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.

Naked Weekend (Naked, Book 1) by Roe Horvat

Novella / 20k words

Release Date: March 24, 2021

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

 

Blurb

It was supposed to be a casual threesome. Yeah, right. Those kisses are anything but casual, and the third guy is nowhere to be found. Neill should have known their friend set them up. But even as he ends up naked in the tall stranger’s arms, he can’t find any reason to regret anything.

From the first moment, Danny knows he could easily fall for Neill. All these little contradictions fascinate him: Neill’s passionate and playful one moment, and the next second he withdraws into himself, cautious. What made him that way? And how can Danny convince the beautiful boy to stay?

Review

Wow.

Roe Horvat did it again. I have no idea how he does it, but he weaves some kind of special magic with his words. On the surface, this story is pure erotica with steamy, vivid, and imaginative sex on most if not every page. And while all of that is nothing short of delicious, Naked Weekend is so much more than just two hot men making the most of being naked.

I’m amazed how much the author manages to tell us about Danny and Neill through their sexual encounters over the course of one weekend. Not only did I get to know them, I also fell for them, hard and fast. But then, maybe that’s the result of being naked. You can’t hide when you fully expose yourself. I have no idea if the idea behind the ‘Naked’ series went beyond the writing of hot stories, although I’m inclined to think it probably was. But whatever the author’s intention was, for me the set-up of this novella meant that I could see Danny and Neill fully, without barriers or pretense, both inside and out.

Yes, Danny and Neill fall for each other hard and fast; all it takes is that one naked weekend and a few hours of contemplation. But you won’t find me complaining about insta-love. It is clear from the very start that these two are made for each other. Their journey from strangers to lovers stepping into a relationship was as heart-warming as it was hot. They took my breath away while I was reading and now, days later, I still smile when I think about them. And that is exactly what a good story should do.

 

 

Three Shots (A Poly in Pendleton Story) by Brigham Vaughn

 

Pages: 310

Release Date: March 10, 2021

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Blurb

A musician, a computer designer, and a tavern owner walk into a bar: it’ll take three shots to get this right …

When Reeve Jenkins picks up his guitar to sing at a local dive bar, the last thing he expects is to bring a guy home that night. Grant McGuire is a man drowning his sorrows in beer after a painful breakup. Having some fun in bed is easy for the two of them but while hookups are simple, pursing a relationship never feels quite right.

Rachael Bradford has seen plenty of attractive men walk into the Hawk Point Tavern but she’s too busy running the place to worry about taking any of them home.

The chemistry between them is off the characters but when Reeve and Grant offer her more than a quick fantasy, they’ll have to figure out how to navigate an openly poly relationship in the small town of Pendleton Bay.

Originally released in 2017, Three Shots has been re-written with an additional 40k words of content, set in the Pendleton Bay Universe, and re-edited.

Review

This was a re-read for me. I first read Three Shots in 2017. Then again, I’m not sure re-read is the right word here. While there certainly are strong similarities between the original Three Shots and this new version, so much has been added and changed that it was almost like reading a brand-new story for the first time. And while there was nothing wrong with this book when it first came out (after all, I give it five stars then too) there is no denying that the extended version is even better.

My original review mentions that the story managed to be deliciously enticing and incredible adorable at the same time, and that is something that hasn’t changed. The sexual encounters, initially between Reeve and Grant and later with Rachael too are hot, exciting, and imaginative. But, while I sure appreciated those scenes, they weren’t what I loved most in this story. What really stood out for me was the communication between these three protagonists. From the moment they meet they are open and frank with each other. There are no ‘misunderstandings’ based on withheld information in this story. Reeve, Grant, and Rachael know at all times what they can expect from the others and what is expected from them. Given that ‘conflict that could have been avoided if only the characters talked to each other’ is one of my pet hates in romance, you can imagine how delighted this set-up made me.

Not that Brigham Vaughn avoids complications, far from it. But the obstacles Rachael, Reeve, and Grant encounter are talked about and dealt with. The only real issues they face are caused by outside forces, more specifically by those who don’t understand and therefore don’t approve of a poly-relationship.

