Title: An Unconventional Courtship
Author: Scotty Cade
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Length: 230 pages
Genre: m/m Contemporary Romance
Heat: 3 – Sexy & Mild
Sex Frequency: 3 – Average Story to Sex
Keywords/Tags: Adorable!, Affair with the Boss, Businessmen, Co-Workers, Lots of Tension, On Vacation, Series, Sweet, Unrequited Love
Rating: Really Liked It
Guest Review by Heather C
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Tristan Moreau loves his job as chief administrative officer and personal assistant to Webber Kincaid, President, Chairman, and CEO of Kincaid International. It would be the perfect job… if only he hadn’t fallen in love with his boss as well as the work. After two years, he’s still doing everything in his power to keep his feelings hidden—mostly because he wants to protect the reputation of his famous boss but also because he wants to keep his job.
Webber Kincaid has stayed in the closet, using his best friend and confidante as his beard. Everything in his life was working out just fine until he met Tristan Moreau. Within months, Tristan stole his heart and became his lifeline. But Webber knows the rules of the workplace better than anyone, so he’s kept his distance.
But two years is too long to wonder “what if?”—especially when business takes them to a private Caribbean island. When Tristan and Webber succumb to the tropical heat, their professionalism starts to backslide. It’s a seemingly impossible relationship, making a go at it under the paparazzi’s microscope. It may be the best—or the worst—business decision they ever made.
REVIEW
The good, the bad…and the adorable.
It’s a story that’s been told many times over again: employee-slash-personal-assistant falls for uber rich boss. Tristan Moreau has been deeply betrayed by a past lover who chose to be with a woman instead of a him. Now, seven years later, Tristan finds himself secretly in love with his boss, Webber Kincaid, and has been hiding it for the last two years. Then when Webber comes to Tristan and invites him to spend three weeks on his private island with him for work and relaxation, Tristan doesn’t know how he can keep his feelings from showing any longer. The conflict: Webber is supposedly straight and doesn’t even know Tristan is gay! Plus, there is the matter of Webber’s company and reputation to think about…
The Good: There was soooooo much sexual tension!! Seriously, all of the accidental touches and heated looks had me giddy. The guys didn’t even kiss until 37%!!! Plus, there was only like 5 minutes of angst that gets cleared up quite quickly. Honestly, I expected it to drag on for ages, but nope, it all gets fixed and sweetness ensues.
The bad: Speaking of the the sweetness, at times it was a bit much. Once these guys realize they are both in love with each other, its kinda insta-I-plan-to-spend-the-rest-of my-life-with-you-love. So it made me roll my eyes a few times, but Tristan and Webber were so cute I just accepted it and kept on reading. It did get a bit wordy at times, but I like this kind of wordiness, so it didn’t really bother me.
The Adorable: I adored Tristan and Webber! How could anyone not love them. They are both sweet and kind and Webber has to be one of the most romantic heroes I’ve ever read. He knows how to steal a girl’s man’s heart! And all the romantic plans he made while courting Tristan…*sigh*…so romantic.
Moving on to the sequel: An Unconventional Union. I’m hoping for a beautifully, romantic wedding!
Disclaimer: This is not something I would normally like to read, but today, it was perfect for my mood. I recommend saving it for one of those days when you need something sweet and easy.
![BuyOut[The]LG](https://coleriann.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/buyoutthelg.jpg?w=200&h=300)
Title: The Buyout
Author: Bru Baker
Publisher: Dreamspinner
Length: 28,119 words
Genre: m/m Contemporary Romance
Heat: 3 – Sexy & Mild
Sex Frequency: 2 – Few and Far Between
Keywords/Tags: Businessmen, Office Affair, Family Issues, HEA
Rating: Really Liked It
Reviewed by Nikyta
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All Parker Anderson has ever wanted is to take over as CEO of Anderson Industries when his father retires. But when his father is ready to leave the company, he doesn’t plan to pass the reins to Parker. Instead, he plans to sell the company, jeopardizing not only Parker’s job but hundreds of others. Parker finds an unlikely ally in Mason Pike, the company’s resident IT guru. What starts as a flirtation takes them from coworkers to coconspirators in a plan to forcibly buy Anderson Industries out from under Parker’s father. While they focus on the buyout, their budding romance has to be put on hold, but that doesn’t stop them from flirting and teasing each other to distraction—and once their master plan comes to fruition, nothing and no one can keep them apart.
