Monday, February 28, 2011

Battling Gators...Cajun Style!


I'm worth my weight in a Gator Battle! How do I know? I was nominated by FOUR people:
ALPHA Reader, Parajunkee, Buckeye Girl, and Dren! Personally, I think the four of us would make a pretty awesome team. Thanks ladies!!

How would I defeat the gators? Marshmallows!!! As a kid there was a giant alligator who lived nearby. People would come from miles around to look at "Charlie" and feed him marshmallows. Gators love marshmallows; toss 'em a few and they'll be eating out of your hand.

If that doesn't work...show 'em a menu - New Orleans style:

Fried Alligator:


Alligator Sauce Piquant:


Alligator Boudin:


Alligator Balls (no- not those balls, although that would probably have them running in the other direction!!!):


And I'd finish it all off....with a Martini *winks*

There's more than one way to skin a 'gator... *muahahahahaha*

So, who am I going to get to help me? My Sister-in-law Hannah, Julie at Young Men and Kick Ass Chicks, Blodeuedd (who I think is going to read it soon!!), Spaz P, and Lynette!!!


M/M Month in Review and More! (February was a doozy!)

Wow! I can't believe February is over already! I had a great month with my M/M Romances and I hope you found something entertaining while you were here.

I wanted to especially thank several people for stopping by to talk about the joys of M/M Romance: Kris, Danielle, Cecile and Erotic Horizon, Tam, Smokinhotbooks, Larissa, Janna, and also Jay Bell for allowing Danielle to feature his book and interview here, and Chandra for offering Heidi Cullinan's wonderful book, Nowhere Ranch, for review.



It looks like I read a ton of books this month but a lot were short stories...

1. She's Got Balls by Mia Watts (4 1/2 stars)
2. Out of Bounds by T.A. Chase (3 1/2 stars)
3. Inland Empire by James Buchanan (4 stars)
4. Love and Loyalty by Tere Michaels (4 stars)
5. Turn it Up by Vivian Arend (4 stars ) <--not m/m 6. Game for Love by Bella Andre (2 stars) <--not m/m 7. Heaven by Jet Mykles (4 1/2 stars)
8. College Boys Anthology (2 stars)
9. Coin Operated by Ginny Glass (3 stars)
10.Stick Shift by Lissa Matthews (3 stars)
11. Bad Boys, Bad Boys by Mia Watts (4 stars)
12. Tequila Sunrise by Moira Rogers (4 stars)
13. Bound by Deception by Ava March (3 1/2 stars)
14. Seducing Jane Porter by Dominique Adair (4 stars)
15. Educating Jane Porter by Dominique Adair (3 stars)
16. Reinventing Jane Porter by Dominique Adair (3 1/2 stars)
17. Stockholm Seduction by Lily Harlem (2 stars)
18. It Happened One Bite by Lydia Dare (4 stars)
19. Notorious Pleasures by Elizabeth Hoyt (3 1/2 stars)
20. To Conquer a Highlander by Mary Wine (4 1/2 stars)
21. Texas Tangle by Leah Braemel (3 1/2 stars)
22. Tyler by C.H. Admirand (2 stars)
23. Nowhere Ranch by Heidi Cullinan (5 stars)
24. Eve of Sahmain by Lisa Sanchez (2 1/2 stars)
25. Pleasures Untold by Lisa Sanchez (3 stars)
26. Swept Off Her Feet by Hester Browne (5 stars)

(yes, towards the end of the month I had to switch gears a bit, lol)

_______________

Today is the last day to enter my M/M Valentine's Day giveaway!
Enter here if you haven't already!!


______________

A few bloggers have expressed their interest in attending the GayRomLit Festival in October this year in New Orleans. I looked at the event list and it looks like it's going to be fun. I recognized several of the author's names who will be attending and I want to go!!! I think I'm still too much of a newbie to get the full effect though, but I wish I could pop in and gush to those authors I am familiar with :) I'd love to know if you are attending, maybe we can set something up!



So, I bid farewell to M/M Romance month - but not to M/M romance. I have discovered some new-to-me authors I plan to read much, much more of, as well as many authors in the comments I plan to try soon. Thanks everyone for your recommendations and for stopping by.

_________________

In non M/M news, a great new romance website debuted this month:
Heroes and Heartbreakers is a fun new site full of interesting news, posts, contests, and more! Head over and check it out if you haven't already!


Also, The Romance Reviews (TRR) grand opening is tomorrow:
They have games, prizes, book reviews, author chats, and more!

________________

Parajunkee and I met Jeaniene Frost and Pamela Palmer last week!

They were both very talkative (in a good way, lol) and it was a nice, intimate event. Ms. Frost answered some questions about a book for Ian: she said he's not ready for his own book yet, if he did get his own book it would be all blood and sex (and that's bad why?) but that he will probably get a book after he grows up a bit. I asked if she had a definite end for the series or would she continue indefinitely, and she said she already knows the ending; I think she said there are going to be 9 books in this series. Someone asked how she came up with Cat/Bones and she said it was a dream. They were arguing and she knew Cat was a half-vamp and Bones was a a full vamp.

Ms. Palmer's Feral Warriors series is new to me. It sounds interesting and I bought the first book in the series so I'm planning to read it soon.

_______________

And last, but certainly not least, Authors After Dark has announced their 2012 location. Yes, you guessed it: New Orleans!!!
I am so freakin' excited - I've been kind of bummed I couldn't travel to Philadelphia for this year's event, so to have it right here in my city next year is awesome news!!! I've been saying forever that New Orleans is the perfect place to have a romance event - we're a great setting for UF, paranormal, contemporary, and GLBT settings. So mark your calendars - August 2012 - come on down to the ol' dirty, dirty and get your romance on!!!

________________

That was my month, how was yours?

Sunday, February 27, 2011

M/M Month Review: Inland Empire by James Buchanan



Inland Empire (Taking the Odds, Book 2)
~James Buchanan

Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 343 KB
Print Length: 288 pages
Publisher: Torquere Press
Publish Date: June 10, 2009
ASIN: B002YK4ECY
ISBN: 978-1-60820-016-0 (print)

From the author's website:
Agent Nick O'Malley and Det. Brandon Carr are back. Nick heads to Riverside, California, center of the Inland Empire and Brandon's home turf. But every minute Nick's in Riverside threatens to out Brandon. When events embroil Nick in one of Brandon's investigations -- gang hits, prostitution, illegal gambling and human trafficking - can they survive both?
I read the first book in this series, Cheating Chance (my review here), at Chris' recommendation several months ago, and immediately fell in love with Nicky and Brandon. I will say this - whenever other bloggers talk about "rope", Nick and Brandon's names always pop up. I think there was one rope scene in Cheating Chance? However, after reading Inland Empire, I understand: Wow, that boy can do some spectacular stuff with his hands!

