For Real by Alexis Hall

FOR REAL by Alexis Hall

 

Pages: 470

Date: June 13, 2015

Details: ARC received through NetGalley

E-book

The blurb:

Laurence Dalziel is worn down and washed up, and for him, the BDSM scene is all played out. Six years on from his last relationship, he’s pushing forty and tired of going through the motions of submission.

Then he meets Toby Finch. Nineteen years old. Fearless, fierce, and vulnerable. Everything Laurie can’t remember being.

Toby doesn’t know who he wants to be or what he wants to do. But he knows, with all the certainty of youth, that he wants Laurie. He wants him on his knees. He wants to make him hurt, he wants to make him beg, he wants to make him fall in love.

The problem is, while Laurie will surrender his body, he won’t surrender his heart. Because Toby is too young, too intense, too easy to hurt. And what they have—no matter how right it feels—can’t last. It can’t mean anything.

It can’t be real. 

My thoughts:

Well WOW. Talk about being completely blown away by a book. This was an amazing read on several levels.

First and foremost there’s the fact I should not have enjoyed this book as much as I did. The story is told in the first person by the two main characters in alternating chapters and a lot of what they tell us is introspection – their thoughts, feelings, doubts, fears, insecurities and such. If any other author tried to do this I know I would have been bored long before I’d reached the half way point in the story. Not in this book though, Toby and Laurie sucked me into their emotional world without any obvious effort on their part and didn’t let me go until I’d read their entire story.

And what a story it is. Again, it shouldn’t have worked. A nineteen-year-old Dom without any experience and a thirty-seven year-old jaded sub should not make a plausible combination, never mind a couple you find yourself rooting for, but they very much are. In fact, ‘rooting for’ is not a strong enough term. I fell for Toby and Laurie and became totally invested in their complicated, clumsy and oh so beautiful exploration of what they might be together – could mean to each other.

The dynamics in this book were anything except typical. I mean you’d expect the older Laurie to be in charge and sure of himself but, especially in the early part of the story, he’s far more insecure and scared than Toby.

“I hated being forgiven almost as much as I feared rejection.” – Laurie

At the same time, Toby is on a delightful journey of discovery. Maybe because, unlike Laurie, he doesn’t know the risks yet. He’s discovering new feelings, a new way of being, a power within himself he’d only ever guessed at before Laurie knelt at his feet.

“But that’s sort of what love is, I guess. A perpetual state of semi-deranged partiality.” – Toby

The dynamic between these two men took my breath away. Yes, it was incredibly hot, but it was so much more than that. They way they give and take, the manner in which they fit together and the feelings they have for each other were so beautiful they brought tears to my eyes once or twice.

“The thing is, I really fucking admire him. And the more he gives me – pain, dignity, shame, tears, this weakness that isn’t weakness at all – the more I admire him. The more I just totally adore him.” – Toby

And then there are the hidden truths I kept on running into. Short sentence, easy to miss but so profound if you pay attention. The sort of sentiments you want to memorize and pull from your memory when you need them.

“It’s not what you do, it’s what it means.” – Laurie

For Real is a powerful, memorable and far from traditional but very hot love story. It’s an amazing book featuring two characters gloriously beautiful in all their flaws. This book will, without a doubt, end up being one of my top reads this year.

“He jerks and cries out, sounding so powerful and so powerless at the same time, this chained up man who is taking pain for me, who isn’t afraid to be weak for me or ashamed to be afraid. The bravest, strongest, most beautiful man I’ve ever met.” - Toby

Cheeky Hipsters and Jocks by Posy Roberts - A Release Day Review

·         Title: Cheeky Hipsters & Jocks

·         Author: Posy Roberts

·         Publisher: Blanket Fort Press

·         Genre: MM Erotic Romance

·         Length: 12,761 words

·         Release Date: June 12, 2015

·         Series: The Secrets Collection (see below)

Blurb:

Jack has a secret hidden in his pants. Eli thinks he knows what it is.

