Forever Mann: Bear Valley Book 1, Aries France

This wasn't exactly what I was expecting, but while this author's style isn't something I'd gravitate toward, I couldn't help but be insanely curious about the men of the Mann family.  Each one is different, has their own trauma and needs, and are a part of a family and community that draws you in and threatens to keep you.

There was a lot of tense switching, something I struggle with myself, but it made for a confusing first few chapters.  Likely this was the author getting their flow going and the voice set up, but it was jarring and difficult to follow until the story found its footing.

Drama didn't show up for a while, but when it did, it did so with a huge set of teeth.  I thought it would have played more on the family side of the drama, Perrin's family, as the constant conversational evasions lead to a tense social gathering that forced out some answers, but while that was a passing moment that got absolutely no conclusion or resolution, the more serious drama came from Perrin's relationship and career history.

When it came it was pretty sudden and then it became a slow build up to a really big, violent climax.  As the progress was on the periphery to catch the villain it also got a longer timeline.  We followed along with Jack and a few moments with Perrin and though the view we got was more a glimpse each time of the progress, it was more believable plot-wise because no investigation with legal and FBI-type ramifications is over in a second.

Jack and Perrin were good, solid, and engaging, but I'm not sure they really packed a memorable punch.  It was the story and plot rather than the men that keep me reading until the end.  Though I have to say that the big question came from exactly who it should have come from.  It was a fantastic way to bring them back from the trauma they both experienced and to show exactly where their path was going to lead them on the way forward.  I will absolutely be back for Quinn and Bishop's story.

*$5.99 on Amazon

Jack: 

Family. Bear Valley. Work.

My life is full. I wouldn’t mind finding someone to share these things with, but finding something that fits is harder than it looks. But, then Perrin Thayer moves to Bear Valley and fits so right - in all the ways - I can’t help but fall hard for the sexy C.R.N.A.

Perrin:

Hospitals. Skiing. Travel.

I’ve been gone from the U.S. for five years of some long soul-searching. I want a permanent life somewhere. And I want it with a guy like Jack. But, when my past shows up in Bear Valley, I’m not sure if Jack and I can get through it for a future on the other side.

Silent Knight: Fog City Book 5, Layla Reyne

 

Friends-to-Lovers is way too simple a trope for the men here.  I've already come to love these men so much throughout the previous stories in this series and I needed to know their story.  There is complication after complication, a wife and kid, deep affection, shared history, separation and reunion...what Brax and Holt have is so vast that they needed to tell their story, I needed to read it.

But something to keep in mind before reading...  This is the conclusion of the drama and danger surrounding the family and the villain is one that is important enough that you have to have context behind why it's such a huge deal and you won't get that by starting here with Silent Knight.  For that you have to dive in from the beginning with Prince of Killers.  It's also in the rest of the series that you see all the complicated mess and longing and affection that's apparent between Holt and Brax.  So my suggestion is to go back to where it all started.

Holt and Brax didn't get a trilogy like Chris and Hawes got, but the angst building up throughout all of that up to this moment was enough to make me yearn for Brax and Holt's story.  FINALLY!!  They get their HEA.  And while it took a long time to get there, including most of this book too, it happened.  We started with the past, the one hinted at but never shared before now.  In Brax's words, his feelings, we see just how deep his feelings went and how they built from their first fated meeting where he fell head over combat boots in love with the scared giant of a young soldier.  It answered all the secret questions of how a bond so strong could have existed.

Both men were fierce, caring, and committed to saving the other, almost to their own detriment.  Holt had been the quiet force, the tortured gentle soul in the other books in the series, but here we got to see him take charge, running in to save, to protect, and threatening their worst enemy for the sake of those he loves.  The ultimate villain was expected, but the way it played out, seeing everyone put the pieces together while also battling Brax's savior complex and his pride and stubbornness, it all worked out to a sufficiently dramatic confrontation that was resolved without the flash-bang of the drama and distractions that preceded it.