REVIEW
This was an adorably fun read! Revolving around Parker and his ambitions to lead Anderson Industries when his father eventually retires. Unfortunately, things don’t go as planned for him when he learns that not only does he not get a promotion but his father is planning to sell the company, effectively leaving dozens of employees out of work. Having just met Mason and starting a slow relationship, now Parker and Mason, along with Parker’s cousin, Anna, and a few others are doing everything they can to blindside Parker’s father into a buyout. With all the time and energy put into the buyout, the question remains will they even be able to pull it off?
I’m going to be honest, my favorite character was definitely Mason! He’s so cute and I loved his geek speak. The banter between Parker and Mason had me smiling like crazy with their geeky version of pick up lines. More than anything, I loved their IM chats and their sense of humor. I liked Parker because he was a sweet man, although at times I felt like he was a bit self-centered, especially in the beginning. As the story progressed, I warmed up to him more and ended up loving his way of trying to win over Mason. While the characters don’t have much depth to them, there’s still enough there to enjoy their interactions, IMO. The secondary characters were even more fun. They all had distinct personalities but had moments of childish fun. While you see bits and pieces of Mason and Parker’s relationship, I feel like I should warn readers that there wasn’t as much romance as it seems. Stretches of time are centered on the lead up to the buyout and during that time, it almost felt like Mason and Parker were just friends instead of a fledgling couple. Although, the beginning does have a healthy dose of it that will sure make you laugh a few times over how badly Parker messes things up.
My only issue with this one was the fact that it felt rushed. Pieces of time are glossed over, which put the reader (i.e. me) at a disadvantage of getting to know better both the characters and the outcome of the buyout. Even with the little twist, I missed the fact that we didn’t actually get to live what I consider the climax of the story, the big suspense that the whole book was leading up to. More than that, because it is glossed over, we are told what conspired after the fact. I’ll be honest, since I didn’t get to ‘see’ certain things happen, it dimmed my enjoyment slightly. It happened on more than one occasion during the lead up to the buyout and I couldn’t help but feel slightly disappointed when I learned something I felt was crucial was skipped over and then briefly told about. I wanted actual scenes, the meaty business, so I could have immersed myself into the whole conflict, instead of just skimming the surface of it.
Overall, I really loved this story. It’s the type of read that has funny banter with lovable characters that will put a smile on your face… at least it did mine. I loved the concept of the book but I just wish it had more depth to it, expanded to fill in the blanks that pop up throughout the story. Even still, if you’re looking for something that is cute, fast and fun you’ll enjoy this one as much as I did, I bet.
Title: Just Call Me Angel
Author: Jack Greene
Publisher: Phaze
Length: 15,400 words
Genre: m/m Contemporary Romance
Heat: 3 – Sexy & Mild
Sex Frequency: 2 – Few and Far Between
Keywords/Tags: Short Story, Scientist, Science (Geology), Technology Sector, Businessmen, On Vacation, Bahamas, Hurricane, Nerds/Geeks, Playboys, Bisexual, Famous, Super Rich, Second Chances
Rating: Pretty Good
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Seeking funding to complete his breakthrough research, Ben meets Chase Mitchell, billionaire CEO of Mitchell Industries.
Chase agrees to fund Ben’s research, but what Ben didn’t count on was how handsome Chase is, or how much Ben wants him.
REVIEW
I’ve really grown to love Jack Greene’s writing over the last couple of years. But while I first naturally assumed that he was solely an erotica writer, I’ve had to change my expectations every time he sends me a new story. And I’m really glad that I’ve been able to. Ever since he wrote and published his first novel, Indiscretion (reviewed here), I’ve seen a real upswing in his writing. I mean, I always enjoyed his stories, don’t get me wrong. But this year has seen some of Jack’s best writing, as well as some branching out into romance. The novel did that really well while exploring extra-marital affairs, and this story, Just Call Me Angel, does it as well.
Ben knows that as far as he is concerned, intelligence comes before beauty. He’s too skinny and he’s a giant nerd. He’d prefer to be alone in his lab over pretty much anything else. Except to have a boyfriend again, maybe. And of course, Ben has had to learn that it doesn’t matter how much intelligence someone has if no one is willing to invest in them. He’s been trying to get funding for his discovery for ages. After going through all of his preferred sources of investment while those he pitched to nodded off in boredom the moment he started to explain metals and geology, Ben has been forced swallow his pride and enter the private sector.
