A Bond of Three by K.C. Wells

A BOND OF THREE by K.C. Wells

Pages: 264

Date: January 9, 2015

Grade: 4+

Details: ARC received from the author

E-book

The blurb:

“In the kingdom of Teruna, the red-cloaked Seruani teach the Terunans the art of love. Taken from their homes at seventeen to be trained, they are shunned as outcasts by society and considered the lowest of the low. So when Prince Tanish falls in love with the Seruan Feyar, the man who took his virginity and the only one to share his bed, he is not about to declare that love. No one can ever know, because the consequences would be too painful to consider for both of them. 

When the king of Vancor visits Teruna, he promises that his son, Prince Sorran, will marry Prince Tanish to solidify the alliance between the two kingdoms, with the proviso that the virginal Sorran is instructed in the art of pleasing his husband-to-be. When Tanish’s father chooses Feyar to be this instructor, the lovers decide Prince Sorran must be taught that this is to be a marriage in name only…. 

A resentful prince, unwilling to share his lover. 

A resentful Seruan, unwilling to share his prince. 

And the shy prince whose very nature sparks changes in the lives of all those around them. 

Teruna is about to change forever.”

My thoughts:

Just when you thought you had an author sussed....Yes that.

This may well be one of the sweetest stories I have ever read. A Bond of Three reminded me of a fairytale, up to and including the happily ever after. It’s the sort of story you read with a permanent soft smile on your face.

Tanish, Feyar and Sorran are adorable and cute characters. I loved the idea of the Seruan, a sexual expert who shares his or her gift with others almost as much as I loved the idea of two princes marrying in order to forge an alliance. It is nice to read an almost angst free story every once in a while, a story in which love does indeed conquer all and good gets rewarded.

Some of the story felt a bit too good and too easy. That however didn’t lessen the enjoyment I got from spending time with these three young men. Their interactions were touching and their sex scenes were both off the page hot and endearingly charming.

I’m not entirely sure what else to say about this book. I smiled while I read it and felt satisfied when I finished it. As always K.C. Wells told a good story well. Her characters, as I’ve come to expect, managed to grab a hold of me and keep me captive until they’d reached their happy ending. If you’re in the mood for a guaranteed ‘feel good’ read, you could do a lot worse than picking up ‘A Bond of Three’.

Taking the Gardener by T.J. Masters

TAKING THE GARDENER by T.J. Masters

 

Pages: 190

Date: January 3, 2015

Grade: 4-

Own  / Paperback

The blurb:

“Mourning the sudden loss of his parents in a car crash, experienced Dom Eric Broderick escapes London society and his high-pressure law firm and retreats to Glebe House in Pittlesburne, a small village in Buckinghamshire. He tours the nearby woods and the charming village, but it’s really the guesthouse’s garden he’s taken with—or, rather, the gardener.

Tom Bestwick maintains the grounds of Glebe House for his fiancée and does odd jobs around the village. With little experience outside Pittlesburne, Tom finds fulfillment through his true passions, rugby and art. He has just one unrealized desire—one the guesthouse’s new occupant would be happy to help him with.

Late one night, while walking through the garden to clear his mood, Eric spies Tom enjoying a BDSM video starring two men. Having a sub to train might just help Eric forget his troubles, but as their feelings deepen, the real world intrudes. Eric can give Tom everything, but not until Tom decides where he’s meant to be.”

My thoughts:

Taking the Gardener was different from most M/M romances I’ve read and that’s a good thing. People who read my reviews may have noticed that I enjoy it when the books I read surprise or stretch me. And this book sure required me to push a few of my boundaries.

I guess a lot of it can be summed up by the following quote:

“Sex was a different thing entirely to acts of affection.”

This is not the typical BDSM romance we’ve become accustomed to. This story and the interactions in it are rawer than anything you’ll find in those ‘standard’ - or should I say regimented - romances. If you prefer your stories all flowers and courtesy, this may not be the book for you. Just as you might want to stay away from this book if you are convinced ‘true love’ would never invite a third party into a sexual encounter.

What we do get, and what I thoroughly enjoyed, is a story about a Dom who, despite his vast experience, has yet to encounter a partner who touches his heart as well as his sexual appetites. And that is exactly what happens when Alex meets Tom. The journey these two men make together was fascinating, at times eye opening and ultimately touching and uplifting.

At times while reading Taking the Gardener I wondered whether the author had gone out of his way to shock the average reader of (M/M) Romances. I’ve read enough reviews to know that multiple partners, cheating and dubious consent are frowned upon and often lead to low star-ratings, and all of these can be found between the pages of this book. Sure I frowned once or twice while reading and didn’t agree with the main characters’ decisions on several occasions. However, for me that made the story more rather than less interesting. And, taking the story as a whole, it is impossible to deny that Alex and Tom wanted to do the right thing, for each other and for those around them. The fact that their best intentions didn’t necessarily lead to the best possible outcomes only made the story more – rather than less – realistic and dramatic for me.

