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SERIES REVIEW: The ABCs of Spellcraft Books 1.5-4 by Jordan Castillo Price
The ABCs of Spellcraft is a series filled with bad jokes and good magic, where MM Romance meets Paranormal Cozy. A perky hero, a brooding love interest, and delightfully twisty-turny stories that never end up quite where you’d expect. The books are best read in order, so be sure to start at the beginning with Quill Me Now.
This is a series that makes you think twice about greeting cards.
This JCP creation features a unique magic system that combines written words and painted pictures, where the expression ‘a way with words‘ takes on a literal meaning.
The right part of the magic is the Scrivener, a person who can put together certain words, like a wish for good luck or good harvest. This takes skill because careless expressions are open to interpretation or have loop holes that leave room for things to go awry. The most powerful Scrivener in a family is called the Hand.
The left part of the magic is the Seer, a left-handed person who can paint the Seen, a picture that captures the essence of the spell. This is where the Scrivener writes his spell in order to activate it. Seers are rare and therefore much valued among Spellcrafters.
Dixon is from a family of Spellcrafters. He came late into his ability. In the first book, Quill Me Now, he met Yuri, a Seer, when he joined a greeting card contest that was actually a ploy to trap Spellcrafters.
Dixon is very much determined to see the good side of ANYTHING. That’s in caps because the man is forever brimming with good cheer and positivity. He doesn’t have a mean bone in his body. And he talks, A LOT. Yuri is the menacing, brooding type who doesn’t think too highly of people. He’s blunt, a man of few words and slow to trust but as the series progress, you could see his walls slowly coming down around Dixon.
The following books continue their story as they search for Uncle Fonzo. Fonzo is the Hand of the Penn Family. He disappeared a year before, leaving his Quill behind.
This is a review of books 1.5 to 4. Book 1, Quill Me Now was originally part of a multi-author series, Bad Valentine. Review here.
1.5 The ABCs of Spellcraft: All That Glitters – Jordan Castillo Price
Yuri meets Dixon’s parents for the first time.
He was his usual stoic, manly self but you could tell Yuri’s nervous about meeting Dixon’s mom and dad. You could also tell that he did not shower after having a good time with Dixon. Hence, the glitters.
This is a must-read for anybody wanting a look at the Penn family dynamics. I love the Penns and their weird food! Yuri totally won them over and not just because he’s a Seer.
“I can always put some glitter in my 5 o’clock shadow the next time we go there,” Dixon offered. “Make them think it’s something all the cool kids are up to these days.”
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Life, Love and Laughter
Artist: Donavon Frankenreiter
Album: Pass It Around
2. The ABCs of Spellcraft: Trouble in Taco Town – Jordan Castillo Price
Road trip!
When Dixon and Yuri head for Taco Town, they’re hoping to track down Uncle Fonzo. What they find instead is a fiasco. Is it sabotage? A curse? Or is it just a bunch of badly worded Spellcraft?
The small Minnesota berg is a tourist destination featuring a memorable roadside attraction: The Big Taco. It’s not actually edible, but there’s a flock of birds passing through that never got the memo.
One thing’s for sure, Fonzo has been there. Not only do plenty of folks recognize his photo, but they paid him to solve certain problems…all of which are now exponentially worse. Dixon wants to chalk it up to a run of bad luck. Yuri knows a con man when he sees one, and while he doesn’t relish the thought of destroying Dixon’s hero, he wouldn’t mind knocking the guy down a few pegs.
But there’s definitely something screwy about the Spellcraft they uncover. And they’d better figure out how to repair it before the Big Taco is reduced to crumbs—and with it, the livelihood of all their new friends.
Fonzo is a con-man as far as Yuri is concerned. I agreed with him. Fonzo is a con-man’s name, if ever there was one. A case of bird infestation, exploding tomatoes and risque snowglobes all point to it. Dixon is convinced there’s some other explanation.
It’s a great mystery that forever left me guessing. My assumptions were turned on their heads. The people they met were delightfully quirky. The story was fun, weird and totally silly.
Also, they made it official!
“It sounds better in Russian.” ～ ♡
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: By the Time It Gets Dark
Artist: Yo La Tengo
Album: Prisoner of Love
3. The ABCs of Spellcraft: Something Stinks at the Spa – Jordan Castillo Price
Mineral spas are so calm and relaxing…unless they smell like a derrière at a bean-lover’s convention, that is!
