NOT QUITE SHAKESPEARE

NOT QUITE SHAKESPEARE a Dreamspinner Press Anthology

Edited by Anne Regan & Sue Brown

Pages: 354

Date: 14/06/2014

Grade: 4

Details: Received from Dreamspinner Press

             Through Love Romances and More

Own / Kindle

The blurb:

Take a ride to Northern Scotland on the famous train, the Jacobite, and rediscover desire. Get lost in the Peace Maze in Northern Ireland during a downpour and let a handsome young redhead come to the rescue. Take a tour of historical Blackpool on the English coast and set the stage for the perfect romance. From England to the outer isles, the UK holds treasure troves of romance, history, intrigue, and—naturally—quirky British humor. Not Quite Shakespeare samples it all in fifteen stories.

A man in London makes an accidental confession of sexual need to a virtual stranger who happens to be his boss. An American revisits West Sussex and rekindles an old flame with a romp in the stables. A couple finds their perfect third while vacationing on a pig farm in Yorkshire. In the office, on the race track, or in the kitchen baking bread—romance in the UK is alive and well, and full of sweet surprise.

My thoughts:

Ninety-nine problems by Becky Black (4.5):

Ice cream and two young men, Rob and Chex, newly in charge of their rival family businesses, one of them firmly closeted and also not entirely up to the role that’s been thrust upon him.

Told with a sweetness that resembles the ice cream it features this was a delicious delight.

Bread and Butter Pudding by Jules Jones (3.5):

Two men, homemade bread and a sensual massage make for a sexy, funny and rather sweet story.

Chanctonbury Ring by Sarah Madison(4):

Denny, an author of M/M romances is back in England for the first time in over a decade. When he reunites with his the man who was his lover during his visit it is a dream come true except that Tarquin is keeping his distance. A wonderful second chance at first love story.

Wrong Number by Megan Reddaway (4):

Maybe the story idea isn’t the most original; a guy accidentally calling his boss instead of his friend and saying mildly obscene things before realising his mistake, and maybe what happens next isn’t a huge surprise either but the story was easy to read, sexy and at times funny.

“(...)unfortunately you can’t just grab the cutest-looking stray man from the nearest gay bar, take him home, feed him twice a day, and expect him to love you for it.”

In the DogHouse by Chris Quinton(4+):

Another second chance at first love story but completely different from the previous one. This one includes a greyhound, a few gangsters and quite a few funny moments.

The Benefits of Hindsight by M.A. Ford (4):

Two racing drivers in love, one needing to be open about it the other too firmly closeted to even consider it. A bad accident and a strange experience lead to new perspective.

Misadventures of Mislaid Men by Penny Hudson (4):

A funny story. But what I liked best was the fact that it was completely open-ended.

Best Vacation Ever by Rob Rosen (3.5):

A nice quickie, both in length and content, and set in Northern Ireland not too far away from the place I call home.

Rough Tackle by Annabelle Jacobs (3.5):

Sweet story involving a rather drunken birthday celebration, a football match, a twisted ankle and two cute young men.

Illumination by Sam Evans (3.5):

One angry man thinks he’s about to lose the theatre that’s the passion of his life but finds not only doesn’t he lose anything, he gains quite a bit too.

The Jacobite by Bette Brown (4.5):

An Aussie expat in Scotland meets a man from Cornwall on a steam train. Easy companionship soon turns into something more.

Wag, Not a Dog by Theo Fenraven (5):

Written by the only author in this anthology I’ve actually read and enjoyed before this mark may partially be the result of familiarity. On the other hand it may be caused by the fact that this is a sweet, original, fully formed and well written story.

Tops Down, Bottoms Up by Jay Northcote (4):

Morris dancing might not be the first thing to spring to mind when it comes to romance but boy did it work.

First Contact by Rhidian Brenig Jones (3):

Set in Wales an American traveller meets a sulking Welsh man and helps him out of his dark mood. I liked the characters but the story felt a bit jumpy and unresolved.