If I’m honest I have to admit that at times the telling of the story felt a bit rushed and abrupt. I guess I wouldn’t have minded a bit more detail about some scenes, thoughts and feelings while I could have done without one or two other paragraphs. But, this was the author's debut novel and overall this was a fascinating story, written from an almost new to me perspective. I will be reading more by T.J. Masters in the not too distant future. He has my curiosity well and truly piqued and I for one actually enjoy it when I’m asked to step out of my comfort zone occasionally.

2014 My Favourite Reads

My Favourite Reads of 2014

2014 was a wonderful year for me. For the first time ever I almost exclusively limited myself to one genre – M/M – but despite that fact I can’t help feeling I’m only scratching the service of what’s available for me there. I didn’t quite manage to reach my goal of 150 books, although I got very close. I can’t say I’m too disappointed about that since I managed to write far more words of my own than I could ever have imagined. My reading goal for next year will be lower in the hope that my writing will continue to develop as it has over the past 52 weeks.

All books listed below fall in the M/M genre unless indicated otherwise.

Like many bloggers who write about the books they’ve read I will share my favourite reads of 2014 in today’s post. Unlike many of them I refuse to limit myself to a top 10 (or any other top). Instead I will give you two lists. And, just to clarify, these are books I read last year. While some of them were also published last year, others are older.

The first list contains mainly books or series that received a higher than five score, although there will be one or two titles which received a slightly lower rating but managed to leave an indelible impression on me. The titles are listed in alphabetical order and all of them have been linked to my post about the book on this blog.

 

The Slave, The Soldier & The Master by Kate Aaron

This book is Gay by James Dawson (NF / YA)

Precog in Peril by Theo Fenraven

Tequila Mockingbird by Rhys Ford

Strain by Amelia C. Gormley

Only Love by Garrett Leigh

King Perry, King Mai & The Butterfly King by Edmond Manning

The Saint by Tiffany Reisz (M/F)

Queers & Consent by A.J. Rose

Ball & Chain by Abigail Roux

Return on Investment by Aleksandr Voinov

Static by L.A. Witt

The second list contains book which scored a five, more than deserve to be mentioned, but didn’t quite imprint themselves in my memory and heart as much as the books listed above did. Once again the links will bring you to my post about the book.

Bonds of Denial by Lynda Aicher

Charlie Rentboy, A Heart for Robbie by J.P. Barnaby

Ed & Marchant by Sue Brown

Wolf Bound, The Haunted Maze by Theo Fenraven

The Devil’s Brew by Rhys Ford

Stripped Bare by Eileen Griffin & Nikka Michaels

The Secret Loves of Julia Caesar by Noelle Harrison (M/F)

Running Wild by S.E. Jakes

John & Jackie by T.J. Klune
The Candy Man by Amy Lane

Lip Service, Room Service by Nikka Michaels

Gracefully Grayson by Ami Polonski (YA / LGBT) 

The Last Good Knight, The King by Tiffany Reisz (M/F)

Armed & Dangerous, Touch & Geaux, Shock & Awe, Cross &Crown by Abigail Roux

The Mark of Cain by Kate Sherwood

The French Toast Emergencies, Sunburns and Sunsets by Brigham Vaughn

If it Drives, Hostile Ground by Aleksandr Voinov & L.A. Witt

Damian’s Discipline by K.C. Wells & Parker Williams

Candy Man by Amy Lane

THE CANDY MAN by Amy Lane

 

Pages: 132

Date: December 30, 2014

Grade: 5

Kindle / Own

The blurb:

“Adam Macias has been thrown a few curve balls in his life, but losing his VA grant because his car broke down and he missed a class was the one that struck him out. One relative away from homelessness, he's taking the bus to Sacramento, where his cousin has offered a house-sitting job and a new start. He has one goal, and that's to get his life back on track. Friends, pets, lovers? Need not apply.

Finn Stewart takes one look at Adam as he's applying to Candy Heaven and decides he's much too fascinating to leave alone. Finn is bright and shiny—and has never been hurt. Adam is wary of his attention from the very beginning—Finn is dangerous to every sort of peace Adam is forging, and Adam may just be too damaged to let him in at all.

But Finn is tenacious, and Adam's new boss, Darrin, doesn't take bullshit for an answer. Adam is going to have to ask himself which is harder—letting Finn in or living without him? With the holidays approaching it seems like an easy question, but Adam knows from experience that life is seldom simple, and the world seldom cooperates with hope, faith, or the plans of cats and men.”

My thoughts:

“He wanted a job, he wanted to get back in school, and he wanted to find his own place before June. Friends? Lovers? Pets? Need no apply.”

