Comong soon from Seventh Window

29 Feb 2012 Leave a Comment

by Ken Harrison in Seventh Window, Xavier Axelson Tags: ,

Earthly Concerns by Xavier AxelsonEarthly Concerns

by Xavier Axelson

Spooky love from Xavier Axelson, done with real characters that pull at your heart. This is creepy done right.

Leap Day!!

29 Feb 2012 Leave a Comment

by michelelmontgomery in Uncategorized Tags:

Instead of the usual reviews how about something sweet for the eyes? Enjoy and come back often.










Just Like Cats and Dogs by BA Tortuga

28 Feb 2012 Leave a Comment

by michelelmontgomery in BA Tortuga, Torquere Press Tags: ,

Title: Just Like Cats and Dogs
Author: BA Tortuga
Publisher: Torquere Press
Pages: 203
Characters: Samuel (Sam) Finn, Augustus (Gus) Fieri
POV: 3rd person
Sub-Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal Romance
Kisses: 5




Blurb:

If there’s one thing Sam knows for sure it’s that you can never go home again. As a feline shifter who grew up in a family of wolves, he’s used to being a freak. He stays in the city and tries to get his family to visit him, but when a loved one passes away, Sam has to go back to the New Mexico desert for a last goodbye.

Gus only comes back to the pack at gathering time, once in a blue moon. He’s usually a wanderer, but he’s with the pack when Sam comes home. Gus and Sam have never gotten along, but this time around Gus is surprised by the attraction he feels for this new, slinky version of his high school nemesis.

Sam and Gus may not be able to resist each other, but finding time to be together and overcome their differences might be too much for them, especially when danger lurks just around the corner, and all around the world. Can cats and dogs live to learn together, or are Gus and Sam destined to fail?

Review:

Sam Finn is a panther-shifter, who was raised by a family of werewolves. He’s not the only misfit in his adoptive family, but because he not a wolf and for him to stay safe, he must keep himself separate from the other members of the pack. While other shifters are allowed to hunt and play together during a full moon, Sam has to shift and run and play inside…alone. Out of his adopted family, he’s closest with this brother Pete. Unfortunately for Sam, Pete’s best friend, Gus, lives to make Sam miserable by picking on him and teasing him throughout most of their childhood. So, as soon as Sam is an adult, he leaves his family and becomes a successful dancer, and after a few years, an even more prolific chorographer.

One day Sam gets an unexpected phone call telling him that his adoptive father has passed away. He immediately drops everything and goes home to mourn with his family. Once Sam returns he quickly runs into his childhood adversary, Gus. Although he still has hard feelings toward him, Sam is confused by his attraction and the seemingly invisible pull they have toward one another.

Ever since they were children, Gus Fieri has been fighting his attraction for Sam. Instinctively, he’s known that Sam is his mate, but since it’s pretty unheard of that a werewolf and werecat to be bound together. For years he has fought it by picking on Sam to keep the younger man away from him. But now that he’s around the older Sam, Gus finds harder to stay away from the sexy cat-shifter. Unfortunately for him, Sam has a very good memory and isn’t receptive to Gus’ charms. But the pull of their mating bond is stronger than ever, and even though both men fight against it, fate will not be denied.

I loved this book! Both Sam and Gus are very well written characters and very likeable heroes. I enjoyed the fast paced storyline and as it continued to play out, it turned out to be a refreshing, creatively interesting read. I liked the world building and politics within the different shifters and packs. I admit that once I started this book, I couldn’t put it down. I was immediately captivated with both Sam and Gus and couldn’t wait to see how things turned out between them.

Another thing I appreciated about this book was the variety of emotions I felt as I read the story. There were some very funny and thought provoking moments between them as well as bittersweet moments too. Plus, the sexual chemistry between Sam and Gus practically smoked up my computer screen it was so hot! Just like Cats and Dogs is a perfect read for those who love a well written shifter story with a twist. I highly recommend it, and hated to see it come to an end.

Reviewed By: Gabbi

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Smoke and Fire by Sean Michael

28 Feb 2012 Leave a Comment

by michelelmontgomery in Sean Michael, Torquere Press Tags: ,

Title: Smoke and Fire
Author: Sean Michael
Publisher: Torquere Press
Pages: 75
Characters: Daslin, Avan
POV: 3rd person
Sub-Genre: Fantasy Romance
Kisses: 4.5




Blurb:

Daslin is a fire mage living in a school on the Mountain, where he tries to stay out of trouble, not an easy task as Daslin not only is accident prone, but can’t always control the fires he creates. The masters despair of him ever getting total control, and he has been forbidden to leave the draughty hallways and

His new roommate, Avan, is unlike anyone Daslin has ever met. Avan comes from the plains where he can go naked and commune with the elements without impediment. He doesn’t like the Mountain, where he’s been sent to learn to use his powers more efficiently; at least that’s the excuse the elders give him. Avan suspects they just want him out of the way.

