FRANKIE & AL by Sue Brown

FRANKIE & AL by Sue Brown

 

Pages: 158

Date: November 28, 2015

Details: No. 1 Frankie’s Series

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The blurb:

Dumped by his boyfriend, Frankie Mason goes out with the girls, gets totally trashed, and ends his night by falling in front of a taxi. He’s rescued by a man with beautiful green eyes who takes care of him until he’s put into an ambulance. Frankie curses himself as he realizes he doesn’t have the man’s phone number. Still in pain a few days later, he is dragged out to a club only to be saved by Green Eyes once more. This time, he isn’t letting the man go.

Unfortunately Frankie has to attend a team-building exercise, nicknamed Womb Weekend, organized by his company. Al is working so he doesn't mind, until he discovers who the team leader is. Al has a lot of explaining to do!

My thoughts:

Anybody following my reviews will realise that only yesterday I shared my thoughts on Jordan & Rhys, the fourth title in Frankie’s Series. Yes, I am a ‘bad’ girl for only now reading the first book in that quartet, but it is most definitely a case of better late than never. J

Frankie and Al was sweet, fun, quirky and very enjoyable. It is hard not to fall like a ton of bricks for accident prone Frankie, even if most if not all of his mishaps are of his own making. How can you not develop a soft spot for this charmer, who wears his heart on his sleeve and has no problem making fun of himself and his antics? It is hardly surprising Al gets captured the very first time they run into each other, even if that first meeting is far from pleasant.

Where Frankie comes across as flighty and whimsical, Al is a solid rock of calm and restraint and, as a result, exactly what Frankie needs in his life. Sure, their getting together may be a prime example of insta-love, but it works so very well it is hard, if not impossible, to take issue with that. And while the attraction may be immediate, their coming together takes a while longer, which means they get to know each other before it all gets hot and steamy, and the reader is given the same opportunity.

This is a more or less angst-free story, always a big plus for me. Sure, Frankie goes through more than his fair share of set-backs but given his attitude he never comes across as a martyr. Al has to face a major trauma too, but for both men the problems they encounter are unconnected to the developing bond between them. In fact, it is fair to say they both find their issues more manageable because they other is there to help them through them.

This book came with a fair amount of laugh out loud moments which balanced more or less perfectly with the more emotional side of the story. Sue Brown once again gave us two characters who were easy to fall for and told their story in her usual flowing rhythm. The Frankie Series is most definitely a favourite of mine.

JORDAN & RHYS by Sue Brown

JORDAN & RHYS by Sue Brown

 

Pages: 128

Date: November 27, 2015

Details: No 4 Frankie Series

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The blurb:

“Eight months after the assault in which his sub and lover was killed, Jordan Nicholls isn’t making much progress in his recovery. Marchant and Ed, Jordan’s friends from the BDSM club, stage an intervention. 

They employ a carer to look after Jordan. Rhys may be a sub, but he’s forceful, making Jordan eat and exercise rather than live on coffee and cigarettes. Despite Jordan’s protests, Rhys slowly forces him back to life. 

But Rhys wants to be Jordan’s sub, and despite being protective of Rhys, Jordan’s not sure he can ever return to the BDSM lifestyle. In order for their relationship to continue, they’ll need to find a compromise that meets both their needs.”

My thoughts:

To say this book starts with a bang would be a gross understatement. What happened in the prologue didn’t come as a surprise and yet still left me shattered. Of course it also had me 100% invested in the story right from the get-go.

This book could have been written just for me. It is a gentle story. Jordan’s lack of progress up to the point when Rhys starts caring for him, makes perfect sense, as does Jordan’s reluctance to Rhys upsetting the (bad) routine he’s slipped into. I loved watching their relationship grow while neither of them seemed to be aware that was exactly what was happening. I’m so glad there was no miraculous turn-around and recovery for Jordan and that Rhys wasn’t all saint and self-sacrificing.

These two characters and the situation they find themselves in were realistic. I often finish a book feeling that I actually know the characters in it on a personal level. I guess that’s the way I read; total immersion. It went further in this book though. Rhys and Jordan and the way they interacted struck a chord deep inside me.

It was wonderful to read a story without huge fights, people storming off or other grand gestures of anger and/or frustration. When it does appear that going their separate ways might be the best idea, it is a calm—if very hard—decision rather than a dramatic eruption of emotion. I was also delighted that this issue between them resolved itself organically, even if it did involve a heart stopping moment.

And of course it was delightful to reconnect with the main characters from the previous books: Frankie & Al, Ed & Marchant and Anthony & Leo. It was wonderful to see the three couples still going strong and getting stronger as time goes by. The interactions between these friends went from endearing to hilarious and left me feeling joyous. It also reminded me that I still haven’t read Frankie & Al; there are no prices for guessing what’s next on my reading schedule. J

I’m afraid I’m not doing a very good job reviewing this book. It’s funny how I become less coherent about a book the more I love it. The paragraphs above are a clear indication that I adored this book, the characters in it, the way the story was told and how it unfolded. Sue Brown shot this one straight into my personal bull’s eye. 

ANTHONY & LEO by Sue Brown

ANTHONY & LEO by Sue Brown

 

Pages: 112

Date: March 25, 2015

Details: Frankie’s Series

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The blurb:

“Watching Marchant train his new sub leaves Tony unhappy at not having found a Dom of his own. Running Marchant’s BDSM club, Tony sees who the Doms prefer and it isn’t him—too big, too old, and too hairy. When his friend Jordan suggests he look outside the club, Tony’s mind turns to Leo, a man he met in a traffic jam. Tony manages to arrange a date and happily learns Leo is funny, very toppy, and not averse to Tony's lifestyle. As a bonus, Leo sells sex toys.

When tragedy strikes the club, Tony fears he can’t help the mourning club members, but Leo offers his unwavering support. After such a tough start, Tony believes Leo is the Dom he’s been looking for... until he catches him kissing another man.”

My thoughts:

I have fallen for the men in Frankie’s world, and Tony proved to be no exception to that rule. I’d never really given any thought to it but I guess it would be a burden if you were build like a house – or, to stay within the genre, a bear – but are a submissive at heart. Right or wrong, people tend to think about submissives as weak and fragile, and not fitting the stereotype while working in an environment where you are surrounded by others who do match the template, would be painful and wearing. It is hardly surprising that Tony is starting to despair of ever finding the right Dom for him.

Enter Leo, who isn’t a Dom as such but certainly a dominant personality. The fact that Leo isn’t into BDSM before he meets Tony made this story more interesting for me. The two men pretty much make it up as they go along from the moment they meet, but it works for them. I liked that they established an emotional bond before they dived deeper into the world of kink. And I have to admit Leo and Tony are very hot together.

The angst as described in the blurb is more like a short sharp stab than prolonged torture, and for that I was grateful. In fact, something else happens in this book that shocked and hurt me a lot more than Leo’s kiss did, and I do hope Sue Brown will use another book to put matters right for the character involved.

Overall this was a sweet, hot, fascinating and gripping story and I couldn’t put it down once I’d started reading. I’m looking forward to whatever may be coming next.