Dixon and Yuri have a hot tip that Uncle Fonzo is taking the waters at Spring Falls Hot Spring Spa. Not only is the spring stinky enough to make your eyes water—but the foul odor reaches peak level just as the resort is gearing up for a visit from an important critic that will make or break its reputation.
Normally, this wouldn’t be Dixon’s problem…except it appears that a piece of his uncle’s Spellcraft might be responsible. He can’t be entirely sure, though, since that particular slip of paper managed to go through the shredder.
Dixon and Yuri pitch in to help the spa’s owner appease a jilted bride, an obnoxious businessman, and the world’s most boring critic while they scramble to reconstruct the shredded Spellcraft. Can they fix the wonky spell before it does any permanent damage? Or will all their efforts at saving the spa end up swirling down the drain?
More spellcraft silliness as Dixon and Yuri stop by the spa Uncle Fonzo ‘helped’. Their improvisation skills were tested when Dixon volunteered to be the aesthetician and Yuri, the masseuse, to help the beleaguered spa owner impress a critic. It was hilarious!
I love how the situation brought out Yuri’s selfless side. Dixon did not a miss a thing.
“How cruel would it be for me to drop a massive L-bomb on you when you’re pretty much out for the count?”
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Go With the Flow
Artist: Queens of the Stone Age
Soundtrack: Songs for the Deaf
4. The ABCs of Spellcraft: Dead Man’s Quill – Jordan Castillo Price
It’s all fun and games until someone loses a hand.
Dixon has been dying to introduce Yuri to Uncle Fonzo, the Hand of his family, and now he’ll finally get that chance. All they need to do is meet him at a traveling carnival with an unused piece of Spellcraft. Easy peasy, right? Not even a little. And even worse, they might encounter a clown.
From a lackluster carnival with a booby-trapped tour bus to the decrepit mausoleum behind an old mental asylum, the Spellcraft leads Dixon and Yuri on a goose chase that’s not only wild…but deadly.
They finally caught up to Uncle Fonzo who soon involved them in a heist. We meet another spellcrafting family who were a lot more sinister than the Penns. Dixon fell into a trap and you can tell how strongly Yuri felt about his man by the way he willingly sacrificed a Seer’s most valuable assets, his hands, to save Dixon.
You’re family now, too.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Price I Pay
Artist: Jane’s Addiction
Soundtrack: Strays
The ABCs of Spellcraft is more humorous than the author’s other series. It is a quest and a road trip where Dixon and Yuri meet quirky characters in quirky places as they pick up Uncle Fonzo’s trail. As promised, it’s very twisty-turny, throwing me for a loop several times just when I thought I knew where it’s going. The world-building flowed seamlessly. I loved all the ridiculous situations the two men get themselves into.
Alongside all the silliness is a sweet romance between a Scrivener and a Seer who couldn’t be more different from each other. I enjoyed the contrast between their ‘voices’. I especially loved the way the author portrayed these characters. You can tell she wrote them with much affection.
I had as much fun with this series as Psycop and Mnevermind. I want more adventures for Dixon and Yuri. Recommended if you like tricky magic, wacky road trips and fancy handwriting.
P.S.
I don’t know how she does it, but JCP‘s book models on her covers are always on point. It’s a pet peeve of mine when the models don’t match the characters. Those boys there really looked like Dixon and Yuri. Nice!
JCP books here.
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REVIEW: Diagnosis: Death by A.P. Eisen
Paul Monroe Mystery: Diagnosis: Death – A.P. Eisen
When a body is found in the park, Paul Monroe knows two things: this isn’t a simple mugging, and the weekend he has planned with his boyfriend is officially over before it begins. With no murder weapon but a slew of suspects at the ready, Paul and his partner, Rob, begin the tedious task of piecing together the few clues they have.
Happier than he’s ever been, Cliff knows there’s more to Paul than the tough exterior the man shows to the world, but Cliff is determined to take things slow. An unexpected phone call forces him to revisit the pain of his past, and now he needs Paul more than ever, but he’s hesitant to ask, unwilling to pressure Paul into a decision he might not be ready to make.
Paul’s investigation means more long nights away from Cliff, who is grappling with his unsettling news. Not being able to support Cliff isn’t sitting right with Paul, and for the first time his personal life is as important as his job. Knowing he has Paul to lean on gives Cliff the courage to speak and to heal old wounds as they navigate the minefield of building a relationship. Meanwhile, a killer walks the streets of Thornwood Park, and Paul won’t be satisfied until they are caught and justice served.