Avan is as delighted with his new roommate as Daslin is bemused by him. Can they get up to more than just mischief?

Review:

Daslin is a sweet, young fire mage that can’t seem to stay out of trouble. When he was a little boy, his parents took him to school that is off in the mountains, where there are other young mages like him all with special abilities. Each mage is assigned a ‘Master’ that is supposed to help the young ones to control and properly use their special talents.
This hasn’t worked for Daslin. As a young adult, he still stays in constant trouble because his inability to keep control of the fire that burns within him. He often blows things up, or set things on fire and even though it’s always an accident, he is kept away from the others, and made to stay alone. So, Daslin is shocked when he finds out he is assigned a new roommate, and is worried that he might inadvertently harm the other man.

The moment that Daslin meets his new roommate, Avan, he is immediately intrigued by the young man. His earthiness and affectionate nature confuses, Daslin, and when his new roommate announces he prefers to be naked instead of clothed, he doesn’t know if he should be thrilled or mortified. To say the least, the modest and lonely Daslin is shocked and quickly attracted to his new friend. When he finds out that his attraction is mutual, he’s unsure how to handle it. Lucky for him, Avan’s outgoing personality and affectionate nature takes control, and before they know it, they are swept up in the passionate and loving feelings they have for each other. But will Daslin be able to keep his fire powers under control, or will he accidentally burn Avan with the passion he has deep inside him?

I really liked this book. Both Daslin and Avan are very interesting heroes. Daslin’s utter sweetness, and his compassionate nature not only made Avan captivated by him, I admit I was as well. I hated that he had been ostracized and was forced to be alone most of his young life. Apparently, the elders of the school obviously didn’t know how to help him keep his magic under control. Daslin has been alone for so long, he’s amazed when Avan takes an immediate interest in him, so he’s not quite sure how to handle the mutual attraction they have for each other. I loved that once Daslin allowed himself to trust Avan there was a pureness and innocence about him that not only enthralled Avan it did me as a reader as well. I adored Daslin and thought that Avan is the perfect man for him.

Everyone has always accepted Avan’s abilities. As someone who can control the wind and other elements, the community he came from admired him, not shunned him for his abilities. Since he has a zest for life, he decided to attend the school on the mountain, so he could possibly learn something new and make new friends. Once he meets his new roommate, Daslin, his immediate fascination for the beautiful fire mage brings out all of his protective instincts, and he quickly knows that they belong together. I loved his self-confident nature and thought it played against Daslin’s uncertainty and innocence perfectly.

Smoke and Fire is a very fast paced novella. It’s a quick read and an easy way to pass an hour or two by if you’re looking for two characters that have a steamy chemistry together. I enjoy Sean Michael’s easy, straightforward style of writing and his creative storytelling abilities. The love scenes in this book sizzle and burn (no pun intended) and made me want to fan my face a few times to cool off. My only complaint about the book is the short length of it. I would have learned to know more about the characters’ background and there were still a few things that I thought were unanswered, but it still was a fun and sexy story with two interesting and very likeable main characters.

Reviewed By: Gabbi

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Saving Tate by Will Banks

27 Feb 2012 2 Comments

by michelelmontgomery in Carnal Passions, Will Banks Tags: ,

Title: Saving Tate
Author: Will Banks
Publisher: Carnal Passions
Pages: 39
Characters: Deck and Tate
POV: Third Person
Sub-Genre: mm romance
Kisses: 4




Blurb:

You’d think that Sheriff John Decker would finally get tired of answering the domestic dispute calls at Tate and Henry’s farmhouse but it seems the only thing that Deck’s tired of is that Tate is in Henry’s bed instead of his own. He’s not happy that Henry keeps using Tate as a punching bag and seeing Tate battered and bruised proves to be more than Deck is willing to handle. Coming out is never easy, but for this Sheriff, it could mean saving more than just Tate.

