Terribly Tristan by Lisa Henry & Sarah Honey

April 11, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Terribly Tristan by Lisa Henry & Sarah Honey
Book three in the Bad Boyfriends, Inc. series
Publisher: Pride Publishing, Totally Entwined
Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQ, Erotic Romance
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

When it comes to dating, one and done has always been Tristan’s rule—so what happens when once isn’t enough?

Leo Fisher is a sensible guy, with a sensible life. He’s the picture of respectability, just like his parents raised him to be. But when he inherits a crumbling terrace house in Newtown from his uncle, he also inherits a tenant who turns his world upside down. Tristan is brazen, gorgeous, experienced, and doesn’t care what anyone thinks of him. He’s everything Leo is not—maybe that’s why Leo is drawn to him. Leo has only ever made the right choices—the sensible choices, yet here he is, hooking up with his tenant—who happens to be a rent boy.

Tristan Montague is not a rent boy. Not exactly. He’s a Bad Boyfriend. For a modest fee, he’ll turn any date into the kind of disaster that will have his client’s unsuspecting parents begging them to rethink their life choices. Boyfriending for cash is fun, but for real? No thanks. There are way too many flowers in the garden of life to settle on one single bloom. Tristan flits happily from lover to lover like a glorious gay butterfly, and he doesn’t do repeats.

Except when he meets cute, awkward Leo, Tristan finds himself rethinking his ‘no repeats’ rule. Tristan’s mission to show Leo that he, too, can be a glorious gay butterfly takes an unexpected turn when physical attraction develops into something more, and Tristan realizes he might not want to be a fake boyfriend anymore…he might want to be a real one?

But for Leo to take a stand against his overbearing parents, Tristan’s going to have to be a Bad Boyfriend one last time—and it’s going to have to be spectacular.

Two guys who might not be suited for each other find out they’re a perfect match.

I liked the other books in this series, so I was excited to find this one, Terribly Tristan. It looked cute, sounded funny and everything I wanted to read. It was. The writing flowed well, with good pacing and interesting characters. I had to know what would happen next. I liked the premise, too. Tristan is paid to be a bad boyfriend and Leo is trying to break out of his shell. It’s cute.

I liked the chemistry between these two characters. For Tristan, one and done is his way to go. I liked how he had to decide if that’s the only way he wanted to be, or if there was more out there for him. I liked that Leo had to accept that being ‘normal’ and ‘good’ aren’t everything. I had one quibble with the way Leo portrayed his parents. Okay, so they weren’t great in that they wanted something specific for him, but they weren’t mean. Just…parents. It would’ve been nice to see them step back a bit, but this quibble might not bother most readers and that’s fine.

If you’re looking for a hot romance, with a rom-com feel and something fun to boot, then this might be exactly what you’re looking for.

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

Heartstopper, Vol 2 by Alice Oseman

April 7, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Heartstopper, Vol 2 by Alice Oseman
Publisher: Graphix
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Ages 14+, LGBTQ, Romance
Rating 4 Stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Nick and Charlie are best friends, but one spontaneous kiss has changed everything. In the aftermath, Charlie thinks that he’s made a horrible mistake and ruined his friendship with Nick, but Nick is more confused than ever. Love works in surprising ways, and Nick comes to see the world from a new perspective. He discovers all sorts of things about his friends, his family… and himself.

The boys are back and trying to navigate this thing called life. The thing called love.

I’m in love with this series because Nick and Charlie are so realistic. I see and feel the struggles in them. I understand where they’re coming from and why they react the way they do. Why? Because yes, it’s shown in the pictures – it’s a graphic novel – but also the heartfelt way the author conveys these things. I’m right there with Nick and Charlie. It’s refreshing.

It’s also a good story for young people who are trying to sort out how they feel – all across the spectrum. We’re all human and we get shy. We make mistakes. This book shows that. I liked that this one, in particular, really spotlighted Nick and his struggles with understanding he’s bisexual. It’s a real struggle that’s hard to deal with if you’re feeling alone and confused.