Jack Cox has a secret he’s kept hidden for twenty years until a fellow hockey player discovers a scrap of silk and lace hiding in his pocket. Elijah Mitten notices how anxious Jack is as the hot-pink fabric makes its way around the locker room, and when Jack throws it in the trash like it means nothing, Elijah guesses what’s beneath his stoic façade and possibly his pants.

When Elijah shows up on Jack’s doorstep looking for answers, Jack won’t admit anything. But when Elijah takes matters into his own hands, Jack has to make a decision: share his secret and risk losing hockey or keep it hidden forever.

Buy links: http://www.amazon.com/Cheeky-Hipsters-Jocks-BFP-Collection-ebook/dp/B00YZP85OE/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

This story will be exclusive to Amazon 

The Secrets Collection

The Secrets Collection are sexy short stories by four different authors linked by the common theme of secrets.

· June 4, 2015: Top Me Maybe? by Jay Northcote

· June 12, 2015: Cheeky Hipster & Jocks by Posy Roberts

· June 19, 2015: Toy With Me by Annabelle Jacobs

· June 26, 2015: Vampire Wishes by Teegan Loy 

Please visit Blanket Fort Press for full details on the other stories in the Secrets Collection.

Author Bio:

Posy Roberts writes about romantic male love. Whether her characters are family men, drag queens, or lonely men searching for connections, they all find a home in her stories.

Posy is married to a man who makes sure she doesn’t forget to eat or sleep; her daughter, a budding author and dedicated Whovian, helps her come up with character names. When Posy’s not writing, she enjoys crafting, hiking, and singing spontaneously about the mundane, just to make normal seem more interesting.

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

My thoughts on Cheeky Hipsters & Jocks:

This is the second title I’ve read in The Secrets Collection and I am as impressed as I was after reading Jay Northcote’s Top Me Maybe?

These stories may be advertised as ‘porny shorts’, they are, in my opinion, a lot more. Yes, Cheeky Hipsters & Jocks is a very sexy, not to mention hot, story. But it is also a whole lot more. While the book may take only roundabout an hour to read, you will have a pretty good idea who Jack and Elijah are by the time the story ends and, if you’re anything like me, you will have fallen for them, find yourself delighted with where they are and convinced they are headed for their happily ever after.

Jack captured my heart straight away. Watching him battle his embarrassment while putting up a brave face and bluffing his way through the situation was powerful. I adored Eli from the start. The way he handles the situation and subsequently put Jack at ease (before getting him all hot and bother again but for completely different reasons) was delightful.

Like Top Me Maybe?, Cheeky Hipsters and Jocks is a sexy feel-good read. You’ll enjoy the story and finish it with a huge smile on your face. It is also very well written and a pure delight to read.

Of course now that two of the four titles have been a resounding success with me, I’ll have to read the last two as well. I’m delighted the wait for those books won’t be long at all. And, as a side-note to the authors involved, I wouldn’t complain if this collaboration could be repeated at some point in the future.

Cronin's Key by N.R. Walker

CRONIN’S KEY by N.R. Walker

Pages:          265

Date:           June 9, 2015

Details:        No. 1 Cronin’s Key

E-book

The blurb:

“NYPD Detective Alec MacAidan has always been good with weird. After all, his life has been a string of the unexplainable. But when an injured man gives him cryptic clues, then turns to dust in front of him, Alec's view on weird is changed forever.

Cronin, a vampire Elder, has spent the last thousand years waiting for Alec. He'd been told his fated one would be a man wielding a shield, but he didn't expect him to be human, and he certainly didn't expect that shield to be a police badge.

Both men, strong-willed and stubborn, are still learning how to cope with the push and pull of being fated, when fate throws them another curveball.

Rumors have spread quickly of turmoil in Egypt. Covens are fleeing with news of a vampire who has a talent like no other, hell-bent on unleashing the wrath of Death.

Alec and Cronin are thrown into a world of weird Alec cannot imagine. What he learned in school of ancient pharaohs and Egyptian gods was far from the truth. Instead, he finds out firsthand that history isn't always what it seems.”

