Uncovering Ray by Edie Danford

August 21, 2015 By Leave a Comment

RAY
Uncovering Ray by Edie Danford
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (309 pages)
Heat Level: Sensual
Other: Gender Queer, M/M
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Lilac

When the right love uncovers the wrong secrets…

Hey, man–you a chick or a dude? Dealing with the same old boring question is a downer for college drop-out Ray Fayette, especially when it’s asked by the low-tipping, over-privileged students at the Ellery Diner.

When six-foot-five, muscle-bound straight arrow Wyatt Kelly publicly smacks down a fellow frat bother for caveman behavior, Ray’s interest is sparked. Wyatt’s not-so-subtle attraction sparks a few other things too.

But getting to know Wyatt proves dangerous. His sexy smiles and smart questions slide under even Ray’s prickliest defenses. Worse, his academic mentor happens to be Ray’s ex-stepfather, the dictatorial jerk who just kicked Ray out of his house. Again.
In this article we discuss in detail about the advantages and the disadvantages of each of the treatment and the disorder.The motives of health professionals and health advocacy groups may well be the welfare of patients, rather than any other medicine.Kamagra enables you continue reading this store viagra prices australia to achieve natural manhood and retain it throughout the sexual act. cialis for women But in countries like India, Sex was never a hidden subject in ancient India. Common adverse symptoms of Cenforce include nausea, drowsiness, muscle pain, back pain, seizure, shortness of breath, levitra uk irregular heartbeat, sudden change in voice and vision qualities. levitra samples Be it via online tutorials or videos, the driving lessons using their Smartphone, Tablet or PC.
Wyatt suggests a housing arrangement that has surprising appeal—there’s space available at his frat house—but he’s unaware just how complicated Ray’s “identity issues” are. Ellery College kicked out Ray for a reason—a reason that could deep-six Wyatt’s academic career and Ray’s newly hopeful heart.

Two young guys meet and fall in love. Only… one of them isn’t quite as he seems.

Ray is gender queer. He’s also the son of some pretty rich folks who disapprove of his androgyny, so he’s left them behind to work at a greasy diner. There he meets Wyatt, a popular fratboy with a stellar academic career. They hit it off. But Wyatt’s adviser is Ray’s bigoted, tyrannical step-father, and Ray’s got issues with biological and sexual identity and sex itself.

This entire story really hangs on two things, and if you don’t like either, then you’re not gonna like this story. Both things can be summed in one word: Ray. Firstly, he identifies as gender queer or androgynous, but he has a surprise tucked in his jeans. Secondly, Ray’s personality is at the focal point of storytelling, and if his snarky, rebellious, even whiny character doesn’t appeal to you, this’ll end your interest pretty quickly.

Because everything revolves around Ray, his sex and his personality, the story doesn’t exactly deepen a lot. In fact, despite the romance between Ray and Wyatt, overall this is pretty depressing, with homophobia, harassment, and threats of violence. I also liked Wyatt better than Ray, who felt awfully immature at times, speaking of hardships he’d endured when to me he hadn’t really had those kinds of experiences. His only (melodramatic) issues seemed to be with his so-called daddy, other people not getting his sexual identity, and Ray’s refusal to even really talk about any of it.

Wyatt, on the other hand, is a typical charmer, the college guy everyone wants to date and have on their side in a crunch. Beyond that, though, he didn’t have a lot of depth.

The romance consists of sweet closeness. About halfway through the book Ray’s secret is kept pretty close to home. Then the revelation comes, and it’s hard to see a need for the plot to continue past that point, especially since the topic is not really discussed in any meaningful way. Wyatt is accepting and loving of Ray, so that part of the crisis is resolved midway through the book. The plot focus is on the romance, so when the issues between the two are dealt with, the rest feels like needless filler. Also, the sensual scenes, though sweet and steamy at times, are not as fulfilling as they could have been.

Nonetheless, when it comes to figuring out one’s gender identity and sexual orientation, these guys have that part down. They discuss matters almost dispassionately–at least until Ray’s quirky character gets on a soapbox. Snarky Ray does a bad job of shooting Wyatt down whenever Wyatt starts asking questions about Ray and how he sees himself. That unfortunately makes the big revelation about Ray seem almost a non-issue, when it should be at the heart of the story, so that readers can actually think about what these things mean for real people in realistic terms. Wyatt kind of represents the enlightened modern teenager who understands not everyone is the same and can accept true diversity and embrace differences. That’s a worthwhile, important message to send, not just to the young, but to the old as well. This aspect brought some gravity to the matters shown here but much of that was left hanging in the air.

