Out of Bounds - Review

Title: Out of Bounds
Author: T.A. Chase
Series: Love of Sports
Rating: 2/5 stars
Review:

Professional basketball player Kasey Johnson makes a point of keeping his sexual preference under guard and out of the public eye. Empty, off-season flings are all he can look forward to until he retires. He figures his secret is safe-until he meets Ingram Fletcher, a nightclub owner who ignites a passionate inferno in his body.
Gram has lusted after Kasey ever since the long, tall basketball player was traded to Phoenix a year ago. But with Kasey-s twin brother running interference, up until now Gram-s been unsure if it-s safe to make a play. Then some incidental contact in the crowded club leads to a kiss that starts Gram wondering if a relationship is possible-now, and beyond March Madness.
A romantic weekend together answers that question. Now the only one remaining is if Kasey is ready make a fast break out of his comfort zone.

The main reason I rated this book so low was the lack of plot. This was definitely more of a porn without plot book than a romance novel. There wasn't much romance, just a lot of sex and the characters magically falling in love. The sex started barely a couple pages into the story and continued for most of the book.

The plot that was there was very thin. Most of the scenes that weren't sex, were about Kasey whining about what would happen if his team mates found out he was gay. Kasey worries over this for a while and doesn't really do anything about it. Through out the whole novella, I really wanted to smack Kasey and yell "GET OVER IT ALREADY."

The characters were fairly one-dimensional. I don't really know anything about Kasey or Gram, I don't know any of their personality traits, their backgrounds, nothing. The relationships were really weak - the characters fell in love after doing nothing but have sex. Even the relationship between Kasey and his twin brother's relationship was week. You didn't feel the love between the two like you would between brothers.

This isn't a book I'd recommend unless you're looking for a book that doesn't have much plot. If you like your books to have a good balance of plot and sex, I would pass on this book.

** Warning ** This novel contains sex scenes and may not be appropriate for readers under than age of 18.

A to Z - Review

Title: A to Z
Author: Marie Sexton
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Series: N/A
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Review:

Zach Mitchell has been running A to Z video store for years. It's not exactly his dream job, but it's the only job he knows. When his new landlord Tom pays him a visit, he feels an attraction towards the man. But the only person who can see how bad Tom really is, is Zach's new employee - Angelo Green.

The plot of this novel differed from most romance novels. In most romances, we only get the story of the two main characters falling in love - often at first sight. This novel doesn't have the two characters fall in love instantly - rather, Zach is attracted to another man way before him and Angelo even really meet. It's refreshing to see Zach and Angelo's relationship evolve from that of friends and coworkers to a full fledged relationship, with all the bumps and pot holes in between.

I also enjoyed how Angelo wasn't the perfect lover. He came with a past and many problems along with it. Their relationship isn't happy-go-lucky and the two actually have to work to keep is going, much like a real relationship. The way Sexton describe Angelo and had him speak and act got on my nerves. She says in the novel that he's 27, however during the reading he felt more like he was 16. He had immature traits like a teenager, and certainly spoke and reacted like one.

I took a few points off my rating because of the shifting POV and tenses. I absolutely hated reading from Angelo's perspective. Normally I enjoy getting both sides of the story, but this time it got on my nerves. Angelo's POV was set in present tense, rather than past tense like Zach's was. The sentences were also choppy and made me feel like I was talking with a sixteen-year-old who was trying to act tough. The shifting narrative really kicked me out of the book. Zach's POV is easily flowing and had me absorbed in the novel, but when Angelo's came along it kicked me back out.

Overall I still enjoyed this book. If you've read Sexton's preview novel, Promises, you'll most likely enjoy this one too. As a bonus for fans, Jared and Matt from Promises appear in the novel for a little while. I would definitely recommend this novel to romance lovers, especially ones looking for a change from the normal formula romances. I'm certainly glad I took the time to read this one.