My thoughts:

This was a highly enjoyable read. Fast-paced, mysterious, thrilling, sexy and romantic I don’t think there is a single boring word, never mind sentence, in Cronin’s Key.

We’re thrown straight into the adventure on the first page and the action doesn’t let up until the very end of the story. Cronin, the age-old vampire and Alec, the human policeman, were wonderful together. Of course the fact that they’re fated means there’s an instant and very strong attraction between them but that doesn’t mean everything falls into place from the very first moment. Alex initially resents being fated, even if he can’t deny being away from Cronin has become impossible, and I liked that about this story. It would all have been a bit too easy otherwise.

Because the premise of the story borrows from various historical events and cultures the reader is given quite a bit of information. I’m rather impressed that the author managed to tell me exactly what I needed to know to understand what was happening without ever making it feel as if she was over-feeding me or dumping facts on me.

I find myself rather fascinated with Cronin and Alec now and can’t escape the feeling it won’t be long before I purchase the sequel.

BALLS UP by Kate Aaron

BALLS UP by Kate Aaron

 

Pages:          310

Date:           June 6, 2015

Details:        No. 2 Blowing It

                   Copy received from author

E-book

The blurb:

Owen Barnes’s life is finally going the way he wants. He’s making a living as an author, and his relationship with building surveyor Magnus Cassidy is going from strength to strength. 

When Owen finds a lump, he buries his head in the sand. He’s too busy for doctor appointments and besides, it’s probably nothing. He pushes concern away and is soon swept up in a whirlwind of distractions. His best friend’s husband is falling apart and Owen needs to be strong for them, not burdening them with his fears.

He says he’ll deal with it when the new book is released, when Ryan and Sameer are more stable, when he’s done writing. Owen has a hundred excuses to hide one simple fact: he’s scared.

Eventually Magnus drags him to the doctor, and the news isn’t good. Can Owen cope with the unexpected turn events have taken, or is his perfect life about to go balls up?

My thoughts:

I finished reading Balls Up some time ago and have been procrastinating about writing this review ever since. Not because I have any doubts about how I feel about this book or because I didn’t like it as much as I hoped I might, quite the opposite. The reason I have been and still am reluctant to articulate my thoughts, is that I’m afraid I can’t do it without it a) turning into a gush-fest and b) getting way too personal. For what it’s worth I’ll give it a shot, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.

I loved, loved, loved Balls Up. Before starting the book I had one or two reservations about reading a book in which one of the characters battles cancer but I dove in anyway because I trusted Kate Aaron to treat the subject right.

It would be very easy to turn this review into a novella in its own right, while I give a blow by blow account of everything I thought and felt while reading this book; my frustration with Owen when he refuses to go to the doctor, my continued frustration with him when he won’t tell his friends and family that he’s ill, my sympathy for him as he comes face to face with all the indignities accompanying hospital stays and intrusive treatments and... I could go on.

This book touched me on a very deep and personal level. No, I’ve never personally faced cancer but I have been through the medical system on more than one occasion and know what it’s like to stare death in the face and keep on going regardless. I know how frustrating it is when your independence is slowly stripped away and you find yourself depending on others for things you’d rather keep private. I know that sense of betrayal when your body lets you down and the anger and frustration that leads to. But also, I know how amazing it feels to have someone in your life who doesn’t bat an eye-lid, who supports you despite the cost to themselves, who loves you no matter what you look like or how undignified your situation may be.

For me Kate Aaron’s amazing talent was at its most obvious when she could take me back and re-experience all those emotions without making me cry. While Owen and I fought very different battles there wasn’t an emotion he felt I didn’t instantly recognize nor a situation he found himself in I hadn’t experienced too. That should have made this a hard if not impossible book for me to read. Much to my surprise it was the exact opposite.

I need a few words to talk about Magnus. Just as Kate got the trials Owen goes through exactly right, she was also spot-on when it came to her descriptions of the loving and supportive partner. In fact, she got it so right I’d forgotten what Magnus was supposed to look like by the time I was half way through the book; in my head he’d taken on the appearance of my husband and nobody can convince me that’s not what he looks like.

