Month: November 2017

Sexy Shorts from Andrew Grey!

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a double dose of M/M romance from Andrew Grey. I’ve loved many of his novel-length works, including EASTERN COWBOY, but I’ve had the chance to snap up some short fiction from him, and enjoyed these snack-sized erotic romps. Both AUCTION ACTION and THE PHOTOGRAPHER’S ASSISTANT feature unlikely pairings and are contemporary stories.

About AUCTION ACTION:
Art isn’t the only thing a man can find at an auction…
Frederick Holloway is a successful antiques dealer with a clientele that he likes to keep happy. When one of his most important clients asks him to attend a charity auction to buy a painting for her, Frederick agrees. What he didn’t expect was the Greek god with the face of the Marlboro man who is his main competitor for the artwork.

Duncan never expected to meet such a powerful and commanding man in such a small package. He likes it, really likes it! Frederick can give him something he desperately needs. But are they playing around? Is something deeper developing? Or is Duncan still trying to get an angle on the work of art that he lost at the auction… or embracing a worthy opponent?

My Review:
Fredrick Holloway is a dealer in French antiques in Milwaukee. A favored client contracts him to purchase a painting at an auction as a way to keep the buyer’s anonymity. She’d been a rival of the deceased woman whose estate in on the block. While there, Fredrick notices a sexy man is also interested in the same piece of art. Fredrick, an experienced buyer, takes a strategic position and ends up winning the piece at a great discount to his client. Feeling high on the experience, diminutive Fredrick goes out on the town, and manages to meet his auction adversary, Duncan, in the same leather-type bar. Fredrick makes it clear that coming home with him will require some level of submission, and Duncan’s down for it.

They have a great night, more so than Duncan could have dreamed. He’s a wealthy man, but his youth was marked by distant parents and a parade of nannies and boarding schools. He desires a partner who is compassionate and passionate; Fredrick seems to fit the bill. He’s also curious about the purchaser of the painting, as the subject was Duncan’s great-grandmother. His family wanted the painting for their gallery, and his inquiries to Fredrick lead to some intrigue, but not much. Both men handle the situation with respect and dignity, which leads Duncan to seek Fredrick out again. And again.

For a novella, this is a meaty read, and that’s not just a pun about the sexytimes. We get to see Duncan and Fredrick build a rapport and that leads to a relationship that is built on mutual respect. They are a sweet odd couple, and I found the flipped power dynamic interesting and fun. This is a novella that was published in originally in 2012, and recently republished. If you’re looking for the slow burn romance Andrew Grey is typically known for, you won’t find it here. Quick and dirty, with a sweet side that charmed me.

Interested? You can find AUCTION ACTION on Goodreads and Amazon. It’s a sweet deal at $.99.

About THE PHOTOGRAPHER’S ASSISTANT:
Christian Coulliet is the premier gay erotic photographer in the country. His pictures are spectacular because he will go to whatever length he needs to get the photographs he wants, including having sex with his models. He’s famous for capturing images of his models at the absolute height of passion.

David Weatherby is Christian’s assistant, organized and efficient. He considers himself plain and ordinary, unlike the models Christian works with. David’s also attracted to Christian in a big way, but has seen Christian brush off so many men, and he doesn’t want to be another notch on Christian’s photographic bedpost. Besides, Christian wouldn’t notice someone as plain as him anyway.

What David doesn’t realize is that Christian has noticed and watches, but stays away because David works for him, and because he feels that David deserves someone better. With both men reluctant for various reasons to voice or act on their feelings, will they ever be within the same frame?

My Review:
David Weatherby is a young gay man living with his best friend in New York. He’s an aspiring landscape photographer and he has worked for renown erotic photog Christian Coulliet. Everyone knows that Christian regularly has sex with his models, during his “shoots.” Ordinarily, David’s been captivated and aroused in his job, but lately he’s been confused and conflicted. Because, in his tenure, David has done more than maintain Christian’s schedule, give aftercare to the models, and sort the images–he’s also been a caregiver to Christian. He’s made his meals, and cleaned his living quarters, and helped him sober up after his increasingly frequent benders.

David’s come to care for Christian, and finds Christian’s interactions with the models to be unhealthy. He wants to love Christian, but he knows he can’t, not really. Because David wants a man who will love him, not every beautiful man in the studio at that moment in time. Plus, David thinks the pictures Christian takes are genius; and putting monogamy limits on Christian might diminish him as an artist. Thing is, Christian finds David attractive as well. He’s bright and lively, and he’s compassionate and talented. That said, Christian is also afraid he’ll hurt David–not so afraid that he doesn’t take some SERIOUS liberties, and act a complete fool. David’s a good guy, and he’s making friends and contacts that encourage him to be true to himself. In this, David actually aids Christian to get his life together–a little tough love goes a long way and these guys seem to find a comfort level in their lives together. I didn’t like Christian much, but in the end he did make good with David, who is a total doll. I was glad that David got the support and love he needed, when he needed it.

