Review: All About the Boy by P.A. Friday

 

Blurb

Some men like gentle loving—others like to switch up the power. In P.A. Friday’s collection of stories, explore the raunchier, edgier side of lust—a space where domination and control can be the greatest turn-on.

From Stefan finding out the hard way just how straight he isn’t, Jake who has to learn to behave or take his punishment, to Kel juggling two very different lovers at his workplace, doing what you’re told has never been sexier

 

Review

 

This was a great book. I enjoyed it so much. It’s a collection of short stories, each of them was great and very different from the previous one. I loved them all.

 

Pretty Little Straight Boy

This was very fun and entertaining, the lightest of the three in terms of dominance, but very good.

In this story Rufus and his friends are having fun and drinking around the campsite, when a spontaneous game, lead to unexpected events.

I liked it very much. The characters were likable, I liked Rufus more than the others and it was nice to see how he react to what was going on. I had a little trouble with Stefan, I didn’t liked the way he acted so much. It seemed a little unrealistic. I felt like he was too fast, at least for my taste, but I guess that was ok for the plot and the length of the story. The parts where they were together were amazing, just a great turn on, it was really good.

 

Making Amends

This was, by far, my favorite. I loved to hate Leo, it was so easy for me to get in touch with Jake’s feelings. It was great.

Jake has fail to behave properly and now Alessandro has to make sure he gets an appropriate punishment.

This was extremely hot, it got my full attention from the beginning. I just loved the characters so much, they were so well made, especially Jake. For some reason I was very attracted to Leo, even though he generate such negative emotions in me. When I start reading it, I just hate him, but still there was something about him that was great, I don’t think he was created to be a likable character, but I end up loving him. This was the most interesting plot for me. I really enjoyed reading this story.

 

Office Politics

Kel has learn that pleasing a lover, sometimes, means completely different things at the workplace.

This was another nice story. I found Kel very fascinating. He was like nothing I’ve read before and it was nice to see the way he was willing to behave under the different circumstances he was facing. I was a little annoyed by him when the story was in the middle, but there was only for a few moments. In general he was a very interesting character.

 

In general it was a great book, really hot, with nice characters and very fun to read. I would recommend it to reader who enjoy reading stories with elements of Dominance.

 

* I Received copy of this book from the publisher in exchange of an honest review.

Review: Good as Gold (Heroes at Heart #4) by Susan Laine

 

Blurb

 

It’s been two and a half years since aspiring writer Yancy Bell met troubled jock Curt Donovan. Yancy works at the NY Public Library, and Curt is studying dance at Juilliard. It’s summer in New York City, and the devoted couple couldn’t be happier together.

Yancy’s book is the story of Curt’s survival of depression and attempted suicide. When his former English professor, Hume, encourages him, Yancy is surprised and pleased—only to be devastated when Hume commits an unethical act. This adversity leads Yancy to a new understanding of depression as he spirals down to his lowest point ever.

It’s Curt’s turn to step up to the plate and become Yancy’s hero.

 

Review

 

Another great story from this lovely series. It’s a delight to read such beautifully made characters.

Yancy and Curt had dealt with a lot of troubles in their relationship and, finally, everything seems right on track. Yancy has put all his effort on writing a book about Curt’s story of depression and suicide attempt. But when Yancy’s former professor commits an unethical act, everything he’d done appeared to be worthless and his well being is put in jeopardy.

This was a nice change of the usual roles. This time is Curt’s time to help Yancy to deal with his problems. It was so beautiful to see the way the relationship has grown. I can’t get enough of this couple, they are really sweet when they are together. They both are great characters. The way they interact with each other and the love I perceived from them was my favorite part of the book.

I had a little trouble getting into Yancy’s emotions this time around. There was something that made me feel disconnected, but that only was on his feelings about the issue the plot is centered on. When it comes to his relationship with Curt, it felt real.

The plot is very interesting and at the same time, very frustrating to see something like that happening. It was a very entertaining reading; it definitely was a bit lighter but, of course, it wasn’t free of conflict. The length might be shorter than the previous books, but that didn’t change the fact that the author managed to create a great plot and believable emotions, so that was okay with me.