If you like a sweet romance, a sweet LGBTQ one with two young men navigating the world with the changes in their lives, then this might be the one for you.

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

A Union Like Ours: The Love Story of F. O. Matthiessen and Russell Cheney by Scott Bane

April 5, 2023 By Leave a Comment


A Union Like Ours: The Love Story of F. O. Matthiessen and Russell Cheney by Scott Bane
Publisher: Bright Leaf
Genre: Historical, Biography, Non-Fiction, LGBTQ
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

After a chance meeting aboard the ocean liner Paris in 1924, Harvard University scholar and activist F. O. Matthiessen and artist Russell Cheney fell in love and remained inseparable until Cheney’s death in 1945. During the intervening years, the men traveled throughout Europe and the United States, achieving great professional success while contending with serious personal challenges, including addiction, chronic disease, and severe depression.

During a hospital stay, years into their relationship, Matthiessen confessed to Cheney that “never once has the freshness of your life lost any trace of its magic for me. Every day is a new discovery of your wealth.” Situating the couple’s private correspondence alongside other sources, Scott Bane tells the remarkable story of their relationship in the context of shifting social dynamics in the United States. From the vantage point of the present day, with marriage equality enacted into law, Bane provides a window into the realities faced by same-sex couples in the early twentieth century, as they maintained relationships in the face of overt discrimination and the absence of legal protections.

Two men who want to be together finding a way to make it work.

I’d never heard of activist F. O. Matthiessen and artist Russell Cheney until I picked up this book. I was intrigued by the way these two managed to navigate life and a relationship during the early 20th century. I can’t imagine being them, with the laws against LGBTQ people, the hatred and the harshness of trying to be authentic at the time.

I loved that there are pieces of their private correspondence in amongst the rest of the story because it made the men seem more real, not just a story to be told.

I liked, though that seems odd, that these men were human and struggled. I know that sounds strange, but it made them more human. There’s success, but there’s also the problem of healthcare at the time, how to handle depression and the general atmosphere of the world at the time. I liked seeing how they navigated these choppy waters and still managed to stay together. It was refreshing.

If you’re looking for a book that’s not like the rest with a couple that proves love is real, then pick up a copy today.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Sweater Weather by Alex Winters

March 30, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Sweater Weather by Alex Winters
Hotbloodeded Holidays, Book 1
Publisher: Luminosity Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Holiday, LGBTQ, Erotic Romance
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

“Oh, the weather outside is… sexy!”

At the ripe old age of thirty-seven, Colton Masters has given up on romance, especially during the holidays. A confirmed bachelor whose job staging high-priced homes for a successful local realtor has him rolling in dough but lacking in social graces. Colton is perfectly content spending another Christmas home alone, watching, well… Home Alone! That is, until he sees his sexy young neighbor, Memphis Nash, streaking across the back porch wearing nothing but an ugly Christmas sweater — literally!

A millionaire entrepreneur who’s staggeringly rich and online famous for knitting ugly Christmas sweaters on camera wearing only… ugly Christmas sweaters, Memphis is mortified that he’s been spotted in the wild — and in the buff — by his silver fox of a neighbor. Or is he? Memphis immediately pretends to “borrow sugar” from sexy Colton, if only to make sure he hasn’t called the cops on him for indecent exposure! Thus begins a playful back and forth of introductions, flirtations and, ultimately, an invitation over for a holiday sleepover-slash-pajama party, with only the two horny neighbors in attendance. Suddenly, Colton and Memphis can’t wait to unwrap one another… one ugly Christmas sweater at a time!

Cute holiday read!

I’ve read others by Alex Winters, and I knew what to expect from this story and I wasn’t disappointed. It’s quick, the writing moves along pretty well, and I wanted to see what would happen for the characters. It was a cute holiday read.

Memphis is famous for Christmas sweaters and uses an original way to market them. I liked the originality. Colton is perfectly happy to be on his own. Then he sees Memphis and things change. I liked the organic way they got together. It was cute.

