B0DCL3S3FF
4.39
158
unknown
Sep 20, 2024
it was amazing
Someone like you is a phrase that is often intended to be hurtful, thrown at people we consider not good enough, in whatever way, for us. And that is
Someone like you is a phrase that is often intended to be hurtful, thrown at people we consider not good enough, in whatever way, for us. And that is the meaning it carries, for a page or two in this book whose title is just that 'Someone Like You.' It is what Isaac thinks of Brody, when he meets him but not for the first time. The first time Brody is disturbing Isaac's peaceful studies, taking his anger out on the vending machine, then he is drunk in the garden of the party of his housemates. It is only on their third meeting that Isaac sees Brody happy, content, covered in grease and working on cars.
Issac has very little money, despite this he originally offered Brody some for the vending machine. Only now he has to pay more for car repairs than he has in his bank account. Brody wants to make him a deal. Halve the price of the repairs in return for a date. Isaac intrigues Brody. But this sets off Issac's PTSD panic attack. Issac does not like Brody and Brody is going to do everything he can to show the other that he is nothing like the someone Isaac assumes him to be, scratch that, that everyone assumes him to be. But will Isaac let him in?
There are trigger warnings for this book and I suggest reading them. For me they hit very close to home but I chose to read anyway and wow am I glad I did. Lyla Dane is incredibly sensitive in her telling of both Isaac and Brody's stories. They have both had very difficult pasts, Isaac especially and as the story unfolds we learn more. We also learn how loving, compassionate and understanding some people truly are. If we can stop for a moment, look beyond our own assumptions and prejudices it is possible to find the people who are going to be the most important in our lives.
This is a compelling, at times harrowing story but the bad guys do get their rightful punishment, the good guys continue on to be stronger and live better lives with people they love and trust because they learned that it is okay to take a chance. Thank you Lyla Dane for a book, a story which stole my heart.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. ...more
Issac has very little money, despite this he originally offered Brody some for the vending machine. Only now he has to pay more for car repairs than he has in his bank account. Brody wants to make him a deal. Halve the price of the repairs in return for a date. Isaac intrigues Brody. But this sets off Issac's PTSD panic attack. Issac does not like Brody and Brody is going to do everything he can to show the other that he is nothing like the someone Isaac assumes him to be, scratch that, that everyone assumes him to be. But will Isaac let him in?
There are trigger warnings for this book and I suggest reading them. For me they hit very close to home but I chose to read anyway and wow am I glad I did. Lyla Dane is incredibly sensitive in her telling of both Isaac and Brody's stories. They have both had very difficult pasts, Isaac especially and as the story unfolds we learn more. We also learn how loving, compassionate and understanding some people truly are. If we can stop for a moment, look beyond our own assumptions and prejudices it is possible to find the people who are going to be the most important in our lives.
This is a compelling, at times harrowing story but the bad guys do get their rightful punishment, the good guys continue on to be stronger and live better lives with people they love and trust because they learned that it is okay to take a chance. Thank you Lyla Dane for a book, a story which stole my heart.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. ...more
Notes are private!
0
1
Sep 22, 2024
Sep 23, 2024
Sep 28, 2024
Kindle Edition
B0DHV4DQNH
4.00
3
unknown
Sep 23, 2024
it was amazing
Leo has reached his limit, he needs work and a roof over his head, he has nothing and no-one. Kicked out by his ex, which isn't such a bad thing as th
Leo has reached his limit, he needs work and a roof over his head, he has nothing and no-one. Kicked out by his ex, which isn't such a bad thing as the man was not kind, a violent drunk, Leo answers an ad for a personal assistant and as soon as he sets his sights on the house where it will take place he wonders if he is really the right fit for the job. Then he meets James, his potential new boss, is asked to sign an NDA and given a better idea of what this personal assistant role is all about.
James is in the closest. He has built himself up to the house he now owns, has worked hard to earn the money he now has. He is a successful, rich and very handsome business man but he doesn't have everything he wants. Too scared to come out of the closet he resorts to paying for "personal assistants." This is not the usual PA role. It comes with the NDA, a room, a phone and a nice choice of wardrobe. There are beach views too!
Now the question is, as James and Leo get to know one another, as James discovers what happened to Leo just a short time before he came for the interview, as he deals with that situation for his new employee, he finds himself realising he has feelings. In turn Leo realises he is getting comfortable, getting drawn into this life, but his insecurities are never far from the surface.
Can a closeted business man and a young man who is still hoping to find some happiness and his way in life, find one another, be what the other needs, be the other's forever? A gorgeous story, soul-searching, spicy and fun.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. ...more
James is in the closest. He has built himself up to the house he now owns, has worked hard to earn the money he now has. He is a successful, rich and very handsome business man but he doesn't have everything he wants. Too scared to come out of the closet he resorts to paying for "personal assistants." This is not the usual PA role. It comes with the NDA, a room, a phone and a nice choice of wardrobe. There are beach views too!
Now the question is, as James and Leo get to know one another, as James discovers what happened to Leo just a short time before he came for the interview, as he deals with that situation for his new employee, he finds himself realising he has feelings. In turn Leo realises he is getting comfortable, getting drawn into this life, but his insecurities are never far from the surface.
Can a closeted business man and a young man who is still hoping to find some happiness and his way in life, find one another, be what the other needs, be the other's forever? A gorgeous story, soul-searching, spicy and fun.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. ...more
Notes are private!
1
Sep 19, 2024
Sep 19, 2024
Sep 26, 2024
Kindle Edition
B0CSWZPWHX
4.42
67
unknown
Aug 23, 2024
it was amazing
Sappy. Totally and utterly adorable. 'Nuts and Bolts' had my heart racing and a big grin plastered across my face. It is an unashamedly sappy, romanti
Sappy. Totally and utterly adorable. 'Nuts and Bolts' had my heart racing and a big grin plastered across my face. It is an unashamedly sappy, romantic story with so much heart. I adored it.
This is the story of the saving of a small town hardware store. Now, I may live in the UK but we too have many small towns, and they, when I was younger had hardware stores. The memories that some parts of this story bought back for me, of the smells and sounds of the hardware stores my dad used to take me to, of my wonder at everything in them gave this book a whole new level of wonder for me. That, coupled with the beautiful romance that quite simply blossoms, captivated me, mind and heart.
Jack has been working at Nuts and Bolts since he was 16. The owner gave him a part time job then and he is now effectively the manager. He may worry that over the last 5 years not much has changed in his life but he can shelve those feelings now, that is all about to change!
Hudson has spent the last 10 years in Sacramento. He has a good job, nice apartment but doesn't even hesitate to drop it all and go home after a phone call with his dad who tells him that he is considering selling the store. The store that has been in their family for two generations, the store the town rely on. Like Jack, Hudson's life is about to see change...
For Jack growing up gay in a small town has not been a serious issue, he has a 'friend' to hook up with but pickings are slim. Hudson on the other hand is jaded after bad experiences. When the pair meet sparks fly but for the wrong reasons. Jack is very protective of the store and worries about Hudson's motives for coming home. Hudson is not prepared for the feelings that hit him, instantly, for the younger man. Fitting back in to small town life is not as hard as Hudson imagined and Jack is pleasantly surprised by how much he comes to like the other man.
As their romance blossoms so does their passion for the store, for saving it, for making it part of the town again. And when they find out what has really been going on, how Hudson's father has been under pressure from an unscrupulous businessman, the fun really kicks in. Rocking chairs, elderly gay men, a scrumptious bakery, lots of cobwebs, a hardware store, a missions and a passion for making a difference are going to bring Jack and Hudson together. Their romance is adorable, this story will have you smiling wide from page 1, with some giggles too. The Foggy Basin series is a charm.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. ...more
This is the story of the saving of a small town hardware store. Now, I may live in the UK but we too have many small towns, and they, when I was younger had hardware stores. The memories that some parts of this story bought back for me, of the smells and sounds of the hardware stores my dad used to take me to, of my wonder at everything in them gave this book a whole new level of wonder for me. That, coupled with the beautiful romance that quite simply blossoms, captivated me, mind and heart.
Jack has been working at Nuts and Bolts since he was 16. The owner gave him a part time job then and he is now effectively the manager. He may worry that over the last 5 years not much has changed in his life but he can shelve those feelings now, that is all about to change!
Hudson has spent the last 10 years in Sacramento. He has a good job, nice apartment but doesn't even hesitate to drop it all and go home after a phone call with his dad who tells him that he is considering selling the store. The store that has been in their family for two generations, the store the town rely on. Like Jack, Hudson's life is about to see change...
For Jack growing up gay in a small town has not been a serious issue, he has a 'friend' to hook up with but pickings are slim. Hudson on the other hand is jaded after bad experiences. When the pair meet sparks fly but for the wrong reasons. Jack is very protective of the store and worries about Hudson's motives for coming home. Hudson is not prepared for the feelings that hit him, instantly, for the younger man. Fitting back in to small town life is not as hard as Hudson imagined and Jack is pleasantly surprised by how much he comes to like the other man.
