Losers by Jeff Erno

Title: Losers
Author: Jeff Erno
Publisher: Self Published
Pages: 83
Characters: Jacob, et al.
POV: 3rd Person
Sub-Genre: Bullying, High School Crushing/Romance
Kisses: 4.5

Blurb:

Jacob Stevens is a high school freshman facing an onslaught of constant bullying. When the unthinkable happens and he falls victim to a cruel prank, he and a small circle of friends band together to form a Losers’ Club. By embracing the name their tormentors have assigned them, they reclaim their power and try to fight back. With the help of a mysterious stranger, Jacob finds the strength he needs to stand up for himself and his friends, a group of losers like himself.

Review:

Note: In addition to Jacob and the other Losers’ Club original members, Darien, Lily, Jena, Karen & Benny, other key players would include the spiritually evasive Austin, the Key Bully Elijah, and the school Principal Mrs. Holbrook.

This story really hit home with me as in my high school days I was a constant victim of bullying in an environment that not only accepted it but in ways also encouraged it; or at the very least turned a blind eye to it! I personally lost 3 friends to teen suicide, and had contemplated the act more than once myself!

This is obviously a subject that is not only too often center stage news in today’s society but in our past as well and Mr. Erno has done a wonderful job of capturing its attention while providing a comforting tale in which to absorb it. One key truth emphasized in the story is that although “Zero Tolerance” is easy on the ears, it is not so easy in its administering.

The characters are well defined and easily identified with. Excluding the inclusion of Austin, the story could ring true in just about every high school across this country. I found myself not only reminiscing my own teen years but also being quite nicely entertained and hoping that things truly are changing for the better.

Another concept I thought the author presented quite well and entertainingly was that although a victim might not necessarily have an other-worldly compatriot, the notion that ‘something’ is looking out for them is not so out of the question as we quite often do not bring ourselves down to our tormentor’s level, although opportunities might present themselves for us to easily do so; we stand above them, and proudly so!

In summation, if you were bullied in high school this little story will ping your heart and if you were fortunate not to be bullied, you will still be quite nicely entertained.

Reviewed By: Jymbo

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You Belong With Me by Jeff Erno

Title: You Belong With Me
Author: Jeff Erno
Publisher: Harmony Ink
Pages: 164
Characters: Wesley Harris, Brad Johnson
POV: 1st
Sub-Genre: YA, Contemporary Romance
Kisses: 5+

Blurb:

High school junior Wesley Harris is a stereotypical shy, soft-spoken nerd. He is obsessed with crafts and art and doesn’t even need to come out of the closet to become the target of antigay bullying. Though he has the support of close friends and liberal-minded mother, he finds it hard to believe in himself.

Brad Johnson, Wesley’s new neighbor, is Wesley’s age—and his complete opposite. A popular jock and hero of the school’s baseball team, Brad has an outgoing personality and a reputation as a ladies’ man. When he and Wesley are alone, away from their classmates’ scrutiny, they become friends despite their differences. But when Wesley confesses to wanting more than friendship, Brad walks away, unwilling to risk their romance being exposed.

Though devastated, Wesley resigns himself to accept that they were never meant to be. The next time he runs afoul of bullies, school counseling empowers him to report them. Encouraged by his new confidence, he decides to attend the school dance and face Brad….

Review:

Once in a while you’ll come across an author that really seems to know how their characters tick. In my opinion, Mr. Erno’s characterization is always spot on. I’ve read almost all of his books and every one of them are on my keeper shelf. He writes likeable, humanly-flawed characters that really live and breathe off of the written page. By the end of his stories, I always feel like his characters do a lot of personal growth as well as becoming more self-assured men. They are people I’d proudly call a friend in my own life, and so darn easy to love. In You Belong With Me, Mr. Erno once again swept this reader into the realistically written world he created as well as made me love these two heroes.

The story is told in first person through Wesley’s eyes. Wesley is a junior in high school who is really coming into his own person. Although he’s never announced that he’s gay to his classmates, almost all of them suspect he is. Because he’s a smaller teenager and because of his sexuality, Wesley is picked on by several bullies in school. Wesley really tries to take this in stride and keeps telling himself that things will get better, but sometimes the cruelty from the bullies does get the better of him. Wesley is a typical teenager. He hides his pain from being bullied from his parents, but he does have a few friends that he’s learned to rely on.

