Kelpie Blue: Out of Underhill Book 1, Mell Eight

 

Kelpie Blue

Series: Out of Underhill, Book One

Author: Mell Eight

Publisher:  NineStar Press

Release Date: 12/28/2020

Heat Level: 1 - No Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Genre: Fantasy, LGBTQIA+, Fae/faeries, mythical creatures, magic, horse trainer/breeder, YA
Content Warning: Abduction, kidnapping 

A sweetly crafted story with a family filling up all their bits of emptiness to create something new, something whole, something perfect.  Blue in all his intrigued confusion concerning Rin, Rin's damaged strength and subtle constancy, and Mama's stubborn consistency and generous heart, all of them needed something and through trial, discovery, peril, and rescue, they made it all work for their benefit and for their future.

Rin was a main character that kind of faded to the background in a subtle way.  He was a constant, one who could tie everyone together, but he wasn't a magnetic person either so he was just a solid, kind presence throughout the story.  Memorable only in the large scale picture of the book, but on his own he had a tendency to fade around the stronger personalities of Blue and Mama as well as the mystery of Jim and the drama surrounding the ranch.

Blue was really cute and his constant referral to Rin as his snack from the very first to the very last was actually more endearing than creepy, thankfully.  His additions to the journal/diary gave life to the whole telling and I wanted so much more about him, what he could do, and to see his powers more on the page.  The eponymous character became a charming, amusing side character almost.

It was those elements of imbalance that kept the story from being as magical as it could have been.  I liked the drama and felt it was appropriate to the story and really worked for pushing the conflict along as well as for introducing some big players from Underhill.  Overall this was a really sweet story that worked as an introduction to the world of Underhill and I'm interested to see where the series will go from here.

*4.99 on Amazon

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When a beautiful blue horse asks Rin to go for a swim, Rin doesn't realize how much his life is about to change.  Blue is unlike anyone Rin has ever met, and the magic of the fae, and of this particular kelpie, is wonderous, but deadly.  Rin learns too late he might be in for a swim he won't survive.

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About Mell

When Mell Eight was in high school, she discovered dragons. Beautiful, wondrous creatures that took her on epic adventures both to faraway lands and on journeys of the heart. Mell wanted to create dragons of her own, so she put pen to paper. Mell Eight is now known for her own soaring dragons, as well as for other wonderful characters dancing across the pages of her books. While she mostly writes paranormal or fantasy stories, she has been seen exploring the real world once or twice.

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Lucky Break: Clean Slate Ranch Book 4, A.M. Arthur

Well.  I think it's important to mention that this wasn't a bad read at all.  It was enjoyable in many moments.  I just didn't love it.  And that's solely my own opinion and sensitivities declaring that, not because the quality of the book.  Well, not completely anyway.  There were some things about the writing, the characters, and the story itself that weren't as good as they could have been, but the way I feel is only a little influenced by that and mainly because I just didn't connect as I'd hoped I would.

The pacing was slow with far too many details for my taste.  In the last half of the story I found I didn't mind that so much, especially because we were finally getting answers to all the hints dropped constantly, but it took considerably longer to read this story than it would have taken me to read most any other book of the same length.  Romantically, however, I appreciated the slower build because they both had quite a lot of insecurities, fears, and/or reservations that they needed to be on their way to conquering before they could ever hope to have something secure and lasting between them.

With so many non-communications near the end I found my patience waning very quickly.  It's more frustrating with these men because they literally say before all this stuff goes down that they need to talk things out to avoid the issue.  While I get that reality means that there is sometimes a delay in notifying partners of plans, feelings, or problems, it just felt like the author was trying to manufacture even more conflict than was already present.  It was just too much for me.

