I'm glad I've been reading these without paying any real attention to the covers, because that it totally not how I see Will and Jackson. These guys are totally in love, have sworn to each other (and at each other at times) and are making a go of things getting Baymore back on its feet after the sudden departure of Hugh the Horrible. Nothing is ever easy of course, and they hit some major bumps in the road. A few new characters are introduced, and I'm really looking forward to the next chapter of this series.
I was a little bit disappointed in how easily and accepting the guys were of Liam's confession, but all seems well in the end.
Really enjoying this series so far. Love the lingo and the characters are hot with great chemistry. This one is a bit sadder than the previous, with Jackson saving Will from a beating, and a few other hairy scenes. But I really like these guys together and look forward to seeing how they'll make it work. Off to the next one!
Quite enjoyed this one. Some very smexy hot scenes. It has a lot of hot sex, with a bit of plot. The lingo grows on you quickly. Straining rods and aching stones abound! I really liked Drake and Ansel together, and then Logan is a total hottie. And there's a super hot threesome. I'm off to read the next installment!
I enjoyed this short little hot story, but there were times when I felt I missed reading a few crucial paragraphs.
First, the guys were about to get down and dirty, then it happened, but not on the page. I was left with feeling of loss. Where was the actual scene that went with that part? Not sure, but after the steamy build up, I was ready for it.
The other crucial part I missed was closer to the end and had to do with Tyler. I felt we never really got his whole story. He's a lawyer by day, prostitute by night. He clearly has some family issues and other reasons for his nighttime employment, but I never really understood them, just that they were there.
Aside from these, it was a hot little story. Robin mistakenly brings Tyler home not realizing he is a prostitute. He goes through with it anyway, and Tyler gets under Robin's skin. They play cat and mouse for a bit, one walking away, then the other, one pushing, then the other. When Tyler needs help, he calls Robin, though we never really understand why, when he almost immediately (not long after that phone call ends) pushes him away.
When they are together, it is easy to see the attraction. Had the holes been filled in, this would have been a much more well rounded story.
3.5 stars
Cute and sweet story about college frat boy jock, Brad, and teaching assistant, Sebastian.
It takes a while for this one to get going, as the beginning is all about Brad discovering and coming to terms with his being gay. I thought his constant back and forth got a little tiresome at times, but I kept reminding myself to imagine how long the struggle would be in real life. What did get tiring was the amount of guilt he felt about the girls he was with before he even knew or realized he was gay. Was he really going to go back to every girl and apologize?
I liked Sebastian and how he sort of showed Brad the ropes. I kept waiting for his player days to catch up to him and cause problems, but I guess he and Brad were just meant for each other, because things just felt right with them all along.
4.5 stars
I really enjoyed the bit of a twist this story takes in relation to the previous books. While one of the main issues here is pretty heavy, I liked how realistic it made things. When these guys are in the same room, the temperature rises. I had no trouble at all feeling the emotion from Frank and absolutely loved how his friends were there for him.
Stephan/Brandon was quite interesting as well. Having the different sides come out to play was exciting. I imagine Stephan will be making more appearances long after retirement.
I'm really looking forward to the next installment now and seeing how things will change. Whether Frank will expand as he talked about with the relocation, etc.
I have been a huge Nick fan from the beginning. I really liked the last book and was looking forward to this one as well. Unfortunately, and I'm not sure completely why, but it took me a while to get into this one. It just wasn't catching my interest. I stuck with it though, as I wanted to read the next, and saw Nick was right there in the beginning and didn't want to miss anything crucial.
In this segment, Nick and Spencer are getting on as fabulous as ever. However, Nick is beginning to struggle with balancing a relationship and his job. His heart just isn't in it when all he thinks about is Spencer.
I think knowing how this was going to turn out for the most part made me a little impatient, as I just wanted things to happen more quickly. But it is still very well written and left me ready to jump right into the next one.
4.5 stars
I really enjoyed this one. Right from the get go, it is funny and entertaining. I liked both characters right away. Poor Stunt can't keep control of his mouth on a good day, and even more so, while being held at gunpoint. Thankfully, Alex is actually a good guy with no intention of actually killing him. He does have other plans, but you'll have to read to get the whole story.
Neither of these guys seem like the brightest bulbs in the pack, but they are very sweet, good hearted and mean well. Most of the time, Alex has trouble understanding things due to Stunt's accent and speak, but others, he just comes across as terribly naive. Stunt seems a bit brighter, but lacks control and execution. As a team, they are quite the pair.
Another fun aspect of this story is the underlying kinkiness. Stunt enjoys his sex a bit on the adventurous side, leaning more towards bondage than anything else. One of his biggest issues in the beginning is trying to keep himself from getting hard while being tied up by Alex. And, luckily, Alex has some Dom experience to help keep things under control. Most of the time anyway. All of this makes for some really funny moments, and when they have sex, which doesn't happen until at least halfway through, it is smoking hot.
While some may feel this sort of spoofs on the mountain people of the region, it isn't hard to believe most of it is pretty close to the truth. At the same time, I felt it actually showed many of the good qualities of those people.
