Abhorrence by Marco May

July 19, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Abhorrence by Marco May
Publisher: Deep Desires Press
Genre: Erotic Romance, Contemporary, LGBTQ
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Art is a spineless Christian who’s been bullied at school for being a dork and treated poorly by his devout parents for being gay. He can’t seem to defend himself no matter how hard he tries, especially because he believes God wouldn’t like it. He’s relieved to graduate high school, and he plans to move out of his parents’ house to a toxic-free environment. It’s the one escape route he clings to.

In what first seems like a stroke of good luck for once, Art meets Cole at a restaurant while Cole waits his table, and they hit it off rather quickly. They swap numbers and plan to meet up later on, only for it to be the last that they see each other.

Soon after, Art encounters someone he knows very well who changes his life for the worst, and Art tries to end his life after the incident. His parents don’t believe him when he tells them what happened, nor do they support his mental health. Therefore, he feels he has no choice but to leave as soon as possible. Little does he know, Cole—the one guy he thought he’d never see again—could end up becoming more important than he ever imagined.

But will Art open up and give Cole a chance?

Two lost souls who need each other more than they ever thought possible.

This is an interesting premise for a story. One is very religious, but he’s turning away from religion because of how he’s been treated. The other has dealt with the slings and arrows of teen life. Can they forge a bond together or are they destined to end up alone?

I liked this story. The characters are relatable, and the story is unique. Art is a softie and he’s sweet. Cole is a handsome guy, too. They should get together. I rooted for them.

One thing that stuck with me and sort of annoyed me was how Art could be extremely down on himself. It got a tad cumbersome because I wanted to see him grow a little faster than he did. He wasn’t a bad guy, but he sure saw himself that way. The thing is, that’s how a lot of people see themselves, so it made sense and is relatable.

If you’re looking for a story that will stick with you after the last page, then this might be the one you’re looking for. Try it.

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

Wolf Heart by Dorian Flynn

July 19, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Wolf Heart by Dorian Flynn
Publisher: Deep Desires Press
Genre: Erotic Romance, Contemporary, LGBTQ, Paranormal
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

It’s been years since Elias has seen his childhood rival and friend Julian. The last time they were together, Elias kissed him, sending Julian running away. And by morning, he was gone. Since then, Elias has kept his secret close to his chest, hoping Julian would do the same.

But Julian is back now, and simultaneously a string of mysterious animal attacks have struck the town, rousing superstitions about a Beast that swept through before Elias was even born. A Beast that was only stopped by Elias’s grandmother.

Elias may have been keeping his own secret, but as he and Julian reconnect, what secrets will he discover about Julian’s family…or his own?

Two men, one love and a lot of secrets!

I picked this book up because the premise caught my attention. These two men long for each other, but there’s a problem. Elias thinks they can’t be together. There are a lot of reasons, and they unfold slowly in this story.

I liked the character of Elias. He’s sweet and unsure, but in a good way. This story is told from his point of view and can be a tad stilted at times, but the reader is in Elias’s head the whole time, so in a way it makes sense.

Something that stuck with me and wasn’t my cuppa was the pacing. This story is full of tension, but in spots it drags. I put it down a few times and had a hard time coming back. I’m glad I finished it, but it was a bit of a chore at times. I had a few questions that never got answered and I would’ve liked to have seen things from Julian’s point of view, but all in all, it worked.

Still, I liked the characters, and I loved the women in the family. They’re strong and positive forces, which was good in this story.

If you’re looking for something a little offbeat and something different, then this might be the story for you.

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

The Adventures of Honey & Leon by Alan Cumming

July 18, 2022 By Leave a Comment


The Adventures of Honey & Leon by Alan Cumming
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), LGBTQ, Action/Adventure, Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Honey and Leon are rescue mutts who love their dads very much. But their dads often have to go away on glamorous and important business, which worries the dogs. Honey and Leon are done staying home and fretting—they’re off on a dad-protecting adventure! Careful to remain incognito, the two pups shadow their dads on a trip across the sea, keeping them out of danger at every turn! How did they survive without Honey and Leon’s protection for this long?!