This story could have been written for me. Low on angst but high on feels, with characters who communicate well, hot sex scenes, and memorable secondary characters, I couldn’t have asked for more. What I am asking for, however, is more stories set in Pendleton. This little town is fast turning into a favourite (reading) destination for me.

Forever (#Hunt&Cam4Ever #8) by Adira August

397 pages

Buy links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

 

Blurb

....turn around...

“Lieutenant?” Woodward was there as if he’d materialized out of the lush greenery beyond the strip of grass. “Did you injure your left arm?”

Hunter looked down at his hand on his arm.

“Have you been feeling light-headed at all?” Wood asked.

“Yes,” Cam answered for him.

“Oh, God.” Avia started to rise.

“Please stay where you are,” Wood said, pulling his open collar aside, revealing a mic he spoke into. “I have a code xray ten at bungalow seventeen. Direct evac to Oceanside, cardiac teams in place asap.”

Cam was on his feet looking to Woodward for instructions.

“Get his I.D. and any medications he’s on.”

Cam shoved the chair back and ran for the door.

“I’m sorry. Don’t leave me,” Hunter’s voice was thick. A tear slid down from the outside corner of one eye.

Sirens sounded in the near distance.

Avia was next to his chair with her arms around his shoulders. “He’ll never leave you, Hunter, he just went to get something.”

Panicked, Hunt tried to rise. “No! I don’t need it. Don’t let him go to the store!” He knocked the table over trying to get up, to follow Cam.

Woodward caught him as he slumped to the floor.

.................from Shadow Men, Hunt&Cam4Ever Book 7

This is what happened next.

"...forever's gonna start tonight..."

 

Review

““This isn’t a future”, she told him. It’s a crossroads.”

O.M.G.

Hunt&Cam4Ever has been a favourite of mine ever since I read On His Knees. From that very first (short) installment, Hunter Kane and Camden Snow were unforgettable and edged into my mind. In fact, I started that very first review the exact same way I’m starting this one and, in all fairness, OMG is a perfect fit for the whole series.

This book is the culmination of everything that’s gone before. It answers remaining questions and reveals truths I wasn’t even aware I’d missed so far. It rounds things off in the most perfect fashion and yet, it was the toughest, most heart-wrenching story in the series.

Before I say anything else, let me repeat the words I ended my review of Shadow Men with: whatever you do DO NOT READ FOREVER UNTIL YOU’VE FINISHED SHADOW MEN. In fact, now that I’ve read Forever, I’ll go one step further and urge you to make sure you read all previous books before you even think about starting Forever. Without knowing everything there is to know about Hunter, Camden, Hunter’s team, and all the other characters who featured in the earlier stories, you won’t get the significance and beauty of everything that unfolds here.

Mind you, you’ll want to prepare yourself before you open this book. Guard your heart and be prepared for pain. The first third (approximately) of this story all but broke me. I never thought I’d see Hunt and Cam as shattered and insecure as they were in this tale. On the other hand, now that I have seen it, I have to admit it was inevitable. They had to break before they could become everything they always were, individually and together.

 Grief. It’s such a small word.

That encompasses sadness, fear, anger, guilt, deep loss, reality that shifts beneath your feet.”

There’s a lot of pain in Forever. Old pain, almost forgotten pain, pain denied, and fresh pain. And while this pain is important and something our heroes must go through, it’s not what this story is ultimately about. The real purpose of this story is what’s on the other side of that pain, on what remains when the sharp edges of grief have smoothened, on what emerges after it seems like everything is lost.

In one way this is the story of Cam and Hunter doing what they should have done from the start and certainly before they got married. They’re communicating, discovering each other in different, not sex- or work-related ways. It’s beautiful, emotional, at times warming my heart at others all but breaking it.

In another way Forever is about Cam and Hunt being honest with themselves before they’re (able to be) honest with each other. They have to open themselves up and dive into the depths of everything they’ve more or less successfully pushed into the far recesses of their consciousness before they can emerge together, better, stronger, and closer than they’ve ever been—even if I thought they couldn’t possibly get any closer than they already were.