In general, it was a very interesting, well written and sweet story. I think it can be easily enjoy by any reader who enjoy M/M pairing.

 

Review: Sicario (World’s End #2) by Kai Tyler

 

Blurb

One hit man.
One slave.
One death wish.

Sold by his parents and bred in a lab, Lexan Cesare is trained for one purpose—to execute his boss’s orders. In the mafia life, loyalty is everything. Emotions have no place and he never questions the rights or wrongs of the decisions that send him to terminate lives again and again.

Until one assignment draws emotions he’s never felt before and makes him question his true loyalties.

Enzo Mattia has been ripped apart from his family and everything he knows and sold into slavery. He swears to mete revenge on all who have wronged him.
First he has to escape from his new owner, Lexan, a man who captivates him and makes him want to act on impulses he’s suppressed for a long time. Impulses that can lead to death.

But the world is in flux and loyalties shift at the speed of a bullet. Betrayal abounds and falling in love is just a death wish.

This is a full length male/male romantic thriller set on a dystopian earth.

 

Review

 

This is book 2 on a series. I really enjoyed it. It had some interesting characters and it had a lot of unexpected evets that keep me guessing all the time. It was very good.

 

It’s set up in a world control by the mafia, it had some dystopian elements, but I don’t think this particular part was well developed. It was ok, but I don’t think it would be too much different if it was set up in the present.

The plot was so interesting, I liked the twists it had, and I liked the part the characters from the previous book played on this one.  It might be the second book of the series, but I think the connection of the events on Duce, are disconnected enough, to make this one work fine as a standalone, and even though the characters play a part in the plot, it’s not necessary to know them before to make it understandable.  It had a fast pace most of the time, and it had a lot of action. The book address slavery, but I felt like it wasn’t that important in the development of the plot.

 

The characters were very interesting. I liked to see how the dynamic between the main characters worked. Lexan was a great character, I liked him the most, but I did felt like it was a little difficult to get in touch with his feelings. I’m not sure if it was on purpose, I guess it could be, since his profession might require that particular feature, but at times it felt a little odd.  Enzo was nice, I liked when he was in control, those times where the best of him. The secondary characters were very likable too, I don’t think I dislike any of them, not even the bad guys.

The relationship Enzo and Lexan had was nice, it was believable. Perhaps it begin a little too rushed for my tasted, but in general it was really good. The moments they had together were great.

 

Overall, it was a nice book. I enjoyed reading it and I think any reader who liked books that involved mafia would like it.

 

*Book provided by NetGalley.

Review: Code Yellow (Heroes at Heart #3) by Susan Laine

 

Blurb

 

Two years have passed since that long, dark, night of despair and near death when English-lit geek Yancy Bell met dancing jock Curt Donovan. Now a couple living in New York, they appear happy and well suited to one another.

But appearances can be deceptive.

Yancy feels Curt is growing distant, and they barely see each other. At Juilliard, Curt has bonded with a new friend, Greg. Yancy fears his relationship with Curt is coming to a head. Meanwhile,Curt harbors a secret that could spell the end of Yancy’s love for him.

Yet neither man dares to confront his fears—or the other.

Will their fate be a code yellow or a golden opportunity?

 

Review
This was a beautiful and bittersweet story of love and trust. The characters are so nice, it’s so easy to fall in love with them.

 

Yancy and Curt have two years together and, in the eyes of everyone else, everything is perfect. But mistrust begin to hurt Yancy when Curt starts to spend too much time apart from him, especially when he notice that Greg, Curt’s new friend, appeared to have everything in common with him. Communications haven’t proven to be the most important feature in either of them. Will their relationship be as strong as they thought or will this situation prove that they have been living an illusion?

 

This is the third book in a series, but it begins by making a nice summary of important events in the previous books, so it would work perfectly as a standalone. It had very intriguing moments and a nice steady pace.

