Category: Reviewer Erica

REVIEW: Chasing The Waves by AJ Marcus and Nicole Godfrey

4/4/2018

Title: Chasing The Waves—The Depths and the Shallows 1

Author: A.J. Marcus and Nicole Godfrey

Length: 92 pages

Genres: gay romance, shifter, urban fantasy

TBR Reviewer: Erica

Rating: 3 Stars - A Good Read!

Heat: 3/5 - —blush worthy

A dolphin shifter is given charged with taking a selkie family from Australia to Ireland but he doesn’t expect to find love along the way.

This story has an interesting premise which captured my interest early on but the story itself did begin to slow just a little for me. Galadir is an agent of an organization called The Shallows. They seem to be all about protecting the environment and shifters. Galadir is charged with taking a Selkie family from Australia to Ireland but rather than going by boat they are swimming there. Galadir is uneasy about this job because one of the Selkies is a baby, a rare white pup. Along the way, the pup becomes ill and Galadir has to go ashore for help. He’s pretty much a one trick guy. He knows how to protect from threats but he doesn’t know how to heal or anything like that, so he needs to get help. This is where the story takes a slow turn for me. All the different things he goes through to get the help took me a little out of the story. I would have liked more information on Greg and the Depths and what Greg and those other sharks are doing out in the ocean.

This is an enjoyable story, but it left me wanting more, hence my rating of three. Still, I recommend it to those who enjoy shifter stories because this is a good addition to genre.

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REVIEW: A Wild Ride by Andrew Grey

3/26/2018

Title: A Wild Ride

Author: Andrew Grey

Length: 6 hrs and 55 minutes.

Genres: contemporary gay romance.

TBR Reviewer: Erica

Rating: 4 Stars - Highly Recommended Read!

Heat: 3/5 - Blush Worthy!

Dante is an in the closet bull rider seeking comfort in a bar after a bitter loss and falls into the arms of Ryan, a financial adviser, for a night neither of them will ever forget. Dante and Ryan meet again a few weeks later when Dante’s grandfather seeks some help with financial planning. Dante’s grandfather is dying, but he turns out to be the bridge between Ryan and Dante that brings them closer.

I’d never read anything by Andrew Grey and I found myself well entertained with A Wild Ride. I am drawn into the story right off and curious as to what will happen when Dante and Ryan meet at that bar. Dante is clearly looking to blow off steam while Ryan, well, he seems to want something besides sex though he isn't opposed to a wild night. Both men get more than they bargain for, leaving them both thinking about each other long after the break of day. As Ryan works with Dante’s grandfather, Ryan and Dante get closer and the vulnerabilities of each man is revealed. Dante is determined to stay in the closet, keeping his affair with Ryan secret, but somehow word gets out. I wonder how people made that leap? The author never alludes to how the rumors possibly get started or with whom. Gossip in a small town? Maybe but I would like to have seen a little more. A few homophobic characters adds a bit of realism to the contemporary story. I like how Dante’s grandfather talks to Dante and helps him realize he has to hang on to Ryan if he wants him. He also helps Ryan see the same thing when Ryan is attacked by a jerk with a bat bent on beating up Dante for being a gay bull rider. I really like how Ryan supports Dante when it becomes clear that Dante might lose his sponsorship. Ryan has all of his friends come out to the event by Dante’s sponsor in hopes of Dante will be able to maintain that sponsor for another year.

A Wild Ride has just the right amount angst and romance for me. I recommend this to anyone who loves cowboys as well as hot and sweet romances.

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REVIEW: The Officer and The Vampire Chef by Charlie Richards

3/21/2018

Title: The Officer and the Vampire Chef

Author: Charlie Richards

Length: 94 pages

Genres: vampire, contemporary romance,

TBR Reviewer: Erica

Rating: 3 Stars - A good read!

Heat: 3/5 -—blush worthy

A vampire chef is happily going about his life when he crashes into a robbery that leads to sparks with a human cop.

