down and battles the evil vampire Gabriella and her henchmen. It is also a story of rebirth and renewal, as Zache tries to regain his mortal soul and hopefully win the love and acceptance of Miranda.

The most compelling attribute of this story is its characters. Ms. Smith has developed a cast of characters who are colorful, entertaining, and memorable. She gives us three beautiful (and drool-worthy) vampires – Zache, Hawk, and Miles – a detective sidekick, Gideon, who is amusing and personable, and a spunky heroine who is devoted to both her career as a surgeon and to the mysterious detective who she hardly ever sees during the daytime. Hawk and Miles aren’t introduced until the middle of the book, which is a shame, because these four men (or rather three vampires and one human who professes to be a redneck) make a great team, and the story becomes more interesting once they are all together.

While I enjoyed the characters, I found the pace of the story a little difficult to keep up with at times. In some parts, it feels like the story gets bogged down a little bit in the details, while at other times long periods of time pass in a flash. It could be the fault of my gnat-like attention span, but I found myself getting distracted a number of times. I also got a little sidetracked wondering why Miranda is still a virgin at thirty-four and wishing that Zache’s mysterious illness were explained just a little bit better.

When you mix vampires and serial killers together, you’re going to have some bloodshed, and Kensington’s Soul doesn’t skimp in this regard. There are a number of scenes of violence in this story that are quite gory – wonderfully gruesome, in fact, and I thought these were quite well done. What else can you expect from evil vampires? The more blood, the better, right? I also appreciated the medical/surgical/hospital aspect of the story. This felt very realistic as well.

Since Kensington’s Soul is Zache’s story, this leaves Miles and Hawk and (I hope) Gideon who need to have their tales told as well. Sequel, perhaps? We can only wait and see.

--Bobby

Title: Complications - The Courtland Chronicles
Author: Cat Grant
Author’s website:  www.catgrant.com   
Publisher: Lyrical Press
Release Date: May 2009
ISBN: 978-0-9824170-6-5
Length: Short Story
Format: Electronic
Genre: Contemporary
Sensuality Level: 3
Rating: 4.5

Reviewed by Teagan

Eric Courtland is a driven workaholic that has just been dumped by his love of ten years, Nick. Nick is getting married, since Eric can’t make the time for their relationship. Eric has assumed Nick will always be there, and the abandonment pushes him into drinking. Down on her luck, old college buddy Ally Taylor arrives on the scene and Eric decides to spend time with her. Their relationship turns sexual and he realizes how compatible they are and proposes a marriage of convenience that will benefit both of them, in bed and in their own careers. Love was never part of the deal, but can Ally keep from falling in love with him?

 ********

This is the fourth installment in The Courtland Chronicles but can be read as a stand-alone. Complications is the perfect name for this short story. The interaction between the characters was full of complications and added the perfect amount of conflict to make this an extremely appealing story. I enjoyed the unique twist on the marriage of convenience. The fact that Eric is bisexual and seems to be comfortable with either sex kept me guessing on what was going to happen next. Eric is a fabulously written character; I found that I liked him one minute and the next he made me very uneasy. He is a control freak and very strong-willed yet caring, and I found his initial treatment of Ally very endearing. The sex scenes are sizzling hot, and the foray into bondage works so well with Eric’s personality, it had me panting for more! The progression of the story is dynamic. I can honestly say that Ms. Grant has a knack for having the reader hang on every word right up until the end. I want the next installment in this series today.

--Teagan

Title: Carey’d Away
Author: J. M. Snyder
Author’s website: http://jmsnyder.com/
Publisher: Amber Quill Press/Amber Allure
Release Date: April 2009
ISBN: 9781602725058
Length: Novella
Format: Electronic
Genre: Contemporary GLBT
Sensuality Level: 3
Rating: 4

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

With all of his friends coupled up and happy, not only does Carey feel like the odd man out, he’s just plain lonely. When he gets drafted into working maintenance detail at a comic book convention, he’s less than pleased. Now not only is he jealous of his friends, but he’s bored out of his skull. That is, until he gets a good look at the guy staffing the booth for Kryptonite Comics. Suddenly, the day doesn’t looks so boring anymore.

Patrick can’t believe that he’s stuck manning a book at a comic convention, of all things. He doesn’t even like comic books, and all the people at the convention are bound to be freaks and wierdos. There’s even a guy dressed like Wolverine, and his friend’s Supergirl outfit? Positively embarrassing. The one bright spot in the whole place is the extremely hot hotel staff member who ogles his butt and gives him his phone number. The guy’s way out of Patrick's class, but if you’re going to dream, you might as well dream big, right?

