See Me by K.C. Wells

See Me by K.C. Wells

 

Word count: 44.770

Date: January 29, 2016

Details: #3 Lightning Tales

            ARC received from Author

E-book

The blurb:

Adrian DeSoto spent most of his time in high school being bullied and beaten up, simply because he was perceived as gay. Always slight, effeminate, he was the perfect victim for guys like Martin Cavanaugh, one of the high school jocks. When it all got too much, Adrian was faced with two options, one more devastating than the other. Eleventh grade saw a new Adrian, one who hid his fears and pain behind a mask in a bid to survive.

Eleven years later, and Adrienne is one of the top drag acts in Orlando. She’s fierce, funny and exuberant. A face from the past gives her a shock, and after that there’s only one thing on her mind—revenge.

Marty Cavanaugh has a particular kink. He loves it when a drag queen goes down on him. But that’s as far as it goes. He won’t admit to himself what’s under that tight fitting dress. And then he meets Adrienne and his whole world goes into a tailspin….

Warning – Contains men in drag, honey! You Have Been Warned.

My thoughts:

See Me is the third title in the Lightning Tales series and follows Teach Me and Trust Me. I read Teach Me not too long ago but am ashamed to admit that I managed to somehow miss Trust Me. It is an oversight that will be remedied in the not too distant future because these are wonderful stories. What makes these books even better is that characters from one book reappear in supporting roles in the subsequent tales. And I always thoroughly enjoy reacquainting myself with protagonists I enjoyed reading about.

See Me starts with a glimpse of a deeply unhappy Adrian in high school. In fact, he’s so desperate that Ric, who finds him crying in the library, is afraid Adrian may harm himself…or worse. Adrian however does the exact opposite and embraces his ‘otherness’. Eleven years later, Adrian has landed on his feet and is in his element both as himself and as Adrienne, the stunning drag queen.

Former bully Marty on the other hand is deeply unhappy. Friendless, bullied by his father and so deep in the closet he doesn’t even realise he’s in there, his life is almost completely focussed on remaining invisible.

As Adrienne’s colleagues know only too well, Marty has a kink. He loves getting blow jobs from drag queens. When he approaches Adrienne for one, unaware of who she really is, she sees the perfect opportunity to get her own back on one of the boys who made her high school years a living nightmare. However, revenge is seldom as sweet as advertised and issues are rarely as black or white as they appear. Both Adrian and Marty are in for an eye-opening but ultimately rewarding journey.

K.C. Wells tells this wonderful story with her usual flair. Despite the subject matter, the story isn’t overly angsty, although bullying is by no means swept under the carpet or trivialised. As anybody who has ever been bullied knows, the effects linger long after the bullying itself has stopped. What those who were on the receiving end of this form of abuse often don’t realise is that it can also leave a lasting impression on those who did the bullying. In See Me K.C. Wells highlights both those aspects without rubbing our noses in it or even trying to make a point. She’s not playing a blame game. Instead she’s given us two men who struggle with the legacy of their high school years and find a way to overcome those issues.

Before I give you the impression this story is heavy going, let me reassure you. While there are thought provoking moments in this story, there are at least as many scenes which will have you either grinning or laughing out loud. But then, isn’t that what you’d expect when you put a group of drag queens together in a story? Of course the sexy times are as tasteful as they are hot, the dialogue sparkling and the glimpses into the world of drag fascinating.

In short, this was a wonderful read. Even now, hours after I finished reading the epilogue, I still have a grin on my face.

Buy links:

Amazon                 Amazon UK            ARe              Smashwords

Trust by Brigham Vaughn: Promo, Excerpt and Review

Trust by Brigham Vaughn

Series and Number: “Connection” Series Book 2 of a 2-part series

Publisher: Two Peninsulas Press (Indie/Self-Published)

Publication Date: January 28. 2016

Word Count / Page Number: 82,107 / 232

Blurb:

Evan Harris thinks his relationship with Jeremy Lewis is going well.  But when Jeremy bolts, Evan is left nursing a broken heart. Jeremy loves Evan, but his inability to trust holds him back from facing his past head on and building the future he desperately wants. Evan’s patience is at the breaking point, and he struggles to decide if Jeremy deserves another chance.

