Public Lives, Private Pleasures by Adrianna Dane

Public Lives, Private Pleasures by Adrianna Dane

Blurb:
Descended from an old, very influential Virginia family with conservative views, Adrien has no desire to carry on the family’s political tradition. Still, he’s forced to hide his gay identity to protect the budding political career of his younger twin brother, Marsh, who wants to take up where their father, Senator Douglas Langtry, left off. There’s no room for mistakes, no matter how much Adrien hates living that lie.

It’s not until Adrien meets sexy Latin choreographer, Frankie Raphael, that his apathy evaporates, and he begins to questions his choices. Beautiful, passionate Frankie offers Adrien a glimpse into a world he’d only ever dared experience through the safety of the lens of his camera. Desire for Frankie makes his personal sacrifices seem suddenly unacceptable.

Dare Adrien jeopardize his brother’s political aspirations for a chance at his own happiness or will forces beyond his control slam the door shut on a life he’s only ever dreamed of? If he chooses to come out, their public lives be forever altered by the shocking revelation of their private pleasures.

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

White, Christian by Christopher Stoddard

White, Christian by Christopher Stoddard

Blurb:

The borderline lifestyle of twenty-year-old Christian White is a carnival of drugs and sex, accessorized by designer clothes and frequent stealing or scamming. Underneath the decadence are haunting memories of childhood abuse, the death of a brother and a father’s criminal past.

Expecting to make a fresh start, Christian relocates from San Francisco to New York, just as his friends are being rounded up by the police; but life only spirals farther out of control in the new setting. Instead of drugs, Christian’s existence is beginning to center around sex. He has let himself slip into prostitution, and he may have even played a part in the murder of a successful architect, although he can’t remember the evening entirely. It has become increasingly clear to Christian that the only way to save himself is to come to terms with the past, no matter how painful ~ or how dangerous ~ the trip.

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Rain by L.A. Witt

Rain by L.A. Witt

Blurb:
Sequel to Rules of Engagement

Brandon Stewart and Dustin Walker started dating two years ago after meeting in the local bar over a game of pool. Dustin has struggled to come out to his homophobic family and come clean about his relationship with Brandon, and now they’re planning to get married. Now, in a bid to fix broken ties, Dustin’s brother Tristan is trying to reconnect with him, which makes Brandon wonder if he, too, can mend fences with his own estranged brother. But is sixteen years of silence long enough for old wounds to heal?

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Fire in the Desert by Lydia Nyx

Fire in the Desert by Lydia Nyx

http://threedollarbillreviews.com/2010/10/28/fire-in-the-desert-by-lydia-nyx/
http://threedollarbillreviews.com/?p=1752
Title: Fire in the Desert
Author: Lydia Nyx
Publisher: Noble Romance
Length: Novella, 22 pgs
Buy the book: Kindle, Publisher

Blurb:
Garrett Thomas is one of the world’s leading cryptozoologists. When he gets a tip a dragon—the holy grail of his field—has been spotted in the Sahara desert, he jumps at the chance to locate and document this elusive creature. As further [...]

Out of the Darkness by Kate Sherwood

Out of the Darkness by Kate Sherwood

Blurb:
Sequel to Dark Horse

“It’s hard enough with two people. Throwing a third into the mix is… I don’t know, doesn’t it seem like we’re asking for trouble?”

It hasn’t been easy, but horse trainer Dan Wheeler is beginning to build a new life for himself, finding his place in California with his lovers Evan Kaminski and Jeff Stevens. When things are going well, it’s spectacular: there’s affection, humor, and passion. But things don’t seem to go well all that often.

Dan continues to struggle with the loss of his previous lover and sometimes doubts that he even deserves to be happy; Evan is jealous of every rival for Dan’s attention—including Jeff; and Jeff worries that he’s too old for the younger men and wonders if he should bow out completely. Despite his resolutions, Dan has grown attached to the other two men, but he’s not sure that’s enough. He knows that it hurts to be together—he needs to decide whether it would hurt even more to be apart.

