Appeal to You: Beyond the Cove Book 3, Jaclyn Quinn

I have wanted to read Avery and Ryder's story as soon as their snipe-and-snark routine showed up in book one.  Their story did NOT disappoint.  From the very start we get all that intrigued us when we met them and then we saw under their skins while they got under one another's.  With plenty of their banter for continuity, this story deepened all of their interactions, gave meaning, showed change, and gave us all the feels.  There were a couple things that bothered me, but overall I'd be hard-pressed to let any of that decrease my rating.  These men just grabbed hold and didn't let go, so who am I to do any differently?

Avery was more interesting than I initially thought he'd be.  He wasn't nearly as uptight and stodgy as he came across when we met him.  In fact, there were a few moments that I wasn't even sure I was reading about the same character.  Not that we were seeing a completely different side of him, but more like they were pieces of different people that I had a hard time reconciling.  It all came together in the end though and I loved that he had his own "big gesture" moment.  Sometimes it's up to only one character to bust out the big guns to fix things, but in this case, each man needed to break free and pull out all the stops in their own way.

Ryder's big moment seemed to happen over and over.  His past was darker, more painful than anyone could have known and it's through a lost boy that he finds all kinds of triggers that force him to face it all.  Without those heartbreaking moments he would never realize just how much he needed what Avery could offer.  Finding the courage to take what's being offered though, that's the rub.  Their sexual chemistry is super hot, but even Ryder realizes that that's just not enough when hearts could become involved.

We always knew something went down between Avery and Ryder, but it isn't until maybe the halfway point that we find out exactly what happened.  And then when we find out why the situation rankled Avery so badly, it's way more complicated than expected.  That's pretty much the story of this story though, that emotional complexity is king.  Nothing is as simple or as straightforward as either man would have us believe; even they don't fully realize the depth of all that they're experiencing and reacting to.  Watching them sift through the mess, find a way to come together because of and in spite of it all, and discover their worth and their place...it's beautiful.  I loved this ride and am really looking forward to the next story that's sure to pack an angst-filled punch.

*$3.99 on Amazon!

Will the demons of the past ruin any hope for the future?

If there’s anyone who knows how to have a good time—be it with a man or a woman—it’s Ryder Pearce. Master of the nail-it-and-bail-it theory, he lives his life for one person and one person only: himself. When a man enters Ryder’s life who challenges him on every flirtation, every sexual innuendo he can come up with, Ryder’s thrown off his game in a big way. Because there’s one thing the man has made perfectly clear—they’ve played this game before, and Ryder doesn’t remember the outcome.

Avery Hamilton has seen all of Ryder’s moves and has witnessed his sex appeal. He knows all too well about his cocky sense of humor and his penchant for one-night stands. There was a time in his life when he’d taken the bait, but this time around, he wants more. He’s seen Ryder’s act; what he hasn’t seen is Ryder—the real Ryder he hides from the world.

When both men come together to help a young boy, Ryder’s forced to face things from his past he’s blocked out. Things he never wanted anyone to know. Now, Ryder has one fear… Will revealing that side of himself be real enough for Avery? Or will it be the reason Avery walks away?

Release: Rent Boys Book 1, A E Ryecart

Wow.  Not an easy read.  Gritty in the best ways, Sean is as compelling as he is damaged.  Laurie is intrigued by Sean, a cynical, hard man who judges art and life around him in ways a university-trained scholar could never see.  As a pair they made zero sense on paper, but once stripped of all the labels and trappings, there was so much to pull them together and keep them there.

When Sean finds his apathy for his job is mostly because of the frustrating and alluring Laurie, he's thrown for a huge loop.  But his life is never as simple as just giving up one profession for another.  I really, really loved him and his whole evolution.  As a character he gave so much life and reality to not only what he does for a living, but to the whole story.  I loved him right from the start and hoped so hard for him to find a way to his own freedom and stability.

Laurie...Laurie.  At first I was interested in getting to know him, but it was very quickly apparent that he was not as solid as Sean.  There were many moments that I was hoping he would see what Sean could see and then not judge him or his views, that he would really look at what the man was saying and value it beyond mentioning how different it was from his studies.  He was just so judgmental and obliviously arrogant in his views of so many things, but Sean especially.  I just never warmed up to him.  And then near the end when he did what he did and said what he said to Sean and then for Sean to do all the changing, apologizing, and work to make things happen between them...I was pretty much done.  He wasn't a bad guy, just not the best guy and I wished for so much more from him to be the kind of partner Sean really needed.

So it's 3 stars for Laurie, 5 for Sean, and 4 for the story as a whole.  I really enjoyed reading this story and especially liked the casual reappearance of the Barista Boys.  If this book was set in their world and their safe haven wasn't included it would have been a mistake.  It was a perfect connection and it added a fantastic feeling of hope and happiness to an otherwise gritty and downer of a tale as Sean finds redemption, forgiveness, and acceptance within and for himself.

