Tag Archives: mm review

On The Edge by J.J. Mulder (SCU Hockey #3)

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TITLE: ⟫ On The Edge
AUTHOR: ⟫ J.J. Mulder

SERIES: ⟫ SCU Hockey #3
RATING: ⟫ 4.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ Henri Vasel has perfected the art of people pleasing. He’s a good student, a fair hockey player, and he has a group of friends he’d do anything for. He’s happy. Or, rather, as happy as he can be when he has a class with the one person he can’t seem to please at South Carolina University.

Atlas Kaiser hates a lot of things, but right now he hates Henri Vasel the most. He doesn’t want to have to stare at his perfect face, or listen to his adorable German accent. He wants to be left alone. Unfortunately, they’re partnered together for the semester so he’ll have to grit his teeth and try to make it work.

Animosity morphs into a tentative friendship, which eventually leads to more. But while Atlas doesn’t trust their budding relationship, Henri wants more.

REVIEW: ⟫ I sat after finishing this book to give myself time to let it settle. It wasn’t your typical mm romance, although I have to say Henri and Atlas are actually incredibly romantic! Henri could be classed as asexual, although he never actually labels himself that way. He simply hasn’t ever met anyone that interested him sexually before Atlas. Henri is an absolute sweetheart – very hard on himself, caring about others and generally just one of the good guys.

I wasn’t sure about Atlas initially – he was very prickly, judgemental and occasionally downright mean and I wondered if his grumpy was going to be too much for Henri’s sunshine. As I read more and realised what Atlas had been through, I began to understand his reluctance to let anyone in. I really appreciated how gentle, understanding and loving he was with Henri – not only was there constant informed consent, but there was an understanding on both sides that they could stop anything that was happening at any time. It was beautiful because it was just who they were to each other rather than something special.

The “misunderstanding” between the two of them was painful but it was a good kind of painful, inasmuch as it made Atlas realise that pulling away from Henri to avoid getting hurt wasn’t going to work because it was too painful being away from Henri. I loved the interactions with Atlas’s brothers, and Nate was the MVP of this with his way of ignoring Atlas and his grumpy personality and being the friend that we all need at some point in our lives.

I loved catching up with Carter, Zeke, Max and Luke as well as news about the coach and others. This was a really lovely, relaxing read – sometimes a bit sad, but ultimately hopeful in that the main characters found the right person for them, in spite of their character flaws. I can’t comment on whether or not it was an accurate representation of asexuality, but I thought it was quite eye-opening in how Henri felt about the sexual side of things – there were times when he just wanted to hold Atlas and sleep, and other times when they explored the sexual side of things, but it definitely took a back-seat to the character development and their relationship.

Ultimately, I very much enjoyed reading this story and felt a sense of satisfaction at the end with where they were and how they were living their lives. The SCU Hockey series has been quite the delight to read and I look forward to more from this author.

I received an ARC from GRR.

#NotJason by Jennifer Cody (Banshee House #1)

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TITLE: ⟫ #NotJason
AUTHOR: ⟫ Jennifer Cody

SERIES: ⟫The Banshee House #1
RATING: ⟫ 4/5

BLURB: ⟫ Sean:

When I meet Luke at an Ultimate Frisbee tournament, he’s instantly just the kind of guy I want to get to know better. That he’s the one who asks me out? Well, I’m not going to say no. Our first date goes off without a hitch. He is literally everything I could ever want in a man. Nerd and jock, shy and excitable, competitive in the bedroom yet submissive just the way I like it. It’s not until our second date that I realize why.

I don’t know why these twins are trying to play me, but I’ve got a competitive streak a mile wide, and I will win this game, no matter who started it.

#NotJason is a 35k MMM paranormal romance with twins vying for the love of a single man, a flirty, naked landlord, and freckles in dark places. The Banshee House boys all have interesting kinks, and Sean’s includes the fantasy of millions of men worldwide come true: a twin BJ. There is a Daddy/boy (not age play) relationship in this book, along with consensual and light humiliation kink, and a non-traditional fated mate trope filtered through the skepticism of a take-charge boyfriend.

REVIEW: ⟫ I picked this up to read because of the #NotJason story that I vaguely remembered. As long as you don’t take this too seriously, it’s actually quite entertaining. Obviously the idea that twins are dating one man without telling him could be very problematic, hence needing to suspend a little bit of believe.