Just because Hunt is out of the running, doesn’t mean that his team doesn’t have a nasty and tricky murder to solve. Just like his team members, I initially had a hard time coming to terms with that. Hunt was such a central and vital part of their earlier investigations that it was hard to imagine how they would manage without him, whether they even could function without him. But I guess they, and I, had to learn a lesson too. Hunt and Cam have grown over the course of the eight book series, but so have those who work with Hunt. His influence may not be direct in this book, but enough of it rubbed off on his co-workers for his intuitive and at times unorthodox style to bring them to the (rather horrifying) solution this time too.

The sex scenes in this book are as hot, powerful and breath-taking as always. They are (how shall I put it) less prominent in Forever, though. The sex, their scenes, were never the problem. You could say they were the only thing about Hunt & Cam not in need of re-examination. The scenes in this story were perfectly placed though since they happened just when Hunt, Cam, and I needed them most.

Honestly, I could go on Forever (pun totally intended) about this book, Hunt and Cam, and the series as a whole. If you want to read more of my fan-girling about these stories, you could check out my previous reviews. The following link will take you to my post about Shadow Men. Near the end of that review, you’ll find links to all other gush-fests, some of which include excerpts as well as character interviews. Enjoy!

Before I finished Forever, I feared that this might be my last encounter with Hunt and Cam. I’m very happy to report that I worried about nothing. There’s more to come and while it may be a little while before we meet again, I rest assured in the knowledge that Hunt and Cam will be back.

“That’s everything I want: to get through to the end of every day and still find ourselves together.”

Shadow Men (Hunt&Cam4Ever Book 7) by Adira August

 

Blurb (taken from Amazon and Goodreads)

 

DARKNESS FALLS, EVEN IN PARADISE...

---

“I said, no.”

“I’m sorry, I can’t accept that.”

Hunter gave Ben Hart an incredulous look. “Accept it or don’t Hart, I’m not leaving Cam right now.”

The billionaire put his hands into his pockets and looked around Cam’s yard—an unimproved clearing to the edge of the woods. Above the jagged line of the canyon rim, a lone raptor circled lazily. “I don’t like calling in favors, but if that’s what it takes…”

“If you ‘call them in’ they aren’t favors. And before you explain exactly what happened, why do you need me? If it’s a police matter, Hawaii has police departments. The locals aren’t meeting your high expectations?”

Hart’s indigo eyes flashed fire. “Remember who you’re talking to, Detective.”

“Remember I don’t work for you, Hart.”

Benedict Hart and Hunter Dane faced-off. They were both big men, both men who had killed, and both motivated by the same thing.

“Don’t fight me on this, Hunter; I'm protecting my family.”

“So am I, Ben. Either tell me what the hell is going on or leave. Cam and I are still on our honeymoon.”

Something desperate flickered across Ben Hart’s face. “I’ve done a lot for you, Hunter. And for Cam. You think I can’t hurt you? And hi—”

WHAM!

One billionaire facedown on the redwood table.

“Hunter!” Cam was on the patio, in sweatpants and nothing else. He crossed swiftly to the table. “Let him go before one of his bodyguards takes you out from the woods.”

Hunter didn’t move. “He threatened you.”

“Then he’s scared s**tless about something money can’t fix."

---

 

A 72k word police procedural, the seventh in the Hunt&Cam4Ever BDSM-MYSTERY series. This is the book the author calls "The hardest book I ever wrote." This is an ending no one was expecting.

AN ASTONISHING TWIST IN THE EPIC LOVE STORY~ A HIGH SEAS DEATH ON A BILLIONAIRE'S YACHT

"No matter how hard you fight the darkness
every light casts a shadow;
The closer you get to the light
the darker that shadow becomes."
Plato

 

Review

Shadow Men is the 7^th Hunt&Cam4Ever book in a series I have been in love with from the very first chapter in the very first book. And if I adore the stories, I’m even deeper in love with these two wonderful, strong, gorgeous, complicated, and incredibly sexy men. Right from the start the dynamic between Cameron and Hunter fascinated me. The way they developed both separately and together was at least as intriguing as the mysteries they solved together. Both murder and romance had and have me on the edge of my seat. As far as their relationship is concerned, I’m more on edge now than I’ve been at any point during their story.