*$4.99 on Amazon

When life holds them captive, can love be their release?

Selling his body since he was a fifteen-year-old runaway, rent boy Sean Farrell has learned the hard lesson that the only way to survive the streets is to act tough and cocky. But an act is all it is, as underneath he’s never felt more adrift as he struggles with crippling self-doubt. Sean’s distilled life into three simple rules: earn enough cash to get by, stick close to the friends who have become his family — and don’t let anyone steal his heart. 

Art is Laurie Cassell’s profession and passion. His calm and ordered life is just how he thinks he wants it, but it’s becoming harder to ignore the creeping feeling that calm and ordered has become dull and predictable. Laurie craves more but doesn’t know what, or not until a man with dark hazel eyes and a bad attitude swaggers into his life — and leaves with his heart.

Two men who should never have met, let alone fallen in love. Can Sean and Laurie release the other from lives that are holding them captive?

Dark Alpha's Redemption: Reapers Book 8, Donna Grant

This is the first book that focuses on the new set of Reapers that we learned about in Dark Alpha's Hunger, book six in the overall series. It's there that we first learn about Bradach and why we should be interested in him in the first place. It's only a glimpse, but it does tell us he's loyal, determined, and fierce when necessary. I'll be honest though, the newer Reapers are interesting, but I can't say they drew me in as the first group did...at least not yet.

On his own, Bradach took a lot longer for me to warm up to. Not because he was flawed or bad, just because he was kind of subdued, a whole lot judgy and grudge-holding, and sparse on the details about him and his past that would give us some kind of connection with him. Maeve on the other hand, was fierce, strong-willed, intelligent, vulnerable, caring, complex, and just a strong-as female. Definitely worthy of being a female lead to love from the get-go. She was complex in a way that gave her depth and not ineffective half-assed complications.

One nitpick for me was Bradach's skills. The reason he was chosen for this particular mission was his incredible attention to detail in the broad scope of the bigger picture and his ability to have a level head. They were used only once when that was the push for getting him to agree to the assignment in the first place. It just wasn't enough to prove it was a skill instead of a gut feeling in one instance. The same with his level head. I know Maeve and his attraction to her pretty much knocked him ass over tea kettle, but there were rarely, if any, moments of cool heads and minute detail observations.

The relationship itself was pretty good because both characters held something within them that was just what the other needed. There were moments that Maeve got all hurt when she jumped to conclusions and Bradach denied things for far too long for my liking, but once they were on the same page I was a believer. Their passion was banked but present throughout the story. It was also sufficiently intense in the one brief moment they had a chance to give in.

As for the plot, it hinged on the problem that is the Queen of the Light. She is a problem for everyone in their world and finding out exactly why, what she's up to, and who she's consorting with was the focus. She's ultimately a problem for the Dragon Kings, but because she's a fae she also falls under Death's purview. I loved seeing things ramp up with the confrontation with Usaeil and who all the players will be and why, but unless you've read the other connected series or the other books in this series, it would be difficult to see just why she's such an issue.

If you're reading the Dark Kings series, this story will be an incredible gem for seeing Usaeil in all her "glory", so it may serve as a bit of a spoiler for those who haven't started that series prior to reading this story. This is kind of a standalone, but best if read in order of the Reapers series as it's only a "bonus" for the other connected Dark Kings series.

So while I wasn't immediately drawn in by the newer set of Reapers, I'm invested now and really want to see how each of them find their mates, what dangers they'll face and why, and how the overall story ties them all together.

*$3.99 on Amazon

There is no escaping a Reaper. I am an elite assassin, part of a brotherhood that only answers to Death. And when Death says your time is up, I’m coming for you…

My duty to Death drives me forward. I've never once strayed from my path – not even when the future seemed uncertain. However, Maeve's intelligence, cunning and determination challenges me in ways I never imagined. Finding out what she knows is the key to learning how to conquer our enemy. The Dark Fae breathes new life into me unlike anything I've ever known. For Maeve, I will risk trusting the Dark. For her...I will battle darkness itself.

In Deep Shift: The Protectors Unlimited Book 3, Keira Blackwood

I was expecting more silliness like in Suave as Shift, book 2 in the series, but instead this was much more serious, had quite a bit more action, and the heroine really stole the show.  This was a pleasant change from the previous book.  The drama in this story seemed vastly different from what we got before, but the conflict was extremely fitting for both of these characters and had a lot more depth than I was expecting.  Overall, this was my favorite of the series thus far and I'll happily dive into more from this world if I get more like this book.