When popular jock, Brad, moves in next door, Wesley is both thrilled and terrified. Wesley has always noticed the handsome, nice boy and has a crush on him. Before he knows it, Brad is being nice to him and taking him under his wing. Even better, Brad seems to like Wesley as much as Wesley likes Brad. But the stress of being labeled keeps Brad from revealing his feelings for Wesley, and soon both teenagers are faced with the harsh reality of loving someone that many bigots do not consider normal.

I loved this book! I loved both Wesley and Brad and highly enjoyed all of the moments they spent together. They truly fit together very well and before long, I found myself really rooting for them to be together. Both Brad and Wesley go through a lot of personal growth and make some very mature and strong decisions. As a reader, I appreciated how Mr. Erno did not sweep some of the difficult issues both boys had to face; instead they had to deal with them head on.

Inspiring, lovely, realistically written and an all-around wonderful read, You Belong With Me is a must read! It’s a great book for both teens and adults and a realistic look of how hard life can be for a teen if they are considered different than others. I highly recommend this book and can’t wait to see what Mr. Erno has in store for us in the future.

Reviewed By: Gabbi

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Dumb Jock 3: Appearances Matter by Jeff Erno

Title: Dumb Jock 3: Appearances Matter
Author: Jeff Erno
Publisher: Self Published through Amazon
Pages: 218
Characters: Todd Hoffman and Galen Caulfield
POV: 3rd
Sub-Genre: Contemporary, Coming of Age, Series
Kisses: 5

Blurb:

Todd Hoffman, age sixteen, doesn’t have an easy life. Not only does he live with his alcoholic mother in a rundown mobile home, but he’s also a bit of a social outcast at school. He doesn’t have the nice clothing, shoes, and car the other students have. He has only one really close friend, Shannon, but even she doesn’t understand him completely. He knows he can never confide in her his deepest secret. He can’t tell anyone,not even his favorite teacher.

But Todd finds a way to express his feelings when he learns about fan fiction. Being a gifted writer, Todd begins to write stories–gay stories–about another boy he’s secretly crushing on. He posts the stories on a fan fiction website.

When the object of Todd’s affection one day notices him and asks him out, Todd feels like he is suddenly living a dream, that his literary fantasy is become real. Soon, however, he realizes that reality and fantasy are two different things, and he has to determine if Galen, the high school soccer team captain, is the boy of his dreams or just another dumb jock.

Review:

Appearances Matter is the third book in the Dumb Jock series by author Jeff Erno. Like the previous stories, this book tells the tale of a high school geek and the high school jock. Mr. Erno makes his characters very easy to care about and it was not long before these two young men joined those ranks.

Todd, our geek, has slowly come to the realization that he is gay, but has no one to talk to about his discovery, which leaves him feeling alone at times. With an alcoholic mother Todd’s home life is hell and he wonders if he will ever find a way out. The anger he feels towards his situation and his mother is understandable and believable. Galen, the story’s jock, is the captain of the school’s soccer team and, unlike Todd, has known for some time that he is gay. Galen’s life is also different from Todd’s in other ways as Galen comes from a well to do family, yet there’s more to him than what others know. I have to say that in the beginning Galen was not someone I always liked. At times he came across a little self-centered, yet once more of his life was revealed it was easy to understand why he behaved the way he did.

The young men come together in a way that’s different from the other stories. While in the first two books the geek was ask to help the jock with a particular subject in school, in Appearances Matter, Galen runs into Todd after school and asks him out on a date, which was a nice change up and keeps the series fresh. I wish I could say that the men’s lives flow smoothly after this but it does not as they run into issues caused by outside forces, some of which have harsh consequences. Previous characters show up from time to time which also helps tie in the three books.

Like the other stories, Appearances Matter was a fast read. I could not put it down, wanting to see how the story would play out. I hope the author has plans to add more stories to this series as it is one I love to read over and over again.

Reviewed By: Lydia

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Choosing America’s Next Superstar by Jeff Erno

Title: Choosing America’s Next Superstar
Author: Jeff Erno
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Pages: 220
Characters: Corey Dunham and Jimmy Sawyer
POV: 3rd Person
Sub-Genre: Contemporary, Series
Kissses: 5

Blurb:

For years, eighteen-year-old Corey Dunham has been a die-hard fan of the reality show and nationwide talent competition Choosing America’s Next Superstar. Now he finally has his chance to show off his natural ability and perfect pitch—not to mention meet other talented young musicians like Jimmy Sawyer, a country crooner from Kentucky.

