Quick Reads, Quick Reviews 50

• Love You So Hard: Love You So Book 1, Tara Lain
• Fate's Final Chapter: A Collection of Strays Book 6, Toby Wise
• Night Skies and Galaxy Leggings, Nikole Knight

While we didn't get to know the men a whole lot, less of Jessie than of Craig, we got enough of a sense of rightness between them, that they were the right person for one another.  I ached for Craig and even teared up when everything in his life seemed to be falling apart and seeing him find his forever with Jessie was very sweet.  Though the individual growth where he finds his courage and confidence isn't complete or even completely solid by the time the story ends, it is on an upward trajectory.

His Charlie Brown thoughts got to be a bit too much for me at times and there was very little sense at all of who Jessie is other than a good match for Craig because he's so complementary.  But despite the cheese and simplistic characters, I did like the overall feel of the story. I also liked the words a certain boss had for him and that those that needed their comeuppance got it.  Very low angst, this short story was full of sweetness, fluffy feels, and some spice to balance it all out.  3.5 stars

Such a sweet ending, a great way to close out the series of all the unlikely yet perfect pairings.  Being guided by Fate to find their fated mates and to bring life into the pack lands as well as the heart of their adopted father, each group gets one final moment to show us just how wonderful it is to find the being(s) meant for your soul.  True to each character there were twin shenanigans, steamy moments, tender feels, and all the good stuff we've come to expect from each and every book in the series.  Along with some truly interesting female alpha explanations that I'd always been curious about, there were snippets from each grouping that rounded out and solidified every good thing I've felt over the course of following all their journeys.  4 stars.

Tender, heartbreaking, and triumphant.  

Casey and Andy are so incredibly young and only starting out in life. On their own they're so very different and yet there's a common thread of admiration, yearning, and discovery that ties them together. There's also an attraction that's more than physical and while they navigate a mostly homophobic community and their changing feelings they find that young love isn't enough when life comes calling.

I enjoyed the story so much and when the heartbreak came I teared up knowing that it was such a difficult moment for both of them and cursing the fact that there were only a few more pages in the novella left. The epilogue was short and wonderful and I wanted to say I didn't like the book because it was so short, but that would be a disservice to effective writing just because I wasn't ready to let these young people go. I want more.  4 stars.

Finding Me: Voice Out Book 2, Stella Rainbow

Brady's spark and loyalty was engaging when we first met him in Finding You and here we get to see him get his happily ever after with the person who fits all of him.  Luckily Charlie is just as wonderful and a great match because they have their own journey to travel and it's not always on an upward slope.  Together they navigate change, acceptance, and love in a way that was full of challenge and tenderness.  This was such a wonderfully sweet story with an insightful look into how difficult some personal evolutions can be.

Charlie was shy, vulnerable, and so very curious.  Their openness served them well at the same time as giving the reader a glimpse into the ups and downs of accepting your true self after hiding away for decades.  The body dysmorphia was especially interesting in a way that a cis female like myself wouldn't truly be aware of had I not found a story like this.  Not liking myself or being dissatisfied with my body's appearance has nothing on what Charlie and many other non-binary individuals have to face and I absolutely appreciated how this topic was described and handled.  Following that up with Brady's fierceness in the face of hurtful family members showed a lighter and positive outcome for bringing family together despite all the hurt.

Brady's constant encouragement and support was invaluable to Charlie and their dynamic really worked for me.  This was a much lighter story in comparison to Finding You, but its subject matter was completely different and held a different intensity.  The Voice Out community is full of love and brightness in a world that doesn't accept all humans in their variety of flavors.  I'm a fan of this series and am eager for more.

*$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?

Fate's Perfect Timing: A Collection of Strays Book 3, Toby Wise

Fated mates, knotty fun, and first times for everyone, this book has all the cheesy sweetness I've come to expect and enjoy about this series.  Isaiah is a non-binary unicorn who longs for their mate.  When YouTube and a best friend bring them Sam, Fate obviously has a handle on things.  Sam's smitten right away and it's clear from their meet-cute that things are going to end up with a pair of sparkly mated unicorns and really, what could be cuter than that?  Probably the tattoos...but you'll have to read the story to find out why =].

