Review of Dirty Kiss (Cole McGinnis #1) by Rhys Ford

Dirty Kiss (Cole McGinnis #1) by Rhys Ford

4 stars

Cole Kenjiro McGinnis, ex-cop and PI, is trying to get over the shooting death of his lover when a supposedly routine investigation lands in his lap. Investigating the apparent suicide of a prominent Korean businessman's son proves to be anything but ordinary, especially when it introduces Cole to the dead man's handsome cousin, Kim Jae-Min.

Jae-Min's cousin had a dirty little secret, the kind that Cole has been familiar with all his life and that Jae-Min is still hiding from his family. The investigation leads Cole from tasteful mansions to seedy lover s trysts to Dirty Kiss, the place where the rich and discreet go to indulge in desires their traditional-minded families would rather know nothing about.

It also leads Cole McGinnis into Jae-Min's arms, and that could be a problem. The death of Jae-Min's cousin is looking less and less like a suicide, and Jae-Min is looking more and more like a target. Cole has already lost one lover to violence he's not about to lose Jae-Min too

Who doesn’t love a good mystery, throw in some intrigue and some heat-between-the-sheets and you have this 1^st installment of the Cole McGinnis series.

Cole McGinnis is a former cop, turned PI, struggling with the death of his longtime partner.  He takes a new case of a suicide that they family thinks is fishy, and falls into the world of family expectations, call-boys and secrets.  Making queries about the deceased he meets Jae-Min, the deceased cousin.  Cole and Jae-Min both have their baggage, but are drawn to each other, even though they should both be staying away.

There are so many goof things about this book.  Let’s start with Rhys Ford’s writing, so so so good.  Rhys know how to create a story and make interesting characters.  This book is full of so much description that it could almost drown you, but instead adds to the layers of this book.  Rhys also creates such distinct characters, creates a whole life around the main characters and gives them all a voice that adds to the story. 

And the mystery, we love a good mystery and Dirty Kiss delivers, there are multiple deaths, twists and turns that kept us page turning till the end.  And let’s talk about the romance – the book ends as a Happy-for-Now, but you can see that there is more to tell about Cole and Jae-Min.  their relationship isn’t easy through Dirty Kiss, Cole struggles with letting a lover back in after the brutal death of his boyfriend, and Jae-Min is hurting under the Asian family pressure to get married and have a family.  Neither of their roads are easy, and they relationship follows the same bumps. 

Dirty Kiss also leaves a few things open ended but being the beginning of the series we see where they are going.  All in all, Dirty Kidd is a fantastic fast paced mystery that delivers on chemistry and some smolder.  We can’t wait to read the rest of the series!

Review of Off Campus by Amy Jo Cousins

 Off Campus by Amy Jo Cousins

2.5 stars

With his father’s ponzi scheme assets frozen, Tom Worthington believes finishing college is impossible unless he can pay his own way. After months sleeping in his car and gypsy-cabbing for cash, he’s ready to do just that.

But his new, older-student housing comes with an unapologetically gay roommate. Tom doesn’t ask why Reese Anders has been separated from the rest of the student population. He’s just happy to be sleeping in a bed.

Reese isn’t about to share his brutal story with his gruff new roommate. You’ve seen one homophobic jock, you’ve seen ’em all. He plans to drag every twink on campus into his bed until Tom moves out. But soon it becomes clear Tom isn’t budging.

Tom isn’t going to let some late-night sex noise scare him off, especially when it’s turning him on. But he doesn’t want any drama either. He’ll keep his hands, if not his eyes, to himself. Boundaries have a way of blurring when you start sharing truths, though. And if Tom and Reese cross too many lines, they may need to find out just how far they can bend…before they break.

Let’s start off by saying how much we like college boys, sign.  And this roommates to lovers romance fits the bill, but gets waylaid with too many other storylines.

Tom is a former rich boy whose father is in prison for essentially embezzlement, although all assets are frozen he is working as a cabbie to finish up school.  Assigned to a new roommate he meets up with Reese, who is none too happy about being assigned this former jock.  They both have secrets in their past, and agree that keeping distance from each other is the best way to co-exist.  But Reese really wants a single room and will do almost anything to get Tom to leave.

Fun idea – right?  But a few things get in the way of making this a great read.  Tom is struggling with letting people help him, and is trying to pay his way through college himself.  However even when teachers want to help find him scholarships he pushes everyone away, almost becoming a hermit.  He has run ins with a few other students, and it causes him to pull back further to himself.  I guess it could be believable, but thinking that Tom really wants to accomplish his degree would he not be looking for help? 

