November 2024 Reads

A bit below my monthly average, but I thoroughly enjoyed the books I read during November. For some reason it completely escaped my attention that I read both the first and the latest book in the Lady Eleanor Swift series by Verity Bright. It's hard to believe we're getting close to Christmas and the end of the year. Before I do a reading round-up for the year, I've got a few more books to read first. If I posted longer or related reviews, the links can be found below.

A VERY ENGLISH MURDER (Lady Eleanor Swift #1) by Verity Bright (4*)

A fun, somewhat over the top but overall, very amusing and easy to read vanishing-corpse mystery. I’m looking forward to spending more time in early 20^th century England solving mysteries with Lady Eleanor, her butler Clifford, and her English bulldog Gladstone.

 

AGATHA CHRISTIE: A MYSTERIOUS LIFE by Laura Thompson NF (4.5*)

This was more than ‘just’ a description of Christie’s life. This biography also deep dives into her books, her writing, her storytelling powers, as well as the puzzles she created and solved. The author takes links and hints about Agatha’s life from her (mostly Mary Westmacott’s) fiction. All of it sounds plausible but none of it can be taken as fact since they are conclusions drawn by Laura Thompson and not biographical details provided by Christie herself. It is noteworthy that the author uses the word ‘elusive’ with regard to Agatha Christie given that Lucy Worsley titled her biography Agatha Christie: an Elusive Woman. This has been a most enjoyable bedtime read. Sure, at about eight pages per evening it took a looooong time read, but I wasn’t in a hurry. I’m going to miss my nighttime encounters with Agatha Christie.

 

LIAR’S ISLAND (CSI Ally Dymond #3) by T. Orr Munro (3.5*)

Two CSI investigators find themselves stranded on a small island with a tiny group of inhabitants, one of whom may well be a murderer. I enjoyed Liar’s Island and I’d call it a well-plotted and easy-to-read mystery that for me personally could have done with a little more tension and a little less personal backstory. My full review can be found here:  https://helenasheat.blogspot.com/2024/11/liars-island-by-t-orr-munro.html

 

A MIDWINTER MURDER (Lady Eleanor Swift #20) by Verity Bright (4+*)

A delightful new instalment in the Lady Eleanor Swift series. The setting combined with the reclusive Earl who lives there create a wonderful contrast with the charming Christmas atmosphere Eleanor’s staff create in the gamekeeper’s cottage. Just as the mystery is wonderfully balances with the developing romance between Ellie and her Chief Inspector fiancé. My full review can be found here: https://helenasheat.blogspot.com/2024/11/a-midwinter-murder-by-verity-bright.html

 

OUT OF SIGHT (Second Sight #3) by K.C. Wells 4*

Detective Gary Mitchell and psychic Dan Porter tackle their third baffling case while their relationship continues to flourish. What should have been a cold-case investigation almost immediately turns active and takes them far out of their comfort zones in more ways than one. In the background runs the continuing unsolved mystery of Gary’s brother’s murder. Because this story arc stretches over all the books in this series, they should be read in order.

 

EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY HAS KILLED SOMEONE (Ernest Cunningham #1) by Benjamin Stevenson 4.5*

Gripping, well-plotted, and at times funny mystery in which the first-person narrator strictly follows the Ten Commandments of Detective Fiction as established during the Golden Age of Crime Writing. More than once I feared the story was trying to be too clever only for the ending of the story to prove that the plot was indeed that clever. I’m sorry now that I already read Everyone on This Train is a Suspect and Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret earlier this year. Not because they spoiled this book for me but because I’d love to be able to look forward to reading them.

Seb’s Summer by K.C. Wells

 

Main Men #3

282 pages

Buy links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Also available with Kindle Unlimited

 

Blurb

Steamy summer nights with a hot older man aren’t the smooth sailing Seb expects.

A mysterious older guy

Seb Williams has one plan for the hot, sultry nights of his summer vacation—to get laid. What isn’t on the agenda? Running his uncle’s fishing business. Seb has no choice but to help his family. So it’s goodbye, Ogunquit’s gay bars and hook-ups.
And it’s hello, Cape Porpoise, a quaint, quiet fishing harbor. A small town that promises to be boring AF until he meets Marcus Gilbert. His summer prospects start to look promising. Silver fox—hell yeah. Hot bod? Check. Slow sultry gaze? Oh yes!

Only one problem. Marcus Gilbert plays hard to get.

