Review of Grace Notes by Jerry Cole

by Jerry Cole

3 stars 

Gil DuPont likes life exactly the way it is. It might not be full of friends, love, and laughter, but he gave up on believing life would ever hold much of that for him anyway. A confirmed loner, and bachelor by default, his routine is important and rarely interrupted.

All that changes when he receives an unexpected visit from Child Protection Services one freezing Minnesota night. Originally believing they’re there to deliver bad news, he prepares himself for details of his estranged sister’s death. However, once he finds out that they have a different problem for him, he realizes his life is about to take an unexpected turn.

His sister, Marguerite, six years older than him and somewhat of a phantom throughout his life, has been taken into the hospital due to her problems with alcohol. Her illness has left in its wake someone Gil discovers is suddenly completely reliant on him: a little girl of eight. Gil had no idea he was even an uncle, but soon understands that he’s required to step up and take responsibility for Roxy.

As they settle down into a brand new routine, one where Gil is a care provider and new parent, he discovers that the joys of life can be found in the smallest things, not least of all his niece’s warm heart and childish innocence. What Gil certainly doesn’t expect, however, is for the dark and handsome Micah to come as an extra into the arrangement. A social worker who has made it his life’s work to ensure children are given the best possible chance despite somewhat difficult beginnings, he takes an interest in Gil and Roxy’s situation, and even Gil himself.

Loving Roxy comes easily to Gil, but allowing himself to be loved by Micah? That may be pushing things a little too far. But he’s about to learn that it’s not just his niece who’s been offered a second chance at happiness.

We were surprised by this book, it wasn’t what we thought it would be.  We enjoyed reading Grace Notes by Jerry Cole, but missed the romance of this well, romance.

Gil DuPont is a loner, his parent passed away at a young age and with only an absent older sister as his family, he has fallen into a solitary life, finding it easier to stay to himself rather than get mixed up in feeling for someone who is going to leave or disappoint him one day.  What he doesn’t count on is an 8-yer old niece appearing at his door one day. His estranged sister is admitted for alcohol related issues and has asked that Gil looks after her daughter Roxy while she gets better.  Gil struggles with having an insta-daughter, and how to parent a child when he doesn’t really know how to look after himself.  He forms a friendship with her social worker Micah, and these 2 men put everything aside to try and find love together. 

We loves Roxy, she is sweet, precocious and whip-smart.  We loved the relationship between uncle Gil and his niece.  Roxy reminds Gil that letting people into his life doesn’t mean they are going to leave.  She reminds him that life is for living.  But the story is really around this relationship.  They struggle with how to relate to each other, how they fit into each other’s lives and the knowledge that this is temporary.  Jerry Cole also takes time to talk about the struggles of Marguerite, Gil’s sister, and how the foster/adopt system works.  It is fascinating, but it sometimes goes too far and takes away for the real reason we are reading the story.  Romance, chemistry.

While Micah and Gil find physical comfort in each other, their relationship isn’t really believable.  It lacks, sizzle, passion, chemistry, and is essentially missing through the book. There is mention that they go one a few dates, with and without Roxy, but we don’t see the commitment between these 2 men flourishing. We wish Jerry C ole had spent the same time developing Micah and Gil’s relationship as he did with Roxy and Uncle Gil’s relationship.  This book left us wanting MORE.  Jerry Cole built a start to an interatrial relationship, but the relationship never really came together. 

Grace Notes is  first Jerry Cole book we have read, while enjoyable, it failed to deliver on a few basics for us, the chemistry of a new budding relationship. 

Review of Cocky by Sean Ashcroft

 by Sean Ashcroft

3 stars 

  

 I’m having a little trouble coming up with the right words here, so I’ll be blunt. I want you to pretend to date me.”

Faking a relationship with an injured hockey player had never been on Eliot’s to-do list, but when he’s sent by his editor to interview the newly-out hockey legend Danny Harper, he gets a little more than he bargained for.

Eliot has been stuck writing a fashion and grooming column that no one reads since he started at Cocky—a men’s lifestyle magazine—a year ago. Desperate to prove himself, he takes the assignment to interview Harper, even though he couldn’t hold a hockey stick the right way up in an emergency.

Danny turns out to be nothing like he expected—a lonely man who’s missed out on a lot by being in the closet, rather than the overconfident jock Eliot expects him to be. As much as he resists it, Eliot finds himself drawn to the other man.

When Danny proposes they fake a relationship to improve his image, Eliot jumps at the chance—not only does he need the money, but his curiosity about Danny demands to be satisfied.

With Danny struggling to get through the season on a busted knee and Eliot digging up the story that could make his own career, can the two of them bring themselves to admit their real feelings and find their happy ending?

A really cute idea of a premise for a cute sweet sports m/m romance.   We really enjoyed Cocky. but felt that we missed a few conversations that happened off the page. 

