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!