Alan Cumming and Grant Shaffer wrote this story as a tribute to their own dogs, based on their frequent conversations about what Honey and Leon get up to while they’re away.

Nobody likes being left home alone while their parents have an adventure.

Some of my favorite scenes were the ones that explored the relationships between the dogs and the dads. Their family was a close and loving one, and it showed. I smiled as the narrator explained why Honey and Leon were so concerned about keeping their humans safe and how they planned to make sure everything was okay on their dads’ latest business trip.

I would have liked to see a little more time spent on the world building. As much as I enjoyed the open-ended nature of certain topics that I will mention in a moment, there were other times when I couldn’t help but to wonder about what people in this universe expected from the dogs around them. Most of them seemed so relaxed and understanding of talking dogs taking a cab or flying in an airplane that it made me wonder if similar adventures were well known enough that this was somewhat ordinary in their world. If only there had been more information about this!

The thought of two dogs travelling alone tickled my imagination. I couldn’t help but to wonder how they would avoid drawing unwanted attention to themselves and whether they’d be successful in their mission. It was a great deal of fun to come up with my own theories about how this all would work. The author gave enough information about this for the plot to make sense, but he also left plenty of space for little readers to come up with their own creative interpretations as well.

The Adventures of Honey & Leon made me smile.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Something Fabulous by Alexis Hall

July 18, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Something Fabulous by Alexis Hall
Publisher: Montlake
Genre: Historical, LGBTQ, Erotic Romance
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Valentine Layton, the Duke of Malvern, has twin problems: literally.

It was always his father’s hope that Valentine would marry Miss Arabella Tarleton. But, unfortunately, too many novels at an impressionable age have caused her to grow up…romantic. So romantic that a marriage of convenience will not do and after Valentine’s proposal she flees into the night determined never to set eyes on him again.

Arabella’s twin brother, Mr. Bonaventure “Bonny” Tarleton, has also grown up…romantic. And fully expects Valentine to ride out after Arabella and prove to her that he’s not the cold-hearted cad he seems to be.

Despite copious misgivings, Valentine finds himself on a pell-mell chase to Dover with Bonny by his side. Bonny is unreasonable, overdramatic, annoying, and…beautiful? And being with him makes Valentine question everything he thought he knew. About himself. About love. Even about which Tarleton he should be pursuing.

There’s a twist and a romance, but you’ll never guess how it all works out.

I’ve never read Alexis Hall, but this was highly recommended, so I picked it up. I’m glad I did as there aren’t many historical/regency era MM reads, so it was different. The characters had their good points and I loved Bonny. He’s a trip.

The thing is, the writing, while trying to stay true to the era, came out a bit flowery at times. I knew this would have an erotic edge to it and that was fine but the dancing around saying what they’d do was a little cumbersome. The side characters were a bit over the top and that made the story hard to follow, too. There was just a lot going on. Maybe it didn’t resonate as much as it could’ve with me, but it just might be fantastic for other readers. Might have been for me if I’d have read it on a different day. It’s not a bad book, it just didn’t hit the right notes for me at the time.

Still, if you’re looking for something different and with amusing moments, this might be the book for you. Give it a shot.

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

Junior Willis by Richard Natale

July 14, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Junior Willis by Richard Natale
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Genre: Romance, Historical, LGBTQ
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

The journey from self-loathing to self-acceptance takes Midwesterner Tom Larson through the Korean War, pre-Castro Havana and, finally, Hollywood, where he is befriended by the elusive and charismatic Junior Willis and must decide whether he’s prepared for genuine commitment.

Romance comes in many different forms, and some of them will gently sneak up on you if you allow them to.