This is, without a doubt, (one of) the best book(s) I’ve read this year. The story took me through every emotion imaginable only to leave me uplifted by the time the story ended. I can’t begin to tell you how amazing this book is. I can tell you that you’d be doing yourself a great disservice if you did not read it.

Author in the Spotlight: Blaine D. Arden

Oren’s Right by Blaine D. Arden

Length:        60 pages / 17.700 words

Date:           June 6, 2015

Details:        A ‘Tales of the Forest’ story.

Copy received from author

E-book

The blurb:

FOLLOWING HIS PRINCIPLES WILL BREAK TWO HEARTS

Forester Veld loses a piece of himself to mute baker Oren when they first meet, but Oren is vowed to Haram. When Haram is killed, Veld denies his heart to respect the mourning period. It’s the right thing to do.

During Haram’s funeral, Oren proudly bares the brands that show the nature of their love; Haram owned him, heart and body. The elves pity Oren and think he’s broken.

Veld has no intention of dishonouring Haram’s memory, but his death may not have been an accident. Only a forester can learn what the trees have seen. However, Oren’s independence is threatened, and if Veld doesn’t offer what Oren needs, Oren may never be his to claim.

My thoughts:

Oren’s Right is part of the ‘Tales of the Forest’ series and, if I read the author’s website right, the third book in the sequence. I can’t say it mattered. This fantasy world captured me from the moment I started reading and at no point did I feel lost or wondering if I’d missed something – Oren’s Right works very well as a stand-alone story.

And what a story it is. We’re given fantasy, a mystery, tension, pain, loss and love. There are subtle messages in this story about dealing with people who have different customs from our own or take their pleasure in ways we don’t understand and can’t imagine. I loved that those weren’t preached and spoke all the more loudly for it.

I adore Veld and his patience despite a desire he’d been hiding and suppressing for years. Oren – the gentle giant with a deep need to serve - was an adorable character and like Veld all I wanted was for Oren to be safe and taken care off.

Despite this being a short story it is a fully fledged tale without open endings or unanswered questions. The fact that the book ended with a few bonus scenes was a very nice and welcome surprise. I thoroughly enjoyed this fantasy and highly recommend this award winning book.

The Fifth Son by Blaine D. Arden

Length:        76 pages / 24.000 words

Date:           June 6, 2015

Details:        Copy received from author

E-book

The blurb:

A prince without power

In a land where magic is commonplace, Prince Llyskel has none. He can’t command spells, he has never been taught to fight and as the fifth son of the King, he will never rule. Everyone believes he’s a weakling, most of all himself.

Powerlessness ins Llyskel’s problem – and his pleasure. In his secret fantasies, the prince dreams of nothing more than finding himself helpless at another man’s hands...particularly the hands of Captain Ariv of the Guards

Then Ariv makes Llyskel’s dream a reality and as the powerless prince surrenders to the soldier’s desire, he finds his own true strength at last. But a web of royal politics is closing around Llyskel, threatening to tear him from his lover, and it will take all his newfound courage to escape.

My thoughts:

I loved this story, I loved the world it was set in and I loved Llyskel and Ariv. I find myself amazed at how the author manages to create a vibrant and vivid picture of a fantasy world in such a short story. At no point while reading was I aware of world-building, never mind information dumping, and yet I had a clear picture of where I was and how that world operated, almost from the very first paragraph.

Llyskel and Ariv’s story almost reads like a fairy-tale and I loved that aspect. The combination of angst (minimal), love story, sexy times and danger was just about perfect for me. And the writing is so smooth the story almost read itself. In fact, reading The Fifth Son was a pure pleasure.

Before I forget I have to mention the illustrations. They are beautiful. I would have loved for them to be in colour but, thanks to the beautiful and full colour cover, I have no problem imagining what those images would look like. And how appropriate is it that a story in which one of the main characters is an accomplished painter should come accompanied by such wonderful pictures?

The very last line in this book put a smile on my face. It was the perfect ending to a wonderful read.