Scarred by his own parents’ treatment of him, Jeremy doesn’t trust Evan’s mother’s motives when she reappears in Evan’s life after his father lands in jail. The ensuing disagreement about his concerns puts further pressure on their developing relationship.

Unless Jeremy can learn to trust and Evan can let go of past hurts, they’ll miss out on the relationship they’ve both been searching for.

Excerpt:

Jeremy wrestled his shoe on and stood. He swayed on his feet for a second as his skin went chalky again. Evan reached for him, but Jeremy shook him off. His anger seemed to dissipate as his shoulders dropped and his voice softened slightly. “Look, it’s time you find out what the rest of the world is like. Go meet guys, go be young and stupid.” He ran his thumb across Evan’s cheek, his smile sad and wistful. “Just not too stupid.”

Evan stared at him. “And what will you being doing?”

Jeremy’s voice came out gruff. “Feeling lucky I was your first for a few things.”

“Don’t do this, Jeremy.” Evan hated the way he sounded, like he was pleading with him. He wanted to drop to his knees and beg Jeremy to stay, but he was afraid that would only make things work. That it would make Evan seem weak in Jeremy’s eyes. “Please.”

“I can’t be the guy you’re looking for,” Jeremy murmured. “You have no idea how much I wish I could, but it’s not possible.”

“Why?” He winced, hating the way his voice cracked. “I don’t understand.”

“I’m too ... damaged and I have too much of my own shit to deal with. I can barely manage to give you a handjob much less anything else. I’m not able to be what you need. I’d be a shitty boyfriend.”

Evan straightened and brushed away the tears. “What if—if you didn’t have to commit to me and we ... we slept together. It wouldn’t have to mean anything. Give me rules about where I can touch you. You can keep your pants on. I don’t care.” Right then, he wanted anything, whatever Jeremy would give him.

Anything but losing him.

“I’m in no shape for sex and you deserve a hell of lot more than a cripple for a lover.” Jeremy’s voice was surprisingly gentle. “And let’s be honest, it’s more than sex, isn’t it? You want the rest too. Wouldn’t it hurt you to wonder why you weren’t good enough for me to commit to?”

Evan flinched. “I wouldn’t,” he protested, but he knew he was lying.

“You would. And I know I’m hurting you now, but it’ll hurt a lot less than some half-assed non-relationship.” Jeremy brushed Evan’s hair off his forehead. “I care about you, Evan, way more than I should. What happened last night was a mistake and we can’t repeat it.”

“Wasn’t it good?”

“It was perfect.” Jeremy sighed, the corner of his mouth twisting up in a sad smile. “But that makes it worse, right? I can’t give you what you need and it’s going to end badly if we continue. The last thing I want to do is hurt you, Evan.”

“You already have,” Evan whispered.

“Oh, kid.” Jeremy wrapped his arms around Evan and he collapsed gratefully, his cheek against Jeremy’s shoulder. “I know. And I’m sorry.”

My thoughts:

All too often when I read a romance I’ll finish the story and sit back thinking ‘yeah! Nice! But what happened next?’ Because that’s the thing with romances, isn’t it? You read two hundred pages of two men trying to overcome all their issues so they can be together, get to spend twenty pages with them while they declare their undying love for each other and then the story ends and you’ll just have to believe the happy ever after really happened. And while this isn’t an issue for me, I do often find myself wondering about what the future would hold for the two characters.

In many ways Brigham Vaughn answers those questions in this book, and it was as satisfying an experience as I always thought it might be. When ‘Connection’ ends Jeremy and Evan seem to at last have found their way too each other. We leave them together, in bed, and we dare hope that they’ll be happy together.

Trust starts the morning after Connection ends and from the start it is clear that these two men are only at the start of their rocky road. Sometimes love alone isn’t enough and Jeremy and Evan are learning that the hard way.