 

It was such a nice book to read. It was so melancholic, I really enjoy the author’s ability to transmit the character’s emotions. It was so easy to feel the hurt and the love. That was the part I liked the most of the book. It was devastating to see such a sweet relationship grow distant, and it seemed so realistic.

 

The main characters were great. Yancy was so nice and since the book is told from his point of view, it was easy to feel what he was feeling. Curt seemed a little different from the previous book, at least for some moments, but I perceived this as a personal growth in a very nicely made character development. The secondary character were also very nice. There is no character in this book I didn’t like.

 

Curt and Yancy’s relationship is amazing, it is portray in a very realistic way, with the normal ups and downs, with a lot of struggles and with very intense feelings.

 

Overall it was a beautiful book. I would recommend it to any reader who likes emotional books.

 

Review: Puppy by R. Phoenix

 

Blurb

 

While other vampires glut themselves on the rewards of a world where humans are little more than food or entertainment, Liam has found himself bored with the new status quo. An attempt to alleviate his boredom brings him to Caleb, a man who’s willing to do what it takes to get out of the slums–even if it means becoming something less than human.

This peek into the Ripples in the Status Quo world is a standalone out of the timeline of the series.

###

From light to grey to dark, follow those who test and defy the status quo’s subjugation of humans. In a world where the supernatural reign supreme, only love can set off the ripples that could change this depraved world for the better. But will the cost be too high?

‘Bought,’ ‘Ravel,’ and ‘Recoil’ feature different characters whose lives begin to come together in ‘Owned’ and ‘Temper.’

Series:
1. Bought – Jace & Elias.
2. Ravel – Ashton & Reese.
3. Recoil – Khaz & Noah.
4. Owned – Khaz & Noah, Jace & Elias.
5. Temper – Ashton & Reese, Jace & Elias.

Standalones:
Puppy – Liam & Caleb

 

Review

 

This was a nice story, very very far from my comfort zone. Perhaps under different circumstances I wouldn’t read it, but I’d read some books from the author and I loved them, so, I decided to give it a try.

 

I enjoyed it, it had some interesting characters, but it was a little short and it didn’t allow to get to know too much of them, other than the present moment they were living. I would love to have a little backstory on them, especially on Caleb. Liam was a good character, he knew what he wanted and how to get it, and he was unapologetic about it, which was great. Caleb was a little more confusing for me, I liked him, but there were some features about him that weren’t appealing to me. I don’t think most readers would have problems with him, just the contraire, he was a very likable character.

 

The plot, was nice, it wasn’t too complex, but it was a nice reading. I enjoyed the way the characters react to the circumstances they were in. The relationship they shared as appropriated, really interesting, and it didn’t try to forced things, which I appreciate so much. The writing was great and I loved the world created by the author.

 

There is, obviously, the part of the puppy play, exactly the reason I thought I wouldn’t like it, but it was good, I actually enjoyed reading it, but there was something about Caleb that didn’t allow me to like it more.  I think that reader who like puppy play would really enjoy reading this story, I would definitely recommend it.

Review: He Is Worthy by Lisa Henry

 

Blurb

 

Rome, 68 A.D. Novius Senna is one of the most feared men in Rome. He’s part of the emperor’s inner circle at a time when being Nero’s friend is almost as dangerous as being his enemy. Senna knows that better men than he have been sacrificed to Nero’s madness—he’s the one who tells them to fall on their swords. He hates what he’s become to keep his family safe. He hates Nero more.

Aenor is a newly-enslaved Bructeri trader, brutalized and humiliated for Nero’s entertainment. He’s homesick and frightened, but not entirely cowed. He’s also exactly what Senna has been looking for: a slave strong enough to help him assassinate Nero.

It’s suicide, but it’s worth it. Senna yearns to rid Rome of a tyrant, and nothing short of death will bring him peace for his crimes. Aenor hungers for revenge, and dying is his only escape from Rome’s tyranny. They have nothing left to lose, except the one thing they never expected to find—each other.

This title is part of the Warriors of Rome collection.

 

Review

 

This was an interesting story. I enjoyed most of it. It had something I wasn’t sure about it, but most of the book was really nice and I liked reading it.