** Warning ** This novel contains sex scenes and may not be appropriate for readers under than age of 18.

Promises

Title: Promises
Author: Marie Sexton
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Series: N/A
Rating: 5/5 stars
Review:

I can't even begin to describe this one so I'm "borrowing" Dreamspinner's summary…
Jared Thomas has lived his whole life in the small mountain town of Coda, Colorado. He can't imagine living anywhere else. Unfortunately, the only other gay man in town is twice his age and used to be his teacher, so Jared is resigned to spending his life alone. 

Until Matt Richards walks into his life, that is. Matt has just been hired by the Coda Police Department, and he and Jared immediately become friends. Matt claims he is straight, but for Jared, having a sexy friend like Matt is way too tempting. Facing Matt’s affair with a local woman, his disapproving family, and harassment from Matt’s co-workers, Jared fears they'll never find a way to be together—if he can even convince Matt to try.

This is one of the best novels I've read in a long time. The plot kept me reading and wondering how everything worked out. There were a couple small plot twists I didn't see coming and kept things interesting. I loved seeing the way Jared and Matt's relationship developed through out the novel. I like how Sexton had a great balance of plot vs. sex. Her novel was first and foremost a romance novel, not a porno and I'm grateful for that.

Sexton did an excellent job with her characters. Both Matt and Jared were realistic and likeable characters that I kept wanting to know more about. Even the side characters like Brian and Lizzy were fleshed out and interesting. The only character I was really disappointed about not being developed was Matt's mother. I would've liked to have seen a little more of her personality.

I also have to say that I loved the cover for this novel. It gives a sweet and romantic feeling and isn't all about showing half-naked guys. It really fits how the characters love nature and bike riding and adds emphasis to the fact that this isn't primarily an erotica novel.

I highly recommend this novel to romance lovers. You really get to see their relationship develop and evolve over time.

** Warning ** This novel contains sex scenes and may not be appropriate for readers under than age of 18.

Custom Ride

Title: Custom Ride
Author: K.A. Mitchel
Series: N/A
Rating: 3/5 stars
Review:

Ryan doesn't normally do random hook ups. But when he hooks up with Jeff in a bar during Gay Pride Week, he discovers he wants more. But Jeff isn't out, and Ryan isn't interested in going back into the closet again.

First thing I didn't like was the lack of a lot of plot. 90% of this story was sex, sex, sex. There was a little bit of plot, but it could've been fleshed out a lot more. I wanted to see how their relationship evolved and developed over time. Instead, once they finally start working things out, the story ends. It was really disappointing.

Also, there is no way in hell two six foot plus guys are going to be able to have sex in the back seat of a Camaro. I drive a '94 Camaro and I can barely fit in the backseat by myself and I'm only 5'11.

K.A. Mitchell's writing is flawless though. She kept me interested and wanting to read more. Everything was well written and grammatically correct. I've love the way Mitchell describes everything so that you can picture it.

I recommend this story for people who enjoy erotic romance without a whole lot of plot. If you prefer a lot of plot and less sex, this story certainly isn't for you.

** Warning ** This novel contains sex scenes and may not be appropriate for readers under the age of 18.

All Work & No Play

Title: All Work & No Way
Author: Carol Lynne
Series: Cattle Valley
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Review:

Cattle Valley is a community that is largely gay. The town is one of the most accepting on the planet and that appeals to Ryan, Nate, and Rio. The three men have been in a relationship together and are hoping Cattle Valley's residents will be more open to it than their hometown. Only when they get there, Nate discovers that even Cattle Valley has its problems.

Starting with the basics - the story was definitely interesting and I did enjoy reading it. I didn't spot any major grammar mistakes that would turn a reader off. The only big problem I found with this is that Lynne's plots are starting to all blend together. They all seem to follow the same general formula - People are happy, someone starts trouble, there's a fight, the trouble maker goes to jail and everyone lives happily ever after. I probably wouldn't have noticed it if I had spaced her books out, but I've read over a dozen of her books in the past two weeks.