Jeremy and Evan charmed me as often as they infuriated. For every time I wanted to squeeze them in a tight hug and comfort them I had a moment when it was all I could do to not shout at my Kindle that they should just talk to each other, stop introspecting and start believing. But of course, that is what this story is all about; Jeremy and Evan’s journey to the moment where they are able to believe in themselves and in each other—the moment when they can both trust that they are good enough and that together they’re perfectly imperfect. And seeing Evan find inner strength and confidence was as beautiful as watching Jeremy as he overcame his insecurities and stopped looking at himself as only half the man he used to be.

Evan and Jeremy’s journey in these two books was heartbreaking and delightful, sad and funny, frustrating and uplifting. Most of all, their journey was beautiful and memorable and I can’t recommend it highly enough.

On a side note I have to say that I also enjoyed catching up with the gang from the Equals series again. They featured enough to give us an insight into their lives but not enough to take the focus of Evan and Jeremy. The balance was just about perfect. And I think I may have spied another spin-off in the making while reading Trust. I’m looking forward to that tale when it comes.

Buy Links:

Amazon US             Amazon UK            Amazon CA            All Romance           Barnes & Noble          iTunes          Kobo            Smashwords           Goodreads Link

Author Bio:

Brigham Vaughn is starting the adventure of a lifetime as a full-time writer. She devours books at an alarming rate and hasn’t let her short arms and long torso stop her from doing yoga.  She makes a killer key lime pie, hates green peppers, and loves wine tasting tours. A collector of vintage Nancy Drew books and green glassware, she enjoys poking around in antique shops and refinishing thrift store furniture. An avid photographer, she dreams of traveling the world and she can’t wait to discover everything else life has to offer her.

Social Media Links:

Facebook     Facebook Author Page     Facebook Fan Group (Brigham’s Book Nerds)           Twitter           Pinterest

Email: brighamvaughn@gmail.com

G+: plus.google.com/+BrighamVaughn

FARM FRESH by Posy Roberts: Release Day Review

Farm Fresh by Posy Roberts

 Genre: Contemporary Romance, MM Romance, Gay Fiction, with a splash of MMM+

Length:  Novel, 202 pages

Buy Links:    Amazon      Universal Amazon Link 

Goodreads

 This is a sex positive story about living, loving, and working hard on a sexually free commune.

The blurb:

Jude Garrity visits the farmers market every Saturday. As an environmental engineering student, he’s curious about living off the grid and sustainable agriculture. 

And one particular farmer. 

Hudson Oliva has worked hard to support his commune, where queer people live without fear of harm or retribution. When Jude asks pointed questions about living there, Hudson realizes he needs to be honest about his home. Few people know what the farm is actually about, but Jude is insistent. 

Jude moves to Kaleidoscope Gardens, however his sexual hang-ups make it hard to adjust. He’s an uptight virgin living among people who have sex freely and with multiple partners. When Jude finally loosens up, Hudson is flooded with emotions. Falling for Jude wasn’t part of Hudson’s life plan. But when vindictive rumors about the commune begin to spread, love might be all he has left.

My thoughts:

I love stories that take me of the well-trodden paths and into something new and surprising. Farm Fresh certainly does that. The community at Kaleidoscope Gardens and their lifestyle are unique and beguiling. Everybody living in the commune is at ease with nudity and sexuality. While there are established couples (and triads and other combinations), sex and intimacy are freely exchanged both within those relationships and outside of them.

Poor Jude is ill prepared for the world he’s entered, and yet it may be exactly what he needs to overcome all the hang-ups his upbringing have left him with. It is a very slow process but with perseverance from Jude and patience from those who have invited him into their commune and house he slowly loosens up.

For Hudson the process happens almost the other way around. He’s been in the commune for years and appears to have found his place with Leo and Charlie. While he is attracted to Jude he is also afraid about how it will upset the balance in his life; a balance he’s fought hard to achieve after another man broke his heart five years earlier.

And so Jude and Hudson start a dance during which they seem to move apart at least as much as they pull together. Every step forward is followed by several paces backwards until the moment has arrived where someone has to put his foot down and force the issue.

There was a lot to love in this book. First and foremost there is Posy Roberts’ writing, which is smooth and gently pulls you into her world until it feels as if you too belong there. The setting of this story is fabulous. What’s not to love about a mostly self-sufficient community where people live a life filled with love and without any of the shame society so often associates with sex and nudity?

