Review written for Hearts on Fire Reviews - 4.5 stars
This story is a spinoff story from the ICoS series which was re-written to fit with the events taking place here. Given that I have not read any of ICoS, though it has been on my TBR forever, I was able to read this with a clear mind about the characters involved.
I’m not a huge fan of futuristic type stories, but I was quickly sucked into this world where the people are trying to live after WWIII ravaged the country. I fell in love with Gordon right away. He is a survivor, and though he doesn’t always seem to make the best choices, it is hard not to feel for him. He has been through so much and does what he needs to get by, barely. The only one who seems to be on his side is his best friend, Carla, and even they have their problems. Carla got him a job dealing drugs through her connection with kingpin Chance, and Chance’s interest in keeping Carla by his side is the only reason he barely tolerates Gordon.
Adam is also doing what he has to in order to survive, though in a different manner. He is an operative/assassin/merc for a company that doesn’t exist and which there is no walking away from. So, he is in a bit of a spot, especially since he has been failing at his most recent missions. He really should have taken Gordon out at their initial meeting, but had a change of heart that set things in motion with him and Gordon that remain complicated to the end.
This is not the typical romance. It is edgy and a bit dark, and while Gordon and Adam are the main “couple” here, they never really get on the same page until the end. While they have numerous hot encounters throughout, Gordon spends most of his time talking about other conquests. He has been pretty free with his body up to this point, is somewhat of a drug addict himself, and really quite a mess. But he gets to Adam in a way no one has before, and even though a lot of things need to be ironed out between them, I found myself wanting them to make it happen in the worst way.
There is quite a bit going on here with Adam’s missions and with other groups wanting to start a drug war against Chance. They all tie together, but there are a lot of bad people involved, and sadly, Gordon gets caught in the middle. Everyone thinks he has information that he simply doesn’t have and things get a bit brutal at times because of it.
Gordon is mouthy, sexy and vulnerable and I wanted to protect him myself at times, while at others, I wanted to knock some sense into him. Adam is lethal, mysterious and also sexy. He struggles to do what’s right, even going against orders that could get himself killed. I loved the last conversation these guys had where they were finally truthful with each other. Unfortunately, that’s where this story ends. I was left wanting more and had many questions left unanswered. I would really love to read a follow up story to this tying up those loose ends.
Review written for The Blog of Sid Love.
Max is a down-on-his-luck guy who has had it rough ever since his early foster home days. His current situation finds him back home, licking his wounds while staying with friends, Louis and Jack, who have taken him back and offered support with little to no questions asked. They don’t know what the circumstances were that brought him back, but they were there for him, offering support and a place to stay. Max has been hiding though, in a semi-depressed state, since his return. Louis and Jack finally get him to go out with them one evening to Compulsion, the club where Louis will be putting on a dancing show.
Enter Seve (which I had trouble with not calling Steve for most of the story), dark and mysterious manager of Compulsion. The two are drawn together and end up having hot sex in the Club’s back courtyard, barely speaking two words, let alone names. After quite a few more of these types of hot, steamy encounters, they realize they are drawn to each other more than others before and decide to have somewhat of a relationship.
The reasons Max was hiding in the first place become apparent when trouble eventually finds him. Seve is also a member of a prominent mob-type family, though he has stayed clean and on the up and up with his business dealings. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for his family, of which Max had first-hand knowledge. He tried to walk away from that life, but that doesn’t seem to be acceptable to the previous employers.
There is mystery and murder, threats and even some beatings, but underlying all of that is Max and Seve coming to grips with their overwhelming sexual and emotional feelings for each other. They each have secrets and trust issues, but I was totally rooting for them by the end. Max is a bit whiny at times, as he goes on and on about his guilt, but there is so much more to pull you through this story.
The writing was smooth, and the descriptions vivid and easy to picture. I enjoyed this small rollercoaster ride and didn’t want it to end quite were it did. So, I hope this isn’t the last we will see of Max and Seve.
Review written for The Blog of Sid Love - 4.5 stars
I will start by saying that I have loved Prophet from his very first appearance in the Men of Honor series. He was mysterious but could always be counted on to get the job done and provide whatever support was necessary. We never actually got very much detail about him; just enough to give a slow build up to this story. Needless to say, I’ve been looking forward to it for a long time.