The book begins with the murder of a teenage gamer. Brandon's police district has been trying to crack the case with no luck. Nick has come from Nevada to visit Brandon in Riverside and to pick up his car (hearse) from impound since his case (from Cheating Chance) is done and the car can be released from evidence. Brandon's a little (a lot) nervous about introducing Nick because Nick is out and Brandon is as far back into the closet as he can go. One thing leads to another and Nick ends up helping Riverside PD with the case.

My thoughts: I already loved Brandon and Nicky, and Inland Empire gave me a new view of the couple. This time they're on Brandon's turf and things are a bit trickier as Brandon can't be as open as he was when they were in Nevada. Only Brandon's partner knows he's gay.

Inland Empire started off with a bang (literally) and then moved quickly to Nicky and Brandon's relationship. At the point where I started to wonder if there would be any plot to the story, it jumped back into it and really took off.

I really connected Brandon in this book. He was so paranoid about being outed, I felt bad for him. It caused a lot of problems, both personally and professionally.

“Why do you always push, Nicky?” Exasperated, Brandon sighed. "Why can't you just leave it where it's good?"

Cutting the cop's chin in his hand, Nicky looked deep into Brandon's eyes. "Because I think we deserve wonderful."
- pg 83

I don't know if it's just me, but I felt like Nicky was more in charge in this book than he was in Cheating Chance; more dominant, if you will; and not just in the bedroom. He had a great attitude and was accepting of Brandon's fears while refusing to change his own personality.

The characters on the sideline were many and moved the story along well. Roberta the tranny prostitute was great. The landlady was awful. I liked most of Brandon's co-workers, especially his partner, Jeff. We also got to meet Brandon's ex-boyfriend Ray, who ended up helping with the case.

The end of the book was amazing - it's not a cliffhanger per se, but I'm dying to find out what happens to these two next in All or Nothing, book 3 of the series.

My Rating:

Saturday, February 26, 2011

M/M Quickie Review Round Up



Heaven
~Jet Mykles


Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 238 KB
Publisher: Loose Id LLC
Publish Date: May 30, 2006
Language: English
ASIN: B0045Y269U

From the author's website:
The Weiss Strande Hotel is in trouble. Business just isn’t what it used to be when Tyler’s father ran the family-owned hotel. On top of business being down, dad’s sick with cancer and bills have skyrocketed.

Desperate to save his family interest, Tyler and his best friend sink their hopes and what’s left of their money into a new venture: a nightclub at the hotel. It’s imperative that the White Room is a success, or else the hotel will go under. Lady Luck seems to be with them, however, because they manage to sign the mega-popular rock group Heaven Sent to play the grand opening.

Already a huge fan of the group, Tyler couldn’t be more excited to welcome them to his hotel. He’s not at all prepared for the bomb of lust that hits him when he’s finally face-to-face with the painfully gorgeous lead singer, Johnnie Heaven. No, it couldn’t be lust. Yes, Johnnie’s probably the most beautiful person he’s ever seen, but Tyler is straight. It must be a misguided form of hero worship that he’s feeling.

Tyler finds out that he and Johnnie share an obsession: video games. When Johnnie invites Tyler to his room to play, Tyler jumps at the chance. Who wouldn’t snap up the opportunity to spend time with their idol? He and Johnnie have a great time with the games, but Tyler soon discovers that Johnnie’s got more in mind. The rock star’s aims to introduce Tyler to a whole new level of game play.
My thoughts: Thanks Kris for recommending this book - you said I'd either love it or die laughing - I loved it (although I did have a smile on my face while reading). I think I like the Gay For You trope and will be reading the rest of the series!

My Rating:






College Boys: Gay Erotic Stories
~anthology


Print Length: 272 pages
Publisher: Cleis Press; 1 edition
Publish Date: March 1, 2010
Language: English
ASIN: B0037Z8BQ0

From Amazon.com:
Is it any wonder that college boys are the stuff of fantasies the world over? These dreamy hunks stride across campus, stirring lust in their wake. Whether toweling off after a swim, lurking in the library stacks, or engaging in some male bonding at the frat house, these gorgeous undergrads are good for page-turning, arousing action. An explicit collection of gay erotica, College Boys explores the first feelings of lust for another boy, all-night study sessions with a classmate, and the excitement of a student hot for teacher. This steamy collection relishes the joys of self-discovery and the revelations that happen when a young man has freedom to pursue his interests—in bed and out. From coming out to falling in love, these stories of sexual awakening will evoke trembling, heart-pounding, sweaty-palmed excitement. Featuring the top erotic authors Rob Rosen, Simon Sheppard, Neil Plakcy, Christopher Pierce, Rachel Kramer Bussel, and more. With searing male-on-male action and wickedly inventive writing, these stories are more provocative, authentic, smart, edgy, and hotter than gay erotica published anywhere else.
My thoughts: I had a hard time with this one. While it was certainly erotic, to me it was depressing. I did get a laugh from the story with the guy who could blow himself, but other than that, these stories were more dark than light.

My Rating:






Bad Boys, Bad Boys
~Mia Watts


Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 126 KB
Publisher: Total-E-Bound Publishing
Release Date: March 16, 2009
Language: English
ASIN: B003VIWU7E

From the author's website:
What you gonna do when they cum for you? A police force partner submits to his desire while under the influence of alcohol. But since neither of the men are gay, what do they do with their lurking lust?

Geo Wilson has been partnered to Mack for three years. Sharing the same muscular build, dark hair, and olive complexion, they've been dubbed 'the twins' by the department. But lately Geo's dreams have taken an erotic twist to centre around Mack.

Mack values his friendship with Geo, would give his life for the man. Then one night Geo has a few too many beers and plants a kiss on him, he can't forget. He might have been able to pass it off as beer-haze except in helping Geo get back to his apartment, Mack is taken off guard by Geo's tackle and a mind-numbing blow job.

Now the partnership has to redefine itself while the criminal world continues around them. They could lose their badges, or lose each other.

My thoughts: I loved Ms. Watts' She's Got Balls, and I really liked Bad Boys, Bad Boys as well. I read this one right after Heaven, so I'm firmly entrenched in the GFY. This book was hot, and funny, and hot. Loved the tackle scene, loved the little sister's crush on Wilson.

You know what else I really liked about this book? The dialogue. Can't put my finger on why - maybe it was how they'd be talking themselves out of it - right into a sexy scene. I'll definitely be reading more by Ms. Watts!