This decision brings him to Mitchell Industries, but instead of the lackey he’s expecting them to send to talk to him the man himself comes to the meeting, eccentric billionaire Chase Mitchell. The venture capitalist soon surprises Ben into silence, not only by his utter sexiness in that powerful mature way, but the man’s humor, intelligence and down to earth personality. Soon Ben is swept up into a world of success…nouveau. Chase lives life among splendor of the likes Ben (who lives in a studio apartment and eats ramen) has never known, but isn’t completely taken away by his own wealth and success and is more socially cognizant than a stereotypical multi-billionaire. The two are smitten right away, but Ben knows all about the rumors of Chase’s personal life. He’s a player, and more than most, Ben has a lot to lose by a souring relationship between the two — his professional success, his pet project, and his fragile, self-depreciating ego.
Not only was I in for a surprise finding out that the romance in this story was way more front and center than the sex, but I was even more surprised to find that this story had very little sex in it. If I were used to Jack Greene being primarily a romance author then I might say that this had an average amount of sex for a short story (meaning, one scene near the end), but I’m not. I’m used to quite a bit of sizzling sex from this author! I wasn’t disappointed, because I liked the story a lot and Jack has show that he’s just as good or better of a romance author than as an erotica author, but it was a bit of an adjustment waiting for the sex to start, lol. The sex we do get though, is really hot, so there are no complaints from me.
I think it’s important to talk about the fact that Jack and now writing more romance-heavy stories because I think many readers probably have pre-conceived notions of his writing, like I did. The target audience of this story is going to be somewhat different than some of his others. I recommend this one for a quick and cute read!
GIVEAWAY RULES
Please leave a comment below to win an ebook copy of Just Call Me Angel. The giveaway will last until Midnight CDT on Friday, May 18. I will choose the winner using Random.org and email the winner who will then have 48 hours from the time of the drawing to reply to my email. I will then forward the winner’s information to Jack so the winner can receive their ebook.
Please enter the email you’d wish me to contact you at in the comment form, or if you prefer, leave it in the message.
Thank you and good luck!
Title: Mr. Perfect’s Christmas
Author: Eva Clancy
Publisher: MLR
Length: 12k words
Genre: m/m Contemporary Romance
Heat: 3 – Sexy & Mild
Sex Frequency: 3 – Average Story to Sex
Keywords/Tags: Short Story, Christmas, British/England, Businessmen/Office, Enemies to Lovers
Rating: Pretty Good
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A Christmas gift turns enemies into lovers.
The last thing Sam Warren wants to do is go to his new employer’s Christmas party—particularly since his arch-nemesis, Nick Foster, is going to be there. Nick’s been undermining Sam with his boss, and the fact that Sam can’t help lusting after Nick only complicates the situation. But it seems the Christmas Spirit is at work. When Sam receives an unexpected gift from Nick, it makes him question his assumptions about his rival. Could it be that he’s been misinterpreting Nick’s actions all along? And is his reluctant attraction to Nick reciprocated?
REVIEW
Eva Clancy is a new author for me, and I felt like I was taking a chance reviewing this story, but… well, it’s the season for it and I ended up finding a story that I really enjoyed.
Sam is completely dissatisfied with his life. It’s the Christmas season and a time for looking back at the year, which leads Sam into a depression every time he thinks of it. Once on a career track rising through the London offices before being made redundant, and also losing his lover at the same time, Sam has had to move to a small town and work for a small firm and pretend to be thankful for even having a job at all. And well, it’s not that he isn’t thankful, but he can’t seem to appreciate the fortune he does have when faced with all he’s lost. On top of that, he’s found that he doesn’t actually seem to know much about his job, when faced with clients that don’t have a boatload of cash and a firm with inexhaustible resources.
Somehow, all of that might be okay without the constant reminder of Nick, the “Wonder Boy”. The man whose position Sam filled seems to be everyone’s favorite person, his coworkers, his boss, and well, he’s pretty amazing, so Sam grudgingly admits to himself. He’s handsome, nice, the clients adore him. And he could do Sam’s job better than Sam ever could, making his cocky entrance to a job he thought would be below him frighteningly embarrassing. It becomes even worse when faced with Nick, again, at the Christmas party. Is karma finally collecting it’s due for Sam’s arrogant attitude, or has his misplaced depression colored everything he sees about his new life?
What I most liked about this story was that the characters aren’t who you think they are, not only Nick. Sam’s coworkers, as well as Sam himself change over the story, all because of Nick’s influence as Sam opens up and starts to see his life in an honest way. That was done quite well, in a major part by a rather honest style of prose which shows the characters in a pretty harsh light. Not only does the character change make the story interesting, but it is a perfect compliment to a holiday story, where we want to see the good in people. The story then becomes a bit of a holiday classic, in the sense that Sam is shown his misdeeds in a harsh light, all brought on by his own influence. It is somewhat subtle, yet still the focus of the story, so it didn’t overpower it in any way and worked well.