As their romance blossoms so does their passion for the store, for saving it, for making it part of the town again. And when they find out what has really been going on, how Hudson's father has been under pressure from an unscrupulous businessman, the fun really kicks in. Rocking chairs, elderly gay men, a scrumptious bakery, lots of cobwebs, a hardware store, a missions and a passion for making a difference are going to bring Jack and Hudson together. Their romance is adorable, this story will have you smiling wide from page 1, with some giggles too. The Foggy Basin series is a charm.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. ...more
Notes are private!
1
Aug 24, 2024
Aug 24, 2024
Aug 30, 2024
Kindle Edition
9798893200690
B0DBPFQNRB
4.00
7
unknown
Aug 16, 2024
really liked it
There is a saying that there is no place like home. There is another that home is where the heart is. Chassidy Ann has taken the first as the title fo
There is a saying that there is no place like home. There is another that home is where the heart is. Chassidy Ann has taken the first as the title for her book, the second in the Men of Steel series, but the second applies equally to this story. As it all unfolds she shows us just how meaningful those two sayings are, how we should listen to the words they are telling us, with heart, body and soul. If you have found that place you can call home, where your heart is, you will know what I mean. If you are yet to find that place, know it is out there for each of us and read this story for all the feels. They are all here and they are raw, honest, beautiful and so worth all the ups and downs.
No one has ever said finding your true home is going to be easy. Justin and William, as well as Maddox and Emmanuel in the background, show us how challenging and nerve-wracking it can be. I love that with this second book in the series we focus on a new relationship but don't lose sight of the one that was the focus of book one. It is a perfect blend.
'No Place Like Home' is Justin and William's story. Justin is best friend of Maddox and Henry, working with Henry and William's father Isaac at S&H Contracting. Justin, Maddox and William all worked there as teens too and for a while Justin and William were best friends. When William fell in with a new group who looked down on Justin that all fell apart. Justin was bullied until he left school and went to College. An accident took the life of his stepfather and bought him home to look after his mother and sisters. A job at S&H Contracting alongside Maddox and Isaac was a lifeline and has been something he has truly excelled at.
William went away to New York, following his dream of becoming a sports journalist and it has been a huge success. But as with so many of these roles, the ones that bring you into contact with the rich and famous he becomes perhaps a bit too complacent about his life, the possibilities and his supposed boyfriend. This supposed boyfriend, it soon transpires, is not in the closet, rather he is engaged and enjoying William as a bit on the side. Disgraced William has to return home, to his parents' house and a job in his dad's firm. Seeing Julian there, having made such a success of his life hits him hard and he reverts to his childhood bully self.
A business trip which Isaac and Maddox partly engineer to ensure Julian and William have to go, could be a turning point for the pair. William has begun to see how awful he was as a child. He really does want to make amends, to apologise for the past but also to move on. He is also realising how handsome Julian truly is and realises he has growing feelings for the other man. But has he really overcome his old ways? Can he cope when jealousy rears its ugly head? You will have to keep reading, traverse the ups and downs of Julian and William's developing relationship to find out if they can each find their true home.
This is a heartfelt story. We are given glimpses of the working lives of these men of steel, of the ups and downs of working as a contractor and it works, it is interesting and it fits the story. We have Julian and William's ups and downs to traverse with them and the passion is hot, hot, hot! We have side stories too, that blend seamlessly, fit the story as they are there for a purpose. A well thought-out story this one address some serious issues - the death of a parent, having to give up dreams to support a family, a fall from grace, childhood bullies and so much more. It is done with an open and honest approach, these could be people you and I know. Yes, it is fiction but it feels real and there can be no better accolade for an enemies-to-lovers romance.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. ...more
No one has ever said finding your true home is going to be easy. Justin and William, as well as Maddox and Emmanuel in the background, show us how challenging and nerve-wracking it can be. I love that with this second book in the series we focus on a new relationship but don't lose sight of the one that was the focus of book one. It is a perfect blend.
'No Place Like Home' is Justin and William's story. Justin is best friend of Maddox and Henry, working with Henry and William's father Isaac at S&H Contracting. Justin, Maddox and William all worked there as teens too and for a while Justin and William were best friends. When William fell in with a new group who looked down on Justin that all fell apart. Justin was bullied until he left school and went to College. An accident took the life of his stepfather and bought him home to look after his mother and sisters. A job at S&H Contracting alongside Maddox and Isaac was a lifeline and has been something he has truly excelled at.
William went away to New York, following his dream of becoming a sports journalist and it has been a huge success. But as with so many of these roles, the ones that bring you into contact with the rich and famous he becomes perhaps a bit too complacent about his life, the possibilities and his supposed boyfriend. This supposed boyfriend, it soon transpires, is not in the closet, rather he is engaged and enjoying William as a bit on the side. Disgraced William has to return home, to his parents' house and a job in his dad's firm. Seeing Julian there, having made such a success of his life hits him hard and he reverts to his childhood bully self.
A business trip which Isaac and Maddox partly engineer to ensure Julian and William have to go, could be a turning point for the pair. William has begun to see how awful he was as a child. He really does want to make amends, to apologise for the past but also to move on. He is also realising how handsome Julian truly is and realises he has growing feelings for the other man. But has he really overcome his old ways? Can he cope when jealousy rears its ugly head? You will have to keep reading, traverse the ups and downs of Julian and William's developing relationship to find out if they can each find their true home.
This is a heartfelt story. We are given glimpses of the working lives of these men of steel, of the ups and downs of working as a contractor and it works, it is interesting and it fits the story. We have Julian and William's ups and downs to traverse with them and the passion is hot, hot, hot! We have side stories too, that blend seamlessly, fit the story as they are there for a purpose. A well thought-out story this one address some serious issues - the death of a parent, having to give up dreams to support a family, a fall from grace, childhood bullies and so much more. It is done with an open and honest approach, these could be people you and I know. Yes, it is fiction but it feels real and there can be no better accolade for an enemies-to-lovers romance.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. ...more
Notes are private!
1
Aug 27, 2024
Aug 27, 2024
Aug 28, 2024
Kindle Edition
B0D7J6XK2W
4.29
70
unknown
Aug 16, 2024
really liked it
Robbie, a potter, artist and aristocrat. Caleb, a financial advisor and working class lad.
It is around these two men, Robbie's large and rambunctious Robbie, a potter, artist and aristocrat. Caleb, a financial advisor and working class lad.
It is around these two men, Robbie's large and rambunctious family, Caleb's family, mentor and boss and, perhaps most importantly, the future of Robbie's family's ancestral home that the first book in The Art of Love series centres.
Hawthorne House has been the ancestral home of the family for generations but, as with many ancestral homes, it was used during the first world war as a hospital, then became a boarding school. Once the lease ran out the family kept most of the changes and created a Creative Arts Centre running classes for local people, offering Renaissance weekends and other innovations to ensure they could continue to live in their family home and share it with their community. However there are huge companies out in the world always looking for a cheap way to make big gains. In their world that is. A multi-million dollar offer for the property has been put forward, by the owners of a theme park venture. Do the family want to take it? No. Do they have any choice? Possibly not.
This is where the story begins. A family meeting. This is when Robbie, potter, teacher, meets their new advisor, Caleb and the pair take an instant dislike to one another. Robbie's dislike comes from his preconception that Caleb is just another businessman coming in and telling them what to do. To Caleb, Robbie is just another entitled aristocrat with far too many airs and graces who will simply look down on the working class boy trying to make his way in the world.
However fate seems to want to throw them together. First there is a tour of the house, then an art class. Later there is a Renaissance weekend and a fantastically humour-filled jousting competition. A weekend away turns into a potentially outstanding opportunity but also some errors in judgement. What it does do is show both Robbie and Caleb there might be more between them than hate, if they would both stop being so stubborn! With truths about the people around them coming out, a stressful takeover bid to destroy the Brotherhood enter the story, Keith the ex leaves the story (thankfully) and it looks as though all could be well... For now... There are more family members to learn about first!
What a fantastic story. Reflecting on class differences, the way in which we all too often let our preconceptions guide us and the way in which help can come from the most unexpected of places this book will cause many gasps, lots of giggles and some heated moments. It is well-written, thought-through and captures something that we miss in this modern world. The good old fashioned hands on approach of a family holding on to their history, to one another, to the arts and crafts they love and building an amazing community around themselves.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. ...more
It is around these two men, Robbie's large and rambunctious Robbie, a potter, artist and aristocrat. Caleb, a financial advisor and working class lad.
It is around these two men, Robbie's large and rambunctious family, Caleb's family, mentor and boss and, perhaps most importantly, the future of Robbie's family's ancestral home that the first book in The Art of Love series centres.
Hawthorne House has been the ancestral home of the family for generations but, as with many ancestral homes, it was used during the first world war as a hospital, then became a boarding school. Once the lease ran out the family kept most of the changes and created a Creative Arts Centre running classes for local people, offering Renaissance weekends and other innovations to ensure they could continue to live in their family home and share it with their community. However there are huge companies out in the world always looking for a cheap way to make big gains. In their world that is. A multi-million dollar offer for the property has been put forward, by the owners of a theme park venture. Do the family want to take it? No. Do they have any choice? Possibly not.