This book could easily be read as a stand-alone and start to a hot new series. However, I am a fan of the slow burn, and even though I have zero patience for waiting. That’s exactly how it felt up to this point. I’m glad I had the background of the Men of Honor series behind me before reading this. That’s also why I didn’t feel lost or confused when this story began with a mysterious video.
When we see Prophet this time, he is on forced recovery with two broken wrists. He is also suffering from a degenerative something or other with his eyes that can only negatively affect his current career in a matter of time. In addition, he is being forced to take on a new partner, as well as his continual grooming to take over as head of EE, Ltd. (Extreme Escapes).
Prophet has many issues, not the least of which was his time as a POW. This man can handle torture like nobody’s business, although his body seems to be taking a more permanent dislike to the treatment. He is a bit unstable because of that, coupled with the other duties he has had to carry out over the years, which is, of course, why I love him so. He works best alone, has resigned himself to the fact he will always be alone, personally and professionally, and makes no excuses. He is also haunted by dreams and the ghost of his good friend/lover.
Tom has a few issues of his own. He’s a bit of a hot mess with his temper issues and the bad mojo that has followed his hot, tattooed, pierced self from his previous jobs. The current job appears to be a last chance for him, and though the deck seems to be stacked against him from the start, there always seems to be a bigger plan in effect.
Prophet and Tom – talk about hot stuff. Both fighters, strong and dominant, yet both damaged and vulnerable. As they investigate their first case, they spend as much time trying to figure each other out. They fight, joke, take care of one another and tear up the sheets, all while keeping secrets from each other.
The story starts out with the anonymously sent video, but as the story progresses, it becomes about the current investigation, one that is a bit personal for Prophet. Things come full circle though, and eventually ties all together in one way or another. As things unfold, Tom and Prophet continue to jockey around having some kind of relationship. Prophet never makes things easy though, and Tom quickly realizes he is also competing with a ghost.
There is a lot of action in this story, and I was on the edge of my seat through most of it. While some may disagree, I loved that there was no HEA yet for Prophet or Tom. Even though I was cursing the Kindle, I was happy there wasn’t even a HFN. Prophet still has so many issues, and Tom has a few as well. I never expected things to be easy for them and believe it will be all the more better for it in the end when it does happen, so I’m very thankful the author has taken this route. The characters are written with so much room for growth, even though they seem to have come such a long way already.
There is a bit of a love triangle here. While there isn’t any cheating, per se (they aren’t actually in a committed relationship after all), there is other flirting between Prophet and Cillian. Speaking of the super sexy and mysterious downstairs spook neighbor, Cillian, he and Prophet text and IM, and even flirt quite a bit, but have never actually met until later on in the story. There seems there could be a whole other story for Cillian, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed (and will gladly beg) that we get it.
A lot of choices are made at the end of this book, leaving me on the edge, dangling with questions and begging for more. The next book cannot come out fast enough for me, and I’m glad it won’t be too long a wait. I believe this was the best story yet in this series (I’m including Men of Honor) and certainly am not ready to see the last of any of these characters.
Review written for The Blog of Sid Love - 3.5 stars
This is Book 1 of the Tales from the Edge series. The blurb was exciting, the cover enticing, and I’m sure this is the kind of story many will like. The series centers around the company, The Edge, Ltd., which provides corporate seminars, etc., as well as courses for men looking to hone their BDSM skills. The Edge is owned and run by long-time friends, Joe and Heath, also both doms. The small group is rounded out by their friend, Carey, owner of the BDSM club the Underground.
Seeing that they would be a perfect match, Carey introduces Joe to Olly, a sub who has been working for Carey to pay for his membership to the club. Carey sees that Olly is vulnerable and is wounded and trying to recover from some type of loss. They seem to things slowly after getting to know each other a bit, as Joe wants Olly to be sure of what he wants, and it has been some time since Joe has taken on a sub as well. However, it still had the feel of insta-love/lust.