Living in the closet was necessary for survival in previous generations, and it’s still the only option for some members of the LGBTQ+ community today. Some of my favorite scenes were the ones that showed the emotional toll this took on Tom and Junior. As friendly as many of their friends and relatives were, neither of these protagonists could ever be entirely sure how those folks would respond if they knew that Junior and Tom were both attracted to men. The descriptions of the steps they took to avoid arousing any suspicions were just as interesting as the passages that showed what happened when some of their loved ones were accidentally given peeks at a subculture heterosexual people knew almost nothing about back then.

I had trouble keeping track of all of the characters in this novella. Many of the people Tom and Junior met during their lives were only mentioned in passing, and the ones that stuck around weren’t always developed well enough for me to recall who they were when they were mentioned again later. It would have been helpful to either have more information about the personalities and backstories of the folks the main characters met or for the narrator to focus on a smaller supporting cast in general.

One of the other themes of this tale that I loved had to do with how Tom’s past affected his daily life as he left his 20s behind and settled into stable habits and a good job. Attempting to heal is difficult, especially for someone who was facing such high stakes and who only had a small number of people in his inner circle he could be his true self around. A memory might be decades old but still feel as fresh as the day it was made. I don’t want to share any spoilers about how Tom approached his difficult memories, but they did make me want to learn more about him. He demonstrated a great deal of courage in these moments. That is an admirable thing to do without a doubt.

Junior Willis was a thought-provoking and encouraging read.

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

Various Distractions by AE Lister

July 13, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Various Distractions by AE Lister
Persuasions, Book 2
Publisher: Pride Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, LGBTQ
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

When life is perfect, you know it’s gonna throw you a curveball…or four.

Nic and Vincent have been riding the high of a new romantic relationship that works so well they are on the verge of officially moving in together—but then the distractions begin. Their friend Daphne needs a temporary dungeon space, and Nic’s basement seems the perfect solution. Vincent’s gay seventeen-year-old cousin, Taylor, needs a safe refuge from his uber-religious parents. When Vincent suffers an unexpected injury, Nic asks Daphne to suggest someone to help with domestic duties around the house.

These combined circumstances lead to a less-than-ideal home life for Vincent and Nic, who struggle to find alone time. But life has a way of giving people what they need, and the arrival of Matteo to help with chores around the house sets into motion an opportunity the three must decide to follow to its logical conclusion or abandon in order to maintain the emotional safety of all the participants.

Emotional, sensational and heartwarming…all while being hot.

I’ve never read anything by AE Lister and I don’t know why, but I’m glad I remedied that. This was a fantastic story. The writing flowed well, the characters were engaging, and I couldn’t put it down.

Nic’s a Dom and wants a sub, but Nic’s leery. There’s something that could tear this relationship apart. Vincent is just what Nic needs, but they have to accept themselves and the past to move forward. It’s a hot story, but full of tenderness and determination, too. The characters are gender-fluid and that helped make this more engaging.

I highly recommend this book and hope you’re willing to take a chance on it, too. I’m glad I did.

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

Empty Vows by Mary Monroe

July 8, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Empty Vows by Mary Monroe
The Wiggins Series, book 2
Publisher: Dafina
Genre: Historical, LGBTQ, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Ginger

Forty-something widow Jessie Tucker is beloved throughout Lexington, Alabama, for her kind heart and endless generosity. But she feels it’s past time she rewarded herself—especially when upstanding Hubert Wiggins tragically loses his wife and son. Making herself indispensable, yet discouraged by Hubert’s lack of romantic interest, Jessie cooks up a deception she knows will make pious Hubert do right by her…

Hoax or not, Hubert couldn’t be happier. The passionate self he’s long hidden from everyone has a new, much-riskier secret love. And the unsuspecting second Mrs. Wiggins will help him maintain his ever-so-devout image in the community…

But when Hubert is not the ardent lover Jessie always dreamed he was, she turns her desires to handsome younger man Conway. Suddenly the “good church wife” can’t resist temptation at all. And someone is watching: Conway’s new girlfriend—and Jessie’s longtime rival—Blondeen. Now Blondeen has the perfect opportunity to harass Jessie, destroy her reputation, drive her out of town—then become the real wife Hubert should have had all along…

In one shattering night, Jessie, Blondeen, and Hubert will each go too far. And when their web of deceit threatens to drag them under for good, they will have only one chance to erase the past and claim everything they’ve ever wanted. If their secrets don’t destroy them first…

What lengths would someone go to hide their secrets?