About the Author:

Blaine D. Arden is a purple-haired, forty-something author of gay & trans* romance mixed with fantasy, mystery, and magic who sings her way through life in platform boots.

Born and raised in Zutphen, the Netherlands, Blaine spent many hours of her sheltered youth reading, day dreaming, making up stories and acting them out with her Barbies. After seeing the film "An Early Frost" as a teen in the mid-eighties, an idealistic Blaine wanted to do away with the negativity surrounding homosexuality and strove to show the world how beautiful love between men could be. Our difference is our strength, is Blaine's motto, and her stories are often set in worlds where gender fluidity and sexual diversity are accepted as is. 

When not writing or reading, Blaine has singing lessons and hopes to be in a band someday. Supporting Blaine in pursuing her dreams and all matters regarding household, sons, and cairn terrier, is her long-suffering husband for over twenty years.

Blaine has been published by Storm Moon Press, and has recently signed contracts with Less Than Three Press and Wilde City Press. Her scifi romance "Aliens, Smith and Jones" received an Honourable Mention in the Best Gay Sci-Fi/Fantasy category of the Rainbow Awards 2012.

Blaine can be found on her website, twitter, facebook, goodreads, and by email.

Top Me Maybe? by Jay Northcote - Release Day Post, Review and Giveaway

Title: Top Me Maybe?

Author: Jay Northcote

Publisher: Blanket Fort Press

Length: 9666 words

Genre: Contemporary gay erotic romance

Cover Artist: T.M. Franklin

Release Date: Friday June 5th

Series: The Secrets Collection (see below)

Buy links:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YVE2T0U

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00YVE2T0U

NB: This story will be exclusive to Amazon

Blurb:

Duncan has a secret fantasy, but is Tyler the right man for the job?

Tyler’s new policeman boyfriend, Duncan, is gorgeous. Tall, broad, and über-masculine, he’s the epitome of the dominant top—in appearance at least.

When they discuss their sexual fantasies, Duncan confesses to a secret desire that surprises Tyler. Luckily for Duncan, Tyler’s happy to oblige and is determined to give Duncan a night to remember.

Length: 9666 words

The Secrets Collection

The Secrets Collectionare sexy short stories by four different authors. The stories are linked by the common theme of secrets.

June 5, 2015:Top Me Maybe?by Jay Northcote

June 12, 2015:Cheeky Hipster & Jocks by Posy Roberts

June 19, 2015:Toy With Me by Annabelle Jacobs

June 26, 2015: (to be confirmed) by Teegan Loy

Please visit Blanket Fort Press for full details on the other stories in the Secrets Collection

Rafflecopter Giveaway

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b2e9f9047/?

Excerpt from Top Me Maybe:

“What do you want to talk about?”

Tyler thought for a moment then answered, “Sexual fantasies.” They hadn’t had that conversation yet. Not in any detail anyway.

“Okay.” Duncan sounded a little dubious. “You can go first then. Seeing as it’s your idea.”

“God. I have loads… where to start? Okay, one of mine is deflowering a Catholic priest or a monk or something—someone who’s taken a vow of celibacy, but in the fantasy I’m so hot they can’t resist me.” Tyler’s cheeks heated at the admission, but somehow it was easier having this conversation in the dark when Duncan couldn’t see his face. “Another is having sex in public…. Not in the park or something—that would be a bit skeevy—but somewhere people have come expecting to see it, like a live sex show. Or maybe being in porn, knowing that people were watching me and jerking off watching me fucking someone else…. That would be hot.” He stopped because Duncan hadn’t reacted. “Well? It’s your turn now.”

“I feel really boring in comparison,” Duncan said. “Your imagination is wild.”

Tyler chuckled. “Yeah… well I was a late starter in the practical side of things. Didn’t even kiss a guy till I was seventeen, so I spent a lot of time wanking in my bedroom thinking about stuff like that. Anyway, come on. There must be something you fantasise about. It doesn’t have to be something you actually want to do for real. I don’t think I’ll ever actually shag a priest or make a porno, but it’s fun thinking about it. It turns me on.” He wriggled a little closer to Duncan, pressing his thickening cock against the curve of his arse and combing his fingers through the hair on Duncan’s chest.