Aenor was a great character. It was very easy to connect with his feelings most of the times and I liked the way he thinks. I didn’t felt the same way with Senna, I didn’t feel much sympathy for him, which made difficult to me, to see their relationship as believable. I do understand it from Aenor point of view, but I didn’t see it as truthful for Senna.

 

The plot was good, I love stories of intrigue and betrayal, and this one made a great job. There were some very interesting events, it might not be as I would expected it, but it was a nice to be surprised.

 

I really loved the historical part of it, I think it was what I liked the most of the book. The moment in time it was set, it felt very realistic, I liked everything about it, the language, the hierarchy, the way they act, I really loved that part.

 

In general it was a good book, I think reader who like historical books might easily like it. It had elements that some reader might find disturbing like violence, non/con and talk of suicide, so beware of it before reading.

Audio Book Review : The Lion of Kent by Aleksandr Voinov and Kate Cotoner

 

Blurb

Squire William Raven has only one goal—to finally receive his spurs and become a knight. When his lord, Sir Robert de Cantilou, returns from a five-year crusade in the Holy Land, William wants nothing more than to impress him.

After Sir Robert’s return, noble guests arrive from France, bringing intrigue to the castle. William is oblivious to the politics, as he’s distracted by nightly visits from a faceless lover—a man who pleasures him in the dark and then leaves—a man he soon discovers is none other than his master, Sir Robert.

But William can’t ignore the scheming around him when he overhears a plot to murder Robert. He becomes intent on saving his lord and lover from those who would see him killed.

 

 

Review

I liked this story, it was interesting.

 

Generally I’m not attracted to historical books, but in this case, the moment in time this story was set, was one of the things I liked the most. I loved getting to know about knights and squires

 

The plot was good, I liked the non-romantic part of the story.  It had some very intriguing moments and it was fun. I listen to the audio version of the book and the narrator had a nice voice. I had a little trouble in the beginning trying to understand the change of characters, but after a while I get used to it and it was easier to know who was talking. I think the narrator made a wonderful job with Robert’s brother, using a high tone that compliment perfectly how annoying that character was, I really enjoyed that part, and loved to hate that character.

 

I wasn’t too convinced by the romantic part of the book, I didn’t feel Robert care enough for William, and in William’s case I feel it was more a loyalty thing than true love. But that didn’t diminish my interest in the story.

 

Overall it was an entertaining book, I liked it and I would recommend it to reader who enjoy historical books.

Review: Hunting the Werecroc by Lyssa Dering

 

Blurb

Bex—or whatever name he chooses for the night—is a shifter hunter. Though he’s still working on his reputation as such, he has several pretty skins under his belt so far, most of them belonging to cats and wolves. When he runs into a werecroc by chance, a violent breed with rare and valuable skin, he decides to go after him, even though he isn’t prepared for such a target. It’ll be research, he reasons, and therefore hardly a risk. But Bex has a sordid past involving shifters, and with this new animal in his midst, he finds himself sharing too much. The werecroc, despite his nature, seems kinder and safer than the shifters Bex has dealt with before. Can he bury his prejudice and let go, finally? Or is the safety he’s feeling an illusion, something a predator uses to ensnare its prey?

This story is a little under 6,000 words and is only for readers aged 18 and older since it features dark, adult themes… and possibly some questionable descriptions of crocodile genitalia.

NOTE: Previously published as “A Rare and Dangerous Breed.”

 

 

Review

 

This was very different of what I’m used to, but it was good. I wasn’t expecting to like it too much, because the word “werecroc” didn’t sound like something I would regularly like, but I enjoyed reading it so much more than I thought.

 

Bex is a shifter hunter looking for his next prey. When he runs into a rare and very dangerous werecroc, he isn’t sure if he has the ability to face such deadly creature. But appearances can be deceitful, and the werecroc might not be what Bex had expected.

