Rejected Mate by Sam Crescent

December 14, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Rejected Mate by Sam Crescent
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Paranormal
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Humiliated.

Alone.

After going through her first transition, Constance finds her mate—who publicly rejects her. The pack wants her to leave, but Gage, the alpha, tells her to stay. His son may have rejected her, but he wants her to stay. At a meeting, Gage declares he will be the unmated male to claim her. She will be his.

All her life, she’s had a crush on the softly spoken alpha, and now he intends to be her mate. Is he doing it out of pity?

He has watched her flourish into a beautiful, curvy wolf, and since his son doesn’t want her, he craves her. He’ll stop at nothing to claim her for his own.

He loves her. He will mate with her.

But he couldn’t have anticipated what would happen when he finally leaves his mark on her.

Will he save her before it is too late?

Constance hadn’t had her first turn until the very late age of her twenty first birthday. While she loved her pack and her small town she had often felt like an outsider and this feeling had only grown significantly since her destined mate had rejected her. The alpha’s son hadn’t cast her aside in private or quietly, but he rejected her in front of the entire pack, cementing Constance’s humiliation. With her suitcase packed and on her way out of town – unable to bear the cold and rejection of the whole pack – Constance is surprised when their Alpha, Gage, insists she stay another three days until the town meeting. When in that meeting he publicly claims Constance as his own mate, her world is turned upside down.

I found this to be an interesting and highly sexy story. While there wasn’t anything too fresh or different to the plot of the story, I found Gage and Constance’s characters interesting and relatable, and Gage’s young and egotistical son, Tanner, a good area to show the conflict in the story. I was exceptionally pleased that Gage didn’t immediately jump into bed with Connie. While their age difference didn’t bother me too much, the fact he was her Alpha and a lot more mature emotionally than her and the fact Connie had a crush on him all meshed together to make me feel Gage was a little too much of an authority figure for them to be intimate immediately after he claimed her. I was really relieved the author allowed them both – and me as the reader – a bit of time to see Connie and Gage get comfortable with each other emotionally and in their day-to-day lives before becoming sexually intimate.

That said, there was plenty of steamy sex throughout much of the story so readers looking for a spicy and extremely erotic story should definitely find this fits the bill in that respect. I thought there was a really good balance in this story between the paranormal world building and with the regular sticky emotional relationships between a new couple and dealing with rejection and petty jealousy. I thought the author did a good job and I found myself eager to read more as Gage and Constance build their trust and relationship together. With a good amount of plot – especially surrounding the intricacies of a shifter who turns a bit later in life and the fine lines between what true mates were and claiming a mate who becomes yours I thought this book was a lovely blend of solid plot and very sexy shenanigans.

Hot and spicy, this is an interesting and good read.

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Take You There by Willa Okati

December 9, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Take You There by Willa Okati
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQ, Erotic Romance, Paranormal
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Thoughtful, quiet, and just a wee bit on the dryly sarcastic side, Ethan teaches music at the university in Second Chance. With barely enough time to breathe between hysterical students and faculty shenanigans, he’s not looking for Mr. Right — just Mr. Right Now — and only when the moment calls for it. The beautiful man who calls himself “Blue” in a quick, dirty alley encounter should have satisfied him. But now Ethan can’t get Blue out of his mind, and can’t seem to stop looking for him.

Carter –”Blue” when he wants to stay anonymous — wears his scars on the inside, but they’re deep and still bleeding. He doesn’t venture far outside his antique & pawn shop unless he’s desperate for someone to touch and hold him and make him feel good for a little while. He promised himself he would never want more again. The smoldering musician who caught his eye, and what they did in the alley, should have been enough. That should have been the end of it.
It wasn’t. It isn’t. Their encounter left him pregnant, and he’s been frozen since then, not knowing how to break free of his shell or what he should do. Until Ethan finds him — and then, everything changes. Again.

Author’s Note: Also featuring Oscar, everybody’s favorite sarcastic best friend. We all need an Oscar in our lives.