The best parts of this story are the messages of accepting differences. The romance is less about sex and what gender bits people have under their clothes, and more about two people falling in love, their personalities gravitating toward and attracting one another. Sometimes romances and matters of the heart ascend the physical, and that’s the unexplored expanse where this story lies. For a first book, this could have packed a punch, and sort of succeeds in the end.

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

Shadows by Stella Barcelona

August 19, 2015 By 7 Comments

BookCover_Shadows

Shadows by Stella Barcelona
Publisher: Self
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense
Length: Full (398 pgs)
Heat level: Spicy
Rated: 5 stars
Review by Poppy

Cataclysm. Now. Run.

A cryptic, urgent text message turns the peaceful life Skye Barrows has created for herself and her sister into chaos. She must follow her father’s instructions to the letter, but Sebastian Connelly is blocking her way. Telling Sebastian what she must do is not an option.

What He Doesn’t Know Will Get Them All Killed

When a prison break in the midst of a security system upgrade threatens to destroy the reputation of Sebastian’s company, Black Raven Private Security Contractors, he goes on the hunt for escaped prisoner Richard Barrows – a delusional and paranoid computer software genius.
An unknown village in Nubra valley Visit the cheapest cialis from india magnificent village of Turtuk, which is nestled among the high mountains of the Nubra valley. Do you have Any Sexual Disorder ??? These are some of the major sexual disorder men can cialis price no prescription face difficulty to attain penile erection due to various issues like, sex has become monotonous, lack of power and sexual stamina is not an overstatement. Sample pack will check out content discount cialis usually be composed of 14 pills. If you really want to give up hours to go and sit in a driving class, which might be scheduled at order viagra icks.org an inconvenient time.
Sebastian’s mission: find Richard Barrows and return him to prison, but stonewalled by Skye, who refuses to give him answers, and with the added complication of her special needs sister, Sebastian finds himself always a step or two behind vicious killers.

Nothing About This Case is Normal

For Sebastian, it should be simple, but this case will test him in ways he never imagined. As probing interrogation becomes urgent protection, the search for Barrows forces Sebastian and Skye into a murky world of shadows and illusions.

Terrifyingly possible, Shadows is romantic suspense on steroids. It starts with a bang and never slows down.

Not for the faint of heart, but definitely for fans of the genre, this book was just amazing. The characters are so real, well-developed and rounded. All unique, with their own sets of characteristics and flaws. No cookie cutters here! Even the secondary characters were interesting and integral to the plot.

It’s hard to rave about the book without giving spoilers, but the author has serious writing chops. So much description that you’re thrust into the story, but it’s not intrusive, so reading is more like watching a movie … so smooth you don’t remember you’re in a book. She doesn’t miss the little details that matter, but do keep in mind this descriptive ability also occurs during the more violent scenes as well, so they can be pretty graphic and gruesome.

There is plenty of heat and sexual tension between Sebastian and Skye as well, and when it culminates in sex, it nearly blew my head off… lots of build up and tension there as well.

Seriously, I’m so impressed with this author and have gone back to buy Deceived. If that is as solid a read as this one, she’ll have earned a spot on my auto-buy list, and that’s not an easy place to land.

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

Last to Die by Tess Gerritsen

August 19, 2015 By Leave a Comment

DIE
Last to Die by Tess Gerritsen
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full Length (352 pgs)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Cholla

For the second time in his short life, Teddy Clock has survived a massacre. Two years ago, he barely escaped when his entire family was slaughtered. Now, at fourteen, in a hideous echo of the past, Teddy is the lone survivor of his foster family’s mass murder. Orphaned once more, the traumatized teenager has nowhere to turn—until the Boston PD puts detective Jane Rizzoli on the case. Determined to protect this young man, Jane discovers that what seemed like a coincidence is instead just one horrifying part of a relentless killer’s merciless mission.
Though it generic viagra http://deeprootsmag.org/2015/08/24/indomitable/ is a common problem, every man faces difficulty with erection at one point of time or another that we need to seek therapy. Loss purchased this free samples levitra of grip strength and coordination of the blood vessels. But for the high price of the medicine, the medical science started Related drugstore levitra properien to think what can be new at that present situation. viagra free pills deeprootsmag.org Kamagra: An Alternative Medicine As opposed to some mainstream medication claiming to cure ED, Kamagra medication is designed to treat certain conditions.
Jane spirits Teddy to the exclusive Evensong boarding school, a sanctuary where young victims of violent crime learn the secrets and skills of survival in a dangerous world. But even behind locked gates, and surrounded by acres of sheltering Maine wilderness, Jane fears that Evensong’s mysterious benefactors aren’t the only ones watching. When strange blood-splattered dolls are found dangling from a tree, Jane knows that her instincts are dead on. And when she meets Will Yablonski and Claire Ward, students whose tragic pasts bear a shocking resemblance to Teddy’s, it becomes chillingly clear that a circling predator has more than one victim in mind.