He waited for Duncan to respond, and the silence stretched out long enough to get a little awkward.

“Hey, you don’t have to if you’re not comfortable sharing,” Tyler said. Suddenly he was worried. Maybe Duncan was into something really kinky? Maybe Tyler didn’t want to know what his fantasies were. “Don’t worry about it, we can—”

“I think about being fucked.” Duncan’s voice was quiet, a deep rumble that vibrated in his chest under Tyler’s hand.

Surprise hit Tyler at the admission. It wasn’t what he’d expected to hear from Duncan at all. But he didn’t react, waiting for him to elaborate. But he didn’t, so Tyler prompted, “And?”

“That’s it.” Duncan took a deep breath, his ribs expanding under Tyler’s arm. “I’ve never bottomed. But I… I fantasise about it. About being fucked by another guy.”

Author Bio:

Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England, with her husband, two children, and two cats.

She comes from a family of writers, but she always used to believe that the gene for fiction writing had passed her by. She spent years only ever writing emails, articles, or website content. One day, she decided to try and write a short story–just to see if she could–and found it rather addictive. She hasn’t stopped writing since.

www.jaynorthcote.com

Twitter

Facebook profile

Facebook Author Page

Jay’s books

My thoughts:

I could keep this short and sweet and just say, Jay Northcote did it again. And, I wouldn’t be lying. But, two lines don’t really make a review so I’ll try to elaborate.

Top Me Maybe is a short, sex driven story. And yet, it is so much more than just a sexy tale. Within less than ten-thousand words Jay doesn’t only manage to give us two extremely hot encounters but also to flesh out Tyler and Duncan enough to leave the reader with a real impression of who they are. It is so easy to write a review about a short story and say something along the lines of ‘if only it had been longer’. And do not get me wrong, I would not have complained if I had had to spend more time with these two characters. However, I don’t need that extra time with them. This story is a full and finished – be it short – tale. It gives us a snapshot of a relationship while it’s on the verge of shifting from more or less casual hook-up into something more and deeper – something that might have a future.

This story is perfect if you happen to find yourself in the mood for a hot, quick tale which will leave you uplifted, satisfied, and with a happy smile on your face. In fact, I’d go as far as to say you can’t go wrong with this author’s books in general. If Jay Northcote is a new to you author, Top Me Maybe is a wonderful introduction to her story-telling talents, her life-like characters and her smooth way with words.

Dancing Days by Clare London

DANCING DAYS by Clare London

Pages:          60

Date:           June 2, 2015

Details:        A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2015

Daily Dose package "Never Too Late."

                   Copy received from author

E-book

The blurb:

“The day Glen Carson loses his wallet is the day that changes his life. The wallet is returned by Aston Walsh, a man he hasn't seen for twenty years. He and Aston had a passionate and intense romance when they were in their late twenties, and Glen thought their love would last forever. But his dreams were horribly shattered by a shocking confession from Aston, and they parted for good—or so Glen assumed. Now, two decades later, they’ve lived many years apart, created new histories, and built successful lives. Yet the spark between them is still there. Aston wants a second chance with Glen, but Glen is more cautious this time around. He has to decide if Aston's regret is genuine, and if surrendering his heart to Aston again is worth the risk.”

My thoughts:

This was a wonderful short read; a feel-good story with just the right amount of angst. It is wonderful to read about characters who are not in the first flush of youth. Glen is in his forties and Aston is fifty, both men have histories – both with each other and separately – and they are still attracted to each other when they meet again twenty years after Glen ended the affair they had at the time.

This is a short read but it’s a complete story. There’s enough back story to define the characters and place the reader in the middle of events. The conflict between the two men is realistic and the resolution very satisfying – if maybe a bit cheesy (but hey, even Glen and Alton agree with me on that).

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. If you’re in the mood for a well written, well told charming and satisfying short read you are probably in the mood for Dancing Days.