Speaking of cute, I have to say I'm a huge fan of Sam's favorite pick-up line.  "You're pretty, I'm cute.  Together we'd be pretty cute."  I think that's how it goes, but whatever, it's freaking adorable.  Is it also a good time to mention I'm a fan of clever dad jokes?  Anyway...

This story is quick and a whole lot of sweet with shy giggles, lots of blushing, and a fumbling first time for Isaiah and Sam.  I really enjoyed their dynamic, that despite their genetic assignments neither enforced any kind of authority over the other, and through their equally controlling upbringing they were able to recognize the uniqueness they had to offer one another.  Even better was their ability to appreciate and encourage it as well.

There was quite a lot of education about how a non-binary person may think and feel based on Isaiah's specific understanding of their identity.  It didn't take up a whole lot of the book, just a very public moment during the Con and a private moment when Sam used communication to understand his mate.  That moment was far more effective than others I've read and was far less preachy, which I completely appreciated.  It was simple, to the point, and heartfelt.

The whole plot is basically finding their mate, mating, and all the lovely consequences of enjoying a rather intense omega heat.  Definitely simplistic, but adequate for the short length of the book.  I especially loved getting to visit with the whole Burke pack and the teaser for Cameron's story (which I've been dying to get my teeth into!).  There's so much to love about this family and I'm definitely coming back for more.

*$2.99 on Amazon

I’m just your average non-binary unicorn, making a living as a beauty guru on YouTube, dreaming about finding my mate. I dream about the perfect meet cute and to my absolute delight, meeting Sam is just that. He’s everything I ever pictured in a mate; strong, broad, and bearded. But will our inexperience push each other away? ~Isaiah

I was shunned by my family after not going through with an arranged marriage. That night, I was positive I’d just met my soulmate and I was prepared to spend my life alone. That is, until I met Isaiah. All I wanna do is take care of them the way they deserve, but alpha instinct only goes so far. Lady Fate’s finally brought us together, but can we figure out the rest ourselves? ~Sam

How Not to Blend: LOVESTRONG Book 1, Susan Hawke

Corbin is struggling getting his increasingly sullen teenager to open up to him.  When he has a "brilliant" idea to enlist the help of a drag queen to give him tips, it gets him an exceedingly sexy Kandi opening his eyes to all kinds of things he never knew about.  It also gets him the unapologetically fabulous Andrew who slowly opens Corbin's heart.  If they can navigate Corbin's relationship with his son, a meddling grandmother, and all the misunderstandings jumping to conclusions gets them, they might be able to turn something fake into something very real.

From the very start I was hooked.  The ridiculous banter between Andrew and his bestie, the feels from Gray's situation, the slow-moving relationship, and even Corbin's obliviousness all worked together to captivate me at the outset.  As things progressed some of those elements didn't grow or evolve and held their story back a bit.  Corbin remained oblivious way too long for my liking and his attitude during their separation didn't do much to win me over either.  Andrew's campiness was endearing for most of the story, but at times it felt affected rather than organic.  Those moments weren't often, thank goodness, but when they appeared it was quite off-putting.  The simplistic detail with which so many things were described felt contrived given the characters involved in the discussion.  And for nearly everyone to be a wiki resource on the topic while Corbin was ignorant of everything at multiple times?  Not really believable.

Grayson really stole the spotlight, though.  As a young teenager coming to terms with their identity and truth, they had a difficult situation combined with bullying and an overreacting father.  What I loved about them was their acceptance and resolve.  They also didn't come across as the token "extra" often used to garner more interest than would be warranted otherwise.  Instead, they were genuinely great.  Their role was more than just to be the non-binary bridge used to bring Andy and Corbin together, they were a fully fleshed out character that was an entity all on their own.  Couple that with a ridiculous grandmother that was full of spunk, dirty jokes, a foul mouth, and incredible wisdom and you've got a cast of supporting characters that really gives this story wings.