In the cutthroat audition round, Corey and Jimmy get off on the wrong foot. It doesn’t help that they seem to be complete opposites, both in terms of musical taste and personality. But when both make it through to the finals and become roommates, an unlikely romance blossoms.

Reality show dating is nearly impossible. Corey worries that the competition itself could spell the end for them. At any time, voting results could send one of them home and force a separation. And one of the judges wants Corey for himself and will do anything to get Jimmy off the show. Can Corey and Jimmy win each other’s heart, regardless of who wins the show?

Review:

Choosing America’s Next Superstar, the newest book by Mr. Erno, is a great story that kept me up reading until the last page. The author takes the reader through the whole reality show competition process, from first audition to big show finally, with characters that are well written. The main characters, Corey and Jimmy, come from two totally different lifestyles, yet there is a connection between the two from the beginning. When the men have the chance to come together they really heat up the page. These young men are also really easy to care about and you can’t help but hope there is some way that both men can win the competition. There are also a variety of secondary characters, some of whom it is very easy to dislike. These characters not only help move the story along, but add a richness that makes the story such a great read.

It is not only the wonderful characters however that brings this story alive. The author packs this story with a wealth of background detail, making the competition believable. It is easy for those who enjoy the guilty pleasure of watching these types of reality shows to recognize similarities to well know judges. There are of course some twists that I did not expect, and while it was easy for me to belief some of the behind the scene manipulation that the author portrays, there is one particular twist that I hope is protected against.

According to the author’s website Choosing America’s Next Superstar is the first story in a new series. I can’t wait to see where the author plans to take this series next, and hope the wait is not long before we can find out.

Reviewed By: Lydia

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Cocktails by Jeff Erno

Title: Cocktails
Author: Jeff Erno
Publisher: eXtasy Book
Pages: 116
POV: 3rd Person
Sub-Genre: Contemporary
Kissses: 4







Blurb:

Rustin has his Associates Degree and leads a successful life as a retail store manager. He’s dissatisfied thought, and wants more. Afforded an opportunity to complete his education while working as a bartender at a trendy gay club in New Orleans, he leaves his Michigan home behind. He’s barely off the plane when he encounters Dutch, a Texas cowboy who is visiting the city on business. Will the connection they share that weekend lead to a lasting relationship, or are they destined to go their separate ways to pursue their own destinies?

Review:

Cocktails is the second story in Jeff Erno’s The Men’s Room series, and revolves around a popular gay bar in New Orleans by the same name. In many ways I enjoyed this story more than the first one. While Tommy and DJ, from the first book, show up throughout this book, the main characters are Rustin and Dutch. Both men are looking for a change but are not prepared for what they find when they get to New Orleans. While there is a connection between the men from the beginning they do not hook up right away. As the men grow closer together their relationship changes from new acquaintances, to friends, to lovers. The passion that flares up between the men is hot and what fans of Mr. Erno would expect. It’s while things seem to be going smoothly for the two men, however, that the author throws in a few monkey wrenches. I was surprised by some of the turns the story took and could not wait to see how the story would play out.

If the first two stories are anything to go by, this new series by Mr. Erno looks as if it is going to be a fun hot read. I would highly recommend that if you have not yet tried a story by this author that you give these stories a chance.

Reviewed By: Lydia
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We Danced by Jeff Erno and a chance to win a copy. Just leave a comment.

Title: We Danced
Author: Jeff Erno
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Pages: 210
POV: 3rd Person
Sub-Genre: Contemporary
Kissses: 4.5

Jeff Erno is offering one lucky person a chance at winning this amazing book. Please leave your comment here along with your email address and he’ll draw a winner on June 5th at 11:59PM EST. Good luck!!

Blurb:

For six years, Rex Payton has focused on two things: keeping his late father’s small-town Kentucky bar afloat and raising his nephew, Tyler. After the tragic loss of his parents and sister, Rex has no interest in romance. He’s respected in his community and regarded as one of Carlisle’s most eligible bachelors, but he’s accepted that his life isn’t conducive to a romantic relationship, especially as a closeted gay man.