Carey can hardly believe his luck when Patrick agrees to meet him at the end of the day for a late night swim with his friends. Not only is Patrick built, but he has absolutely no idea how gorgeous he actually is. He’s definitely the boy of Carey’s dreams. Patrick is very shy, however, and Carey and his friends are boisterous and sometimes a little outrageous. Will Patrick be put off by Carey coming on too strong, or will he simply go with the flow and be Carey’d away by his new friend?

********

Carey’d Away is a lighthearted story about opposites attracting. This is a quick and entertaining slice – or perhaps nibble – of  life that features a cast of characters who are both colorful and realistic and a setting that is just a little different but also quite believable. It’s as if you walk past a pool enclosure and hear a loud splash and a shriek, and you wonder…who are these people, anyway? Carey’d Away is their story.

The interpersonal dynamics between Carey and his group of friends and coworkers is fun and humorous. They play and bicker like children, and their rough horseplay in the water is very indicative of their youth. I found them to be realistic enough that at one point I wanted to sit them all down and tell them to play nice and stop pulling each others’ hair.

Carey initially comes on very strong, but his bravado seems to mask a bit of insecurity. He obviously wants to impress Patrick as well as show Patrick off to his friends. Patrick is quiet and reserved and is in an unfamiliar environment with this group. This makes us wonder if he is going to be shocked by Carey and his friends or if he will relax and accept them.

Fans of Ms. Snyder’s Powers of Love series will appreciate the way that she has worked Matt and Vic into this story. I found it a little bit surprising as well as quite amusing.

Overall, I found Carey’d Away to be well-written and enjoyable. J. M. Snyder has taken a scene from everyday life and has fleshed it out enough to make it truly interesting. These people are not especially important. They’re just kids living their lives and hoping to find a little bit of happiness along the way. And that is what makes this story worth the read.

--Bobby

Title: High Lonesome
Author: Stacey Coverstone
Author’s website: http://www.staceycoverstone.com/
Publisher:  The Wild Rose Press
Release Date: April 2009
ISBN: 1601544731 (Print)
Length: Novel
Format: Electronic and Print
Genre: Contemporary Western
Sensuality Level: 1.75
Rating: 4

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

When guest ranch owner Scott Landry happens upon a woman wandering down the New Mexican desert highway, he can’t help but stop and offer assistance. Any Good Samaritan would. People die in the desert, and it is obvious that she is in dire need of assistance. The woman is bruised, dazed, and dehydrated, and she can’t remember her name or her past. Although she is afraid, Scott bundles her up and takes her back to the High Lonesome ranch for medical attention and recuperation.

Scott is a widower who has been raising his young daughter alone for the past four years. Although he has been dating the local doctor, he can’t help but be drawn to the fragile dark-haired woman he found in the desert. Since she can’t remember her name, his daughter dubs her “Beth,” and as Beth recovers from what appears to have been a nasty blow on the head, she captures the hearts of not only Scott but also his daughter and his staff.

But who is Beth? She keeps having flashbacks to a moment of violence with a faceless man, and she also dreams of a young child she holds in her arms. Is she a wife and a mother? Scott knows that he can’t pursue his attraction to her if she is married to another, but if she were married, would she reciprocate Scott’s feelings like she does? He knows they need to find out the truth, but he’s afraid that he’s not going to like what he learns. After so many years, he has finally found a woman that he can love again. Can he bear the pain of losing the one he loves yet again?

********

Stacey Coverstone’s novel High Lonesome is a sweet romance set in the world of saddles and sagebrush. It is a well-written and pleasant story that tosses in a dash of suspense to enhance the conflict and create an underlying tension that will keep readers involved in the story all the way to the end. Not only do we wonder who Beth is and whether or not she already has a husband in her life, but we also need to know what happened to leave her stranded in the desert.

I thought that the mystery around Beth’s identity was quite well done. I wanted for her to regain her past, but at the same time, I didn’t want anything to separate Scott and Beth, who are obviously meant for each other. It is not just Beth’s lost memory that provides an obstacle between them, though; there is also “the other woman,” who is, as in many romantic plots, cold and professional and somewhat unpleasant. She is not the villain, but she is certainly someone that the reader can dislike.

The climax of the story was just a hair disappointing for me, but that is more due to my penchant for violence and mayhem than any weakness in the plot. If we had been given the chance to know the villain of the story a little bit better and to build up this threat beforehand, it may have been more satisfying; instead, he is more of an afterthought than a true miscreant.

Overall, I found High Lonesome to be a sweet and diverting read. It is a formula romance with a twist – just enough suspense and danger to keep you hooked and wondering if the good guy will win in the end.