*$3.99 on Amazon or FREE on KU!

Men of Hidden Creek Season 3

 
 

This was surprisingly low on the coming-out angst.  I was honestly expecting a lot more vacillation and denials from Vince than we got.  What we saw instead was an earnest man who was willing to accept something new and different about himself with very little shame or inner turmoil.  The passion he shared with Koby was sweet and a little hot but nothing to write home about because most of the story was spent educating us about labels and dividing the allies from the extremely homophobic responses.  Koby was an anticipated character for me and he did live up to the kind, supportive, creative, and straightforward person we caught glimpses of previously.  Together he and Vince were more sweet than anything as was the response to their announcements.  Overall this was a nice story that had a quick and low angst build-up to a genuine relationship.  3.5 stars.

FREE on KU!

Another relatively easy acceptance of another side of their sexuality has the men of Milestone at the low side of the angst scale.  While I think their relationship's "conclusion" was a bit rushed, their progression was believable.  I liked how they built a friendship and a mutually beneficial arrangement that included using both men's talents to help one another and, ultimately, allow both men to realize their individual potential as well as their potential together.  This was such a win for me that I didn't even mind the overly dramatic and then quickly deflated "reunion".  4 stars.

FREE on KU!

When we first met Zach he was a man who yearned for love so hard that he got walked all over by a manipulative pretender and my heart ached for him.  What he finds with Shane has all the makings of something really amazing, but he's so gun-shy that he almost blows it.  I found his almost paranoid hesitance distracting and frustrating most of the time.  His focus on doing what's right, doing his job, and being honest with Shane, however, just about redeems him.  He grew by the end of the story and made me feel confident that he really could get it together enough to be a good partner for Shane.  Shane was stalwart right from the start and deserved someone who could support him and accept all the goodness in his heart.  I was glad the drama was appropriate for each man and it suited the story as well as getting them both to the point of crumbling or standing tall in the face of adversity.  While one just about crumbled, he found his inner strength and confidence enough to work out a very sweet ending for both of them.  3.5 stars.

FREE on KU!

Micah and Brandon dance around their chemistry in a way that's actually quite sweet.  We know the predicament they're in and know where they'll end up, but the journey to that point is one of a lot of complicated feels, more feels than I expected.  I liked Brandon's honesty at the outset of the change in their dynamic as well as his concern for his daughter.  Micah's yearning for love was endearing as well.  What didn't work for them was what frustrated me the most and that was the complete lack of communication.  And then Micah's refusal to apologize enough for his actions, no matter how much Brandon overreacted, was disappointing to say the least.  This couple had the potential to be one of my favorites and the side cast was both overwhelming and wonderful as well.  The superstars were actually the brothers who gave the words of wisdom, the support, and the kicks in the bums both men needed to get their heads on straight.  I was set up for such greatness in the beginning and while the ending was full of tenderness and vulnerable honesty, the apology wasn't two-sided and the individuals' indignation soured all those wonderful warm things I felt prior to those moments.  3.5 stars.

FREE on KU!

Lost in Indigo: Colors of Love Book 1, V.L. Locey

To truly appreciate others you have to accept yourself.  Mathieu Beresford is hurt at a pivotal moment in his hockey career and all he wants to do is hide away from the world.  That's not the only thing he wants to keep hidden though.  But one look at the vibrant Indigo has him taking a hard look at who he is and what he wants.  Except he'll have to dig deep, really deep, to find the courage to accept every piece of himself if he wants to give Indigo everything they deserve.