Enter Josh Billings, a veterinary student who’s serving an internship in town. Josh’s deepest passion is helping animals. Romance is the furthest thing from his mind… until the night he meets taciturn, handsome Rex Payton. Chance and an after-hours dance conspire to forge an intimate connection neither man looked for—one neither man can ignore after the dance leads to a kiss.

Suddenly romance isn’t so insignificant, but it’s also not without complications. For this relationship to work, Josh has to decide if he can cope with dating a single dad, Rex has to open his heart, and Ty has to learn to share his dad’s affection.

Review:

We Danced is one of my favorite Jeff Erno stories. From the first page the author pulled me into Josh’s and Rex’s story and I could not put the book down until the last page. Both men really grab the reader’s attention. The instant connection between them is strong, but because of Rex’s parental responsibilities the men take things slowly, which lends an air of reality to the book. I liked the way that Mr. Erno wove Ty through this story rather than having him show up occasionally just to add something to the plot line. Rex, Josh, and Ty make a wonderful family unit, but the author tosses things up a little by bringing in conflict that could tear them apart.

The angst that Mr. Erno introduces is believable and not hard to imagine happening. While some of the problems that pop up can be expected, I was surprised more than once. We Danced is one of those stories that will stay with you long after you finished with it. It is one I will re-read in the future, and I am sure many of Mr. Erno’s fans will feel the same way.

Reviewed By: Lydia
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Twinsational by Jeff Erno

Title: Twinsational
Author: Jeff Erno
Publisher: Extasy Books
Pages: 160
POV: 3rd Person
Sub-Genre: Contemporary
Kissses: 4

Blurb:

Double the pleasure and double the fun, two hot go-go boys for the price of one.

Tommy Cooper has just turned 21 and is getting his first exposure to the gay club scene when he meets Darren Maguire, a go-go dancer. Not only is Darren about the hottest guy that Tommy has ever seen, but he also has an identical twin brother named Michael who is also a dancer. Things quickly heat up for Tommy and Darren, but Michael doesn’t exactly approve. Michael is more serious and wishes his brother Darren would focus more on his education. When Michael meets the man of his dreams, however, he begins to understand the power of romance. Both of the twins become embroiled in relationships which are sure to affect their future, but in the party environment of a dance club, can any such relationship last? And what of the parade of hot guys that constantly come in and out of their lives? Only time will tell if Tommy has actually met the man of his dreams or if he’s simply allowed himself to be swept up by a passing sensation…a Twinsation.

Review:

I’m a big fan of Mr. Erno’s and have many of his stories in my library. I am always glad to see he has another story out and try to grab it right away. The first thing I want to let readers know about Twinsational is that despite the title, this is not a twincest story. Something that may be important for some readers to know ahead of time. The next thing is that this is a hard story for me to review. I liked the characters. Tommy’s innocence made me want to protect him from himself. Darren came across as the perfect choice for Tommy, while his twin brother, Michael, was the typical player. The story is hot and the various pairings intense. The story moves fast with a couple of twists that ended up surprising me.

All that being said, I also felt as if the story was just starting when it came to an abrupt end. Even after finishing the book a few days back I am unsure how I feel about that. On the author’s website Twinsational is listed as book one and I hope that Mr. Erno plans on revisiting Tommy and his boyfriend again.

Reviewed by: Lydia

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New Release by Jeff Erno: Twinsational

Tommy Cooper has just turned 21 and is getting his first exposure to the gay club scene when he meets Darren Maguire, a go-go dancer. Not only is Darren about the hottest guy that Tommy has ever seen, but he also has an identical twin brother named Michael who is also a dancer
Things quickly heat up for Tommy and Darren, but Michael doesn’t exactly approve. Michael is more serious and wishes his brother Darren would focus more on his education. When Michael meets the man of his dreams, however, he begins to understand the power of romance
Each of the twins becomes embroiled in relationships which are sure to affect their future, but in the party environment of a dance club, can any such relationship last? And what of the parade of hot guys that constantly come in and out of their lives? Only time will tell if Tommy has actually met the man of his dreams or if he’s simply allowed himself to be swept up by a passing sensation.