Both Hudson and Jude at times charmed and frustrated me. While I felt the pain and issues they deal with as a result of their upbringings, they were also the embodiment of one of my pet-peeves (both in real life and in fiction); lack of communication. On several occasions I wanted to pull either of them or both together through the screen of my Kindle to give them a good talking to. And while Jude’s issues with intimacy made sense given his background, I had a harder time understanding Hudson. After all, he had been living in the commune for years and should by now have learned that open communication is vital for any successful relationship.

On the other hand I loved that the author didn’t glamorise the commune lifestyle. She freely acknowledges that while open relationships can be a wonderful way to live, they are neither for everybody nor for any time.

Overall this was a fun, occasionally heartbreakingly sad, layered and at times thought-provoking book that kept me enthralled from start to finish. I can’t wait for more stories set in this environment. Visiting Kaleidoscope Gardens in future books is going to be a pleasure; almost as good as being able to visit the place for real would be.

Amazon | Website | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | Tumblr | Facebook | Newsletter

Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder

Sophie’s World by Jostein Gaarder

 

Pages: 513

Date: January 23, 2016

Grade: 5

Details: YA / Book Club / Re-read

Own / Paperback

The blurb:

One day fourteen-year-old Sophie Amundsen comes home to find two notes in her mail asking, "Who are you?" and "Where does the world come from?" which lead her to ponder the great questions of Western philosophy.

Before she knows it, she is enrolled in a correspondence course, covering Socrates to Sartre and beyond, with a mysterious philosopher. But Sophie is receiving a separate batch of equally unusual letters. Who is Hilde? And why does her mail keep turning up in Sophie's world? 

To unravel this riddle, Sophie must make use of the philosophy she is learning. But the truth is far more complicated than she could have imagined... 

My thoughts:

A Novel About the History of Philosophy

This was a re-read for me. In fact, I think this may well be the third or fourth time I’ve read this book since I got it twenty-odd years ago. I don’t re-read books very often and that has little to do with how much I enjoyed a book. For me there’s nothing like experiencing a story for the first time, and that is something you can only do once. Re-reading Sophie’s choice comes close to reading it for the first time all over again, though. There are so many layers to this story it is all but impossible to grasp it all in one reading experience.

On the surface this is the story about Sophie who is invited to do a philosophy course by a mysterious and man called Alberto Knox. Yes, the invitation and the way she receives her subsequent lessons is a bit strange, but not something that would raise eyebrows except….

Except that at the same time Sophie starts receiving post for a girl named Hilde; a girl who is apparently the exact same age as Sophie and who also has a father who’s away from home for huge chunks of time.

The reader gets a crash course in philosophy together with Sophie. The book, or Alberto Knox, depending on your perspective, takes Sophie and the reader from The Garden of Eden, via the Greek philosophers to Freud and the modern times. Both Sophie and the reader are required to think about existential questions and wade their way through often conflicting answers.

While Sophie progresses through history it becomes clear that the surface story isn’t all there is in this universe. There’s more to Hilde and her father than first meets the eye and it’s a mystery that centres around the question what is real; can we rely on what our senses tell us or is there more to our world? Between the various philosophical theories and the mystery surrounding Hilde, this story had me hooked from the first to the last page. And even now I finished reading it, questions and ideas are still running through my mind—a clear sign that the story fascinated me.

And it’s a clever book. I could share quite a few examples to prove this but will limit myself to this; a sophist is a wise and informed person. By the time the story ends both Sophie and the reader are wiser and better informed than they were when they started their journey.

If I’m perfectly honest I have to admit this is not the most smoothly written book I’ve ever read. In fact there were one or two things that started to throw me by the time I got to the end of the story. For one thing the book, out of necessity, contains a lot of information dumping and while the study in philosophy fascinated me, those informative sections were on occasion to long. At least a few of them could (and maybe should) have been broken up with sections of story-line I feel. I also got a bit fed up with the conversation between Sophie and Alberto. Given the teacher-pupil relationship they have, it makes sense for there to be a lot of questions from Sophie, but that got repetitive after a while—simply because there are only so many ways in which you can ask someone to explain something. J

But, even taking into consideration these reservations, I still have to say this was a brilliant read. This book required that I paid attention to every single word in it. I couldn’t skim and I couldn’t allow myself to get distracted and I love it when a story does that.