I wasn’t so much a fan of the age gap in that it wasn’t much of a gap. Yes, there’s a 14-year difference, but Colton being 37 wasn’t really that old. I liked that they were from two different perspectives in life, but bringing up the age difference was a bit much. It didn’t feel authentic at times.

Still, the romance between them sizzles and even though this is a short story, it was satisfying. The author found the right balance of getting the characters together and the rest of the story. I liked it.

If you’re looking for something hot this spring to warm up a cold evening, then this is the short story for you.

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

Ash & Stone by Alexa Piper

March 29, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Ash & Stone by Alexa Piper
Monster Apocalypse 1
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Futuristic, Paranormal, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, LGBTQ, Erotic Romance
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Two years ago, the world ended with a wish, and it’s all Rory’s fault. Now, after he’s managed to survive all this time, it looks like karmic justice is finally coming for him. It looks like a monster is going to eat him, and Rory, while he is sorry for what he did, doesn’t want to die.

And he does not, because a stranger saves him from becoming monster food. The stranger features horns, blue skin, and too many swords. He is also really tall and muscular and handsome. In a monstrous way.

Rory might have jumped from the frying pan straight into the fire, because a big blue monster isn’t exactly Rory’s idea of a happily-ever-after. Not that he’s been thinking about that or about any sort of ravishing when the blue monster might still eat him or keep him as a pet.

But while Rory does not get eaten or ravished (sigh), the meeting with his monster mate shakes loose more revelations about what really happened two years ago than Rory is prepared to handle, especially since he was considering the comfortable life of a monster’s pet. He definitely wasn’t considering his monster’s murderous buddy, running so much, and going to another world, but sometimes, you just have to roll with the handsome blue monster the Apocalypse gives you.

Fast-paced and full of heart.

I love finding a new series and this one looks promising. Alexa Piper is a favorite author of mine and I’m glad I found this new series. The writing clipped along well, and I couldn’t get enough of Rory or Inkiri. They’re good together and I rooted for them. I also liked how there wasn’t a ton of world building, but enough to make the story flow well. I knew what was going on.

Rory has been through the wringer and he’s skittish. I liked that he showed the human side of trauma because he’s relatable. I also liked how Inkiri took care of him. He needed that. I liked the two together and for monster romance, this one sizzles. There’s a lot more going on in this story than one book, so I’m glad there will be others.

If you’re looking for a post-apocalyptic story with monsters, humans and a fleshed-out storyline, then this is the one for you. Check it out. I’m off to find book 2.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Wild Ones by Kira Stone

March 27, 2023 By 1 Comment


Wild Ones by Kira Stone
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal, LGBTQ
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Billy has always been a loner, but after being bitten by a ferocious wolf, his need for solitude becomes even greater. He can’t get a handle on the wild forces now running through him. He makes the best of it by carving out a territory in the Canadian wilderness, but he’s far from happy with his lot in this strange, new life.

Luc knows Billy is just the guy he’s looking for. His small pack is made up of men who are special even among weres. Their ability to control the elements — air, earth, fire and water — makes them uniquely qualified to act as spirit guardians. But presently there are only three, and they need Billy to complete them or Luc will lose much more than his position as alpha.

It’ll take a lot of fast talking to convince Billy to join their pack, but first the Wild Ones will have to catch him…

Whoa, baby. This one is hot!

I wasn’t sure what I was in for when I picked up this book. Shifters? Yes! Hot guy on guy action? I’m in. They’re all in this together? Sold!

I liked the writing of this story. It moved along at a great clip and kept me intrigued throughout. I wanted to know how this would play out. I’m glad I kept reading. This one was hot, and I want to know more about this pack.

The pack, The Wild Ones, aren’t an average wolf pack. They each have an element they manipulate and have to come together as four to make things work. I liked the impatience and bit of fighting between them because it made them more real. I also liked that Billy didn’t just roll over and submit to them. The fight was good. I also really liked the way the four came together. I got that there were two main couples, but they all worked together and when they had their foursome…oh man.