Indigo is fierce, sweet, and definitely not a pushover.  I do think he was young and his immaturity showed at times.  The one issue I have with him is his willingness to be a secret and then when that's tested he not only shows his hurt, but he acts as if it wasn't something he was prepared for.  His youth and hurt made him react on a grand scale.  I won't say I disagree with what he did, because I don't, I just think that there was some perspective and empathy that was missing.  Coming out should always be done by and for the individual and I don't think it should be forced.  Indigo gave Mat quite a large push in that direction, but one that was sorely needed.

Mat wasn't exactly what I expected.  I anticipated getting a bear in temperament and a damaged man that needed to sort through a myriad of issues, but what I wasn't expecting was his acquiescence to the harpy of a nurse.  To laugh at her ridiculousness and be understanding of her views didn't show emotional maturity to me, it showed cowardice and weakness.  He eventually made it right but it shocked me that he would put up with it for so long.  He was also a colossal a-hole regarding Indigo when the pressure was on.

I would have loved to have an alternating POV but we only get Mat's thoughts.  It became a bit depressing and a little annoying at times to be constantly brought back to his weakness over and over again but he was the one who needed to make the most changes so I can understand focusing on him and his experiences instead.  Overall, though, the story was so very good.  There was incredible passion and the steam was hot, hot, hot!  Mat's grand gesture was so great; it really worked beautifully to lead us to the best epilogue ever.  Such a fantastic story!

*$4.50 on Amazon!

Only See You: Only Colorado Book 2, JD Chambers

Knowing who and what you are is the first step.  The next step is accepting yourself.  After that?  No one knows what ups and downs are in store but when you find yourself fighting to be who you are you have to wonder if the fight is worth it.  If it is?  Fight harder.  It's even better when you find someone willing to fight just as hard by your side.

Mal is non-binary and I love them.  They have courage, fierceness, and even when life gets them down they have the foundation of love and acceptance from themselves, their mom, and a network of great friends.  Romance-wise, though, they're getting a little lonely.  When an initial attraction to Ben doesn't pan out like they think it will they're surprised by the kindness and attraction they find in Ben's roommate.

Parker has coasted through life trying to please everyone but himself.  His parents, his soon-to-be ex-wife, his colleagues...no one ever thought to ask him what he wanted, how he feels.  And after they all turn on his shy but snarky and nice cousin in explosive fashion he's ready to cut ties with all of them.  But reinventing yourself is hard when you're not really sure who you are anymore without all the trappings of someone else's expectations.

I loved Parker.  His earnestness and eagerness to live life anew was contagious.  You can also see how undercut he was his whole life because when the chips fall and he has to choose between love and family obligation he wants both but can't find the courage to fight for both.  What I do admire, though, is his insistence that he can no longer keep up appearances even if it'll make other people happy.  He's discovering that the core of who he is is worth more to him than falling in line.  The way he's so open, honest, and transparent with Mal is sweet.

And when the pressure mounts and decisions need to be made, it's Parker praying for a solution he can't find and Mal cutting ties before things get hard that spell the end of their relationship.  What began as a wonderful date with honesty, growing feelings, and intense attraction ended with Mal taking the easy way out and not helping Parker see beyond his divorce proceedings, to see what his decision would be costing Mal and how it would make them feel.  Parker fell into the same trap by letting the situation stand because he was too mired to see beyond familial obligation and guilt and a bit of self-righteousness.  With neither one willing to bridge the gap they try to move on.  But fate has a way of maneuvering ideal partners back together.

Words of wisdom and acceptance and an accident combine to send Parker running back to Mal.  From there they work out their own happy ending with patience, tenderness, passion, and love.  I loved reading about these two people that had lives, struggles, frustrations and with their relationship they were able to find a partner who truly got them.  The story showed a slower build for the relationship but was set well within the context of their lives so that, to me, it was apparent that their romance was more than just what they could do between the sheets (or in the back of a car, or on the side of a trail, or on a couch...=]), but how they could complement and support one another during trials and triumphs in life.

"Now, however you want to look, whatever you want to wear, whoever you want to be, you do it.  And you own that shit.  Because that's what makes you special and unique and you."  She looks like she's thinking about it for a second and adds, "Although give me a little warning, just in case I'm going to need to have my ass-kicking shoes on."