And here's the big problem for me that is really just a me thing, I think.  I have a hard time with what's considered acceptable and/or expected of the "gay scene".  While I'm no prude and definitely don't judge consensual acts between adults, I'd never be okay with gratuitous flirting, grinding, wandering hands, and any other vaguely or overtly sexual displays between my partner and others, whether they be strangers or friends...and especially not an ex of any kind.  That's just not me.  So when Shawn was feeling what he was when watching Robin at the club and then Colt and Robin both downplay the display with justifying the "but I/he wouldn't go home with anyone but you" thing, I have issues.  Shawn not being used to that is not the same as Shawn not being okay with it.  I think it was more the latter in this instance, but his aversion to the scene is being attributed to his naivete and his anxiety.  I find that inexcusable and disappointing.

But what the story does have going for it is the tender sentiments they express, their understanding of one another, their sensitivity to one another's traumas, and the notions of family.  Those are all very powerful things and they're written well.  I am drawn to quite a few characters in this world and will likely look for opportunities to return here.  So while this isn't a glowing review, it is one that recognizes the positives as well as the personal grievances.  With two men that truly need one another and a whole lot of healing and love to go around, this is a family that I'd willingly revisit.

*$3.99 on Amazon

Shawn Matthews never imagined he’d be living out of his car, trying to make ends meet, but life doesn’t always go your way—he knows that better than most. When an accident leaves the Clean Slate Ranch shorthanded, Shawn is enlisted to help cook and finds himself bunked next to the sexiest cowboy he’s ever laid eyes on.

The first time Robin Butler spots the new chef, he thinks he’s seeing an actual ghost. Shawn is the spitting image of his late husband, and it spooks the hell out of him. The former rodeo-star-turned-ranch-hand does his best to avoid the soft-spoken cook—except it’s kind of tough when the man makes the best damn grub this side of the Mississippi and has a boy-next-door charm that’s impossible to resist.

Even though the tension between them practically sizzles, Shawn doesn’t do hookups and Robin isn’t ready for a new relationship. Besides, Robin can tell Shawn’s been hurt and deserves a partner who isn’t saddled with a tragic past. But chemistry doesn’t lie. Maybe finding each other—and a second chance at love—is the lucky break they both need.

An Arresting Ride: Survivors Find Love Book 2, Lissa Kasey

This was not an easy book.  There was trauma, recovery, PTSD, and a lot of judgment.  But what shone through by the end was the more societal messages of how we treat survivors of abuse of any kind, how we view their new state of being, and what truly constitutes "normal".

Graham and Jason shared a connection that set them on the paths that ultimately brought them together, but the situation was written with both understanding and confrontation.  For the confrontation, I really appreciated that what a real recovery looks like was given thorough consideration.  That not everyone will fully "heal" from trauma, certain things will never change, reactions may not disappear, and very few of us will ever be truly "normal" are ideas that most people don't understand because of adages like "time heals all wounds" and other similarly trite sayings.

The understanding part came when the tables turned and Graham was in need of support and compassion.  Jason's experience with his own journey helped open avenues of healing for Graham that he never would have considered on his own.  Together they were able to find something unique and special together that wasn't based on codependency or grief.  It was far more powerful than that and their relationship evolution started out realistically and the comfort and warmth built gradually.  How they jumped from becoming friends to more was where I felt like something was missing.

In the beginning it was as if Jason read slightly on the spectrum with how he was described, how he reacted to others, and his altered perceptions of consent and himself.  I didn't see a real changing point in him before he was very, very clear to Graham that he was fully in control of his choices and the consent portion of their changing relationship.  I liked both versions of him but would have liked to see his growth.  Because of the disparity I felt slightly disconnected from him as a whole.  A dual POV would have really helped with this.

There were a lot of preconceived notions that Graham had that needed to be reevaluated and altered to accept a life with Jason.  I felt that those ideas were really well-expressed by Bastian and Charlie and I cheered with how it really gave Graham a hard look at how he was treating and judging Jason and all victims.  Despite his innate sense of compassion he still fell prey to society's views just like the vast majority of humans in the Western world.  There was a little too much emphasis on the word "normal" though, and it wasn't really a fluid confrontation, it was thrown in so many times with very little variation on when, why, and how it was harped on or mentioned that it became something I almost wanted to skim over.