I do wish we had spent more time with them on the happier, more settled side of the conclusion.  It was a little too abrupt and off-page for all the angsting we'd done up to this point.  The choices made at the end were exactly right for everyone and I couldn't be happier with finally seeing Holt and Brax be together as they were meant to be.  There was a mention of a certain company, Redemption Inc., and I'm pretty much salivating over that becoming a new spin off series.  The world the author has created in San Francisco is addictive and compelling; I'd be ecstatic for another reason to rejoin it.

*5.99 on Amazon or FREE on KU

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I won't let anything happen to you.

Fourteen years ago Braxton Kane's feelings were forbidden.  As an officer, he couldn't fall for an enlisted...no matter how much he longed for Holt Madigan.

Now―as a police chief in love with a digital assassin―his promise to always protect Holt is becoming harder to keep.

I'll protect you.

Holt doesn't understand why his best friend has been pushing him away for months.  But when Brax's life and career are threatened, Holt refuses to allow the distance any longer.

The Madigans protect their own, and Brax is family, whether he believes it or not.

I won't let anything happen to you either.

Forced together, Holt realizes his feelings for his best friend have changed.

His desire to explore the promise their single night together held is undeniable.

His resolve to protect the man who has always protected him is unshakable.

But if Holt wants a future with Brax, he'll have to search and destroy the person who attacked him―before Brax activates the kill switch and sacrifices himself.

*Silent Knight is the fifth book in the Fog City romantic suspense series. It can be read as a stand-alone but is best enjoyed after reading books one through three of the series, in fact, it's definitely my opinion that you should really start with Prince of Killers.

About Layla

Layla Reyne is the author of the Fog City, Agents Irish and Whiskey, Trouble Brewing, and Changing Lanes series.  A Carolina Tar Heel who now calls the San Francisco Bay Area home, Layla enjoys weaving her bi-coastal experiences into her stories, along with adrenaline-fueled suspense and heart-pounding romance.

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The Harder We Fall, Rebecca Raine

Tristan caught my attention right from the start with his stubbornness, his damage, and his unnamed trauma. His personality was gruff, but you could immediately tell that he had a hugely valid underlying cause. As the story unfolded I was floored by just how deep his guilt went and just how far he was willing to go to keep it as he would a lover.

So when the real-life lover came along, I had to find out exactly how Sam would fit, would provide the path to healing and forgiveness. Sam had his own bag of problems and a past holding him prisoner, but unlike Tristan, Sam's problems were more mental than emotional. His tenderness, insight, and patience were a testament to the quality of human he was and how much he could come to care for Tristan.

Despite everything Sam was and provided for Tristan, true forgiveness and healing came only after he found it within and what gave him the key to that was a very surprising source. It was exactly right. The romance gave Tristan the foundation and support he needed to walk his path. I did have issues with Sam's reaction to a big disappointment though. It spoke to a selfishness that I hadn't seen before then. The disappointment was exactly what Sam needed to find his freedom too though, so laying it all on Tristan was unfair and I didn't like it at all.

But all's well that ends well, because they came together and forged something stronger in the end.

*$3.99 on Amazon

Insomnia. It's the penance I pay for my greatest mistake. But when an ill-timed doze behind the wheel almost introduces me to a pole, I know something has to change.

Sleep with Me, a locally-made meditation app, promises a cure. I don't expect it to work. Nor do I expect to be seduced by the voice of its creator, Sam.

Night after night, he gets inside my head. Coaxing me. Manipulating me. The situation becomes intolerable and I decide to meet the man I've been 'sleeping' with. I must own his secrets - before he ends up owning me.

In person, the quiet and reclusive Sam is his own kind of complicated. He needs my help as much as I need his and we form an unlikely partnership.

It's only business. It can't be more. Even if Sam refuses to deny the pull between us. Even if my need to get closer is more than my guilty conscience will allow.

I have no right to love, not after the damage I've done. How can I give Sam all he deserves, when our chance at a happy ending was ruined before we even met?

Fix Me: Tattoos and Temptation Book 2, Mia Monroe

Casper and Saint share some amazing chemistry, but there's something holding Saint back at the same time that something is propelling Casper forward.  Watching them find their shared wavelength is a difficult ride, but no less full of the feels I'd come to expect after reading Marry Me, book one in the series.  I adore both men for different reasons, though I have to admit that it's Casper that really captured and kept my attention throughout the story.

If basing my enjoyment only on the chemistry these two men shared I'd be an enthusiastic reviewer.  But it was adding in the subtleties, the struggle, the pain, and Casper's individual evolution that really sold the story for me.  Casper struggled with so much more than you'd ever expect and the way he gives his everything to Saint again and again was both wonderful and agonizing.  It was Saint's reactions and hesitations that made me ache the most, not for him, but for Casper.  I was glad for the dual POV, because otherwise I'd probably write Saint off despite my general love of a gruff Daddy opening his heart fully to his boy.

Saint was a tough character for me because while I respected his journey and his emotional hesitations, I felt his reaction to his past was a bit over the top.  A lot of blame that wasn't really warranted, even the irrational guilt kind.  It was enhanced and prolonged only to add angst to Casper's own journey and I didn't really appreciate that.  Casper's difficulties stemmed from bad choices, self-discovery, not knowing themselves, desperation to find acceptance, a nasty ex, and a set of parents who were pieces of work.  It was a lot to unpack.  Everything got it's resolution in the end and I adored Casper's maturity and realization of all the good he had both in himself and in the life he forged around himself.

I can't wait to see where we go next with these men.

*$4.99 on Amazon

My crush has Daddy written all over him

The minute I laid eyes on him he became my new hobby. I turned on the charm to win him over, only to get friendzoned. The more time we spend together, the more glimpses I get of the Daddy he’s hiding under his no dating allowed exterior. Unfortunately for Saint, a Daddy is exactly what this boy is looking for.

I have no intention of staying friends with him, but with every platonic interaction, I start feeling things I never have. And not just about the sexy Scottish object of my affection.

I wasn’t looking for someone to fix me, but if I let him in we might have something amazing here.

If we can just shake the ghosts from the past…

Spell of the Werewolf, J.R. Loveless

The overall feel of the story was pain and heartache.  Justin aches so much over what he did during the three nights a month he shifts into a monster and he's finally finding his breaking point.  With the support of his friend he's able to keep the monster caged, but his constant search for freedom from the curse puts him in the path of a hunter.  When they strike a deal it's what Justin feels is best for him and the world, but there's a lot about his world he doesn't know even after two centuries.

His volatile meeting with Vincent is interesting in that there's obviously a story behind the hunter and though we don't get his background until well into the story, his mystery is one that keeps me wanting to know more.  I did find his utter hatred strange because his beginning wasn't nearly as horrific as I expected, painful and bad and unfortunate, but not horrific enough to warrant such blind, all-encompassing hatred.  Quite a lot of the story leaned heavily on the animosity between him and Justin before any change occurred.

I can't say I felt a lot of connection between the MC's nor between me and them and the ending isn't even really an HFN either.  There are major things that need a sequel, but despite laying a foundation for one, I have no clue whether we'll get one or not.  So with no real resolution, quite a few questions and connections left unanswered, and a flash-in-the-pan climax that was a bit anticlimactic, I'm on the fence whether I'd want to continue if this did become a series.  Overall it was an interesting story with a really captivating premise and the bones for the story were pretty good, I just wasn't wowed as much as I hoped I would be.

*$4.99 on Amazon

A werewolf with a death wish bargains with a hunter for salvation.

Justin has spent several lifetimes atoning for the violent nature of his curse. A mindless angry beast several nights a month, he carries a burden of blood for past sins. Tired and lonely, he’s seeking an end to his torment.

Vincent bears the curse, though only by half. A hybrid, he hunts those of his brethren who let their monsters take over. And he’s hell bent on destroying them all, until he's forced to deal with one who’s begging for peace. Except deliverance wears many guises.

Their desire for redemption erupts in a fiery passion drawing them closer together.

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Tasty AF, LE Franks

Christian came out with guns blazing only to retreat into misery when his nasty ex became a vindictive jerk.  Their bit of "patching things up" at the end was a nice thought, but I don't know that it provided the closure Christian needed.  It would have been best to just leave it be and have him find happiness in just being happy with what he created on his own out of the shadow of his ex no matter how much work went into his past.

Andy's issue worked for the story...in theory.  The way it was written in was overly dramatic and made Andy, who started out endearing and straightforward in his interest, into someone self-righteous, selfish, and judgmental.  He turned out to be someone who had way more emotional investment into something that wasn't his fault and then he put all his damage onto Christian.

Their first date started out cute and everything that led up to that point had potential, but when Andy did what he did and then got maudlin and proceeded to bail on Christian after a bit of good conversation and a sweet kiss only to find a hand job hook up a couple days later at a club left me completely reeling.  WTF was uttered over and over.  And then the scene in Powell's...first with the journals, unnecessary and weird, then with the coffeeshop, out of place and too philosophical and depressing, all to culminate with him treating Christian badly, yet again, without real provocation, only perceived, and he didn't even let Christian explain.  But then that bit ended up with sexy flirting?  I was tossed all over the place wondering what in the eff was supposed to be going on.

Christian started off okay but gained presence, Andy started off great but quickly died a quick death in my mind.  I didn't really believe in their relationship because it seemed Christian was the only one trying to understand and include Andy in every facet.  When Andy made his grand gesture it was sweet, I'll give it that, but his presence was so very diminished by that point that it just wasn't enough to save him in the end for me.

This story had an interesting premise that I was absolutely all in for, but the finished product was severely lacking.  For a republished story it wouldn't have hurt the author to find a beta reader (there are dozens and dozens of us that do this for free) to give some objective advice before republishing.

*$3.99 on Amazon

How to Lure a Hunter: VRC Book 3, Alice Winters

I'd been waiting for Karsyn's book for quite some time and knew we'd be in for a bit of a ride with him.  Originally I thought it'd be him paired with DeGray, but once Claude made himself known, quite loudly and ridiculously, it was clear there was going to be another "odd couple" bit.  I'm happy with the pairing, definitely, and felt they worked really well together once all the truths were out and the walls knocked down, it just wasn't as compelling or hilarious as I'd found Marcus and Finn's story.  I'm still every bit invested with the VRC and am looking forward to more and interested to see how the next story works to give us new dynamics and shenanigans.

Claude was every bit as sweet and colorful as his clothing and his complete oblivious honesty about his clothing choices was well-played.  His belief in his outrageous combinations were unshakeable.  I liked that he was different from every other character we've gotten from Alice Winters thus far which gave a sweet, almost naive quality to the story that keeps the overall series feeling fresh with new perspectives and talents for ridiculous.  That Claude can also kick some major tail is a bonus.  He doesn't like letting the violent side of him out and it seemed a hardship unless Karsyn was requesting or needing it.  And his dynamic with Marcus was endearing.  We'd been led into an understanding of someone manipulative and possibly violent and yet what we got is someone childish in all the best and most humorous ways.  I liked him.

Karsyn on the other hand, didn't really end up as I thought he would.  Most of that was a good thing with his incredible vulnerability and softness.  I really liked his affection masked as snobbish disdain in his interactions with Finn and while many of his barbs were a bit too pointed at Claude, his softness compelled him to feel badly about it and either make amends or almost fall over himself to pretend like it never happened.  Only Claude would be able to see the innermost part of him and enjoy every bit of all of him, the prickly and the soft.

Based on the title and after the first murder scene I could guess very clearly where we were going with the dramatic elements of the story.  The depth to which it was taken however, was the surprise.  It was painful and I could see why Karsyn ended up acting the way he did.  I think the resolution worked because we got to see a lot of Claude in his moments of badassery, but some of it was a little over the top and slightly confusing in a "I don't really see why that was important to include" way.  One character ended up crazy in a way that worked despite being overly dramatic, and another was kind of an overly exaggerated non-issue.  They didn't really matter to any part of the story at all besides a certain creation bit and I feel they should have been excluded from after that moment.

This story was absolutely a departure in the overall feel and relationship dynamic in the first two VRC stories.  Not so far that it doesn't fit, but enough to know we're not reading recycled characters and plots.  I liked most of the changes in the story and really enjoyed the flashback scenes that gave us Karsyn's heartbreaking past in bits and pieces as present moments triggered them.  It was a great way to get a full picture of the past without an excessively long info-dump conversation scenario.  Claude's part of the background was amusing and where we know him through Marcus, a few holes were filled in, but nothing as detailed as Karsyn's detailed history.  I'm truly interested to see where we go from here and whether we'll get the answer to our curiosity about DeGray's compromising situation.  A more subtle win of a story from Alice Winters.

*$4.99 on Amazon

Alexei
When Marcus Church brings his brother Claude in to help solve an unusual murder, I’m positive he did it just to disrupt my monotonous life. None of my coworkers in the Vampire Related Crimes unit seem to understand that I want to keep a wall between me and everyone else—especially Claude, who does everything he can to break through it with an annoying smile.

After more vampires begin to die, Claude pinpoints the actions of the killers to a group of vampire hunters, leaving us in a race to stop them. When I discover that I have a target on my back, I’m surprised that Claude insists on staying by my side, even when things go from bad to worse. I’m determined to keep him out—I’ve lost enough people in my life—but I can’t stop feeling something every time he breaks through.

Claude
When I reunited with my brother, I never imagined it’d throw me right into Alexei Karsynov’s path. He’s short-tempered, stubborn, and dangerously adorable whenever he smiles—he just doesn’t realize it yet.

When Marcus asks me to help with a case, it gives me the excuse I need to get closer to Alexei, but what I discover threatens to change everything. Suddenly, I find myself wanting to do anything to protect Alexei and to see him smile, despite his efforts to keep his distance from others. I’m determined to show him that he can’t live in the past when his future is so much brighter.

Dances Long Forgotten: Winsford Green Book 1, Ruby Moone

I truly enjoyed where we ended up with this story, but I will warn that it took more heartbreak and secrets badly revealed before we got there.  Speaking of the story within the story (pretty much the main story since it was pretty much the only one we got in depth), both men were charming, but as we only get one POV, it's a bit skewed in favor of feeling more strongly for Hugo than for Lyndon.  There was a sweetness to where they began as children and a satisfaction to where they ended up once all the chaos settled, it just hurt a lot in between.

One thing to note, in my opinion, was that the story, though well-written, was unnecessarily complicated.  It was secret after secret, reveal after reveal, heartbreak after heartbreak, and was just far too much for a shorter story.  At least one or two could have been dropped and we would have had a much more engaging story.  With a total of three couples being featured in varying degrees it made for too much to bring together at the end.  That being said, if it had been simplified, I would have adored the whole thing.  Each couple was interesting enough with their own complications and hearts to sort out and they all got their HEA in the end.

The "main" couple that we started out with served as a vehicle more than a feature point and that was another missed opportunity.  There were quite a lot of little details that needed some fine tuning and an objective eye, but the overall story had excellent bones and a wonderful ending full of family, feels, and forgiveness.  It was worth the read.

*$2.99 on Amazon

On Christmas Eve, Dylan, the man of James Pell-Charnley’s dreams, is on the point of walking out. Then they hear the faint strains of a waltz in the library of the empty abbey. The music is said to be heard only by those truly in love, and it gives James the courage to tell Dylan the story.