If you’re wanting a shifters story that’s a fresh take, then this is the one for you. I recommend it.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

The Wasp Child by Rhiannon Rasmussen

March 21, 2023 By 1 Comment


The Wasp Child by Rhiannon Rasmussen
Publisher: Robot Dinosaur Press
Genre: Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.), LGBTQ, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy

Caught between two worlds. Wanted in neither.

Kesh is afraid—of his classmates, his allergies, his odd sense of smell, and his prospects for the future. Born into Meridian Colony, where corporate values dictate human worth, Kesh longs for escape. He gets what he asks for in the worst possible way when his classmates kidnap and dump him in the middle of an alien rainforest. Alone.

Faced with certain death, Kesh encounters the sansik, giant insects native to the planet. Though the sansik seem to care for him, their pheromones set off a horrific metamorphosis in Kesh. Claws sprout from his fingertips. A monstrous exoskeleton grows beneath his skin. And then the bugs do the unthinkable: trade him back to Meridian, where life as a living scientific curiosity awaits him, a bleak future void of autonomy.

Caught in a tug-of-war between Meridian’s laboratories and a harsh alien world, Kesh has to make a choice: convince his people to accept him, or break free and face an uncertain future alone in an alien world.

Some things are far scarier than death.

This was an excellent example of young adult fiction that transcends its genre and trusts its audience to come up with our own theories about which portions of modern society the author may have been critiquing. I have some pretty firm opinions about the answers to that question, but I appreciated how much space the narrator gave me to reach those conclusions on my own. Growing fond of Kesh was all I needed to begin to understand the flaws of the rigid society he’d been born into. As much as I want to share specific examples of some of those ideas, it’s really best for other readers to slowly understand the unjust and dangerous side of his world for themselves.

Body horror is one of the scariest sub-genres of horror in my opinion, and it was handled beautifully in this novella. I shuddered while I read Kesh’s descriptions of the bizarre and frightening changes happening to his body that he could neither control nor predict. The blurb gave just a taste of what was to come, and I was glad to see how many plot twists it left for me to discover on my own.

Speaking of plot twists, this was one of the most creative things I’ve read so far this year. I kept assuming I knew what the author might have up their sleeves only to be once again surprised by their vivid imagination. Based on how much I loved this tale, I will definitely be keeping an eye out for what Rasmussen comes up with next!

The Wasp Child made me yearn for more.

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

Heartstopper, Vol 4 by Alice Oseman

March 15, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Heartstopper, Vol 4 by Alice Oseman
Publisher: Graphix
Genre: YA (Ages 16+), Contemporary, LGBTQ, Romance, Graphic Novel
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Charlie and Nick’s relationship has been going really well, and Charlie thinks he’s ready to say those three little words: I love you.

Nick feels the same way, but he’s got a lot on his mind — especially the thought of coming out to his dad and the fact that Charlie might have an eating disorder.

As a new school year begins, Charlie and Nick will have to learn what love really means.

Two young men navigating the world of love one mile at a time.

I hate when I pick up a book part way through the series. I do. But I’m apt to do it because I tend to discover series after they’re started. That’s the case with this book. I started the series at the end, then bounced to the beginning and am back near the end again. Sounds confusing? It’s not. This book flew by, and I wasn’t lost at all. It was like picking up the journal of good friends. It was like seeing those good friends again.

I love Nick and Charlie. They’re a good pair. They’re also relatable. They show what it’s like for LGBTQ kids to come out, to be bullied, to have anxieties and how sometimes dealing with them isn’t easy. They show there is hope, too. If you’ve got a support system, you can get through it. I loved that Nick and Charlie are that for each other, but they’ve also got their families, friends and lots of other people. It’s cute to see them get together and fumble through life.

If you’re looking for a graphic novel that’s high on romance, anxiety, love and is so cute, then pick this one up. It’s a worthy read.

