This is delicious. Gurl, sit down, grab a cocktail, and straighten that wig because this ride will surely jar it loose!
Morton has created the perfect bThis is delicious. Gurl, sit down, grab a cocktail, and straighten that wig because this ride will surely jar it loose!
Morton has created the perfect beginning to an intriguing serial. A murder, a mysterious writer, a small town, a handsome new sheriff, and secrets, secrets, secrets galore!
I have to go read the next one now...because I need to know what happens!...more
This short, sweet, quick read was utterly delightful. Claude is a translator of MM Romance novels, and Joe is a travel writer. They meet by happenstancThis short, sweet, quick read was utterly delightful. Claude is a translator of MM Romance novels, and Joe is a travel writer. They meet by happenstance and discover that each of them 'liberates' the pens used in the hotels they stay at. What follows is a unique dating scheme over the course of a couple of days, using hotel pens, messages written on flesh, and learning how to let go of past trauma/history to enjoy what life has placed before you. This was my first Robin Knight book, but won't be my last. What a delightful read....more
A unique MM Romance centered around a BDSM relationship between a top and a bottom. Delicious, steamy, and boundary-pushing, this novella is worth a rA unique MM Romance centered around a BDSM relationship between a top and a bottom. Delicious, steamy, and boundary-pushing, this novella is worth a read!...more
New book coming out July 19, 2022 with Rebel Satori's Queer Space Press.New book coming out July 19, 2022 with Rebel Satori's Queer Space Press....more
Honestly, it would have been another TV Series I would have skipped if it hadn't been for my husband raving about iDid you ever watch Downtown Abbey?
Honestly, it would have been another TV Series I would have skipped if it hadn't been for my husband raving about it, and the odd scene I'd catch with Maggie Smith portraying Violet Crawley - sharp of tongue, she was. And hilarious.
So I started watching the show. I'm usually not one for historical recreations...and yet I find myself fascinated by them. Correction: The good ones tend to draw me in.
You know the old saying, "When I was your age...” I got that a lot from my Grandparents who were born in the early 1900s. (Yeah, I'm that old). If you listened to their stories, they were fascinating, and yet, I was so removed from their reality it was hard to empathize with them, or even picture their worlds. I mean, look around you. Internet, cell phones, electric cars, and space exploration are common occurrences, and all are developments that have occurred over the last 30+ years. Can you imagine what life is going to be like in another 30?
And so if your interest level is more inclined to things that are futuristic - or for me - supernatural - then often stories of a historical bent aren't a big magnet. Yet every now and then something comes along and grabs you, whisks you through that time travel portal, and plants you firmly back in the past surrounded by elaborate grand manors, scratchy woolen clothes, horse-drawn carriages, and serving staff.
Things were hella different back then. Let's face it - Victorian attitudes were deeply entrenched in society where being 'different' was shunned. More than that, actually. If you didn't conform to the expectations of your station in life, and the norms of society, you brought shame down upon your entire household and were the source of gossip for miles around.
This is the world of The Valet, and Gough has masterfully created the right touch of atmosphere, moral high ground, societal norms, and class structure on par with Downtown Abbey. If you watched the show, every gay I know was at once horrified by the Thomas Barrow character, and yet, somehow, we were all saddened by his situation (and secretly rooted for him). A gay man, in a time when dalliances with others of the same sex were not only frowned upon, it was criminal. You were considered to be mentally unwell.
Those of us who grew up in the ‘70s and ‘80s had glimpses of what turn of the century life was like for those of us in the LGBTQ+ family. Stonewall and the Gay Rights Movement was still new, and society at large wasn't overly accepting - but certainly far more than back at the turn of the century.
In The Valet we are taken back in time, immersed in the hard ways of life, and through the drudgery of daily tasks, and disappointment in a hopeless existence, yearning for a happy ending, we are slowly treated to tidbits of joy, friendship, acceptance of differences, and an eventual love affair. Okay, okay, so the relationship is still kept under wraps, but, it is a happy ending. And in the end, that's what we're all after with any kind of romance, right?
Get out your dinner jackets, look forward to a spot of tea, and set out on an afternoon hunt. Reliving our past is the best way to remind ourselves that life wasn't always easy, or fair - and yet, there is something satisfying, if not exhilarating in keeping up with traditions, completing a hard day's work, and a gentle brush of your lover's hand while passing them in the hallway, coupled with a knowing smile that's steeped in loyalty and love.