A hot distraction

Cape Porpoise is exactly how Marcus remembers it from long-past childhood, and just what he needs. A sabbatical to get his life back on track, and work on his book. Peaceful surroundings. The calm of the ocean.

Perfect—until Marcus’s boat is well and truly rocked by a hot, younger guy.

Marcus can’t ignore the lure of Seb’s lean frame and gorgeous eyes. One night can’t hurt, right?

Except one night leads to another, and another.

It’s just a summer fling—until it isn’t, and the pair are suddenly in uncharted waters.

Because now, Marcus’s past threatens to tear apart their future.

 

Review

The Main Men series has so far given me three delightful stories. While they’re all interconnected and have some similarities, each story comes with a new and fully fleshed-out dilemma. In Finn’s Fantasy, the issue was coming out at a later age, and in Ben’s Boss K.C. Wells dealt with bullying. Seb’s Summer has another, equally hefty, topic at its core. I won’t tell you what it is though. Spoilers should always be avoided and in this case even more so.

This third book in K.C. Well’s Maine Men series is as captivating and sexy as the two prequels. If I take my queue from the official blurb, my summary of the story looks something like this:

Hot men ✅

Age-Gap Romance ✅

Hot and Sexy ✅

Memorable characters ✅

Realistic ✅

But I won’t leave my review there. It won’t surprise anybody when I say I’m a huge fan of K.C. Well’s books. While there hasn’t been a single story I didn’t like, I do have my favourites, of course. Seb’s Summer has found its place among those favourites.

There’s a lot to love in this book. Seb is a wonderful MC. At first glance, he may seem a little selfish and somewhat obsessed with hook-ups, but it soon becomes very clear that he has a heart of gold and tends to put others ahead of himself. All of which doesn’t mean that he’s happy about having to spend the summer he had huge plans for in a small fishing village working on his uncle’s boat. There go all his dreams of gay clubs and steamy nights…or so he thinks.

Enter Marcus. While Seb resents having to spend his summer in Cape Porpoise, for Marcus the tiny town is a refuge, allowing him to put distance between himself and issues he has been dealing with. Seb may be looking for fun and sex, Marcus very much isn’t. He just wants to be left alone so he can sort himself out. Except that Marcus can’t deny that Seb is both attractive and next to impossible to resist, no matter how hard he tries to keep his distance.

What starts out as a summer fling for both men, soon turns into something more…something neither of them expected…something that may not have a future considering where they both normally live…and something that turns out to be all too fragile once Marcus’s secret is revealed.

I’m not going to tell you what that secret is, or how it gets resolved. What I will say is that it is a tricky and sensitive issue, and that K.C. Wells deals with it in a responsible and empathetic manner without allowing it to take over the story, turn it into a heavy read, or get in the way of the romance.

Yep. Seb’s Summer is yet another winner for anybody who loves a well-plotted romance with a powerful back story, imaginative and hot scenes, and a lot of heart. How long until we can get our hands on book four?

 

 

Princely Submission by K.C. Wells

 

321 Pages

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Blurb

Who says love has to be gentle?

A spoiled prince on his first overseas tour is torn between resenting his hot bodyguard—and yearning for him.

Prince Jordan is twenty years old, rich, and finally seeing the world. The last thing he needs is a babysitter. Especially one as rigid as Stuart Whitmore, an older, muscular man who makes it clear from their first meeting that there will be consequences if Jordan misbehaves.

No one has ever laid a hand on Jordan his whole life, but for the first time he’s  contemplating the possibility—and trying to figure out which buttons to push to achieve his goal. Because there’s something behind Stuart’s eyes that tells him he feels the same magnetic pull that Jordan does.

Stuart doesn’t give a damn that Jordan is a prince—he’s still the most entitled brat he’s ever laid eyes on. He’s also a temptation, igniting desires Stuart had thought long since extinguished. The prince needs a firm hand and Stuart is just the man to provide it, but there’s a vulnerability to Jordan that calls to him.

A call that proves too difficult to ignore.

What happens when discipline crosses the line into intense heat?

And what are the ramifications when the connection becomes so much more than just physical…

For both of them?

 

Review

You take one spoilt and bratty prince, desperate to lose his V-card, pair him with an experienced no-nonsense bodyguard and what do you get? A delightful, captivating, and sexy story that keeps you hooked from start to finish.

