Tag Archives: m/m romance

hide and keep

Book Review of Hide and Keep (Boys of Lake Cliff #1), by K. Sterling

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I received an Audible code for a copy of Hide and Keep, by K. Sterling. I also happen to have a compilation of the first five novellas in the series. However, since I listened to this one and don’t know when I’ll read the rest, I’m going to go ahead and review it on its own.

Description from Goodreads:

A scared, lonely past and a dangerous secret follow Dr. Aiden Sharp to the peaceful town of Lake Cliff, Illinois, when he arrives to testify in a murder trial for the district attorney.

Some heroes are built a little differently than the rest of us and some hearts love in a way we’re not used to. Blood spatter and exit wounds make more sense to Aiden than a casual remark or a quick wink. Living faces and expectations have always been more of a mystery to Aiden than the cases he handles for the FBI because of his Asperger’s but he’s never let it stop him from getting what he wants. He wants Lane as soon as their eyes meet in the airport but Aiden gets a lot more than he expected when danger arrives with a text message and a threat he can no longer outrun. Luckily, Aiden finds a safe place to hide and learns he actually has a heart, he was just waiting for someone to teach him how to use it.

Detective Lane West is prepared to protect the gorgeous but confusing forensic psychologist from himself and just about anything fate throws at them. But what about Lane’s heart? Despite his best intentions, Lane can’t keep his hands off Aiden, keep it in his pants, or keep his heart out of it as soon as Mr. Morning After works his magic.

Passion and pancakes bring two lonely hearts together and an errand for the district attorney turns Lake Cliff upside down.

Review:

This started out roughly for me (both the actual book and the narration) and I wasn’t sure if I was going to like either of them. However, they both quickly smoothed out and found their rhythm. I enjoyed them a lot by the end.

Granted, I have a strong suspicion that the representation of Aspergers Syndrom wasn’t at all accurate (and I feel like that is a term not used anymore). But I also don’t feel like it represented people with Aspergers in any sort of derogatory way. So I chose to accept that this is a fictional book with a fictional representative. Much as I did with the detective and forensic expert aspect of the book. Neither was well developed or integral to the plot.

I also felt the book went on a few chapters (and an epilogue) too long after the story came to a natural conclusion, and other reviews say there are editing issues. I can’t say I noticed them in the audio version I listened to. All in all, this isn’t a perfect book, but I’m awful glad to have a compilation of the first five books.

slippery creatures

Book Review: Slippery Creatures (The Will Darling Adventures #1), by K.J. Charles

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I received an ARC of K.J. Charles‘ Slippery Creatures from the author. I don’t accept a lot of books for review anymore. I simply have too many already. But Charles is one of my favorite authors, so of course, I sought this one out. But with all the shuffling of books and such between the old computer and the new, this almost got lost. That would have been a shame and embarrassing.

Description from Goodreads:

Will Darling came back from the Great War with a few scars, a lot of medals, and no idea what to do next. Inheriting his uncle’s chaotic second-hand bookshop is a blessing…until strange visitors start making threats. First a criminal gang, then the War Office, both telling Will to give them the information they want, or else.

Will has no idea what that information is, and nobody to turn to, until Kim Secretan—charming, cultured, oddly attractive—steps in to offer help. As Kim and Will try to find answers and outrun trouble, mutual desire grows along with the danger.

And then Will discovers the truth about Kim. His identity, his past, his real intentions. Enraged and betrayed, Will never wants to see him again.

But Will possesses knowledge that could cost thousands of lives. Enemies are closing in on him from all sides—and Kim is the only man who can help.

Review:

I generally really enjoyed this. I adored Will and Kim, though I don’t felt I knew Kim as well as Will since he wasn’t a POV character. I wondered how the situation would be resolved until the end. The writing was marvelous as always and I look forward to more.

I only have one BIG complaint that keeps this from being rated higher for me. (Sorry this will be vague to avoid too many spoilers.) The synopsis refers to betrayal and I don’t think many will be surprised by it. But afterward, there came a point that Will made a decision I couldn’t accept. It’s not that I didn’t see how he might do it, certainly, Charles painted him into a corner and I could imagine a man doing what he did. But as a reader, I was still angry and didn’t want him to. What’s more, given his and Kim’s last conversation, I wouldn’t have expected a warm human welcome, but a professional one. So, the decision Will made and the action he took (while instrumental to move the plot along) didn’t feel right to me.

All in all, however, I loved this.

Book Review of Channeling Morpheus for Scary Mary (Channeling Morpheus/Sweet Oblivion #1-5), by Jordan Castillo Price

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I received an Audible code for a copy of Channeling Morpheus for Scary Mary, by Jordan Castillo Price (narrated by Gomez Pugh). It’s a series I’ve wanted to dive into for a while. I even have an ebook copy of the first novella. So, It was great to get a chance to listen to the first five stories together.

Description from Goodreads:

Michael is a waif in eyeliner who’s determined to wipe vampires off the face of the earth. Wild Bill’s got the hots for Michael and will stop at nothing to go home with him. Forget about moonlit castles and windswept moors. These bad boys haunt all-night diners and cheap motels, cut-rate department stores and long, lonely stretches of the interstate. Ride along with Wild Bill and Michael as the twists and turns of Channeling Morpheus for Scary Mary unfold in America’s heartland.

Review:

Five stars, five full stars.

Other reviewers have mentioned that there is a lot of sex in these novellas. I’ll go a step farther and say these books are like 85-90% sex. But I don’t think I’ve ever read an erotica (straight or queer) that managed so much character growth and plot progression with so little. Bill and Michael seem to work all their problems out in bed (or the van or the graveyard or the shower………..). But they work them out. They tackle tough issues and personal demons and I adored them, Bill especially. Despite all his jaded ennui, you could just feel his desperation for human warmth (and I don’t just mean physical warmth).

This audiobook (which Gomez Pugh did an amazing job narrating) is a compilation of the first five novellas. It brings the story to a satisfying conclusion and a natural stopping point. I finished wanting more, but not feeling slighted to not have the next several novellas at my fingertips. In fact, I think I want to wait for them to come out in audio. I enjoyed the narration so much.

Again, five stars.