Lynne's novel seem to focus more on external conflicts rather than internal conflict. To me, a good plot has a blend of the two so that you're not overwhelmed and bored with one of them. A romance story that focuses on a bigot and has a sickenly happy couple is only entertaining for so long same with a story that is nothing but angst. That's why I enjoyed Twin Temptations - it had a pretty good blend of internal conflict and external.

The characters in this novel were pretty well developed. I like Nate in particular who acts like a stereotypical gay man, but is a lot deeper than that. The one thing that I didn't like was how Nate brags numerous times about having his fourth degree blackbelt in various styles. It made him seem arrogant when he normally isn't. Also, I've done martial arts for many years and met many high ranking blackbelts and that generally don't brag about their ranks. A true fourth degree blackbelt knows that he still has a lot to learn and he's not invincible.

This one was really hard to rate for me. I kept bouncing between three and four stars. On one hand, I did enjoy the story. On the other hand, the plot is almost the same as her other novels but with different characters. I recommend reading this, but don’t read too many of her books at once or you'll tire of them.

** Warning ** This novel contains sex scenes and may not be appropriate for readers under than age of 18.

Faceoff

Title: Faceoff
Author: J.M. Synder
Series: Playing the Field (Book 1)
Rating: 4/5 stars
Review:

Christian is a professional hokey player who wants nothing more than to play in the NHL. When he gets traded from the Richmond Rebels to the Bedford Blizzards, he sees it as just another step towards the NHL. The only person he tells that he requested the trade is his teammate and lover, Ronnie. Now, months later, the Blizzards are playing the Rebels and he still has no clue where Ronnie and him stand.

Since this is so short, the characters are kind of flat. They're not completely cardboard cut-outs, but you don't really get to see the depth in them. They do have some depth however, they're not just brainless hokey players (most of them) and as such, struggle with inner conflict and emotions. It doesn't really detract from the story and is mostly just a side effect of it being so short.

I love how Snyder handled the plot. Instead of lumping all of the backstory into one section, she used flashbacks to give us a glimpse into Christian's past. Alternating between the past and present was an excellent idea, and made this novel much more fun to read. She handled the technique excellently and it was easy to follow which time you were in, unlike some novels.

Over all, I loved reading this novel. Snyder had a good balance of plot and sex, and didn't try to overwhelm the reader with too much of either. No grammar or punctuation errors jumped out at me, nor did any large plot holes. I would definitely recommend this story to romance lovers.

** Warning ** This novel contains sex scenes and may not be appropriate for readers under than age of 18.

Twin Temptations

Title: Twin Temptations
Author: Carol Lynne
Series: Good-Time Boys
Rating: 4/5 stars
Review:

Twins Ryker and Ranger have had tough lives. No one really understands their relationship and most people don't approve of it. Neither of them is gay, but ever since they were babies they've been in love with each other and always sleep together. When Ryker falls in love with Lily, a waitress at the local bar, the two decide to bring her into their relationship.

At first I was going to rate this three stars, because Lynne seemed to be following a single plot thread. Two people fall in love, people disapprove, one person gets violent and attacks them, that person goes to jail, everyone approves of their relationship, happily ever after. That's basically the same plot that all four books in this series follow, but she did mix it up a little in this one. I like how neither of the twins are gay, but they're still in love with each other. It shows that their relationship transcends gender. I also like how she had Ranger having an internal battle, that veered off from the other three a little bit.

I also like how the main external conflict, Jeff, was pushed to the side and given a lesser role to the internal conflicts. I thought that this book would end up being a repeat of the others with Lionel and Lynne surprised me there.

Her characters were once again interesting and fun to read. The other books in the series had left Ranger and Ryker underdeveloped but this book fixed it pretty much. The first three books make Ranger and Ryker out of be gay lovers who have been having sex since they were teens. Twin Temptations, however, shows the true depth of their relationship.

Definitely a book I'd recommend to gay romance lovers. But be warned, to understand parts of this book you need to read the first three books in the series. Also, this book contains twincest which some readers may not like.

