May 2011 – Read Me Right

Morning Report – Sue Brown

Author: Sue Brown
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Word Count: 70,540
Published: 2011
Fictionwise: $6.99

After being in a relationship for over a decade, Luke and Simon are still very much in love and enjoy every minute of the life they’ve created together running their ranch. They had never had to hide who they are even in their small town, until one of their local merchants refused to sell to them. Bewildered with their sudden treatment from long-time friends, Luke reaches out to his mom to find that a new pastor in town has been turning people against the “sinners.” Luke and Simon face not only the decision to stay and fight or leave, but also the first true test of their relationship. Will their relationship be able to withstand the hatred of their beloved community?

This was a very well-written story with strong characters and a well-developed loving relationship between Luke and Simon. At first it seemed a bit romanticized, but quickly the story unfolded to show a more realistic and somewhat scary tale of influence and persuasion – not to mention the stress external influences have on a relationship. Unlike many m/m reads, this book opens with the love story ten years in process – you don’t get to be there for their meeting, although you do get to hear about it, instead you join them in the struggle. You’ll fall in love with everything that Luke and Simon have to offer – including Luke’s family and some of the very people spewing the hate.

The sex was very hot and a bit surprising! Sex is where the title of the book comes from, so I hope you enjoy that puzzle before you read it. Their sexual relationship is a central part of the story and is very much based on D/s roles. Don’t expect toys or hard-core D/s, but you will definitely see the power struggle and D/s roles played very well. Throughout, there is a lot of sex, but it is also meaningful – you can see how it connects or furthers their relationship each and every time.

Out of four…
Overall Read: ♥♥♥
Sex Heat: ♥♥♥
Plot: ♥♥♥♥

This is a great read and I highly recommend it. I can’t think of an audience that wouldn’t enjoy this – there are cowboys after all, there is a great loving relationship, and very hot (although tame for some D/s standards) D/s sex. This is definitely worth a read.

Series: Good to Know and An Earlier Heaven – D.W. Marchwell

Author: D.W. Marchwell
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Word Count: 62,135
Published: 2009
Fictionwise: $6.99

Author: D.W. Marchwell
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Word Count: 71,875
Published: 2010
Fictionwise: $6.99

“Good to Know” begins with Jerry McKenzie, an artist who is known for being a recluse and anti-social, gets a surprising gift on his doorstep – his school-age nephew, William. Jerry has no idea how to raise a child, or even if he wants to keep him, so he grabs on to the first person offering help – David. David is William’s teacher and wants to be sure that William is being taken care of after hearing his story – so he does what every good teacher would do, he swings by Jerry’s house for a home visit and finds Jerry completely out of his element. With the intent to help, not act on their mutual sexual attraction, David teaches Jerry the basics and Jerry falls in love with both of the new men in his life.

In the sequel, “An Earlier Heaven,” the family is revisited one year later – and continues to expand with love. William is still a bit of a loner, but he latches on to his soccer coach Cory, and is insistent that Jerry and David help him out. What ensues is a tale of great loss and heart break for William, but one that he continues to overcome and an unexpected family blossoms.

Each book is a good read as a stand alone, but the sequel even further cements their relationship and love after all of the struggles. In the first book, a romance and strong relationship grow through several obstacles. There is strife and struggle, but their underlying love for each other and William, is what makes you fall in love with the characters. A few times you’ll find yourself presented with information without explanation – only to find the explanation several chapters later (just an editorial miss, try not to be distracted). It was fun reading about a loving family – being able to see a child finally have a loving home, will bring you to tears a few times throughout the series. The books were both well-written with a very easy flow and evolution.

The sex in each book was very different. In the first book, there wasn’t a lot of sex and it was seriously lacking description – more of the “they went to bed and then it happened” type of description. In the second book, it was almost like Marchwell was told to add some spice, as there was a LOT more sex, but it seemed to miss the mark on hotness and excitement. There were a lot of “oh yeah, that’s hot” descriptions, but the sex was somewhat gratuitous and almost distracting. I found myself skimming these portions, which are usually my favorite parts.

Out of four…
Overall Read: ♥♥♥
Sex Heat: ♥
Plot: ♥♥♥

This is a good loving romantic story between two men and the home they create for their son. It’s an easy read and great if you’re looking for a tame story or love beyond the bedroom.

A Dance of Love and Jealousy – Roland Graeme

Author: Roland Graeme
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Word Count: 134,096
Published: 2011
Fictionwise: $6.99

Nate, a young up-and-coming dancer is continuously working to improve his dancing skills in order to better his capabilities. His idol, famous aging dancer and new choreographer, Romuald, signs on to work with at the dance company where Nate is a soloist. But Nate is conflicted – he was in love with his straight best friend on the dance troop; a known player is after Nate; and he’s unsure if his idol will give him everything he wants in a relationship. Who will Nate end up with?

This is a different story line than many of the m/m books I’ve read recently, and I appreciated the new setting and characters. It also provided a glimpse into the dancing world which was a welcome change. Overall though, this book confused me – it was VERY long and in my opinion, the same story could have been told with 200 less pages. There seemed to be a lot of superfluous information and details that didn’t add any value to the story or move the plot forward. Details such as the description of every dance move, things that they were observing on stage, repeated observations and thoughts, and so on – didn’t prove valuable within the story. It felt like I wasted a lot of time trying to figure out what the story was actually going to be about. However, once it was more apparent who the story was really between, Graeme did a good job at creating the sexual tension between the two main characters.