My Rating:




Friday, February 25, 2011

M/M Review: Nowhere Ranch by Heidi Cullinan



Nowhere Ranch
~Heidi Cullinan


Format: ebook
Length: Novel
Publisher: Loose Id
Publish Date: February 15, 2011
ISBN13: 9781607379485


From Goodreads:
Roe Davis is a man who works hard, keeps to himself, and never mixes business with pleasure -- until he takes a weekend away from his new job at Nowhere Ranch and runs into the owner at the only gay bar for two hundred miles. Getting involved with the boss is a bad idea, but Travis Loving is hard to say no to, especially when it turns out their kinks line up like a pair of custom-cut rails. As Loving points out, so long as this is sex on the side, no interfering with the job, they could make it work. The truth is, there’s good reason Roe never settles down and always spends his birthdays and holidays celebrating alone. Shut out in the cold by his family years ago, Roe survived by declaring he didn’t need a home. As his affair with Loving grows into more than just sex, Roe finds out what happens when he stays put a little bit too long: the past always catches up with you. Eventually, even a loner gets lonely, and home will grow up through whatever cracks you leave open for it -- even in a place called Nowhere.

This is one of the hardest reviews I’ve tried to write. I loved this book: I want to *squee!!* and *sigh* at the same time…

Monroe (Roe) Davis is a cowboy, born and raised in Iowa, living with his family, until the day his mother is cleaning out his room and discovers his porn stash….and realizes it’s all men in the pictures. After repeated attempts to “help” him by the family and the local preacher, he’s given the ultimatum to “save himself” or leave. He ends up leaving the state, drifting the Midwest from ranch to ranch, not staying anywhere long enough to get attached - it’s the way he lives his life…and his love life – no strings, no attachments.

When he lands at Nowhere Ranch in Nebraska, his intentions are to stay long enough to earn a few bucks before leaving again. One weekend when Travis, the owner is away, Roe heads out of town to find a gay bar and pick up some action. He gets the shock of his life when he walks in and ends up sitting next to… Travis!!

It’s an uncomfortable situation, so they drink and talk, and the conversation leads to what they’re looking for in a pick-up. As Travis describes what he wants, Roe realizes they both want what the other is offering. They agree to get together – for the night only. It turns into a crazy sexy weekend and then they’re back to the ranch acting as if nothing ever happened.

A few weeks later, Roe gets a letter from his cousin. In the letter, she blames him for ruining his family by being gay; that his selfishness has caused heartache and pain and he needs to fix himself and come home. He goes for a walk to clear his head and runs across Travis; still reeling from the letter, he agrees to go to the Rodeo. At the rodeo, Roe meets Haley – the ranch foreman’s daughter. She’s chatty and bubbly and way too peppy for Roe, who just wants to be alone.

On his birthday, Roe runs into Haley again in the grocery and she won’t let him refuse her offer to take him out for his birthday. They go out for dinner and karaoke; Travis ends up at the bar and Haley makes a discreet exit. Travis and Roe go back to Travis’ house and crazy sexy birthday sex ensues.

Eventually, Travis convinces Roe that they can be bedmates without being "in a relationship", and the story really picks up. The ranch is busy, Haley's tutoring Roe to get his GED, Roe is spending more and more time at Travis' house and less time in his apartment, and life is moving forward at a good pace.

Of course, life doesn’t just mosey along without a hitch or two, and Roe gets several thrown at him all at once, making him question his wandering lifestyle, love, and what makes a family.
_____________________

My thoughts: I know that’s a crazy-long summary for me, but it doesn’t even begin to cover all the events and emotions found in Nowhere Ranch. I was drawn in from the first page and tore through this book in a day. Did I stay up way too late because I wanted to finish? Oh yeah! Every time I thought I knew where Ms. Cullinan was taking me, she turned a corner and *surprise*, we weren’t where I thought we’d end up. I love that!! Nowhere Ranch is told in first person, past tense – Roe is telling the story, and he's a great storyteller.

Heidi Cullinan’s writing style is fabulous, her characters were sympathetic, and even though I don’t usually go for older man/younger man relationships, Roe and Travis’ relationship worked for me. Travis’ cut-and-dry personality was a great match for Roe’s more emotional one. Although Roe tried to bury his emotions, eventually they’d back up until they poured out of him in moments of stress or revelation.

I’ll admit, some of the sexy stuff was a little bit beyond my reading experience (such as the pony bench – I don't quite get how everything fits, lol) (also, this was my first fisting story) and some scenes occasionally made me wince, but wow – the sexin’ was rough, raw, and hot!

The way Haley’s story played out was unexpected. I can’t go into much more without major spoilers, but she was a fabulous secondary character who ultimately did more than just help push the story along. I think as a female reader, I was better able to insert myself into the story via Haley’s character, and I was pleased with that. She might have made a decision or two I can't relate to, but as I mentioned above, Ms. Cullinan did not always lead me in the direction I thought she would.

In summary – I loved Nowhere Ranch: the characters were likeable, the story was good, the sex was hot, and I stayed involved and entertained – who could ask for more?


My Rating:

This book was received by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

M/M Guest Post: Janna from E Romance Reader

Please join me in a warm welcome to one sexy blogger: E-Romance Reader Janna! I love her blog and always find good recommendations there. I've followed her blog as her reviews started leaning towards mostly M/M Romance, so when I decided to do a whole month devoted to M/M Romance, I knew I had to invite Janna!
_____________________

High 5, Low 5 in m/m romance themes & tropes

When Patti invited me to write a guest post for her M/M Romance Month I was very honored and excited! I love this genre and nowadays I hardly read any romance books other than those of the m/m kind. I haven’t been reading this genre (or even romance in general) for that long, but over the past period of one and a half years I’ve come to like and dislike some romance themes more than others. So, for this guest post I like to talk about my ‘High 5, Low 5’ of favorite and not so favorite themes and tropes in m/m romance.

~High 5~

1. Old Friends, New Loves
This first theme is actually one that also works for me in m/f romance. I just love the Friends to Lovers theme! In m/m books it’s often accompanied by an additional tension because one or both friends are wondering if the other friend is even gay or not. But even if this aspect isn’t playing a role, I’m a big fan of the relationship based on friendship.

2. The One That Got Away
Like the previous theme, this one gives the main characters a history together. So, they already have an emotional bond. Reunited lovers usually have to work out some issues from the past while they can also focus on their present attraction and feelings of love. Important is that I can believe in these because they’re not instantly sprouted but usually based on a shared history and on knowing each other’s personalities. One of the best things about both this and the first theme is therefore that the story doesn’t suffer from insta-love between the protags.