So, the moment has arrived. I’ve just finished my first book by Amy Lane. Most if not all my reading buddies have been raving about her forever. Most if not all of them have also been mentioning hankies and snot sobbing. I’m not very good with angsty books; the urge to walk away from them too often wins out over the curiosity to find out how it will end. But, I love a good story well told. Rumour had it Candy Man wasn’t too angsty so I thought it might the right title for me to sample this author. I was right. In fact I was so right I’m now kicking myself for not taking the risk earlier. I guess late is better than never, and now that I know what I’ve been missing I’ll make sure to catch up as I can. 

So, about this book and its author: let me begin by saying I loved Amy Lane’s writing. It felt as if she were sitting next to me, telling me the story. I could almost hear her voice – even if I’ve no idea what it might sound like. The words flowed with an ease I envy and pulled me along, deeper and deeper into Sacramento and the character’s lives.

I liked the mildly magical touch to the story. I adored Darrin – Candy Man’s owner -  knowing who Adam would be and what he needed before even meeting him. I enjoyed his meddling, whether Adam appreciated or not and I’d like to think we might see him interfere in other lives in the future.

Adam broke my heart from the very first page. His pain and angst flowed off the pages to the point where I could almost feel and taste it. And yet, he continues to try and do the right thing. If he’s stand-offish or tries to push someone away it’s not because he’s selfish, it’s because he wants to protect the other person from what he considers his own badness. His conviction that his badness is contagious and could hurt others was devastating.

Finn was Adam’s exact mirror image. Happy go lucky with a heart of gold and enough confidence to carry two people forward, his determination to make Adam believe he is good enough, worthy of friendship and love and as deserving of a happy future as everybody else, was uplifting and ensured an almost constant smile on my face while I read this book.

And then there’s Amy Lane’s words, some of them so beautiful they made me stop and read them multiple times before continuing with the story.

“Right now you and me are – we’re a sketch. And we could be a real great picture someday, with ink and oils or watercolour, and hell, we may even be a movie. But not right now.” - Adam

It is somewhat ironical that hot upon the heels of a review in which I said I don’t usually like romantic comedies and rarely find my sense of humour in sync with the author’s, I find myself reading Candy Man and laughing out loud on several occasions. I may just have found myself an author whose sense of humour hits my funny bone in exactly the right spot and way. I don’t know. I do know it gives me yet another reason to read more of Amy Lane’s books. Who knows, one day I may even be brave enough to try those angst-fests.

“...it’s one thing to deal with a bad situation ‘cause that’s what you got stuck with from the very beginning. But if you’re making a fresh start, maybe you don’t have to carry all that bad bullshit with you. Maybe the stuff that hurts should be the first thing to go.” – Adam

The Gift

THE GIFT by V.S. Morgan

 

Pages: 32

Date: December 28, 2014

Grade: 3+

Details: no. 113 1 Night Stand Series

Own / Kindle

The blurb:

At 22, rancher Wyatt Malone sacrificed almost everything, including the Dom he served and loved, to raise his younger brothers. Now, with the ranch running well, his grown up siblings surprise him with a trip to a Caribbean paradise and a date from Madame Evangeline's 1Night Stand. Taking his courage in hand, he fills out an application that bares his soul for a single night of surrender to a nearly forgotten passion. 

Rafael is a Dom without a sub. His desires exceed the available men in the dungeon he frequents and memories of rejected love keep him aloof. Can the submission of a Montana cowboy free him or will the date be nothing more than another meaningless scene?

My thoughts:

It has been a while since I last read a 1 Night Stand story but I’m glad I reconnected with the series. The stories in this series are both predictable and enjoyable. You know exactly what to expect when you start a 1 Night Stand short; a hot story about two lovers who think they’re meeting for one hot night and instead find or rediscover someone they want to build the rest of their lives with. Yes, it is predictable but it is also a lot of fun.

I enjoyed this story. It was sweet, it was very hot and it came with a happy ending to make me smile. The BDSM theme didn’t hurt either. While I liked the idea behind the story, I found the story telling a bit abrupt at times. Other than that though, I got precisely what I signed up for one I one-clicked this book.

At the moment this book is free on Amazon. If I’ve wetted your appetite you may want to click here: http://smile.amazon.com/Gift-1Night-Stand-Book-113-ebook/dp/B0083WA1GK/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1419798849&sr=1-1&keywords=The+Gift+V.S.+Morgan

Meant To Be by Zahra Owens

MEANT TO BE by Zahra Owens

 

Pages: 24

Date: December 28, 2014

Grade: 4

Details: Short Story

Own / Kindle

The blurb:

Stuck in an airport during a blizzard, Kai meets Toby and they hit it off immediately. After a passionate exchange in the airport bathroom, Kai doesn’t expect to ever see Toby again, but it turns out they’re on the same flight to Seattle. 