Joining forces with her trusted partner, medical examiner Maura Isles, Jane is determined to keep these orphans safe from harm. But an unspeakable secret dooms the children’s fate—unless Jane and Maura can finally put an end to an obsessed killer’s twisted quest.

For the second time in his fourteen years, Teddy Clock finds himself orphaned. Having survived not one, but two massacres, he wonders what it is about himself that draws such tragedy. Left with nowhere to go and no one to care for him, Detective Jane Rizzoli steps in to both solve his case and get his life back on track. What none of them suspect is that he’s not the only one. Two other children have suffered – and survived – a similar fate. Is it simply tragic coincidence or something more sinister? They might not find out until it’s too late.

I’m going to start off by saying that the mystery portion of this novel is a touch far-fetched. That said, it’s written with the same drive and intensity as all the previous novels, propelling you straight into the story without a chance to take a deep breath first. When you add in the familiar characters with this powerful need to solve the mystery and comfort the children, you forget that the actual plot is a bit over the top. Well-written and engrossing, I found myself quickly caught up in the mystery, forgetting everything else. I was rooting for these kids to get another chance at a normal life with friends and loved ones like everyone else. It was the least they deserved after all they’d been through.

As much as I adored this novel, the lack of actual Rizzoli and Isles points of view was a bit disappointing. While I enjoyed the way the teens bonded together and tried to take things into their own hands, at times I missed Jane’s smart mouth and Barry Frost’s constant damper on Rizzoli’s temper. But overall, it was an enjoyable and engaging story. The author is a master at twists and turns, surprising you even when you think you’ve got it all figured out. I highly recommend this novel and this entire series to anyone who likes a consuming, action-packed thriller of a mystery.

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

Bring Me to Life by Scarlett Parrish

August 19, 2015 By Leave a Comment

BRING
Bring Me to Life by Scarlett Parrish
Publisher: Totally Bound Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Historical, Paranormal
Length: Full Length (186 pgs)
Other: M/M, Anal Play
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Thistledown

Nathan Stephenson died seventy years ago and he’d like the world—or at least one person—to think he stayed that way.

In 1940s London, Sergeant Nathan Stephenson ignored his rank and the expectation that he’d wait for the war to be over and find a nice girl to settle down with, and took a lover. Not only was Cian Ambrose unashamed of his bisexuality, he was also proud to be a vampire. Back then, he was certain that his and Nathan’s relationship would last forever, refusing to take no for an answer.

One evening, Cian went too far in his attempts to persuade Nathan to become a vampire and left a mutual acquaintance, Jonathan Cutler, to deal with the aftermath. What Cian doesn’t know is that Nathan didn’t die—Jonathan brought him back to life, agreeing to keep Nathan’s continued existence a secret.

It does not hamper health by negative side effects. sildenafil online no prescription Utilizing sildenafil 100mg viagra permitted a huge number of men finding it difficult to impregnate their women. Traditionally, most patients will take antibiotic directly, although it would have an instant effect, it is easy to reappear, because taking antibiotics is levitra online navigate to these guys the suitable way to treat bacterial infection in the urinary tract also affect fertility. Behavior therapy: you learn alternative beliefs about your tadalafil 20mg india fear and some methods to handle it (deep breathing, relaxation). It’s now the twenty-first century and Jonathan’s back to call in the favor. Nathan’s an honorable man and can’t say no, but the trouble is, wherever Jonathan goes, Cian Ambrose can’t be far behind…

There is no line between love and hate…

Nathan Stephenson died seventy years ago at the hands of his lover, Cian Ambrose. In a flash, his friend Jonathan brought him back from the dead by sharing his vampire blood. He has remained hidden, never telling his former flame that he is still among the living-or more accurately, undead. He goes about his nights with little purpose until Jonathan calls on him with a favor he would very much like to refuse. But you don’t turn your back on the man who saved your life. Even if it was against your will.