I really liked A.P. Eisen’s debut novel, Couldn’t Cheat Death, the first book of the Paul Monroe Mystery. I mentioned that the storytelling had a straightforwardness that appealed to me. Diagnosis: Death is angstier but had the same feel. Although this time, the straightforward quality of the writing had a tendency to feel a bit bland at some points. This is minor and didn’t hinder my enjoyment of the novel.
The book is a murder mystery/police procedural with a nice little romantic subplot. Family troubles, past and present, make themselves known all around. A long-suffering wife, an obsessed maid and a drug-addicted son were all involved in the murder. Cliff’s parents reached out to him 15 years after he was thrown out of the house, with the news that his mother is ill. Paul is slowing opening up and coming out to Cliff’s friends and his dad. Even Rob, Paul’s partner, is dealing with his wife’s difficult pregnancy.
There were many recurring characters. The victim here was the doctor who had an affair with the victim from the first book. The doc, who is a closeted gay or bi, slept with his personal trainer in the same gym, following his MO from the first book. The personal trainer was a douche who had no qualms blackmailing the doc, making him the most likely suspect.
The mystery was well-written. The procedural was the same as the first book, not so hardcore on the procedures but still investigative enough to satisfy any fan’s yen for the genre. About midway through the story, the perp became obvious but I still enjoyed reading how Paul and Rob figured it out.
I also liked that this series is not a partner-to-lovers trope. All too often, MM police procedurals tend to fall in that category so I appreciated Paul and Rob’s partnership+friendship.
On a more personal note, Cliff and Paul navigates their three-month old relationship. I really liked how the author handled this part, letting the conflict come from the outside rather than between the two men. Cliff and Paul are probably the most level-headed bookish couple I’ve come across with. For somebody who has never been in a relationship, Paul pretty much aced it as a boyfriend. And no matter how much shit his well-meaning friends tried to stir, i.e. warnings about Cliff letting himself be the dirty secret once again, Cliff didn’t let it poison his view that Paul will come out when he’s ready.
Diagnosis: Death is a good continuation to the series. It picked up where the first book left off and made good use of the old characters and their habits. There’s great character and relationship development and I hope the author would continue their progress without resorting to the usual Big Fight. So far this series delivered and I’m looking forward to the next case!
P.S.
The books are best read in order. Review of book one, Couldn’t Cheat Death here.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Wendy Time
Artist: The Cure
Album: Wish -
SERIES REVIEW: Blake Harte Mysteries Books 1-4 by Robert Innes
The Blake Harte Mysteries is what it says on the tin: A head scratching collection of impossible crimes featuring Detective Sergeant Blake Harte, set in the small picturesque village of Harmschapel. Police procedural with dark themes and romantic undertones.
The cases were locked room mysteries They were a tad predictable when it comes to the who part, but it’s the hows and whys of the crime that were really clever. The stories were nice, compact and to the point, revealing only the need-to-knows when you need to know them. The mysteries take center stage but the romantic subplot is equally compelling. I love how it was paced. It’s appropriately slow-burn and low-key yet very endearing. I also enjoyed the somewhat wry humor sprinkled throughout. Overall, there is a good balance between the different elements.
Blake is good at what he does. I was immediately drawn to his personality and loved how that drove the stories. He is empathetic man of many talents, among which, a good singer. Harrison started out timid and scared and it’s great to witness how his character grew into a happier, more confident young man. I love the two of them together.
Blake’s team were mostly compose of young, eager to please coppers, Mini Patil and Billy Mattison. He also has a prickly sergeant, Michael Gardner, with whom he had an antagonistic relationship having been the man who was after the position Blake now filled. Mini and Matti were great supporting characters. Their office romance added another exciting thread to follow. Meanwhile, Gardner is the kind of idiot that makes you wonder how he reached the position of sergeant. His blanket assumptions and acerbic comments provided some of the comic relief.
Other characters include Jacqueline, Blake’s meddling landlady, Sally Ann, his best friend and also a detective from Manchester, and Betty, Harrison’s goat. Who takes an instant like? dislike? who knows, to Blake, head-butting him the every time they meet. This is a gag that runs throughout the series.
This is a review of the first 4 books.
1. Blake Harte Mysteries: Untouchable – Robert Innes
Harrison Baxter lives on a farm with his parents, on the outskirts of the village of Harmschapel. It’s picturesque, idyllic and tranquil – but Harrison is far from happy. His parent’s marriage is strained to say the least and on top of that, his boyfriend, Daniel, has been mentally and physically abusing him for years. After he finds himself with one bruise too many, Harrison has had enough. But when he plucks up the courage to finally end his violent relationship, Harrison’s life is changed forever when Daniel is found murdered in the most bizarre circumstances.