Ethan teaches music at the university of Second Chance. After a super quick “Mr. Right Now” alley encounter, Ethan should have moved on from Blue almost immediately. But he can’t get the man out of his mind and can’t force himself to stop looking for Blue everywhere he goes. Carter has been deeply hurt before and continues to wear the scars inside from the past. Only he can’t get Ethan out of his mind, and when Blue finds himself pregnant, he realizes everything is about to change. Again.

I found this to be an interesting and slightly different Alpha/omega M/M pregnancy book. While the broad outline is fairly standard (one quicky hook-up ends in pregnancy but neither party really caught the others name so it takes time to reconnect) so much about the characters and their personal situations was refreshingly different it really grabbed me into the story as a whole early on. Carter has been hurt and so is extremely reticent, but he has personal secrets and his history isn’t as straightforward as I expected initially. Equally, Ethan might be an Alpha, but his approach to everything – from his work to his relationships to his general outlook on life – is slightly slanted and different to the typical over-confidant, my-way-is-right style of Alpha that is so often shown. These factors meshed really well together in my mind and I felt this gave the whole story a really different perspective and helped me be really eager to see how it would all unfold.

I also adored the depth of emotion throughout the whole story. Ethan was so patient with Carter, instead of being annoyed or frustrated with Carter’s worries and secrets he could hold back with his own needs and desires and help ease Carter so they could work together. This was such a wonderful thing to read and so different to how these stories often go I really enjoyed it. It also helped really solidify for me the depth of caring and understanding that grew between the two men and I could see how they connected together. The growing romance and relationship between them felt real but also felt like something that would last over time. This made it a far deeper and more emotional romance than I had expected from the brief blurb and I loved every minute of it.

Sexy and fun with a good plot this was a great story and one I enjoyed.

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The Anomaly by Michael Rutger

December 7, 2021 By Leave a Comment


The Anomaly by Michael Rutger
Publisher: Zaffre Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Action/Adventure, Paranormal
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Not all secrets are meant to be found.
Nolan Moore is a rogue archaeologist hosting a documentary series derisively dismissed by the “real” experts, but beloved of conspiracy theorists.

Nolan sets out to retrace the steps of an explorer from 1909 who claimed to have discovered a mysterious cavern high up in the ancient rock of the Grand Canyon. And, for once, he may have actually found what he seeks. Then the trip takes a nasty turn, and the cave begins turning against them in mysterious ways.

Nolan’s story becomes one of survival against seemingly impossible odds. The only way out is to answer a series of intriguing questions: What is this strange cave? How has it remained hidden for so long? And what secret does it conceal that made its last visitors attempt to seal it forever?

Nolan Moore is part of a tv crew on their first big break from their own YouTube channel and trying to crack the cable network. As an amateur archaeologist and host of “The Anomaly Files” Nolan and his small crew travel the country unraveling conspiracies, investigating strange occurrences and always seeking the truth. For their first attempt at a broader audience, however, they’re going big, trying to find a secret and long hidden cavern in the Grand Canyon rumored to have ancient treasures deep within. What they discover is so much more wondrous and dangerous than they could have ever believed.

I admit I am a total sucker for cave adventure style stories and I also have a soft spot for “finding the treasure” or “discovering something new” type of adventures as well. This story had both of those – and having been twice now to the Grand Canyon myself I absolutely adore this awe-inspiring and magnificent setting so that just sold me more on the story. I found this story started out fairly slowly, which in my adventure/mystery stories I’m not always a fan of, but this time I really appreciated the time to get to know the small group of characters. I also enjoyed the author taking time to really lay out and explain how the tv show and their trip into the Grand Canyon came about. Explaining their actions and reasons helped me get a good grip of where the story was coming from and so when the exploration and adventure began in earnest I was emotionally on board with the group and ready for the fun to begin. Had the author jumped right into the action I might have struggled a little connecting better with the characters.

Like so many mystery/adventure stories I thought there were a number of excellent reveals and that wonderful sense of exploration. This part of the story was really well handled and in part I feel it helped propel the bulk of the story along. While not the usual fast pace of other adventure style stories I thought this was still really gripping and I was quite eagerly along the trip with the others. Toward the end of the story there were a few big twists (one in particular I hadn’t seen coming, though a few of the smaller shifts I had an inkling about) so I feel readers who enjoy their mysteries not straight forward or procedural should definitely feel this appeals to them.