There is so much to love in this story. Jordan is a delightful brat when the story starts and slowly transforms into an adorable submissive as the tale progresses. Stuart, on the other hand, is nowhere near as gruff as he at first appears to be. And together they move from chalk and cheese to the perfect couple via a sequence of scenes varying from highly entertaining to hot and sexy.

If you enjoy an imaginative story with relatively little angst, quite a few laugh-out-loud moments, glorious spanking scenes, and a satisfying heat-level, you really should Princely Submission as soon as possible.

I don’t usually say anything about the covers of the books I read. I’m all about the words and more or less indifferent about cover images. But there’s an exception to every rule, as this gorgeous image proves. I was a little bit in love with this story before I read the first chapter. 😊

Finn’s Fantasy (Maine Men #1) by K.C. Wells

 

Pages: 311

Available as E-book, Paperback, and Audio book

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

 

Blurb

 

A secret desire

 

By day, Finn builds houses on the coastline of Maine. Afterhours, Finn dreams of the hot older guy who walks his chocolate lab on Goose Rocks Beach. The man of his dreams ticks all his boxes. Salt and pepper hair. Strong jawline. Blue eyes.
His dream man is perfect fantasy material. As for actually speaking to him?
As if. Their paths won’t ever cross, and the guy is probably straight.

 

A new chapter

 

Recently divorced Joel is finally living as a gay man, but he’s not sure he’s ready to jump into a relationship. That doesn’t stop him from noticing his new contractor’s muscular build, hewn from hard, physical work, or his storm-colored eyes. Or the way he wears his tool belt slung low on his hips. The icing on the cake? There’s more to Finn than good looks. Maybe he’s the perfect guy to share long walks on the beach and warm nights in front of a fire.

 

But it’s been twenty years since Joel was with a man. While he’s not forgotten how to flirt, he’s nervous about making a move.

 

Especially with Finn.

Review

 

Sighs. Finn’s Fantasy might as well have been written to meet my personal reading preferences.

 

Low Angst?                                         √

Age Gap?                                            √

Strong Secondary Characters?          √            

Adorable Dog?                                    √

 

There really isn’t anything in this story that doesn’t work for me. Quite the opposite in fact. I loved it from start to finish. While Finn and Joel both start off assuming that the other man isn’t for him (Finn thinks Joel is straight and Joel is convinced he’s too old for Finn), it doesn’t keep them apart. Because both men, prior to really getting to know each other, are happy to cultivate a friendship in lieu of anything more intimate, their relationship progresses naturally. It’s already clear they’re a good fit before they’ve shared their first kiss.

 

It wouldn’t be a romance without at least a little tension. In this case, the stress isn’t caused by any issue between Finn and Joel but rather by Joel’s past (I’m not sharing details here, I wouldn’t want to spoil this wonderful story). The issue is valid and understandable and, what’s more, it’s not dragged out but dealt with in an open and relatable manner.

 

Finn and Joel together are as adorable as they are hot. You could say they warm both the readers’ hearts and other body parts. 😊

 

This book starts with Finn spending time with his friends and ends with him and Joel meeting the same group again. Other men from this group will find the loves of their lives in subsequent titles. Since we see enough of the friends to get some idea of who they are, I’m already curious about who’s story will be next and what might happen to him. What’s more, these group scenes guarantee that I will see more of Finn and Joel in later Maine Men stories, and to me, that’s fabulous news.

                                                                                                

So:       YAY! To Maine Men #1

            BRING ON, Maine Men #2 and the rest. (Taps foot impatiently.)

 

 

My Best Friend’s Brother by K.C. Wells

 

Pages: 166

Release Date: March 26, 2021

Buy links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

 

Blurb

My best friend’s younger brother is all grown up. And gorgeous.

Casey’s off limits. Forbidden. But that just makes me want him more.

Rylan
I’ve watched Casey grow up. I never imagined how the sweet, scrawny kid would turn into a hot muscular man. A hot guy who just came out.
Casey torments my thoughts. And my dreams. I need to stay far, far away from my best friend’s kid brother. Should be easy, right? I can find plenty of guys to distract me.
Problem is, all I want is the one man I can’t have.

Casey
There’s never been a time when I wasn’t in love with Rylan. My brother’s best friend was my first crush. My only crush. He’s the one man I shouldn’t go near. And here I am spending the summer in the apartment he shares with my older brother.
That seemed like a good idea in the beginning. I thought I could handle it but now that I’m so close to the man I’ve always wanted, I’m not so sure. About anything.