3. Gay For You
This is a typical m/m theme: a straight man falls in love/lust with a person, who happens to be a man. He’s never been in love with another man before and most likely won’t fall for other men in the future. It’s just this particular man, who rocks his boat. I like this theme because it’s the superlative of Love with a capital L. Furthermore, this theme usually brings some struggle into the story and (in the end at least) we can be sure to be in the company of an open-minded hero. I love that!
This theme should not be confused with the ‘gay hero in the closet’ by the way. That’s another theme that I can appreciate once in a while. But more often than not it also makes me want to smack that said hero (which is not necessarily a bad thing). ;)

4. Disabilities
I’m a sucker for men with a disability, especially when learning to deal with it within a (blooming) relationship plays an important role in the book. Damaged heroes, emotionally or physically, usually have this wounded pride thing going on and while gradually growing towards acceptance they have the tendency to push important people away. All the sweeter the happiness in the end when realization of love dawns.

5. Yes Sir!
The D/s relationship is a theme that I like better in m/m than in m/f romance. Don’t get me wrong, I do kinda like it in both genres, but the author of a BDSM romance with m/f protagonists, has to be very skilled to not make me feel awkward. Emotional depth is essential for me in any romance but especially in the BDSM themed ones. In m/m romance I can deal much better with less emotional layers than in m/f books, probably because of the more natural balance in equality between two men. That makes it sexier when one takes control over the other guy.


~Low 5~

1. May-December Love
I can’t help it but I’m just not a fan of a big age gap between the heroes. Especially when the gap is bigger than 13 to 15 years I start to feel icky, because I can’t let go of the thought that the younger guy must have daddy issues. Maybe it has also something to do with my dislike of heroes that are much older than 40. I like them best in their thirties or even in their twenties.

2. M-Preg
I actually have never read a romance which had a male-pregnancy in it, but that’s because I’m shying away from the topic as much as I can. Pregnancy or wanting to get pregnant is something I don’t want to read about in romances in general. Period. I just don’t think it’s sexy, and even less so when it’s a male getting knocked up. Funny thing though is that I don’t mind ‘men with children’ being the heroes of a story. As long as the kids aren’t just props, but well-developed characters, I can enjoy them being part of the story.

3. No Means Yes
I’m ambiguous about non-consensual sex scenes or even when the consent is dubious. Some m/m romances are based on yaoi (m/m manga) in which dub-con or non-con is a fairly common theme. And only that knowledge can make me stomach the dub-con sex scenes in some of those yaoi-based books. Otherwise, this type of sex scenes, for example in BDSM novels, is a big no-no for me.

4. Twincest
Twincest or brothercest is another topic I’ve avoided so far. I don’t know, an author must really know what he/she is doing to make me want to read about incest between brothers. Like m-preg it’s very far outside my comfort zone.

5. Stalk Me, Save Me
This theme, where one of the protags has a stalker on his tail and the other protag is there to save his ass, can bore me to death when it isn’t done exceptionally well. I’m not at all against plots where the heroes are being put in danger or find external obstacles on their way, I actually enjoy those action packed stories very much every now and then. It’s the ‘victim meets rescuer’ trope that doesn’t appeal to me. Especially when the ‘victim’ is the princess-in-the-tower type; that is, being very passive until his hero rescues him after which he rewards him with love. Bleh. Furthermore, the conflict in a romance story shouldn’t only be external (like danger coming from a stalker). I need an internal struggle too. In fact, an author can skip the external conflict any time in favor of the internal conflict if it was up to me. :)


Aside from these tropes there are a few character types I avoid more or less if I can. First there’s the drag queen; heroes that are into cross-dressing don’t rock my boat. Second there’s the bear type; big, hairy, muscular types don’t attract me very much. Then there’s the virginal character; it’s not that I dislike this type, but he’s just not doing it for me in a romance (maybe it reminds me too much of the female virgins in historicals). And then there’s the princess-in-the-tower type that I really dislike; I’m just not a big fan of the very passive protagonists in general (see my fifth low too). Lastly, I shy away from romances about established couples; it’s the budding and blooming of a relationship I’m more interested in.

On the other hand, any hero who wears a uniform (law enforcement, fireman, military, medic) easily finds his way into my shopping cart. Alphas make me feel tingly. I can’t help myself. :)


So, which themes, tropes or character types make your ‘High 5, Low 5’ list?

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

M/M Guest Review: Larissa reviews Josh Lanyon's Holmes and Moriarty series

Please help me welcome Larissa, from Larissa's Bookish Life! Larissa runs a fun and fabulous blog that I'm sure many of you are familiar with:



She's always got something going on over there!! Larissa graciously agreed to stop by today an review one of my favorite M/M authors: Josh Lanyon's Somebody Killed His Editor. Take it away, Larissa:


Somebody Killed His Editor
All She Wrote
~Josh Lanyon

* Publisher: Samhain Publishing
* Release Date of Book #1: June 16th, 2009
* Release Date of Book #2: December 28th, 2010
* My Copy: eBooks/Bought.
* Series: Holmes & Moriarity Series
* Genre: M/M Romantic Mystery
* Author's Website

* Buy The Books:

Somebody Killed His Editor
All She Wrote: Holmes & Moriarity, Book 2

From Goodreads:
Thanks to an elderly spinster sleuth and her ingenious cat, Christopher Holmes has enjoyed a celebrated career as a bestselling mystery writer. Until now. Sales are down and his new editor is allergic to geriatric gumshoes.

On the advice of his agent, he reinvents his fortyish, frumpy, recently dumped self into the sleek, sexy image of a literary lion, and heads for a Northern California writers conference to try and resurrect his career. A career nearly as dead as the body he stumbles over in the woods.

In a weirdly déjà vu replay of one of his own novels, he finds himself stranded in an isolated lodge full of frightened women—and not a lawman in sight. Except for J.X. Moriarity, former cop and bestselling novelist. The man with whom he shared a one-night stand—okay, maybe three—long ago. The man who wants to arrest him for murder.A ruthless, stalking killer, or a hot, handsome ex-lover. Which poses the greater danger? It’s elementary, my dear Holmes!


*SPOILER FREE

Thanks so much to Patti for having me here today! I grasped with both hands this chance of talking about one of my favorite genres ever! M/M Romance Rocks and it needs to be said, loud and clear! =)

I am a HUGE Josh Lanyon fan, so I am constantly checking out his website and trying to find books of his that I haven’t read yet. On one of my most recent visits, I found the Homes & Moriarity books and I can’t believe I had not read them before!

Holmes is a former NYT Best-Seller, Cozy-mystery writer that has seen better days. His publisher is dropping him, he can’t seem to write anything anymore and his love life sucks, not in a good way. During a writer’s retreat that his manager strong armed him to attend, a murder occurs and following a series of mishaps, Homes is one of the prime suspects.

In enter Moriarity, a very successful Thriller writer and former flame of Holmes’, whose previous experience as law enforcement puts in the position of being the best man to take lead on the murder investigations, specially since him, Holmes and everyone else is stranded in the hotel where that retreat is taking place.