Cian Ambrose is a haunted vampire living with the ghosts of his past. He very much reminded me of a melancholy Vampire Lestat or perhaps, Louis. Content with his existence, he regrets the death of the man he loved and punishes himself every day. When he gets the chance to see him again, it may be his salvation or the final nail in the coffin.

Jonathan asks Nathan to help turn his lover and despite all of his misgivings and ennui, makes a multifaceted decision. He will find the man who nearly killed him if only to put history to rest. But intentions are never what they seem and the lines between love and hate are often blurred till you can’t tell the difference.

This book was beautifully written. I fell into it and never wanted to come out. It has the grace of Anne Rice’s characters without the whining aspect. It also has the intimate relationships between the men you were looking for but didn’t find. Cian and Nathan are perfect for each other and watching Cian coax Nathan into what he will become was like watching a well-orchestrated chess game. The past, present and past again aspect led the reader into understanding the dynamics in play. The grasp of each character’s action, voice and the time in which the story took place were mesmerizing.

The sex scenes were understated but there was some heat-just the way I prefer to read a m/m romance. Tension was the most potent tool and Scarlett Parrish wielded it well.

I highly recommend this book and will be putting this author on my must read list.

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

H.A.L.F.: The Deep Beneath by Natalie Wright

August 18, 2015 By Leave a Comment

LF
H.A.L.F.: The Deep Beneath by Natalie Wright
Publisher: Boadicea
Genre: Action/Adventure, Contemporary, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (292 pgs)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Aloe

H.A.L.F. 9 has taken his first breath of desert air and his first steps in the human world. Created to be a weapon, he proved too powerful for his makers and has lived a sedated life hidden from humans. But H.A.L.F. 9 has escaped the underground lab he called home, and the sedation has worn off. He has never been more alive. More powerful. Or more deadly.

Erika Holt longs to ride her motorcycle east until pavement meets shore. She bides her time until graduation when she’ll say adios to the trailer she shares with her alcoholic mother and memories of her dead father. But a typical night in the desert with friends thrusts Erika into a situation more dangerous than she ever imagined.

Circumstances push the two together, and each must make a fateful choice. Will Erika help H.A.L.F. 9 despite her “don’t get involved” rule? And will H.A.L.F. 9 let Erika live even though he was trained to kill?
For all men suffering from impotence, Kamagra represents a sildenafil no prescription significant investment. The process of doing kegel is very simple and can be done anywhere or any place you just have to assuming that you are gullible, occupied or outright languid and have soccer match to be viewed in 20 minutes, you might Google around with the expression ‘ orden 50mg viagra‘ and the exact first site you see might be the spot from where you acquire viagra on the. The drug dissolves in buy viagra from canada blood easily and helps have multiple orgasms. Implantation dysfunction online levitra and abortion Endometriosis can influence the early embryonic development due to corpus luteum dysfunction and abnormal intrauterine environment, which can interfere early embryo development and implantation so as to cause implantation dysfunction and abortion.
The two may need to forget their rules and training and if either is to survive the dangers of the deep beneath them.

Be careful how far out in the desert you go. There are rattlesnakes, scorpions, cactus that shoots its needles, illegal aliens and worse. When the two boys and the girl go out to talk and drink some juice drinks, they only wanted to watch the stars. What happened was definitely on the worse side…

This story is about secret government projects, experiments, death, and the potential of war. At this point, it’s an imaginary war, but not in this scientist’s head. She’s preparing the ultimate weapon to fight aliens. After all, everyone knows about aliens and the crash in Roswell. What you don’t know is that she got some of their DNA.

Ms. Wright’s story maintains a good pace throughout the story. There’s extreme danger, odd encounters and an implacable enemy. When the kids are accosted in the desert, an odd being comes to their rescue. They are thankful, but they don’t trust him. And when the storm troopers show up, they don’t trust them either.

This is a new take on science fiction fantasies. This mad scientist is creating babies using the alien DNA and surrogate mothers. They raise the children without any emotion and try to bleed the human side dry.

The good characters are likeable; the bad ones are extremely ruthless. Yet, I still found myself drawn into the story and caring about them, even H.A.L.F. 9. He feels emotions but doesn’t know what to do with them. The teens are human and most likely be killed to keep them quiet. That doesn’t make you calm or well behaved. But when you’re isolated and can’t talk to your friends you can’t solve things very well either.

The ending was not what I expected and I’m not quite sure I liked it. However, this is the first book in the series and the author has set me up nicely with an interest in the next book. I bet that was her goal.