Zane is dark, broody, challenging, and in need of a good laugh.  Thankfully Mia is just the sneaky little fox shifter to take on that challenge.  She's plucky, good at her craft, lives up to the fox's stereotype, and has a very agile mind.  She knows her talents and her job and despite her draw to believe in the organization that saved and employs her, she doesn't let that loyalty blind her to the truth.  What her intelligence does is astound me at virtually every turn.  She becomes the hero of the story and of her man.  Gotta love strong, independent women that happen to find love along the way.

It's a little harder to pin down Zane, mostly because he's pretty basic in his description.  The fact that he's a dragon almost wins me over despite him being pretty predictable.  He's not a bad male lead, but he does pale in comparison to Mia.

With an enemy that may or may not have a name, they have their work cut out for them in knowing who to trust.  I love that we get to see the silly Logan again and that the family relationship there is much more clear than what we previously learn.  It's only after reading this book that I really understand some of the interactions and ramifications of stuff that went down in book 2.  There's no clear prediction for what kind of drama we'd get if the series continues, but no matter what happens, if this book is any indication of the trajectory, I'm in.

*$3.99 on Amazon

She stole my wallet--and my heart.

Dragonkind is all but extinct. My mission is simple—protect the survivors of the Therion Tribunal’s assault.

After centuries of searching, I've finally located the weapon that could shift the balance of power. This is the battle I’ve waited for my entire life. I’m ready to do what I must, whatever it takes.

But then she walks into my life. I know that Mia is my enemy. I know I shouldn’t let her in. Still, I find myself drawn to her. She is impossible to ignore, impossible to deny. She challenges me and stirs desires long suppressed. Being close to her allows me to hope, to feel. I can’t afford to give in.

And yet even if I wanted to, even when my mission depends on it—I can’t let her go.

Saved by the Manny: Manny's Mannies Book 4, Lorelei M. Hart

While not a slow-burn romance, I loved how Edwin's care, concern, and attraction were slowly building and simmering until he and Judson worked up the courage to act on all that heat.  There were a few minor conflicts that could have vied poorly for attention, but rather than overloading such a short story, the major conflict was sufficiently large, though I will say that it was a bit abrupt and anticlimactic.  From start to finish Edwin and Judson's awkward earnestness was endearing and sweet and their story was worth the quick read.

Edwin was simple and straightforward in everything he did.  He didn't hold any of Judson's past against him even when the less savory aspects became known.  Once he decided to be all in, he was in for good.  I respected that about him, that he was willing to understand what Judson did, why he did it, and never made him feel less-than while assuring him he'd never be going back to his former career.

Judson wasn't weak, but I wouldn't say he was a strong character either.  There were great attributes to him that were a wonderful balance to Edwin and his troubled boys.  All of their relationships worked in their own way and their unit was better together.

As I mentioned before regarding the many conflicts, I think at least one of them could have been completely removed because it detracted and distracted from the story's flow instead of supporting or advancing it.  Regarding Judson's profession, this was an issue but not the main conflict and for that I was appreciative.  If we had fixated on that there would have been a lot of emotional turmoil and angst to have to deal with and would have been unpleasant in a story this short.  As in the synopsis, it's the ex wife that gets the "honor" of being the antagonist.  When she appears, how she appears, and the fallout from her actions were super condensed and kind of awkward; like a flash in the pan rather than anything to actually deserve page time.  So all's well that ends well, I suppose, but this was a cute story that I enjoyed and would likely recommend to any of this author's or genre/sub genre's fans.

*$3.99 on Amazon

Life Lesson: Groupies are not the best choice of a mate. 
Alpha Edwin loves music. Unfortunately, he can’t carry a tune in a bucket. He can, however, run a sound system like a boss and soon finds himself touring the world with some of the biggest bands. He is living the dream: great music, a good living, and wonderful twin boys. His mate is...less wonderful, leaving him with his twins when she figures out Edwin is not the staircase to her own freedom.

Life Lesson: Not everything you hear about concert tours is true—just the good parts.
Pregnant Omega Judson needs a job and now. When he is offered a job teaching and tutoring two kids whose father tours with the biggest band on the billboard charts, his gut reaction is to decline. They are alcohol-and-drug-filled month-long parties, or so the rumor goes, and the one thing Judson doesn’t need is to be around a bunch of drunks. He had enough of that in his past career as an exotic dancer.

Life Lesson: Always get it in print. 
Traveling across the world and teaching two of the most creative children turns out to be one of the more challenging things Judson has ever done. The most challenging part is keeping his hands, lips, teeth, and other parts away from his sexy boss, Edwin. It would be far easier if his boss didn’t flirt back. 

Iliana, the kids’ mother, comes around making noise about wanting the kids, and all semblance of normal—normal for a concert tour anyway—flies out the window. Threats are made, lawsuits are filed, and things get ugly quickly. Judson refuses to leave Edwin’s side, determined to help him keep his family and possibly make one of his own.