Apollo, Heathcliff and Hercules by S.A. Garcia(4.5):

In which an established couple goes on rents a holiday cottage on the Moors, much to the regret of one of them. What could have turned into a weeklong disaster takes a turn for the better when they meet the owner and the possibilities he offers. Funny and at times very imaginative.

“I suffered a heated, fast fantasy of being a sheep submitting to his special herding skills.”

This is a wonderful and varied collection of stories. We have reunions, encounters that may or may not be one night stands, established relationships, unexplained phenomena, angst and lightness. We are treated to full on sex, glimpses of passion and encounter that leave the intimate details up to the reader’s imagination. I don’t think there are many regions in the United Kingdom not featured in this anthology, making this book as varied when it comes to setting as it does in every other aspect.

Not every story will give you a happy ever after, in fact a lot of them leave it up to the reader to imagine what might happen next, and since I like nothing better than fantasising on after a story finishes, that worked wonderfully well for me.

This is great book if you like to occasionally dip into a well written but quick romantic M/M story. Every single one of these stories would make for a perfect lunch hour or bedtime read. ‘Not Quite Shakespeare’ works even better if you have been thinking of dipping a toe into this genre but didn’t know where to begin or are just looking for new authors to explore.

I REALLY THOUGHT I KNEW WHAT I WAS DOING

I’m going to do something I’ve never done before. Up until today I’ve posted my thoughts on the books I read and never asked for comments, although I did answer the few I would get. This however is not a post about a book; it is a post about ‘reviewing’ and what a blogger should and shouldn’t do when writing about books.

Two days ago I read a post about Bias when it comes to reviewing. In it the three participants come to the conclusion that in order to be credible, a reviewer should refrain from reviewing books written by people they are friends with. This idea pulled me up short. It is not a possible conflict of interest I’ve ever thought about, but now that it has been brought to my attention I’m left with a few questions I would dearly love an answer to. I posted my questions in a reply to the original post but don’t expect to find my answers there. After all, the post makes it perfectly clear where the author and his collaborators stand. I would like a wider perspective on this issue, which is why I am now turning to you; the people who read my thoughts on the books I read, the authors who know (of) me, and other reviewers.

I could try to summarize the original post here but am reluctant to do that. A summary would not necessarily be an honest representation of the post’s content and might easily be influenced by my personal feelings. I therefore hope you’ll have the time to read the original post before reading my questions and further thoughts below.

The original post can be found here:  A Discussion on Bias.

Below is a copy of my reply:

“I read this post last night and started a long reply before deciding to sleep on it and wait to see what my thoughts and feelings would be in the morning.

Sometimes a good night’s sleep does not provide all the answers.

I’m conflicted about almost everything the three of you have said in the post. Part of me is in complete agreement while another part of me screams that things are not quite that simple.

Allow me to start with a few thoughts/questions that sprang to mind as soon as I read the post:

·         Where do you draw the line? When does interacting with someone online turn into a friendship disqualifying you from reviewing their books?

·         If you’re staying away from reviewing books by a certain author because you are friends with them should you then not go all the way and also shy away from cover reveals, interviews and competitions? Isn’t there a real risk that the followers of your blog would assume that you promoting a book or author also means you endorse that/their work?

·         If you have reviewed and praised (a) book(s) by an author and become ‘friends’ with them at a later date, does that make those earlier reviews suspect?

·         Peer reviews are as old as books are. And while authors in the past didn’t have social media to keep in touch with each other I have no doubt that a lot of them knew each other and communicated in a time appropriate way. Of course in those days the reader had no way of knowing whether or not the reviewing author personally knew the author (s)he was reviewing. Does that not mean things are more rather than less transparent these days? If someone is suspicious about any given review it’s very easy to check the relationship between reviewer and author.

·         Should we not give the people who follow our blogs more credit? Provided we’re honest and consistent they’ll get to know our tastes soon enough and read the reviews accordingly.