Expect lots of sexytimes, not exclusively between David and Christian. The book is an erotic novella, originally published as part of an anthology, though I read it as a standalone.

Interested? You can find THE PHOTOGRAPHER’S ASSISTANT on Goodreads and Amazon.

About the Author:
Andrew grew up in western Michigan with a father who loved to tell stories and a mother who loved to read them. Since then he has lived throughout the country and traveled throughout the world. He has a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and works in information systems for a large corporation.

Andrew’s hobbies include collecting antiques, gardening, and leaving his dirty dishes anywhere but in the sink (particularly when writing) He considers himself blessed with an accepting family, fantastic friends, and the world’s most supportive and loving partner. Andrew currently lives in beautiful, historic Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

You can find Andrew online on his website, blog, Facebook, twitter and email.

Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends.

Out Now! MERRY GENTLEMEN-A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a newly-republished M/M Christmas romance from Josephine Myles. MERRY GENTLEMEN is a sweet and fun reconnection romance between two men who’d loved deeply but drifted apart several years before. Now they meet in the most unexpected of places, and the fire still burns…

About the book:
’Tis the season of goodwill to all men… even the one who dumped you.
Riley MacDermott is going places. Managing the annual Bath Christmas Market—which involves long hours in the cold and a whole lot of hassle—will secure the promotion he needs to afford to move out of his noisy, top-floor flat. Where not even his balcony is safe from an aggressive seagull.

The last stallholder he expects to see is his ex. Riley never recovered from their break up, and five years on the old chemistry still sparkles. Shame they can’t seem to manage a simple chat without arguing.

Stan never wanted to leave the love of his life, but the pull of the woods was too strong—and Riley wouldn’t hear of leaving the city. Reconnecting is painful, but Stan still jumps at the chance to stay with his old flame during the Market. And damn the consequences.

As the weeks pass, the two grow closer than ever. But despite scorching sex and cozy intimacy, they both know they face a cold and lonely future. Unless they can figure out a compromise.

Warning: Contains sex in a shed, a seagull with a grudge, glamping, awful Secret Santa underwear, misuse of an ABBA song, and as many wood-related puns as the author thought she could get away with.

How about a little taste?

You could lose yourself in Stan’s eyes. Well, I could. They reminded me of sun-bleached denim, with a deeper indigo ring around the outside. They were the kind of eyes that spoke of hard work in the great outdoors, and if it hadn’t been for the fact they’d been just the same back when he’d slaved away as a housing officer, I’d believe they really had been lightened by the sun. His hair certainly had. I’d always thought of him as a dirty blond rather than a honey one.

I still thought of him as a dirty blond, although not because of the colour of his hair.

Before my brain could get hijacked by thoughts of just how dirty Stan could be, I recovered my manners and stuck my hand out.

“Stan. Fancy seeing you here. I had no idea. Really.”

Stan stared at my hand like I was offering him a slice of mouldy pizza. I was just about to snatch it back when he grabbed it and held on.

“Ri? You look… You haven’t changed. Not one bit.”

Normally I’d preen a little at a comment like that. Make some allusion to Botox—not that I had any desire to freeze the expression out of my forehead, as how would I cope if I couldn’t do my patented single-eyebrow raise?

But right now, with Stan holding my hand in his rough, calloused—oh my God, he had genuine, honest to goodness callouses!—paw, I found it hard to do anything other than fight down my body’s instinctive response to him. I wanted to hit him and I wanted to lick him all over, and I couldn’t bloody well figure out which urge was winning.

Actually, right now I needed to stop paying any attention to my body and concentrate on keeping my cool. Couldn’t have Stan seeing me ruffled.

“Well, you’ve definitely changed,” I said. “You’ve got that whole rugged, outdoorsy vibe working for you now.” I didn’t need to hide the fact I was checking him out, thank Christ, so I took my time drinking in the sight of him. “Going back to nature really does pay off, doesn’t it? Shit, you never bulked up this well in the gym. And you’re tanned in the winter, but not a streak of orange to be seen. It’s a modern day miracle. Hallelujah.”