** Warning ** This novel contains sex scenes and may not be appropriate for readers under than age of 18. This novel also contains "twincest" or relationships between twin brothers and may be offensive to some readers.

Garron's Gift

Title: Garron's Gift
Author: Carol Lynne
Series: Good-Time Boys
Rating: 4/5 stars
Review:

Garron and Sonny are still madly in love with each other even though they're receiving a lot of trouble from a couple people in town. Sonny decides to take their relationship to the next level and asks Garron to "marry" him. Garron agrees and the two hold a small ceremony on Garron's birthday. That's when everything goes to hell. When leaving the ceremony on Garron's bike, Sonny is shot causing Garron to crash.

This was a pretty good book to read. Not only did it have a nice romantic plot to it, it also had a bit of a mystery plot as well. The thing that really bugged me most though, was how it kept alluding to the twin's relationship but never really told you anything. I'm assuming everything will be wrapped up with them in their book (Twin Temptations), but I would've liked to at least been given something.

I also would've liked a bit better of an ending as well. It leaves you with a cliff hanger and you have to read the next book to find out what happens. I don't really like it when books end that way since it reads more like a marketing ploy than anything.

Over all though, I did enjoy this book. It let me escape the stress of Christmas and easily forget all my problems. I recommend this book for readers who like a good amount of plot in their romance novels.

** Warning ** This novel contains sex scenes and may not be appropriate for readers under than age of 18.

Sonny's Salvation

Title: Sonny's Salvation
Author: Carol Lynne
Series: Good-Time Boys #1
Rating: 4/5 stars
Review:

When Sonny Good's father died, he left the FBI to return to Summerville, Nebreska and take over the family ranch. One night, while having dinner at the local bar, he meets Garron Greeley for the first time. Garron just moved to town to help his brother run the ranch next to Sonny's.

Though it was a little short, this was a pretty good story. I would've preferred it to be a little bit longer and their relationship a little more fleshed out. As it is, you only get to see a brief glimpse into their lives and not the full scope of their relationship.

The characters were all pretty interesting, not really stereotypes. It probably would've helped if Lynne had developed the side characters a little bit more and given them bigger roles. As it is, you only really get to see Rawley in a detailed way. The twins and Garron's brother only play brief roles.

Not deep literature by any means, but a good quick read. I recommend reading this if you're looking for something short and sweet to read.

** Warning ** This novel contains sex scenes and may not be appropriate for readers under than age of 18.

Diving in Deep

Title: Chasing Smoke
Author: K.A. Mitchell
Series: Prequel to Collision Course
Rating: 3/5 stars
Review:

Ever since he was a teenager, Noah Winthrop has had a crush on Cameron. Cameron Lewis is Noah's older brother's best friend. Cameron pushed Noah away when they were teenagers - insisting that Noah was too young. But when the two get together at Adam's wedding four years later, Cameron isn't able to push him away. The next morning, Noah wakes up and finds Cameron gone. The two don't meet up again until fifteen years later when Noah ends up in one of Cameron's safety classes. And just like the last time they met, sparks begin to fly.

It's been a while since I've rated a book three stars. To me, three stars isn't bad, it's average. I did enjoy reading the book, but I doubt I'll read it again. There were parts of the novel I liked and parts I didn't like, so it kind of balanced out. It was really hard to rate this three stars, I've loved all of Mitchell's other books, but this one just wasn't as strong as the others.

The grammar (spelling, punctuation, etc.) in the novel was good, I didn't spot any obvious mistakes that distracted from the novel, but the characters in this novel are kind of flat. You don't really get to see much of any of the side characters - Joey, Mark or Adam and they aren't really developed at all. Joey reads like a stereotypical gay boy. I imagine him speaking with a lisp and waving his hands around while he talks most of the time. Even the characterization of the main characters - Cameron and Noah - isn't too deep.