Holmes & Moriarity have amazing chemistry, but their past brief relationship keeps getting in the way and Josh does an awesome job in telling their story. Not only the romance part of either books is very satisfying, but the mystery in either novel is very very well constructed and gave me Agatha Christie’s flashbacks in a very good way.

Josh Lanyon is an extraordinary author and the Homes & Moriarity books are nothing if not the perfect example of his talent! I can’t wait for more from this series!

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

M/M Month Guest Post: Smokinhotbooks' M/M Reader’s Beginner’s Guide To Picking The Right Kind of Manlove

Please join me in welcoming the superfabulous duo of KC and KK (aka Smokinhotbooks)! When I decided to throw a M/M Romance party, I knew these ladies were the perfect people to invite :) Sit back and relax as they guide you to picking the perfect read for whatever M/M level you're ready for:

M/M Reader’s Beginner’s Guide To Picking The Right Kind of Manlove
Some of us (clears throat) are veterans of the reading industry, ie you have more m/m ebooks on your Kindle than traditional romance books. Some of us are m/m virgins and some of us, maybe don’t know what the h-e-double hockey sticks M/M means (yes, I confess to thinking, at first, M/M meant medieval romance. Don’t’ ask me what the other M stood for). Smokinhotbooks is here to be your m/m guide in picking the right kind of manlove for your reading pleasure.

Beginners
I always say test the waters first. We at SHB are the type to dip our toe in the water first before just jumping right in – way to many xtreme erotic romances in the early days can make you gun shy. I recommend trying a m/m/f, not to be confused with m/f/m. Usually with m/f/m there is no touchies between the guys it’s all about the lady and since we are easing you into reading m/m (dudes only) you might want to find books with m/m/f in which case the boys usually play together.
We recommend Lauren Dane’s Laid Bare


This Isn’t My First Rodeo (M/M Readers)
Read a few m/m books and would like to tackle a few more under my belt
For those of you who’ve been around the range a time or too and are interested in reading more because you caught the feva; you might like the following:
Anything written by LB Gregg, her books tend to infuse a lot of humor and are more m/m fiction. There is some lovin’ but not as much as a erotic manlove book.
JL Langley – tends to write a spice® manlove book, but if you like your Thai food a little spicy this was one of the first authors we read an enjoyed.
ZA Maxfield
Ava March – great for historical m/m if you are looking to get away from contemporaries.
Tere Michaels
Keeping Promise Rock by Amy Lane
Zero at the Bone by Jane Seville


Old Timers
You probably have your favs – you know what you like and more than likely have Loose ID, Samhain, Dreamspinner Press saved to your favorites.


Looking for something different…maybe even a little YA... (gasp) we know, you thought we were going to recommend something naughty, weren’t you!

Lord of White Hell I and II by Ginn Hale – kind of like an adult-Harry-Potter with a love story that spans 2 books.


Shades of Gray by Brooke McKinley

Ok, now if you are really looking to ‘stretch’ yourself you might want to venture into the wonderful world of Yaoi Manage or graphic novels. Yes people, there are PICTURES!


Share with SHB what m/m books do you likey?

Monday, February 21, 2011

M/M Guest Post: Tam from Tam's Reads

As M/M month rolls on, please help me welcome Tam from Tam's Reads and Brief Encounters. I love to visit Tam's blog - her Hottie of the Day cheers me right up and she's got plenty of "cookies". I like her reviews and can always find a good recommendation:


One, two three …

So if one guy is hot and two guys are hotter, three should burn up the sheets right? Actually I am right. :) Before I discovered m/m I had read some m/m/f which portrayed not only a sexual relationship between three characters (lord knows most of us have read porn with various numbers of m’s, f’s and who knows what else), but an emotional relationship and not “both guys loved the girl” but they loved each other too. Hmmm. How intriguing.


My first m/m/m was 9-1-1 by Chris Owen. Wow! An emotional journey with three guys; there was insecurity over their place in the relationship, close to cheating, painkiller addictions, family strife over having two partners, it had it all. I totally believed it could happen. Then I continued with Gemini also by Chris Owen. It is *covers Patti’s eyes and whispers* twincest *uncovers her eyes* but with three and again, I thought the double difficulty of not only being in a relationship with two which is frowned on, but having to hide the fact that two were siblings was handled well. I was truly hooked at that point. Oh yeah, and it’s freaking hot.


I’ve read many books since with three, and usually if I see a blurb with three I snap it up. Sometimes it’s simply a third for an evening, but more often than not it’s three together in love. It doesn’t always work for me, just as not every romance works for every reader in any sub-genre. My biggest peeve is when sex becomes the cure-all for everything in the relationship. Doesn’t matter if you’re sad, happy, angry, hungry - just have sex in all variations and everything is good. I need a bit more realism than that.

So why am I attracted to this sub-genre? I don’t know exactly. It’s not something I’d seek out for myself, but to be honest, I might be more open now than I was before I started reading m/m. Fifteen years ago if you’d asked me about a relationship (as opposed to fun) with three I would have scoffed that it’s not possible. And in my heart I’m not sure it really does work. I don’t know anyone personally – or who have revealed it to me – in that type of relationship, but I’d like to believe it could. We all say there is enough love in our hearts for as many children as we have, couldn’t there be enough for another partner?


I also take it as a bit of a challenge to see if the author can make me keep all the arms and legs and … bits in the right place. Nothing worse than reading and having to go back and figure out whose arm was where and wondering if one of them is a circus contortionist, because no way is that possible. If you can make the sex seem realistic, you’ve got me half-way there, give me sympathetic characters that I care about and you’ve got me for life. Then again maybe I’m just a perv, which is quite possible.


I know ménage is not for everyone. Some people really prefer their romantic pairings to be just that, pairs, but if you’re looking for something to stretch the boundaries I highly recommend 9-1-1 for a start. Maybe some other m/m/m readers can recommend some of their favourites as well.

Thanks for inviting me to participate in m/m month Patti. I hope we’ve managed to lure a few readers to at least try the cookies on the dark-side. ;-)

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Review: Game for Love by Bella Andre



Game for Love (Bad Boys of Football, Book 3)
~Bella Andre


File Size: 323 KB
Published by: Bella Andre
Release Date: December 13, 2010
Language: English
ASIN: B004G8QZ6U

From the author's website:
In a relationship built on lies...the only truth is their feelings for each other.

To fulfill his grandmother's dying wish, linebacker Cole Taylor must find - and marry - a good girl. First grade teacher, Anna Davis, fits the bill perfectly. Their deal is simple: If she'll be his temporary wife, he'll give her more pleasure than she ever imagined was possible. Only, love is the ultimate game-changer.
Anna Davis is a "good girl", she's a first-grade teacher, unmarried, and boring. She never does anything wild or crazy; she knows it, and her family and friends know it.

