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: 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: Hard Tail

Hard Tail by J.L. Merrow
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

JL Merrow usually works pretty well for me with her smooth writing, great wit, and adorable characters. Hard Tail is no departure from that and feels like a solid comfort read that fits well with the author’s backlist. The situation is interesting with some good and obvious research thrown in. I think the external tension drew out a bit too long and in a very predictable way. Due to this some sections of the book seem to drone on while others flew by easily giving an uneven pace. Despite this the nice guy characters and cute chemistry should be enough to win over fans of the author.

Review: Muscling Through

Muscling Through by J.L. Merrow
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Let me just say I adore everything about this story. The first person narrator is charming, lovely, heart warming and it would take a real hard hearted person not to appreciate his genuine personality. The story isn’t perfect and the narrator tells you the story as if this had happened a long time ago and he’s telling the reader how things came to be. The tense also changes sometimes from present to past but honestly these are all incredibly minor qualms that don’t stand a chance against such a truly wonderful story. I recommend this easily and think fans and readers will love this story.

Review: A.J.’s Angel

A.J.’s Angel by L.A. Witt
My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars

AJ’s Angel handles the tricky and often misused cheating theme. Some people hate this entirely and if so you should avoid this novella. If you don’t mind cheating or on the fence, this one is still somewhat iffy but could appeal. The story relies on Seb’s questionable forgiveness, which is really him wanting hot sex which translates into memory loss about prior cheating. This isn’t always successful and the tone of the story is morose since the majority of emotions revolve around cheating. It’s not a bad story to read but it’s not really an uplifting one with a strong romantic theme.

Review: Camwolf

Camwolf by J.L. Merrow
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

The more I read Merrow’s work the more I quite like her voice. Her latest, Camwolf, is an entertaining and enjoyable werewolf romance. The story takes a chance with a prominent female narrator but for the most part this works very well. The typical werewolf fight for dominance and animalistic behavior is handled well, contrasted beautifully against a mild mannered college of intelligent but reserved occupants. Some of this shift feels jarring and never quite hits an easy pace but the writing and deft characterization help overcome any qualms. I think most readers will find the story engaging and enjoyable to read.

Review: Taking you Home

Taking you Home by Cooper Davis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Taking You Home is the sequel to the wonderful Boys of Summer. You can easily read this novel without the first one but you get more context if you read both so it’s recommended but definitely not required. The sequel is written in much the same vein as the original story where the conflict isn’t internal but external. The conflict isn’t within the relationship – nor was it last time – but now that Hunter is over his issues being labeled as gay, the two have to get Max’s family over the issues as well. To that end the story is very, very sweet and very, very romantic. Almost too much so in that the language is over the top. Everything is soul affecting, so wonderful it makes you cry, and there is so much love every moment is magical. That’s not a bad thing and reader reaction is going to vary based on how sweet they want their story.

Half Pass by Astrid Amara

Title and Link: Half Pass
Author: Astrid Amara
Publisher URL: Samhain
Genre: Contemporary M/M
Length: Novella
Rating: 2.5 out of 5

A guest review by Kassa

Summary Review: A familiar contemporary story that didn’t work for me but may for the right reader.

Read the entire review at Jessewave HERE or at Goodreads HERE!

Angel: 1089 by C.C. Bridges

Angel: 1089 by C.C. Bridges

Blurb:
When this deal breaks, Heaven will fall.

Heaven Corp, Book 1

Catching two demon burglars is routine for Gabriel 1089, who’s one cog in an army of cybernetically modified humans protecting the sky city of Heaven. Until two turns into a twenty-demon ambush. When he wakes up, he’s missing his network-enabled halo—and one of his metal wings.

The down-level junk dealer tending Gabe’s wounds has hands that spark nerve endings he never knew he possessed. But for an angel cut off from Heaven, an attic in Old Trent feels more like a trap than a sanctuary.

Demons on his doorstep are nothing new for Jeff Werth. Ever since they saved his daughter’s legs, they’ve been calling in their marker. In exchange for his services—nursing Gabe back to health so they can use him as a pawn in their war with Heaven—they’ll consider the debt paid in full. Except having a powerless angel at his mercy feeds a rising desire that has him rethinking the deal.

Then the de-haloed Gabe begins having dreams that become visions…then memories. Until he’s not sure whose side he’s on. Heaven, or the simple family man who healed his broken wings…and made his heart whole.

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Trust Me If You Dare: Romano and Albright, Book 2 by L.B. Gregg

Trust Me If You Dare: Romano and Albright, Book 2 by L.B. Gregg

Blurb:
Hard help can be good to find.

Romano and Albright, Book 2

Feisty New Yorker Caesar Romano has a knack for getting into a jam, and this week is no exception. When his pregnancy-hormone-buzzed business partner sweet talks him into working a solo gig for his famous ex, Caesar attracts the worst kind of attention.

It’s only the beginning. Hit on by a lusty German, stalked by the paparazzi, victim of an unexpected airbag attack—and desperate for some part-time help—Ce’s running out of time, staff and patience. But what’s really got him poised to run? A looming brunch with his sexy lover’s esteemed family.

PI Dan Albright is a man of many gifts: investigation, security, sex talk and driving Caesar nuts in and out of the bedroom. Hired to protect an outrageous soap star from a deranged personal assistant, Dan’s got his hands full refereeing rival actors, locating one four-foot-eleven woman…and convincing Ce that he’s playing for keeps.

Hey, nobody ever said taking a relationship to the next level was a waltz in the park.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars