Chance Encounters, A.T. Brennan

Honesty.  That's the word I think of most when I think about this story; from the communication between Hayden and Eric to their eventual admissions to themselves and their community.  Once everything was out in the open they really stuck to it and made an effort to communicate often and honestly so petty things didn't come between them.  It made their whole journey so much more wonderful to watch unfold.

The drama came from far less predictable sources and it was refreshing even though the conflicts that came up on Hayden's end were a little forced.  Like, can a bad guy be that bad and then get worse with only a quarter of the book left?  Though I will say that it pushed another element of trust to the fore so they could move forward and through difficulties as a partnership.

I was glad of the secondary characters and their timely and candid support from the very beginning even when Eric and Hayden weren't yet willing to accept everything they were to one another.  This story was a bit surprising for me in a very pleasant way.  I enjoyed it a lot more than I anticipated after being drawn in by the synopsis.  I'm not sure what exactly I expected, but whatever it was wasn't what I got.  Definitely a good read despite the slightly rushed and shorter ending.

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Two men with undeniable chemistry, one chance encounter that starts it all.

Hayden Murphy is done with love. He’s sworn off finding another partner after the death of his husband eighteen months ago. He’s finally starting to feel like himself again and is focused on rebuilding his friendships and his work as a physiotherapist.

Eric Connors is over relationships. After breaking up with his longtime girlfriend, he’s ready to enjoy the single life. He doesn’t want or need another partner… Until he meets Hayden at the scene of an accident while on duty as a paramedic, then keeps running into him in the most random places.

Neither man can deny the chemistry between them or the fact that fate seems bound and determined to keep thrusting them together. As the men continue to meet and give in to their desires, that chance meeting grows into a friendship with benefits. Both men are reluctant to want more, but even they can’t keep things completely casual the more time they spend together.

Will their pasts keep them from seeing what’s right in front of them? Or will Hayden and Eric realize that there is life, and love, after loss?

Fair Trade: Bold Brew Book 7, Cate Ashwood

Despite being drawn in by the premise and the inevitability of a one-time hookup becoming a forever love, I wasn't sure I liked either MC all that much.  Callum was a bit of a grump in a negative way and Nick was a little too lost and unclear.  It was Callum that grew on me first with his desperate need to cling to the job and his isolation and I wanted so much to know why.  It wasn't until the end that I appreciated Nick and it was mainly because he fulfilled Callum's needs.

I think my favorite scene of everything was the moment of profound relief after everyone thought the worst had happened.  I had to take a tiny break from reading so I could quietly giggle.  Giggle, yes, and I kind of never do that on my own without the aid of my two kids being ridiculous.

When everything fell into place there was a sense of peace for the reader who was following along with the chaos of the job as well as the inner turmoil from Callum.  The balance of the book was thrown off because we spent so long with the before that we didn't get nearly enough of their after.  Their happiness was well-earned despite taking nearly the entirety of the short book to get there, but this seriously needed an epilogue.

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After working with the same partner for almost fifteen years, she ditched me for a cushy teaching job. And I thought things couldn’t get worse.

I was wrong.

Because walking into the ambulance station to see my new rookie is none other than the guy I’d picked up in a seedy bar would’ve been bad enough.

Except we hadn’t just hooked up.

Nope.

What we’d done went so far beyond an anonymous one-nighter.

And now I'm not sure what to do with myself, because being with Nick isn’t just against station rules.

It’s against mine.

But I can’t seem to stop, and what’s even more concerning…

I can’t make myself care.

Gunnar's Guardian: Book 1, Pandora Pine

I felt this story was really well-written.  There were absolutely shocking events and tragedy, but it wasn't overwhelmed by the horrors.  It was family, love, and all the bits that made the characters find their true selves that made it worth reading.

Gunnar really grew into his own and found his innate skills while discovering his worth and a real family.  He didn't have the easiest path in life despite all the wealth he was afforded.  Sometimes the strings attached to the affection aren't worth the box the puppet is forced into and when push came to shove, Gunnar found himself with a bleak future.  But that dark cloud was dispelled by the grumpy cop next door.