This is where the story begins. A family meeting. This is when Robbie, potter, teacher, meets their new advisor, Caleb and the pair take an instant dislike to one another. Robbie's dislike comes from his preconception that Caleb is just another businessman coming in and telling them what to do. To Caleb, Robbie is just another entitled aristocrat with far too many airs and graces who will simply look down on the working class boy trying to make his way in the world.
However fate seems to want to throw them together. First there is a tour of the house, then an art class. Later there is a Renaissance weekend and a fantastically humour-filled jousting competition. A weekend away turns into a potentially outstanding opportunity but also some errors in judgement. What it does do is show both Robbie and Caleb there might be more between them than hate, if they would both stop being so stubborn! With truths about the people around them coming out, a stressful takeover bid to destroy the Brotherhood enter the story, Keith the ex leaves the story (thankfully) and it looks as though all could be well... For now... There are more family members to learn about first!
What a fantastic story. Reflecting on class differences, the way in which we all too often let our preconceptions guide us and the way in which help can come from the most unexpected of places this book will cause many gasps, lots of giggles and some heated moments. It is well-written, thought-through and captures something that we miss in this modern world. The good old fashioned hands on approach of a family holding on to their history, to one another, to the arts and crafts they love and building an amazing community around themselves.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. ...more
Notes are private!
1
Aug 23, 2024
Aug 24, 2024
Aug 25, 2024
Kindle Edition
195650429X
9781956504293
195650429X
4.64
78
unknown
Aug 14, 2024
it was amazing
Outstanding. That is the first word that comes to mind when I think about this story. There are many more and I will. endeavour to use them in this re
Outstanding. That is the first word that comes to mind when I think about this story. There are many more and I will. endeavour to use them in this review. First a few serious words: this book could be triggering, please do read the authors trigger notes; this book is part of a series. You don't have to read the other books first but many of the references make more sense if you have.
Now to my review of an outstanding book. A complex story that couldn't have been straightforward to write. One that has many threads which Beck Grey manages to keep from tangling, rather like the ropes that Kaino is so fond of and his lovers come to enjoy too. These threads are important to the story, they bring many important thoughts together yet they are gentle, almost tender underneath their apparent harshness. I don't think I will look at rope in the same way again but then neither will I be able to think about garlic bread without thinking about Gays in the Park... Trust me it is one of the most bizzare ideas but it works and it is a breathtaking scene in the story!
Now, more about this story. The sixth book in the Love in the Pacific Northwest series, this is Bjorn's story. If you have been following the books then you may have heard him mentioned. He is Astrid, Erik and Gunnar's older brother. A policeman who willingly took a knife to his side to save a stranger. That of course meant hospitalization and that is where we first meet him. With his brother, and Jules (Erik's fiancee). There are other family members who come in and out but it is Kaino and Xander who make the biggest impact. Both are ex lovers, both heard about how Bjorn nearly died and so have come to visit. What none of them expect is the way in which Bjorn's near-death experience is going to change all their lives.
His life will change as an MXM relationship develops. The bond, which in the past has been tense, with his family will strengthen, they will all find themselves mending certain bridges, bringing characters from past stories into play and showing us what a strong support group, family group, friendship group they all have. And, we must not forget Bjorn's beautiful dog Pita, her role in the story is equally important to the roles played by all the humans.
I have read stories with non binary characters. One of the stories in this series in face, but never a story with an MXM relationship and not only does Beck Grey introduce this concept, alongside the idea of polyamory but it is done without judgment, without any sense of the reader needing to be fully aware of the dynamics and with the utmost care and tenderness. Yes, this is an erotic story and those scenes are seriously hot, but this is also a story that helps characters and readers understand how relationships such as this one, can work. How they do work but how, as with any relationship, patience, understanding, being a good listener, they are all equally important skills. We are encouraged to understand how important open communication is, how misleading judgement can be and how we should all aim to be ourselves, to act how we wish to act as long as we are not hurting others, in any way, in the process. The characters all have their failings. Bjorn is controlling and finds it hard to relax, Xander is needy and can get very jealous, Kaino can lack empathy but they accept and recognise their own traits, leading the reader to understand them and sit back to look at themselves too.
Outstanding is the word that comes to mind when I want to describe this story and yet somehow that doesn't feel like enough. This story was not only a fantastic book to read but, for me, an important one too. The whole series has been and it has given me an incredible opportunity to remind myself that I am human, I am me, I should celebrate me. Thank you Beck Grey for delivering another outstanding, thought-provoking, absolutely beautiful book. ...more
Now to my review of an outstanding book. A complex story that couldn't have been straightforward to write. One that has many threads which Beck Grey manages to keep from tangling, rather like the ropes that Kaino is so fond of and his lovers come to enjoy too. These threads are important to the story, they bring many important thoughts together yet they are gentle, almost tender underneath their apparent harshness. I don't think I will look at rope in the same way again but then neither will I be able to think about garlic bread without thinking about Gays in the Park... Trust me it is one of the most bizzare ideas but it works and it is a breathtaking scene in the story!
Now, more about this story. The sixth book in the Love in the Pacific Northwest series, this is Bjorn's story. If you have been following the books then you may have heard him mentioned. He is Astrid, Erik and Gunnar's older brother. A policeman who willingly took a knife to his side to save a stranger. That of course meant hospitalization and that is where we first meet him. With his brother, and Jules (Erik's fiancee). There are other family members who come in and out but it is Kaino and Xander who make the biggest impact. Both are ex lovers, both heard about how Bjorn nearly died and so have come to visit. What none of them expect is the way in which Bjorn's near-death experience is going to change all their lives.
His life will change as an MXM relationship develops. The bond, which in the past has been tense, with his family will strengthen, they will all find themselves mending certain bridges, bringing characters from past stories into play and showing us what a strong support group, family group, friendship group they all have. And, we must not forget Bjorn's beautiful dog Pita, her role in the story is equally important to the roles played by all the humans.
I have read stories with non binary characters. One of the stories in this series in face, but never a story with an MXM relationship and not only does Beck Grey introduce this concept, alongside the idea of polyamory but it is done without judgment, without any sense of the reader needing to be fully aware of the dynamics and with the utmost care and tenderness. Yes, this is an erotic story and those scenes are seriously hot, but this is also a story that helps characters and readers understand how relationships such as this one, can work. How they do work but how, as with any relationship, patience, understanding, being a good listener, they are all equally important skills. We are encouraged to understand how important open communication is, how misleading judgement can be and how we should all aim to be ourselves, to act how we wish to act as long as we are not hurting others, in any way, in the process. The characters all have their failings. Bjorn is controlling and finds it hard to relax, Xander is needy and can get very jealous, Kaino can lack empathy but they accept and recognise their own traits, leading the reader to understand them and sit back to look at themselves too.
Outstanding is the word that comes to mind when I want to describe this story and yet somehow that doesn't feel like enough. This story was not only a fantastic book to read but, for me, an important one too. The whole series has been and it has given me an incredible opportunity to remind myself that I am human, I am me, I should celebrate me. Thank you Beck Grey for delivering another outstanding, thought-provoking, absolutely beautiful book. ...more
Notes are private!
1
Aug 19, 2024
Aug 22, 2024
Aug 25, 2024
Paperback
B0DBPC6YS9
3.69
81
unknown
Aug 23, 2024
really liked it
Take two college boys, put them in the same room and they become friends as well as roommates. After a couple of years they become a little bit more t
Take two college boys, put them in the same room and they become friends as well as roommates. After a couple of years they become a little bit more to one another (read between the lines here). They are still roommates of course, now they are in an apartment and both doing an arts masters with the hope of progressing to doctorate.
Meet Mark and Logan. Mark is the quiet type, unassuming but, in Logan's eyes he is gorgeous. There is a little antagonism when we meet them though. It is September which means Logan is getting ready for Halloween... Yes, really! Oh and then there is the super hot model in their life drawing class, the one Mark is certain he knows. When it transpires they used to have lab together they decide to try and rekindle their friendship. Much to Logan's chagrin but then, well he hasn't worked out how to tell Mark that he's in love, with him, his best friend, special buddy, roommate. Will the hunk of a model, who also happens to be quite rich, win Mark's heart or will the Halloween and holidays obsessed Logan find his words?
Discover how actions can speak louder than words but how words can be helpful too in this delight of a short story. A M/M romance through and through, an easy and quick read that will have you laughing and rolling your eyes in equal measure!.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. ...more
Meet Mark and Logan. Mark is the quiet type, unassuming but, in Logan's eyes he is gorgeous. There is a little antagonism when we meet them though. It is September which means Logan is getting ready for Halloween... Yes, really! Oh and then there is the super hot model in their life drawing class, the one Mark is certain he knows. When it transpires they used to have lab together they decide to try and rekindle their friendship. Much to Logan's chagrin but then, well he hasn't worked out how to tell Mark that he's in love, with him, his best friend, special buddy, roommate. Will the hunk of a model, who also happens to be quite rich, win Mark's heart or will the Halloween and holidays obsessed Logan find his words?