I also was surprised by how light a touch the author made with the paranormal aspect of the story. Indeed, for much of the book (almost three quarters of it) there is virtually nothing paranormal at all, and even when that element does get woven into the story it’s not along the usual line of “monsters going bump in the night” which I had partly expected. I have read more than my fair share of “monsters eat everyone in the party” style of stories (and I love them – that was a deciding factor in me trying this new-to-me author) but it was with surprise and pleasure I discovered this is far more of a “cave adventure” and “uncovering hidden secrets” sort of story and not a monster trapped and killing everyone sort of paranormal adventure. I think readers expecting a “monsters” or strongly paranormal story might not be satisfied with this aspect of the story. I feel this book is far more suited to readers wanting a mystery and adventure story which has flavour of paranormal/other worldly plotline to it towards the end

Two of the lead men are not your traditional style protagonists or “hero” type of material, they are both excellent characters and I enjoyed them, but they are flawed and not shy about it. Also two of the other characters were recent additions to the group and so watching them interact and become meshed into the group with the other characters was interesting but meant the group didn’t start from the first page as a cohesive well oiled working group of people. This all made for excellent reading to my mind, but did slow the pace of the adventure itself somewhat. I found this slower start really paid off once the adventure began and the trip started falling apart – the action and plot wound higher but my emotional attachment to the group and characters was solid enough by then I really cared what happened to them and that was due in large part to the slower beginning where I as a reader could become more invested in the people rather than just along for the adventure.

Readers who enjoy action and archaeology based stories should really enjoy this book. I loved the sense of wonder the exploration gave the story (and it reminded me slightly of other Egypt-based type of treasure hunting stories that I’ve read) and the small tidbits of history and facts peppered in through the story really helped me feel that while clearly fiction there were truths and factual elements to the story, more than enough to have me Goggling and researching myself both during and after reading the story.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story and was pleased to find the author has a number of other stories under different names. I’ll eagerly be looking into these and I will absolutely enjoy re-reading this adventure again in the future. Recommended.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Stoking The Fire by Megan Slayer

December 2, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Stoking The Fire by Megan Slayer
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQ, Erotic Romance, Paranormal
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Men Wanted—because sometimes love matches need a little magic.

Andrew ‘Duff’ Wagner goes straight to the gods to get his love match made. He relies on Men Wanted, the matchmaking service run by Apollo, Artemis, and Eros to find his perfect match. He’s in love with a certain lawyer, but there can’t be enough magic in the cosmos to get them together, right?

Christian Foley knows exactly who he wants as his match, but he works with Men Wanted to find the perfect partner. He’s got a thing for Duff Wagner and won’t rest until he gets a date. Christian and Duff might have a chance if only Duff’s ex would stop butting in. When he finally hooks up with the sexy shop owner, they have to decide if their passion will go up in flames or start the fire to last forever.

Christian and Andrew had both been attracted to each other when Christian was the lawyer helping to deal with Andrew’s mother’s estate. With the serious business linking them though they both let the opportunity slip away. When they are both matched together on Men Wanted – a matchmaking site – they each feel the second chance given to them was too striking to pass up.

I found this a fun and interesting explicit romance. I enjoy second-chance style stories and this was no exception. Each man had let the opportunity pass them by the first time for their own reasons, but I enjoyed watching them reconnect. There is a very loose paranormal element with the matchmaking company being run by Apollo, Artemis and Eros which I found to be a hoot.

I really enjoyed the burn between Christian and Andrew and found the rekindling of their relationship a fun and interesting read. I thought the smaller subplot revolving around Andrew’s previous weekend fling was a good bit of extra tension and conflict in the story and was pleased that while a little predictable it was different enough that I still found the addition to the storyline interesting.

Readers looking for a slightly fanciful, steamy hot second chance romance story should find this really suits their needs. I enjoyed this story and will definitely be happy to read more by this author.

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Come For You by Willa Okati

November 30, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Come For You by Willa Okati
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQ, Erotic Romance, Paranormal
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Gabriel, a dreamer and a librarian, is so shy and introverted that he’s still a virgin Omega at twenty-five — but he can’t help wishing fairy-tale Prince Charmings were real and that one would find him. One does, a rough-hewn but outgoing, captivating quarryman Alpha called Wynn. For them, it’s love at first sight. Gabriel doesn’t care if they’re an odd couple, no matter what others and his Beta co-librarian Cameron thinks about it.