If you’re looking for sex, this probably isn’t the right book for you. You have to wait about 185 pages before any action appears, but expect the sexual tension to be high before and after the encounter. This is more of a “love story,” but not in a traditional sense. There aren’t many grand gestures or emotional insights, but you can feel the passion and love between the two men.

Out of four…
Overall Read: ♥
Sex Heat: ♥
Plot: ♥♥

If you are a fan of dance or are looking for a behind-the-scenes look into the dance culture, you will really enjoy this book. It’s also great if you are looking for a longer, more detailed story.

In Dreams He Came – Trina Lane

Author: Trina Lane
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Word Count: 62,948
Published: 2011
Fictionwise: $6.99

University of California – Berkeley swim team member Gabe, is finishing his last year on the team and is excited to start the next step of his life. But he’s determined to go out at his personal best. He wouldn’t mind settling down a little bit either. Gabe lives so much in his head and his daydreams, that he almost misses a good thing when it’s right in front of him. His idol and former teammate Nick, convinces Gabe to give their relationship a try. What ensues is a blossoming romance amidst demanding swim and school schedules and life away from each other.

This story can best be described as a sweet and predictable love story. The main characters are very young and their character development within the story reflected that – they didn’t have any deep conflicts or issues to work through, they just needed a way to figure out how to be together and make it work. The story was a quick read and entertaining, but don’t expect a lot of twists and turns, or even a lot of emotional turmoil. And it’s good to note that there was A LOT of daydreaming that took place throughout the story. In my opinion, it was quite distracting, as I found that the daydreams didn’t relate/or move the story forward, as much as I was expecting.

The sex was not a main part of the story, and was very tame during the few times that it happened. Two hot athletic swimmers with wet bodies all the time, did not make as much magic between the pages as one would expect, but sex was not a huge part of this story. But your imagination could go wild for what could be the next installment of this story?

Out of four…
Overall Read: ♥♥
Sex Heat: ♥
Plot: ♥

If you’re looking for an easy romantic m/m read; enjoy some twink action; or have a thing for swimmers, then this is a good starter book for you.

Nowhere Ranch – Heidi Cullinan

Author: Heidi Cullinan
Publisher: Loose-Id, LLC
Word Count: 68,356
Published: 2011
Fictionwise: $6.99

After his family turned their back on him for being gay, Roe left his family’s farm and learned how to survive without creating strong connections or roots. That was until he arrived at the Nowhere Ranch. When Roe needed a break and needed sexual release, he drove to the nearest gay bar – three hours away, to find the owner of the ranch he’s working on, there too. Relationships are not his thing, so getting involved with his boss is a very bad idea, especially since he’s starting to fall in love with the ranch. But one night can’t hurt, right?

This was my favorite Cullinan book yet. It was a fantastic story with rich character development and a story line that was well thought out and surprising at times. The bond and relationship between Roe and the ranch owner, Travis, was realistic and deep. Their exploration together of their D/s relationship paralleled with each of them allowing themselves to open their hearts again, was powerful. There were bumps along the way, but each man found a way to come together and work things out.

The sex was HOT (or shall I saw H-A-W-T)! Several different sexual encounters, but each told a story of their blossoming relationship. Starting from strictly D/s with no strings attached – moving into a loving D/s relationship was exciting to read and engaging throughout. This is a recommended read for any cowboy fans, experienced m/m readers, or anyone who is looking for a unique love story within the D/s relationship.

Out of four…
Overall Read: ♥♥♥♥
Sex Heat: ♥♥♥♥
Plot: ♥♥♥

The only thing holding back from this getting a perfect score, is the ending. The last 10 pages or so was a bit of a let down. Don’t get me wrong, it ends up fantastic (and be sure to read it through the very end), but one part of the conclusion felt rushed and slightly out of character. But it doesn’t impact the overall story – just the ending impression.

Undercover Sins – Hayley James

Author: Haley James
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Word Count: 89,3216
Published: 2011
Fictionwise: $6.99

An undercover officer spends three months as a rent boy, just to get close to his biggest enemy – a human trafficker. He won’t walk away from an assignment, especially one that means so much to him but soon he realizes that he could be in too deep. He enjoyed sex with his target more than he could forgive himself for – was he playing a role, or being played?

A very surprising and fast-paced read with so many unexpected twists and turns. I couldn’t put this down as the relationship between Demetrius (the human trafficker), Ty/Gabriel (the undercover cop) and Lee (the bodyguard) evolved throughout. Each character had substantial weight and depth, and I found myself being sympathetic with the bad guy, more than I would have thought possible. The story and twists kept me on the edge of my seat and were unexpected – usually you can feel something coming, but not once did I know what would come next. I read this in one day, it was a real page-turner.

The sex was hot, dirty and plentiful, although not gratuitous. There were so many dimensions to their sexual interactions that it greatly deepened their connection with each other, and also furthered the story significantly. This is a good read for experienced m/m readers or those looking for a quick-paced story with a lot of hot sex – be forewarned, this is not a typical love story and the sex is reflective of that.

Out of four…
Overall Read: ♥♥♥♥
Sex Heat: ♥♥♥♥
Plot: ♥♥♥

Almost a perfect score, this is a fantastic read! The only caution here, is to be prepared to a little in love with a criminal – but don’t worry, you won’t hate yourself for it in the end! Be sure to read it all the way to end for a few last-minute twists!

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