I absolutely adored just how Sean was able to tell the difference between Liam and Luke – that was not something the twins could have planned for and made me giggle for quite some time. The members of the Banshee House were entertaining and the story galloped along at an enjoyable pace.

I enjoyed reading this and have move on to the author’s Diviner series based on how much I enjoyed reading this.

George’s Big Day by Mary Calmes (With George #3)

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TITLE: ⟫ George’s Big Day
AUTHOR: ⟫ Mary Calmes

SERIES: ⟫ With George #3
RATING: ⟫ 4.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ George Hunt wants to get married. The fact that he does is utterly amazing and a huge leap of faith for a man who’s always been certain that happily ever afters only happen in fairy tales. The thing is, though, ever since Christmas, when Dr. Kurt Butler, the man he loves, gave him a ring, he’s changed his mind about what’s possible. But between deployments and venues that have to be booked years in advance, matrimonial bliss seems persistently out of reach. Fortunately, George’s friends come through, offering the perfect setting.

Of course, when your life is full of heroes, there are always villains looking to even the score. When the day of the nuptials conflicts with murderous agendas, the only thing that really matters is being married at the end of the day. If George can keep his eye on the prize and everyone does what they do best, it might just all work out.

REVIEW: ⟫ If you are part of Mary Calmes’ monthly newsletter, then George will be very familiar to you – he’s Hannah Kage’s bodyguard and an important part of Jory and Sam Kage’s network from the Matter of Time series. That being said, George is a fabulous man in his own right – he’s a natural born protector who has somehow found his other half in Kurt.

This third novella is George finally getting married, despite what life is determined to throw at him in terms of cartel assassins, his friends bringing trouble down on his head, and the normal shenanigans that Hannah always gets herself involved in.

I love reading these stories by Mary Calmes because they are familiar, favourite characters by now and it allows me to see how some of my old favourites are doing whilst building on the entire universe that these characters inhabit. George is such a lovely man, so sexy, so caring and just utterly right for Kurt – it was a delight to attend their wedding, even if it brought with it the Vault, various assassins and the Marshals service along with it!

A typical Mary Calmes book, it leaves you with a warm, happy feeling when you’ve finished reading it and wishing for so much more in terms of words – this is a world I could happily inhabit forever!

Traitor’s Curse by Eliot Grayson (Twilight Mages #3)

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TITLE: ⟫ Traitor’s Curse
AUTHOR: ⟫ Eliot Grayson

SERIES: ⟫ Twilight Mages #3
RATING: ⟫ /5

BLURB: ⟫ Betrayed, beset on all sides, and possibly bewitched…

Since the sudden, suspicious, and unlamented death of his father, only one man stands between Lucian and the grudging acceptance of his subjects: Benedict, a powerful dusk mage, a military hero, the favorite of the ducal council…and Lucian’s stepbrother.

Not that Benedict wants a shackle disguised as a crown. He’d rather start a new, anonymous life a thousand miles away and leave that beautiful, icy, sneering little cretin Lucian to whatever grim fate awaits him.

But when Lucian comes to him in the middle of the night, terrified and desperate but still as infuriatingly arrogant as ever, Benedict agrees to keep Lucian alive and on the throne. On one condition: Lucian must give in to Benedict’s long-hidden desires and allow Benedict to use him, in every possible way, to sate his cursed magic’s demands.

Lucian detests Benedict. He despises what he becomes when Benedict touches him. And it might be the death of him, if his father’s murderer doesn’t kill him first…

The Traitor’s Curse is the third book in the Twilight Mages series, but it can be read as a standalone. Contains family secrets, unbecoming behavior in a throne room, and a duke who protests far, far too much. HEA guaranteed!

REVIEW: ⟫ Currently reading – review to follow.

Shots on Net by J.J. Mulder (SCU Hockey Book #1)

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TITLE: ⟫ Shots on Net

AUTHOR: ⟫ J.J. Mulder

SERIES: ⟫ SCU Hockey Book #1

RATING: ⟫ 4/5

BLURB: ⟫ Carter Morgan III hates everything about South Carolina University except for one thing: hockey. As the starting netminder for the team, he lives for those moments when he can step onto the ice and between the pipes. Unfortunately, his time at school and on the team is slowly coming to an end; although he’d love nothing more than to pursue a career in the NHL, he knows better than to get his hopes up.