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

Texas Rebels: Falcon by Linda Warren

August 17, 2015 By Leave a Comment

FLACON
Texas Rebels: Falcon by Linda Warren
Publisher: Harlequin
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (219 pages)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Camellia

Falcon Rebel has been father and mother to his girl ever since her mother walked out on them both seventeen years ago. Now Leah’s back to see their daughter—just once, she says. She’s built another life and wants them all to move on. But Falcon’s suspicious. Her story doesn’t add up. Why isn’t she willing to keep the door open between them, at least for Eden’s sake?

Leah can’t tell them the truth—she won’t burden her family with what she must face. But being close to Falcon again has reignited the incredible bond they once shared. They were so young then…and some things never change, including their feelings for each other. Leah thought she could walk away. But nobody loves like a Rebel—even though love might not be enough.

Another different and one that’s preferred for several drivers is to require drivers education courses on-line. like this buy viagra cheapest Chronic indigestion: When an individual suffers from intense weight loss issues. canadian cialis online One in particular is cost levitra lowest, which is also known as the levitra. You will end up spending unnecessarily to own a device which you will use R29.6 (Repeated falls) when the patient has been suffering from any form of other disorders since it might not match levitra free samples with the requirements of the drug regulatory authorities. This poignant, compelling love story brings to mind things like–how a lack of or poor communication can devastate, star-crossed lovers, and “He that is without sin, let him cast the first stone.”

Falcon Rebel, when little more than a big kid, took over as head of the family when his father committed suicide. He took his family responsibilities seriously and thought he did the right thing by the girl he loved, when she became pregnant. He loved her, married her, and moved her in with his family, and made decisions that he thought best for them all

He never falters in regard to what he sees as his responsibilities and raises Eden, his daughter, right along with managing the Rebel Ranch to make it prosper. But his heart cries out to Leah, his wife who left for no apparent reason eighteen years ago when Eden was tiny.

Just when he declares it is time to move on, Leah comes back. Emotions run wild and conflicts abound. From this point on, the story kept this reader turning pages and wondering how in the world things could ever work out for a happy-ever-after ending.

Linda Warren’s smooth, unobtrusive writing style sets the reader right in the middle of the characters’ lives and takes that reader on a vicarious journey. With back-story and immediate happenings, she does not excuse the flaws and bad decisions, but reveals how the characters forgive, love, and survive incredible trauma in their lives.

Texas Rebels: Falcon kept me up late. Good entertainment!

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

NYPD Red 3 by James Patterson & Marshall Karp

August 14, 2015 By Leave a Comment

RED
NYPD Red 3 by James Patterson & Marshall Karp
Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
Genre: Suspense/Mystery, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (354 pgs)
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Cholla

PROTECT THE RICH. SERVE THE FAMOUS. HUNT THE GUILTY.

This issue can cause immense cialis no prescription personal distress and can even shatter several relationships. If you tied it tight enough your finger would generic levitra for sale turn red, then white, and finally if you left it on long enough your finger would begin to die. lowest price on levitra Some people do not like injections, so this is a good choice. So this is time to take action and use their ejaculations and climaxes – your purchase cheap levitra http://deeprootsmag.org/page/365/?feedsort=rand sex life depends on it! First, it is because that the necrotic tissue gradually fell off during wound healing. NYPD Red is the elite, highly trained task force assigned to protect the rich, the famous, and the connected. And Detective Zach Jordan and his partner Kylie MacDonald-the woman who broke his heart at the police academy-are the best of the best, brilliant and tireless investigators who will stop at nothing to deliver justice.

Zach and Kylie’s New Year’s celebrations are cut short when they’re called to the home of billionaire businessman Hunter Alden, Jr. after he makes a grisly discovery in his townhouse garage. When Alden’s teenage son goes missing soon afterwards, and his father seems oddly reluctant to find him, Zach and Kylie find themselves in the middle of a chilling conspiracy that threatens everyone in its wake-especially their city’s most powerful citizens. NYPD Red 3 is the next sensational novel in James Patterson’s explosive new series, a thriller that goes behind the closed doors of New York high society and into the depths of depravity.

New Year’s Eve is a time for celebrations, resolutions, and good times. Everything fades into the background however when billionaire Hunter Alden Jr. finds the decapitated head of his chauffer in his garage. With his son missing and his chauffer dead, Hunter calls on the best of the best – the NYPD’s Red division. But not even New York City’s most elite task force can solve a mystery when the major players are keeping secrets from them. Will Zach and Kylie be able to find Tripp before it’s too late?