“I don’t need to fake it,” Stan growled, tilting his head back to look down at me and making the most of his three-inch height advantage. It was his arrogant-bastard pose, and he bloody well knew I was a sucker for it because I’d once made the mistake of telling him. Never, ever let a toppy git know just how much they turn you on, or you’ll spend your whole bloody life in a state of perpetual turned-on-ness. Was that even a word? It was now.

“What happened to your hair?” I said, reaching out for a lock. “Totally hot, but aren’t you getting a bit old for the whole surfer look? And you’re way too landlocked, down in deepest, darkest Somersetshire.”

“Piss off, Ri,” Stan said, but there was no heat in his words. The heat was all in his eyes, beaming out and frying me like a laser beam. They’d find me later, nothing more than a pair of melted boot soles on the cobbles.

Was that angry heat or turned-on heat? Couldn’t figure it out on him either. I had to face it, we both had ample reason to be pissed off with each other, but five years was a long time to hold a grudge.

“Much as I’d love to get on my way, it’s actually my job to check up on you. See if there’s anything you need any help with. Lend a hand, you know.” Jesus, could I have made that sound any more like a come-on? Clearly my mouth was in cahoots with my dick rather than my brain. I bit the inside of my lower lip, just to show it who was boss.

But Stan just carried on staring at me, while the sun-warmed denim of his eyes frosted over.

“Right. Just your job.” Oh, that guttural Slovakian accent! After the best part of a decade of living in the UK, Stan’s had definitely mellowed compared to when we’d first met, but it was still sexy as hell. “I’ll make sure I let you know if there’s anything you can help me with.” He stepped a little closer then, and tucked both thumbs into the waistband of his combats, hands framing his package like I needed any reminding of what was hidden in there. Well, not so hidden. Whereas I was a grower, Stan was most definitely a show-er, meaning his tackle was almost as big flaccid as it was erect. Not that that was a disappointment. More of a relief, really. If he’d got any bigger when hard, I’d have had to make like a snake and dislocate my jaw before giving him a blowjob.

And I really didn’t need to be remembering blowing Stan right now.

My Review:
This is a republished work by the author, now that the original publisher is no longer in business. If you had purchased the original back in 2013, it is the same story…

Riley is still not over his intense love for Stan, the man who left him nearly five years ago. They wanted different things, it seems; for Riley it was an urban life, posh address and well-paying job–even if he hated it, while Stan relished outdoors activities and living off the land. As many times as Stan tried to talk with Riley about tempering his ambitions with some reality, it didn’t take. And so, when Riley refused to entertain the idea that they could build a new life together in a more sedate locale, Stan took off and built his dream house on 30 acres in Somerset, while Riley continued his life in Bath.

Not that much has changed for him. Well, he found a new job he didn’t hate quite so much, but he never moved and his last two boyfriends, nice as they were, saw the futility of building a life with a man who was clearly still hung up on “the one that got away.” Riley’s managing the two-week Christmas arts and crafts market in Bath, with an eye on his ailing boss’ position, and is gobsmacked to learn the last-minute addition to the market is Stan, selling his handmade woodcrafts. Their initial meet-up after five years of silence is unsettling. Riley’s just as attracted as ever, and mad about that.

Not so mad that he isn’t cordial. And a little flirty. And he appreciates when Stan helps him clean up from a rogue seagull spattering–Riley and the manky seagull are a sub-plot of the book, in truth. Riley’s trying so hard to entice Stan to recognize that he’s left such a good thing behind, and not seeing how much he let get away when Stan left. But he does see, even if it’s too late. They are still fantastic together and the love between them only swells as the days pass, especially once Riley invites Stan to stay in their old flat for the time he’s in town–and Stan agrees because his alternative was sleeping in his camper van. Though they don’t spend many nights simply sleeping…these two are a very rough-and-tumble pair.

In the end, Riley can’t live for a job that won’t hold him close at night, or challenge him in bed, or love him up with deep affection and Slovakian endearments. He needs Stan, and he needs to get over his hangups about country living if he’s going to have him. Even the seagull agrees, I think. It’s a sweet resolution for them, and I liked how Riley worked out a plan for employing himself within Stan’s new slow-paced world.

Interested? You can find MERRY GENTLEMEN on Goodreads, Amazon and Smashwords.

About the Author:
English through and through, Josephine Myles is addicted to tea and busy cultivating a reputation for eccentricity. She writes gay erotica and romance, but finds the erotica keeps cuddling up to the romance, and the romance keeps corrupting the erotica. Jo blames her rebellious muse but he never listens to her anyway, no matter how much she threatens him with a big stick. She’s beginning to suspect he enjoys it.