I can have any man – except the one I want.
It’s going to be a long, hot summer.

Review

Delightful. I absolutely adored this story and these characters.

The set-up is of course glorious in its own right. What’s not to love about a blurb that indicates the main characters will have to suffer their way through a fair amount of pining before getting what they ache for—each other.

Casey has had a thing for Rylan, his brother’s best friend, ever since he first figured out he was gay. Which means that inviting himself to spend the summer with his brother Trask and Rylan is not as straightforward as it might appear. Poor Casey. He thought he had a handle on his crush only to discover that the attraction he feels is as strong (if not stronger) as ever. It seems that he’s in for a long and frustrating summer.

On the upside, Casey was sorta prepared for his reaction to being in Rylan’s proximity. Rylan on the other hand is completely blind-sided by his own reaction to seeing Casey again. The boy he remembered has been replaced a handsome, well-built, fully grown, and irresistible young man. Which wouldn’t be an issue were it not for Trask, Rylan’s best friend and Casey’s older brother, who has warned Rylan to stay away from Casey in the strongest of terms.

And thus, begin weeks of two men circling each other. They flirt when it’s just the two of them, although neither is sure if they’re interpreting the other correctly. It takes them some time and a bit of soul-searching to get together. But when they do…

Yes, Rylan and Casey are hot together. But it’s much more than that. They are so adorable. With these two caring for each other came before lusting after and enjoying each other, and it shows in how interact.

I smiled a lot while reading this book and laughed out loud a few times. The dialogue and banter between Casey, Rylan, and Trask is sharp and sparkles. Casey’s heart-to-heart with his supervisor warmed my heart and when Rylan and Casey at last opened up to each other my heart sang.

I always find it ridiculously easy to lose myself in a K.C. Wells story and My Best Friend’s Brother was no exception. For a few hours, I lost myself in the company of two intriguing men and when I left them again, I was happy and thoroughly satisfied. You can’t ask for more from a romance.

My Christmas Spirit by K.C. Wells

Buy links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Blurb

I knew I had problems when I woke up in the middle of the night to find Mike Stubbins sitting at the foot of my bed, stark naked, still as gorgeous as every one of my memories of him.
So what’s the problem, I hear you cry? Gorgeous, naked man in my bedroom?
Well, there’s the not-so-small, highly significant detail that he died six years ago.

Yup. You read that right. And now he’s everywhere. I can’t even brush my teeth in peace. And did I mention that he never stops talking?

I’ve missed him like crazy, every day of the six years he’s been gone. And with Christmas coming, the memories are even more acute. But this is getting beyond a joke. Ignoring a naked guy is a pretty tough task, especially when I’m the only one who sees him.
So when he bops a complete stranger on the head with his dick in the middle of the coffee shop, I have to laugh. Anyone would, right?

Except… there’s a look on the guy’s face that tells me he felt that. But… how could he?
And now he’s looking at me like he’s expecting me to explain what just happened.

Either he’ll call for the guys with the straitjacket… or this will be one of the most interesting conversations I’ve ever had….

Review

Some stories are emotional and deeply touching. Other stories are light and uplifting. And then there are stories like My Christmas Spirit, which manage to be both at the same time.

Meet Andy who, on the surface is doing pretty well. He has a job and a routine and moves from day to day without much look forward to or worry about. He’s lost Mike, the love of his life, six years previously and has basically given up on joy, love, and Christmas ever since.

Six years is a long time to be stuck and apparently Mike agrees because one night in the run up to Christmas, his ghost appears in Andy’s bedroom, stark naked, determined to push Andy out of his funk, and not beyond using his ‘junk’ to get the job done. 😊

It is thanks to Mike that Andy breaks his normal routine and enters a coffeeshop where he meets Ollie (and where Mike pulls the stunt described in the blurb). Ollie is more or less in the same boat as Andy, having lost his partner three years earlier and thus, with some not always gentle prodding from Mike, Andy and Ollie start spending time together. It isn’t long before they discover that they have more in common than just their grief. Acknowledging the attraction between them takes a while longer and accepting it requires more time again but, as Christmas draws closer, their resistance fades as their feelings grow.