Discover how actions can speak louder than words but how words can be helpful too in this delight of a short story. A M/M romance through and through, an easy and quick read that will have you laughing and rolling your eyes in equal measure!.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. ...more
Notes are private!
1
Aug 21, 2024
Aug 21, 2024
Aug 23, 2024
Kindle Edition
B0D6NFQC43
4.18
39
unknown
Aug 16, 2024
it was amazing
Shattered Melodies is Book 1 of Oakwood Grove, it is Liam and Caleb's story and it is in three parts: An Unforgettable Duet, introduces us to the pair
Shattered Melodies is Book 1 of Oakwood Grove, it is Liam and Caleb's story and it is in three parts: An Unforgettable Duet, introduces us to the pair when they are at High School, when they find one another. A bitter-sweet introduction with so much promise.
Part 2 An Unexpected Aria is just that, completely unexpected yet hinting at a hope for the future. Could it be that the end in part one was not an end at all but simply an interlude?
Finally we are given A Passionate Forte. A time of unbridled hope, amidst some very challenging moments but what would one of the best love stories I have encountered be without them? There are of course love stories which have very few, if any angst (I am lucky enough to have one) but when you are reading a novel some angst, a little bit of heartpounding, no don't do this to them, a rush of hope, the exhilaration of hoping you are right and they might find their way back to one another, it certainly keeps you turning the pages.
Greyson Vale has blown me away with his debut. I wasn't quite sure what to expect but I am a sucker for a good MM romance and wow, this one blew all the rest out of the water. A childhood romance, a school band with best friends, a school bully who really does drive a wedge, a twenty year period of always wondering followed by some cautious steps towards reconciliation, realising the love of your life is right there in front of you and with a little kitten too - if your heart doesn't melt then I can only assume you don't have one!
Incredibly hot and sexy, Liam and Grayson are adorable. They are men so don't expect things to always be said as clearly as they could be, especially when they are boys. Becoming adults doesn't necessarily make them any less tongue-tied but still... It is all in the telling of the story and Greyson Vale knows how to do that. I can imagine all the blood sweat and tears that went into this story are some of those that it reflects. If you want a simple love story this one is not for you. If you want a complex love story with threads, music and cowboys this one is for you. If you want an easy journey don't pick this one up, if you are ready for the long haul, for characters to surprise you, for the contrast of the big city and the country ranch, for the glam of the life of a star versus the hard work of the cowboy this is for you. If you are ready for a love story that will leave you speechless, teary-eyed with joy and cheering your newfound book bestfriends on then this is very much the book for you.
Prepare to be haunted by the power of this story, by the power of music, love and finding your soulmate. Be prepared to be unable to put this one and for the desperate feeling of waiting for Book 2. Be prepared for an outstanding new voice in MM romance. Be prepared for Greyson Vale.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. ...more
Part 2 An Unexpected Aria is just that, completely unexpected yet hinting at a hope for the future. Could it be that the end in part one was not an end at all but simply an interlude?
Finally we are given A Passionate Forte. A time of unbridled hope, amidst some very challenging moments but what would one of the best love stories I have encountered be without them? There are of course love stories which have very few, if any angst (I am lucky enough to have one) but when you are reading a novel some angst, a little bit of heartpounding, no don't do this to them, a rush of hope, the exhilaration of hoping you are right and they might find their way back to one another, it certainly keeps you turning the pages.
Greyson Vale has blown me away with his debut. I wasn't quite sure what to expect but I am a sucker for a good MM romance and wow, this one blew all the rest out of the water. A childhood romance, a school band with best friends, a school bully who really does drive a wedge, a twenty year period of always wondering followed by some cautious steps towards reconciliation, realising the love of your life is right there in front of you and with a little kitten too - if your heart doesn't melt then I can only assume you don't have one!
Incredibly hot and sexy, Liam and Grayson are adorable. They are men so don't expect things to always be said as clearly as they could be, especially when they are boys. Becoming adults doesn't necessarily make them any less tongue-tied but still... It is all in the telling of the story and Greyson Vale knows how to do that. I can imagine all the blood sweat and tears that went into this story are some of those that it reflects. If you want a simple love story this one is not for you. If you want a complex love story with threads, music and cowboys this one is for you. If you want an easy journey don't pick this one up, if you are ready for the long haul, for characters to surprise you, for the contrast of the big city and the country ranch, for the glam of the life of a star versus the hard work of the cowboy this is for you. If you are ready for a love story that will leave you speechless, teary-eyed with joy and cheering your newfound book bestfriends on then this is very much the book for you.
Prepare to be haunted by the power of this story, by the power of music, love and finding your soulmate. Be prepared to be unable to put this one and for the desperate feeling of waiting for Book 2. Be prepared for an outstanding new voice in MM romance. Be prepared for Greyson Vale.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. ...more
Notes are private!
1
Aug 06, 2024
Aug 08, 2024
Aug 13, 2024
Kindle Edition
B0D965HRRK
4.19
255
unknown
Jul 31, 2024
it was amazing
For a story based on a character who has lost part of his leg over summer break and is hiding it from all his friends at college, well more from himse
For a story based on a character who has lost part of his leg over summer break and is hiding it from all his friends at college, well more from himself than anything, this is an utterly adorable story. I know I was reading it with an almost constant smile on my face and my heart was about ready to burst by the time I had finished! I want to read more and then more again by L Sherleen.
Kyle lost part of his leg over summer break. It is only about half way through the story if not more, that we find out how. Oddly that becomes far less important (although I was curious) than everything else going on and there is both a lot and really not all that much in some ways. Why do I say that? Well there is Kyle's broken friendships which will mend if he learns to accept his new self. There is his love-hate relationship with Kyle. There is his library buddy and there is his brother. Most of all this story, as you may have gathered, is all about relationships, about overcoming shyness, about letting people in and about acceptance.
For two years Kyle and Mark have been in the same clubs and societies, been thrown out of almost all of them too. It seems that their close proximity to one another brings out Kyle's shy side. I know, that sounds odd. But when Kyle feels shy he snaps, shouts and occasionally gets physical. He is shy around Mark because he has the biggest crush. He won't actually talk civilly to Mark though, even when Mark comes to his aid when he slips on ice. Mark is certain Kyle has broken something. It turns out he has but not in the way Mark expected and then somehow Mark is in Kyle's life. Makes himself Kyle's protector and oh my goodness are there some funny moments as a result. There are also achingly tender ones, romantic ones too for, as we soon learn, Mark has been crushing on Kyle too...
I think I can safely say this story is romantic, funny, adorable, sensitive, accepting and so many more things. It has left me feeling light, happy, wanting to smile and generally feeling good about the world. Thank you L Sherleen and I really am looking forward to seeing what you write next!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. ...more
Kyle lost part of his leg over summer break. It is only about half way through the story if not more, that we find out how. Oddly that becomes far less important (although I was curious) than everything else going on and there is both a lot and really not all that much in some ways. Why do I say that? Well there is Kyle's broken friendships which will mend if he learns to accept his new self. There is his love-hate relationship with Kyle. There is his library buddy and there is his brother. Most of all this story, as you may have gathered, is all about relationships, about overcoming shyness, about letting people in and about acceptance.
For two years Kyle and Mark have been in the same clubs and societies, been thrown out of almost all of them too. It seems that their close proximity to one another brings out Kyle's shy side. I know, that sounds odd. But when Kyle feels shy he snaps, shouts and occasionally gets physical. He is shy around Mark because he has the biggest crush. He won't actually talk civilly to Mark though, even when Mark comes to his aid when he slips on ice. Mark is certain Kyle has broken something. It turns out he has but not in the way Mark expected and then somehow Mark is in Kyle's life. Makes himself Kyle's protector and oh my goodness are there some funny moments as a result. There are also achingly tender ones, romantic ones too for, as we soon learn, Mark has been crushing on Kyle too...
I think I can safely say this story is romantic, funny, adorable, sensitive, accepting and so many more things. It has left me feeling light, happy, wanting to smile and generally feeling good about the world. Thank you L Sherleen and I really am looking forward to seeing what you write next!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. ...more
Notes are private!
1
Jul 29, 2024
Jul 30, 2024
Jul 30, 2024
Kindle Edition
9798333983701
B0DB2S6C85
3.95
88
unknown
Aug 01, 2024
really liked it
We are back with the students of Summerville University, more specifically Dylan, Brad and their friendship group. It is the last summer they are all
We are back with the students of Summerville University, more specifically Dylan, Brad and their friendship group. It is the last summer they are all going to be together with no ties and commitments, next year will be their last at uni. So, with Alex being in Rome and coming to the end of his internship the group are on their way to spend some of their summer in Europe.