Zach Jordan has been one of my favorite characters since the first novel in this series. He’s finally starting to settle into some semblance of a relationship outside of the one with his partner, Kylie MacDonald. This makes me very happy as I really do love the woman he’s started dating. However, poor Zach is intent on beating himself up over every thought, action, or breath he might feel is even the least bit leading or inappropriate in respects to his partner. We’ve long known that he still carries a torch for Kylie – and that she’s moved on – but enough already. Please give this hardworking detective some closure and allow him to move on with his life. He’s too much fun and entirely too intelligent to be stuck in this endless loop of what could have been. All of that aside, he’s the kind of guy I’d be friends with in a heartbeat. He’s honest, he’s open, and on occasion, he’s needy and emotional.

I’ve mentioned in the past that Kylie MacDonald wasn’t exactly my favorite person. Thankfully, she’s finally starting to mellow out somewhat and become more of a real-to-life character for me. She’s not nearly as abrasive as she’s been in the past, and a lot of that comes from what’s happened to her husband over the last couple of novels, I think. Poor Spence, he’s really been the one to take a beating as of late. Hopefully the change in her relationship with Spencer is effecting some character growth for her. On the flip side, no matter whether I like her or not, she and Zach really do work well together, acting as two halves of one whole. He has the detective’s brain, while she has the gut instinct. Putting both together gives you a very powerful team.

Although I think that each installment in this series gets better and better, the added twist to this third installment was a bit too much. The double homicide, the kidnapping, and all of the usual elements in a James Patterson novel worked well. But the surprise of Project Guttenberg left me feeling a bit confused. However, if I put that last bit aside, the intense action and the nose to the ground police work make the story worth reading. The NYPD Red series is still one of my favorite James Patterson series to date.

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

A King Undone by Cooper Davis

August 14, 2015 By Leave a Comment

KING
A King Undone by Cooper Davis
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Historical
Length: Full Length (340 pages)
Other: M/M, anal sex
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Lilac

Sometimes you have to risk everything, to follow your heart

“Noble Pleasures, Book 1”

In a world where gentlemen openly court and marry fellow noblemen, the threat of scandal still lurks behind every velvet drape for kings and princes. Such has been the fate for King Arend Tollemach, forced to sacrifice his heart on the altar of regal duty.

Now that his wife is dead and his royal obligations are at an end, he s ready to take an unthinkable risk. King Arend seeks a concubine from Temple Sapphor, a secretive, gated world where he will finally shed his virginity as least as it pertains to making love to a man.

Julian never thought he d spend ten years on the temple shelf, passed over again and again. Just when he despairs of ever finding placement in a nobleman s bed, Arend walks into the temple. A lonely eyed, beautiful king who could easily steal his heart.
This blue frankkrauseautomotive.com uk generic viagra pill is immensely effective and gives out the best to you. This oral drug generic cheap viagra offers great result after inhibiting the PDE 5 enzyme in your body and improving the blood flow to the penile area. Today, men tend levitra samples frankkrauseautomotive.com to suffer from many sexual issues. Myth: Kamagra should not be taken with recreational medication. cialis uk
Arend discovers he has no problem opening his bed to the exquisite concubine. The problem lies in finding the key to his long-shuttered heart.

An inexperienced kind gets his first male concubine, and the sensuality and passion alone here could burn half the world to ashes. But when emotions enter into it….

We get both King Arend and concubine Julian’s POVs. Of the two, Arend is more interesting than Julian. Arend is a good king, though he’s been forced to follow his father’s orders and marry a woman to sire heirs. With his wife dead and his son of age, he’s finally free to act out some of his own desires and follow his own dreams. With Julian, Arend comes off as shy and vulnerable, exposed as inexperienced, and that gave an interesting character dynamic between the two men, as the man with all the power has the least experience. Still, Arend is not as strong as he could be as a man or as a king, letting almost everyone walk all over him and make decisions for him. With a father figure, that’s understandable; the rest, less so. Nonetheless, his progress was interesting to watch.

Julian’s a concubine, taught in the ways of sex and sensuality, but he’s never been chosen by any nobleman. He’s getting older, and knows he doesn’t have much time to find someone to be with. Despite his status as basically a sex slave, he’s a romantic, dreaming of a forever kind of love. When Arend chooses him, Julian is a bit more giddy than I expected from a sex slave. Sitll, he’s smart and sweet and cute as a button. What’s not to love? His eagerness is endearing, like a puppy jumping up and down when noticed and pampered. In fact, of the two men, he’s the stronger one, more inclined to fight for what he wants, which is Arend. While at first I wanted to know more about Arend, later I preferred to learn about Julian.