Detective Sergeant Blake Harte has moved to Harmschapel after his own relationship ended in tatters. But moving to a quiet village after working his way up the ranks in a city brings its own set of problems and Blake soon finds himself at odds with new colleagues who aren’t used to his style of policing. But when he is called upon to investigate the mysterious and impossible murder at Halfmile Farm, Blake finds himself facing the most challenging case of his career.
So how can Daniel have been shot in a locked shed that nobody could possibly have escaped from?
Is anybody really Untouchable?
Untouchable introduces DS Harte as he was moving to Harmschapel after a bad break-up with his ex-fiance who he found in bed with a woman. His first day on the job immediately lands him a case. This is where we meet Harrison, a victim of abuse from his ex-boyfriend who was also the murder victim.
Blake and his team were called to handle some trouble at the Halfmile farm. Daniel, a repeat offender and Harrison’s boyfriend, was locked in the shed by Harrison’s father after he witness him beating his son. Harrison had just broken up with him and Daniel reacted badly. He was put in the shed, very much alive, held there until the police arrived. But when Blake opened the shed, out popped his corpse. Upon inspection, there was no way anybody could have shot him from inside or outside the shed.
This books sets the noirish tone of the series. It tackled domestic abuse from a different perspective. Many of the twists caught me off guard although I found the motive, the set-up and murder weapon to be a bit far-fetched. It begged the question why go through all that trouble when there were simpler ways of getting rid of an unwanted person?
Regardless of the believability, I found myself hooked. I’m glad that the author did not push the romance angle at this point, only leaving hints of a potential love interest at the end.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Untouchable
Artist: Jacob Bellens
Album: Polyester Skin
2. Blake Harte Mysteries: Confessional – Robert Innes
Book 2 in The Blake Harte Mysteries series! A head scratching collection of impossible crimes featuring Detective Sergeant Blake Harte, set in the small picturesque village of Harmschapel. Police procedural with dark themes and romantic undertones.
St Abra’s church is harbouring a dark secret. Several elderly parishioners have been found dead in the church’s confessions booth, all appearing to have suffered fatal heart attacks.
But when another, much younger body is discovered in exactly the same way, Detective Sergeant Blake Harte must investigate how it is possible for the confessions booth to be killing off its occupants. Dark forces are at play, forcing Blake to believe it’s more than just tragic coincidence.
Are the deaths a punishment for the sins confessed, or are there ulterior motives in play? In a race against the clock, only Blake can discover the long-kept secrets and lies hiding in the shadows before they tear apart the sleepy village of Harmschapel.
The second book features an interesting take on the lock room mystery. Elderly people were dying from a heart attack inside a confessional. This would have been dismissed had it not been for the fact that a teenage also died a similar death in the same place.
The story tackled the issue of family, gender and homosexuality in the church. One of the main suspects was a lesbian female priest who had conflict with the elderly people who died. Meanwhile, Harrison was befriended by the verger who was also the grandson of the vicar. After a day or two, they started a relationship.
I liked how everything came together. The climax was very dramatic and tragic. It gave way for Harrison to finally realize how Blake felt about him.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Last Confession
Artist: The Heavy
Album: Hurt & The Merciless
3. Blake Harte Mysteries: Ripples by Robert Innes
When Detective Sergeant Blake Harte is given the opportunity of a relaxing week away at a spa manor, he jumps at the opportunity. He can take one person with him – and who more than Harrison Baxter deserves time away from Harmschapel after everything he has been through?
But once at the Manor of the Lakes, the rest and relaxation they both crave is quickly brought to an end, when Blake and Harrison witness a man being murdered, by a mysterious hooded figure who appears to have the ability to walk on water.
How is it possible for someone to defy the laws of physics? And Blake’s problems are only just beginning. The visit to the manor finds him coming face to face with figures from his past – and one in particular who could ruin any chance of Blake and Harrison ever being happy together.
The ripple effect is well and truly in play…
The third book had Blake and Harrison locked inside a room while witnessing a murder happening outside.
Before that, Jacqueline set them up for a vacation at a very picturesque manor with two lakes. They came together with the understanding not to rush things and just be friends because Harrison has things to sort out in his head.