I was excited to return back to Lexington, Alabama! Empty Vows picks up where Mrs. Wiggins left off. You’ll need to read book one to get Maggie’s story. Book two is told from Jessie and Hubert’s view. True to her writing style the author includes colorful characters, an enthralling storyline and engaging dialogue.

Grief stricken Hubert Wiggins has lost his wife and son and soon finds himself an available widow in the small town of Lexington, Alabama. Jessie, Maggie’s best friend wasn’t interested in Hubert until her meddling sister Minnie put the thought in her head. In book two we get a different version of Jessie. In book one she was dominated by her now deceased husband and appeared helpless. Now readers see a calculating scheming side of Jessie.

If you’ve read book one you know Hubert has no interest in any of the women that are throwing themselves at him. He is only needing to find someone to cover suspicions of his secret lifestyle. With that premise I was drawn into the deceit and lies. But who is fooling who? As the saying goes be careful what you wish for and who you listen to. The characters make vows that were completely empty and based on selfish gain. Will the marriage turn out as they envisioned? This is the 1930’s and to cover a story with so many themes such as LGBTQ lifestyle, a strict religious family, segregation and the mention of a serial killer on the loose I couldn’t read fast enough. The author did an awesome job in pulling all this together to create an absolutely riveting drama.

I enjoyed the first book better, however this is a very entertaining read. In my opinion Jessie and Hubert are not on Maggie’s level. Maggie took action to help others and to defend herself while Jessie and Hubert are taking action for their own selfish reasons. Maggie’s upbringing wasn’t the best so that led me to have compassion for her and it made her actions more acceptable. For Jessie and Hubert, I don’t feel the same compassion.

I enjoy reading about the history during this era and learning about the culture in the Black community. I can picture the meddlesome neighbors and the humorous conversations. Living in the South the foods that are mentioned are staples in many households still today. I guess that’s why I enjoy the author’s stories so much, I can relate to living in a small town in the South and I can visualize people I know acting out the scenes in the book.

I am definitely looking forward to book three in this series to see how the author will conclude The Wiggins series. This is a good series that is sure to entertain many readers.

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Other, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

Dash by Rae Marks

July 7, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Dash by Rae Marks
Hart Consulting, Book 2
Publisher: Pride Publishing
Genre: Erotic Romance, Contemporary, LGBTQ. Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Working with the guy who turns him on and pisses him off has Nick in a tailspin.

Nick’s trying to get everything together—his life, his job, his family. After leaving the military, he joined both his brothers at Hart Consulting, but he can’t seem to get his shit organized. His brother still won’t speak to his father, his dad is willing to go to crazy lengths to see his brother and Nick has to train for his new job.

Just when he thinks he might have everything under a bit of control, he’s assigned to work with Ax, the only operator who’s able to get under his skin. Nick needs to put his head down and make a good impression on his first assignment with HC. Too bad Ax is determined not to make it easy…

Opposites attract and can drive each other nuts, too.

I’ve never read anything by Rae Marks and I’m glad I rectified that. This was a cute book, but also fun, too. It’s not a fluff story by any means. The characters get into jams and have to figure out how to get back out again. I liked the suspense in the story and the chemistry between Nick and Ax. The writing flowed well and I got engrossed in the story right away. I had to know what would happen.

The one thing that sort of bugged me was how Nick and Ax tended to snap judge each other and hold onto their negativity. Now, this annoyed me because it’s so human. Other readers might not be bothered with it. It also drove me berserk because I kept thinking, guys, just let it go! But then if they’d have done that, the tension wouldn’t have been so high. So, it worked.