Dylan and Brad, already the best of friends, are the only singles on the trip, they are given a shared room in the first hotel, with only one bed. They come to an agreement, one summer, one bed, no strings. But can they both keep their hearts and minds intact if they go down this avenue. They may be the best of friends, they may share a lot with one another but they can't seem to share their true feelings.
Dylan loves to skateboard, studies music, his one love and has a broken family. Brad is a frat boy, football star with the perfect wholesome American family. Can two complete opposites find a way to come together, to overcome their insecurities and realise that it it not about fitting in, not with friends, not with family but that it is all about the two of them working well together.
Knowing that the book has a happy ending does add a sweetner when you start reading, you know that you can get through the angst, the ups and downs that are certain to come. At the same time though it is good to know it is not going to be easy sailing and Catherine Cloverdale does set her characters some challenges, she makes them very real, they are in very real situations, they have very real struggles. And, as this is an M/M story we find the characters facing questions about what others think is "appropriate." It sometimes makes my blood boil that anyone has to question these things rather than follow their hearts but I am glad of books, series like this one where these questions can be explored in a safe manner.
Grab yourself a copy of Some Strings Attached, enjoy a great read and I would like to recommend you also read books one and two to get the full immersion.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. ...more
Dylan and Brad, already the best of friends, are the only singles on the trip, they are given a shared room in the first hotel, with only one bed. They come to an agreement, one summer, one bed, no strings. But can they both keep their hearts and minds intact if they go down this avenue. They may be the best of friends, they may share a lot with one another but they can't seem to share their true feelings.
Dylan loves to skateboard, studies music, his one love and has a broken family. Brad is a frat boy, football star with the perfect wholesome American family. Can two complete opposites find a way to come together, to overcome their insecurities and realise that it it not about fitting in, not with friends, not with family but that it is all about the two of them working well together.
Knowing that the book has a happy ending does add a sweetner when you start reading, you know that you can get through the angst, the ups and downs that are certain to come. At the same time though it is good to know it is not going to be easy sailing and Catherine Cloverdale does set her characters some challenges, she makes them very real, they are in very real situations, they have very real struggles. And, as this is an M/M story we find the characters facing questions about what others think is "appropriate." It sometimes makes my blood boil that anyone has to question these things rather than follow their hearts but I am glad of books, series like this one where these questions can be explored in a safe manner.
Grab yourself a copy of Some Strings Attached, enjoy a great read and I would like to recommend you also read books one and two to get the full immersion.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. ...more
Notes are private!
1
Jul 28, 2024
Jul 29, 2024
Jul 29, 2024
Kindle Edition
B0CCPGMVT4
3.76
17
unknown
Jul 23, 2024
it was amazing
Cocktails, high end bars, amazing sex, independence. Wesley seems to have it all. At the end of a short visit to New York he has a hook up with the mo
Cocktails, high end bars, amazing sex, independence. Wesley seems to have it all. At the end of a short visit to New York he has a hook up with the most gorgeous man he has ever set eyes on. When that man comes back into his life six months later it is as Wesley's boss at the high end bar in Vancouver where he works.
Pierce was in love the moment he set eyes on Wesley, not that he would have admitted anything more than an attraction. Pierce does one night stands, no strings, it's easier that way, no way to get attached, to get his heart broken. But Wesley is someone he can't forget and who he has confusing feelings towards. Pretending not to remember him seems like a good plan. Until it isn't!
Can Wesley convince Pierce that they deserve a second chance, that what they have is instalove. Should he have to or should Pierce open himself up to this wonderful, friendly, passionate, loving man in front of him?
With some angsty moments, some very funny moments and lots of heat this is a short steamy story, a quick read but one that you cannot fail to find yourself smiling over whilst reaching for that fan!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. ...more
Pierce was in love the moment he set eyes on Wesley, not that he would have admitted anything more than an attraction. Pierce does one night stands, no strings, it's easier that way, no way to get attached, to get his heart broken. But Wesley is someone he can't forget and who he has confusing feelings towards. Pretending not to remember him seems like a good plan. Until it isn't!
Can Wesley convince Pierce that they deserve a second chance, that what they have is instalove. Should he have to or should Pierce open himself up to this wonderful, friendly, passionate, loving man in front of him?
With some angsty moments, some very funny moments and lots of heat this is a short steamy story, a quick read but one that you cannot fail to find yourself smiling over whilst reaching for that fan!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. ...more
Notes are private!
1
Jul 27, 2024
Jul 27, 2024
Jul 28, 2024
Kindle Edition
B0D8ZS67S1
4.67
6
unknown
Jul 25, 2024
it was amazing
Marco and Carter have been friends for years. They entered and exited the Marines at the same time, were in the same unit and both being from the Atla
Marco and Carter have been friends for years. They entered and exited the Marines at the same time, were in the same unit and both being from the Atlanta area, settled there after they came out of the service. Carter is now a bank manager, Marco a programmer and they are taking a weekend break to chill. At least that is the plan but there is an odd energy between them, one that neither can put their finger on but which is hinted at for us.
They chat about their work out challenge, how they might still be back in this same spot when they both have wives and kids. It will be their spot, their escape. But things still seem off. A swim in the ocean in boxers is fun for Carter but somehow MArco seems hesitant. Then there is the hot tub which leads to a hot night and a really awkward morning-after. For two best friends they are struggling to share their emotions with one another but we want them to... Well I wanted them to!
And they do. The result is a lovely ending but there is more to it than that. This is a short story so make sure to read between the lines, Avery Mist has packed so much more into this story that a first read reveals and I loved reading it and letting my own imagination do some storytelling too!.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. ...more
They chat about their work out challenge, how they might still be back in this same spot when they both have wives and kids. It will be their spot, their escape. But things still seem off. A swim in the ocean in boxers is fun for Carter but somehow MArco seems hesitant. Then there is the hot tub which leads to a hot night and a really awkward morning-after. For two best friends they are struggling to share their emotions with one another but we want them to... Well I wanted them to!
And they do. The result is a lovely ending but there is more to it than that. This is a short story so make sure to read between the lines, Avery Mist has packed so much more into this story that a first read reveals and I loved reading it and letting my own imagination do some storytelling too!.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. ...more
Notes are private!
1
Jul 23, 2024
Jul 23, 2024
Jul 23, 2024
Kindle Edition
1961306093
9781961306097
B0D7R9ZZSZ
4.36
137
unknown
Jul 08, 2024
it was amazing
Beautiful. Heartfelt. Delicious. This book is all of those and yet it is so much more. It is a story told with sincerity, tenderness, compassion and s
Beautiful. Heartfelt. Delicious. This book is all of those and yet it is so much more. It is a story told with sincerity, tenderness, compassion and so much love. Not just the love of the two primary protagonists, but the love of family and friends too. This is a story about navigating hurt and trust issues above all else and it takes us to the heart of small town America where the peaches grow, the beers flow and the ice cream is the best you will have ever tasted!
Hudson is happy. He lives in the small town he grew up in with his brother and father. He is now running the family peach orchard and general store whilst his brother runs the local bar. He doesn't date but he does enjoy hookups, and he gets a few more now he has a massage business too - Hudson doesn't know how to rest!
Lance is moving back. He has been away, in the city, for eight years. He was looking after family and his now ex wife's family. After they divorced (she had been cheating on him for years) it gave him time to himself, to explore who he was and to realise that he liked people, men and women. Signing up to a dating app he started having a great conversation with a complete stranger but then, as luck would have it, his decision to go home meant he would have a chance for a date.
When the date, or hookup as it is in Hudson's mind, comes around the men find that they have been attempting to hook up with one another. It gets complicated when we learn Lance is Hudson's father's best friend, has known Hudson and his brother since they were born and was in their lives every day until the day he left for the city. Being 20 years older he never looked at Hudson in any way other than platonically. Now though, now Hudson is 33 to his 53 and he discovers Hudson has had a crush on him since he was 16, now things are very different.
However, Hudson was hurt, his whole family were, when his mother walked away from them all, after being caught sleeping with his uncle. He has vowed not to have relationships, that way he can't get hurt. But Lance is setting out to show him how wrong he is, that he will be staying, they could have something if Hudson would only let them try. A helpful brother, a series of events, a lot of working together as they collaborate on business, a massage, a thunderstorm... These combined with Lance's persistence and Hudson's gradual realisation and acceptance combine to bring us to the most beautiful of happy endings.
I adored this story. It is calm, gentle, loving, so very loving. It also hints at more to come. Now that Hudson and Lance have their HEA I think it will soon be time for Hudson's brother to have his own story and I would love to go back and spend more time with them all in Haven Grove. A.D. Ellis has created a beautiful place with people who make you realise there is a lot of love and a lot of good in the world. I am very happy I found and read this book!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. ...more
Hudson is happy. He lives in the small town he grew up in with his brother and father. He is now running the family peach orchard and general store whilst his brother runs the local bar. He doesn't date but he does enjoy hookups, and he gets a few more now he has a massage business too - Hudson doesn't know how to rest!