But the happy ending is harder to come by. When Gabriel’s almost full term with their first child, there’s an accidental explosion at the quarry that leaves Wynn trapped behind a wall of rubble. Waiting for news – any news – and hoping against hope, all Gabriel has to comfort himself with is the memory of his fairytale of a love story. He’s so lost in dreaming he doesn’t realize he’s in labor and needs to get to a doctor.

Who will rescue who?

Gabriel is a dreamer and determined to wait for his Prince Charming. After a long wait he finally finds it in solid quarryman Wynn. Can these two find their happily ever after?

This story jumps a fair bit from a past series of events and the present time. While I understood the author was trying to tell two sections of Wynn and Gabriel’s story at the same time, I really felt this frequent jumping back and forth was pretty confusing and I tended to muddle the stories up when I was trying to recall the sequence later on. Everything sort of meshed together in my mind and I found this quite difficult to sort out so I’m not sure this style of story-telling really works for me and I’m not sure I’d want to read another story set out like this again.

That said, I did really enjoy both Wynn and Gabriel’s characters. I felt their connection and clear love and attraction was a lovely romance for the story and I absolutely wanted to see their happy ever after. I also enjoyed the plotline of the explosion at the quarry, but felt a lot of the drama and enjoyment of this plot was hampered by the fact the constant back and forth between present and past really lowered my enjoyment of the story as a whole.

Readers looking for a lovely romance story between a shy librarian and a dedicated hard worker should find plenty in this story that appeals to them. While I’m not sold on the back and forth in the timeline of telling the two main aspects of the story I think this is a different enough style that readers looking for something a little outside the box might find this refreshingly different.

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Daddy’s Little Hellion by Lila Fox

November 26, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Daddy’s Little Hellion by Lila Fox
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

All her life, Jenna has fought just to be seen. She never thought she would find someone to love her the way she is. She knows she can be difficult, but underneath, she’s a scared little girl in need of a daddy.

Trey has been looking for a little. With his dominance and height of six and a half feet, it seems impossible to find a woman strong enough to put up with him. When he sets his eyes on Jenna for the first time, he’s instantly attracted, but she’s so timid, hiding behind other people. He doesn’t think she’ll be able to deal with a man like him.

As he realizes she’s not timid but bruised and in need of help, he steps in to protect her. It takes losing someone close to them to bring them together, but will another act of violence tear them apart again?

Trey had finally finished with his government work overseas and was ready to settle back home in the States with his friends and enter the next chapter in his life. Trey is surprised but pleased so many of his friends have found their perfect woman. The group of women have been harboring a secret and when a number of the Daddies band together to wrangle it out of them Trey is surprised when they learn the secret about Jenna, and he’s even more shocked at the strength of the protective feelings it rouses in him.

I found this to be a very explicit and steamy story. While a lot of the secondary characters clearly have their own stories in the series I felt this book could be read on its own with both Trey and Jenna’s characters well introduced and their relationship established throughout the course of this story. While Trey has been a Dom most of his life he is new to the Daddy/little dynamic and so a lot of information about this kink is explained so readers new to this aspect shouldn’t feel too out of their depth.

I felt like it took me a while to warm up to Jenna’s character. Part of me felt like her aggression and stubbornness pushed the boundary a little past pride and independence and into stupidity. While I totally understood she’d been hurt in the past and she lashed out to protect and defend herself, it seemed pretty silly for her to purposely antagonize one of the few people actually trying to help her. I could see that the author worked hard to explain Jenna’s outrageous rudeness and behavior but it really was a struggle for me to like her for quite a bit of the story.

With an explicit group-sex style of scene and plenty of BDSM (Daddy/little) elements to the numerous relationships readers who are looking for an intense and explicit story should find this story delivers on all that. I was pleased with the plot revolving around Jenna – finding it refreshing and different as she attempts to deal with an ex harassing her with some independence.