Zeke Cassidy needs a place to live. When he answers an advertisement for a roommate, he’s not sure what he is expecting except that it isn’t Carter Morgan III. Carter is unfriendly, aloof, and they have nothing in common; even so, the pair hit it off immediately and become friends.

Carter knows Zeke isn’t interested in being anything beyond friends and roommates. Unfortunately, knowing this doesn’t stop him from hoping for more, no matter how much he tries to convince himself it’s impossible.

REVIEW: ⟫ This book completely crept up on me and I am so pleased to have found a new author to read! Zeke was an absolute delight – just so upfront and honest, open and caring – exactly what Carter needs. And Carter! Oh my, I just wanted to give him the biggest hugs and hold on tight – that boy deserved so much better than he had gotten before Zeke turned up! The fact that Zeke could read through his grumpy exterior, treasured every single one of his smiles, and made Carter begin to realise that he could have more – really brilliantly done!

I haven’t read anything from this author before but you can bet I’m hitting up everything on their back catalogue after this – Coach Mckensie needs to be read, obviously!!

The Night I Lost Him by Calliope Rhys

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TITLE: ⟫ The Night I Lost Him

AUTHOR: ⟫ Calliope Rhys

RATING: ⟫ 2.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ Caden Conner had never planned on coming out of the box he’d placed himself in long ago, the one he’d carefully crafted to look like everyone around him wanted it to. He had determined to be what they all expected. He’d decorated it with hockey and parties and girlfriends. No one was ever supposed to find him there, but then Jamie came along and ripped him right out of it.

Jamie Bryant was an enigma. He did what he wanted, wore what he wanted, and never apologized for who he was. He had plenty of whispers swirling around him, side-eyes and some outright hatred, but he seemed to simply ignore most of it. Caden had been watching, though, and he’d always hated it when people picked on Jamie. One moment would change everything between them, but Caden still had one foot in that box, torn between being who he truly was and holding onto the reputation he’d worked for.

Caden wasn’t the only person who could see that Jamie was beautiful. Jamie had plenty of his own admirers, and one of them was more dangerous than anyone realized until it was too late. No one thought that he would take it as far as he did, but by the time they understood, Jamie was already missing.

Caden realized he’d lost everything that truly mattered in his life when he’d lost Jamie. The regret and guilt swirled with fear and pain. And he would do whatever it took to get him back.

REVIEW: ⟫ I wanted to love this book so very much – the premise was fascinating and it started out incredibly well. The pain Caden was going through was palpable and the initial flashbacks were introduced in such a way as to fill in the backstory well. But then things went on. And on. Constant pages of Caden going over and over the same thing.

By the time we got to court, even the flashbacks that told their love story couldn’t save it. I was so aggravated by so many things that it got to the stage where I was almost hate reading it. I just wanted to get to the end so that it was over.

The characters were interesting, the premise was well thought out – this was let down by the lack of someone to tell the author to move the heck on with the story. Sometimes I actually felt like I was literally taking the same footsteps as Caden and it was just taking too darn long.

I hesitated on what to rate this as, but for the sake of Caden and Jamie, the excellent meaning the author was working towards, and the friends who proved to be worth their weight in gold, I decided on 2.5, rounded up.

I understand that this is a debut novel (I think) and I will look out for more by this author.

Passing Through Purgatory by Nikole Knight (Passing Through Cafe Book #1)

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TITLE: ⟫ Passing Through Purgatory

AUTHOR: ⟫ Nikole Knight

SERIES: ⟫ Passing Through Cafe Book #1

RATING: ⟫ 4/5

BLURB: ⟫ When Oliver applied for a job in the Hell dimension on a whim, he didn’t expect it to turn his whole world—or his heart—entirely upside down.

Recently graduated at twenty-six, and two months behind on rent, Oliver Barnes is desperate. So desperate, in fact, that he applies for a job in the Greed district of Hell’s Pentagram. But when he misses his train and, subsequently, his job interview, he stumbles, instead, upon a strange little coffee shop in the middle of Purgatory’s barren desert—and into an unexpected opportunity.