This is also where we meet Blake’s ex, Nathan and Divina, the woman with whom he cheated Blake with and who is now his wife. As to be expected, there was tension and things that needed closure. It is also safe to assume that they were both somehow involved in the case.
This case was not in Blake’s jurisdiction but the off-duty detective couldn’t resist especially when it also involves showing up his grouchy old supervisor. The murder victim was a horrible person with no friends. The circumstances of the murder was very mysterious. There was a hooded figure, previously seen haunting the resort grounds, who seemed to walk on water and stab the victim in the middle of the lake. The investigations revealed feuding families, a Romeo and Juliet romance, a terminally ill woman and a contested property.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Had Enough
Artist: Breaking Benjamin
Album: Phobia
4. Blake Harte Mysteries: Reach by Robert Innes
Seven years ago Thomas Frost was arrested for the murders of five women in the Manchester area and Detective Sergeant Blake Harte was the officer in charge of his arrest, saving the life of Kerry Nightingale in the process. Now, Frost has promised that Kerry was never safe and she’ll be dead within a few days.
Sure enough, somehow, Kerry is found dead in her top floor apartment – a place that was being guarded by Blake and the apartment’s security. How is it possible for Kerry to have been murdered in her apartment when nobody could have gotten in or out?
Did Thomas Frost somehow manage to murder Kerry from his prison cell? Who else could want to see her dead quite as much? As Blake and the team attempt to stop a killer who is seemingly capable of anything, he could never imagine that for somebody else in Harmschapel, time is also ticking
This installment introduces the Moriarity to Blake’s Sherlock. The POV also shifted from Harrison’s to a new character who was up to his neck in trouble.
The case of Thomas Frost, dubbed by the media as Jack Frost, was the case that earned Blake his detective title. Frost is a serial killer who strangled several women to death. He is currently locked in a high security prison but still managed to threaten a woman, his last victim who Blake was able to save seven year ago.
The new POV was from Jamie, a young security guard who was madly in love with Kerry Nightingale, the victim. Even if I already have some inklings, the author still did a good job setting Jamie up as the prime suspect. I enjoyed the build up and the big reveal. Frost was also effective as the archvillain and it’s pretty obvious that we have not seen the last of Blake’s nemesis.
Romance-wise, Blake and Harrison are doing well. They’re taking their relationship to the next level and Harrison is moving in. They have to do something about Betty though.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Reach
Artist: Collective Soul
Album: Hints, Allegations and Things Left Unsaid
As I mentioned, I’m addicted to this series. I know this has mixed reviews and I agree with some of the negative comments but I really enjoyed the writing, the characters, Paul Woodson’s narration and most of all, the overall feel of the stories. Recommended if you like cozy mysteries with mind-boggling MOs, eager young coppers brimming with spark and enthusiasm, and dashing British detectives with cute boyfriends.
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REVIEW: Future Ex Enemy by Kate Hawthorne & E.M. Denning
Future: Future Ex Enemy – Kate Hawthorne & E.M. Denning
If there’s one thing David Cranston hates, it’s Luis Montgomery.
When he finds out they’ve both been invited to participate in a floral contest that could make or break both of their careers, David dives in, ready to win. But there’s only one problem, and there’s only one bed.
David and Luis are forced together and tension isn’t the only thing running hot between the two of them. David realizes he wants to come out on top…in more ways than one.
A drunken night and a hungover morning leave both men regretting actions that found them a little bit too close. Unfortunately, they keep getting closer, and closer, until the lines between hate and desire blur into something far more complicated than either of them bargained for.
Back home, Luis and David struggle to make sense of their feelings, and Luis has to face some hard truths. He thought he hated David and his roses and his baby’s breath and his lemon verbena lotion, but he was so wrong.
Because if there’s one thing Luis Montgomery loves, it’s David Cranston.
That brilliant title and that perfectly written blurb! I had to read it of course.
Future Ex Enemy is the third book of Kate Hawthorne & E.M. Denning’s Future series. I haven’t read the first two books but now I had to get my hands on them too. The characters there made appearances here and I’d love to know them better.
The MCs for book 3 are two rival florists with opposing aesthetics and strong opinions. David Cranston is a traditionalist, a zealous proponent of roses and baby’s breaths. Luis Montgomery bucks tradition and is avant garde enough to use funeral flowers like lilies as wedding decor. Their animosity towards each other started the first time they met. David was being an asshole to Luis when the younger man applied for a job at his shop. The older man had his reasons which was later revealed in the book.