Cole Taylor is a superstar football player who's grandmother's dying wish is to see him married and happy. On her deathbed, he tells her he's got a serious girlfriend and he'll bring her by the hospital so his grandmother can see how happy she is. Uh-oh, now what's he going to do?

He sees Anna at a bar in Las Vegas (she's there for her sister's wedding), and he notices her because he says she's got a "halo". Anna is feeling the need to do something crazy, so when Cole comes on to her, then works her into a frenzy and asks her to marry him, quickie-style, in Vegas, she agrees. She doesn't even know his last name.

From there it's phenomenal sex - he ties her up, he does her in the shower, he does her on the couch, the floor, and yes, even the bed. And even though they both know the wedding is a sham, they just can't get enough...

I usually like "marriage of convenience" stories, but for me, Game for Love was a little too convenient. I could see that Anna might not know who the big football star is (I wouldn't), and that she might be wanting to do something crazy to prove to her friends and family that she's not boring and predictable. What I couldn't get behind was the "instant attraction". They went from "hello" to "how can I live without you" in a few hours. Anna jumped from shy and reserved to sex addict a little too quickly to be believable. And seriously, a huge football star gets married to a total stranger without a prenup?

The sex, though, oh - the sex!! If you're specifically looking for a sexy read, Game for Love will fix all that ails you; Cole and Anna had "hot" in spades!


My Rating:

This book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Friday, February 18, 2011

M/M Month Guest Post Danielle from ALPHA Reader


Today I'd like to welcome one of my favorite bloggers: Danielle from ALPHA Reader. I asked Danielle if she would like to do a guest post for M/M Romance month, and she e-mailed back that she'd love to talk about Josh Lanyon's Adrian English series:
___________________


Falling in Love Again

Hello Gentle Reader.
I'm going to tell you a story about a story. This is the story of how I popped my cherry with Adrien English. And when I say ‘popped my cherry’ I mean ‘read my first Male on Male homocentric romance’ and by Adrien English I mean the fictional character of Josh Lanyon’s immensely popular crime fiction series.

It was a momentous occasion for me, and one that changed the tides of my reading habits forever. . .

Let’s Call a Heart a Heart

Adrien English is a part-time novelist and bookshop owner of ‘Cloak and Dagger Books’, which is reputed to have the largest collection of gay and gothic whodunnits around. Adrien is thrust into the role of reluctant sleuth in first book, ‘Fatal Shadows’, when an employee and friend dies, leaving Adrien the main suspect. The death throws LAPD detective, Jake Riordan, into Adrien’s path and kick-starts his dubious crime-solving career that spans five books.

Adrien and Jake form an uneasy friendship, which grows into an unhealthy relationship. You see, Jake is a closeted homosexual, and reluctantly attracted to openly gay Adrien. Over the course of five books, from ‘Fatal Shadows’ through to ‘The Dark Tide’, Adrien’s association with Jake throws him unwittingly into the middle of murder investigations and real-life ‘whodunnits’. . . while Adrien and Jake’s love life also throws both men into a tail-spin. Adrien knows that Jake will never be comfortable with his sexuality, and for as long as he stays in the closet, Jake will hate himself for loving Adrien. . .

Josh Lanyon writes brutal love and callous murder in this epically noir murder-mystery series. A cross between Dashiell Hammett and ‘Queer as Folk’.

I Must Have that Man

I read vicariously. That is, I like to imagine myself as the heroine. Most people read thusly, even if they don’t consciously acknowledge it. If you’re frustrated with the believability of a character’s actions, chances are your problem is more that *you* can’t see *yourself* reacting that way. When I read books that have a male narrator (which is quite rare in the Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance genre I frequent) I’ll ‘take on’ the role of whatever female the hero associates with.

So I never knew how I'd take to reading M/M. It’s hard for me to imagine myself a man, let alone a gay man. I went into ‘Adrien English’ with much (virginal) trepidation, but was quickly swept away by Josh Lanyon’s characterization and the infectious likability of his title character.

Adrien English is a fantastic leading man. He’s witty, a little bit goofy and utterly charming. He’s also not your typical gay lead. In fact, as a writer he pokes fun at the gay stereotype prevalent in current fiction. Adrien is not particularly suave – he eats cereal in his underwear while watching old Errol Flynn movies. The only stereotype Adrien maintains (much to his chagrin) is that of mama’s boy – but only because his eccentric society mother, Lisa, is still reluctant to cut the apron strings. Adrien is also unlucky in love, still nursing a broken heart after his ex, Mel, walked out on him years ago and he’s been celibate ever since. To top it all off, Adrien has had a heart murmur since he was sixteen years old – a condition which will most likely mean Adrien won’t live to see 50.

I connected with Adrien English on so many levels. On the one hand, I saw a lot of myself in him. This geeky bookworm who eats cereal in his underwear while watching old Errol Flynn movies. . . there’s something endearing about Adrien’s geekishness, coupled with Lanyon’s description of him as a Montgomery Clift look-alike. Adrien is at once totally inept and unknowingly charming. I loved him.

I also saw Adrien English as the gay best friend I always wanted. The (fictional) Will to my Grace. . . he has a very biting wit and self-deprecating humour that I found completely addictive and endearing.

But as well as connecting with Adrien’s book-nerd personality and wanting to be besties with him (fictional character or not) I was surprised by how viscerally I connected with Adrien’s romantic dilemmas.

His relationship with Jake Riordan is heartbreakingly and frustratingly relatable, regardless of them being two men. Everyone, at some point in their life and to varying degrees, has fallen for the wrong person. Someone who you know is wrong for you, who will break your heart and leave you irrevocably changed (and not necessarily for the better). That’s what Jake is to Adrien. . . and it takes a long time for readers (and Adrien) to realize that he has the same transforming impact on Jake.

I'm a Fool to Want You

Adrien and Jake’s relationship is the sticking point of the entire series. Adrien’s association with Jake is often the catalyst that throws him (reluctantly) into the middle of murder investigations. But Adrien’s love for the closeted Jake is also the catalyst for much of his heart’s discontent. Readers do have to slog through books in which Adrien is clearly hurting from his love for Jake – a man who cannot commit because he cannot admit to himself who he is.

I said, “You know what I think? I think you needed – wanted – to make a complete break.” I was able to say it without emotion maybe because I'd said it to him so many times in my imagination. “You hated yourself for being queer. I think you probably hate me too. Or did – when I was part of what you hated about yourself.”