It isn’t the job he came to Hell for, but maybe it’s exactly the job he needs.

As he navigates the demon dimension and tries to survive the ridiculous shenanigans of his unholy co-workers, Oliver soon falls head-over-ass for a tentacled lawyer with electric fingers and a deadly-sharp grin. Together, they discover that, sometimes, love and happiness can be just a train ride away.

REVIEW: ⟫ Initially, I struggled to connect with this book. Everything sounded so alien, sometimes in what felt like an unnecessarily alien way as if to emphasise how different everything was, and I thought I wouldn’t get over that aspect of things. It didn’t help that we didn’t meet Liel until what felt like over a third of the way through the story.

However, once I began to distinguish between the different characters/demons Oliver was working with and Liel was introduced, I fell in love with this book. The banter from Gem – utterly deranged, completely inappropriate, but laugh your socks off funny; Rus with his description of something between a pink raccoon and a Care Bear; Willow with her empathy – each of them had their distinctive characteristics and role to play in this found family.

Oliver and Liel were so sexy together – both lacking confidence on occasion, yet open and honest with each other, and the lack of judging from both of them on their differences in physiology was lovely. The sex between them was hot, but ultimately it was all of them together on the trip back to Montana that brought a smile to my face that didn’t leave until I finished the book. I will definitely be looking out for more books about Purgatory and can heartily recommend this one.

I received an ARC from GRR.

Infected: Prey by Andrea Speed (Infected Book #1)

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TITLE: ⟫ Infected: Prey

AUTHOR: ⟫ Andrea Speed

SERIES: ⟫ Infected Book #1

RATING: ⟫ 5/5

BLURB: ⟫ In a world where a werecat virus has changed society, Roan McKichan, a born infected and ex-cop, works as a private detective trying to solve crimes involving other infecteds. The murder of a former cop draws Roan into an odd case where an unidentifiable species of cat appears to be showing an unusual level of intelligence. He juggles that with trying to find a missing teenage boy, who, unbeknownst to his parents, was “cat” obsessed. And when someone is brutally murdering infecteds, Eli Winters, leader of the Church of the Divine Transformation, hires Roan to find the killer before he closes in on Eli. Working the crimes will lead Roan through a maze of hate, personal grudges, and mortal danger. With help from his tiger-strain infected partner, Paris Lehane, he does his best to survive in a world that hates and fears their kind… and occasionally worships them.

REVIEW: ⟫ I don’t even know why I decided to re-read this book – I think I saw the author’s name on Goodreads and I found myself wondering what happened to the protagonists so re-downloaded it from my kindle library.

Firstly, there is no explicit mm sex in this couple of novellas, which isn’t an issue but definitely isn’t the ‘norm’ when it comes to mm nowadays. I absolutely loved the whole concept of the infected and virus children, and remember being utterly delighted back when I read it initially. I loved it even more now – it felt fresh and new compared to the werewolf/shifter stories I’ve been reading over the years and I can’t think of anyone who’s used the same idea.

Roan and Paris are a fabulous couple – both complete AHs in their way and very much suited to each other. Their back stories are slowly revealed as you follow them in their investigations and they are just fascinating – the world they live in is fascinating and I was entranced from the time I began re-reading. I feel that the story has definitely aged well – the lack of internet, smart cell phones, etc. didn’t hurt the story at all.

I really enjoyed this revisit and will be continuing to re-read the series. I’m not sure how far I actually got in my reading so this could be a lot of fun rediscovering an old favoured author and ‘new to me’ work!

Forgotten Romance by Saxon James (Divorced Men's Club Book #6)

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TITLE: ⟫ Forgotten Romance

AUTHOR: ⟫ Saxon James

SERIES: ⟫ Divorced Men’s Club Book #6

RATING: ⟫ 4.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ Davey

In a list of what’s most important to me, three things are right up there at the top. My kids, my husband Mack, and my career I’ve spent my life building. Unfortunately that career has me away from home more than I’d like, and when I refuse to walk away from it, my husband walks away from me instead.

Living together post-divorce makes sense for us, but it blurs the lines between what we were and what we have. Now that I’ve scored a big promotion and negotiated twelve long weeks at home, memories of our life together haunt me. They make me long for what we had. And now that Mack is moving on with someone else, I’m being faced with the cold truth. I should never have let Mack go, and now it might be too late to get him back.