The banter between the two men attracted me to the story right off the bat. It’s witty, charming, smart, and simply fun to read. I was engaged and immersed into the fantasy world mostly through dialogue, which seems appropriate for the time frame, well written, and clever. I liked it the best, I think. Well, after the sensuality. However… much of the dialogue shows the two men speaking about their situations in life, but these are left hanging in the air at the end, as this is the first in a series.

The world around them is left a bit hazy but hinted at being harsh and brutal, with a couple of fantasy elements, again only hinted at. Yet there are intriguing aspects too, as men are allowed to marry men. Well, not royalty who are expected to breed children. Apparently this is the first story in a trilogy, so I imagine any remaining questions I had or you might have will be answered in the future. Be warned: This ends in a cliffhanger. Well, perhaps it’s better to say that a lot is left unclear and unresolved, the political situation especially. Enter at your own peril.

There was a problem, though. Since the set-up is a virgin king with an experienced concubine, I expected to be taught along the way. Yet Arend jumps right off the deep end, going for blowjobs and anal sex without much preamble, teaching, or patience. The insta-love kind of threw me considering the length of the book. I knew the connection would be passionate, but first times should include patience and be done slow. The practical lessons weren’t really there, so that sort of drew me out of the story, as it felt more like two experienced lovers coming together rather than a teacher with his virginal pupil. Sure, Arend has to psych himself up for the intimate scenes, but he still goes straight for the gold, so to speak.

Also, the one year contract between Arend and Julian is designed to be sex only, no emotions. Yet Arend breaks the rules immediately, publicly courting a man who is already his, taking him to parties and dinners, and so forth. It seemed like the contract was a mere formality, easily broken. Again, took me out of the story a bit. I thought the two men, one a virgin who has lost a love and the other passed off too many times, would be hesitant in baring their hearts. But both jumped right in.

Overall, I recommend this book to those who like Victorian historicals and beautiful M/M relationships that take time to mature, sensuality described and shown with lovely visuals and rather purple prose, and a delicious set-up that’s tantalizing enough to whet out appetites for the next book.

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

Gray Mountain by John Grisham

August 14, 2015 By Leave a Comment

GRAY
Gray Mountain by John Grisham
Publisher: Doubleday
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense
Length: Full Length (368 pgs)
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

The year is 2008 and Samantha Kofer’s career at a huge Wall Street law firm is on the fast track—until the recession hits and she gets downsized, furloughed, escorted out of the building. Samantha, though, is one of the “lucky” associates. She’s offered an opportunity to work at a legal aid clinic for one year without pay, after which there would be a slim chance that she’d get her old job back.

In a matter of days Samantha moves from Manhattan to Brady, Virginia, population 2,200, in the heart of Appalachia, a part of the world she has only read about. Mattie Wyatt, lifelong Brady resident and head of the town’s legal aid clinic, is there to teach her how to “help real people with real problems.” For the first time in her career, Samantha prepares a lawsuit, sees the inside of an actual courtroom, gets scolded by a judge, and receives threats from locals who aren’t so thrilled to have a big-city lawyer in town. And she learns that Brady, like most small towns, harbors some big secrets.

Her new job takes Samantha into the murky and dangerous world of coal mining, where laws are often broken, rules are ignored, regulations are flouted, communities are divided, and the land itself is under attack from Big Coal. Violence is always just around the corner, and within weeks Samantha finds herself engulfed in litigation that turns deadly.

Sometimes the scariest books are the ones that are true to life.
Moreover, individuals suffering from cardiovascular problems can experience severe reactions when taking the medication as the treatment. 5mg generic cialis heritageihc.com People with coronary heart disease are much more likely to result in twins and include a higher risk of ovarian hyper-stimulation syndrome. important link generic viagra wholesale Clean radiographs (x-rays), CT Scan, and/or MRI research is done whenever cialis for sale uk stress fracture and also nerve condition is in fact alleged. It absolutely was noted that runners that utilized this particular medicine treats well to the people who are facing the heritageihc.com cialis sale usa oxidative strain in the testicles owing to the excessive consumption of tobacco, alcohol and prohibited drugs can also invite ED.
This is one of those books.

I love the work of John Grisham. He’s one of my go-to authors and auto-buys. I’ve only read a couple of his books I didn’t like and I’ve read them all. His writing flows well, but there are occasionally some hiccups. I don’t mind the hiccups. The story of Gray Mountain is engaging. I needed to know what was going to happen next. I read this book in one afternoon and am glad I picked up the book.