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Another Dumb Jock by Jeff Erno

Title: Another Dumb Jock
Author: Jeff Erno
Publisher: Self – Published through Amazon
Pages: 143
Characters: Adam Willson and Trevor Ellis
POV: First Person
Sub-Genre: Contemporary, Sport
Kisses: 5

Blurb:

In Dumb Jock, Jeff and Brett fall in love, but their relationship is not without challenges. Brett’s a football star, and Jeff is the classic nerd. Their coming of age and coming out story is set in the 1980s, and they face many obstacles. Yet their love for each other is strong, and they finally get their happy ending.

Now, almost three decades later, their children are teenagers. Adam, their fifteen year old son, is the star pitcher of his high school baseball team. He has grown up with two dads, in a loving, non-judgmental environment. Yet Adam has challenges of his own. He’s failing two of his classes at school, and he’s been suspended for fighting. He resents being labeled and insists that just because he has two dads, it doesn’t mean that he is himself gay.

When he is forced to accept help from another student in his algebra class, Adam starts to have feelings that cause him to question his very identity. He’s got to decide whether to follow his heart or to maintain the image he’s worked so hard to portray. Will he have the courage to take a stand for what he knows is right, or will he end up being just another dumb jock?

Review:

When I saw that Jeff Erno had a follow up to his Dumb Jock story I did the happy dance. I loved the first story and it is one that I have read many times over. This second book, Another Dumb Jock, tells the story of Brett’s and Jeff’s son, Adam. Like the first story this one centers on a jock, Adam, and a geek, Trevor. Adam has a small issue with anger management that ends up with him being suspended from school, and the baseball team. In order to play the season opening game, Adam must not only clean the locker room for the year, but, also have a tutor help him pass math. This of course is when Trevor enters the story. I must admit in the beginning I wanted to thumb Adam on the nose more than once. He is your typical cocky teenager and his actions toward Jeff on occasion bordered on rude. Although he comes off the way he does, it was still easy for me to understand why he acted as he did. While things may have improved some since his parents where teenagers, there are still some idiots out there who disapprove of relationships containing same sex partners. At sixteen Adam is not only trying to come to terms with his own sexuality but put up with the ignorance of others. When Trevor enters the picture things soon become clear to Adam.

I love the easiness in which Mr. Erno allows the boy’s relationship to flow. From their first meeting the connection between them is present. Trevor not only shows Adam that there is no reason to be ashamed of being gay, but, that the young jock is lucky to have the strong loving family that he does, which helps Adam find the closeness with Jeff he once had. While the boy’s relationship has only a few minor hick-ups, it is the world around them that presents the most problems. It becomes evident almost from the beginning that there are some problems with Trevor’s home life. I was shock by his final confrontation with his step-father and liked how Brett and Jeff stepped up to help.

There are a few more surprising moments during the course of the boy’s story. The author also brings the readers up to date on several characters from the first book, not all of whom have a happy ending. Like the first story, Another Dumb Jock finishes with an epilogue that readers are sure to love. Also like the first story, this is one book I will be reading many more times.

Reviewed By: Lydia
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Book Giveaway!! Bullied by Jeff Erno. Leave a comment to win!

Book Giveaway
Bullied
by Jeff Erno
Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: August 12

Every day, all over the country, teenagers struggle with the realities of bullying. Tormented, ridiculed, and beaten—simply for being who they are—these teens face alienation, humiliation, and even the explicit assertion that they have somehow brought this upon themselves, that they should just blend in. Bullied is a series of short stories exploring the world of these teens from several different viewpoints: the victim, the bully, the gay bystander, the straight friend, the concerned parent.

Closeted Bryan wonders why Christian Michaelson doesn’t just try to blend in if he hates being bullied so much. Star athlete David isn’t a homophobe—after all, he’s not afraid of anything. Jonathan, a Christian fundamentalist, must weigh the Bible against peer pressure and what he knows is right when he discovers his childhood friend is gay. Bully victim Chase Devereaux finds an unexpected ally in a brave fellow student. A single mom struggles to accept the reality that her only son is gay. Two tough gay teens are forced to confront their own inner demons when tragedy befalls a classmate they failed to help. And overweight Kirby finds the strength of character to make a friend, which leads to a lifestyle change and a chance at love. Each character grows as an individual as he or she comes to terms with what it means to be a gay teenager in America.

Leave your comment to win one of two ebook copies.
Contest Ends: 11:59pm Eastern Time on August 29th.