In December 1841, Lord Hugo Pell-Charnley is in a terrible mess. The youngest son of the late Marquis, youngest brother of the incumbent, never felt to fit. When his life comes crashing down, and his life and his family are threatened, he is forced to face his elder brother and confess his deepest secret. When he arrives at Winsford Abbey he finds he must also confront the shame from his past in the form of Lyndon Cross. The boy he’d loved but betrayed in school.

As they clear the ghosts from the past, they dance in each other’s arms in the library to the soft strains of the waltz, but long buried secrets threaten to destroy their happiness.

Two hundred years later, can those dances long forgotten give James and Dylan the courage to hold on to love?

Wayward Love: Cedar Cove Book 2, Rhys Everly

I'm a huge fan of May/December relationships and with a premise promising an intelligent, driven young man and an older man that needs new perspective and life breathed into his existence, I had high, high hopes for this story.  I'll admit that I'm less of a fan of the author's stories under their other pen name and I figured I'd give them another chance.  I wish it had worked out.

Kyle had exuberance that he let run away with him at every single turn.  For being so smart he was so very unaware of his impetuousness and both men would have greatly benefitted from some good old fashioned communication.  Andy's stick needed to be removed for sure and sometimes it takes a bit of steamrolling to make him see the light, but Andy was stubbornly awful about everything because he was uncomfortable.

And then there was the relationship.  Kyle's assertion that it's just for fun is something that always comes back to bite everyone and his impetuous nature had him promising things and then blowing up when he just needed to stand still and see things from another perspective for five minutes.  Andy's excuses about keeping things special and therefore secret is the same in that it always gets revealed in the worst way and this was completely avoidable, but he was more selfish than all the rest for unsustainable reasons.  Countless times he was shown love and support for the possibility between him and Kyle and he continually shot it down because he hid behind the disapproval of his children.  As a parent, children's feelings are absolutely taken into account when navigating a new relationship, but to allow adult children to dictate your adult relationship is beyond ridiculous.  Nope, just a big fat nope all around.

The grand gesture had sweet moments, but it was nearly ruined by impulsiveness on both sides, yet again.  I know my opinion is in the minority for this book and I feel awful about that, but there's just no denying that the relationship was dysfunctional, the adults acted more like children, acceptance was demurred as often as it was spat on, and straightforward honesty was thin on the ground.

*$5.99 on Amazon

He’s a ray of sunshine, but he’s my son’s best friend.

My life has had three modes since my wife passed away.

Work.
Work.

And work.

And I’m not even any good at that.

Unless I find the money I owe everyone, only a miracle can keep my bar afloat.

Until he comes into my life.

Kyle Brady. 

I’ve never looked at another man the same way I look at him. 

It’s a dangerous feeling.

Somehow I’m roped into letting him help my business and he wants to fix everything.

Including my broken heart.

Want to know how?

Read now and find out.

Finding You: Voice Out Book 1, Stella Rainbow

Scott and Luke were incredibly sweet together when Luke's walls dropped.  With a difficult past that left scars both physical and mental it's no surprise that the relationship takes time to grow and I was glad the story focused on the growth rather than a cliche "sexual healing" scenario.  Luke needed time to learn trust and comfort and to find the strength within himself to progress beyond his past horror.

What I enjoyed most was the sweetness and tenderness that took precedence over sexual interest.  I'm all for a deliciously smutty story, but when dealing with trauma it's more important to heal the brain before jumping back into the sack, even if you never do make it there.  Scott's sexuality was almost too perfect for Luke, but that's actually a sweet way to write in a simplified journey for both men.  At the length of the story it was important not to overcomplicate things.  Luke's trauma is plenty.

The confrontation at the end was a little overdramatized, but nothing unbearable or out of the realm of possibility.  Overall this was a very good story that focused on healing, honesty, and how Scott and Luke forged a future together amidst trials.  With a supporting cast that really lifted the story I'm definitely interested in coming back for more from the series.