Kennedy definitely had his prickish moments, mostly coming from his rather difficult past.  What I liked best about him was that he used his resources and didn't let his pride, justification, and prickly nature push everyone and everything away.  He never shied away from , ignored, avoided, or dismissed and disregarded those that would call him on his BS.  Along with that, seeing his thought process and knowing he knew when he was wrong was honorable, refreshing, and wonderful.  He understood exactly when he was the one that needed to apologize and set about getting advice and counsel, along with a large side of forthright and necessary chastisement, on how to make amends.  And then he just did it.  He didn't let things stew and cause greater harm, he just sought out what to do and got to work.

There were some truly jarring heartbreaks in this story too, but overall this was truly an awesome read.  I can't wait for Deacon's Defender so I can jump right back into their lives.  These men and the cast surrounding them are compelling and hurting and so worthy of love and healing.  I'm thrilled this series had such a strong start.

*$4.99 on Amazon

Aside from being a cop, Kennedy is used to living a quiet life. But when a new neighbor moves in next door, his peaceful days are at an end.

Gunnar pushes all Kennedy’s buttons. He’s rude, cocky, and overconfident. He’s also sexy, and Kennedy can’t deny the attraction that simmers between them.

He helps Gunnar find a job at the local firehouse, where the younger man seems to fit in well. As they grow closer, tragedy strikes. Will Kennedy be able to save the man who’s become his whole life?

A Darkness Pierced Heart: Beyond the Pale Book 3, Kit Fortier

Cable and Taylor had a lot to bring and keep them together and their journey wasn't easy, but it allowed them to base their future on something both concrete and magical.  The family that surrounded them gave them support and love and a chance to look at the hard questions so they could truly measure their growing attraction.  I liked the community they were building for themselves and the intricate histories that were woven.  There was a lot of potential with the angsty synopsis that drew me to the story in the first place.

Turns out though, I have mixed feelings about this story.  There were immensely interesting things in this story that made me want to read to the end and there were also pages and pages and pages of repetition and virtually zero progress that made me desperately want to skip ahead to get to the point.  I struggled so hard with the pacing of the story and where this length of story usually takes me a few hours to finish took me three days.  It's a rare book I can't finish, but this one gave me pause on several occasions.

So much grief.  I mean, wow, yeah, there's a lot to unpack with Taylor's history with his wife and I believed every moment of it being hard.  The part I have an issue with is not necessarily how long it takes to come out from under the dark cloud, but that dark cloud lasts days...that's it.  With how long they draw out every dark moment it felt like weeks.  I also think a lot of the grieving was placed under the umbrella of dark magical enhancement rather than something that needed a more consistent and believable path toward healing.  The scene reflected on the cover was actually a wonderful moment that was touching and really great for Taylor and even though I was left a bit empty with what followed.

While this story could be seen as a standalone within the universe created, there are so many connections, relationships, magical elements, and interactions that left me confused until nearly the end and even then I'm still not 100% clear on everything.  I'd highly suggest beginning with book 1, which I did not, and that's my bad.  I'm a bit more on the fence about everyone on an individual basis as well as the plot itself because the story was absolutely filled with sexual encounters, innuendo, overshares, and inside jokes regarding those situations.  I usually enjoy those kinds of things, but I wasn't convinced of the solidity of the relationship without all that stuff.  As for the ending, I'm not completely sold on that either, but I'll say one thing for this author, they can absolutely bait the hook.

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The death of a dearly beloved friend brings the Foster-Hughes family back to Mountain Home, Idaho, to support the man she left behind. Taylor Samuels, the aggrieved, must find a way to survive without her. His memories of his injuries cloud his judgment of love in the past, and the love that may come.

Cable Archer, an EMT, finds himself on-site when Mrs. Samuels' body must be collected. He comes across Taylor, and sees what no one else can: he reads the man's aura, and how it tells of despair unlike any other. The consequences of his grief going unaddressed could be deadly.

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.

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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.