Princely Submission by K.C. Wells

 

321 Pages

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Blurb

Who says love has to be gentle?

A spoiled prince on his first overseas tour is torn between resenting his hot bodyguard—and yearning for him.

Prince Jordan is twenty years old, rich, and finally seeing the world. The last thing he needs is a babysitter. Especially one as rigid as Stuart Whitmore, an older, muscular man who makes it clear from their first meeting that there will be consequences if Jordan misbehaves.

No one has ever laid a hand on Jordan his whole life, but for the first time he’s  contemplating the possibility—and trying to figure out which buttons to push to achieve his goal. Because there’s something behind Stuart’s eyes that tells him he feels the same magnetic pull that Jordan does.

Stuart doesn’t give a damn that Jordan is a prince—he’s still the most entitled brat he’s ever laid eyes on. He’s also a temptation, igniting desires Stuart had thought long since extinguished. The prince needs a firm hand and Stuart is just the man to provide it, but there’s a vulnerability to Jordan that calls to him.

A call that proves too difficult to ignore.

What happens when discipline crosses the line into intense heat?

And what are the ramifications when the connection becomes so much more than just physical…

For both of them?

 

Review

You take one spoilt and bratty prince, desperate to lose his V-card, pair him with an experienced no-nonsense bodyguard and what do you get? A delightful, captivating, and sexy story that keeps you hooked from start to finish.

There is so much to love in this story. Jordan is a delightful brat when the story starts and slowly transforms into an adorable submissive as the tale progresses. Stuart, on the other hand, is nowhere near as gruff as he at first appears to be. And together they move from chalk and cheese to the perfect couple via a sequence of scenes varying from highly entertaining to hot and sexy.

If you enjoy an imaginative story with relatively little angst, quite a few laugh-out-loud moments, glorious spanking scenes, and a satisfying heat-level, you really should Princely Submission as soon as possible.

I don’t usually say anything about the covers of the books I read. I’m all about the words and more or less indifferent about cover images. But there’s an exception to every rule, as this gorgeous image proves. I was a little bit in love with this story before I read the first chapter. 😊

Kel’s Keeper by K.C. Wells

Release Date: September 1^st 2019

 240 Pages

Buy links: Amazon (universal link) | Barnes & Noble  | Kobo  | Apple | Smashwords

Available wide for September, then on Kindle Unlimited from October 1st.

Blurb

When Kel Taylor’s life changes irrevocably, he finds himself alone in the world. He might have rebelled a little against his parents, but that didn’t mean he was ready to lose them. Unable to cope with his grief and feelings of guilt, he turns to booze, but before he hits rock bottom, someone dives into the murky waters to save him.

Luc Bryant watched Kel grow from the little kid whose football broke a pane in his greenhouse, into the sexy young man who sent heat racing through him. That was when Luc stopped watching and distanced himself, because he didn’t want to be that kind of a man. And that’s how things continued, until he saw to what depths the boy had sunk. Luc will be damned if he’ll let Kel kill himself. What Kel needs is a friend, and Luc’s shoulders are plenty big enough to bear his burdens.

Kel doesn’t need a friend. He needs a pair of strong arms to hold him, a broad chest to curl up against, someone to listen to him, someone who cares for him… and a whole lot more.
What he needs is a Daddy.
He just doesn't know it yet.

A stand alone book that contains an age gap relationship between a sexy daddy and a virgin.

Review

Kel…and his Keeper…sighs. Oh my.

But, before I go on with my, probably somewhat gushing, review, I have to state that as far as I can remember this is the first book I read featuring a Daddy-Boy dynamic. I have on the other hand read and loved quite a few age-gap stories. So while I may not be able to ‘judge’ how well this book works as ‘daddy-kink’, I can honestly say that it is a masterful example of what a May to December (with added, extra-special flavor) romance can be.

You see, Kel’s Keeper is, first and foremost, a wonderful slow-burn and extremely sexy love story about a young man, Kel, overcoming grief and learning to accept, love, and embrace who he really is with the aid of an amazing, totally gush-worthy, older man.