Olly is super sweet with a tiny bit of a bratty side when he gets comfortable in his surroundings. He seems to be a boat floating at sea just looking for the right captain. Unfortunately, his last captain was horrible in more ways than one, but Joe does things right, not giving Olly too much before he feels he can handle things. Joe also happens to be a practicing clinical/criminal psychologist, who was asked to take on the file of a young man who suffered some kind of trauma. This seemed significant, but other than Joe realizing this young man and Olly were one and the same, it never really comes into play.
Personally, this story was a little too light and fluffy for my tastes, and I was a little disappointed I didn’t enjoy it more than I did. I do believe others, and have many friends whom I’d recommend this to. It has a really sweet, twinky sub and a solid, more mature dom. The BDSM is on the light side, so shouldn’t scare anyone away. While Joe and Olly were sweet together, I didn’t really connect with them as much as I had hoped. The writing was smooth, but there were just little things here and there that niggled. I kept expecting to learn more about the Edge, but we didn’t really find out what the deal was until near the end, and even then, I was a bit confused as to the overall services the company provides.
There are some other intriguing characters involved though. Carey and Allistair seem like an interesting couple I would have liked a bit more background on. And, of course, there is the hunky Heath who promises slightly edgier good things to come. So much so, that I already have his book lined up on my Kindle. I recommend this one to people looking for an easy going, sweet BDSM story about injured people getting a second chance at life and love.
Review written for Hearts on Fire Reviews
Book 2 in The Tameness of the Wolf series. This segment builds a bit on what we learned about the shifter dynamics from book one with Noah as the True Alpha with Lucas as his Dominant. Whereas in The Strength of the Pack we learned about Noah finding his Dominant and coming into full power, here we meet Jeremy, an up and coming True Alpha and his mate, Major Tim, who we met in Strength of the Pack.
I loved that Noah and Lucas are strong presences here, but this story really shows how one becomes a True Alpha following Jeremy through his transition from a meek, mid-level wolf, cast out by his previous pack when his True Alpha potential was recognized by the current pack leader. I really enjoyed watching the transition and seeing how Jeremy came to be such a strong, knowledgeable and respected True Alpha. When Tim meets Jeremy, they hit it off, without realizing what they could mean for each other. Luckily, Tim is more aware than most humans about the ins and outs of the wolves, so it doesn’t take long (even though he denies it for some time) before he accepts his position as Jeremy’s mate.
This story takes its time. Tim, Noah and Lucas, as well as a few others, are leading a team to revamp the shifter policy and procedures for the military. At the same time, Noah is called upon as True Alpha to see to complaints and administer punishments. This takes them back to the sandbox here and there. With Jeremy being a civilian, he remains behind. Their bond continues to grow, however, just as Jeremy continues to go through his transition gaining strength and powers.
I really liked these guys together. Tim is a really strong character and doesn’t lose any of that even when Jeremy becomes more powerful and dominant. There is a lot of hot sex in this story, but there is also a lot of story to go with it. We meet some new wolves, as Jeremy gains support to take over his own pack. I loved how Tim explained some of the military jargon to Jeremy as they each learned how best to be a mate to the other.
The story is well written, with hot military dudes and sexy werewolves working side by side. I love the way things work in this world where there are different lines between the wolf packs and the military ranks, and it’s a refreshing change to see things done so differently. I’m a huge fan of this author and am happy to have another great series to keep up with. There seems to be a few things brewing here, and I’m really looking forward to the next installment.
Review written for The Blog of Sid Love
I thought this was a very sweet story. Nurse’s Aide, Jonesy tells us the story of how he came to know one of the hospital patients, Michael, who had been badly beaten and put into a coma. Jonesy is a simple guy who enjoys taking care of people. When he sees Michael, he immediately feels a need to stand up for the man who cannot stand up for himself.
Michael has horrible parents who, after kicking him out for being gay, come to his bedside not to offer care and support, but to pray for his sins and basically tell him how horrible a person he is. After refusing to help with his insurance or medical bills, they then decide to pull the plug.
Thankfully, Jonesy has been caring for Michael, staying by his side when he can, offering kind words and touches, all in an attempt to bring Michael back. Every time conditions surrounding Michael worsen, Jonesy does what he can to make things better for him.
