Review of Hard Fall by James Buchanan

 

This is the first book I've read by this author. The book starts of slow with a LOT of technical details about rock climbing (not boring to me since I used to climb, but potentially boring to non-climbers) that surround a rescue and recovery. The author does a very good job of establishing his characters and what makes the main character, Joe, tick.

Overall, it was a good story, however I had some problems with the dialog the author used with the main character. It did help establish the character, but made for very awkward reading. I wasn't happy with the ending, but that is a personal preference issue.

I am looking forward to reading more by this author. 4 stars.

Review of In the Flesh by Ethan Stone

Cristian Flesh is a damn good homicide detective, he's a damn good friend, but he has a long way to go in the relationship department.  Cris lives and breathes his rules; rules designed to keep him safe.  Safe from his own emotions.  While working a case, Cris' past slowly creeps up on him until he finds himself in the cross-hairs.  Enter sexy, in the closet, defense attorney Colby Maddox.  The reader gets to watch a hot romance unfold between the two while each are slowly coming to terms with their personal demons and their feelings for one another.

Wow, what can I say about this book? It was fabulous.  The author did a great job establishing the characters and feeding the read bits and pieces throughout the book.  The first part of the book reads like a true crime novel.  When I sat down with the book, I only intended to read a couple of pages - boom - three hours later I was crushed that it was over.  The second half of the book focuses mainly on the developing relationship between Cris and Colby.  The quantity of sex scenes and the quality of the romance blend perfectly together.

This is the first novel by this author and it is a hit right out of the gate.  If you love great m/m stories and compelling characters, then this is a must read book!

I fell in love with both characters and can't wait for a sequel.

Review of Love and Loyalty by Tere Michaels

Ms. Michaels does it again!  This book features a character we saw briefly in Faith & Fidelity.  Detective Jim Shea doesn't realize how lonely and sterile his life has become until it is invaded by Griffin Drake.

Ms. Michaels has become auto-buy for me.  This story is very well written and the characters are very "real".  There is just enough angst between the main characters to pull at your heart strings.  Griffin also does some soul searching that as a reader had me evaluating my own ethics. 

The love scenes between the main characters are very tasteful with just enough detail to move the book along. We also get to "hear" Jim's conversations with Matt (from Faith & Fidelity) so we get a nice glimpse into the lives of old friends. 

I really liked this book and highly recommend it to anyone who likes a great story to go along with their m/m action.

Review of Promises by Marie Sexton

 Promises 

This is my first book by this author and it will NOT be my last!! I loved, loved, loved it. The story is written in first person and really hits home. The chemistry between the main characters is electric and their love story is so sweet!! This book had me laughing with the snarky one-liners and crying with that sense of loss deep in your stomach.

I cannot wait to read more works by Ms. Sexton. She could easily become one of my all-time favorites.

Review of Simple Men by Eric Arvin

 

This book had a LOT of potential going in and I was REALLY looking forward to the story: the classic "straight" jock and the quiet, private priest. However, the author missed many opportunities to crank up the emotions and really pull the reader in. The subplot of the relationship between the two football players ended up being more interesting and intense than the two main characters. It was a quick read, but there was nothing there to keep me interested. I probably put the book down every few pages to do something else.

Review of Adagio by Chris Owen

A young Jason Stuart left behind a painful life in Canada to start over in Sydney Australia as an artist. One of his goals upon reaching Australia is to walkabout however, a few short months into his stay, his life slowly spirals out of control. Over the course of the next several years, his good friend Alex helps him get back on his feet which gives him opportunity to continue his art and to reach his goal of going walkabout. Jason sets off from Sydney on an adventure where he meets young Ryan. What starts off as a tentative friendship, develops into lust and then love with beautiful Australia as a back drop. Until an encounter and an ocean threatens to tear them apart.

This is the third book I’ve read by Ms. Owen and it is a M/M Romance rather than a M/M Erotica story. Her characters are very well developed and her descriptions of the scenery of Australia make you feel like you are on walkabout with them. The blossoming attraction, the lust and eventual love between the characters envelopes you. Ryan’s youthful enthusiasm for everything is infectious and made me smile throughout the book.

I really enjoyed the story and hope that at some point Ms. Owen gives us a glimpse of where Jason & Ryan are now.

Review of Handyman by Claire Thompson

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The blossoming of the relationship between Will and Jack was a pleasure to read. Jack's character is very well developed and I love how the author provided detailed descriptions of his thoughts. The sexual tension between the characters was scorching as were the sex scenes. Jack's awakening was both poignant and sweet. This is the first book I've read by this author and I can't wait to read more. I've put most of her other books on my wishlist.

Review of St. Nachos by Z.A. Maxfield

Cooper is on the run from his past when his bike takes him to Santo Ignacio. The beachside town and Nachos bar becomes his haven for healing, rediscovering himself and what it is to feel again. Until a phone call from his past brings his regrets to the forefront.

This is the first book I have read by this author and I must say that the characters are very well written and the plot of the book stands above most. St. Nachos is written in the first person from the point of view of a passive gay man. I normally enjoy first person narratives, but my curiosity regarding the secondary characters made me long for insight into their lives that might have been present in a third person narrative. That being said, the personal, emotional journey that Cooper takes is a very heavy read.

Review of Bareback by Chris Owen

This was the first book I've read by this author and to say that I was pleasantly surprised is putting it mildly.  The author hooks the reader with some scorching sex at the beginning of the book and then slowly winds the tale of the relationship between Jake and Tor.  The author's ability to put the reader in the emotional place of the character is astounding.  As a reader, I laughed and cried with the characters as their relationship changed.  There are moments of great joy, great love, great loss, great understanding and great forgiveness.  If you are looking for a male/male romance with good characters, great writing, hot sex and a fabulous story, I highly recommend this book.

Review of Easy by Ally Blue

Easy by Ally Blue is a contemporary male/male erotica story. Dan is a hardened closeted gay man working in construction who comes across Stevie Sanger quite by accident while running an errand for work. Dan rescues Stevie from a life of prostitution, gives him a home and a fresh start. Emotions run high as Stevie and Dan fight their attraction to one another; each for different reasons.

This story was lacking the strength of a good alpha. I found Dan to be a so-so character, but believable in his situation. Stevie comes across as the classic flamboyant gay man. Both characters at times are very indecisive about how to handle their feelings. The story had good potential, but lacked in the character development to necessary to pull me into truly feeling for the characters and their situation. If you like tension derived from indecisiveness, you might like this story. For me though, it was not a bad story, but not a must read either.