Kel has been raised in a very strict religious household and has no doubt that his parents won’t be able to accept that he’s gay. As a result, Kel has hidden a large part of himself from the world at large, from his parents, and, in so far as he could, from himself ever since the day he saw their neighbor, Luc, through fresh, adolescent eyes and couldn’t deny the attraction.

Luc has kept his distance from Kel ever since he grew from the child living next door into a very attractive young man. Luc is no fool. He knows the community he lives in isn’t tolerant and that Kel’s parents are pretty much at the forefront of that intolerance. Staying firmly in the background was far safer than running the risk of anyone discovering the attraction Luc can’t deny.

Everything changes when Kel’s parents die and Kel falls apart. As much as Luc still doesn’t want to put Kel in an awkward situation, he just isn’t the kinda man who can stand back and watch somebody he cares about go to pieces.

And thus begins the beautiful, touching, heartwarming, and, eventually, incredibly sexy tale of Kel’s awakening. This story describes Kel’s journey from firmly closeted to happy and more than willing to fully embrace everything he is. And, like every journey, Kel and Luc reach their ultimate destination after a series of sub-stations along the way.

I absolutely adored Kel’s growth in this book. He slowly blossoms on the pages as he, with Luc’s, at times reluctant, guidance, discovers who he really is and what he likes, wants, and needs. You see, Luc in this book is Kel’s ‘daddy’ (or, as the titles says ‘Keeper’) long before the dynamic is mentioned, never mind introduced into their relationship. For the largest part of the book Luc focusses on Kel’s needs only, burying his own, determined to not influence Kel’s decision making in any way, shape, or form, determined to support him no matter what he decides to do the next…even if that decision ends up breaking Luc’s heart.

Kel’s voyage of discovery, his journey toward who he really is, is beautifully portrayed. The process is unrushed, organic, deeply touching and, on frequent occasions, deliciously sexy. After all, Kel is a young man and once he discovers the pleasure of intimacy and the ectasy of sex, there’s no stopping him. Just as well then, that Luc, while almost twice Kel’s age, has no problem keeping up.

It is safe to say that Luc cares for, you could say ‘keeps’ Kel, from the very start. While the ‘daddy’ aspect is touched upon at various times during the story, it isn’t until the very end that Kel has grown enough to fully understand what it means and has gotten to know himself well enough to embrace it as something he needs in his life…with Luc. Their path toward that point is a thing of beauty that took my breath away more than once.

Once again I highly recommend a gorgeous, emotional, and highly erotic story very well told by K.C. Wells.

Lost and Found - Dave & Carter - By Quin Perin - Release Blitz

Book Title: Lost and Found - A May/December Gay Romance

Author: Quin Perin

Publisher: Self-Published

Cover Artist: X Potion Designs

Genre/s: Second Chance Gay Romance

Length: 21 500 words/80 pages

It is a standalone story.

Add on Goodreads 

Buy Links: Amazon Universal Link | Amazon US | Amazon UK

- Available on Kindle Unlimited

Blurb

He is...

half my age,

my son’s friend,

and he calls me Daddy.

I brought him to his knees until he did the same to me.


“He was like a greedy little puppy, trying to please me. And goddamn, I needed him to need me.”


A May/December Second Chance Romance with a sprinkle of Daddy Kink. After their first encounter in “Take it All”, Lost and Found explores how Dave and Carter’s relationship took root and blossomed.

As a standalone novella, Lost and Found features explicit adult m/m content, Daddy Kink, age gap as well as romantic elements. The book ends...well, let’s see how it ends, shall we?
 

Excerpt

“Please,” Carter begged, tears in his eyes. Desperate, that’s what he was. The schedules I’d given him worked most of the time. But he needed the physical contact.

I released his hair and cupped his jaw, fingers digging into his cheeks. “You crossed a line, boy. Now go sit on the couch and think about what you’ve done before I do something I’ll regret.”

There it was again, that daring glimmer in his eyes. His hands almost touched the thick bulge I sported, but he knew better. He receded, never breaking eye contact while I nodded and praised him, “Good boy.”