This adorable story is as touching as it is funny. Mike’s antics had me laughing out loud more than once while Andy and Ollie’s feelings tugged at the heartstrings, and the balance between those two was pretty much perfect. Watching Andy and Ollie as they slowly crawl out of their self-imposed isolation and embrace life, fun, and ultimately love again was delightful. While there certainly were one or two heartbreaking moments, Mike’s presence prevented the story from ever becoming angst-ridden or too sad.

My Christmas Spirit is a wonderful holiday story. The combination of deep emotions, humour, and ghostly goings-on will put you right in the mood for the upcoming holidays while Andy and Ollie’s coming together will leave you with a smile on your face. And that’s before I mention that just when you think the story has reached its conclusion, it holds one more, delightful surprise.

Kel’s Keeper by K.C. Wells

Release Date: September 1^st 2019

 240 Pages

Buy links: Amazon (universal link) | Barnes & Noble  | Kobo  | Apple | Smashwords

Available wide for September, then on Kindle Unlimited from October 1st.

Blurb

When Kel Taylor’s life changes irrevocably, he finds himself alone in the world. He might have rebelled a little against his parents, but that didn’t mean he was ready to lose them. Unable to cope with his grief and feelings of guilt, he turns to booze, but before he hits rock bottom, someone dives into the murky waters to save him.

Luc Bryant watched Kel grow from the little kid whose football broke a pane in his greenhouse, into the sexy young man who sent heat racing through him. That was when Luc stopped watching and distanced himself, because he didn’t want to be that kind of a man. And that’s how things continued, until he saw to what depths the boy had sunk. Luc will be damned if he’ll let Kel kill himself. What Kel needs is a friend, and Luc’s shoulders are plenty big enough to bear his burdens.

Kel doesn’t need a friend. He needs a pair of strong arms to hold him, a broad chest to curl up against, someone to listen to him, someone who cares for him… and a whole lot more.
What he needs is a Daddy.
He just doesn't know it yet.

A stand alone book that contains an age gap relationship between a sexy daddy and a virgin.

Review

Kel…and his Keeper…sighs. Oh my.

But, before I go on with my, probably somewhat gushing, review, I have to state that as far as I can remember this is the first book I read featuring a Daddy-Boy dynamic. I have on the other hand read and loved quite a few age-gap stories. So while I may not be able to ‘judge’ how well this book works as ‘daddy-kink’, I can honestly say that it is a masterful example of what a May to December (with added, extra-special flavor) romance can be.

You see, Kel’s Keeper is, first and foremost, a wonderful slow-burn and extremely sexy love story about a young man, Kel, overcoming grief and learning to accept, love, and embrace who he really is with the aid of an amazing, totally gush-worthy, older man.

Kel has been raised in a very strict religious household and has no doubt that his parents won’t be able to accept that he’s gay. As a result, Kel has hidden a large part of himself from the world at large, from his parents, and, in so far as he could, from himself ever since the day he saw their neighbor, Luc, through fresh, adolescent eyes and couldn’t deny the attraction.

Luc has kept his distance from Kel ever since he grew from the child living next door into a very attractive young man. Luc is no fool. He knows the community he lives in isn’t tolerant and that Kel’s parents are pretty much at the forefront of that intolerance. Staying firmly in the background was far safer than running the risk of anyone discovering the attraction Luc can’t deny.

Everything changes when Kel’s parents die and Kel falls apart. As much as Luc still doesn’t want to put Kel in an awkward situation, he just isn’t the kinda man who can stand back and watch somebody he cares about go to pieces.

And thus begins the beautiful, touching, heartwarming, and, eventually, incredibly sexy tale of Kel’s awakening. This story describes Kel’s journey from firmly closeted to happy and more than willing to fully embrace everything he is. And, like every journey, Kel and Luc reach their ultimate destination after a series of sub-stations along the way.

I absolutely adored Kel’s growth in this book. He slowly blossoms on the pages as he, with Luc’s, at times reluctant, guidance, discovers who he really is and what he likes, wants, and needs. You see, Luc in this book is Kel’s ‘daddy’ (or, as the titles says ‘Keeper’) long before the dynamic is mentioned, never mind introduced into their relationship. For the largest part of the book Luc focusses on Kel’s needs only, burying his own, determined to not influence Kel’s decision making in any way, shape, or form, determined to support him no matter what he decides to do the next…even if that decision ends up breaking Luc’s heart.

