Review of Middleman by Jayne Rylon

 by Jayne Rylon

3.5 stars

I don’t kneel for any man. Not anymore.
I had the perfect dominant boyfriend. Then Cortez left me to save the world.
After two and a half years lost drowning my misery in bad decisions, one man changed everything.
Rogan is the perfect submissive, who puts me back in control of both him and my life.
Until Cortez comes home.
Who am I? Cortez’s bottom or Rogan’s top?
Maybe I’m both.
Maybe I was made to be their middleman.

Hmm, a ménage romance, 3 hot men and a BDSM kink, sound like a steamy book.  And Middleman delivers on the steam, but a few little issues kept us from totally falling in love.

Kaden is an artist and a dedicated bottom for dominant Cortez.  Cortez is a soldier, and when the military calls him away for a special op for an extended period, he thinks he does what is right and breaks it off with Kaden.  Kaden is broken and spends the next years finding relief in other men, drugs and alcohol. However, while doing a portrait for a new sexy client, Rogan, he finds himself pulled into his drama and is happy to find relief for his broken heart.  But things aren’t simple, Cortez comes back form the dead and wants Kaden back.

This is a story about 3 very different men; Kaden, Cortez and Rogan. It is a hot hot steamy erotic story, but it missed a bit for us in the BDSM side, it is a bit more of a kink with light bondage and not really BDSM.  But, it is sizzling, the sex is off the page hot, and really if you are looking for serious chemistry and scalding sex than read on. 

A few things that made us scratch our head.  There is a lot of drama, Cortez leaving, Kaden’s broken soul, Rogan’s cheating ex, and it got a bit much, a bit like drama for drama sake.  Plus we didn’t really like how the fell into the ménage.  Seriously, if your boyfriend’s ex (the one he still says he loves and is heart-broken over) returns would you invite him to be your bodyguard? Yeah, no, it wasn’t really believable.  This is our first Jayne Rylon book, so maybe we aren’t used to her style, but we felt the story missed a flow, like it was a bit forced.  We like the 3 characters individually, and the Kaden/Rogan and Kaden/Cortez relationship but we weren’t really sold on the ménage.

But we are just being picky.  We wanted to like this ménage, we really liked the steam, and the sex scenes are phenomenal, but the story didn’t really work for us.

Review of Working out the Kinks by Misha Horne

 by Misha Horne

4 stars

Mistakes aren't supposed to feel this good...

I learned early on that pretty much everything in life is a scam, and love's at the top of the list. Easy to fake, maximum payout, and people just never stop falling for it. Watching my mom break hearts and empty bank accounts as we bounced from house to house taught me just how dangerous feelings could be. That's a whole lot of hassle I don't need.

These days, I stick to three basic rules. I don’t take something just because I want it. I don’t ask for help, even if I need it. And I never look twice at a guy who has a bigger bank account than I do. I know where those things can get you, and it's not anywhere I need to go. I’m perfectly happy being a dive bar rock star who can barely pay his rent, chasing the dream until my time or my sanity runs out. At least, I thought I was.

Until Brett showed up.

Another thing I don’t do is think about the past. All the people I can never look in the eye again. Who know just how ugly I really am deep down. The last person I need to get mixed up with is someone on that list. The last person I need to go breaking all my rules for is the cocky, spoiled brat who used to sleep in the room across the hall.

No matter how gorgeous he is now.
No matter how filthy he is in bed.
No matter how good it feels when he says all he wants in the world is me.

Just like the title, so many kinks, but so so so so good!

Failing rock-Star Landon has so many rules for himself, to keep himself from following gin his con-artist mother’s footsteps.  He keeps himself on the bare minimum, of living, loving, and becoming successful, and he is fine with his little life the way it is.  But, when a person from his past wants his future, his rules don’t seem to matter much.  Brett is a spoiled rich-boy taking a break from his life and wanted to re-connect with the man of his youth and current day dreams.

We really really enjoyed “Working out the Kinks”, it is so layered and so very well written.  The first person narrative from Landon creates a flow to the story, and really lets the reader understand his hang-ups about his mother and money.   Landon is an odd fellow, but we quickly fell in love with his quirks.  Brett helps him see that all that he is punishing himself for isn’t really his to accept responsibility for.  They both are floating along, struggling with living, but give each other roots to be who they need to be. 

This book is hot, steamy and kinky.  We haven’t been much fans of spanking, but it works so well between these men, and it is SO hot.  They have such chemistry that Landon tried to deny, but they have such a fun banter and they shares so much vulnerability.  They are such different men, but work so well together.  Landon needs someone who fights for him, to convince him that he is worth something and Brett gives him that.  Now, SPOILER, Brett and Landon were actually step-bothers for 2 years in their teens.  It adds so much to the story, to the layers of their relationship.  We were honestly worried it would be creepy, but just the opposite.

Working out the Kinks is a fast paced, hot, sweaty twisted, kinky read, and we are so glad we meet Landon and Brett.  

Review of Lace by KC Wells

 By KC Wells

2.5 Stars

 When Shawn’s best mate Dave breaks up with his girlfriend, Shawn tries not to get his hopes up. After all, Dave’s still straight, right? Wrong. Dave reveals he’s bisexual, and that pounding you hear is Shawn’s heart. He’s loved Dave for so long, but he’s not about to jeopardize their friendship by telling Dave how he really feels.

But when Dave discovers Shawn’s little kink, it opens up a whole new chapter for the two friends. Except Shawn can’t help but worry – if there was no kink, would Dave be there? And is Shawn brave enough to find out?

A standalone short story of lust, lace – and love….

A cute short story that deals with a taboo subject – men in panties!  

Shawn is an out gay man who likes lacey things against his skin, and love love loves his best friend Dave.  Dave has newly discovered he isn’t as straight as he thinks he is when he starts thinking about Shawn in all sorts of hot encounters.  But when Dave stumbles upon Shawn’s secret kink, they admit their lust and fall into bed.

We really like the premise of this short story, best friends that fall into bed, brought together by a little kink.  And we really liked the first few chapters, but fell apart for us for the second half.  The POV switches between Shawn and Dave, and you feel that attraction they have for one another, and their nervousness to take the next step and ruin a friendship.  But after they finally get over themselves they jump into a serious sex-fest.  We found the transition between their friendship and the between the sheets action a little stark.  One minute they are shy and sweet and the next, some hardcore kink and hardcore between-the-sheets. 

Don’t get us wrong, it was hot and we really enjoyed the kink.  We haven’t read much that features men in panties, but really enjoyed how main stream KC Wells attacked the kink.  Be warned that this is a book that will make you blush, woohoo, it is hot between Shawn and Dave.

But outside of the bedroom I didn’t feel the chemistry, and the mis-communication, or rather, lack of communication made the story just too predictable.  This book starts with BEST FRIENDS yet, they never seem to be able to talk?  Like how Dave deals with his bi-sexuality, by not talking to his GAY BEST FRIEND?  Okay, you get our frustration.  Just left us felling, well, disappointed.

Lace deals with an interesting subject, and makes it easy for the reader; unfortunately that wasn’t enough to save this book for us.  We believe this is going to be a series, and although felt Lace missed the mark, we are excited about the next in the series.