It took another fifteen minutes to clean up the kitchen and cool down. I felt sick thinking about what had just happened. Our kinky connection almost exposed because Carter loved to play with fire. He wasn’t an ordinary submissive. Not like the ones I’d read about online. He was cheeky as fuck. But there he sat, with his head bent and his hands resting on his thighs, waiting for me to come over.

“I am sorry, Daddy,” he whispered when I rounded the couch and stood in front of him.

“Look at me.”

Staring up at me from the couch, he worried his bottom lip, chewing the right side of it until it was raw and swollen. I hated that habit.

“Stop biting your lip,” I ordered and brushed my thumb over it. The moment we connected, Carter’s eyes slid closed, and the tension seemed to flow from him. It’s what he needed, my touch, my affection.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured when I dipped my thumb into his mouth, pulling his lower lip down.

“You gonna make it up to Daddy?” Arousal was beating rage into submission, shutting off my brain. I needed to punish him as much as he needed me to do it. He’d won.

I made him undo my jeans. Which he did with such enthusiasm, I almost forgot the way he’d behaved. Next, he pulled down my briefs, letting my pulsing erection jut free. He tried to catch it with his mouth, but first it slid over his cheek, a string of precum landing there. I’d never seen anything sexier.

I moaned at the way he worked me into his mouth. That tight and warm heat. That goddamn tongue teasing me. I placed my hands on the back of his head, helping him to take in more. I’d never had someone suck my cock like they fucking loved it. Until Carter did exactly that. He slurped and moaned, his hands at the back of my thighs pulling me in deeper. He was going wild, bobbing and pumping and making my knees shake. I freed my balls while he went at it, blinking up with those big brown eyes, glazed with lust.

“You’re doing so good,” I rasped, “make it up to Daddy.”

His nose nuzzled my pubes, and my balls drew up tight, the tension spiking to new heights, ready to burst. But I didn’t let him finish me. Instead, I yanked him off, eliciting a surprised cry when I spun him around on the couch so his body splayed out on top of it. Carter scrambled, waving his ass at me as though it were my prize. Which it was. But he had to learn he couldn’t risk what we had. Not like that.

Without even undoing his loose-hanging jeans, I tore them down his legs. Another yelp. His underwear and pants pooled around his knees. Gazing over his shoulder with his bare ass on display, I straddled him, my wet cock bouncing with the movement, hanging out of my undone jeans. Carter tried to prop up onto his elbows, but I pinned him down, one hand slamming between his shoulder blades.

“Stay, boy!” I hissed and rubbed my free hand over the globes of his perfect ass. I’d never seen an ass like that, so round and taut and just...yeah, perfect.

Then, the spanking began.

About the Authors

This is Quin&Perin. We are a team of Sultry Gay Romance writers who focus on detailed, toe-curling, and realistic smut scenes with a fair share of dirty talking (Oh, boy). Unlike other authors, we write without the goal of publishing anything. Publishing is just the cherry on top of a cream-covered bubble butt.

Social Media Links: Blog/Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

 

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Silk (A Material World #3) by K.C. Wells

65000 words

Publisher: Island Tales Press

Buy links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Available on Kindle Unlimited

Blurb

Matt Dorning likes his life just the way it is. Escorting provides him with enough money to live in his favorite city, New York, and he’s been doing it long enough that he knows the rules: don’t give it away when there’s always someone who'll pay for it; always leave them wanting more; and never, never lose your heart to a client.

Lucas Sawyer is about to challenge all Matt’s rules. He’s a beautiful man who shouldn’t need to pay for sex, and yet Matt knows he’s the latest hooker in a long line. Lucas lives a life Matt can only dream of, but it doesn’t appear to make him happy: there’s something going on beneath that poised, self-assured exterior. And Matt also knows that his time with Lucas won’t last forever - escorts have a certain shelf life where he’s concerned.

So what happens when the man who doesn’t ‘do’ relationships, starts to question his life? Lucas is about to embark on a journey of self discovery…and Matt’s life is about to get messy…

Although this is part of the Material World series, it is a stand alone novella. Expect sex, silk, and sensuality.