Lance is moving back. He has been away, in the city, for eight years. He was looking after family and his now ex wife's family. After they divorced (she had been cheating on him for years) it gave him time to himself, to explore who he was and to realise that he liked people, men and women. Signing up to a dating app he started having a great conversation with a complete stranger but then, as luck would have it, his decision to go home meant he would have a chance for a date.
When the date, or hookup as it is in Hudson's mind, comes around the men find that they have been attempting to hook up with one another. It gets complicated when we learn Lance is Hudson's father's best friend, has known Hudson and his brother since they were born and was in their lives every day until the day he left for the city. Being 20 years older he never looked at Hudson in any way other than platonically. Now though, now Hudson is 33 to his 53 and he discovers Hudson has had a crush on him since he was 16, now things are very different.
However, Hudson was hurt, his whole family were, when his mother walked away from them all, after being caught sleeping with his uncle. He has vowed not to have relationships, that way he can't get hurt. But Lance is setting out to show him how wrong he is, that he will be staying, they could have something if Hudson would only let them try. A helpful brother, a series of events, a lot of working together as they collaborate on business, a massage, a thunderstorm... These combined with Lance's persistence and Hudson's gradual realisation and acceptance combine to bring us to the most beautiful of happy endings.
I adored this story. It is calm, gentle, loving, so very loving. It also hints at more to come. Now that Hudson and Lance have their HEA I think it will soon be time for Hudson's brother to have his own story and I would love to go back and spend more time with them all in Haven Grove. A.D. Ellis has created a beautiful place with people who make you realise there is a lot of love and a lot of good in the world. I am very happy I found and read this book!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. ...more
Notes are private!
1
Jul 18, 2024
Jul 18, 2024
Jul 19, 2024
Kindle Edition
1959553194
9781959553199
B0D42M8NNK
4.13
866
Jul 02, 2024
Jul 02, 2024
it was amazing
I laughed, laughed and then laughed some more as I read this book. My husband kept giving me odd looks and asking me why I had such a kooky look on my
I laughed, laughed and then laughed some more as I read this book. My husband kept giving me odd looks and asking me why I had such a kooky look on my face as I was reading. But I couldn't stop - laughing or reading. I don't think I have read a story this tender and funny in a long time. The characters are incredibly loveable, the situations entirely believable. When you hear people say that some things could only happen in fiction that is absolutely not the case with this story. Okay, so maybe some of the events could only ever happen in fiction but honestly, there really aren't many.
I can't decide if it is Murphy Malone, affectionately known as 'Baloney' to his best friend Jesse, or Jesse that I am currently more in love with. Since Jesse reminds me a little bit of myself - not always sure of himself, a little bit zany, accident prone and mushy - I think he might be the one currently. But honestly I love them both and more than that I love the relationship they have and the shenanigans they find themselves in. At times I thought my heart was going to break into lots of pieces and then just as quickly that feeling dissipated as I realised the pair just needed to talk!
Murph and Jesse have been friends since forever, well since they were seven years old, or as Jesse's mum puts in "since you were in short pants." They are now thirty. Murphy went away for four years with the army but they now both work their family orchards. It would appear however though that despite being friends forever, best friends too, they still don't really know how to properly communicate. Maybe it is a man thing - not wanting to share feelings? Maybe it is a best friends forever thing - thinking that you know everything there is to know about the other person. Or, and in this case this is more likely, it is because Murphy is gay, Jesse is straight and Murphy is hopelessly in love with Jesse. So hopelessly that he decides he needs to find himself a man and hopefully get over these feelings. He also needs to tell Jesse that he is gay. Yes, friends all this time and he has never shared that - miscommunication at its best.
Murphy was afraid to tell Jesse, but Jesse takes it in his stride and in fact does his usual and tries to help Murphy, tries to show him it makes no difference to their friendship because, to Jesse it doesn't. All he knows, for now, is that he never wants to miss Murphy again in the way he did when the latter went away with the army. There are revelations to come about that too... In the meantime, partly at his mother's suggestion Murphy decides to get away. He books a gay cruise so imagine his surprise when Jesse appears on the same cruise. The events that unfold are some of the best scenes I have read in a book in a long time. From Jesse introducing himself to a dildo, to the 'exploration' the two indulge in, the discovery of an ABBA playlist and, oh so much more.
I could have read on and on, if there was more story, but as all good ones it came to an end, an incredibly satisfying end. Showcasing how scary the fear of rejection can be, how intimate sexual exploration can be, how important friends and communication are and delivering it with a huge dose of humour makes this an un-put-downable read that I know for certain I will be coming back to, and if there is ever the opportunity for an audiobook I will be first in line. This review is most certainly one for Yep and not Yelp (see Chapter 3)...
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. ...more
I can't decide if it is Murphy Malone, affectionately known as 'Baloney' to his best friend Jesse, or Jesse that I am currently more in love with. Since Jesse reminds me a little bit of myself - not always sure of himself, a little bit zany, accident prone and mushy - I think he might be the one currently. But honestly I love them both and more than that I love the relationship they have and the shenanigans they find themselves in. At times I thought my heart was going to break into lots of pieces and then just as quickly that feeling dissipated as I realised the pair just needed to talk!
Murph and Jesse have been friends since forever, well since they were seven years old, or as Jesse's mum puts in "since you were in short pants." They are now thirty. Murphy went away for four years with the army but they now both work their family orchards. It would appear however though that despite being friends forever, best friends too, they still don't really know how to properly communicate. Maybe it is a man thing - not wanting to share feelings? Maybe it is a best friends forever thing - thinking that you know everything there is to know about the other person. Or, and in this case this is more likely, it is because Murphy is gay, Jesse is straight and Murphy is hopelessly in love with Jesse. So hopelessly that he decides he needs to find himself a man and hopefully get over these feelings. He also needs to tell Jesse that he is gay. Yes, friends all this time and he has never shared that - miscommunication at its best.
Murphy was afraid to tell Jesse, but Jesse takes it in his stride and in fact does his usual and tries to help Murphy, tries to show him it makes no difference to their friendship because, to Jesse it doesn't. All he knows, for now, is that he never wants to miss Murphy again in the way he did when the latter went away with the army. There are revelations to come about that too... In the meantime, partly at his mother's suggestion Murphy decides to get away. He books a gay cruise so imagine his surprise when Jesse appears on the same cruise. The events that unfold are some of the best scenes I have read in a book in a long time. From Jesse introducing himself to a dildo, to the 'exploration' the two indulge in, the discovery of an ABBA playlist and, oh so much more.
I could have read on and on, if there was more story, but as all good ones it came to an end, an incredibly satisfying end. Showcasing how scary the fear of rejection can be, how intimate sexual exploration can be, how important friends and communication are and delivering it with a huge dose of humour makes this an un-put-downable read that I know for certain I will be coming back to, and if there is ever the opportunity for an audiobook I will be first in line. This review is most certainly one for Yep and not Yelp (see Chapter 3)...
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. ...more
Notes are private!
1
Jul 15, 2024
Jul 15, 2024
Jul 17, 2024
Kindle Edition
B0D5RBGX6R
4.30
60
unknown
Jun 28, 2024
it was amazing
When Ronan Gallagher's great-uncle Ian passes on he leaves Ronan with a mystery, a puzzle to unravel and the potential of a treasure hunt. Ronan and I
When Ronan Gallagher's great-uncle Ian passes on he leaves Ronan with a mystery, a puzzle to unravel and the potential of a treasure hunt. Ronan and Ian were close and Ronan loved all the tales of adventure and treasure hunting that his great uncle shared when he was a child. Now he is a fully grown adult, a tech billionaire and no, he doesn't need treasure but what he finds when he arrives in Blue Harbour is in fact a treasure that exceeds even his wildest dreams.
Tyler is a Blue Harbour Boy. He arrived there as a young teen, settled in with his family and has never left, well apart from going to college. Now he teaches history at the local school and coached the baseball team. If you have been following the series you will know that Tyler lost his best friend Dawson who was taken too young, but has stayed best friends with Dawson's widow who now has a new man (that was book 2) when Theo met Rafe. Theo is very much still in Tyler's life and plays an important role in this story, in a personal capacity but l won't get ahead of myself!
Ronan has gone to Blue Harbour expecting to stay a few days, have a break from work, open uncle Ian's safety deposit box, find out what has been left and then go back to the grind in California. He wasn't expecting Tyler and Tyler wasn't expecting to quite literally knock Ronan to the ground whilst leading his winning baseball team in a town parade! Tyler is quite certain that he knows himself, what he wants from life, but then Ronan comes into it and throws everything into a whirl.
As the pair get to know one another, a friendship blossoms. Tyler can show Ronan all the amazing things about Blue Harbour, they bond over a love of history and adventure and discover places that even the locals aren't aware of. They open up to one another, thanks to great-uncle Ian these two men come together, embark on a treasure hunt and a life-changing friendship. But just as Tyler is beginning to understand the feelings that he never expected and Ronan is beginning to realise that there is something very special about Blue Harbour Ronan's company demand he return. Will Ronan bow to the pressure and if he does will Tyler's heart shatter?