 [If you’re curious about my thoughts about the earlier books in this series, you can find them all by following the links you’ll find here:

The Interrogation: https://helenasheat.blogspot.com/2020/04/the-interrogation-hunter-dane.html

Links to all earlier books: https://helenasheat.blogspot.com/2019/11/fractured-men-hunt-6-by-adira-august.html ]

This story then. It should have been their honeymoon and, five days into their marriage, everything is not all sweet and easy love. How could it be given who Cam and Hunter are? But, their honeymoon is supposed to give them the opportunity to learn about each other, to smooth out a few ruffles. Until billionaire Domenic Hart strong-arms them into investigating a mysterious death on board his luxury yacht.

The mystery, as always, was flawlessly plotted, full of twists and turns. The setting means this is a traditional mystery with a limited number of suspects almost with a locked room atmosphere. The possible motives appear and are dispelled until only one solution remains. So far so fabulous but also, more or less, straight forward.

Not so straight forward is the effect of the investigation on Cam, on Hunt, and on their relationship. I couldn’t quite put my finger on what about the way they were together bothered me, but I read their interactions with a growing sense of discomfort, hoping against hope I was wrong. Except that I wasn’t. I can’t say anything else, but the way this story ended scared and all but broke me, just as it all but broke Cam and Hunt. Both the plotting and pacing were just about perfectly executed, keeping me rooted in the story, pushing me from page to page with my heart in my mouth and tension coursing through my body.

Not that it was all heavy, ominous, and heart breaking. Far from it. In fact, there’s something about married Hunter and Cameron that reminds me of Eve and Roarke in the In Death books. And I mean that in the best possible way. It has to do with learning how to be together when it is forever or, in Eve’s terms’ learning the marriage rules’. And while neither of them has done it before, it appears to be Cam who’s finding their new way of being together harder than Hunter.

Of course, the (sex) scenes in this story are intense, hot, and just as unforgettable as the two main characters are. But, while I enjoy those scenes, they are not my main reason for reading this series. What has me hooked is the combination of intriguing mysteries and two equally intriguing characters. Over eight books, Cameron and Hunter have become a part of my life. I think of them as real people, two guys I might meet some day. They’ve gotten under my skin and I suspect and hope they’ll continue to live there.

Tomorrow Hunt&Cam4Ever book 8 releases. The author warns readers to NOT read book eight unless they’ve read #7. When I saw that I rolled my eyes. I mean, who would want to read a series of books out of order anyway? But, while breaking that rule may mean a reader gets less enjoyment out of a story than they would have done with knowledge of the full preceding story, situations in which a sequel should not be touched under any circumstances without familiarity of what happened before are few and far between. In this case however, I fully agree with Adira August. I strongly advice anybody who hasn’t read the Hunt & Cam stories yet to start with the first book and work their way through this series in the correct order. But, as the author says, whatever you do DO NOT READ FOREVER UNTIL YOU’VE FINISHED SHADOW MEN. I have no way of knowing what will happen in the next book, but the ending of this book indicates that it will be very emotional as well as the culmination of everything we think we know about these two men and everything we still need to learn. Needless to say, I’ve got my copy pre-ordered.

Is it tomorrow yet?

HOLD SAFE – Biker Daddy Bodyguards #3 by Sue Brown

Blurb

Mo is content with the quiet life. Once upon a time he had his happy ever after, but that ended. Now he’s being asked to guard an ego-driven businessman who has no idea how much danger he’s in. He should say no.

A successful CEO, Joseph is used to most people saying yes. He’s not convinced ‘yes’ is in this bodyguard’s vocabulary. Every decision he makes, Mo vetoes. Joseph is furious. He’s the one in charge. Isn’t he?