Review:

Saving Tate is a well-written story about a very important, though often unnoticed, topic. Tate is a sensitive, self-effacing, taciturn, and rather sweet submissive gay man. His partner Henry is very dominant, but his dominance is misguided and becomes abusive. Rather than provide Tate with the loving guidance and control the sub needs, he bullies him and physically assaults him. Henry’s treatment of Tate worsens as his love of power increases, and he becomes obsessed with controlling his weaker partner. He beats him and then apologizes so they can have make-up sex. He plays mind games with the vulnerable sub, and he takes things so far that he even rapes the boy.

The hero of the story is Deck, who’s the county sheriff. Deck has been attracted to Tate for a long time but has found it difficult to come out of the closet in the small community. Now middle-aged, he regrets not having embraced his identity when he was younger. Had he done so, Tate may never have become involved with the abusive Henry.

Several incidents of domestic violence result in calls where Deck has to go out to Tate and Henry’s home. He realizes that Tate is being abused but is limited in what he can do because Tate will not even acknowledge that Henry is abusing him. Eventually, things go so far that Tate’s life is in jeopardy, and it is Deck who has to try to save him.

I was very moved by this powerful story. A story doesn’t always have to make you feel good to be a great story. I’m very glad I read it and will not hesitate to recommend it to others.

Reviewed By: Jeff

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Zach’s Secret by Matthew Grant

27 Feb 2012 Leave a Comment

by michelelmontgomery in Amazon Kindle, Matthew Grant Tags: ,

Title: Zach’s Secret
Author: Matthew Grant
Publisher: Amazon Digital Services
Pages: 170
Characters: Zach and Key
POV: First Person
Sub-Genre: Young Adult
Kisses: 4




Blurb:

Senior Zach Denham, the editor of the high school newspaper in a small New England town, struggles to act like a “normal” guy by dating Meghan, his religious friend. Key, the school’s newly arrived attractive jock, forces Zach to confront the truth about his sexual identity. Still unsure of himself, Zach is reluctant to help start a support group for gay students at the high school.

Friends will become enemies when the explosive issue divides the school community. Opposition to the group mounts from the school administration, other students, Zach’s friends, and even his own mother.

As Mrs. Trevott, Zach’s trusted and sharp-tongued English teacher, advises, some of them will stand up for what they believe in even if they are standing alone. Some will face the darkest parts of themselves when they witness first-hand how destructive their own prejudice can be.

Review:

I loved this coming out story. It is about an eighteen year old high school senior named Zach who is chief editor of his school newspaper. Zach is gay but has kept his sexual orientation a secret all through high school. When he meets Key, the new kid in school, they develop a friendship which turns into a romance. This does not sit well with Zach’s friends, and the homophobia and prejudice begin to rear their ugly heads.

When Key and an outspoken activist friend named Gwen decide to form a Gay-Straight Alliance in the school, it draws the attention of the ultra-conservative high school principal. She quickly squashes their efforts. A riot ensues and everything eventually ends up in a court battle.

Ultimately Zach must make a decision about whether or not he will be true to himself or continue to hide in his closet.

This would have easily been a five-star read for me if not for two issues. First among them is the lack of romance. The relationship of Zach and Key was glazed over. There was absolutely no intimacy, and it seemed the author actually went out of his way NOT to portray any of their physical relationship. In fact, for much of the book it was hard to tell if they even had a relationship…physical or otherwise. This being said, I would definitely not categorize this as a romance.

The other issue that I had was that the story was in the first person narrative in the voice of Zach, which was fine. It was very odd, though, because about halfway through the story, the author seemed to slip into third person. In two of his chapters, he began by describing scenes where the narrator was not even present. That just made absolutely no sense to me and I could not for the life of me figure out why this would not have been fixed during the editing process.

The story itself is very touching and has a powerful message. I loved all the characters, especially the main character Zach. I’d have liked to see him find a way to bridge the differences he had with his mother, but I don’t think that particular relationship was necessarily unrealistic. The ending of the story was absolutely beautiful. Overall, I found it to be a worthwhile read which I will quickly recommend.

Reviewed By: Jeff

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The New Deal by H.J. Raine and Kelly Wyre

26 Feb 2012 Leave a Comment

by michelelmontgomery in H.J. Raine, Kelly Wyre, Torquere Press Tags:

Title: The New Deal
Author: H.J. Raine and Kelly Wyre
Publisher: Torquere Press
Pages: 29
Characters: Clark and Daniel
POV: 3rd
Sub-Genre: BDSM/ Contemporary
Kisses: 4




Blurb:

It’s been a year since Clark and Daniel found one another in Hearts Under Fire, and the bartender and the professor have found harmony. However, Clark’s work for Lucian Gray, the New Amsterdam Mayor’s son and leader of an underground vigilante network, still continues, and it’s not without danger. Clark knows it’s only a matter of time before the risks become too great for Daniel to bear, and his prediction comes true when a BDSM scene turns into a captive discussion. Find out what happens when the men must balance life’s passion with true love

Review:

Sadly I hadn’t read Hearts Under Fire when the request came in for this story so I went at it with no knowledge of the main characters, their past or what they did for a living. However, in saying that, I did fine with following along in this story and so I’ll say it does fine as a standalone, but now I want to read the first book due to this one. I’d say the writers have done their job in that alone.