If you’re looking for a story with hot characters, tension and plenty of chemistry, then this might be the book for you.

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

The Runner by Thom Collins

July 6, 2022 By Leave a Comment


The Runner by Thom Collins
Success, book 3
Publisher: Pride Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQ, Erotic Romance
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

An Olympic hero faces his longest run – to make up for the past.

Alex Schaefer is a sports journalist and commentator at the top of his game. He hosts a successful weekly podcast has just written the biography of a world class football player. With his career on an upward trajectory, Alex has never been busier. There is no time in his life for love or romance.

Ethan Bower was used to success. As a British sprinter, he won a host of silver and gold medals at the Olympics, European and Commonwealth championships, and spent over a decade at the top. Persistent injuries brought Ethan’s career to an abrupt halt in his mid-thirties. Now he has to start over again. Trying to get his foot in the door of athletics commentary and presenting isn’t easy.

Ethan and Alex have history. Eight years ago, at the height of Ethan’s success, Alex was chosen to ghost write his autobiography. An experience they would both rather forget. Ethan hated what Alex wrote about him; a fact he’s made very public. When Ethan attends the launch of Alex’s latest book, they meet again for the first time in years and something becomes apparent to both of them – they have each improved with age. Now in their thirties, they are older and more mature.

Can they put the past behind them and their ambitions for the future to take a chance on each other now?

Enemies to lovers…what can be better?

I knew when I picked up this book that it would sizzle, but it’d also have a certain polish to it. I’ve read other books by Thom Collins and have loved them. This one was no different. The characters were engaging and the story really shined. I didn’t want to put it down.

I loved how the author made this about running, but not overpoweringly so. Alex and Ethan have history. They’ve got some not so fun history that they have to deal with. I liked how the author made that enemy chemistry become something more. The author let the characters find their way to their eventual HEA. I loved it.

Alex has misconceptions about Ethan and Ethan isn’t fond of Alex. It’s a well-worn trope, but it was written well and with the added heat, it’s a great read. I hope you try this book, too. I’m heading out to find the others in the Success series.

Recommended.

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

Stella Brings the Family by Miriam B. Schiffer

July 5, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Stella Brings the Family by Miriam B. Schiffer
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), LGBTQ, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Stella’s class is having a Mother’s Day celebration, but what’s a girl with two daddies to do? It’s not that she doesn’t have someone who helps her with her homework, or tucks her in at night. Stella has her Papa and Daddy who take care of her, and a whole gaggle of other loved ones who make her feel special and supported every day. She just doesn’t have a mom to invite to the party. Fortunately, Stella finds a unique solution to her party problem in this sweet story about love, acceptance, and the true meaning of family.

Not everyone has a mother.

Stella was a wonderful girl. Her anxiety over how to celebrate Mother’s Day during her class party when she had two fathers made me want to give her a hug. She loved her family, but she also didn’t know how to include them in a holiday that wasn’t made for them. I liked reading the conversation she had with her dads as they tried to figure out a solution that would make sense for them.

In my experience, many kids this age talk about their family structures openly to each other and to any grownups nearby who might be listening. While I totally understand that some children and families prefer to be more private about these topics, I did find myself wondering why there were so many of them in Stella’s class and why she didn’t know more about the home lives of at least some of her classmates. If this had been explained better, I would have happily gone for a full five-star rating as I enjoyed everything else about it.

My favorite portion of the storyline happened after the Mother’s Day party began and Stella began talking to her classmates about what sorts of families they had. I can’t go into a lot of detail about this without giving away spoilers, but it was nice to see such a kind and inclusive take on the topic. In addition to the LGBT+ families this was specifically written for, this could also be meaningful for children who are being raised by grandparents or other relatives, foster parents, adoptive parents, step-parents, and so many other different types of homes. There is definitely something to be said for finding common ground and looking for the best in other people.

Stella Brings the Family was a heartwarming read.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,
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