Similarly was the conflict with Clark, the IAD investigation, and the former employees of Jason's ranch.  The pieces didn't really connect completely and none of them felt concluded either.  It's like we got to the end of the story and the author was like, "oh shoot, I gotta write in the villain.  Villains?  Meh, whatevs."  So aside from feeling like all of those threads were throwaways, the overall messages in the story were unique and well-formed.  I enjoyed the story and felt the connection between Jason and Graham was real though not fully supported.  I was drawn into their lives and appreciated the setting, the whole cast, and the animals with distinct and memorable personalities.

*$3.99 on Amazon

Graham Church began career as a police officer with a case so gruesome it sent many officers into early retirement. That day he helped save the lives of children and began a long crusade of protecting the residents of Friday Harbor from the worst of humanity. But brutal car accidents and the discovery of a dog fighting ring have taken their toll on Graham. Returning to an over-crowded apartment where his room is a closet, and working sixteen-hour shifts, have left him emotionally exhausted and in need of a quiet place to call home.

Jason Wullcot is a horse breeder and a mystery to the island he lives on, but is in need of a roommate for human contact. His therapist recommends Graham Church, who also happens to have a "white knight" syndrome. When Graham discovers his new roommate was one of the children he helped save twelve-years prior, Graham’s need to protect and save kicks into high gear. Only Jason has no interest in being saved. In fact, Graham realizes that Jason may not be the one in need of saving at all, but maybe, just maybe they can fill the broken pieces of each other.

The Walker Five Boxset, Marie Johnston

The Walker Five Boxset

I first fell in love with Marie Johnston's writing when I read Bishop from the New Vampire Disorder series.  After that I pretty much devoured the rest of that series as well as the preceding and connected series, The Sigma Menace.  I honestly didn't even know she wrote contemporary stories until I joined her Facebook reader's group and saw her post about new covers for the Walker Five books.

And now here we are, maybe a year later, and she's offering the complete Walker Five boxset!  Live today, the 17th of June, 2019...

Five cousins that farm and ranch together.

Five women that twist them up inside.

Five standalone novels.

Modern western romance with a Midwest twist.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

He's the leader, the one everyone goes to with their problems. The one time he seeks help  or himself could ruin his chances with the perfect woman.

MUSTANG SUMMER

She only wanted a peek at his cars, too bad it involved a little trespassing. And too bad his family is putting her brother in jail.

LONG HARD FALL

Her one night stand turns out to be just the guy she's looking for.

GUILT RIDDEN

She's a widow trying to move on in a town that won't let her forget. He's always remembered their one night together. How can he convince her to give him another chance?

MAIL ORDER FARMER

A down on her luck former nursing student and a perpetual bachelor connect online, but the distance might prove too much.

No infidelity, no cliffhangers, all the feels. Contemporary western romance from an award-winning author.

APPLE BOOKS: Coming Soon!

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About Marie...

Marie Johnston writes award-winning paranormal and contemporary romance and is a RITA® Finalist. Before she was a writer, she was a microbiologist. Depending on the situation, she can be oddly unconcerned about germs or weirdly phobic. She’s also a licensed medical technician and has worked as a public health microbiologist and as a lab tech in hospital and clinic labs.  Marie’s been a volunteer EMT, a college instructor, a security guard, a phlebotomist, a hotel clerk, and a coffee pourer in a bingo hall. All fodder for a writer! She has four kids and just as many cats.

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Aiden Inspired, Blake Allwood

Strangely, I liked the story but not the actual writing.  Descriptions, dialogue, inner musings, all of them felt slightly wrong but I also couldn't help liking where most everything ended up going.  

Devin's personality really grates more often than not and for all the times when he promised himself he wouldn't be like the previous ranch owner he seems to never grasp the moments where he knows he's acting the same way.  Even knowing he's doing or saying something hurtful or super grouchy he refuses to alter his behavior.  He does eventually come around and tries to make amends, but I'm not sure it's enough for me.