--Bobby

Title: Soldier
Author: AKM Miles
Author’s website: http://akmmiles.livejournal.com/
Publisher: Torquere Press
Release Date: February 2009
ISBN: 9781603706377
Length: Novel
Format: Electronic
Genre: Contemporary GLBT
Sensuality Level: 3.5
Rating: 4

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

Dillon runs a shelter for boys who have slipped through the cracks and can’t make it in a foster home. He has a little help from Social Services and the local homeless shelter, but he still spends his days scrambling to put food on the table and otherwise make ends meet for himself and the seven boys in the house. He loves what he does, however. He loves the boys and has devoted himself to keeping them healthy and safe. And right now, since his shelter is not quite official, he is doing his best to stay out of the public eye.

Soldier is a veteran of the war in Iraq. He is a loner, scarred from combat, and has been drifting for the past two years. He is from a very wealthy household, but he has never wanted or needed the luxuries that his money could buy. When he returns home to check on his properties, he finds that one of his houses is mysteriously occupied. Instead of being angered, he is intrigued by Dillon and his seven young charges. From the moment he meets them, something clicks, and before long they have taken up residency in his heart as well as his house. The boys appeal to his protective side and bring out a streak of nurturing that he never thought existed. And Dillon – young, sexy, and scarred like he is – is the missing half to Soldier’s soul.

Together, Soldier and Dillon work to make this shelter into a sanctuary. Soldier has the resources to make it happen, but will the authorities accept a gay couple into the foster system? Even as they work through this issue, another rears its ugly head. All of the boys are victims of either abandonment or abuse. Now the abusive parents of one boy want him back, and they don’t care what means they use to retrieve him. Suddenly, this safe haven isn’t so safe anymore, and Dillon and Soldier will need to struggle to keep all of their dreams from going up in flames.

********

AKM Miles’s novel Soldier is about making a home and family and finding a place to belong. This is a sweet and emotional and at times tragic story, and I found myself caught up in the plight of these abandoned and emotionally fragile children. The love story between the two heroes plays an almost secondary role to them meeting the needs of the children, which I found to be a realistic touch. Part of their conflict is trying to make time to be together (what they call “face time”) while caring for seven young boys.

Of all the characters in this story, it is the children who steal the show. These are the neediest of the needy – the children who have fallen off the map and who would otherwise be forgotten. I can’t call them “homeless,” because Dillon has most definitely made a home for them, even if they are living on the edge of poverty. As a reader, you cannot help but have your heart tugged, and you have to admire anyone who is willing to devote their time to caring for them. Miles has given each boy a distinctive personality, and the two boys who are prominent in this story – Gom and Tommy – have stories that are horrifying and heartbreakingly realistic.

Soldier never explains why Soldier sloughed off his real name and decided to go by his present moniker, which is a pity, because this would probably have been an interesting story. We do see, though, that he experienced some pretty ugly action in Iraq and that he has been wandering around without a purpose since his return. It takes meeting Dillon and the boys to give Soldier a purpose in life – someone and something he can identify with and call “home.”

Overall, I found Solider to be well-written and enjoyable. It’s not a tale of danger and suspense but is instead a sweet story of building a home and nurturing the needs of family, however that family may be constructed. As Soldier discovers, home is where you find you belong, with those you love and who love you back.

--Bobby

Title: A Band of Roses

Author: Pat McDermott
Author’s website: http://www.patmcdermott.net/
Publisher: Red Rose Publishing
Release Date: February 2009
ISBN: 9781604352924
Length: Novel
Format: Electronic
Genre: Fantasy Adventure
Sensuality Level: 2.5
Rating: 5

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

Ever since 1014, when King Brian Boru of Ireland defeated the Norse invaders, the heirs of the Boru clan have ruled the country. Today, Ireland is a peaceful kingdom, rich in oil and protected by her elite Fianna warriors. That peace is about to be threatened, however, because the English regent has his greedy eyes on Ireland’s oil and is willing to go to almost any extent to lay claim to it. If he can’t bargain for it, he’s willing to seize it by force.

Talty Boru is the Crown Princess of Ireland. She is also a naval officer and a Fianna warrior in training. Her entire life has been spent preparing to assume the throne, which is not exactly a prospect she anticipates, but she knows it is her royal duty. While she knows that her life is not really hers to control, she never expects the turn it takes when she becomes a political bargaining chip between Ireland and England. When an attempt is made on her life, she is sent away from Ireland for her protection, away from her Fian training, her family, and the man she loves but who is forbidden to her – her cousin and sworn protector Neil.