While this story has extremely strong willed characters and a solid plotline, it also has a fair bit of Daddy/little kink and I feel this book won’t suit all readers’ tastes. But for those who enjoy this element of BDSM, or those looking for an edgier, stronger style of erotic romance story this should be a refreshing change of pace.

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Hero’s Quilt by Cooper McKenzie

November 23, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Hero’s Quilt by Cooper McKenzie
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQ, Erotic Romance
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Injured in Afghanistan, Michael Alan Carlyle III ends up at Fort Hood, Texas where he receives a quilt with a letter tucked into a hidden pocket. Once discharged, he goes in search of Jordan Potter, the quiltmaker.

Jordan Potter’s shyness has grown so severe he lives with his grandmother and makes quilt art in his attic studio. When Mac arrives, Jordan finds himself intrigued and wanting to push beyond his self-imposed boundaries in order to become a man Mac might be able to love.

Will Mac return to Texas? Will Jordan be able to overcome his shyness to grow into a man Mac can be proud of? Will Mac be able to admit he feels more than friendly feelings toward Jordan?

Wounded vet Mac’s life had been turned upside down with the loss of his lower leg, but even with his newly broken body Mac knew he wouldn’t be returning to Chicago to work in his father’s company. While recovering in hospital Mac is gifted a hand-sewn quilt, one with a note from the creator, Jordan, offering Mac a meal and their personal thanks should Mac ever be nearby. Not knowing the new direction he wanted for his life, Mac decides to take Jordan up on his offer, an exchange which will change both men’s lives forever.

I really enjoyed this slower paced, steamy romance story. I found Mac and Jordan’s characters to be interesting and not overly cookie-cutter, which each loosely fit a stereotype (the wounded vet and the small-town country guy) I loved how the author made their characters deeper and more complex than simply what they first appeared to be. I also liked how Mac and Jordan initially began their friendship by writing to each other. I definitely thought this helped solidify a solid foundation for Mac and Jordan together and considering both their personal circumstances at the time this felt like an interesting and well suited way for them to both get closer and learn more about each other while they were each in their own difficult circumstance. It also lent the story an air of old-fashioned-ness which I personally really enjoyed.

Different but still absolutely modern, I thought the slower pace of the romance along with the exchange of letters through the first part of the story gave this book a refreshing outlook. Readers who enjoy modern but slightly different stories should really find this suits their tastes. While the romance blossomed slowly between Mac and Jordan I thought it was extremely emotional as both Mac and Jordan each overcame their own obstacles. Readers looking for a strongly sexual and explicit story probably won’t find this suits what they’re wanting – though there are a small number of intimate scenes towards the end.

This strongly emotional and slower paced story is a delightful read that I enjoyed. With very strong characters and a lot of emotional and vulnerability I feel this is a good story a wide range of readers should find satisfying.

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Nowhere To Hide by Andrew Grey

November 18, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Nowhere To Hide by Andrew Grey
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQ, Erotic Romance
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Stylish Sinclair Llewelling has little contact with his family, but he loves his cousin Lilly very much, and agrees to help her plan the elegant country wedding of her dreams. There’s just one problem: the foreman of the ranch where the wedding is to take place.

Former rodeo cowboy Dawson West takes his job very seriously, and he doesn’t appreciate anyone who gets in the way. Ranching is in his blood, and the people he works for are like family to him, so when Sinclair and his plans add to his work, he isn’t quiet about making his displeasure known.

Sinclair and Dawson have more in common than they realize, including a strong work ethic, horses, and spines of steel. Their fighting shifts to mutual respect, and heat flares as they see past each other’s walls to the men beneath. Just as Sinclair is getting a taste for ranch life, problems at his late father’s business pull him away from the cowboy who has lassoed him in. They’ll need to team back up to balance jobs, ranch, wedding, and what their hearts want.

Dawson is the foreman of Rita’s ranch and takes his work seriously. When Rita agrees to let Lilly and Ben host their wedding on the ranch, Lilly’s cousin Sinclair agrees to help with the arrangements. Sparks fly between Sinclair and Dawson – both the good and uncomfortable kind – but each have some serious reasons to not want to get too involved. Can they figure out a way to handle their attraction?