The next thing I didn't like was the plot. There really wasn't much plot beyond their relationship. I don't mind that, but I'd like to see them explore their relationship in more ways than just the bedroom. (And no, the scene on the coffee table doesn't count.) There were some really good scenes that I liked, but I would've liked to have seen more. I would've liked to have seen more of their trip to Hawaii and also more interaction with Noah's family.

Overall, I didn't hate this story. I did enjoy reading it, but like I said, it's pretty much a single read novel. If you're into gay romance novels (with sex scenes) it wouldn't hurt to check this book out. You may not fall in love with it, but you probably won't hate it either.

** Warning ** This novel contains sex scenes and may not be appropriate for readers under than age of 18.

Among the Living

Title: Among the Living
Author: Jordan Casitllo Price
Series: Psy Cop 1
Rating: 4/5 stars
Review:

Victor Bayne is a Psy Cop - a cop with a psychic ability - in Chicago's Paranormal Investigation Unit. In Vic's case, he can see and hear the dead. He's a class 5 medium, one of the highest classes there are. During a murder investigation he meets a non-psychic named Jacob Marks. The two become intimate as they work together to catch a nasty serial killer - one who messes with Vic's power.

I've been told numerous times to read this book and I finally did. And wow. I'm glad I did. The story started out slow with a druggy main character that I didn't particularly like. But as it progressed, I began to like him more and more. Price did an excellent job with his characters - they're unique and interesting. The psychic powers were also handled very well.

My only real complaint is how short the books is. It was only 118 pages in PDF and I wish it had been longer. I want see more of Vic and Jacob's relationship. I also want to see what happens to their partners. I'm going to have to read the next book in the series soon. I highly recommend this book to anyone who like M/M romance.

** Warning ** This novel contains sex scenes and may not be appropriate for readers under than age of 18.

Oleander House

Title: Oleander House
Author: Ally Blue
Series: Bay City Paranormal Investigations
Rating: 5/5 stars
Review:

Sam Raintree is a computer tech who has just gotten a job with Bay City Paranormal Investigations. He hasn't even had a chance to see his new apartment in Mobile before he has a job. When he arrives at Oleander House two things happen - he meets a man who he falls for almost instantly and he feels a weird presence in the house - almost as if it's stalking him, waiting to attack.

This book is the first novel in the BCPI series and I absolutely loved it. The characters felt realistic and I really liked them - well, most of them. Even the paranormal investigating was extremely realists - it had a lot of science and factual information instead of just a team of "psychics".

I think the thing I liked most about this is that it read as a paranormal mystery novel and not a cheesy four dollar romance novel. I like my romance novels to have at least an equal amount of actual plot to go along with the romance - not just hot steamy sex - and this novel didn't dissapoint.

I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy paranormal books and don't mind a little bit of MM romance on the side. Bravo, Ally Blue!

** Warning ** This novel contains sex scenes and may not be appropriate for readers under than age of 18.

Luck in the Shadows

Title: Luck in the Shadows
Author: Lynn Flewelling
Series: Nightrunner
Rating: 4/5 stars
Review:

The novel opens with Alec of Kerry locked in a dungeon and being tortured for information. Though Alec is innocent of being a spy, his captors will not believe him. After a couple days of torture, a young bard is captured and thrown into the dungeon with him.

The young bard turns out to be Seregil, a spy and thief of sorts who helps Alec escape from the dungeon. Freed from captivity, the two steal a horse and try and get as far away as possible. While on their journey, Seregil offers Alec and opportunity - become his apprentice.

The novel was excellently written. The characters were both well rounded and deep. The plot kept me interested and had a few surprise twists in it.

It's a long novel, and I found myself wondering if it would ever end. Yet when I reached the end, I wanted more. Flewelling really grips you with her writing and leaves you wanting more.

Filled with secrets, thieves and treachery, this is a book I'd recommend to any fantasy fans. The novel isn't really YA, nor is it adult fiction, so it can work for both age groups.