Isabelle Adler has done it again! This is the second book in The Castaway Prince series. The first installment, The Castaway Prince, introduces us to Isabelle Adler has done it again! This is the second book in The Castaway Prince series. The first installment, The Castaway Prince, introduces us to Stephen. Stephen is genderqueer, dressing each day as his feelings dictate, striving to live a life away from a judgemental society. It doesn’t help that he’s part of the Royal Family.
Last time we’d left Stephen and his ever-faithful valet, Warren, they had fled Seveihar, their kingdom, in search of liberty. Along the way, Warren and Stephen become much more than Prince and loyal servant, which warmed my cold, dead heart, because I have a thing for Warren. He’s so damn chivalrous. And I’m equally proud and jealous of Stephen. Even though he often dresses feminine, and can pass as female, he’s quite daring and bold. something which I think we should all strive to be. Don’t get me wrong, many times throughout the two short novellas Stephen questions himself, but it’s that doubtful voice that makes him so relatable. I think we all have things we secretly yearn to do or be, and don’t do them in fear of rebuke from others.
Go Stephen go. And go do it with Warren. Sigh…
Swoon-worthy, I tell ya.
Despite the fantastic action-packed story, Adler has a wonderful way with words that immerses you in the tale. While the first installment had me imagining sweeping castles and medieval-style garb and ambiance, The Exile Prince definitely has tropical-hot tones and flavors, but less lush tropics, more sandstone-desert-magic flairs. Think Arabian Nights.
My only regret is that I wish the story was longer, but that’s only because I wanted to dwell in Segor, eat the foods, feel the warm sun on my face, and walk the salt swept coast.
Honestly, the similarly rated reviews above did a pretty clear job of explaining my experience with this novella.
There were pockets of writing gems inHonestly, the similarly rated reviews above did a pretty clear job of explaining my experience with this novella.
There were pockets of writing gems in here, but not enough of them for me. The concept was intriguing, but not necessarily new and exciting.
Aster discovers through a chance meeting on a business trip that his hookup is something more than human, and through that encounter learns that there is more to himself, and the world around him than he previously knew.
Without being too spoilery, what does Aster learn? He learns that there is a subset of the human race called 'Intrepids' that are immortal (basically), and have magical abilities (that differ between each Intrepid), and who are divided into sects based off of the elements.
Cool! Intriguing! Here are the major reasons why this just didn't work for me.
1.) This is a novella, and the ideas presented required far more page space to explain and explore than the length of this story dictated. More than once there were lines like (and I'm paraphrasing) "We don't know why we are, or much about who we are, but we've always been here." Or something to that effect. I'm sorry - but if you have a subset of humans that are basically immortal, someone somewhere is gonna have some pretty detailed history or even theories on how and why this particular group exists - at least as a reader - I kind of expect that. So I was disappointed that I didn't get to know more about Intrepids and where they came from, how they developed, why they were here.
2.) The innumerable spelling mistakes, missing words and extra words in almost every chapter really pulled me out of the story. Again, this could have been a brilliant read for me, but it needed another round (or two) of polish. I thought a few times while reading this that perhaps this could have gone through a good round with a content editor, someone who could help cinch up some of the plot holes, missed out opportunities and use of filtering language.
3.) The readers of Paranormal books are really a well-read and well-versed group when it comes to tropes and themes. This wasn't necessarily a new concept - and that's okay - just give me something to sink my teeth into. Give it a spin or twist, a little dash of unexpectedness to make me intrigued. I found that there were times in this story I had to take my previous knowledge of those tropes and apply it because I wasn't given enough background. Some readers who are not as well versed may have had an extremely difficult time putting it all together.
Lastly, (and I think the length truly did the story a disservice here), more than once Aster, Vanor, and the other characters were faced with difficult challenges that quickly, and far too easily, resolved themselves. I needed more conflict, more strife, and less perfect coincidences.
If you're able to scrape by the editing issues and can gloss over some plot holes, and you like a little BDSM in with your M/M Romance, then this quick read might be a nice way to spend your commute ride home (as long as you're not driving! ;o) ). But if you're out for a detailed new take on existing Paranormal Romance stories, this may not be the book for you....more