Kel’s voyage of discovery, his journey toward who he really is, is beautifully portrayed. The process is unrushed, organic, deeply touching and, on frequent occasions, deliciously sexy. After all, Kel is a young man and once he discovers the pleasure of intimacy and the ectasy of sex, there’s no stopping him. Just as well then, that Luc, while almost twice Kel’s age, has no problem keeping up.

It is safe to say that Luc cares for, you could say ‘keeps’ Kel, from the very start. While the ‘daddy’ aspect is touched upon at various times during the story, it isn’t until the very end that Kel has grown enough to fully understand what it means and has gotten to know himself well enough to embrace it as something he needs in his life…with Luc. Their path toward that point is a thing of beauty that took my breath away more than once.

Once again I highly recommend a gorgeous, emotional, and highly erotic story very well told by K.C. Wells.

Pride & Protection (Southern Boys #2) by K.C. Wells

259 pages

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Goodreads link: Pride & Protection

Blurb

What happens when an out-and-proud bear moves to a small Tennessee town, and takes a shine to the closeted cop?

Fireworks, that’s what.

When Del Walters agrees to go into business with his brother, he has one condition. Since he’s putting up the lion’s share, they’ll run the bike shop his way—and that means he gets to choose the name. And in a small Tennessee town, a business called Rainbow Racers, complete with a not-so-subtle sign, was always going to attract attention.

Unfortunately, it’s the wrong kind of attention, and after a few incidents, Del is forced to call on the local police to deal with the culprits. 

When Officer Taylor Cox walks into his shop, Del thinks Christmas has come early. An earlier encounter with the younger man left Del with a growing desire to know more about him. There’s only one problem—Taylor is in the closet, and there’s no way Del is going back into his.

When Taylor lays eyes on the sexy bear who owns the bike shop, he knows he’s walking into trouble. Not that he’s about to let Del know he’s interested: his view from the closet is just fine, thank you very much, and besides, that ship has already sailed, thanks to their first meeting. Now all he wants to do is forget Del even exists. But as time goes by, Taylor realizes how badly he is torn between protecting the persona he’s created, and giving in to his desires. And Del making it obvious that he wants Taylor isn’t helping matters.

Between an out-and-proud bear and a firmly closeted cop, something has to give. Problem is, it might be their hearts.

Review

If you’ve read Truth & Betrayal (and if you haven’t, you really should) you’ll remember Taylor Cox as the police officer who tries to look out for young Jake when he’s facing a personal nightmare as well as a difficult journey.

Now it is Taylor’s turn to find love in the not all too tolerant town of LaFolette, Tennessee. But, while being gay and out in this little town is difficult for anybody, it becomes nigh on impossible if you happen to be a cop and well aware that at least a few of your colleagues are out and proud homophobes.

Enter Del. He’s only moved to LaFolette to help his brother set up a bike shop. He has no intention of staying for long, after all, he’s used to living in an environment where few bat an eyelid at him being gay and he has no intention of returning to the closet any time soon.

When the two men meet the attraction is instant, but although the obstacles appear insurmountable their hearts refuse to be governed by their heads and it isn’t long before neither man can imagine being without the other. But, any happy ever after depends on Taylor showing his community who he truly is.

This was a wonderful, touching, at times laugh-out-loud funny romance. In fact, it is nowhere near as angsty or emotional as Truth and Betrayal was. Or rather, it is emotional and touching in completely different ways but no less wonderful or memorable.

I loved the two different Taylors we meet in this story. The difference between Taylor in LaFolette and the same man when he visits Atlanta with Del is as astounding as it is stunning. Taylor may be engaging in a lot of first experiences, he doesn’t waste time learning all Del has to show him and making it his own, much to Del’s delight and satisfaction.

I guess what I loved most about this story is that while the undercurrent of threats and homophobia are never far away, it shows in beautiful detail how things are often nowhere near as bad as we fear, that support can be found in surprising places, and that following your heart can bring you all you desire, even when you think that’s impossible.

Pride and Protection captivated me. I fell in love with Del the moment he was introduced and with Taylor shortly afterward. I was rooting for them to overcome the obstacles they faced and couldn’t stop turning the pages as a result. The fact that these two men are incredibly sexy together only served to make an already wonderful story even more addictive.

Long story short, I highly recommend Pride & Protection if you love a book featuring two memorable characters, a perfect balance between angst and happiness, satisfying and inspired sex scenes, and a story that will leave you happy and will stick in your mind for weeks to come.

Related review: Truth & Betrayal