This was my first book by Charlie Richards, and I was looking forward to it. I wasn’t sure what to expect but let me start off by saying, the writing is excellent and the story is a fun short read. The story doesn’t have a good deal of the fantasy vampire world in it. The characters all carry on like humans other than mentions of blood donors. The vampire chef, Patrick, is a fun character with his blue toe nails and his very human way of disarming a robber by throwing eggs at him. Patrick also likes to dance and has a thing for fashion it seems. He’s also a good cook obviously which you rarely see in vampire romances. I like seeing it here because it adds a human dimension to vampires—it’s a wink and a nudge to the humans they once were. When Patrick stops a robbery and officer Allen Robinson comes to the scene the two don’t automatically hit it off, but it’s clear to Patrick that Allen is his beloved—soul mate. Patrick and Allen have one meal together and some hot making out but Allen is a virgin who’s so deep in the closet he steers clear of Patrick after that. So, with the help of friends, Patrick resorts to a little old-fashion game playing with a plot to run into Allen at a policeman’s dance.
I thought the story was fun but short. I would love to have seen more interaction between Patrick and Allen before Allen just accepts that Patrick is a vampire and gets involved with him. However, Allen’s reticence to come out of the closet even after the two men start dating is realistic.

I would recommend this story to anyone looking for a quick read with a hint of the supernatural, some good sex, and good writing.

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REVIEW: The Russos by DJ Manly

3/21/2018

Title: The Russos Episode 3

Author: D.J. Manly

Length: 56 pages

Genres: contemporary romance,

TBR Reviewer: Erica

Rating: 3 Stars -A Good Read!

Heat: 1/5 - Tame

Temptations and confessions abound as a family attempts to wade through the murky waters of the aftermath of a near fatal shooting. The Russos is a series of shorts that center around its stars Johnny and Drake Russo who are rock stars.

I’m not a fan of stories of this nature where the story is told in short bites and I haven't read the first two shorts. That said, the episode is easy to follow as it centers around an event from Episode 2 where Johnny Russo has been shot in a tussle for a gun with his brother. This is a story of taboo love and the family that surrounds Drake and Johnny the two brothers who are in love. Drake grapples with his feelings and his fears that his brother might not survive the injury. Drake also has to deal with the fact that his lawyer, a woman, is attracted to him and he can’t or might not ever be able to return her feelings since he’s in love with his brother.

I think the incestuous relationship is being handled with some sensitivity though some of Drake’s family seem to be ignoring it while others accept the closeness with a bit of bitterness. Also, an illegitimate son is introduced and he wades into the family’s muddy waters unaware that love and relationships aren’t exactly as they seem on the surface in the Russo family, well not all of them.

If you like family drama this one is for you.

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REVIEW: Summer Ride by Susan Laine

3/13/2018

Title: Summer Ride

Author: Susan Laine

Length:104 pages

Genres: contemporary gay romance

TBR Reviewer: Erica

Rating: 3 Stars - A Good Read!

Heat: 3/5 - Blush Worthy!

Summer Ride is the story of high school friends Toby and Jimmy who meet five years later after going their separate ways after high school. Each has become a man that neither knows and is struggling with moral dilemmas they are on the run from. Only a summer on the road can help them work things out and fall in love along the way. Summer Ride begins right at the point where Toby and Jimmy ex-best-friends are reunited after being apart five years. Toby at first doesn’t recognize Jimmy and it seems as if he doesn’t want to. Then, Jimmy offers Toby a ride and they learn that neither of them has a destination in mind. As they travel we learn each is gay and has been hiding it. Both have had troubled childhoods with fathers who weren’t as understanding. Being gay is the least of their troubles though. Toby was sexually harassed and is struggling with whether to let it go as he was urged or to report it. Jimmy is a law student interning for a firm that is cheating its clients and he’s taken a bribe. He’s torn between letting it go and reporting it.

This story has great potential,—a road trip, emotional drama and moral dilemmas, but it never quite fulfilled the promise. Susan Laine’s writing isn’t the weakness, it’s very good. The story just lacks sufficient exploration of the moral dilemmas which are at the heart of the road trip. I would like to have seen more action. As it is, Toby and Jimmy connect emotionally fairly quickly. The two men talk a great deal, bringing the reader into their lives allowing us to explore their emotional and moral issues with them. I did like how Toby and Jimmy confront their issues but the way in which they reach the decision to return to Boston to face those issues isn't based on any real epiphany. Toby merely decide after a few sexual encounters with Jimmy he needs to go back. I would like to have been let in on why he makes that decision. It is clear that Jimmy makes his decision based on what he fears Toby will think of him. Jimmy’s fears about dealing with his problems are a little more obvious and real than Toby’s.

I will recommend this story to anyone who enjoys emotional journeys, stories of the heart that involve moral dilemmas.

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REVIEW: The Fireman's Pole by Sue Brown

2/27/2018

Title: The Fireman’s Pole

Author: Sue Brown

Length: 220 pages

Genres: contemporary romance, gay romance

TBR Reviewer: Erica

Rating: 3 Stars - A Good Read!

Heat: 3/5 - Blush Worthy!