Mack

Twelve weeks. It’s the longest Davey has been home since we had the kids, and all it does is remind me of everything I wish I still had. So I decide this is it. I have twelve weeks to remind Davey of everything he lost and hope like hell when I give him the choice between work and me again, that this time he chooses me.

None of my friends are on board with my plan, and the new guy in town is trying his hardest to win me over. But I can ignore cute notes slipped into my favourite books if it means getting back the man I’ll love forever.

All I need to do is remind him our life together was perfect.

Now if only our kids, our friends, and his work would get the memo …

REVIEW: ⟫ I can’t believe this series has come to an end! But what an ending – Davey and Mack broke my heart more than once reading this. I loved, loved, loved that this was a journey of self-discovery for both of them; that they both separately and together realised that what happened in the past was both of their responsibility; I loved all of their friends doing their best to support them – whether it was together or apart.

Saxon James has a way of writing characters that feel very real – their banter, their feelings, emotions – how they handle what life throws at them. It’s not always a simple journey, and in this case Mack and his need for Davey to love him above all else comes up against the brick wall of Davey’s need to provide for his family. Neither of them are actively wrong, but neither of them are right either. And this story is all about them figuring out how to mesh their lives together for good this time, without losing what makes each of them special.

I have loved this series as it is has merely affirmed my love of Saxon’s writing. I’m sad to leave this series behind but extremely happy with how it ended.

Angel by Linden Bell (The Camboy Network Book #)

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TITLE: ⟫ Angel

AUTHOR: ⟫ Linden Bell

SERIES: ⟫ The Camboy Network Book #3

RATING: ⟫ 4.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ He was only supposed to be gay for pay.

Angel

I’ve never had sex before. And I’ve definitely never looked at a guy that way before. But with his brightly-colored hair and beautiful outfits, Rhys is hard to ignore–especially after I learn what he does for a living.

Signing up with The Camboy Network is way outside my comfort zone, but with Rhys guiding me the whole way, it doesn’t feel all that scary. In fact, it feels like fate.

Rhys

I left home the minute I turned eighteen, so falling for a guy from the old neighbourhood is the last thing I should do – especially since he’s straight. But he’s utterly adorable, so innocently kinky, and exactly my type.

We shouldn’t fit together so well, but we do. No matter how hard I try to stay away, I can’t. Our lives couldn’t be more different on the outside, but maybe we’re a lot more alike than we think.

Angel is a bi-awakening, opposites attract, size difference MM romance between a burly cinnamon roll construction worker and a flamboyant pole-dancing twink. Expect accidentally dirty text messages, completely unexpected kinks, and chivalrous courage that truly runs deep. Angel is the third book in The Camboy Network series, but can be read as a stand-alone.

REVIEWS: ⟫ I have not previously read any Linden Bell, a mistake I fully intend to rectify! This book was so much fun, whilst also being sexy, touching, kinky and full of surprises.

I loved Rhys from the first moment we met him – I loved his flamboyancy, his attitude towards people and life, and his general happiness with life. He was where he wanted to be, doing what he wanted to do, and no-one was going to look down their noses at him for him – especially the people from his old neighbourhood.

Angel took me completely by surprise – he was so quiet, so sweet, and yet just beneath the surface you could tell that he wanted to break free and become himself. He just didn’t know how. Angel’s meeting with Rhys at a family birthday was the beginning of the road to discovery – a road where Angel was happy to follow Rhys, learning so much about himself and finding love and new friends in the process.

I loved that this wasn’t a simple story, where everyone was accepting and they faced no backlash – Angel’s mother in particular comes to mind – but I especially loved how these two had each other’s backs from the very beginning, even if they both refused to see it for what it really was.

The sex scenes were extremely hot and discovering Angel’s kinks alongside him was surprising and fun in equal measure. I loves reading about the other members of the Camboy Network and will be looking out for their books. Reading this made me smile and feel good – especially with the way in which Rhys discovered that his family – both made and born – had his back in satisfying ways. I wish I could have seen the outfit Rhys wore to the wedding because it sounded divine and I can heartily recommend this book!

I received an ARC from GRR.