*$3.99 on Amazon

Luke:
It has been a year since I escaped my three years of hell. Twelve months, and yet I felt just as broken as I had all those months ago. I had a job now, a home and people who cared about me, and yet I was all alone in this darkness that surrounded me. My past haunted me day and night and there was no one who could protect me from it.

Until I met Scott.

Scott:
Losing every person I loved one after the other made me realise just how much loving someone could hurt. Without even realising, I made a decision to never love another person again, lest I lost them too. For years, my life revolved around studying and then working and the only person I was close to was my best friend, who wouldn't leave me alone, no matter what I tried. I was content to stay alone.

Until I met Luke.

A man shy of loving someone again and a man haunted by his past. Will they be able to help each other heal? Or will they just end up breaking each other?

Has Brady found his own match?

Meet Luke's friend Brady

as he helps Charlie find himself,

and maybe some love along the way.

 *Pre-order for $3.99 on Amazon

Brady:
I thought I was happy with my life. I have a successful business, an awesome found family, a dog who is a bigger princess than me and volunteer work that keeps me busy and satisfied when nothing else does.

I was content—and I'd thought I was happy, too—to live my life just like that. No mess. No one to demand things of me I wasn't willing to give. No complications.

But then I met Charlie.

Charlie:
For my whole life, I'd been sure I was destined to live a half-life, to hide a part of myself so I wouldn't lose the only two people I cared about. And I was resigned to my fate.

But when my dad died of a sudden heart attack, I realized life was too short to keep hiding. I moved to a new city, but I had no clue how to go about finding a part of myself that I'd buried so long ago.

And then I met Brady.

A man who is out and proud of who he is and a person who has spent their life hiding a part of themselves. Will they be able to forge a path together or would their differences end up pushing them away?

Daddy Ink: Get Ink'd Book 1, Ali Lyda

I honestly wish I could have rounded this up for Javi because even though he was gruff and shut down quite a lot, there just wasn't enough here for me to love and recommend.

The story started off interesting enough with two men I really wanted to get to know.  Unfortunately it was pretty much a non-issue after that because neither man truly inspired me.  Javi had more potential for me because he was misunderstood, had an awesome package and a bit of damage on the inside that could have been worked into some amazing growth and vulnerability.  Except Gordo pretty much walked all over that and Javi let him for far too long.  With so much hot/cold back and forth and very little genuine warmth to build on, there wasn't a whole lot to go from and convince me they belonged together.

Gordo didn't charm me hardly at all.  I know he struggled, I'm a single parent and totally get how tough it is sometimes, but his attitude just wasn't understandable and virtually every problem in the relationship stemmed from his attitude and his treatment of Javi.  I lost interest in him so very quickly.

Javi's complications and vulnerabilities were touching in the beginning, but then they almost became excuses for his own behavior of running away and shutting down.  The Big-Mis was predictable and he proved himself cliche and impulsive in an exaggerated reproduction of his actions all throughout the story up to that point.  And then there was the accident.  It really served no point other than to put him in a physically vulnerable place and to keep him sitting still long enough for Gordo to catch up to him and do the whole explanation/insufficient groveling thing.

I just wished for a different resolution, a different journey to get to an admittedly sweet ending.  They became the family they were meant to be and while the premise promised amazing things and intriguing characters, it wasn't an easy road to get there and I didn't find myself wanting to travel it with them.

*$5.99 on Amazon

He’s raising a baby, not looking for love …

I don’t want a serious relationship, and certainly not with the single dad next door. But one look at Gordo? I’m smitten. Even though I might be a tough looking tattoo artist, I know that the ink does a lot to hide my own insecurities. It doesn’t matter how much Gordo seems to like me - I can’t bring myself to make a move.

Talking has never come easy to me - and I mean that literally. But Gordo doesn’t seem fazed by my speech problems or the mess in my head, and soon we’re forming a deep connection. But I learned a long time ago that nothing lasts forever … and when a blast from Gordo’s past shows up, it proves that everything was too good to be true.