The opening scene to the last page is nothing but hot action. Clark is the submissive in the story, his Dom is Daniel, and Clarks job working for the Mayor’s son is a dangerous job and he knows that his Dom will only tolerate so much by way of his sub’s safety. Now, Lucian actually phoned Daniel to thank him for allowing Clark to continue to work for him, and not only that, there’s talk of Daniel working with them? Interesting.

I thought the short was well written, great build up, awesome BDSM scene, I love the love between the two characters and the plot. There’s no reason for me not to seek out the first title and look for more from this duo of writers.

Reviewed By: Michele

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No Greater Love by Andi Anderson

26 Feb 2012 2 Comments

by michelelmontgomery in Andi Anderson, Silver Publishing Tags: ,

Title: No Greater Love (Sons of Aphrodite #1)
Author: Andi Anderson
Publisher: Silver Publishing
Pages: 154
Characters: Eros and Keith
POV: 3rd
Sub-Genre: Paranormal/Fantasy/Mythology
Kisses: 5




Blurb:

When it comes to love, Eros is tired of getting the fuzzy end of the lollipop. An icon of love and romance, it’s ironic that Cupid is lonely. Now it’s only a matter of finding his soul mate and keeping him.

Eros thinks it’s pretty ironic that ‘Cupid’ wants nothing more than to find his own true love. Desperate, he enlists his mother, Aphrodite’s, help and she agrees to allow Eros thirty days off from his duties to possibly find the man of his dreams.

Keith Seeley is having the birthday from hell. He’s not only just turned forty, he’s had one mishap after another all day. When his friends insist on taking Keith to the club, being surrounded by younger men just makes him feel worse. But, when he meets the mysterious and sexy Eros, he immediately knows his life has changed forever. As time rolls by, Eros continues to be secretive about his past, putting a wall between them.

When Eros comes clean about his true identity, will Keith be able to accept him for whom he really is?

Review:

Andi Anderson has written one of the sweetest stories I’ve read in sometime. Eros, who is a son of Aphrodite’s and also Cupid is lonely and desperately wants to find his own love, his own soul-mate and his mother gives into his request, giving him only thirty days to accomplish this mission. She hands over the cross bow and arrow to one of his brothers and sends Eros to find the man of his dreams.

Eros is every bit as lovely as his mother is, he’s petite, he has long blond hair, beautiful captivating eyes, if you’ve seen the cover to this story, I think it’s dead on how Andi see’s Eros in her head. He’s a happy go lucky guy, and when he spots Keith in a bar, he knew immediately the man was more than just a man, Keith was his soul-mate.

Keith is an accountant he’s out celebrating his fortieth birthday with his friends, at their insistence at a local gay bar. However, all he sees are young attractive guys and none of them interested in him, the older man. He thinks himself average, he wears glasses, and those are just two of the things that attract Eros to him.

Eros has just thirty days to find his soul-mate, he found Keith and their story is sweet and very cute. I loved when Eros’ brothers dropped in on them. Looking forward to reading the other books coming. OH, and Aphrodite’s, she’s not as bad as all that. She does love her boys.

Oh, let me not forget the sex scenes…hellishly hot!!

Reviewed By: Michele

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Slammed by Saloni Quinby

25 Feb 2012 Leave a Comment

by michelelmontgomery in Razors Edge, Saloni Quinby Tags: ,

Title: Slammed
Author: Saloni Quinby
Publisher: Razor’s Edge
Pages: 18
Characters: TK and Jackson
POV: Third
Sub-Genre: mm erotica
Kisses: 3




Blurb:

Pro wrestling rivals TK and Jackson have a secret that fans and colleagues wouldn’t believe. After their latest fight, they meet for a private, no holds barred match, but who will submit first?

Review:

Fun sexy romp with no plot to speak of. TK and Jackson are professional wrestlers, rivals of each other, who like to have their own private matches at home after the public show. This eighteen-page short story is a series of sexual acts in various places. Fun and lighthearted…basically it’s just literary porn.

Reviewed By: Jeff

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