On a personal note, I do have two blogs on which I write about books. I do this mostly on my own (I may have bullied the husband into writing a few for me). I don’t and never have referred to my posts as reviews. The headers on both blogs stipulate that I share ‘my thoughts on books’. I don’t claim to be objective, although I try to be.  I write posts for every single book I read, regardless of whether or not I ‘know’ the author. I trust the people who read my posts to get this. I like to think my posts are about the book, the story, the way it is written and whether or not it worked for me and why that was the case. I never questioned what I was doing on those blogs and now I am. Should I write a lengthy disclaimer? Or should I take comfort from the fact that up till now no author or reader has complained about my posts?

Not only does a night’s sleep not bring any answers, neither does writing a way too lengthy reply.”

When I wrote those words I tried to keep in mind that I was replying to someone else’s post rather than writing my own and tried not make it any longer than I felt it needed to be. Now that restriction has been lifted I’d like to add one or two things.

Does the fact that I know and adore Celine Kiernan and hug her every time we meet mean I’m no longer able to be objective about her books? I don’t think so. However would you look at my posts of her wonderful books differently, now that you are aware that I personally know her?

Should I refrain from ever writing about a book by Andrew Nugent again just because he was kind enough to mention my blog in his chapter in ‘Down These GreenStreets’? I’ve never met or communicated with this author and as he says in his essay he knows nothing about me.  Still, suspicious minds might distrust anything positive I might have to say about his books in the future.

I don’t like the idea that in order to be able to write about the books I read I should refrain from interacting with the authors who write them. Most if not all authors I interact with, I didn’t get in contact with until after I had read one or more of their books. In fact, chances are I sought them out because their stories impressed or touched me rather than read the books because I happened to ‘know’ them.

It would really help me to know how others feel about this issue. Are the participants in the original discussion right and have I been naive to have never thought about this in the past? Should I change my approach and refrain from posts about authors I personally know?

My blogs started out as a means of keeping track of what I read. I did that on paper long before I even had access to the internet. If the consensus is that my approach is wrong or, worse still, that I could potentially damage an author with my posts, I am tempted to change the settings on my blogs to private and go back to writing those thoughts just for myself again.

CROSS & CROWN

CROSS & CROWN by Abigail Roux

Pages: 225

Date: 09/06/2014

Grade: 5

Details: no 2 Sidewinder

Own/Kindle

The blurb:

When Nick O'Flaherty arrives at the scene of a double homicide to find he has a witness to the crime, he thinks it’s his lucky day. But when he realizes his witness is suffering from amnesia and can’t even remember his own name, Nick wishes he’d gone with his gut and put in for vacation time.

Then Nick’s boyfriend and former Recon teammate, Kelly Abbott, joins him in Boston, and Nick finds his hands a little too full as the case and his personal life collide. The witness he’s dubbed “JD” is being tailed by Julian Cross, a retired CIA hitman. To complicate matters further, JD forms an attachment to Nick that Nick struggles not to respond to as they search for the key to JD’s identity.

Trying to determine whether JD is friend or foe as they investigate the crime puts them on the trail of a much older mystery. When multiple attempts are made on their lives, Nick is forced to turn to old enemies and new allies to solve a centuries-old crime before he and Kelly get added to the history books.

My thoughts:

This is going to be a completely spoiler free review which means I won’t be saying anything about the story line. The blurb tells you everything the author wants you to know about this story before reading it and I’m not inclined to argue with her.

I have quite a few things I want to and can say though. Let me start by stating that I loved the story and find myself getting more attached to Nick and Kelly with every story they feature in. In fact one of the things I liked best about this book was the opportunity to get a better insight into these two men and the way they are together. Much as I adore Ty and Zane, I relished this time with Nick and Kelly. I am grateful that these two and their relationship are very different from Ty and Zane. Nick and Kelly have known each other for years, have faced death and trauma together and it gives their relatively new relationship a depth most couples would take years to build.

Taken from Nick O'Flaherty's FB page

The mystery in this book was fascinating and well plotted. I was intrigued from the very first page and held my breath as the story unfolded and secrets were revealed.