At least, that’s what the old me would say. This time, I know that Gordo and his little baby are worth fighting for. I’m willing to walk through fire to get what I want. But can a tattoo artist with a checkered past really be any guy’s happily ever after?

A Bit of Me, Kent Lowe

With a good ending and characters that made me feel conflicted, there were some great aspects to the story that other readers obviously really enjoyed.  My enjoyment was a bit less however, because there was just too much conflict that felt forced, enhanced, and prolonged far beyond what was necessary.  It's like the fighting became the focus instead of the changes in the individuals and their relationship.  I didn't dislike the story, but I can't honestly say I loved it either.

George was so juvenile and whiny and immature and reactionary all. The. Time.  The first few pages were interesting because we could see someone who is young but clearly struggling with where life seemed to be taking him, his girlfriend, his friends, and then there was the slightly baffling interest in the young tattooed man across from him in the train.  There was a great start, but very quickly it was snuffed out by the rest of his pouting, lamenting, pining, and general ornery sullenness.  Combine that with his disrespect, drunken behavior, and the incessant moping and I was so very over him.  Only later in the story, much, much, much later, did he start to turn around and with the new softness that Jack brought out in him I could finally see some potential for him and them together.  Of course it wasn't something that lasted in the face of his all-too-frequent freakouts.

But thank goodness for a great grandmother.  She was pretty much the star of the book and I was incredibly interested in Aimee, but she kept getting shunted to the side with all of George's intentional avoidance of anything positive in his life for so long.  Without them I'd probably have skimmed a lot more of the story than I did.

The real conundrum was Jack.  He had an incredibly interesting and complicated past that bled profusely into his present and his situation was vastly more interesting than George's.  Except we didn't really get much of that.  His character was much more problematic and traumatic and the processing of all of that with the requisite healing that needed to happen for him to embrace some kind of future with George was so slow coming that I wasn't sure it would ever happen.

The course and transformation should have been the focus of both sides of the story, but we got mired in all the awful before the switch came, and when it did it happened too quickly to be truly believable.  The moment itself wasn't a bad one, it's just that it wasn't developed into something really transformative, something real and the mark of something that would build a foundation meant to last.  They were both still so young and getting their actual romance in nearly the end of the story wasn't satisfying enough.  So while their story wasn't bad, it was far too focused on the angst and wasn't given enough time to develop into something positive and loving enough to balance the heartache they both faced.

*$4.99 on Amazon

Never Too Late, Quinn Ward

Michael and Dax had a ton of potential.  I'm not always a fan of children in stories because they're either not age appropriate in their behaviors and speech, they take over scenes and pull focus in a distracting way, or they drive the plot rather than the drama or the relationship.  In this story, Jagger was really the star and Dax his co-star.  Together they made the story worth reading.

While I didn't always like the men, especially Michael, they were real and raw in a way I could justify and sometimes even relate to.  The honesty between them and in their desire to understand was one of the reasons I couldn't write them off as a couple.  I was absolutely not a fan of the running.  Seriously, grow up, Michael.

I found the entire situation with the father-in-law to be strange.  It was unnecessary drama when there's plenty to work with just in Michael's own head and behavior as well as Dax's part in all of that.  I kind of liked the idea, but the bitterness and the anger was a bit of a detraction from the main conflict.  If the story had focused on the actual issue rather than the stuff brought in just to increase the dramatic tension only to have it kind of just go away magically, the story would have been much more enjoyable to read.

As it was, it was a bit of a struggle to get through without needing to take breaks because of how much Michael irritated me before he got his act together.  The resolution was very sweet and I'm even vaguely curious about the friends that spark something on the sidelines.

*$2.99 on Amazon

Dax would have died on the side of the road...if not for the stranger who saved him.

Living in the town where his life changed, Dax can't help but wonder if he's passed the man who brought him back to life.

He doesn't know what that incident cost the med student who stopped to help a dying man.

Now, it's Dax's turn to repay the favor, even if neither of them realize it.