Long review short: This is a fascinating and wonderful novel if you enjoy magical realism and are interested in philosophy. If you’ve never thought about things like the meaning of life and why the world is the way it is, there’s a good chance this book will bore you to tears. Personally I was hooked…again.

I could have added an endless amount of quotes to this review, which is hardly surprising given that it deals with philosophy. I have decided to limit myself to just one, because it delighted me when I read it.

“A composition—and every work of art is one—is created in a wondrous interplay between imagination and reason, or between mind and reflection. For there will always be an element of chance in the creative process. You have to turn the sheep loose before you can start to herd them.”

After by Tantalus

After by Tantalus

Pages: 16

Date: January 15, 2016

Details: # 2 Damon & Pete: Playing With Fire

E-book

The blurb:

“Damon hasn't had many curveballs thrown his way, and when life manages this, he can usually dodge them.

But not this one.

This one bites him - right in the rear end.

Someone should have warned him.

Payback is a bitch.”

My thoughts:

After is at least as hot and tantalising as its prequel, Summer Heat is. In the first book Pete was in for a few exciting surprises. This time it is Damon who finds himself in a position he never expected to end up in and having a hard time getting his head around events and his reactions to them.

For Damon payback comes when he least expects it and, as the blurb says, he discovers it’s a bitch. I’ve got a feeling it will be a different story for Pete when his turn comes around again. J For me that moment can’t come soon enough.

There’s not a lot more I can say about the story. I want to say you need to read it, but while that is true, it wouldn’t be quite right. Let’s leave it at this being a story you need to experience. This series is unapologetically hot and sexy. This is eroticism at its best; well-written, no holds barred kinky times for those who enjoy such a thing.

Island Doctor by Sue Brown

Island Doctor by Sue Brown

 

Pages: 214

Date: January 11, 2016

Details: #1 Island Medics

             Copy received from author

E-book

The blurb:

“Dr. Jeff Martin has spent five years as a rural general practitioner on the Isle of Wight hiding the fact he’s gay. He travels in secret to see his partner, Tris, but when he discovers Tris has been cheating on him, he ends their relationship. Then Jeff meets island native Cameron Gillard. Cameron is down to earth, lively, and treats Jeff like he’s the most important person in Cameron’s life. Jeff blooms under Cameron’s attention, and he decides to come out to his colleagues and friends.

Just when things are going well, Tris reappears out of the blue. Jeff is no longer interested in Tris, but it seems he has two men to convince. Tris, who can’t believe Jeff is serious abouAt wanting to end their relationship, and Cameron, who can’t hide his jealousy of Tris. Jeff is certain about one thing—the only man he wants in his life is Cameron. Now he just needs to prove it to Cameron.”

My thoughts: 

Island Doctor is a wonderful romance. It is mainly the story of two men coming together and building each other up. Jeff needs support and care after the man who’d been his partner for ten years not only cheats on him but also admits to a history of betraying him. Jeff is strictly a one-man guy and can neither understand nor accept the way in which Tristan has betrayed him. What Jeff needs is a man who only sees and loves him; a man for whom he is not only enough but the whole world.

Enter Cameron. Cameron is a force to be reckoned with. Cameron doesn’t take no for an answer once he’s decided what he wants, and Cameron wants Jeff. Cameron needs to be the sole focus of his partner. To say he sweeps Jeff off his feet would be an understatement, and he is exactly what Jeff needs.

They get to know each other as Cameron eases Jeff out of his shell and shows him that while acceptance may not be universal, it is certainly widespread. But Cameron has a few chips on his shoulder and one or two insecurities to overcome himself. When Tristan decides to push for Jeff, Cameron overreacts and….well, you’ll have to discover what happens next for yourself.

There was so much to love about this book. The story flows with admirable ease, the characters were intriguing and the story mostly light-hearted while not afraid to look at life as it really is. Watching Jeff come out of his shell was adorable and heart-warming. The two men together were beautiful and very...very sexy. And I loved the mention K.C. Wells and her books got in Island Doctor, but that may be because, like Sam, I’m a huge fan of her stories. J 

I did have one reservation though and I’m going to mention it although I realise that what pulled me up is probably very attractive to a majority of romance readers. Cameron was, for me, too overbearing on one or two occasions. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t the author’s intention, but he scared me once or twice. Other than that, Island Doctor was a pure joy to read and I’m looking forward to upcoming stories in this series.

Buy Links:

Dreamspinner | Amazon | All Romance

A Solitary Man by Aisling Mancy & Shira Anthony: Review

A Solitary Man by Aisling Mancy & Shira Anthony

Pages: 304

Date: January 9, 2016

Kindle / Own

The blurb:

“Sparks fly when Chance meets tall, sexy Xav at a Wilmington bar and they have the hottest one-nighter of their lives. But Chance doesn’t do repeats, Xav seems detached, and they go their separate ways without a word. Later, when closeted Assistant District Attorney C. Evan “Chance” Fairchild meets Dare's Landing’s newest deputy sheriff, Xavier “Xav” Constantine, Evan isn’t only wary. He’s irritated as hell.

Xavier is a former FBI agent turned deputy sheriff who is hot on the trail of a South American child prostitution ring. Evan is fighting to put an end to rampant cocaine trafficking and chafing under the thumb of an election-hungry boss. When someone tries to kill the eleven-year-old witness who holds the key to both their investigations, they’re forced to work together as they put their lives on the line to protect him. As Chance and Xav collide in the heat of a sweltering North Carolina summer, dodging bullets and chasing bad guys isn’t the only action going on.”

My thoughts:

WOW! 2016 is off to a very good start with A Solitary Man. As you can see from the blurb, this is a romantic thriller, or a thrilling romance (or maybe both? J). However you want to label it, A Solitary Man is an engrossing, very well written and fascinating story.

Xav and Chance are intriguing main characters. Both men struggle with personal feelings and issues for very good reasons, yet neither of them allows those private problems to stop them from doing what needs to be done. Within two minutes of starting the book my heart had broken with and for Xav. It doesn’t happen very often that the prologue of a story leaves me so gutted I have to walk away from the story for a little while, but it happened with this book. Once I resumed reading I was as invested in the case as Xav was though, so the set-up definitely worked for me.

I think I fell in love with Xav the moment he was first introduced. He isn’t perfect, he has his faults and makes mistakes but his heart is clearly in the right place, his motives are noble and the cause he fights for is more than worthy.

“Doing the right thing by Quinn and the other boys wouldn’t banish the past, but it might change the future.”

And that’s before I realised he is a ‘take-no-shit-from-anyone’ sorta man with a wicked sense of humour.

It took me a little bit longer to fall for Chance. He has the walls around his heart build up so high even the reader can’t see around, over or through them at first. As Chance opens up a bit and his background becomes clearer he swiftly moves from easy to like to impossible not to love. And the two men together are funny, sweet and at times incredibly hot.

A Solitary Man deals with difficult issues. The book would have been touching and at times heartbreaking if it had all been make-believe. However, it isn’t. The author’s note, at the start of the book, states: “The drug trafficking, child abuse, and child sex trafficking described in this work of fiction are based on real events.” These are important issues that don’t get enough attention; not in this story before Xav steps in, and not in the real world. I’m amazed at how well the authors managed to strike a balance between getting the message across and giving the reader a riveting and unputdownable thriller. The details we get about child and drug trafficking are hard to digest and yet, they never feel preachy; the information fits the context of the story perfectly. And thus the reader is given one of those rare but wonderful experiences; an engrossing read combined with an unforgettable and valuable learning experience.

To sum it all up, A Solitary Man is what I would like to describe as a total reading experience. It is a heart-stopping thriller while dealing with difficult but important issues; it is a wonderful and at times very sexy love story and it is so well written it is at times deceptively easy to read, despite the hard-hitting issues it deals with. I am delighted that the very first book I read this year is one I’ll be adding to my ‘extra-special’ collection.