**spoiler alert** So, I usually love L.A. Witt, and this book wasn't bad by any means, but it was so fundamentally flawed that I couldn't truly enjoy **spoiler alert** So, I usually love L.A. Witt, and this book wasn't bad by any means, but it was so fundamentally flawed that I couldn't truly enjoy it.
Brian is a homicide detective, and when called to a crime scene, discovers that one of the bodies looks just like his boyfriend, James, whom he's planning to dumb because he's been so cagey. He then finds out that the dead guy is a drug dealer, and that he has a brother/business partner named... yes, James. Turns out it's the same James.
James admits to running a drug ring with his brother Stephen. He swears he had nothing to do with the shooting, and tells Brian that the reason he's been so cagey is because he lied about having a gambling addiction. Brian believes James about not being the killer, and about dirty cops being involved, so he agrees to hide James instead of putting him under protective custody.
So the entire book, Brian isn't sure whether he should believe James about not being involved in the shooting, and he wonders if he should break up with Brian. He can't decide if he can forgive James for lying about the gambling addiction. That is the sum total of the relationship drama. Uh... are we missing something? Really, Brian? You don't see another problem here?
In the end we discover that James, whose real name is Eric, was actually an undercover DEA agent. Okay, that's not really a surprise. But that isn't revealed until the end. Throughout the entire book, Brian is working under the assumption that James is a drug dealer. And not, like, a street level marijuana peddler, but actually running one of the biggest drug rings in town. But that's just okay. Brian never thinks about turning James in for being a drug dealer. He just hopes his instinct is right about James not being the killer. Like if he can find the real killer, everything will be fine.
This just bothered me so much I couldn't enjoy the story. Sure, it turned out James wasn't really a drug dealer. But Brian didn't know that, and his choice to hide someone that he had every reason to believe was a dangerous criminal... it didn't work for me. If this had been addressed, maybe I could have gotten behind it. But it was just completely ignored. It bugged me too much to give this more than 3 stars....more
I have to stop breaking my rule about not buying books by authors I don't know. The chemisty between the two characters was good, but the rest of the I have to stop breaking my rule about not buying books by authors I don't know. The chemisty between the two characters was good, but the rest of the story was a train wreck. and in the end it got so mushy that it ruined what good there had been. the story was erratic and tried to cram just about every gay for you cliche in, as well as an endless stream of needless angst. not good. 2 stars is generous....more
Some writers just have that ability to make you feel everything their characters feel. Which is why I read romance - I'm sort of lacking in it in my rSome writers just have that ability to make you feel everything their characters feel. Which is why I read romance - I'm sort of lacking in it in my real life, and I want to vicariously experience those feelings. M.J. is one of those writers. I felt Sam and Ryan's love for each other from page one and this was a very satisfying, short little love story about college age kids who have been best friends forever. Recommended....more
Awesome sequel. I was sad when it ended, I could have kept reading this story forever. Just an FYI, the blurb makes it sound like Lars and Seth becameAwesome sequel. I was sad when it ended, I could have kept reading this story forever. Just an FYI, the blurb makes it sound like Lars and Seth became kinky BDSM sceners. I don't know why that was in the blurb at all. When it says "kink" what it really means is "sex". There are a couple of scenes where they have quiet sex because Lars' parents are in the next room. No BDSM, or even hints of it, in this book. Which I was glad of. I didn't really want any spanking in this book. I have other books for that. ;)...more
I read the first half of this and there was so much wrong with it I didn't know if I'd finish. The style is very coarse and I didn't like any of the cI read the first half of this and there was so much wrong with it I didn't know if I'd finish. The style is very coarse and I didn't like any of the characters. A lot of the details seemed off, too. Like, the main character works for a company that publishes text books. So he's, like, a text book writer. Is that a thing? I'm pretty sure you have to have some kind of expertise in a field to write a text book. They don't just hire people to write text books and say "Here, you're doing math this week. Go learn math and then write a book about it."
So I gave it a break and then came back to it because I was bored, and I actually somewhat enjoyed the second half. I don't know that it was actually any better, but it didn't really bother me as much. So while I can't honestly say this is a good book or necessarily recommend it to anyone, I suppose it's entertaining enough....more
I loved this book! I mean, there was a scene that took place at a Mariners game. How could I not love it? I would move in to Safeco Field if I could.
BI loved this book! I mean, there was a scene that took place at a Mariners game. How could I not love it? I would move in to Safeco Field if I could.