History plays a huge part in the mystery in this book and I was intrigued by it all. It is clear the author has a deep love and endless amounts of respect for historical fact. Her depth of knowledge (or research) gives this story the ‘this might actually be true’ quality that always gives books added value for me.

As I’ve come to expect, there is an endless amount of humour in this book. My husband gave me numerous quizzical stares when I burst out laughing while reading. When Abigail Roux writes dialogue I can hear the characters voices and imagine their facial expressions even when they’re not described.

“No ID, no memory, shot in the head in the middle of a gunfight outside a robbery of a used bookstore. What. The. Fuck.” – Nick

The banter between Kelly and Nick had me smiling and laughing on numerous occasions.

“Romantic, but are you sure this isn’t just a history nerdgasm you’re having right now?” – Kelly

While the depth of their feelings for each other was swoon-worthy.

“I love you (...). Has nothing to do with the circumstances, or our history, or how close to death we’ve come together. I would love you in any incarnation of yourself.” – Nick

 

Taken from Kelly Abbott's FB page

My final quote is from Julian Cross. I’ve come to like this enigmatic man more with each subsequent book he appeared in and enjoyed encountering him again here, even if he was more of a secondary character in this story. His calm in the face of pending disaster and his wry sense of humour never fail to impress me while a glimpse of his more vulnerable side made him that much more relatable.

“If you would let me finish before you get your knickers in a twist, this would be easier.” – Julian Cross

This really is all I can say about this book without spoiling the story. I could easily have turned this review into a love fest featuring lots of detail. For the sake of those who haven’t read the book yet I won’t. Some books are best read without any prior knowledge. I’ll just end this post by saying that I can’t wait to see where Abigail Roux will take the story and her characters next. Needless to say, where ever that may be, I’ll be close on her heals.

PATCH DAY

PATCH DAY by Mychael Black

Pages: 38

Date: 06/06/2014

Grade: 3+

Details: No. 2 Dungeon Crawl

             Received from New Changeling Press

             Through Love Romances and More

Own / Kindle

The blurb:

“Gamer Elijah Burrows has rather seamlessly taken over the life of his game character, Elian Surgis, in the world of Timiria. Alongside his lover, the lupine mage Sarin Eckhert, Elijah leads survivors of Sarin's mystical order through the wilds of the province of Tasmorum. They manage to stay just one step ahead of Timiria's monarch, King Mirov, who seeks to destroy every magic-wielding soul connected to the Labyrinthine Order.

From encounters with a mysterious group of traders on the road, to a revelation of epic proportions, it's a miracle Elijah has any time to explore his relationship with Sarin. Then Fate throws a wrench into the mix: the appearance of another "traveler" -- another gamer stuck in the game world Elijah now calls home. But this particular gamer has ulterior motives that have nothing to do with the Order's survival”

My thoughts:

Dungeon Crawl is probably best described as a serial novel and as such should be read from the start. I would strongly advise against reading ‘Patch Day’ if you haven’t read ‘Loading, Please Wait’ yet.

Elijah Burrows has very quickly settled into his new life in Timiria. The world that up until recently only existed in his game console is now his reality and he is more at home here than he has been in his ‘real’ life for a long time. That’s not to say life as Elian Surgis is easy. Under threat from King Mirov’s army and assassins, Elijah has to rely on skills he barely knew he had in order to keep the people travelling with him as well as himself and the man he is starting to love, safe.

At the same time, his relationship with Sarin, a Lycan as well as a mage, is anything Elijah could have dreamed up and than some. With danger lurking around every corner and other ‘travellers’ working for the king who would destroy Sarin and all other mages, it is a miracle the two men have time to grow the relationship between them.

I’m enjoying this story. I like the concept – a man ending up inside his favourite game – and the way the author applies it. The story is well written and very easy to read. I also enjoyed the lighter moments in this story such as the reaction of some characters to Elijah’s ‘other world’ language and Elijah’s reflection on food:

“Though he had to admit, fresh, fire-roasted rabbit tasted a hell of a lot better than boxed macaroni and cheese.”