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

New Normal (Orbits) by Jeffrey Ricker

http://threedollarbillreviews.com/2010/10/26/new-normal-by-jeffrey-ricker/
http://threedollarbillreviews.com/?p=1747

Title: New Normal
Author: Jeffrey Ricker
Publisher: Untreed Reads Publishing
Length:: Short Story/6 pgs
Buy the book: Publisher , Kindle

Blurb:
What if doctors were able to transplant your mind into a new body after a terrible accident? What if, thanks to the process, you found you could no longer love the person you were with or live your old life? What [...]

Great Restorations by Libby Drew

Great Restorations by Libby Drew

Blurb:
Marc Wynn has accompanied his beloved aunt to estate sales for years, but he’s never found anything he couldn’t live without—until he meets Sawyer Calhoun. Sawyer, in town to deal with his grandfather’s estate, wastes no time in revealing his romantic interest in Marc, but their promising first evening ends badly with Sawyer as adamant about broadcasting his sexuality as Marc is about hiding his.

But when Sawyer hires Marc to restore his grandfather’s house, their intense attraction grows into an emotional connection neither can resist. During the renovations, family secrets and other surprises come to light, and Sawyer must face his past when a tragedy threatens Marc’s livelihood. But not every obstacle is surmountable, and even with Sawyer by his side, Marc might lose everything.

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Prove a Villain by K. C. Warwick

Prove a Villain by K. C. Warwick

Title: Prove a Villain
Author: K.C. Warwick
Publisher: Cheyenne (print); Bristlecone Pine Press (ebook)
Length: Novel / 80k words
Buy the book: Publisher (print); ebook

Blurb:
Having returned to Elizabethan London after an absence of two years, Hugh Seaton is happy to resume his old job as tailor to the company of actors known as Strange’s Men.

He is less content when he finds himself looking for a murderer, and hiding his former lover, playwright Christopher Marlowe, who is suspected of stabbing one of the players to death.  [contd...]

http://threedollarbillreviews.com/2010/10/21/prove-a-villain-by-k-c-warwick/

Back to Normal by Wren Boudreau

Back to Normal by Wren Boudreau

Blurb:
Is it normal for a romance to blossom between a man who’s in the closet and a man who’s never wanted more than a hook-up? How about when a clairvoyant grandmother and the ghost of a dead aunt are thrown into the mix, along with a stiletto-wearing twin sister, an Irish pub, a detective brother, and a mother who thinks her son just needs a good woman?

Greg Capello thought that he’d feel normal if he pretended he wasn’t gay, and now it’s making him crazy that he can’t stop thinking about his new boss Finn Sparks and Finn’s amber eyes, brilliant smile and strong hands, among other things. Finn thinks it’s not normal that instead of wanting to hop into bed with Greg, he’d like to know more about the man, like what’s under that starchy exterior, and who he’s talking to when it appears that no one’s there.

They can’t fight the attraction between them; every time they touch it’s electric. So Finn finds himself taking it slow and going on dates, for crying out loud. And Greg has to accept himself, or accept the consequences of staying hidden.

What’s normal anyway?

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Glass Minstrel by Hayden Thorne

The Glass Minstrel by Hayden Thorne

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Title: The Glass Minstrel
Author: Hayden Thorne
Publisher: Bristlecone Pine Press
Length: Novel / 200 pges

Blurb:
The Christmas season in mid-19th century Bavaria is brought to life in the THE GLASS MINSTREL, a new, original historical novel from acclaimed author Hayden Thorne. Two fathers, Abelard Bauer and Andreas Schifffer, are brought together through the tragic deaths of their eldest sons. Bauer, a brilliant toymaker, fashions glass Christmas ornaments and his latest creation is a minstrel with a secret molded into its features. [contd..]

http://threedollarbillreviews.com/2010/10/19/the-glass-minstrel-by-hayden-thorne/
http://threedollarbillreviews.com/?p=1636