 

I really liked this story. I think the plot was very interesting and I enjoyed the fast pace it had, it was very exciting. I liked both characters, they were nice. But I think I liked Bex better, even though I find his conduct reproachable. Maybe it was because the story was told from his point of view and I felt like I was able to be more in touch with his feeling than with Asa’s. It probably isn’t the most romantic story I’ve read, but for the short time shared by the main characters, I think it was enough and it didn’t seemed forced.

 

The things I didn’t like were the length, I enjoyed the story and I would love it to be a little longer. I felt liked it was a little rushed at the end. I also felt a little annoyed by Asa’s reaction to some things told by Bex. I think he was so inappropriate about it, that make so angry at him. At least he transmit an emotion to me, but it was so annoying.

 

I think it was a nice story, but I would recommend to read the warning in the book description before reading it because it contain possible triggers. That said, I would definitely recommend it to reader who like shifter stories.

Review: Falling Through by Ofelia Gränd

 

Blurb

Travis is running himself ragged. He’s trying to keep two jobs just to pay his rent. If he has to flirt with some creepy old women at the pub to get a little extra tip money then so be it. One day, he’ll have someone special waiting for him when he gets back home from work, or is that too much to ask? Right now isn’t the best of times to get a boyfriend anyway since Travis is going mad, but one day… Every so often, Travis gets the feeling of not being alone, and sometimes, he sees things. But he tries to stay positive; maybe there’s a strapping young fella waiting for him in the looney bin.

Larry’s existence was dead boring until Travis moved in. Now he spends his time watching Travis, fantasising about touching him, kissing him… Their movie nights would be a bit cosier if Travis knew he was there, but sometimes, you have to settle for what you can get. As far as roommates go, Travis is the best Larry has ever had, and it isn’t Travis’s fault he can’t see Larry – no one has been able to since the day he died.

When Travis loses one of his jobs, both he and Larry fear for their future. Larry can’t imagine being without Travis, and Travis is desperate to find a way to pay his bills. While Travis searches for a solution to his money problems Larry has to decide if he’s willing to risk existence as he knows it for a chance of a better life.

 

Review

 

This was a different, unexpected and really good story.

It was so nice to read a story with a couple so different of what I’m used to. Larry was in such a heartbreaking situation, he was such a lovely character but I just couldn’t help to feel bad for him. Travis was nice but I felt like he was a little underdeveloped, I wanted to know him a little better. He also was in a sad situation. There was a feeling of melancholy in the story, perhaps that is why I found it so attractive. I really enjoy it.

It had a very interesting plot, I was very intrigued by Travis point of view, but I wanted to know a little more about the shadows and how the world work for them.

It started a little slow but was keep reading I was getting more involved in the story and I didn’t wanted to end. The las pages were so good, I loved it. I’m not sure what to think of the ending, but in general it was a very good.

Review: Dazzle Me by Ofelia Gränd

 

Blurb

Tom has been planning for months, but in those plans he never once found himself on a spa table in Bangkok on his and Santino’s one year anniversary. He doesn’t do aeroplanes, doesn’t like the tropical climate, and he does not do spas.

Yet there he is, without a stitch of clothing, and with a man he’s never met before. He’ll do his best to enjoy his day and then he’ll give Santino the best anniversary imaginable, even if it means he has to be covered in chopped-up veggies on him for an entire day…

…if only it were veggies.

Part of “Summer Bigger Than Others – A Summer Anthology” from Beaten Track Publishing

 

Review

 

This was a very sweet and lovely story.

 

It was so hard to see poor Tom and all he had to go through those few days. I liked how much he was willing to sacrifice and how he manage to endure everything for love. It had a nice humorous tone that I loved. The writing was good and it had a nice plot. I didn’t mind the length, sure it was short, but the story was told without feeling something was missing.

Both main characters were likable, I guess I liked Tom the most, maybe because it was his point of view, but they were both nice. It was easy to feel how much the Santino and Tom felt for each other.

Even though I mention I didn’t care that it was so short, I’m loving this author’s writing very much and I would love to see a longer book from her.

Overall I think it was a cute, story and I would definitely recommend it to any reader who loves romance, it was so fun and sweet.