While there is a lot happening in relatively few pages, there is time for more tender and sexy moments as well. In fact, I think the balance between action and intimacy was just about spot on in this instalment.

“Sometimes, Sarin said. Words aren’t needed.”

Having said that, I do think publishing this story in installments has one real down-side. Certain elements have to be present in each short novella in order to keep the reader fully in the story. The format means that scenes feel rushed at times. I would have like more detailed and longer descriptions as well as more time to settle into a scene before the next one starts.

Mind you, I am now rather fascinated with Elijah, Sarin and the world they’re trying to save and want to know what is going to happen next. I may wait until the full story is available before reading on though, provided I can keep my curiosity under control.

A DANCE WITH DOMINATION

A DANCE WITH DOMINATION by K.C. Wells

Pages: 220

Date: 05/06/2014

Grade: 4.5

Details: No. 4 Collars & Cuffs

            Received from Dreamspinner Press

            Through Love Romances and More

Own / Kindle

The blurb:

“Recently returned to the UK after living in the States since he was eleven, Andrew Barrett is determined to keep busy and make a new life for himself. He works full time as a copywriter and strips at a club on Canal Street on weekends. But it still leaves him too much time to think. Then he finds the BDSM club, Collars & Cuffs, where at twenty-nine, he is their youngest Dom. Young doesn’t mean inexperienced, however. All this activity keeps him focused with no time to dwell on the past. But the past has a way of intruding on the present.

It’s been four long years since Gareth Michaels last set foot inside Collars & Cuffs. But when he finally summons his courage and steps back into his former world, he finds the man who drove him away is still a member, and what's more, he wants Gareth back. Two men in pain need the freedom they find in each other, but it takes another man’s horrific plans to make them see it.”

My thoughts:

Let me start by saying I loved this book. It was well written with captivating characters and a gripping storyline. The balance between feelings, action and description was just about perfect and kept me in the story even when I wasn’t reading it.

Andrew Barrett was a wonderful and multi-layered character. He comes across as a man in charge of his life, a confident Dom fully aware of what he wants and needs until he is confronted with his painful past and the loss he’s suffered. The wonderful thing about Andrew was that the pain and confusion his past cause didn’t make him week or feeble. Quite the opposite; watching Andrew as he confronts his feelings, comes to terms with them and moves forward made him all the more likeable, strong and realistic in my eyes.

The same is true for Gareth. While he may seem quiet and even painfully shy at times, there is a depth to his feelings that delighted me and his strength and courage once he’s acknowledged his feelings left me in awe.

One or two things really made me sit up and pay attention in this book.

I have to be honest and admit that I’d never given much thought to any possible differences between hetero and M/M BDSM practices. In fact it’s fair to say I was pretty much convinced it was much of a muchness give or take one or two body parts. Andrew’s talk with his supervisor opened my eyes and has left me with quite a few things to think about and maybe even investigate.

A second thing that caught my attention was the way the dynamic between Doms and subs played out in this book. All too often it is a very black and white issue with one person being in control while the other just follows along. It only dawned on me how many angles there are to that dynamic when a character says that he wants someone as ‘his friend, lover and submissive’.

I do like it when a book opens my eyes and forces me to think.

This was one hot story as you might expect since it’s set in both a strip and a BDSM club. In fact, given the setting the author might have gotten away with wall to wall sex and relatively little story should she have chosen to do so. I’m delighted that she didn’t fall into that particular trap and had the sex serve the story rather than the other way around.

Having said all of the above there were one or two things that slowed me down while reading this book.

The first ‘issue’ is probably in large part one of my own making since this is the fourth book in a series of which I haven’t read the first three titles. The sheer number of characters in this book had me gasping for breath at times as well as scrolling back to see who exactly I was dealing with. With the majority of the story taking place either in a strip club or the BDSM club it is no mystery why there are so many people crossing the page and, if I’m honest, they did bring the story to life and made it more realistic. But, it also had me confused at times, especially with some of them having different names in different settings.

The shift to a second point of view at about 40% into the story took me by surprise too. Once the second voice started and continued it worked perfectly fine, but the first time his voice appeared I was taken aback and slightly confused about what exactly was going on.