Review

I’m facing a bit of a dilemma. You see, I absolutely adored this story. For me it is most definitely the best in the ‘A Material World’ series so far. So, I could easily gush about this book for several long paragraphs. On the other hand, I would love for you to discover all the joys this story brings for yourself. We’ll see what happens once I start my review proper.

Because there is a lot to gush about in this book. Both Lucas and Matt are wonderful and very easy to like characters. The interactions between them, right from the first moment they meet, were inspired, entertaining, and for the most part brought a huge grin to my face. Even when communication appears to break down, as it is bound to do with two men who don’t really know each other too well yet, it wasn’t in a frustrating — I want to smack their heads together — sorta way. In fact, I have to admit that I fell hard for both Matt and Lucas almost as soon as they were first introduced to me.

Sexy times between these men, you ask? Scorching is the first word that springs to mind, but it is closely followed by tender, sweet, and heartwarming. As Matt and Lucas’s ‘relationship’ changes from purely business to something more, even if neither of them can figure out exactly what form that ‘more’ might take initially, so does the intimacy between them. In my mind this was a perfect example of the sex scenes enhancing the story and pushing it forward.

Of course life is never just plain sailing, and neither are relationships in romantic novels, so Matt and Lucas do walk into one or two roadblocks on their way towards each other. Lucas, the einzelgänger, has to come to terms with the fact that he does want and need a partner in his life after all, while Matt needs to figure out if and/or how his escorting is going to fit in with having Lucas in his life. The issues are real and while the solutions appear obvious, both men need to come to terms with the changes in their feelings and lives before everything falls into place.

While the relationship between Lucas and Matt definitely falls under the ‘May to December’ header, I was very pleasantly surprised to find that wasn’t a main thread in this story. The age difference is mentioned once or twice but at no point does it provide a roadblock as far as these two men are concerned. I do love it when a story does not follow a predictable path.

The secondary characters in this book were fabulous. I can’t honestly say that surprised me; K.C. Wells is in a league of her own when it comes to writing memorable side characters. In this case I would love to add both Angela (Matt’s sister) and Grandma Diane (Lucas’s grandmother) to my list of people I wouldn’t mind meeting in real life — provided they’d bring Matt and Lucas along. J

I don’t usually say anything about the cover of the books I read in my reviews. I’m not a very visual person and just don’t tend to pay a lot of attention to them. In this case though, even that is worth at least some gushing; not only are the men on this cover stunning and hot, they are also exactly how I imagined Lucas and Matt.

I guess I ended up producing a gush fest after all. Maybe that was unavoidable. To summarize it all: If you’re looking for a story that’s going to make you smile and laugh out loud, a tale where you’ll fall in love with both MCs, and a addictive feel good read, I highly recommend Silk. I do hope there’ll be more ‘A Material World’ books in the not too distant future.

Related Reviews: Lace | Satin

Road to the Sun by Keira Andrews - Release Blitz

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK 

Paperback: Amazon US | Amazon UK 

Length: 70,000 words

Blurb

A desperate father. A lonely ranger. Unexpected love that can’t be denied.

Jason Kellerman’s life revolves around his eight-year-old daughter. Teenage curiosity with his best friend led to Maggie’s birth, her mother tragically dying soon after. Insistent on raising his daughter himself, he was disowned by his wealthy family and has worked tirelessly to support Maggie—even bringing her west on a dream vacation. Only twenty-five, Jason hasn’t had time to even think about romance. So the last thing he expects is to question his sexuality after meeting an undeniably attractive park ranger.

Ben Hettler’s stuck. He loves working in the wild under Montana's big sky, but at forty-one, his love life is non-existent, his ex-boyfriend just married and adopted, and Ben’s own dream of fatherhood feels impossibly out of reach. He’s attracted to Jason, but what’s the point? Besides the age difference and skittish Jason’s lack of experience, they live thousands of miles apart. Ben wants more than a meaningless fling.

Then a hunted criminal takes Maggie hostage, throwing Jason and Ben together in a desperate and dangerous search through endless miles of mountain forest. If they rescue Maggie against all odds, can they build a new family together and find a place to call home?

Road to the Sun is a May-December gay romance from Keira Andrews featuring adventure, angst, coming out, sexual discovery, and of course a happy ending.