Another beautiful love story, a romance that is timeless. A slow burn between two men who, at face value appear to be polar opposites, proof that what lies beneath is the most important discovery any of us can make. Declan Rhodes writes with honesty, sincerity and passion and I defy you not to fall in love with his stories, their adventures and their deep, enduring passion.
Oh, and as a librarian and historian I cannot leave without saying thank you to Declan Rhodes for introducing us to Blue Harbour's library and librarian... I would love to read his story soon...
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. ...more
Tyler is a Blue Harbour Boy. He arrived there as a young teen, settled in with his family and has never left, well apart from going to college. Now he teaches history at the local school and coached the baseball team. If you have been following the series you will know that Tyler lost his best friend Dawson who was taken too young, but has stayed best friends with Dawson's widow who now has a new man (that was book 2) when Theo met Rafe. Theo is very much still in Tyler's life and plays an important role in this story, in a personal capacity but l won't get ahead of myself!
Ronan has gone to Blue Harbour expecting to stay a few days, have a break from work, open uncle Ian's safety deposit box, find out what has been left and then go back to the grind in California. He wasn't expecting Tyler and Tyler wasn't expecting to quite literally knock Ronan to the ground whilst leading his winning baseball team in a town parade! Tyler is quite certain that he knows himself, what he wants from life, but then Ronan comes into it and throws everything into a whirl.
As the pair get to know one another, a friendship blossoms. Tyler can show Ronan all the amazing things about Blue Harbour, they bond over a love of history and adventure and discover places that even the locals aren't aware of. They open up to one another, thanks to great-uncle Ian these two men come together, embark on a treasure hunt and a life-changing friendship. But just as Tyler is beginning to understand the feelings that he never expected and Ronan is beginning to realise that there is something very special about Blue Harbour Ronan's company demand he return. Will Ronan bow to the pressure and if he does will Tyler's heart shatter?
Another beautiful love story, a romance that is timeless. A slow burn between two men who, at face value appear to be polar opposites, proof that what lies beneath is the most important discovery any of us can make. Declan Rhodes writes with honesty, sincerity and passion and I defy you not to fall in love with his stories, their adventures and their deep, enduring passion.
Oh, and as a librarian and historian I cannot leave without saying thank you to Declan Rhodes for introducing us to Blue Harbour's library and librarian... I would love to read his story soon...
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. ...more
Notes are private!
1
Jul 10, 2024
Jul 10, 2024
Jul 11, 2024
Kindle Edition
B0CPXV3TR9
unknown
4.17
59
unknown
Jun 2024
it was amazing
Cruise Ships, we hear about them often, but we hear about the wonderful holidays they offer us. What goes on behind the scenes, well that is best left
Cruise Ships, we hear about them often, but we hear about the wonderful holidays they offer us. What goes on behind the scenes, well that is best left to the imagination. Unless curiosity gets the better of you in which case BL Maxwell's 'Below Deck' is the perfect choice of reading material!
It is time for a Pride Cruise and to meet the people who make it happen, who love their work and might just happen to be falling in love with one another. It happens! What also happens is that people find themselves, discover how important it is to be themselves and not just what is expected of them.
JJ Carrington was born with the metaphorical silver spoon in his mouth but despite all the money his family have, the opportunity to be a part of the family business and a three month summer stretching out before him, the chance to do whatever he wants has never felt so...wrong. Hook ups, vacation time, drinking ~ it is losing its appeal.
Cory Wynn has travelled more in the last year than in his entire life up to the point that he joined the crew of the cruise ships. Now he has seen all of the Caribbean and marveled at how much of it there is. But his plans for the job on the cruise ship and the opportunity it might present him to fall in love at sea haven't quite worked out as he would have liked. He works. That is it.
When JJ spends the day partying with some of the people from the ship and follows them back on board, paying little attention to anything other than his own fun his hard lessons begin. He is now a stowaway. He is in a cabin with Cory. His friends have washed their hands of him. He is going to get dropped off at the next port call. But as events unfold JJ realises quite a few things about himself, about his life as it has been until now and about the importance of true, honest friendships. The story that unfolds has forced proximity ~ this is a cruise ship after all! Enemies-to-lovers and very definitely opposites attract. It is a bundle of good intentions, growing up, self-discovery, romance and friendship in a short novella. It will tug at your heartstrings and guarantees a smile.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. ...more
It is time for a Pride Cruise and to meet the people who make it happen, who love their work and might just happen to be falling in love with one another. It happens! What also happens is that people find themselves, discover how important it is to be themselves and not just what is expected of them.
JJ Carrington was born with the metaphorical silver spoon in his mouth but despite all the money his family have, the opportunity to be a part of the family business and a three month summer stretching out before him, the chance to do whatever he wants has never felt so...wrong. Hook ups, vacation time, drinking ~ it is losing its appeal.
Cory Wynn has travelled more in the last year than in his entire life up to the point that he joined the crew of the cruise ships. Now he has seen all of the Caribbean and marveled at how much of it there is. But his plans for the job on the cruise ship and the opportunity it might present him to fall in love at sea haven't quite worked out as he would have liked. He works. That is it.
When JJ spends the day partying with some of the people from the ship and follows them back on board, paying little attention to anything other than his own fun his hard lessons begin. He is now a stowaway. He is in a cabin with Cory. His friends have washed their hands of him. He is going to get dropped off at the next port call. But as events unfold JJ realises quite a few things about himself, about his life as it has been until now and about the importance of true, honest friendships. The story that unfolds has forced proximity ~ this is a cruise ship after all! Enemies-to-lovers and very definitely opposites attract. It is a bundle of good intentions, growing up, self-discovery, romance and friendship in a short novella. It will tug at your heartstrings and guarantees a smile.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. ...more
Notes are private!
1
Jun 28, 2024
Jun 28, 2024
Jun 30, 2024
Kindle Edition
B082ZM1QXW
3.87
2,897
Dec 22, 2019
Jan 03, 2020
it was amazing
Wow. Wow. Wow. I should probably stop there but I am finding it really hard not to gush about this story. I decided I would do a little bedtime readin
Wow. Wow. Wow. I should probably stop there but I am finding it really hard not to gush about this story. I decided I would do a little bedtime reading and start it. I didn't put it down until I had read the very last word and even then I just lay in bed with a huge grin on my face!
Men of Fort Dale is set to be an outstanding series, I think there are a number of books, each following a different pair at the Fort and this first, I'm Straight, Right? sets the bar high! It is expertly written to lure its reader in, I was immediately captivated, because it has everything. Great characters with honest, strong personalities and great senses of humour. It has reality. Civilian world and armed forces worlds blend but we can also see the stark differences between them, understand just the tip of the iceberg but understand nonetheless. We can also see how reality is hard, humour helps, as does family - found or blood - as well as best friends, boyfriends and lovers. Everything is here, it is all laid out for us, leaving us feeling raw in some parts, but so very sure that all is going to be well in the end, there is just something about Romeo Alexander's writing that reassures.
Sloane and Dean are best friends and have been since they met at Boot Camp. Sloane is grumpy, even by his own admission but Dean sees the man not the moods. Dean has also been in love with Sloane from day one and somehow fate has ensured that wherever one was posted so was the other allowing their friendship to grow and deepen into something that is incredibly beautiful and special. I would love these two as my friends or a friendship that was anywhere near to being as close as theirs! Well, maybe apart from the part where Sloane finds out Dean hasn't told him about a new boyfriend, a fact which awakens feelings Sloane didn't know he had and isn't sure how to deal with. Then they share a drunken movie night...
Raw, emotional, beautiful, romantic, and now I want to go back and read it all over again, perhaps I will venture to try another in the series first. Thank you Romeo Alexander for making my nighttime reading one of the best experiences ever!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. ...more
Men of Fort Dale is set to be an outstanding series, I think there are a number of books, each following a different pair at the Fort and this first, I'm Straight, Right? sets the bar high! It is expertly written to lure its reader in, I was immediately captivated, because it has everything. Great characters with honest, strong personalities and great senses of humour. It has reality. Civilian world and armed forces worlds blend but we can also see the stark differences between them, understand just the tip of the iceberg but understand nonetheless. We can also see how reality is hard, humour helps, as does family - found or blood - as well as best friends, boyfriends and lovers. Everything is here, it is all laid out for us, leaving us feeling raw in some parts, but so very sure that all is going to be well in the end, there is just something about Romeo Alexander's writing that reassures.
Sloane and Dean are best friends and have been since they met at Boot Camp. Sloane is grumpy, even by his own admission but Dean sees the man not the moods. Dean has also been in love with Sloane from day one and somehow fate has ensured that wherever one was posted so was the other allowing their friendship to grow and deepen into something that is incredibly beautiful and special. I would love these two as my friends or a friendship that was anywhere near to being as close as theirs! Well, maybe apart from the part where Sloane finds out Dean hasn't told him about a new boyfriend, a fact which awakens feelings Sloane didn't know he had and isn't sure how to deal with. Then they share a drunken movie night...