-Mal's rockin' mom

*$3.99 on Amazon or FREE on KU!

*Find out why Zach was jealous of Mal

and why Zach and Craig can't seem to keep their eyes 

and hands off of one another in Only with You...

“I guess if the worst thing I’m doomed to in life is mediocre sex, my life isn’t too bad.”

Self-starter and business analyst Zach Keller is living his dream life. He spends his days working from home in his favorite Tolkien t-shirts and pajamas while mothering his best friend-slash-roommate. The fact that his sex life is a bust and his love life is nonexistent? Unimportant. After his college boyfriend berated him for his unconventional desires, Zach doesn’t plan on sharing that part of himself ever again, anyway.

“I’m tired of feeling like I missed out on something by not going to college.”

Craig Pela isn’t lonely. He has tons of friends and weekends packed with activity. He hasn’t needed anyone since he left home at eighteen and never looked back. But everyone around him is moving forward in life, while he still works the same retail job at the same video game store, and it’s making him question his life choices. After all, he doesn’t want to be the loser still playing video games at fifty, does he?

As their relationship develops, Zach’s shy nature melts away to reveal an irrepressible geek that charms the pants off Craig. And Craig’s kind patience and ability to match him obscure quote for quote leaves Zach wondering if he’s finally met the man he can be his true self with. After all, how can someone else love you when you keep a part of yourself hidden?

Speedbump, Charli Coty

Life has a way of leading us right where we're meant to be, even if it's the last place you wanted to end up.  Red is running from his past but ends up in his home town and can't wait to get back out.  Ezra's running from their own too but they'd be happy if their past could leave them alone to settle happily in Drop.  Neither of them were looking for more but what they found could mean their ultimate happiness.  But only if they can find courage, happiness, and acceptance within themselves first.

The romance and sexual situations were really slow-burn in terms of actually coming together.  The events of their lives and coming to terms with their sexuality came before the actual romance of the story.  And while I usually think a romance should focus on the romance, I didn't mind the slowness of this one because there were many more things at stake than the possibility of falling in love.

That being said, the steamy scenes were quite tame and I was a bit annoyed by the emphasis on sex and genitalia before the sexy times even happened.  There's absolutely nothing wrong with acknowledging your own sensuality, desires, and taking things into your own hands, both figuratively and literally.  The off-putting part was how nearly every interaction became sexualized and dominated the getting-to-know-you parts.  It made the story seem like it was trying to be two things at once.  An erotic romance or a story of acceptance and love.  It was both and neither at the same time.  It gave the story a disjointed feeling at times.

Who and what they all were was both confusing and enlightening.  I've read a couple other stories with non-binary characters and the pronouns, the use of 'x' after words that typically only have a masculine or feminine ending, and other things like that is unfamiliar to me but this story put them in context with explanation that fit with the dialogue.  Speaking of pronouns, Red was incredibly dense throughout the story with how he referred to Ezra, even after cues from other people he interacted with.

There was a lot of personal angst going on with Ezra's feelings about their identity that felt unfinished, unresolved, and skipped over.  Their relationships with their exes, though, was tender and healing.  They allowed themselves to look at what Brett and Tink needed and finally looked beyond their own needs to give closure in a way that left their friendship open.

Watching Red come to terms with his sexuality and what his means to him was really good.  Not that I liked the bathroom scene or the way he was so quick to be open to something more with people other than Ezra before he figured himself out, but since he found a way to define who and what he wanted in a way that was realistic, I didn't mind for too long.

Overall the story was pretty good.  I enjoyed reading Ezra and Red's journey.  I do wish that there was more communication and romance in the story instead of just at the end because it packed all the resolution into a short amount of time.  It left the rest of the story up to that point feeling like it dragged and we were going to end up with a happy-not happy ending before you get hit with a really tender, sweet, honest conclusion.

*$5.99 on Amazon!