Overall I have to say this is a fascinating and well written book that has left me with a taste for more. I’m lucky enough to have a copy of the first title in this series on my Kindle and I’ve got a feeling it won’t be long before part two and three will join it there. Here’s to yet another author I have to add to my must read list.

HIGH AND TIGHT

HIGH AND TIGHT by Vanessa North

Pages: 81

Date: 01/06/2014

Grade: 3.5

Details: Received from Carina Press

            Through Love Romances and More

Own / Kindle

The blurb:

“Pilot Adam Walker has had one great love in his life: Harris Kingston. But twelve years ago, when he accepted a scholarship and joined the Navy, he chose duty to his country over love. Their on-again off-again relationship was never more than private joy, a frustrating fact of military life.

Harris never wanted to be anyone's dirty little secret. When Don't Ask, Don't Tell was repealed two years ago, Adam broke his heart one last time. He's picked up the pieces and moved on, building a great career and dating guys who aren't afraid to be seen in public with him. But when Adam strolls into his salon asking for a haircut, his newfound happiness goes to hell in a handbasket.

Adam's been at war with himself for over a decade. Now on the verge of leaving the military, he's desperate to court Harris the right way and be forgiven. With two weeks' leave and a Navy man's conviction, he's ready to start over…if he can convince Harris he's ready to come out and commit.”

My thoughts:

Adam Walker was a teenager when he discovered girls didn’t excite him whereas his sister’s friend Harris Kingston did. Adam wasn’t prepared to admit he was gay though. His big dream was to be a pilot and join the navy, a dream that made the love he felt for Harris impossible. For the past twelve years Adam and Harris have only hooked up in secret while Adam was home on leave.

Harris Kingston has loved Adam since he was a teenager. For ten years he’s patiently waited for Adam while accepting his on again off again lover couldn’t commit to him. He’d hoped the reversal of ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ would make it possible for them to have a future together, but Adam hasn’t come back home or contacted him since. That final rejection brought Harris to the end of his patience. He’s moved on, is together with a man he’s happy with even if he can’t call it love and determined not to allow Adam to mess up his life again.

When Adam returns home on leave while deciding whether or not to extend his contract with the Navy he is determined to win Harris back. He only has two weeks to convince Harris that he is ready to come out and commit. Harris, after more than a decade of being someone’s dirty little secret isn’t sure he can face the emotional rollercoaster again. He may not be able to deny his love for Adam, he can and will put his own emotional welfare first this time.

I’m a bit ambivalent about this novella. On the one hand I loved the idea of two men who have loved each other for over a decade at last finding the courage to be together. On the other hand I wanted to slap both Adam and Harris. I found it hard to like Adam considering how he’s been treating Harris and while I adore Harris for his loyalty I wanted to scream at him to stop thinking about others and put himself first for a change. Having said that, the way the author described the two men together made the story plausible and their relationship, flawed as it was, easy to believe in, if not to accept.

I wasn’t completely convinced by Adam’s sudden change in attitude. For someone who denied his homosexuality for over a decade and actively avoided coming home in order not to deal with the man he’s supposed to love, he suddenly finds it very easy to admit to everything he’d been so afraid of. And I didn’t like the way he expected Harris to just fall in with his change of heart.

I did sympathise with Harris and completely understood his reluctance to believe Adam’s sudden change of heart. What I did have an issue with was his decision after Adam has at last come out and they spend a wonderful night together.

Adam and Harris together were beautiful and hot though and made up for a lot of my reservations. In fact, the scenes of the two men together, be it in a social setting or in private, made this book a sweet, if at times exasperating, read.

“Trust was a fragile thing, and this little bridge they built with their bodies was precious to him, he wouldn’t destroy it by beings selfish.”

ROPED

ROPED by S.J.D. Peterson

Pages: 210

Date: 31/05/2014

Grade: 4+

Details: # 4 Guards of Folsom

            Received from Dreamspinner Press

            Through Love Romances and More

Own / Kindle

The blurb:

“Life has been known by a series of constants: Violence, anger, drugs, sex, death, heartbreak, pain, fear and the most common, hunger; Always hunger. Not the kind that can be satisfied with food, but the kind born of circumstance. The kind that not only claws within a gut, but settles into a heart, consumes a mind. Deeper—Encircles, penetrates the soul. Hunger for something more, something better, safer. Always just out of grasp—Craving—Starved.

It’s part of me.

Who I am.

Born of blood and violence, hunger is my fate.

Yet, the slightest things can change the directions of a life. An unplanned circumstance, random act—a connection—a chance event, like a lightning strike, fate is trumped.

Jamie is my lightning strike.

Tek Cain

Tek Cain was cultivated from birth to lead the motorcycle gang, Crimson Eight. Jamie Ryan, his best friend, is destined to be his second. But forbidden desires have them questioning everything they know, and an undeniable bond makes them want more than their supposed brotherhood can provide. Their love could get them killed, but they are bound to each other—from the cradle to the grave.”

--------------------------------------------------

My thoughts:

This is the fourth title in the ‘Guards of Folsom’ series and I have to confess I didn’t read the first three books. I can’t escape the feeling I would have gotten more out of this book if I’d been familiar with the back story. Not that I didn’t enjoy this book – I did and was captivated by the story – I just think it is possible I would have enjoyed it even more if I had read ‘Pup’, ‘Tag Team’ and ‘Pony’. I guess the only way to find out for sure if that assessment is right is to read those three prequels and I hope to be able to do that in the not too distant future.

Tek Cain had my heart broken. Trained from birth to lead the motor cycle gang, Crimson Eight, he’s had to do some nasty things. Things he only managed to do by making his mind go blank, through not thinking about his actions and their consequences for others. But it hasn’t been easy and he knows sooner or later the darkness will overpower him, rob him of his humanity.

The only thing keeping Tek from turning into a monster is his life-long friend Jamie. They’ve been together from birth and Jamie is destined to be Tek’s second in command when the time comes to assume his role as leader. Jamie and Tek are more than friends and gang brothers though. Their feelings run deeper; the attraction between them is undeniable. Being part of a gang that frowns on homosexuality and would cast them out or kill them for their love should their secret ever be discovered, Jamie and Tek have to hide their feelings for each other and pretend to be what they are not.

When hiding and pretending are no longer enough to keep them safe, Jamie and Tek have to embark on a new life far away from everything they know. But while it’s possible to run from danger, leaving the past behind is far more difficult and may well turn out to be impossible.

This was a rather dark but completely captivating story. The reader is given the opportunity to really get to know Jamie and Tek through glimpses of their younger years before we get to the moment when they both become full gang members and give in to their feelings for each other.

Crimson Eight is a full blown, hard and violent gang. This book isn’t trying to romanticize gang membership. Yes, there is the unquestioned loyalty towards each other but it comes at a huge price. In order to be the man the gang expects him to be, Tek will have to sacrifice his humanity. And while being with Jamie allows Tek to keep a grasp on that humanity, the risk they take simply through giving in to their feelings for each other is huge. And Tek knows that it is only a matter of time before he performs that one act of unimaginable violence that will throw him into the darkness forever.

I loved the relationship between Jamie and Tek. Two strong and dominant men, constantly fighting for the upper hand while finding unexpected pleasure in occasionally losing that battle to the other.

Every chapter starts with an excerpt from what I suspect is Tek’s journal and they gave me a wonderful insight into what makes the man tick. Those sections were deep, at times almost philosophical and gave small but enticing hints as to what was to come next.

“Love is too small a word to define everything I feel for him, the meaning too simple. Too many intangible feelings for such a common four-letter word.”

I don’t want to say too much more about the story since it would be a shame to spoil it. I do need to add though that the book ends on the sort of cliff-hanger that makes it a foregone conclusion that I will be reading the next book as soon as it becomes available. I’ve fallen for Jamie and Tek and need to know what happens to them next; I have to make sure they will be okay.