Raw, emotional, beautiful, romantic, and now I want to go back and read it all over again, perhaps I will venture to try another in the series first. Thank you Romeo Alexander for making my nighttime reading one of the best experiences ever!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. ...more
Notes are private!
1
Jun 08, 2024
Jun 08, 2024
Jun 09, 2024
Kindle Edition
1035039753
9781035039753
1035039753
3.68
419
Mar 05, 2024
Mar 14, 2024
it was amazing
People can be very boring and there is often, unfortunately, a supposition that books can be too. If you are honest with yourself when I tell you that
People can be very boring and there is often, unfortunately, a supposition that books can be too. If you are honest with yourself when I tell you that Rosalyn Eve’s An Unlikely Proposition is a Regency Drama ~ meaning it is set in 1818 ~ would you tell me that it sounds dry and boring? I won’t judge but if that is how you feel I will ask you to read on, to give me the opportunity to share with you a book that is far from boring, that will most certainly make you laugh and may even have you swooning just as the ladies of Regency England would have done. But this story is more than that, it is a story that reminds us how important it is to see what society may expect of us but remember that it is important we follow what our hearts and minds tell us. That we all have dreams and they are meant to be pursued. An ideal YA novel which, from the outside looks as innocent as its protagonists are expected to be yet hides an exciting, rebellious streak.
Eleanor is in London for the season. At the tender age of seventeen and a half she has already been married and widowed. It may have only lasted for a month, the marriage, before her poor Alfred got sick and died, but after a year in mourning she was ready to leave Wiltshire for London, a place he had promised to take her. Now, being in the big city she is determined to make the most of it, to be independent and have fun. The problem is a young single lady in the Season can attract any number of unwanted suitors. Eleanor’s solution? Create a fake engagement (she really is a rather modern heroine I am sure you will agree) to keep the suitors away, to keep her heart and her fortune intact and safe. Thalia on the other hand had a disastrous first Season in London and is determined to make this one work. She is there this time as companion to Eleanor and she plans to have no distractions, to focus on her poetry… The funny thing is that life appears to have others plans, for both of these young ladies and it really is quite amusing.
I write reviews for Armadillo Children's Books and this one appeared in my weekly newsletter, Postbag Picks, in March 2024. ...more
Eleanor is in London for the season. At the tender age of seventeen and a half she has already been married and widowed. It may have only lasted for a month, the marriage, before her poor Alfred got sick and died, but after a year in mourning she was ready to leave Wiltshire for London, a place he had promised to take her. Now, being in the big city she is determined to make the most of it, to be independent and have fun. The problem is a young single lady in the Season can attract any number of unwanted suitors. Eleanor’s solution? Create a fake engagement (she really is a rather modern heroine I am sure you will agree) to keep the suitors away, to keep her heart and her fortune intact and safe. Thalia on the other hand had a disastrous first Season in London and is determined to make this one work. She is there this time as companion to Eleanor and she plans to have no distractions, to focus on her poetry… The funny thing is that life appears to have others plans, for both of these young ladies and it really is quite amusing.
I write reviews for Armadillo Children's Books and this one appeared in my weekly newsletter, Postbag Picks, in March 2024. ...more
Notes are private!
1
Mar 19, 2024
Mar 19, 2024
Jun 02, 2024
Paperback
1444968432
9781444968439
1444968432
4.45
33
unknown
Mar 14, 2024
really liked it
Have you ever taken the time to listen to nature? It has the most marvellous stories to tell and many of them come the trees, some of the longest livi
Have you ever taken the time to listen to nature? It has the most marvellous stories to tell and many of them come the trees, some of the longest living of nature’s children, trees can live for hundreds of years which of course means they have seen a lot. They may sing to you rather than talk because there is a wonderful tradition, in folklore of songs sung in woodlands. And if you listen well, even on those days when the trees are not singing the wind in their branches, the rustling of their leaves will sing to you so please, take the time to listen, it could be important. For Kai, the one whose voice carries us through The Tree That Sang To Me, it is important. Up high, in among the broad branches of a wasteland sycamore tree he is safe, free from all of his worries, can be whoever he wants to be. This tree is his solace, his protection, his place.
Then he meets Sky and things change…for the better for this tree has the power to do that, to bring change as well as witness it. Serena Molloy has written this story using verse and has made it dyslexia friendly too, combined with the story itself this truly is an accessible story that will draw in all young readers. Whether you have ever heard a tree sing, had family problems, friend problems, or just need a quiet space to simply be, this story will call to you. Kai loves to spend time in the tree, more so since his big sister, Jen, left the family home for Kai knows it is all his fault she left and it is a secret that burns within him, which he can tell no-0ne, which causes him to pull out his hair. But the tree won’t judge, won’t ask questions and neither it seems will his new friend Sky. She loves to talk but she never pushes or presses him for more than he is willing to give. The tree brings them together and together they discover the strength they both need. Before long Kai begins to learn more about himself, find his inner strength and understanding. A beautiful and moving story.
I write reviews for Armadillo Children's Books and this one appeared in my weekly newsletter, Postbag Picks, in March 2024. ...more
Then he meets Sky and things change…for the better for this tree has the power to do that, to bring change as well as witness it. Serena Molloy has written this story using verse and has made it dyslexia friendly too, combined with the story itself this truly is an accessible story that will draw in all young readers. Whether you have ever heard a tree sing, had family problems, friend problems, or just need a quiet space to simply be, this story will call to you. Kai loves to spend time in the tree, more so since his big sister, Jen, left the family home for Kai knows it is all his fault she left and it is a secret that burns within him, which he can tell no-0ne, which causes him to pull out his hair. But the tree won’t judge, won’t ask questions and neither it seems will his new friend Sky. She loves to talk but she never pushes or presses him for more than he is willing to give. The tree brings them together and together they discover the strength they both need. Before long Kai begins to learn more about himself, find his inner strength and understanding. A beautiful and moving story.
I write reviews for Armadillo Children's Books and this one appeared in my weekly newsletter, Postbag Picks, in March 2024. ...more
Notes are private!
1
Mar 14, 2024
Mar 15, 2024
Jun 02, 2024
Paperback
0702329932
9780702329937
0702329932
3.70
20
unknown
Sep 01, 2024
really liked it
If you have ever tried running you will know that it takes some practice to get to a good and comfortable speed. Even more so if you are attempting sh
If you have ever tried running you will know that it takes some practice to get to a good and comfortable speed. Even more so if you are attempting short distance runs at an accelerated pace! But what about if you are running away? In many stories, when the characters find themselves in a position which requires running away we are told they run as fast as they can, or faster than they ever have before. But what do you do when you are running not from something tangible, not from a danger that by running you will actually leave behind? Can you run from bad news? You can bury your head in the sand and pretend it isn’t happening but running, that is harder and Jasper, the main character of Mark Illis’ Running Away for Beginners is about to discover just how challenging this type of running is. Before we go further this book is very much for teens, it is harrowing but hopeful, please bear that in mind.
He is just fourteen years old when the cancer diagnosis comes. It is going to change Jasper’s life, forever, no matter the outcome. With treatment scheduled to begin in just one week Jasper probably doesn’t have time to run, and would running away really do any good? Running away would mean not receiving treatment. Maybe this is one of those occasions where running into the bad news is the only solution. Jasper’s parents think that if he carries on with life as normal it will all be easier but he knows otherwise, he knows it is impossible. His friends rally, they plan a trip to the seaside for the weekend before his treatment is due to start. They say that it will be just like running away for beginners but as they take the first steps of their unexpected journey they are going to discover that there are secrets that need to come out and they do. Well, except for Jasper’s. He hasn’t told them, but he has decided that when the trip is over, when the weekend has come to a close, he is not going home with them. Inspired by the author’s own teenage diagnosis of cancer this story is written by a survivor. A funny, heartfelt, uplifting, beautiful story full of hope.
I write reviews for Armadillo Children's Books and this one appeared in my weekly newsletter, Postbag Picks, in March 2024. ...more
He is just fourteen years old when the cancer diagnosis comes. It is going to change Jasper’s life, forever, no matter the outcome. With treatment scheduled to begin in just one week Jasper probably doesn’t have time to run, and would running away really do any good? Running away would mean not receiving treatment. Maybe this is one of those occasions where running into the bad news is the only solution. Jasper’s parents think that if he carries on with life as normal it will all be easier but he knows otherwise, he knows it is impossible. His friends rally, they plan a trip to the seaside for the weekend before his treatment is due to start. They say that it will be just like running away for beginners but as they take the first steps of their unexpected journey they are going to discover that there are secrets that need to come out and they do. Well, except for Jasper’s. He hasn’t told them, but he has decided that when the trip is over, when the weekend has come to a close, he is not going home with them. Inspired by the author’s own teenage diagnosis of cancer this story is written by a survivor. A funny, heartfelt, uplifting, beautiful story full of hope.
I write reviews for Armadillo Children's Books and this one appeared in my weekly newsletter, Postbag Picks, in March 2024. ...more
Notes are private!
1
Mar 09, 2024
Mar 10, 2024
Jun 01, 2024
Paperback
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