Before the Boru family can bring Talty home, they must eliminate the threat to her and to the country. This will entail a complex maze of espionage, military strategy, and political intrigue that stretches from Japan to America to Ireland to England and back again. Before it is over, lives will be lost, political treachery will be exposed, and hearts will be broken and healed again.

********

Pat McDermott’s novel A Band of Roses is a captivating glimpse of an Ireland with an alternative history. What if Brian Boru had never been defeated at the Battle of Clontarf, and Ireland remained unified to this day as one country ruled by the Boru clan? You don’t have to be a history buff to enjoy this story, however. A Band of Roses combines political intrigue, adventure, science fiction, and romance into a well-written and fascinating package that will appeal to a wide range of readers.

I’ll admit that when I first picked this novel up, I was a little bit intimidated by its length. I shouldn’t have been. Although this story is on a grand scale, it is completely absorbing, and I enjoyed each and every page. The narrative flows smoothly, and while the story line is quite involved, Ms. McDermott keeps it very well organized. There is no “down time” in this novel; the plot never gets bogged down but remains fresh and interesting throughout. Indeed, there are times that the tension pulls so tight that it positively vibrates, and I found myself holding my breath and reading faster to keep pace with the action numerous times.

There is a large cast of characters in A Band of Roses, and Ms. McDermott has done an excellent job developing them into “real” people and making them all unique and memorable – from the main characters all the way to those with only small supporting roles. The members of the Boru family will steal your affection right away. They may be Irish royalty, but they are also warriors and rogues and lovers who have a zest for life and absolute devotion to each other.

Overall, Ms. McDermott has created a unique, complex, and highly entertaining story in A Band of Roses. I found it to be more than worth my reading time and would not hesitate to recommend it to others. Give it a shot…I think you might enjoy it as well.

--Bobby

Title: True Mates
Author: Zena Wynn
Author’s website: http://www.zenawynn.com/
Publisher: Loose Id, LLC
Release Date: January 2008
ISBN: 9781596326279
Length: Novella
Format: Electronic
Genre: Contemporary Werewolf
Sensuality Level: 4
Rating: 3.75

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

When Keisha wakes up to find herself bound to a tree half-naked, she knows she’s not going to have a good day. And that’s before the wolves arrive, staring at her like she is the hors d’oeuvre to their next meal. She’s a strong, independent, level-headed businesswoman, but no amount of brain power or bravado is going to help her out of this situation. One of the wolves seems to claim her as his own, and after a few embarrassingly intimate sniffs and licks, he turns into a man. A very naked and apparently extremely aroused man who rocks her world with the best sex she has ever had and then calmly tells her that she is his mate and he’s keeping her.

Alex is Alpha of the Raven werewolf pack. He had almost given up hoping to find his true mate – a human female whose DNA is compatible with a werewolf and who can produce offspring. Keisha is his prize, his forever mate, and he’ll do what it takes to keep her with him, because she belongs at his side.

But the town of Refuge, where Alex has brought Keisha, is a long way from her home in Florida, where she has a business and family and responsibilities. She doesn’t mind having a little fun, but to ask her to pull up her roots and leave everything she loves and has worked for behind? That’s a little more than she can handle. Alex is determined to give her all the pleasure her body can handle, but will it convince her to stay? Will she accept the changes that her body is going through as they become true mates?

********

True Mates by Zena Wynn is a novella that begins the saga of the paranormal residents of Refuge, North Carolina. In this tale, Ms. Wynn lays the foundation for the stories to come. She explains the “true mate” phenomenon, introduces the Raven werewolf clan, and also begins to build a conflict that is going to affect the entire town. In True Mates, the Alpha of the Raven pack find his soul mate – his true mate – and must convince her to make Refuge her home with him. This is a quick and very sexy read that gives the readers just a taste of Refuge and what is to come.

Ms. Wynn has done an admirable job of developing a cast of characters who are not only colorful, but are interesting enough to spark our curiosity. Keisha is a headstrong and independent woman, the mistress of her own life, who doesn’t want to get too close to anyone. She puts up a very good front of being emotionally strong, but this masks a vulnerability inside her – an emptiness that was created when she lost her mother. She also has a spark of humor within her that makes her a very appealing character. Her internal meanderings bring a lightness to the story that is quite entertaining.

True Mates is quite erotic. The sex between the two main characters is enough to spark a forest fire, and while the story explains it as the initial mating fever of a newly mated couple, I began to wonder if the two were ever going to get tired and come up for a breath of air. It doesn’t overly dominate the story, however, and Ms. Wynn leaves us with the beginnings of what could be a serious issue in the town as well as a bit of a cliff-hanger with another of the characters. I, for one, need to know what happens next, so I’ll be checking out more of this series in the not-too-distant future.

--Bobby