Five years later Kai and Toby are still together, but their long-distance relationship is becoming a strain on them both, leading to a decision that will change their lives forever. 

My thoughts:

This is a short story and most of the storyline can be found in the blurb so I’m not going to say too much about Meant To Be; I don’t want to spoil the rest of the story for you.

What I can tell you is that this is a charming story about lust at first sight turning into love shortly after. I can also tell you it is very well told. It is short and yet manages to span five years without me ever feeling I wasn’t given enough information. While there isn’t room for in depth descriptions of the characters I did feel I got to know them, or at least enough about them to appreciate them as well as their relationship.

In fact, if you’re looking for a quick, sweet and hot story which is also well written and complete you should probably pick up Meant To Be, especially since it is free on Amazon right now. I have no idea how long it will stay free so make sure you don’t hesitate too long. This should be an easy decision.

Amazon buy link: http://smile.amazon.com/Meant-Be-Zahra-Owens-ebook/dp/B00QW39YGU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1419797005&sr=8-1&keywords=meant+to+be+zahra+owens

LONE WOLF

LONE WOLF by Aleksandr Voinov and L.A. Witt

 

Pages: 360

Date: December 28, 2014

Grade: 3.5

Details: no. 4 Bluewater Bay

            Received from Riptide Publishing

            Through NetGalley

Kindle

The blurb:

“Hunter Easton is screwed. Fans, producers, and his agent are all chomping at the bit for the next book in his wildly popular Wolf’s Landing series, but he’s got epic writer’s block and is way behind deadline. Then he reads The World Tree, a fanfic novel by his online friend “Lone Wolf.” It isn’t just a great story—it’s exactly what the series needs.

Kevin Hussain is thrilled when “Wolf Hunter” wants to meet up after reading The World Tree. When Wolf Hunter turns out to be Hunter Easton himself, Kevin is starstruck. When Hunter tells him he wants to add The World Tree to Wolf’s Landing, Kevin is sure he’s being pranked. And when their online chemistry carries over—big time—into real life, Kevin is convinced it’s all too good to be true.

The problem is . . . it might be. The book deal, the sex, the money—everything is amazing. But fame isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, and Kevin is left wondering if Hunter really loves him, or just loves his book.”

My thoughts:

Regular readers of my reviews may have noticed I’m somewhat of a fan of Aleksandr Voinov and L.A. Witt, both when they write together and when they publish solo works. I adore their writing; it draws me in, sounds exactly right to my ears and their characters always come alive on the page. Lone Wolf was no exception to that rule. I found myself in the middle of the story before the end of chapter one. Both Hunter Easton and Kevin Hussain captured my interest from the moment they were introduced and the fact that both of them are authors and the stories centres around writing and all the pitfalls an author may face, only increased my interest.

By now you’re probably wondering why I didn’t rate this book higher than 3.5 stars. Let me try to explain.

I saw that both authors have described this book as the closest they will ever come to writing romantic comedy. Now, I know I lack a sense of humour, or maybe mine is just not like everybody else’s. Because I’m well aware of that ‘flaw’ I usually avoid romcoms.  In fact, if I’d read that description before requesting the book I might not have gotten it at all. However, I wouldn’t call this a comedy. It is light hearted, for sure. It is also sweet and I can’t deny it made me smile on several occasions but those were indulgent smiles more than laugh out loud moments.

This book had me veering between deep fascination and a feeling of ‘get on with it already’. On the one hand I couldn’t get enough of the background into writing, fanfic, writers block and everything else related to publishing. Books about writers and publishing always fascinate me. I mean the authors of those books know what they’re talking about, so apart from a good story you are also getting background information. What’s not to like?

On the other hand though I got bogged down in the story at times as well; everything seemed to take longer than it needed to. I’m not sure I can explain exactly what I mean here and I’m well aware these are personal rather than general observations. For me a lot about this story was ‘too’ something or another. Kevin seemed a bit too insecure and fragile, Hunter a bit too unobservant and stand-offish. The agent seemed to take Hunter’s breaking of the rules a bit too easily, the contract came together a bit too quickly and yet the story as a whole felt a bit too long.

Having said all of that, I enjoyed this book far more than I struggled with it. Because, as always, it is written in such a way it almost seems to read itself and features characters I enjoyed spending time with – even if I did want to slap them on more than one occasion.

So, while Lone Wolf wasn’t my favourite book by these two authors, it most definitely was an enjoyable, sweet and at times angsty story with a nice and occasionally cynical insight into the world of publishing. As much as I would love all the books by my favourite authors to be five star reads, I guess that is unrealistic. As long as Aleksandr Voinov and L.A. Witt continue writing stories I can lose myself in, they’ve got a fan for life.