The romance here was part of that, but came in second in my enjoyment. Much of their relationship is somewhat of an afterthought — or at least implied at the end of the story. Most of what we see is an attraction and an encounter, and are left to our own thoughts about what will happen in the future. I suppose I would have liked to see a little less than perfect Nick. Sam would have a hard time seeing that, because it takes him a while to understand that Nick isn’t the “Wonder Boy” he thought and that he might have misconstrued many things about his workplace, but I would have liked to see Nick be a bit more honest with Sam. Sam finally breaks down and admits it, and I agreed wholeheartedly, that Sam is a bit of an asshole. He whines through a lot of the story and is pretty vain and has a high opinion of himself. Much of this is a front, and like I mentioned before, a front that is shed during the length of the story, but a bit of honest from Nick instead of Nick always saying how wonderful and perfect Sam is would have made their relationship seem a little more honest.
That is really my only critique of the story however. There were a few laughs on the part of Sam’s coworkers, especially a game of Secret Santa. And I liked the story, most of all. I’ll definitely recommend it.
Title: Gambling Men: The Novel
Author: Amy Lane
Publisher: Dreamspinner
Length: 66,550 words
Genre: m/m Contemporary Romance
Heat: 5 – Off the Charts!
Sex Frequency: 4 – Very Often
Keywords/Tags: Author Backlist Project, Gambling/Poker, Friends to Lovers, Businessmen
Rating: LOVE it!
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Quent Jackson has followed Jason Spade’s every move in business and in poker since their first day as college freshmen. Eight years later, when Jace finally decides Quent is the one man he can’t live without, he sees no reason for that to change.
But as much as Jace believes that poker is life, no one gave Quent the same playbook. After their first passionate night, the real game of love and trust begins, and Jace has been playing alone too long to make teaching the rules easy. Jace only speaks two languages: one of them is sex, and the other one is poker. Between the two, he needs to find a way to convince himself to take a chance on love—and Quent to take a chance on him. It’s a lucky thing they’re good at reading the odds, because they’re playing for keeps, and this is one high-stakes relationship that’s definitely worth the gamble.
REVIEW
Oh Amy! You slay me!! How do you do it? Seriously! Every book I read I think, this is my new favorite couple! And then I think… but what about all the other ones I love, they’re still great! I guess I’ll just have to find room in my heart to love them all, and move over because Quent and Jace have just climbed to the top of the (very sexy) pile.
Quentin and Jase have been best friends ever since their days in college. It has now been eight years (four in school, and four since) and they’re still best friends, yet now also business partners. Quent is devoted to Jase and Jase is a unique man who for all his surly temper and difficulty defining life in non-poker terms, feels very deeply. Their friendship is rock solid, a true bromance. They both are “straight” — well, Quent is straight only because there’s no point who he dates and sleeps with because Jase is all he needs and Jase well, no one really knows anything about him until he lays his cards on the table. They’re both obsessed with poker, but well, Quents obsession is with Jase and Jase’s obsession is really just his way of defining the world around him, which is the way one of the uncles who raised him taught him. This is their adventure into turning their friendship into a real relationship.
I have to say that I didn’t quite expect this story. I don’t know why but the thought of poker made me think this was some sort of underworld gambling ring story and what I found was the epitome of everything I love about Amy’s writing. The story is really only about these guys, but poker is their language — a deadly serious language, sure. But it isn’t a business or career path, it is the central role in how Jase relates to the world and as such how he relates to Quent. I loved both of these guys. They came through for me faster than most characters do and even though it took a while to get to know them, just as in any story, I had connected to them from the first page. Partly this is the way the story is told, heavy on voice and narration, and partly it is the plot. Their history together is shown throughout the story in recollections and memories (not flashbacks), so the story starts right at the catalyst in the transition of their relationship. That drew me immediately.
I am so happy that 1) I got to meet Amy at GRL; 2) I bought this book in paperback at GRL; and 3) that I decided to start reading Amy’s books (one a week folks!). But… I am disappointed that I was talking to Amy about Clear Water (ohhh Whiskey!) and I could have been talking about these guys! Jeez, what was I thinking? I can’t recommend this book enough, especially to those of you who like Amy’s writing but aren’t so up on the angst. I seriously, felt like this books was written for me. I loved it that much. Thank god I can read it again whenever I want!
Sure, this is a fanboy review. I know it. But I deserve one of those every now and then and this one deserves getting one. So, go on now, if you haven’t read it, read it now!
The Armchair Reader 