I loved the way this story was told. It was a nice change and quite enjoyable. I loved Jonesy’s voice and storytelling. Every now and then, we get some of Michael’s thoughts and how he sees things from the dark side where he seems caught. I wasn’t quite ready for this story to end where it did, but it definitely warmed my heart and had me smiling for both of them.
3.5 stars
I think it is the longest series with most characters I've kept up with, and even though the books haven't all blown me away, I still really enjoy the story. They are fun and surprisingly easy to keep up with, given the huge cast of characters.
It was nice to see Jude and Hayden finally getting over their longstanding issues. My only real beef with them is that one minute, they are really immature, and the next, they are hardened SEAL assassins. Then, they sound like teenagers again. However, this issue works itself out a bit as the story goes on.
A few things going on in this segment, and we learn a few new things about some of the pack members. Of course, I'm looking forward to the next one and really excited to learn more about the Santorno family.
Killian makes an appearance at the end, and what an interesting character he seems to be. Hope to see more of him as well.
Review written for The Blog of Sid Love - 4.5 stars
The cover? The blurb? The length? Oh yeah, I so wanted this to be good. Thank goodness, I was not disappointed. It has so many elements that hit my triggers, from the damaged characters to the rent boys and a few others in between.
Both characters are damaged though due to totally different sets of circumstances. Tyler has many issues from his childhood but the main one that has sent him running down the rent boy path is his fear of being in debt. Tyler is a very talented music student paying his way through university. When he gets the Saturday sex party gig, the money is just too good to pass up. He seems to have a pretty good head on his shoulders for the most part and tries to keep things in perspective. He breaks his number one rule about getting involved with anyone when he befriends new sex party initiate, Jeremy.
Not long after his one night with Jeremy, he encounters Haris, a self-made billionaire who has quite a few issues of his own. From the first time Haris sees Tyler, he is intrigued before Tyler even picks up an instrument. Unfortunately, their paths cross next when he finds and saves Tyler from a bad situation. Believing the only way Tyler would be interested in him was if he was being paid, he offered Tyler a large amount of money to be exclusively his for four months.
There are some shady things going on from Haris’ past, and some trouble Tyler has with the sex party operators, so that you never really know which direction the trouble is coming from. Added to that are some problems Jeremy has where he calls upon Tyler for help, causing Haris to doubt his trust in Tyler. Of course, they have communication breakdowns which, coupled with their own trust issues, make for some major bumps in the road for these two, not the least of which is the contract between Haris and Tyler. As their feelings grow toward each other, both often question the actual motives and feelings, not knowing if the other is just in it for the contract/money.
When the contract was not on their minds though, these guys were hot. I had no trouble seeing them together, even though there was a pretty big age gap and they seemed to be from completely different worlds. They shared a common bond, each having only shared their secrets with each other, and for two people so worried about trusting each other, trusted enough to share those secrets.
There are quite a few bad guys in this story, but there were also some goodies. Haris’ chauffeur/butler/right-hand-man extraordinaire is a fabulous character. He was funny and caring and just an all-around great addition to this story.
This book grabbed my attention and held on to the very end. The writing was smooth and well done. However, though I knew this story takes place in London, I didn’t always have a clear sense of that. It didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment of the story, but did come to mind here and there. This was my first story by this author, and it will definitely not be my last. It was a good, solid, sink-your-teeth-into-it story, and exactly what I was looking for.
1
More sick, twisted and horrifying debauchery mindfuckedness in this episode. End of another season, and the story seems to be moving on. The road was, of course, never easy, but they boys have finally managed to convince the buyer that he wants them both.
As bad as Nikolai is, I'm not sure I'm ready for Allen, yet I cannot wait to see where this is going.
4.5 stars
Still one of my favorite series. Still eager for more. With so much time since the last book, this took me a while to get back into the swing of things. Once I did though, it all came back, and almost everything I loved about the previous books came through loud and clear.
I loved the spook stuff, as well as the struggles Vic still faces with the drugs and the FPMP. I loved seeing Crash again and getting a glimpse into his new relationship.
One thing I definitely missed, however, was the interactions between Vic and Jacob. While Jacob is present through much of the story, he stayed in the background for the most part. The times he was front and center with Jacob, the strength of their relationship shone. Little things Jacob noticed and helped Vic with, without any prompting from Vic, made me very happy. I really love these guys together, so I really would have liked to see a little more of this.
I still like Lisa and was happy to see her finding a little happiness. I'm not ready for this series to end and am looking forward to the next one.
3.5 stars
I don't usually like this genre all that much, but was pleasantly surprised by this story. It was an interesting fast read that was very sweet, despite the bad stuff going on.
I would have liked to have seen a little more surrounding what led up to Joah's escape and thought it was a bit coincidental he ended up at his husband's door. But the rest was very sweet. When Joah was culled, taken to be made into a soldier, his memories erased, his husband, Tobin, was devastated but never gave up hope.
This seemed very sad without a chance of happy ending, but I liked how things turned out with Joah's memories and how he and Tobin were able to make more memories after all.
Review written for Hearts on Fire Reviews
This is a great start to what looks to be an interesting series. When we meet Levi and Glyn, they are an exclusive couple. Glyn is a witch with power is he isn’t fully able to control. To give Glyn an edge over his control, among other things, Levi has been trying for the better part of a year to turn Glyn into a werewolf, though they have been unsuccessful.
Levi, who should be a total alpha, somewhat shuns that responsibility due to his past uncontrollable nature of his werewolf side. He belongs to a pack of wolves who have created and tried to live as a democratic society. Unfortunately, there is another, stronger pack of wolves looking to take over. The only way for them to become stronger and have a chance of winning is to create more wolves. The pack believes Levi needs to step up and make more, and they feel he is the best option out of them all due to his being one of the strongest of the few unmarried males in the pack. This puts a lot of strain on Levi and his relationship with Glyn. He doesn’t want to be with someone else in order to turn them, and Glyn doesn’t want it either. I felt bad for Glyn and could understand his feelings so easily, yet it was hard not to feel for Levi as well. He was torn between not wanting to lose Glyn and needing to do what was best for the pack.
I often felt like I missed a lot of background to this story, but you are given enough information to figure things out along the way and that made sense in the end. The writing was smooth, and this was an easy read, even with the missing information. This was sexy and funny, but with action and mystery to make it a nicely rounded out story. I had so many questions about these guys and the things that happened leading up to this point. Questions about the magic and how they ended up together, etc. I’m really looking forward to seeing more of this story.
I was happy to see Logan and Drake again, as they are pretty much my favorite couple in this series. This seems to take place prior to Silent Lodge, as the events that lead to Silent Lodge are present here. Regardless, it was a lovely addition to the series.
The holiday season is upon Marden, and Logan hasn't celebrated it with his people since the loss of his wife. Most of the story is about everyone, mainly Drake, acquiring their gifts for the others. Aside from wanting to kill Logan myself for his actions, this was a really sweet story. Drake and Logan's love shines through for each other, as well as their boys. More and more people seem to be accepting of their being together, though they are still keeping things quiet.
I've really enjoyed this series and am looking forward to the next installment.
Yet another Kyle classic and wonderful addition to the Dirty family. I wasn't real sure about this when it started. The ad kind of threw me but it quickly gets explained and the fun ensues. Seems these guys have the makings of something long-lasting. Maybe we will get to see them again. I loved the ending and the way it showed how things were going for these guys. This was just a fun, enjoyable quick and easy read. I look forward to each one that comes out.
This was my least favorite of the series so far. I'm not sure if it was the number of characters involved, or that it was mostly sex with very little moving plot. What wasn't sex, which was really hot, by the way, was very repetitive - Peter not believing he can find love a second time, rehashing over and over how he felt for Arvel and Gareth but that he didn't love them, etc. I wasn't sure how I felt about Caelen coming into the picture, but I think it worked for the story. I wasn't thrilled with the insta love Peter and he had, especially after Peter spent the entire book talking himself out of it with anyone. Still looking forward to the next segment though, so I'm off to get started.