Aiden is a little flighty but he's also very simple.  The life he knows he needs is the same one he wants yet when he's asked questions about possible change or thinks about making that happen it's as if he's in denial and that knowledge isn't what he knows at all.  It's confusing and disappointing to say the least.  It feels like the denial is just a way for the author to cause more potential conflict and make the life change acceptance more powerful at the end.  Doesn't work, by the way.  What I do love about him is the peace and the satisfaction we see all over him while he's working in the barn, the stalls, with the animals, and absorbing everything that's country and beautiful about where he's stranded.

Their separation before the reunion felt a bit forced, like that was the only way a "see what you had when it's gone" realization could happen.  When they finally did come back together I don't know if I'm totally sold on their reconciliation.  I would have liked more between the end and the epilogue so the sweetness and "full-circle" feelings could have a chance to settle and warm me to their permanence.  Overall though, this was a nice story that somehow won me over despite not being a writing style I typically enjoy.

*$3.99 on Amazon

Rancher in Training: Part-time Cowboys Book 1, Marie Johnston

Anger fed with resentment and manipulation and nowhere to find relief or release can only lead to destruction.  This was never more true than for Jesse Rodriguez.  Stopping to help a stranded motorist gets him noticed by all the people he hoped to avoid but those encounters just might put him on the path to finding where he truly belongs.  Farah has always worked hard to earn respect, which isn't easy as the lone female deputy in Moore.  And it could all go down the drain if she gives in to her attraction to a certain delicious ex-con.  They'll each need to decide what's most important if they hope to have both the future they always wanted and the future they never thought they'd need.

I'm a sucker for a celibate hottie needing redemption.  Jesse Rodriguez is all that and more.  He's honest, he's trying, and he's utterly charming.  The way he treats Farah, and has from their first, rather unfortunate meeting shows just how much of a place she has in his heart, whether they're both too blind to believe it or not.  I think my most favorite interaction of his, other than his heartfelt confessions, was the confrontation in the auto-part store with Clinton.  His uninhibited insult to Clinton combined with his pride and praise for Farah was utter perfection.  He was honestly my favorite, especially when he realized that he deserved more than being a secret because of his unsavory past.  His present and desires for the future gave him enough credibility for me to be severely annoyed with the town, the Walkers, and Farah.

I can absolutely understand where Farah is coming from, but the fact that she kept it going for so long and refused to see the situation from Jesse's perspective was frustrating, to say the least.  Knowing that she, herself, is judged unfairly should have opened her eyes to what was going on with Jesse but her pride and selfishness almost cost her the balance and happiness she's always craved.  Despite that, she was a fierce woman who deserved respect and love.  She was fair, caring, and intelligent.  I like that she was honest in her desire for Jesse and didn't make him suffer because of her unwanted attraction even if it took her a little while to make her decision.  With the weight of her job, family, finances, ranch struggles, and yearnings for a relationship with Jesse all on her shoulders it's easy to see how she could do what she did.

But all's well that ends well, here.  They each needed to go through what they did individually to realize just how necessary they are in one another's lives.  Even with the natural disaster that made their reunion sooner rather than later, both of them were on their way back to one another's arms and I liked how it played out.  With Mother Nature throwing in her very destructive two cents, it's clear that they are a worthy pair that can only make Moore better.  I'm really eager to get to Caleb's story as well as any other Part-time Cowboy Marie Johnston wants to write.  This was a passionate story full of redemption, love, and forgiveness, but more the forgiveness of self rather than earning anyone else's.  Steamy, tender, and very memorable.

*$2.99 on Amazon!

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About Marie Johnston

Marie Johnston is an award-winning writer of paranormal and contemporary romance, and a RITA® Finalist. Marie decided to pursue her passion for writing and traded in her lab coat for a laptop to write her first book ever, Fever Claim. She lives in the upper Midwest with her husband, four kids, and two kittens. Other than hanging out with her family, Marie enjoys reading, movie dates with her hubby, getting outside on sunny days, and the all too rare - girls' night out.

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