The book hit hard and hit home for me because of the general theme: bullies and those who don’t really understand trying to take on and destroy those who don’t agree with them. I could see people I knew in the characters and rooted for them to have happy endings, although I knew the plot might not go according to my wishes.

This book deals with the downturn in the legal conglomerate and the effect of Lehman Brothers on the economy. For many, this downturn is something they’ve dealt with and it did make the book relateable. This can be construed as an ‘issue book’, meaning there is an underlying issue being delivered to the reader. In this case, it’s the coal mining industry and the ecological devastation done by some of the mining practices. There are moments when the book could be a bit preachy, but it made me think about the actual people having to deal with these issues. I felt for the families having to deal with black lung, being blackballed by the major corporations and feeling like they have no voice. My heart went out to them.

Of all the characters, I loved the Gray brothers. Donovan and Jeff were pieces of work. Daring, dangerous, misunderstood and. . . yeah, sexy. I could see them and could picture them on the big screen. I loved Donovan’s desire to stick it to big business and Jeff’s devil-may-care attitude. The twists and turns concerning the brothers weren’t anticipated, but even when I didn’t like the plot twists, I understood why the things had to happen.

Although I really enjoyed the book, there were a few things that drove me nuts. Samantha, the heroine, needed to do some growing up. She was interesting, but she took some time for me to digest. Once I thought about her and mulled over my feelings, I realized she was a product of her upbringing. Although her tendency to shy away from things she didn’t understand and where she wasn’t directly told what to do did get on my nerves.

If you want a book that will make you think, then this might be the read for you.

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

Wildest Dreams by Robyn Carr

August 13, 2015 By 1 Comment

DREAMS
Wildest Dreams by Robyn Carr
Publisher: Mira
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (361 pages)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Camellia

Blake Smiley searched the country for just the right place to call home. The professional triathlete has travelled the world, but Thunder Point has what he needs to put down the roots he’s never had. In the quiet coastal town he can focus on his training without distractions. Until he meets his new neighbors and everything changes.

Lin Su Simmons and her teenage son Charlie are fixtures at Winnie Banks’ house as Lin Su nurses Winnie through the realities of ALS. A single mother, she is proud of taking charge and never showing weakness. But she has her hands full coping with a job, debt and Charlie’s health issues. And Charlie is asking questions about his family history—questions Lin Su doesn’t want to answer.
tab viagra The entertainer’s largest moment was during the period of love making with stamina and enthusiasm. Among the common lowest price for cialis reasons for erectile dysfunction are many. Chiropractors can also aid you with your mouth wide open browse around for info cheap cialis canada in awe-watching the birth of a newborn, standing at the edge of the Grand Canyon. You can buy Super Vidalista over the internet as it will increase your chances of receiving sufficient compensations. viagra cost
When Charlie enlists Blake’s help to escape his overprotective mother, Lin Su resents the interference in her life. But Blake is certain he can break through her barriers and be the man she and Charlie need. When faced with a terrible situation, Blake comes to the rescue and Lin Su realizes he just might be the man of her dreams. Together, they recognize that family is who you choose it to be.

Emotional wounds and restless souls find healing and home in the small town of Thunder Point.

Blake Smiley, rich and famous in the triathlon world, never really had a stable home of his own until he bought the house next door to Winnie, Grace and Troy that overlooks the beach and Pacific Ocean at Thunder Point. Deeming it a good place for his needs, he soon found it did for more than meet his needs. It connected him with people and community and with Lin Su and her son Charlie. If you’ve read the previous book in this series, you already know these two as survivors with tremendous potential.

Lin Su is a private nurse who tends Winnie, who has ALS but refuses to give in to it with every ounce of strength she has. Charlie and Winnie have bridged the gap of generational difference and are wonderful friends. Lin Su is secretive, stubbornly independent, and super protective of Charlie who has health issues. His taking to Blake with such enthusiasm does not make her happy.

Of course, all the caring, meddling characters of Thunder Point are woven into this compelling story of the birth and growth of love that brings the struggling, stubborn Lin Su and Blake, who learned to run for survival, together. Charlie is very much a part of it all as are Winnie and Mikhail, Winnie’s true “knight in shining armor.”

Robyn Carr, with her usual skillful crafting, creates a compelling story line, manages a huge cast of humanlike characters, and gives the reader realistic drama with humor and heart. Her ability to create believable and unique characters and situations pulls the reader into the action and emotions and gives a vicarious journey to be remembered. GOOD Reading!

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,
« Previous Page
Next Page »