But what I really loved about it was the romance. My mom always told me I would know when I was in love/had met the right person when I couldn't stand to be apart from them. There are a few scenes in this book where Kieran's absolute relief at just being near Alex made my heart melt. There was a scene where he was so anxious on his way to see Alex, and as soon as Alex opened the door, he thought, "Ahh, it's you." To me, that's true love in a nutshell.
I actually read this concurrently with the Distance Between Us (I should go finish that one now) but I didn't really feel spoiled because obviously Ethan and Rhett were going to get back together.
Awesome book. Can be read as a standalone; you don't necessarily need to read DBU first.
Side note: While technically this is a sequel to The Distance Between us, I'm pretty sure we got to hang with Sebastian from A.J.'s Angel for a little while, too. :)
**Re-read: March, 2012. Loved it just as much the second time. This was a ROMANCE. Sigh.
**Re-read: May 2017. Going back to visit old favorites. I still really enjoyed this, but I can see how much my perspective has changed. Reading it this time, it was way too much sex for my tastes. I don't enjoy the promotion of promiscuity in the fiction I read and so that bothered me a bit and I had to skim a lot. But I still love the way Witt is able to convey that feeling of falling in love without using those words. That feeling of just desperately needing to be with that person, no matter what. ...more
Really good m/m/m stories are hard to find, and unfortunately this fits into the category of "just another". The concept is good, but the relationshipReally good m/m/m stories are hard to find, and unfortunately this fits into the category of "just another". The concept is good, but the relationship is waaay too rushed and there's so much that was poorly explained or undeveloped. Why did Jamie join the army after college? Don't people join the army out of high school to pay for college? Jamie leaves and has no contact with Sean for years. Then he comes back and after one tense lunch everything's fine? And then he just falls in love with Tyler, too? After a couple of conversations about baseball? I mean, I love baseball too but it's going to take a little more than that. Once the three got together, all of their scenes were mushy and cheesy. There was some cursory discussion about it being difficult to tell their families but for the most part there was no drama or conflict after that point. This is a book that had the potential to be very good, but was instead put together very hastily and sloppily and achieves nothing greater than mediocrity. It's not terrible; if you like m/m/m it's still worth your time but I'm still debating whether or not it was worth my money. ...more
This was actually pretty decent. It started out okay and then got kind of boring. I had sort of resigned myself to not finishing, but last night I wenThis was actually pretty decent. It started out okay and then got kind of boring. I had sort of resigned myself to not finishing, but last night I went to read a specific book and discovered I hadn't ever put it on the e-reader and I was too lazy to turn my computer back on and re-sync, so I went ahead and continued with this one. And hey! Turned out I liked it....more
Finally. I liked the book, but it was way too long. I ran out of steam and had to skim to finish. But I'll continue to read the series. Just probably Finally. I liked the book, but it was way too long. I ran out of steam and had to skim to finish. But I'll continue to read the series. Just probably not back to back....more
*Happy sigh* L.A. Witt is an auto-buy for a reason, and I loved this one as much as I always do. This was basically a re-write of A.J.'s Angel with a m*Happy sigh* L.A. Witt is an auto-buy for a reason, and I loved this one as much as I always do. This was basically a re-write of A.J.'s Angel with a military spin, only she fixed the two biggest gripes (I had none, but other people did). There's no cheating in this one, and she alternates the first person POV so you get equally acquainted with both guys. Great read....more
I can't rate this book because on the one hand, did I like it? No. Would I recommend it to anyone else? No. But on the other hand, was it a good, well I can't rate this book because on the one hand, did I like it? No. Would I recommend it to anyone else? No. But on the other hand, was it a good, well written book? Yes. Did it have me hooked from page one to the end? Yes.
So read this at your own risk, and be prepared for the emotional ringer you'll be put through....more
OMG, a book I read and didn't mark on Goodreads? How did this happen??? I don't even remember when I read it but it was this year sometime. It's a threOMG, a book I read and didn't mark on Goodreads? How did this happen??? I don't even remember when I read it but it was this year sometime. It's a three star read. That's all I really remember....more
I can't really decide if this was cute or unbearably cheesy. But I was in the mood for an easy HEA and this fit the bill.I can't really decide if this was cute or unbearably cheesy. But I was in the mood for an easy HEA and this fit the bill....more
Nichole (DirrtyH)
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Books:
2011
(101)