- ‘Death of a Pirate King’


Adrien and Jake have a seemingly ‘doomed’ relationship. But Adrien, and readers, do read those moments in between the chaos and complexity. Those moments, however fleeting, when you realize that Jake and Adrien are meant to be. They are each other’s ‘happily ever after’;

He smelled like soap and sleep and bare skin. He smelled familiar. Not the déjà vu familiar of Guy or Mel. Familiar like the ache in your chest of homesickness, of longing for harbor after weeks of rough seas or craving a fire's warmth after snow, or wanting back something you should never have given away.

- 'The Dark Tide'


For those who haven’t had the joy of reading ‘Adrien English’, I won’t tell you whether or not Jake and Adrien do get their ‘happily ever after’. . . save to say, it’s a rocky ride.

The Masquerade is Over

I've always maintained that the ‘Adrien English’ series is not M/M erotica. . . it is, first and foremost, a mystery series (with a gay lead). And I think the reason it was so easy for me to fall into these books, and become comfortable in the M/M genre via Lanyon’s writing, is because I consider myself a mystery aficionado.

If I had popped by M/M cherry with a strictly and explicitly homoerotic novel I may have shied away from the entire sub-genre. But mystery I understand. . . and mystery, is Josh Lanyon’s forte. I was able to lose myself in his cloak and dagger writing; his prose that sounds gravelly and like it should be voiced-over by Humphrey Bogart. It was especially easy to lose myself in this series with an unknowingly dashing leading man like Adrien, and his complicated romance that left me vicariously heartbroken.

Too Marvelous for Words

Josh Lanyon’s ‘Adrien English’ series is noir perfection of Raymond Chandler proportions.

Words fail when I try to explain how much I love this series. I have gone back and re-read and cried again in all the same places and cheered Adrien on despite knowing the outcomes. I don’t even think of this as one of my favourite M/M series – it is simply one of my favourite series, ever.


Thursday, February 17, 2011

M/M Month Review: She's Got Balls by Mia Watts



She's Got Balls
~Mia Watts


Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 95 KB
Publisher: Resplendence Publishing, LLC
Publish Date: November 24, 2009
ASIN: B002YQ2JA2

From the author's website:
What do you do with a "wife" who is more man than you can handle?

The FBI and local law enforcement are attempting a mutually beneficial crime stopping partnership. Rookie Agent Chris Tarpington and Detective Vin Pilk team up to prototype the new alliance. How better to bust a ring of drug dealing suburban house wives than to go undercover — way undercover, as a married couple.

Though Chris reluctantly gets in touch with his feminine side, he quickly finds ways of making his sexy partner squirm. And Vin is definitely squirming, but will he run toward or away from his faux wife? As the investigation heats up, inter-agency cooperation takes on a whole new meaning.

I first heard of She’s Got Balls a few months ago and couldn’t stop laughing at the title. When I decided to do M/M month, this book was at the top of my “buy” list. I haven’t read anything by Mia Watts before She’s Got Balls, but I will certainly be reading much more by this author:

Chris Tarpington is a rookie cop on his first undercover operation; problem is, he’s got to act like the female half of a married couple. He decides he’s going to make the other cop play the role of the wife, until he meets him – Dective Vincent Pilk is super-tall, super-buff, and super-gorgeous.

Chris is gay but not out to the Force, so when they’re on assignment and Pilk kisses him as part of the role they’re playing…it takes his breath away. Of course, it’s a bit uncomfortable when you’re aroused and your “junk” is stuffed into a pair ofpantyhose! He doesn’t want Pilk to know he has feelings for him, until one evening when they have to practice being “natural” in front of their targets….

I don’t usually read short stories, and She’s Got Balls is a perfect example of why – I wanted more!!! She’s Got Balls was funny and sexy and I enjoyed every minute of it. Chris was so funny and chatty and completely head-over-heels for Pilk, and Pilk was silent and broody and sexy as hell. This was one book I did not want to put down!


My Rating:

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

M/M Month Guest Post: Cecile and Erotic Horizon discuss Cecile's first M/M Read

Please join me in welcoming two of the most prolific readers I know - Cecile from All I Want And More (and fellow Louisiana Blogger - Geaux Tigers!) and Erotic Horizon from E.H. On Books and More (whom I believe is across the pond). This is actually a post they did awhile back when Cecile read one of Erotic's recommendations as her first foray into M/M romance:

From the keyboard of E.H.:
As you all know recently Cecile decided to take onboard the challenge of dipping her feet into m/m genre waters. Cecile being Cecile does nothing by halves – so I toss her into the deep end.
I started with a short read that was a winner for me on so many different levels. It has audio and visual effects when it came to the smut scene and as Cecile was determined to rip off that virgin badge – I set her the task of finding a quiet place, put her head down, and give NOTHING BUT TROUBLE by Jenna Byrnes a go. From there things went downhill – of all the places Cecile chose to read her first m/m book – yup right next to hubby….

(We IM the whole discussion – so you guys have to decipher and make the best of this conversation. I had a blast…)

erotichorizon: Hello little grasshopper
cecile.smith75: hey there !! i read one of those books last night.... not the historical one.. the other one

erotichorizon: and how was it.... which one
erotichorizon: ok - any good
cecile.smith75: nothing but trouble
cecile.smith75: omg... at first i have to say that i was a bit.. squeamish at first... but omg it was freaking hot. i fogged up my ereader under the covers it was so hot.

erotichorizon: where was hubby
cecile.smith75: sleeping, lol
cecile.smith75: where else, lol

erotichorizon: you evil - thing... the true mark of a bitch.....
erotichorizon: wait until the man sleeps then you pounce
cecile.smith75: well, some things have never changed. he was sleeping from about 830. hey... he is lucky i did not wake him up!

erotichorizon: you are baddddddd
cecile.smith75: yea well... it was really good

The Book That Did The Deed:


Adrian Scott doesn't expect to fall in love with his employer after spending one night with him. Graham Elliott is handsome and exciting, a very wealthy man, not in Adrian 's league. But their night together was intoxicating, and Adrian can't shake the thought of making a life with this older man. As per their arrangement, they have two more nights together. Will that be enough time to convince his boss they belong together, or will the deal prove to be nothing but trouble? (m/m contemporary erotic romance)


(Here’s our final chatter)

erotichorizon: How do you feel now that you have made the leap.
cecile.smith75: Well, very hot ~ just kidding. I feel like I am peeking into someone else's world; like a peeping tom. If that makes sense.

erotichorizon: Ok - Did you have to built yourself up to reading it or did you just jump in?
cecile.smith75: I just jumped in and read it. No build up, no illusions, just straight forward jump.

erotichorizon: what was the most surprising aspect of the scenes for you?
cecile.smith75: In this particular book, Nothing But Trouble, the most surprising thing about it was the emotions that were expressed. I could almost feel the angst of the characters and could feel the passion just the same.