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

Secured by Sean Michael

March 13, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Secured by Sean Michael
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, LGBTQ
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

After five years of living under the threat of a stalker, Finn Wicker is finally free. About nine months ago, his stalker was finally taken down, but not before the man shot and nearly killed Finn’s bodyguard Chris. Finn had always had a crush on Chris, but he’d never done or said anything about it because the man worked for him. But when Finn walks into the Hammer Club and sees Chris up as one of the men to bid on at the Charity Christmas Auction, all bets are off, and Finn throws his hat in the ring to win his ex-bodyguard.

Could there be more between Finn and Chris than just a former business relationship? Finn sure hopes so and all he wants for Christmas is his feelings to be reciprocated.

Almost a year ago Finn was finally freed when his stalker – who had made his life hell for more than five years – had been brought down by the police. Finn had managed to take his life back, but when he walks into the Hammer Club for their annual Christmas Auction and sees his ex-bodyguard up for bidding, Finn can’t help himself. He’s always been attracted to Chris and while Finn wants his affections reciprocated, he hopes that by bidding on Chris they can maybe finally explore if they’re compatible in more than just a business sense.

This is a fun and seriously sexy quick read. A short story, I was impressed that the author managed to pack a fair bit of history between the two characters which really helped sell the speed and sparks of chemistry between them. While there is absolutely a wonderful, albeit smutty, short story there isn’t a huge amount of plot. Finn and Chris finally getting together really is the plot. It was delightful to watch them realize they have the solid workings of a long term, committed relationship together, each of them sharing the same taste in their bedroom kink and antics. Readers looking for something heavily plotted or complicated probably won’t find this story quite to their tastes.

I thoroughly enjoyed the steamy and sensual connections and relationship that quickly built between the two men. I found with their emotional connection and strong background together the speed with which they hooked up – and the intense trust they placed in each other – was quite believable and very well written. Indeed, a part of me wondered why – even though it was a bodyguard/client working relationship – with the strength of their attraction and mutual chemistry it seemed a little odd to me personally that neither had at least tested the waters until Finn bid on Chris at the auction. This was a fairly small point though, and one I could easily overlook.

Smoking hot and deliciously kinky, this is a great quick read and one I can easily recommend.

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

Nick and Charlie by Alice Oseman

March 10, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Nick and Charlie by Alice Oseman
A Heartstopper Novella
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Genre: YA (16+), LGBTQ, Romance, Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

From the mega-bestselling creator of Heartstopper, a must-have novella in which Heartstopper’s lead characters, Nick and Charlie, face one of their biggest challenges yet.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder… right?

Everyone knows that Nick and Charlie love their nearly inseparable life together. But soon Nick will be leaving for university, and Charlie, a year younger, will be left behind. Everyone’s asking if they’re staying together, which is a stupid question… or at least that’s what Nick and Charlie assume at first.

As the time to say goodbye gets inevitably closer, both Nick and Charlie start to question whether their love is strong enough to survive being apart. Charlie is sure he’s holding Nick back… and Nick can’t tell what Charlie’s thinking.
Things spiral from there.

Everyone knows that first loves rarely last forever. What will it take for Nick and Charlie to defy the odds?

Two young men navigating a world that’s hard enough when you’re older and treacherous when you’re a teen.

I read Heartstopper, Vol 1 and loved it, but I picked up this one next because it was available. I’m still reading Vol 2, 3 and 4. Having said that, I don’t feel like I missed much by reading this novella next. It’s the most recent in the Nick and Charlie saga, but it’s told in the form of a novella, not a graphic novel. That made a difference. It’s told through each character’s point of view and I liked that because the reader can get into the character’s head.

Nick and Charlie are at a crossroads. Nick is about to go ff to college and Charlie will be left behind. It’s a rough situation many teens go through–leaving their girlfriend or boyfriend behind. It’s relatable what these two go through and it’s heart rendering, too. It’s tough to be a teen. But in this story, the tale is told through the eyes of the characters and at a teen level. There’s no pandering here. I liked that.

If you want a story to get involved with, with characters that stick with you long after the last page, then this might be the one for you. It was for me.

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