When fireman Dale leaves his old job to escape an affair gone wrong, he meets a nobleman named Ben and sparks of irritation fly. But it isn’t long before Dale and Ben are igniting a fire of their own.
Dale’s a gay man who’s seeking a change of place after catching his ex cheating on him with a woman. At the new firehouse, Dale’s does nothing to hide the fact that he’s gay and it isn’t long before Dale is deemed a hero for saving the life of an elderly woman. At the same time Dale irritates the nobleman of the village. The conflict between Dale and Ben increases only marginally when Dale backs the fire truck into the village’s May Pole. But the two men quickly become involved after this.

There is little real conflict in Ben and Dale’s relationship despite Ben attempting to remain in the closet. There addition of Ben’s unscrupulous business partner who is furious when Ben doesn’t marry is daughter and an arsonist add subtle interest to the story. However, as interesting as those subplots are, I would like to have seen the focus put on one of these and the intensity of that one fully explored and developed. This was a sweet romance with Dale and Ben sneaking around, but everyone already knew Ben was gay, so there was no real fear of rejection or hurt to fear for Ben if his relationship with Dale was discovered. If there had been more urgency, the story would have been more appealing to me.

As it was, I found the story amusing and sweet. Both of the main characters are likable which makes the story easy to enjoy.

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REVIEW: Tender Mercies by Eli Easton

2/16/2018

Title: Tender Mercies

Author: Eli Easton

Length: 8 hours 28 minutes

Genres: contemporary romance, gay romance.

TBR Reviewer: Erica

Rating: 3 Stars - A Good Read!

Heat: 3/5 - Blush Worthy!

Tender Mercies is a sweet love story set in amid Amish country about a city boy named Eddie who decides to buy a farm for an animal sanctuary and an Amish man named Samuel whose sexuality gets him shunned. Eddie knows nothing about running a farm and Sam grew up on one so when these two meet thanks to an ad Eddie put in the paper for help its fate.

This story was cute and sweet. Eddie is a city man, an editor and ghost writer who hates to ask for help, but he needs all kinds of help when he buys a far and his boyfriend breaks up with him. He’s a likable character despite his got-to-do-it-on-my-own ways. The author gives little real basis for the attitude, but that doesn’t diminish the character. Sam on the other hand is Amish, raised on a farm believing being gay is a sin. His father throws him off the farm for this. Sam is a sweet, shy young man just nineteen, but he’s a hard worker with a decent mind we discover later in the story. Eddie who’s attracted to Sam right off but doesn’t make any moves because he’s almost ten years older than Sam, but as they work together, feelings can’t be contained and Eddie and Sam start to fall in love. It’s a slow burner, so don’t expect much sex.

I like my romance a little hotter, but I think those who like sweetness and a little angst will enjoy this read. It is short at just over 8 hours and I didn’t really start to enjoy it until the last four chapters when one of the farm animals, a pot belly pig starts acting out. The pig runs away from a farm owned by and elderly man where things are in disrepair and pigs are in cages in terrible conditions. The pig finally herded Eddie and Sam to that farm and they found dead pigs as well as the deplorable conditions the living ones are in.

Eddie is in debt and on the verge of selling his own farm and couldn’t see how he could save the pigs. Sam inspired him by talking to the owner and convincing the owner to sell. Seeing that Sam is willing to stick by him and help anyway he could—Sam offered to get another job and throw in his own meager savings to help buy the pigs and care for them. With this inspiration, Eddie decides it’s time to ask for help. So, he does and he gets plenty of money to save his farm and the pigs.

As I said it is a cute story, and both our main characters are very likable and Sam is especially easy for me to relate to with his shyness. Still his upbringing makes him able to move past that to get things done like communicating with people when he obviously finds it hard. For me this book is a little slow. The writing is good, strong and the characters nicely drawn. I recommend Tender Mercies to those who like slow burning, sweet romances.

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REVIEW: Forever Love Box Set by Allison Merritt

2/7/2018

Title: Forever Love: Sawyer’s Folly Box Set

Author: Allison Merritt

Length: 456

Genres: historical, western, contemporary romance.

TBR Reviewer: Erica

Rating: 4 Stars - Highly Recommended Read!

Heat: 1/5 - tame

I didn’t enjoy all three of these stories equally, but the reason for the 4 is because I did enjoy two of them. Sawyer’s Folly Box Set consists of three stories set in the same small town in Arkansas. The first two are connected.