Author Bio

After writing for years yet never really finding the right inspiration, Keira discovered her voice in gay romance, which has become a passion. She writes contemporary, historical, fantasy, and paranormal fiction and — although she loves delicious angst along the way — Keira firmly believes in happy endings. For as Oscar Wilde once said:

“The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what fiction means.”

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Step by Step by K.C. Wells - Review Tour

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Dreamspinner

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Length: 85,899 words

Cover Photo: Strangeland Photography

Cover Design: Paul Richmond

Blurb

Jamie’s life is one big financial mess, and it really isn’t his fault. However, the last thing he expected to find in the library was a Good Samaritan. He might have been suspicious of Guy’s motives at first, but it soon becomes apparent that his savior is a good man who has been lucky in life and is looking to pay it forward. Guy being gay is not a problem. Jamie’s not interested… or so he thinks.

Guy is happy to help Jamie, and the two men get along fine. But when Jamie’s curiosity leads him from one thing to another, Guy finds himself looking at the younger man with new eyes. What started out as a hand up is now something completely different….

March 13 - Diverse Reader, Gay Book Reviews, Dirty Books Obsession, The Way She Reads, Love Bytes, Mikku-chan
March 17 - Urban Smoothie Read
March 20 - Sarandipity, MM Book Addicts, Wicked Faerie's Tales & Reviews
March 22 - Bonkers About Books, Dog-Eared Daydreams, Making It Happen
March 27 - Nerdy Dirty & Flirty, Lustful Literature, MM Good Book Reviews
March 29 - Keysmash
March 31 - Bayou Book Junkie
April 3 - PNR Book Lover Reviews

My thoughts

Step by Step is one of those adorable, ‘I wouldn’t mind if it happened to me’ stories. Jamie has reached a low point, is about to lose the roof over his head and has no idea how he’s going to salvage the situation when a stranger overhears him talking on his phone in the library and invites him for a cup of coffee.

Guy, the stranger in question, found himself in a similar situation years ago until an older man stepped forward and saved the day. Given the opportunity, Guy wants to pay the favour he received forwards and he offers Jamie both accommodation and financial support. While Guy initially assumes Jamie is gay, the fact that Jamie identifies as straight does not affect the offer; in fact, none of Guy’s generosity comes with strings attached.

After Jamie moves into Guy’s spare bedroom the two men slowly get to know each other better and it isn’t long before they turn from new acquaintances to friends despite their age difference. Their relationship takes a different and for both men unexpected turn when Jamie discovers he is attracted to Guy and more than a little curious as to what acting on that attraction might mean. The scene during which Jamie first comes to that realisation was both hot and wonderful. I’d love to share details here, but I don’t want to spoil the enjoyment of reading  that part of the story for the first time for anyone.

This story had the potential to be an ‘angst-fest’ but, much to my delight, turned out to be the exact opposite. His attraction to Guy doesn’t bother Jamie, he just accepts it as a fact of life. He doesn’t delve into endless soul searching as to how he should now label himself either. He’s attracted to, and later in love with, Guy, and that’s good enough for him. Similarly I can think of at least a few issues Guy might have gotten angsty over, but that doesn’t happen either. The relationship between these two men develops slowly, without any pressure or expectations from either side and is all the more beautiful for its organic growth.

It won’t come to anybody’s surprise when I say that the secondary characters in this book were almost as memorable as the stars of the story. That’s not to say they’re all nice. Guy’s ex-wife and his son both deserved a good talking to at the very least. Guy’s daughter and her husband-to-be on the other hand were as charming as they were realistic. Jamie’s best friend Ryan is the sort of buddy all of us need in our lives. He’ll be the first to tease Jamie but when push comes to shove he looks out for Jamie and offers a listening ear and advice.

I really do hope KC will set more books in this world. I can’t help feeling Ryan, Cole, (the district attorney) and John (the club owner) deserve their own stories and happy endings.