Review written for Hearts on Fire Reviews
I will start by saying this didn’t turn out to be nearly as dark as I was expecting. Things happen very quickly with Prince Alar, appearing as a total bastard, and forcing young farm boy, Garin, into slavery. Before doing so, he humiliates and uses Garin roughly before his village and the brother Garin has taken the place of in an attempt to save him from the same fate. All is not as it seems however.
Right away, Garin is shamed by the events and the impulses he has in wanting to be the Prince’s plaything. Homosexuality is somewhat frowned upon by the villagers, which doesn’t help his feelings of the same, some of which he had been experiencing for some time.
Once they are back to the castle, things start to become a little clearer. There is much politicking and intrigue at foot, and while the Prince must act indifferent, Garin feels there is more to it. There were some forced sexual scenes and whippings, but none of them were overly horrific given the results and surroundings.
There are many rumors abound regarding the Prince, one of which being that his mother was a fallen angel. So, there is a tiny bit of paranormal factor involved here. As time passes, Alar and Garin work together to save each other in different ways, their loyalty and feelings towards each other growing along the way. I really enjoyed this aspect of the story.
There is mystery and intrigue surrounding the death of Alar’s brother, those who take over the throne and how Alar attempts to get it back. I found this to be quite an enjoyable fantasy read.
Review written for Hearts On Fire Reviews - 3.5 stars
This is book 2 of the Box of Nails series. Box of Nails, as Devin refers to the apartment complex he now runs with his partner/dom, Barney, is starting to come together. Young dom, Jeff, has come to their rescue to take on the duties of managing the nest of twinks. Thankfully, he comes with a good deal of experience in dealing with drama. He’s going to need it.
So, his first day there, he spots Dev’s best friend, Paul, another tenant of the house. Of course, it is instant lust/love for these two. Unfortunately, Paul is under the impression he has ruined his last dom and doesn’t have a very good track record with keeping guys happy. Paul is a sweetheart, with not a mean bone in his body, unlike a few other tenants. Paul convinces him he is able to have a relationship and still be available to carry out his duties for the house. Once the other tenants realize this, things go much more smoothly for them.
This one wasn’t quite as overly sweet as the previous book, but there is still plenty of sugar for those who enjoy that. There are plenty of honeys and apologies throughout. However, I enjoyed this one a little more now that things are getting established.
One of my favorite things about this book was the introduction of the super shy guy, Mike, who lives in the attic. Paul is the only one so far who had managed to befriend him, as it seems he is a pretty damaged soul. Jeff, worried about the evidence of cutting, makes it a point to become friends as well and earn his trust. I really hope we don’t have to wait too long to see his story.
So, if you love twinks and stories with happy endings, give this one a try. It’s a fun, easy reading series, much in the same fashion as the Hammer series without quite as much kink.
I really like this series. I especially like seeing all the other guys again. Some time has passed in this one. Kieran and Alex are planning a wedding, Rhett and Ethan's daughter is all grown up, and the guys (cough*Ethan*cough) are really feeling their ages.
I really don't remember Dale all that much from the previous stories, but I definitely liked his character. He was pining for his best friend for 20 years, ever since their first hookup in high school. Reuniting for another hookup at their 10 year reunion and then meeting again at the 20th, seems things are still the same between them.
While they definitely hook up and have hot sex, it takes them until almost the end to be on the same page. I was getting a bit frustrated with Dale for not sticking up for his own feelings, etc. and just when he is finally ready to lay it all on the line, Adam steps up to the plate.
I guess it is a little understandable Adam is go gun shy since he has had so many failed relationships in the past, but I was glad to watch him realize what was important.
Another solid installment to this series. Now, wonder who is next.
There were so many things I liked about this story. Even things I don't normally like, I liked here and felt they were important parts.It was so easy to grasp how these guys changed after their months of captivity. I never had any doubt they would need to make some serious changes. One thing I am not a fan of is flashbacks. However, in this case, they were some of the best parts of the story telling of their experiences while kidnapped. They were spaced out perfectly throughout the story and gave a real sense of healing when coupled with the current goings on.
Of course, I couldn't stand Austin's wife from the get go. She never gave a sense of understanding or wanting to help Austin, often begging him to just forget the past. She was beyond selfish, in my opinion. That she was a social therapist assessing whether recent hospital patients required further care was just the icing on the cake.
But enough about her. The guys were fantastic. I loved Cam and his issues, easily sensing his moods and tempers. I loved how Austin could talk him down from attacks, and that Cam did the same for Austin. They were perfect for each other. When they first took the next step, I loved how Austin pushed forward, knowing what he wanted. While this may not work for other stories, I had no trouble picturing it here given what these guys went through. They were smoking together, and I loved every sexy scene.
Yet, I also loved the non-sexy scenes just as much. They each needed the other so badly for numerous reasons. I also loved the many small sayings that held so much meaning - Gun or NO Gun; To Hell and Back With You, etc.
I really didn't want this story to end, and I'm excited there will be a follow-up with Chase and Remy and curious to see where that one will go.