Love Won’t Run is a historical western romance about an heiress—murder witness on the run. One of Della’s stops lands her in small town Sawyer’s Folley where finds love and courage in Lo a local Romeo. This story catches me right off the bat and pulls me in. As the story opens the heroine, Della is shaking in her shoes due to gun shots and drops the tray she’s holding ruining her employer’s carpets. She’s fired as she leaves she’d hired by a Lo or Lewis who needs a companion for his bratty niece. Said niece is really in need of some companionship and female mentoring, but she’s not all that bad, and as Della bonds with the niece, Raisie. She also bonds with Lo. As the bond grows stronger we learn that Della isn’t just another poor woman looking for a decent job, she’s an heiress on the run having witnessed her husband’s murder. She’s not just afraid of the killer finding her but of her father’s regaining control of her and using her for his own ends as well. Della’s life is going smoothly until a jealous ex of Lo’s happens upon an old flyer advertising an interest in finding Della. The old flame hurries to tell Lo who demands to know the truth. Lo is determined to save Della and keep her in his home and his niece is just as adamant about keeping Della with them. So, Lo sets out to help her only to bring danger to his door. Averting being killed and saving Della from her father, all seems well until more danger comes calling and Della finds has to act with courage to protect those she loves.
The story has a natural progression from strangers to falling in love. There is no sex only a sweet romance with a few kisses, but I still enjoyed it. There were a few out of place phrases for the time period, but it didn’t take away from the story. I give this one a 4 because Della showed some boldness in attempting to make it on her own after fleeing her home. It was also a fun to watch Della whip Raisie into shape. Raisie is my favorite because she is a symbol of the growing independence of women of that time.

The Second book in the set is Love Remembers When is also a historical romance. It’s about an ex husband and wife who fled Sawyer’s Folly after the death of their child only to be drawn back by an inheritance. Peter Bonham fled Sawyer’s Folly years ago and his brother’s wedding brings him home again to place where love broke his heart. Peter returns and so does the ex-wife who broke his heart.
This story was okay, but a little repetitive for me. Peter’s ex Lillian was engaged to a guy who seemed a little over the top of a jerk just to make Peter look like the better guy. I can only give this one a 3 because it seemed to drag a little which I didn’t like. There is too much rehashing of their pain over their son’s death and now neither seemed to be able to just heal and let go. You never get over losing a loved one, but these two took too long to get closure for me. That closure came in the form of them both visiting the cemetery where their son was buried. I would recommend it to anyone who likes the genre though.

The final book in the series is When Love Arrives is also a historical romance. This one caught me right off. It was about a man—a bit omega in my book, who fled his home in search of work and finds love with a lonely widow. Ethan meets a jerky guy who just happens to share his first name, Ethan. Ethan dislikes Ethan immediately because this stranger tells him he’s newly married and is out to fleece the poor woman. As it happens, this jerk doesn’t get the chance. The train they are on has an accident and kills the jerk Ethan along with several others leaving hero Ethan hurt. Enter the wife. Ethan is urged by the doctor of Sawyer’s Folly to pretend to be the dead Ethan because the wife, Abigail has suffered emotionally in his book. Ethan does but only after trying to set the record straight. Abigail wanted a husband to help her maintain her farm and Ethan is just the man. The romance develops rather quickly, but is very PG though Abigail is eager to take it to the R level while Ethan holds back. There are a few moments of drama as Ethan struggles to do the right thing without hurting Abigail, he sends a letter to his sister which Abigail finds. This creates doubt in her mind about who he is. Then, Abigail’s ex in-laws show up wanting to buy the land. Ethan’s belligerence toward them lead them to have him investigated. He ends up getting thrown in jail for impersonating the dead guy. Abigail finds out she’s pregnant and decides to go get her man. All in all a nice story. It does drag a little, but I’m not the biggest fan of the historical. I give this one a 4 because I enjoyed the concept of the mistaken identity-assuming the dead guy’s identity. I also liked the very independent woman that Abigail is.

The author did a great job of keeping the language and descriptions of dress true to time. This is a plus in my book. All the stories were a well-written, good reads if you enjoy the historical romance, the western historical romance genres, or sweet romances, you’ll like these stories.

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REVIEW: Bromantically Yours by K.C. Wells

2/7/2018

Title: Bromantically Yours

Author: K.C. Wells

Length:87 pages

Genres: contemporary romance, gay

TBR Reviewer: Erica

Rating: 4 Stars - Highly Recommended Read

Heat: 3/5- Blush Worthy

Bromantically Yours is the romance story of two friends, Nate and Dylan, two straight men, who’ve known each other since childhood. One Friday evening, Nate and Dylan share a risqué moment that changes everything.From there things take a turn from the Nate and Dylan they hadn’t expected. Their friends admit they’ve seen the two as more of a couple than two guys dating girls for a while. Nate and Dylan decide to give dating a try and realize they’re crazy about each other.