Jo’s novel Stuff won the 2014 Rainbow Award for Best Bisexual Romance, and her novella Merry Gentlemen won the 2014 Rainbow Award for Best Gay Romantic Comedy. She loves to be busy, and is currently having fun trying to work out how she is going to fit in her love of writing, dressmaking and attending cabaret shows in fabulous clothing around the demands of a preteen with special needs and an incessantly curious toddler.

Check out Jo’s website, Facebook, Twitter, or sign up for her newsletter for more info!

Their Lives Are a HOUSE OF CARDS–A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a recently released M/M romance from Garrett Leigh. HOUSE OF CARDS is a reconnection romance between two men who’d connected years ago, but life changed quickly and they got separated. Now, they have the opportunity to find their way together. I’ve really liked MISFITS and WHAT REMAINS, so I was eager to read this one.

About the book:
Calum Hardy’s life has unravelled. Reeling from the betrayal of a man he once loved, he boards a train heading south, with no real idea where he’s going except a world away from London.

Brix Lusmoore can hardly believe his eyes when he spots one of his oldest friends outside Truro station. He hasn’t seen Calum since he fled the capital himself four years ago, harbouring a life-changing secret. But despite the years of silence, their old bond remains, warm and true—and layered with simmering heat they’ve never forgotten.

Calum takes refuge with Brix and a job at his Porthkennack tattoo shop. Bit by bit, he rebuilds his life, but both men carry the ghosts of the past, and it will take more than a rekindled friendship and the magic of the Cornish coast to chase them away.

My Review:
This is a contemporary M/M romance set on the Cornish coast town of Porthkennick.

Calum is a young and talented tattoo artist who’d been making some decent money in his studio, but his abusive partner had been stealing assets, and messing around on him, and he’s at his wit’s end. He tosses out his phone, grabs a bag of essentials and gets on a train to Truro, out near where he’d grown up, and ends up running into Brix Lusmoore. Calum had met Brix years ago and thought they had a connection when they worked together in a tattoo parlor back in London. But, Brix disappeared without explanation four years before, and none of their common friends had any info on where he’d gone.

Meeting now, in a time where Calum is vulnerable, is right time, right place. Their friendship is not difficult to rekindle, as Brix provides a haven for Calum to live and recover from his abuse. He’s trying to build a clientele in Brix’s shop, to help pay for his lodging, and though he does this anonymously, his unique skill at dot-work have pulled some of his clients from the city into Porthkennick. That brings Calum’s ex to the area, looking to browbeat, or beat, Calum back into being his obedient meal ticket. The resilience he develops by living with and connecting to Brix gives Calum the strength to stay out of the negative situation.

Brix has mixed feelings about having Calum pop in from his past. He’d liked Calum a lot, but he’s afraid to fall in love again, knowing that he’s not well enough to have the kind of relationship he’d want with Calum. That said, the companionship they begin to experience with each other seems to be enough for the moment, and, as Calum investigates Brix’s odd mannerisms–and pirate family members–he’s drawn even more closely to Brix.

I really liked how this story developed. It’s sweet and slow-burning, with fun elements, like Brix’s penchant for rescuing retired laying hens from the chicken pie/soup. Calum is such a tender-hearted guy, it was hard to witness his abuse, and the after-effects of it. Brix was frustrated that his departure impacted Calum, and feels guilty that Calum met up with his abuser, knowing that had he’d stayed they would have been together…and Calum would have been safe. Calum realizes that he was so timid, and his insecurity allowed him to become prey to his ex. His new life with Brix is more satisfying than any part of the years before combined. Their building trust and honesty lead to a satisfying relationship for both of them.

Interested? You can find HOUSE OF CARDS on Goodreads, Riptide Publishing, Amazon Barnes & Noble, and Kobo. I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.

About the Author:
Garrett Leigh is an award-winning British writer and book designer, currently working for Dreamspinner Press, Loose Id, Riptide Publishing, and Fox Love Press.

Garrett’s debut novel, Slide, won Best Bisexual Debut at the 2014 Rainbow Book Awards, and her polyamorous novel, Misfits was a finalist in the 2016 LAMBDA awards.

When not writing, Garrett can generally be found procrastinating on Twitter, cooking up a storm, or sitting on her behind doing as little as possible, all the while shouting at her menagerie of children and animals and attempting to tame her unruly and wonderful FOX.

Garrett is also an award winning cover artist, taking the silver medal at the Benjamin Franklin Book Awards in 2016. She designs for various publishing houses and independent authors at blackjazzdesign.com, and co-owns the specialist stock site moonstockphotography.com with renowned LGBTQA+ photographer Dan Burgess.

Otherwise you can find her on her website, twitter or Facebook.