Tag: Samhain Publishing

Bound by Law – SE Jakes

Author: SE Jakes
Publisher:  Samhain Publishing
Word Count: 63,521
Published: 2011
Fictionwise: $5.50

I have been waiting for this one to come out! As we know, I LOVED Bound by Honor, the first book in this loose series – in case you forgot, I gave it a perfect score. That being said, this one had a lot to live up to… and I wasn’t disappointed!

This story focuses on the other two members of a foster situation – Law and Styx. They were introduced in the first book and I was curious if they’d ever find their way back together. Now I’m not really giving anything away here, as you can see from the cover artwork, but this is a menage story – and no one was more surprised about that, than me (I tend not to look at covers, the whole saying and such). Anyway, Law and Styx do find themselves back in the same room together, except Law has his new boyfriend with him – Paulo. Let’s just saw that amid gunfire and a manhunt or two, sparks fly.

I’d like to be very clear here – this book was nothing like the first one, which makes it even better in my opinion! This relationship was one of trust, struggle, acceptance, and forgiveness, but without any D/s interaction. Power and control was constantly changing hands, but the great thing was, each character was so well-developed, that you never lost sight of who was saying or doing what. The sex was super hot and intense – ten years apart will do that, but more than that, it was passionate and their connection was evident throughout. It was HOT-HOT-HOT, somewhat “tame” in experiences/positions/locations (if you’re able to overlook the uniqueness of a threesome), but not at all boring. There was a constant give and take, which created a sense of vulnerability in each character at various times. And who doesn’t love hot, sexy, fighting, strong men showing a little vulnerability during crazy hot sex?!

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

Not quite another perfect score, but definitely close. I would recommend this to everyone – it’s a stand alone book, or a great extension if you read the first one. It is super sexy, hot, great sex, but even better characters. I just hope that Jakes has another one in the works, apparently I’m a huge fan!

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Bound by Honor – SE Jakes

Author: SE Jakes
Publisher:  Samhain Publishing
Word Count: 63,422
Published: 2011
Fictionwise: $4.50

Soldier Tanner James holds his word and shows up to deliver the dying wish of his good friend who died in combat one year earlier. He walks into the club searching for the owner and badass Dom, Damon. Tanner’s mission is simple – submit to Damon for one night exactly one year following his friend’s death. What happens when Tanner walks into the club is heartbreaking as Damon isn’t sure he’s able to uphold his end of the bargain. Will he be able to overcome his past to embrace the best thing for his future?

Soldiers fighting for power, submission and acceptance – is there anything hotter? This is a great D/s read with incredibly hot sex, but more than that, it was relatable. Each character struggled with emotions and past wrongs, to be able to fully accept their current situation. There were several points in the book that were difficult to read (yes, tears flowed) – the fear, the shame, the underlying pain was always right at the surface. There was sex, lots of sex, but never gratuitous. The subplot and characters were fantastically written and I can’t wait to see their story next! I was not aware that this was part of series when I read it, but I cannot wait to get my hands on the next installment.

The sex was incredibly hot and a relatable D/s relationship, once all of the false starts were addressed. It was an emotional read and one that I could not put down – it grabbed my attention, not just because of the heat (although admittedly that helped), but the plot and characters were so well developed and clearly everything was executed seamlessly.

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

I think this is my first “perfect” score – it truly is a book, not to be missed. The plot was intriguing and had significant depth; hot soldiers; and believable D/s play and relationships. Read this if you like masculine men stories, strong erotica or D/s play.

With Caution – J.L. Langley

With Caution

Author: J. L. Langley
Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
Word Count: 77,916
Published: 2007 (relaased on Fictionwise December 2010)
Fictionwise: $5.50

A life of living in fear of his father while always protecting his younger brother, main character Remington goes through a journey of overcoming his fears, understanding his desires, and becoming his own man. Through his journey, he finds his mate in Jake and a new family of friends within the pack. With Jake’s unconditional love and support, Remington keeps his word to his brother and brings justice to his father.

This was a very surprising read – I am a fan of some shapeshifter books, but I must admit I am a hard sell. This one was beautifully written with several key plots and characters, all of which you will immediately fall in love with. You get to see Remington as the ultimate protector of his brother while not being able to fully realize his worth without his true mate, Jake, by his side. This is a great read and I couldn’t put it down – a romance with a bit of a shapeshifter twist, hot men, family responsibilities and duties, and some sex!

The sex in this book comes a bit later in the story, so this is not the read for you if you want immediate gratification – well, at least gratification that doesn’t come in dream form. In addition, the sex is not the main theme here, but the realtionships and pack development are – so this is great for someone who is new to the M/M reading scene, or LOVES warewolves tales. Be warned that the story called for a D/s relationship, but the sex doesn’t really deliver on this front – more by subtle tones, so don’t expect a lot of D/s here. Well written, the characters are what will grab your attention – you love all of them instantly, and can’t wait to find out how it all ends.

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

Read this book if you are looking to get your warewolves fix along with a great romantic tale while watching the main characters work through their inner struggles. The sex is hot but spaced nicely throughout – a great newbie read.

Bound by Nature: A Forces of Nature Novel – Cooper Davis

Bound by Nature: A Forces of Nature Novel

Author: Cooper Davis
Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
Word Count: 53,440
Published: 2010
Fictionwise: $3.83

While not my usual cup of tea anymore, this is an interesting shapeshifter story about two alpha male wolves from rival packs. Calling all werewolves/shapeshifter fans – this series will likely be for you!

The story is about how two young alpha males lives continue to cross with personal circumstances interfering with their mutual attraction. The story itself was well-written, but the plot unfolded very quickly. There were parts that could have been interesting to have learned more about, and there were clues given, that were quickly resolved.

There was only a little bit of sex in this one – two scenes, which were both very tame and lacking details. However, you could feel their shared passion, their regrets, and their relationship. If you are looking for hot werewolf sex – this is not the book for you.

Overall, this book is a great way to see if you are interested in shapeshifter M/M books – as it is focused around the story, with very tame sex (and no wolf sex scenes – THANK YOU very much!).

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

Read this if you are trying to jump into something new, or be entertained by the shapeshifter craze right now. This is not the best book on the market (see below for my recommendations), but it’s a quick read with a real story and twists woven in, that you can enjoy the M/M tension while exploring a new sub-genre.

Other authors/books to try (and why you’ll like them):

One of my favorite werewolf/shapeshifter book to date is Kate Steele’s “Altered Heart.” It is a great M/M read that is action packed with a LOT of sex action. It was also a great story and read.

Loribelle Hunt’s “Lunar Mates” series is a must-read series for all werewolf fans. You are able to easily get into the story and learn the characters. The sex is more tame, but still hot (and hotter than “Bound by Nature”).

Jeigh Lynn’s “Lunar Mates” series has more traditional male/female relationships with great plots. Not for M/M fans… but definitely for werewolf fans looking for intense relationships, hot sex and an action-packed story line.