Review: Overture: Life of the Party

Overture: Life of the Party by S.L. Armstrong
My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars

Episode 2, Life of the Party, of the Immortal Symphony serial is intense and slightly uncomfortable. I had a hard time enjoying the story, since it’s mostly one extended orgy scene, as it just felt wrong for the main character Gabriel. I didn’t feel like he had any comprehension what he was doing and furthermore, he kind of came off pretty innocent, naïve, and frankly stupid. I didn’t particularly like his character or his choices and thus I didn’t like this episode. It’s likely to be a highly personal choice I realize and I’m curious enough about the story to continue on even if I’m left feeling unsettled after this offering.

Review: Overture: A Meeting of Fate

Overture: A Meeting of Fate by S.L. Armstrong
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Overture is episode 1 of the new serial Immortal Symphony by K Piet and SL Armstrong. The story is a twist on the classic Dorian Gray tale and definitely explores the sexual side. Dorian never ages, but instead the portrait of him ages. Over the centuries Dorian has indulged in base pleasures to banish the tedium of his life. Using the sexual power he has over others is the best drug he’s ever experienced. Dorian’s interest is piqued by an American named Gabriel and two chance meetings lead to a possible future.

Review: Family Man

Family Man by Heidi Cullinan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I’d sum up Family Man as a feel good story. The two men have obstacles in their lives but really the power of family and acceptance makes everything ok. It doesn’t matter that one of the men was married three times before or the other is ten years younger and has an alcoholic mother, family will get you through anything seems to be the moral of the story. It’s a nice moral definitely and the couple is sweet with a nice combination of personalities. The relationship and especially the physical side are well developed and very genuine. It’s a well-written story with a ton of romance that makes you happy you read it.

Review: Claimings, Tails and Other Alien Artifacts

Claimings, Tails and Other Alien Artifacts by Lyn Gala
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed this quick novella. It’s incredibly hot, interesting, and a lot of fun. The writing is clean and descriptive with a nice blending of instruction and emotion. Blending an alien world and culture with a human submissive is a fun idea but the story is very clever. From start to the finish the entire novella is well crafted. The characters are also well developed, even if the differences in cultures are sometimes hard to imagine. This is a great introduction for those new to this author and fans are likely to appreciate the quirky humor and excellent writing.

Review: Screwing the System

Screwing the System by Josephine Myles
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I like Josephine Myles’ work quite a bit and Screwing the System is easily one of my favorites from her. The writing is clean, crisp, and evocative and the characters are engaging from the start. The sex is incredibly hot and the relationship is pretty low key. I found a few easy coincidences that I could have done without but beyond these there are very few, if any, missteps. Instead it’s a fun and interesting story to read without a lot of drama or problems. There’s no big drama and end scene, which is actually nice, and maturity wins the day.

Review: Twelve Days

Twelve Days by Isabelle Rowan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is the second Rowan book I realized I hadn’t read so eagerly dove into this pseudo sequel. It’s a short novella that offers a glimpse into the characters from A Note in the Margin, which I loved to pieces. It’s nice to see the main characters again although there doesn’t feel like tremendous progress has been made. Instead it’s a holiday themed story that lets readers revisit favorites without really changing anything. The relationship dynamic between all the characters remains largely the same without much deviation. Fans of the novel will likely want to read this to enjoy the couple once more but it’s not a must read.

Review: Where You Hurt the Most

Where You Hurt the Most by Anne Brooke
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Anne Brooke always impresses me. I quite literally love her writing. There’s a sophistication and refinement to the clean, sparse prose that sets her apart. In fact I enjoyed reading the writing more so than the story itself, which wasn’t slacking. The theme of pain is one that Brooke has dabbled in before and intense concepts are truly her forte. Love, longing, need, desire, and characters that are anything but easy combine to offer a deeply moving yet still light story. I didn’t walk away depressed or depleted from an angst ridden story. Instead the quick story manages to be hopeful and inject laughter amid the intensity.

Review: The Road To Byron

The Road To Byron by Isabelle Rowan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was in the mood for some Isabelle Rowan excellent writing so went cruising to see if I’d missed any books. I found two I hadn’t read so far and this was the first I dove into. I like the story and characters, it’s sweet and thankfully not the classic best friends turned lovers. Instead it focuses on the road to maturity for a young adult. The story feels short and rushed in some places but I also appreciated the shorter length. The story would have been much more intense and darker if it was longer and delved more deeply into the brief issues covered. Instead I like the quick romance and surface treatment of abuse. It’s not a slam dunk of a story but I was entertained and glad I read it.

Review: Promises Made Under Fire

Promises Made Under Fire by Charlie Cochrane
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Promises Made Under Fire reminds me why I adore this author so much. The gentle tone and excellent writing always gives me a sense of deep romance without any explicit sex. I think the historical setting and slower pace help develop a deeper sentiment without ever feeling slow or boring. There’s not always a happy ending, but I love Cochrane’s writing so much I can always get over this minor point. I don’t always look for historical books but this is one of the very few authors I know will deliver an excellent book regardless of it’s time period or characters.

Review: Cherish

Cherish by Tere Michaels
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really liked this quick novella and return to Matt and Evan. Michaels is really at her best when writing in this series and I’m always happy to revisit the characters no matter what. This particular novella is light and doesn’t necessarily advance the relationship much but I’m not complaining. It’s a wonderful look at two favorite men and their chaotic, crazy family. The writing is top notch as always and the ending gives a hint that there might be more similar revisits in the future.