And Reese, we struggled with his character.  Reese was raped a college a year ago, and now brings everyone and anyone home.  Trying to get Tom to move out, he resorts to bringing home twinks, and starts this voyeur thing between Tom and himself.  We lived in Rez and ewww, this turned us off, a roommate having sex 10 feet away, no, nope, no way.  We really expected more the the raped storyline to come through, yes, it explains why Reese always wants control, but I was expecting more.

The story is a long one and the back and forth between Tom and Reese makes it drag.  Tom isn’t sure if he is comfortable being open or out with Reese, he doesn’t want to bring more attention to himself. Reese isn’t sure he wants to be Tom’s dirty little secret.  Back and forth, back and forth.  But, not that they are celibate during this time, nope, these are some horny bunnies.  There is lots of sex in this book, and it was hard in the beginning to see Reese, one of the main characters, sleeping with others.

So all in all, a great idea for a story, but just didn’t pan out for us.  Off Campus felt like a circle of a story that never quite found it’s groove.

Review of Your Fallen Star by Raleigh Ruebin

Your Fallen Star by Raleigh Ruebin

2.5 stars

 A decade and a half ago, Leo Stone was famous. Fans galore, and money pouring in like a waterfall. Music industry royalty.

…And then the band broke up.

Leo went from a prince to pauper, and now he’s trying to make a comeback. To clean up his image and grab a little publicity, his manager hires Jamie Sheffield to write his biography.

Straight out of college, Jamie can’t believe his luck. He’d never quite gotten over his teen-aged crush on Leo, and now here he is, talking with Leo, thinking about Leo. Sleeping with Leo. And the heat between them is enough to set paper on fire.

But Leo’s afraid to commit to Jamie, no matter how much Jamie wants it. Not with the tabloids standing by, waiting for their next serving of scandal. And all the while, the book is getting closer to being finished. Will their story be cut short, or can they make it last forever?

This is such a great premise for a story, a fallen boy-band member and the man tasted with writing his biography, how could they not fall in love?  But Your Fallen Star had a few too much angst and twists for our liking.

Leo Stone is an ex boy-band member, now in his 30’s he is struggling with who he is and where to go from here.  His agent comes up with a brilliant idea to release his biography and hires Jamie Sheffield, a budding screenplay writer fresh out of college.  They meet and the sparks fly.  Leo is wrapped up in someone who actually wants to be with him for him and Jamie is star struck that this famous man wants him. 

This book starts with so much great potential, the sparks between Leo and Jamie are sizzling, but it starts to fizzle.  There is the usual attraction, and their beginning love is sweet, hot and so believable. 

But then it starts to slide into ill-communication angst.  Leo rebounds between wanting Jamie and pushing him away.  The May/December romance isn’t a new idea but this one doesn’t seem to work.  Both of these men waffle, Jamie – am I good enough to be a screenwriter, am I right following my dreams, should I give up and go home?  And Leo – why would Jamie want me, I am going to ruin his career, what am I going to do with the rest of my life?  They are so on-again-off-again it is a bit like whiplash.   And truthfully gets a little annoying, I just wanted one of them to set up and own their relationship, but nope, back and forth we go.  They both seem to think they know what is best for each other, without even talking about what they both need. 

All the angsty stuff aside, there is some chemistry between Leo and Jamie, and it makes Your Fallen Star hot.  There is a weird sex scene in a guest bedroom (that someone is staying in) at a huge Hollywood party that one of the more successful members of the boy-band is throwing, that well, is weird.  And we spend the 5 pages before in Leo’s head going over the reasons why he can’t let anyone know him and Jamie are tighter.  So, weird. 

Your Fallen Star is the start of a new series, and we see so much potential, but this May/December Romance just fizzled for us.

Review of Her Majesty’s Men by Marquesate

Her Majesty’s Men by Marquesate

4 stars

 Her Majesty's Men is the story of two soldiers in the British Forces and of a friendship taking unexpected turns. In the eyes of the Army they are just two mates who are close. But from the revelation of personal secrets, ensuing hatred and aggression, through terror and danger, to loyalty, triumphant strength and courage, grows their own realisation of what they are: comrades first and foremost, but something else too, something more significant. The two Royal Engineers, Sgt Tom Warren and SSgt Alex Turner, learn to understand the real meaning of loyalty and strength. Their fight for survival cuts through all the discipline and rules, to tie them together in a unique bond of companionship and trust.