We are first introduced to Eliot, a journalist, stepping outside of his normal articles to interview a newly OUT hockey star, Danny.  And there are some definite initial sparks between the two men, neither are willing to step out of their confront zones.  But when Danny needs a partner to make him seem more stable he approaches Eliot as a hired-boyfriend.  Sean Ashcroft creates a fun flirty relationship between Eliot and Danny, they start off as friends and quickly move with their feeling involved. 

Although Danny and Eliot are sweet and cute, there isn’t much that sets Cocky apart from other books of the same trope – the fake-relationship.  Yes, this version is set through a hockey lens, but honestly there isn’t a lot of hockey mentioned.  Eliot goes to a few games, but other than that it doesn’t really feature.   There is quite a bi that happens off the pages that feature in the plot of the story line.  Like conversations that are between chapters if that makes sense. 

Let’s talk chemistry, and sorry to say we didn’t really feel that pull, need, want between Eliot and Danny.  Eliot is fun and cute and Danny is vulnerable and there should be some serious sparks, because hello – hockey player – but they fizzled a bit for us.  We missed some passion between the characters.   

Again, this is a sweet cute romance between 2 unlikely men, and if that is what you are looking for, pour a glass of wine and enjoy Cocky.  But, with a name like that we wished there was just a little more connection and passion to this potentially fantastic story.

Review of Just a Summer Deal by E. Davies & Zach Jenkins

by E. Davies & Zach Jenkins

2 Stars

"You think you can go gay for the summer?"
"I'm the bad egg in Team Gay."

Gay romance author Aaron Douglas has almost everything going for him: a successful career, fun friends, and loving parents who live just far enough away. Unfortunately, he's earned a love 'em and leave 'em reputation, though. Finding a gorgeous gay romance author in this little Colorado town is a thrill, even if Conor says he's straight. When Aaron's landlord kicks him out, the solution is obvious: Aaron can stay with Conor, they can write and fix up Conor's cute farmhouse together, and they can pretend to date. That's all. Aaron won't fall for another straight guy again...even one as amazing as Conor.

"What do I know about gay romance?"

Conor Kennedy just wants to renovate and sell his old farmhouse, escape this small town, and find a nice girlfriend. His novels don't sell, though, and his repairs are taking forever. Everything feels broken until Aaron jokingly offers the perfect solution. Why not pose as a cute gay couple for the summer? Both of their careers will benefit and they'll both get the company of a great new friend... plus Hope, the stray golden retriever who's chosen to live with them. But all Conor can think about is the most illogical thing of all: he wants to do more with his gay co-author than write romance novels.

"Will you sweep me under the rug again?"

Living in tight quarters during the renovation while writing a book together challenges both men to stick to the terms of their deal. They're opposites in almost every way, and the tension is thick. As their fake relationship deadline approaches, questions loom over them both: were they only faking, or has something real blossomed between them? When the internet learns of Conor's past, will their love be strong enough to keep them together?

We aren’t usually a fan of second-chance romance, but it works so well in this short story.  Waiting for Clark is a must read!

Let’s start this review by saying that we did finish this book, but it was a bit of a struggle.  This is a gay-for-you romance, and the story idea has so much potential, but just didn’t come tighter in the end for us.

First off we meet Aaron, a successful, out, m/m romance author who is living a complete bachelor’s life; partying with friends, one night stand and living the good life.  He does however have a crush on another m/m writer, Conor, who is straight, and reaches out to him to see if they can connect.  They meet, and really like each other and decide to collaborate on a book tighter.  Somehow that translates into a fake-relationship for media, and living tighter to fix up Conor’s farmhouse.  But all this comes with a deadline, the end of summer.

See, sound like a cute premise, and we were SO SO SO hopeful.  They meet, fireworks, write and renovate a house and fall in love, all in an idyllic country setting.  That’s the first half. But man, it just has so many issues.  First off, the gay-for-you is done so much, but it can still be done well.  But, there isn’t real transition for Conor.  One minute he is trying to set up a one-night-stand with his neighbor, and the next minute he is making out with Aaron to post on Social Media.  Huh?  Conor never really explores his sexuality, just *knows* he wants to be with Aaron.  The between the sheets feels awkward, like they are kissing and then the next is full on. 

We are also a bit confused about that too. There is no chemistry between Aaron and Conor, none, zip, zilch; they just don’t seem to mesh with each other.  Other than both being romance authors, they have really no connection, nothing that keeps them coming back to each other.  They bicker ALL THE TIME about the book, about writing schedules, process, what to write, leaving tools around the house, and on and on and on.  Honestly, this is like after living with each other for like 2 weeks.  If this was us, we would have moved out!   

For 2 writers you think they would be better at communication, but nope, and the characters struggle with this internal angst “does he feel the same” “is he still faking this relationship” “what is going to happen at the need of the summer”. We honestly wanted to bang our head against the wall – for pete sake, just talk to each other!  There is so much miscommunication, confusion and unnecessary angst and it takes up way too much time.

So, all in all, it is really hard for us to say this, but we weren’t really a fan of Just a Summer Deal. We tried so hard to like this cute idea of a book, but it never really came together for us.