After really enjoying the previous story in this series (Nowhere To Ride) I was eager to jump right in to this second offering. I was particularly pleased that – other than the setting and many of the characters being the same – there was absolutely no strong ties between this story and the previous one. Readers can be sure they could pick this book up and enjoy it without any prior knowledge, the story and characters stand very well on their own. I also enjoyed the fact that it was clear from the beginning that both Sinclair and Dawson have numerous layers to them and each had a bit of baggage from their past that needed dealing with. I felt this really added depth and complexity to the story and the plot really sang with it.

Dawson is very much a quiet, strong willed cowboy but I was pleased that he wasn’t stubborn to the point of stupidity. I feel a strength and some level of stubborn is really good in a character, particularly a cowboy, but it never reached pig-headedness or the level where Dawson was merely being obstinate. He was willing to bend and compromise and that just made things so much better to my mind. I also appreciated how at first glance Sinclair might appear to be the slick city-boy, he wasn’t afraid of a bit of work and he, too, was willing to listen and change his mind under the right circumstances. It meant there was plenty of friction between the two men but also there was a willingness to work together and compromise which I feel really boded well.

The pace of the story was delightful for my tastes – slow enough that it felt believable that the two men could edge together and not be too put off by their strong differences, but also not so slow that I wanted to skim or jump ahead to something a bit hotter. I feel the author did an excellent job balancing out the story along with the chemistry and this story really had emotion and connection in spades. I feel readers looking for a steamy M/M cowboy romance should absolutely be satisfied with both the plot and romance aspect to this book.

Steamy and sensual, but with a good plot and layered characters this was a wonderful read that ticked all the right boxes for me. I’m eager to read more by this author.

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Balancing Act by Andrew Grey

November 18, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Balancing Act by Andrew Grey
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQ, Erotic Romance
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Freelance computer genius Trent Marcus took a web development job he wishes he hadn’t, and now he’s in a world of hurt. With his safety threatened, he needs someone who can protect him from his client, who responds to “no” with threats and intimidation.

Personal trainer and silver fox Collin Fitzpatrick gave part of his leg for his country, and now his ex is selling his home, so he needs a place to live quickly. He hears from mutual friends that Trent has a room he can use and needs Collin’s help. Neither Trent nor Collin is looking for a relationship, but attraction ignites for Trent, and it’s returned, to Trent’s surprise.

The last thing Collin expects is for his protective instincts to blossom into something much more. Trent’s care and genuineness combine to heal the heart his ex left shattered. As the task of keeping Trent safe becomes more paramount, so does the realization that failing could cost both of them everything.

Trying to get his fledgling web design business off the ground, Trent takes a lucrative job that seems interesting at first, then when he recognizes the danger in what he’s being asked to create the excessive pay suddenly seems far too good to be true. Watched and hunted, Trent realizes all too quickly the physical danger is almost as bad as the potentially criminal danger and he rushes to seek help from a friend. A mutual acquaintance, Collin, is suggested to Trent. Collin is ex-Army, a personal trainer who sometimes moonlights as a bodyguard and is currently at a loose end with his home being sold by his ex-partner. The two men hit it off and soon they both realise they want far more than just a simple, work-based agreement between them.

I really enjoyed this story and even though it’s the second book in the “Jocks and Geeks” series it is completely independent and stands very well on its own. Collin and Trent both know mutual friends (the original couple in the first story) and so that is the link that puts them in each other’s orbit. Otherwise, the whole story is Collin and Trent’s alone and I loved that. It also is a brilliant thing readers can pick this story up and have no knowledge of the previous book and I strongly feel it won’t affect the read for them at all.

I also really loved how even though Trent is clearly the “geek” and Collin the “jock” neither of them are bland or boring – straight from the cookie cutter mold you’d expect from this sort of stereotype. Collin lost part of one leg serving his country (it was a big part of his being dumped by his now-ex) and I thought this really added a huge amount of dimension and complexity to the whole “jock” or gym junkie persona. I loved how Collin was still shown to be a strong, masculine and beefy guy when so many people might look differently at him. I adored this. I also really found it amusing that for all his genius, computer skills and intelligence, Trent was so clearly in this whole mess because of his innocence and “stupidity” in taking on then getting in too deep with this job. It felt so damn realistic that this highly intelligent, techno-whiz could be the smartest person in the room – but equally the stupidest. It really tickled my funny bone and made the whole story so realistic and amusing to me in a warm and wonderful way.