Nate and Dylan are two likable men who believe they are straight until one Friday night they are stood up by their friends. So, Nate and Dylan head to Nate’s for pizza and a movie. Both men admit they’re curious about gay sex. Then, the unthinkable happens during Dylan’s selection of a porn movie.
They kiss. The author does take things at a nice pace. The reactions of both men are natural and normal for men who believe themselves to be straight. They don’t rush to have sex and take their time exploring their feelings before calling themselves a couple. However, it is when Nate talks to his mother that Nate realizes that he really does have romantic feelings for Dylan and wants things to work out.

This is a cute story with a touch of humor which came through in Dylan’s attempts to impress Nate with a home cooked meal that flopped and Nate who is supposed to be the cook losing track of time and buying dinner. That humor is also present when Nate decides he wants to have sex with Dylan, but isn’t sure how they should go about it since they’re both wary. Nate’s friend takes him to a sex toy store and all he gets is lube and condoms. His reaction is both cute and comical because he acts as if he has no idea sex toys exist. The one problem I had with this story is that the author initially focused too much on Dylan and Nate’s romance and didn’t give me a view of their life outside of falling in love. But for those who don’t mind that, this is a good story for you.

I found Bromantically Yours is a quick light read which I enjoy and the right amount of romance along with nice pacing. I recommend this story to anyone who reads friends to lovers romances.

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REVIEW: Lover, Lover by Liv Olteana

1/16/2018

Title: Lover, Lover

Author: Liv Olteano

Length: 195 pages

Genres: paranormal, gay, fantasy

TBR Reviewer: Erica

Rating: 4 Stars - Highly Recommended Read

Heat:2/5 - Flirty

A break up sent Drew and Angelo their separate ways years ago leaving each on a path of unfulfilled romance and mediocre lives. But one night, Drew now a Dreamcatcher,a supernatural agent of sorts is sent on a mission to none other than his ex Angelo's home. Shocked, Drew barely gets his job done, but fate doesn't leave it at that. The chemistry between the two men is so strong, Drew can't stay away from Angelo. Besides that Angelo could well be part of the dark magic sucking the energy out of innocents. So, Drew seeks him out and that old fire flares making it impossible for the two men to stay apart.

I've never read any books by Liv Olteano, but the cover and the blurb drew me in. Lover, Lover has hints of Native American folklore woven through it in the form of the well known dreamcatcher as well as the myths of the spider woman. For me that's something new and a fresh take on the paranormal which I like. The two main characters Drew and Angelo were sweet together, but I never really did understand why Drew left Angelo. They were obviously in love, but Drew just walks out one day leaving Angelo with no note, no explanation which baffles me since they both seemed on the same page.

Drew's fears of how the relationship had developed and became so settled so fast just weren't fleshed out enough for my liking which made Drew's sudden departure from Angelo's life lack true substance. That was a weak point in the story, but when they're reunited Angelo is reticent about taking Drew back which rings true.

Still, Lover, Lover was a fun read and made use of the ideas of soul mates and twin souls something I enjoy reading about. The concepts were explained well and used effectively to show the reason for the depth of the connection between Drew and Angelo. However, the lack of a clear cut villain in the "caster" and and no clear resolution other than to say that that the team had cut off one of the caster's power sources left me wanting more information.

Despite that, I enjoyed Lover, Lover and Drew and Angelo's romance. A also liked that Ms. Olteano used dreamcatcher as a metaphor in the sense that Drew and Angelo who later joins the Dreamcatcher team, go out and stop dark forces who siphon off the energy of the sleeping. They don't go into dreams to stop the enemy.

I would recommend Lover, Lover to anyone who enjoys paranormal and fantasy romances.

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REVIEW: Chasing The Waves by AJ Marcus and Nicole Godfrey

REVIEW: A Wild Ride by Andrew Grey

REVIEW: The Officer and The Vampire Chef by Charlie Richards

REVIEW: The Russos by DJ Manly

REVIEW: Summer Ride by Susan Laine

REVIEW: The Fireman's Pole by Sue Brown

REVIEW: Tender Mercies by Eli Easton

REVIEW: Forever Love Box Set by Allison Merritt

REVIEW: Bromantically Yours by K.C. Wells

REVIEW: Lover, Lover by Liv Olteana

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