erotichorizon: The M/M aspect of the book - now that you have read it, was it worth.
cecile.smith75: Yea, to find out what everyone was getting all hot and bothered about... oh yep!

erotichorizon: Did you actually read the smut scenes or did you jump them
cecile.smith75: Oh no... No skipping for this virgin... I ploughed through those scenes and then went back and re-read them again. You know, just to make sure I got it. I have to say though, that at first I was a little skirmish about reading them. I hesitated before I got there and had to examine the why did it matter question of gender differences...

erotichorizon: Which bit worked for you - hearing it being describe or actually visualizing it.
cecile.smith75: Hearing/reading it being described. The only part of it I visually pictured was the leading up to the actual act, until about half way through the book, then I started visualizing the act of two people in smut heaven.

erotichorizon: Was it what you expected...
cecile.smith75: No, I really had no expectations going in this. I mean, I have read reviews before, but nothing really prepared me for the actual reading it with my own eyes.

erotichorizon: And?
cecile.smith75: And it kinda took me by surprise ~ surprised that I liked it. It is different, do not get me wrong... but the passion is there, the emotions are there, the smut is there... (not in a bad way), the putting yourself out there is there. The only thing that ever held me back was it was two men. If you know me, I like my men, but normally catering to me. Knowing that it was a m/m book did prepare me for no woman in the HEA or the romance of the book. I guess because it is always thought of as taboo... And like I said, when I first started reading, I was a little skirmish about reading it.

erotichorizon: Do you want to discuss the book or do you want to write a review about.
cecile.smith75: We can discuss the book, if you want too... I know others want to know what I thought of reading my first m/m. So, talking about it with someone as "experienced" as you... I think is perfect, lol

erotichorizon: Ok....
erotichorizon: What did you think of the plot?
cecile.smith75: It was almost like a "Pretty Woman" plot. And I absolutely love that movie. So this pulled at my heart strings.
cecile.smith75: I also liked the concept of older man/younger man.
cecile.smith75: Me being the cougar I am, I associated with it, if that makes sense.

erotichorizon: Yup, I thought so as well..... What about the pace of the book?
cecile.smith75: Since it was a short story, I thought the pace was very good. I was never at a point where I wanted to put the down - even for a second. Especially towards the end, omg!

erotichorizon: Ok - Did you have any challenges reading about the physical side of the relationship. Was any part of the love making, as expected, less or more than you expected.
cecile.smith75: At the beginning of the story... I was challenged at the idea of reading about two men having sex together. But once the story kicked off and I started reading, the story unfolded and it was more than just about sex. But when I got to the first sex scene I was tempted to skip it... or skim it, but I pushed forward and read it. I needed to read it and see how I felt and if I did not like it, then I would just skip the rest, but it was okay... the description of the lead up was just as hot as any other sex scene in any other romance book I have read.
erotichorizon: Ok

erotichorizon: And that leads to my next question... what did you think of the emotional aspect of the book?
cecile.smith75: Well done. All of the emotion one hussy wants in her romance novels were there. I could feel the "let down," I could feel the hard time Elliot had about coming out. But the storyline of His (I forgot the younger guys name, hold on) was wonderful. I felt for the poor guy. The story was real, the emotions were real. It was something in a m/f relationship I could see happening.

erotichorizon: There was a moral issue there - How do you feel about how the author dealt with that..
cecile.smith75: I liked that. It was very touching. I don't want to give to much away because I think this would be a great book for those virgins out there... But the moral issues was dealt with, with class. And the family issue for Adrian was very well played and I like how that was handled. Showed Adrian had more strength than he thought he had.
erotichorizon: Well said my dear.

erotichorizon: Did the length of the book suit the story.
cecile.smith75: For it being my first time, yea. Really, I would like to have seen more between Elliot and Adrian, but the pace of the book was prefect for this size of the book.

erotichorizon: anything else you want to mention about your first experience with m/m...
cecile.smith75: The power of the emotions surprised me. For the good. I was not sure what to expect of the book... or how I would come away feeling, but I do know it was a hot read.

erotichorizon: With m/m book there is a misconception that the story would be different because it has male protags doing the nasties.. What would you say?
cecile.smith75: no, i think it has to do with how you view m/m books. I mean at first I was hesitate about reading those books because I did not know if I would be able to handle the reading of two males being involved with each other . But as I read the chapter and I saw the human side of the emotion. Now don't get me wrong, I want my woman involved in any relationship, but for m/m, it is not going to be everyone's cup of tea. Those that will want to read it have to be easy, carefree about what they read and remember they are reading it because they want a story.... And if they get uncomfortable, close the book.

erotichorizon: now that you have had a few days to read and simmer - How do you feel now about waiting so long to try m/m
cecile.smith75: Crazy, romance is romance. The taboo of reading it is still in the air, like I said... I feel like I am peeping tom. But I will be back for more - soon - very soon! I guess I can see how some would still say it has a ick factor to it, but really - it is fantasy land...

erotichorizon: I'll leave it there and when you are finished a few more books - I'll ask you the same question again.
cecile.smith75: okay...


Cecile's Final thoughts:
My cherry has been popped and popped by the best... Erotic lead me to the perfect book to be broken in. This book was a treat to read - it really was. The character's relationship was believable and their life situations was one on a real basis. My heart went out to Adrian and his situation and I so fell in love with him. It was short and smutty enough for me to be welcomed into the world of m/m... but I still wanna be in the middle, haa haa!!! Smut here I come....


Erotic Review OF NOTHING BUT TROUBLE

“I want you to spend the night with me. I’ll pay you ten thousand dollars.”

Those were not the words Adrian Scott expected to hear when he is called into the office of the owner of the casino where he works. Although he has always been attracted to the man, and despite the fact that he has a girlfriend and is definitely out of his league, he genuinely did not think the boss played with the boys as well.

Graham Elliott, owner of the Graham’s Aces casino, has one secret, and that’s his attraction to men. He hides it so well that not even the men he eventually approaches are aware he is into men. When he makes a proposition to one of the casino staff, the last thing he expects is for trouble to follow in his wake.

When Graham does what he normally does and propositions Adrian for a set amount of nights for an agreed amount of money, it all sounds tawdry and tasteless. However, the author has humanized Graham with his care and respect for Adrian’s situation so that you easily forgive him for how he starts the relationship.

Adrian is consistent in his values and true to his sexuality, irrespective of how he goes about dealing with life's challenges and changes. He is a character you can’t help loving and genuinely wish the best for.

NOTHING BUT TROUBLE is a great outing by Jenna Byrnes; the wealth of emotions that is condensed in this short story definitely highlights this author as a superb storyteller.



E.H. © Erotic Horizon

And remember... Keep it Dirty, Smutty & Hussy!