If it isn’t clear from the above let me put it pure and simply: I love this book. I loved both Guy and Jamie as characters. I loved the uncomplicated nature and development of their relationship. But most of all I loved that first Guy (in the past) and now Jamie (in this book) trusted the way I trust, approached people the way I tend to approach them. Both of them expected only good and found it. I firmly believe that this happens in real life too. Not every kind offer is cynical. Not every favour comes with strings attached. Sometimes people are just good and kind. And sometimes there’s no greater pleasure than reading about such people and see them reach a happy ever after.

As for Step by Step; I’ll remember this story with a smile on my face. Reading this book made me happy in the same way reading fairytales used to delight me when I was a child. Sometimes all I want is to read about love, people connecting, and happiness without all the pitfalls before the characters get there. This is such a book, uncomplicated and utterly charming – a pure delight to read.

Author Bio

Born and raised in the north-west of England, K.C. WELLS always loved writing. Words were important. Full stop. However, when childhood gave way to adulthood, the writing ceased, as life got in the way. K.C. discovered erotic fiction in 2009, when the purchase of a ménage storyline led to the startling discovery that reading about men in love was damn hot. In 2012, arriving at a really low point in life led to the desperate need to do something creative. An even bigger discovery waited in the wings—writing about men in love was even hotter….

K.C. now writes full-time and is loving every minute of her new career. The laptop still has no idea of what hit it… it only knows that it wants a rest, please. And it now has to get used to the idea that where K.C goes, it goes.

And as for those men in love that she writes about? The list of stories just waiting to be written is getting longer… and longer….

K.C. loves to hear from readers.

E-mail: k.c.wells@btinternet.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KCWellsWorld
Twitter: @K_C_Wells
Website: http://www.kcwellsworld.com

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Saving Jason by K.C. Wells

Author: K.C. Wells

Length: 31,300 words

Cover Design: Meredith Russell

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK 

Blurb

When David Merrow is given the task of finding a suitable soup kitchen so his company can improve their PR, he realizes he needs help. He turns to Jason Garton, the owner of the coffee house that David visits every morning. Funny how it took David so long to notice all the food and beverages Jason gives away to the homeless. Because until then, Jason had been almost invisible.

But the more David learns about him, the more intrigued he becomes. There’s something about the selfless, lonely older man that pulls David in, and what began as work becomes so much more.

My Review

The wonderful thing about Christmas stories for me at least, is the pure comfort I get from reading them. There’s something about the combination of sweet romance and Christmas wonder to make losing yourself in the story a pure delight. And that was certainly the case when I read Saving Jason.

This is the story of two men ever so slowly getting to know and appreciate each other before falling, hard. But even once the mutual attraction has been acknowledged through the sweetest (and hottest) of kisses, the seduction game remains tantalisingly slow and all the more enticing for it. And when these two men take their mutual attraction beyond kissing…. Let’s just say all of us should experience our first time as Jason does.

While I liked David a lot in this story I have to admit to a weak spot for Jason. The vulnerable older man totally captured my heart. He’s so sure he’ll never experience love, he’s resigned himself to being alone. He lives, he functions, he owns and runs a popular coffee shop and volunteers in homeless shelters; it’s a life, but like his apartment it is basic and bland. His slow awakening to life, opportunities, attraction, and ultimately love was a wonder to behold and a delight to read. He’s the sort of man you want nothing but the best for. If you could, you’d wrap him up in your arms and keep him safe. After all, Jason needs saving.

David goes on a journey on his own in this story. While it may be up to younger David to slowly lead Jason down the path of loving a man, it is through Jason that David finds himself opening up to the world. Not that he was bad or indifferent before Jason; it’s just that he wasn’t really paying attention to what was going on around him. When Jason opens his eyes, David is the first to do what he can to help.

There is never any doubt that these two men will come to their happy ending. There’s little to no angst in this story, and it’s wonderful and sweet and sexy. If you enjoy a May to December story, and/or a sweet Christmas story, and/or a first time lover story…in short, if you enjoy a story that will feel like a warm blanket and open fire on a cold day, you’ll want to read Saving Jason.

