Tag Archives: Serena Yates

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Linkity from the land of ice and snow

37 Comments

Congrats to Harper Bell, who won Tono (the sequel to Loving Edits) by Mickie B. Ashling! Tono is being released by Dreamspinner Press today.

Congrats to Samantha, who won Tears of Blood (Drone Vampires, Book 12) by Stephani Hecht! Tears of Blood will be released by eXtasy Books on January 15, 2011.

Congrats to Marie A, who won the Saddle Up ‘N Ride anthology by Em Woods (and friends)! Saddle Up ‘N Ride will be released by Total-E-Bound on January 17.

Contests

Bookity

Ebookity

Think, Make, Learn, Do

Snowity

Craft

Cool

Huh

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update
Death by Misfortune by A.M. Riley. ebook. Excellent m/m romantic suspense/mystery about the murder of a “psychic to the stars” and a prominent Hollywood producer, filled with lots of complex twists and turns. The story is told from two alternating points-of-view: Jeremy, a production assistant, and Bill, the closeted cop first introduced in Amor en Retrogrado.
His Client by Ava March. ebook. Very good kinky Regency m/m romance about a prostitute who’s had enough to retire for a while, but stays on at the brothel because he’s fallen in love with one of his clients – a client who’s been pining for his straight best friend since they were at university together.
Trusted Bond (Change of Heart, Book 2) by Mary Calmes. ebook. Very good paranormal m/m romance continuing the story of Jin and Logan about six months after Change of Heart ends, complete with attackers, kidnappers, and assassins! As Logan comments more than once, life with Jin is never dull or predictable.
Taking You Home (Boys of Summer, Book 2) by Cooper Davis. ebook. This sequel to Boys of Summer was a very good m/m romance that continues the story of Hunter and Max as they deal with Max’s family and Hunter works to adjust to the idea of himself as not straight.
Pulling Apart (Pulling Away, Book 2) by Shawn Lane. ebook short. Good short m/m romance continuing the story of Noah and Charlie as Charlie pulls away and Noah has no idea what’s wrong or how to help.
Things I’ll Never Say by M.J. O’Shea. ebook. Very sweet m/m romance about two guys who’ve been best friends for years. One’s had a crush on the other for ages, but is so sure it isn’t returned that he plans to go to college out of state to get some distance.
Euphorbia by Glyn Soitino. ebook. Very good short m/m romance about a gardener who was burned by love and doesn’t plan to get involved beyond one-night stands ever again.
Black Gold by Clancy Nacht & Thursday Euclid. ebook. Pretty good m/m romance about a glam rock superstar and the leader of a punk band. I would’ve rated this higher if there hadn’t been so damn much talking. These two talked and talked and TALKED. They had long, complicated, deep conversations during allegedly spectacular sex. Um. Yeah. *rolls eyes* Really, I just wanted everyone to shut up after a while. Love the cover, though! 🙂
Firm Touch by Christine d’Abo. ebook short. Steamy short m/m holiday romance about a couple whose lives have been so busy with work that they’ve been growing apart, even though it isn’t what either of them want. Will a drunken revelation that leads to a kinky surprise help bring them closer together or be the beginning of the end?
What He Wants by Eden Cole. free ebook short. Free so-so short m/m romance about two nominally straight best friends whose mutual female friend points out to each of them that they’re in love with each other.
Giving Chase (Seattle) by Jamie Hill. ebook short. Meh short m/m romance about a programmer who meets a gift store clerk and is instantly smitten. The whole thing felt forced and unrealistic.
Best Laid Plans by Cat Kane. ebook. Ok m/m romance about a disaster-prone wedding coordinator who gets involved with the groom of a wedding he’s planning. I might’ve liked this more had the whole reason behind the big misunderstanding plot made sense to me.
Rescuing the Librarian (New Horizons, Book 1) by Serena Yates. ebook. Ok m/m romance about a research librarian who agrees to help a porn star attempting to break into more mainstream acting get a better understanding of what a librarian’s job involves. Alas, I had some niggles about this one – the actor, from Scotland, must not have had any accent at all, since the librarian didn’t realize he was from Scotland. How likely is that? And what happened to the librarian’s assistant, who seemed as if he was going to be a critical player in the story, but vanished after a couple pages?
Naughty Nooners by Carol Lynne, Kaenar Langford, J.P. Bowie, Cian Fey, Jade Mason, & Dakota Rebel. ebook collection. Ok collection of m/m romance short stories about steamy lunch hour interludes and instalove.
Law and Ardor by Jack Greene. ebook short. Steamy short m/m romance about a cop who responds to a breaking-and-entering report and meets an adorable guy that he’d really like to get to know better. Small editing fail when counting fingers at one point…
Love Thy Neighbor by Jack Greene. ebook short. Steamy short m/m/m story about a guy who becomes fascinated by the two exhibitionist models who have an apartment across the courtyard from him.

“Why are  you taking my picture?!” -Chaos

Contests, Knitting, Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Supercalifragilinkalicious

29 Comments

Contests

  • Jessica of Racy Romance Reads is having contests to get rid of her paper books. For your chance to win two of the pictured books, let her know what was the most recent addition to your keepers shelf. Contest closes 2/13.