They are dealing with escalating danger and increasing tension between them. Joseph is convinced he’s a Daddy. Mo knows Joseph is a boy. Will Mo keep Joseph safe and show him his true place?

Excerpt

The room went silent.

“Remember you’re a Holden. Never let another man tell you what to do.”

His father’s words rang in Joseph’s ears as they had done since he had sat an eight-year-old Joseph down in his study and told him that one day he would be the head of a great empire.

Yet he’d sat like a kid, his cheeks flaming, because some yeti off the mountains had ordered him to. He knew he’d made a huge mistake. He’d lost face in front of a room full of alpha men. He could see that in the smug expressions in the room. Now he’d have to work twice as hard to regain the power.

He was the client, the top dog in the room. Correction. He should have been the top dog. He was the billionaire; they were merely muscle. So why did he feel like a kid playing dress up in his father’s shoes?

 

 Buylinks: Universal link | Amazon US | Series link

 Price: $3.99

 

Review

Aahhh. Just what the doctor ordered. A grumpy older Daddy, a younger, very bratty billionaire oblivious to the fact that he’s a boy. Snarky remarks fly while Mo tries to keep Joseph safe and Joseph pretends that he’s in charge, rather than Mo until proximity and the men’s true natures take over and slowly but securely and sexily push them together.

The combination of mystery, tension, heat, and romance is just about perfect in this one. I successfully guessed who was out to kill Joseph, but that didn’t take any fun or suspense out of the story. Quite the opposite in fact. Being fairly sure where the danger was coming from meant I could focus all my attention on Mo and Joseph finding their way to each other and establishing their dynamic. Since their developing relationship was glorious, that was time well and very satisfactory spent.

This was the second Biker Daddy Bodyguards book I read. For some reason, I missed the second book. I guess I’ll have to make up for that oversight in the not too distant future. For now, all that remains is for me to highly recommend this book and this series. You won’t regret spending a few afternoons with these magnificent Daddies and their beautiful boys.

Click here for my review of the first book in this series: Hold Firm

 

 

Author Bio

Cranky middle-aged author with an addiction for coffee, and a passion for romancing two guys. She loves her dog, she loves her kids, and she loves coffee; in which order very much depends on the time of day.

Come over and talk to Sue at:

Newsletter | Bookbub | Patreon | Her website | Author group – Facebook | Facebook

 Email: sue@suebrownstories.com

 

Giveaway

The prize is a $20 Amazon GC 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hold Firm (Biker Daddy Bodyguards #1) by Sue Brown

I have no idea why I didn't post this review last year, seeing how I finished the book last September but, better late than never I guess.

Blurb

“Am I here as his bodyguard, his fake boyfriend, or his Daddy?”

The minute Quinn lays eyes on the bratty boy hunched in the chair, spitting fire and ice at him, he knows why he’s been chosen for this assignment. He doesn’t want to take the job but the boy’s life is in danger. Could Quinn turn him away?
Cade doesn’t want a bodyguard at his back 24/7. He works hard and parties harder. But this man isn’t the usual rent-a-suit. He’s six foot five of solid muscle, hard eyes, and a voice which makes Cade want to beg for his attention.
To the world, Quinn is Cade’s bodyguard. To their friends, Quinn is Cade’s boyfriend. To the suspect, Quinn is Cade’s Daddy…

Quinn can’t help thinking this won’t end well.

Review

I've been a huge fan of Sue Brown's books for some time and I have to say, she hit it out of the ballpark again with Hold Firm. Quinn is the most delicious be it somewhat reluctant, Daddy while Cade takes being a brat to new heights. But there are reasons. Reasons for Cade's behaviour, and reasons why Quinn tries to keep his distance. Their journey from professional relationship to intimacy had me in turns on the edge of my seat and hot and bothered. And, talking about the edge of my seats, as if these two men, who were clearly made for each other, and their coming together weren't captivating enough, there's danger lurking in the background, waiting for the right moment to strike. I'm delighted this is only the first book in this series. Bring me the next Biker Daddy Bodyguard, please. 

Buy link: Amazon US | Amazon UK