Author Bio

Born and raised in the north-west of England, K.C. WELLS always loved writing. Words were important. Full stop. However, when childhood gave way to adulthood, the writing ceased, as life got in the way. K.C. discovered erotic fiction in 2009, when the purchase of a ménage storyline led to the startling discovery that reading about men in love was damn hot. In 2012, arriving at a really low point in life led to the desperate need to do something creative. An even bigger discovery waited in the wings—writing about men in love was even hotter….

K.C. now writes full-time and is loving every minute of her new career. The laptop still has no idea of what hit it… it only knows that it wants a rest, please. And it now has to get used to the idea that where K.C goes, it goes.

And as for those men in love that she writes about? The list of stories just waiting to be written is getting longer… and longer….

K.C. loves to hear from readers.
E-mail: k.c.wells@btinternet.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KCWellsWorld
Twitter: @K_C_Wells
Website: http://www.kcwellsworld.com

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Bear Among the Books by T.J. Masters

Pages: 213

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Buy links: Dreamspinner      Amazon         Amazon UK    ARe

The blurb:

Forty-eight-year-old Ben Thompson is a librarian, a passionate book lover, and a man who embodies the definition of a bear. He’s also lonely after the loss of his long-term partner. Young ex-gymnast Jason Barnes piques his interest, but Ben quickly realizes there’s more to Jason than his good looks. While Jason visits the library almost every day, he never checks out a book.

With gentle persistence, Ben befriends Jason and learns the nineteen-year-old’s tragic secrets. After years of abuse at his father’s hands, Jason was kicked out of his family home for being gay. And despite his apparent love of books, Jason never learned to read. Ben offers to teach him, and the two men bond over their lessons. Ben can’t deny his attraction to Jason, but he wonders if Jason is too young and too handsome to return his interest. With the help of the close-knit library team and Jason’s growing self-confidence, they move beyond the books and into the bedroom, where their own story is just beginning.

My thoughts: 

I should probably start this review by mentioning that I am a librarian. For that reason all the details about working in and the running of a library entertained me as much as the romance did. On several occasions I found myself thinking ‘oh yes, that’s how we do it too’ and that invariably brought a smile to my face. Something else that made me grin was the fact that I would probably describe myself as a cross between Debbie and Ben; while I love welcoming new members to the library and love seeing them peruse the shelves, I find it very hard not to frown when they disturb the order on those shelves.

But, this review is supposed to be about the book and not about my day job, and Bear Among the Books touched my heart in many ways. It contains a wonderful romance, it’s a declaration of love towards libraries and, maybe more than anything else it’s an ode to words, books, stories, writing, and reading.

“I had always felt sorry for people who didn’t read and never experienced the joy of getting lost in a well-written story.” – Ben

My heart ached for Jason. To love books so much and not be able to read. Scratch that, just to not be able to read is a nightmare scenario to me. A nightmare that Jason is consciously living, as his words about being/working in a library so beautifully reflect.

“It’s like being inside the biggest, richest treasure chest in the world. It’s like a bank vault for people’s dreams and experiences.”

Of course Jason’s illiteracy wasn’t the only thing about him to break my heart. His back-story is horrendous and brought tears to my eyes on more than one occasion. He’s such a gentle, kind and big-hearted soul despite everything he has endured and his insecurities are as understandable as they are heartbreaking.

Ben was the sort of person I could fall for myself in a heartbeat. Kind, generous, patient, and always putting others first, he is exactly what Jason needs even if everybody else realises that long before Ben is willing to entertain the idea.

Jason’s grandmother was a breath of fresh air and I loved her attitude. The age difference between Ben and Jason is large —28 years to be precise. And while Ben does initially have some understandable concerns about it, I love that it wasn’t turned into a huge belly-ache or an issue for any of the other characters in the story.

“The heart has no wrinkles.” – Alice / Nan

In fact, this is not an angsty read at all. Despite Jason’s past and Ben’s reservations about a relationship, this is mostly a sweet tale about healing and books, about people coming together to do the right thing, and about embracing new opportunities and love when they come your way.

Bear Among the Books is a charming and touching feel good story. Yes, there are one or two moments that will tug at your heartstrings and bring tears to your eyes, but overall, this tale will leave you with a huge smile on your face and a love for the written word that is even stronger than it was before you started reading it.