Books & Reading & Stuff To Think About

Make, Learn, and Do Stuff

Be Amused

Get Your Cute On

Reading  Update
Posted To Death (Simon Kirby-Jones Mystery, Book 1) by Dean James. This was a delightful and slightly twisted version of the British village cozy mystery, because Simon is a gay vampire (he can be out in sunlight and doesn’t need to drink blood, as long as he takes his medication) and well-known historian (who secretly writes romances and mysteries under several pseudonyms). Definitely recommended if you enjoy mysteries with a bit of snark and a complicated cast of suspects. (Also, for the wary, I would give this book a no-pepper heat rating – a very safe read.)
The Dickens With Love by Josh Lanyon. ebook. Very well-done holiday-themed m/m romance about a disgraced book hunter reduced to working for shady and unpleasant clients, one of whom has charged him to secretively and preemptively purchase a newly discovered Dickens’ Christmas story before it goes to auction.
Carol of the Bellskis by Astrid Amara. ebook. Another very well-done holiday-themed m/m romance (Hanukkah this time) about a paralegal who breaks up with his boyfriend (also his boss) because his closeted boss is backing out of their vacation plans. The paralegal heads off on vacation to his aunt and uncle’s kosher B&B alone… and finds himself taking care of all the guests, with his aunt and uncle nowhere to be found.
Falling by Cassandra Gold. ebook short. I really enjoyed this m/m short about a guy who gets accidentally knocked down the stairs at his apartment building and is taken to the hospital by his sexy firefighter neighbor.
Force of Law by Jez Morrow. ebook. Good m/m romance about a mechanic who believes he’s being used by his ex’s billionaire cousin for revenge. For the first third of this, I wasn’t sure I was going to keep reading, because the power dynamics were making me really uncomfortable. Things turned around after that, fortunately.
Melting the Slopes by Ethan Day, William Maltese, and Jason Edding. ebook collection. No surprise that there was at least some skiing in each of these tales of m/m romance, based on the title, huh? Ethan Day’s humorous romance “Snow Ho” was my favorite of the three stories, followed by the romantic suspense of William Maltese’s “Bottom’s Up”.
Let It Snow! by Michael Barnette. ebook. Kinda meh m/m romance – it actually was mostly ok for a while (bit of awkward language, etc, but not too bad), but then the story basically stopped, jumped to the epilogue, and everything was tied up in a nice tidy bow. *blink blink*
The Sound of Cicadas by Tory Temple. ebook short. Decent m/m romance short about two guys who see each other for the first time in ten years at their high school reunion – will they be able to get past their hurt pride and misunderstandings?
The Chocolatier by Elizabeth Jewell. ebook. Sweet (sorry, couldn’t resist…) m/m romance about a guy who makes chocolates that are rumored to make people fall in love. So how comes he’s still single?
To Find and To Keep (Book 1) by Serena Yates. ebook. Well, I won’t be reading the second book… The writing in this m/m romance was awkward and stilted, and the two guys? Read more like chick lit heroines.
The Mask He Wears by Fae Sutherland & Marguerite Labbe. ebook. Ok m/m romance about a lawyer, who has a marriage of convenience, confessing his feelings for his male secretary and really making a mess of it.
Hearts Afire November by Pepper Espinoza & India Harper. ebook collection. Two ok m/m romances about firefighters. The first was about a firefighter who starts to hang out with a street musician whose firefighter father died in a fire. The second is about a firefighter/investigator who becomes involved with the insurance investigator assigned to a series of fires… the insurance investigator who’s a former arsonist. The ending of this one didn’t work so well for me – I thought someone was way too quick to forgive something pretty major.
Silver and Gold by Devon Rhodes. ebook short. Enjoyable holiday m/m romance about a guy in his 40s whose first love wants to get together with him, at the same time he meets a younger man he really clicks with.
Sutcliffe Cover by Ariel Tachna & Madeleine Urban. ebook. Ignore the cover, as there are no mustaches or cowboy hats in this enjoyable m/m romance about a guy who owns a stable and riding school and becomes friends with an accountant who starts taking lessons at the school. If you’re looking for an angst break, this might be it for you. (Is it just me, or does that face look photoshopped in?!)
The Elf and Shoemaker by M. L. Rhodes. ebook. Nicely done m/m fantasy romance about the owner of a new age shop who’s about to lose his business when help comes from a most unexpected source. (If you have a mysterious old mirror wrapped up and tucked away somewhere, I’d really recommend you get it out and hang it up!)
FU by Mia Watts. ebook. This one was for Kris’ m/m rut challenge. I generally don’t read multiple partner books because it just doesn’t make sense to me how it could ever work. In this steamy tale, Parker is mistakenly assigned to a male dorm at Fullerton University (FU f’s up) and things get… complicated while Housing tries to sort it out. Ultimately, things do get simple in the end (whew!), but along the way, part of the story does qualify this for Kris’ challenge. So, I confirmed for myself that, while it was a fun read (Mia always puts together a fun’n’steamy read), I’m still a prude when it comes to multiple partner books, especially in regards to the power dynamics. O_o (I received this book from the author because she’s nice like that.)
Matchmen, Ltd. by T. C. Blue. ebook. Good m/m romance about the employees of gay matchmaking agency, Matchmen, Ltd. The book is split into three parts, each of which follows a specific employee. Hmm. I guess, since one section in this book turned out to be multiple partner, it fulfills the m/m rut challenge, too, because I kept reading and didn’t skip it, as I am wont to do in such situations. (Damn, Kris says no. Hmph.)
Ryland’s Sacrifice by Kim Dare. ebook. Good paranormal m/m romance about a PhD student who desperately needs money for tuition and food, so allows himself to be “thrown” to a pride of werelions, with unexpected results. Although this might sound like a multiple partner book, it isn’t. (I received this book from the author because she’s nice like that, too.)
A mysterious book that I can’t talk about yet, but which was a darn good read. 🙂

“What? Why are you laughing at me?” -Chaos