Obviously, the chemistry and sensuality between the two men also skyrocketed off the page pretty quickly after they met each other. I really loved just how well they fit together. Each was strong, smart and totally capable, but they equally were so much like a lock and a key – slotting easily into the places in each other’s life exactly where they needed it. Collin was physically imposing and willing to show protective and aggressive behavior when needed, and Trent had ample space where Collin could rest, find his feet after losing his home and relationship and get his head back on straight. I really enjoyed how each could fulfil the other in emotional and intimate ways – and not just in the bedroom though they certainly fit perfectly together in there as well.

With a solid plot, plenty of action, chemistry and conflict this was a delicious read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I would eagerly read another and a part of me is hoping maybe Martin (a secondary character and mutual friend shown in both this and the previous book) gets his happy ending some time soon.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

Home and Family by Andrew Grey

November 12, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Home and Family by Andrew Grey
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQ, Erotic Romance
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Mark has worked on Clay and Dell’s farm for a year, and he’s now in charge of the care and feeding of their growing herd of goats. He’s worked hard to provide for himself and build a life of his own. But with the operation continuing to expand, additional help is needed.

Isaac lives in a self-sustaining, simple-life community a few miles up the road. He’s spent his life working and wondering what the outside world might be like. When his father requires him to earn outside money, he asks for a job at Clay and Dell’s farm.

What neither Mark nor Isaac expects is a friendship that quickly grows into something more. But their feelings for each other go against everything that Isaac has been taught, and acting on those feelings will mean leaving the only way of life he’s ever known.

Together, Isaac and Mark are going to need a great deal of strength to weather the storm that’s sure to head their way.

Mark has been working on Clay and Dell’s farm for a year now, helping with their growing herd of goats. With the business and herd expanding Clay and Dell know they need more help and so they hire Isaac, who lives a few miles up the road in a self-sustaining, simple-life community. Mark and Isaac quickly form a deep friendship and soon those feelings could lead to something more, but Isaac struggles as his feelings go against everything he’s been taught and Isaac isn’t sure he wants to leave behind everything he’s ever known.

I’ve really enjoyed the two previous stories in this series and I was really impressed that this third book (same as the first and second) easily stands alone and can be read independently to the other two. The farm, characters and setting are all quickly and simply explained so these three books can be read in any order and missing one doesn’t detract at all from the others. That said, I was really happy to catch up with Clay and Dell, and Alan and Haley – the farm and setting is such a lovely, comforting and wonderful place it makes me happy to read about it. And at no point did I feel that “catching up” on previous characters infringed at all on Mark and Isaac’s spotlight. The author has an awesome way of balancing the various characters, plots and subplots so each gets enough time and I thought this book had that in spades.

While I thought Isaac’s home life – and the narrow mindedness and controlling aspects of Isaac’s father in particular – were tastefully and carefully handled it really took Isaac quite some time to solidify is own thoughts and desires for the future. Such a monumental change – effectively turning away from the entirety of life as he knew it – couldn’t have realistically happened in just one or two days, but I think that some readers may feel this aspect of the plot and story moves just a little slowly. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Isaac settle into the farm’s routine and the strength and confidence he gained as he became more comfortable in those surroundings. It also really made sense to me how the constant contrasts between life on Clay and Dell’s farm, and the life being lived by the community in Isaac’s hometown showed Isaac just how strict and overbearing – and unreasonable – Isaac’s father was as the community leader.

The friendship that slowly grew between Mark and Isaac was really lovely. I thought this was so well written and really tasteful in that Isaac was learning and slowly coming out of his shell. This is not some hot and heavy, intensely erotic blossoming of a romance and readers expecting something that sizzling and intense probably won’t find themselves satisfied here. Instead I really appreciated the slow burn, the deepening and growing trust, friendship and attraction that turned into love. I thought this was really special and although the pace is slow, I really felt it needed to be considering Mark and particularly Isaac’s circumstances.

With wonderful characters, a great plot and plenty of emotional conflict this is a lovely story and I feel it’s a great addition to this series.

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