This is a gritty read, and not an easy read of lust between military men.  We first meet Tom, a closeted gay man that is hiding his secret lust for his best friend and fellow soldier, Alex.  Alex is straight as they come and Tom struggles with being authentic and losing his best friend over coming out.  But in a drunken night he finally tells the truth to Alex who pushes him away in a shocking moment of homophobia. 

Marquesate tells the story from Tom and Alex’s point-of0-views, but instead of switching chapter to chapter, Tom’s story is the first half followed by Alex.  This is a story of love, but it isn’t sweet, or fun, it is intense ad sucks you in from the first moment.  While reading we wondered how Alex would make this work between these men, but we should have had faith.  Although their love-story isn’t typical, it is still there.  Alex comes to his senses and remembers that he loves Tom as his friend and even Tom being gay isn’t changing that. 

Although this is a military romance, it doesn’t really focus on the military part, yes there is reference, but we are so wrapped up in this gut wrenching, violent, sexual, heart-breaking story that we kind of forget about the military.  There is no sweet word, no flirty looks, no stolen moments, but throw downs, harsh words and hot hot hot sex.  Alex eventually softens around the edges, but their relationship will never be an easy one.

Okay, so there is so much to say about Her Majesty’s Men, we really enjoyed it, but it left us wanting more.  Instead of the 144 pages we could have ready so much more about these fantastic military men. 

Review of Owning It by Riley Hart and Devon McCormack

 Review of Owning It by Riley Hart and Devon McCormack

5 stars

Just out of an eighteen-year marriage, the last thing Jackson expects the first time he visits a gay bar is for a sexy, drunk, twenty-six-year-old twink to mistakenly climb into his Jeep. The twink part he’s good with, the drunk part…not so much. As far as Jackson’s concerned, the boy should come with a warning label. But Derek is not as flighty as Jackson thought…he’s actually pretty incredible. Getting to know the wild, funny man is a breath of fresh air. And when Derek calls him Daddy? Christ, he never thought something like that would feel so right.

Derek has serious daddy issues, and his name is Jackson. He’s stubborn and controlling…and ever since Derek woke up in the silver fox’s condo, he can’t get Jackson out of his mind. Maybe because no matter how many times he throws himself at him, Jackson doesn’t take the bait. And maybe because Jackson is the one person who sees him for who he really is. But Derek loves a challenge, and he’s eager to rock Jackson’s world.

Jackson isn’t interested in a meaningless hookup. He wants the real Derek, not just the sassy jokester everyone else sees. But it’s not easy for Derek to open up. He feels much safer guarding his heart. And Jackson needs to figure out the balance between living for himself and the mountain of responsibilities weighing him down. Derek and Jackson must find the common ground between hookup and commitment—if they can’t own their issues and work together to overcome their faults, they could smother the flame between them that’s just beginning to ignite.

So happy to finally read this book – Derek is a favouite character in the Metropolis series, and this book delivers his happy ending and SO much more.   We will start by saying that reading the description we weren’t overly excited for Derek’s story, and some Daddy kink, boy were we wrong, this is smoking hot, sweet, sexy and the best of the Metropolis series. 

Owning It is the 3^rd installment in the Metropolis Series, based around an apartment complex.  Derek is considered a twink, a go-to-fun guy, the life of the party, flirty and fun, and he plays his charter well.  After a drunken night of fun he stumbles in KJackson’s car thinking he is the Uber driver.  Jackson is newly divorced with a teenage son, and finally allowing himself to live his life for himself, and in walks hurricane Derek. 

Sign, this book is pure magic.  We love that Derek isn’t just a hook up to Jackson.  Derek struggles with letting everyone see his real self, and Jackson sees through his fun flirty exterior and wants to see the man underneath.  Derek needs someone to fight for him, to nurture him, someone he can lean on and Jack son is that.  Jackson really wants Derek to see his worth, and it creates this slow burn romance those notches up the sexual tension.  Let’s talk Daddy kink, woohooo, it is smoking hot.  Actually, this is our first Daddy kink book (say that 3 times fast!) , and there is something so sexy about Derek and Daddy Jackson, the heat literally melts the pages.  We thought it might be a little weird, but it fits Derek and Jackson, and only adds to the book.

Riley Hart and Devon McCormack are a formidable writing team, their voices blend seamlessly, and they weave a story that feels like every word moves the story along.  There is no unnecessary angst, ill-communication, or the usual pitfalls couples fall into.  Building through the Metropolis series, it is fun to revisit our favourite couples, but really excited about some of the new men being introduced. 

Owning It is a fun, flirty read that is one of our favourites this year.  If the Metropolis series keeps going this way we can’t wait to read the next books!