A wedding from a rich, influential family had the two of them working together. Then a floral arrangement contest pitted the two florists against one another. They were taken out of state for the contest and had to share a room. Putting two men who hated each other so much and wanted to fuck each other so badly in the same bed? Fire and gasoline.
I love enemies-to-lovers stories and I love it even more when the characters really hated each other. It makes the eventual transition to lovers that much more squee-stastic. The authors did a good job showing the antagonistic relationship and the inevitable shift of feelings between the two florists. They genuinely liked pissing each other off while throwing off USTs like fireworks. There’s an 8tracks playlist entitled “Don’t look at my fucking boner when we fight” <– that’s David and Luis right there.
This is a highly recommended book if you’re into the trope or simply want to enjoy a story about two men who were passionate about flowers and each other. I live for the fights, the tension, the zingers, the coming together, the HEA. Also, I will not look at lemon verbena lotions the same way again.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Hatefuck
Artist: The Bravery
Album: Stir the Blood -
REVIEW: Freckles by Amy Lane
Freckles – Amy Lane
Carter Embree has always hoped to be rescued from his productive, tragically boring, and (slightly) ethically compromised life. But when an urchin at a grocery store shoves a bundle of fluff into his hands, Carter goes from rescuee to rescuer—and he needs a little help.
Sandy Corrigan, the vet tech who helps ease Carter into the world of dog ownership, first assumes that Carter is a crazy-pants client who just needs to relax. But as Sandy gets a glimpse into the funny, kind, sexy man under Carter’s mild-mannered exterior, he sees that with a little care and feeding, Carter might be Super-Pet Owner—and decent boyfriend material to boot.
But Carter needs to see himself as a hero first. As he says good-bye to his pristine house and hello to carpet treatments and dog walkers, he finds that there really is more to himself than a researching drudge without a backbone. A Carter Embree can rate a Sandy Corrigan. He can be supportive, he can be a hero, he can be a man who stands up for his principles!
He can be the owner of a small dog.
Freckles was a tiny fluff of a pup when she was thrust into the hands of Carter Embree who fell in love at first sight and became her human. Carter was a nervous wreck of a dog owner. She was his first dog and he immediately sought the aid of professionals like Sandy Corrigan.
Thus begins this adorkable tale written by a dog lover for dog lovers. Freckles is undoubtedly the star of the show and everybody loved her, poop bombs and all. The humans were not so far behind.
Carter is an introverted, average-looking in a good way lawyer whose do-gooding, right-the-wrong ways were too good for his asshat boss. His superpowers were drawing airtight contracts and fighting for oppressed pet owners. It’s just, he hasn’t fully grown into them yet. He was unlucky in love but he lucked out on Freckles. She rescued him from the soul-sucking corporate life and gave him something to look forward to at the end of the day.
Sandy was a vet tech who went back to college in his late 20s to earn his degree as a veterinarian. When he first met Carter, he thought he was well-dressed. And crazy. But he could tell right away that the man loved the little puppy and decided to help him through the process of dog ownership. Along the way, he discovered the brilliant, passionate person hiding behind the unassuming lawyer. Wisely, he grabbed on and didn’t let go.
The blurb delivered everything it promised. The story is about how these two humans came together because of a tiny dog. It had a nice warm, laid-back feel with humor-laced writing that makes reading a breeze. It is a short book, around 170 pages, and I liked how everything was paced just right. A major part of the story happened in the span of a few days, most of it involving Carter’s struggles and triumphs as a dog owner while struggling with his job and his boss from hell.
The romance was insta-attraction but its development didn’t feel rushed to me. The two men started with friendship. They discovered they liked hanging out with each other. I loved how Sandy smoothly turned a simple dog walk into a real date. Which turned into study dates, movies dates and cuddling. It was an easy, comfortable companionship that blossomed into something more deep and permanent.
What I’m really trying to say in a such a roundabout way is that, they were so cute together!
Freckles was beyond cute!
The entire thing was fluff and cute!!!
But in no way shallow or superficial because Amy Lane was able to give the story substance. There were some interesting points that I would love to see on more books. I totally loved the idea of a lawyer with a pure heart or one dedicated to animal advocacy.
While not exactly exactly the blow-me-away away variety, Freckles the story won me over same way Freckles the dog won everyone else, including Carter’s very intelligent, very organized, no-nonsense mother. Even if this is a holiday read, it’s a good book to pick up anytime your soul needs a dose of cute.
P.S.
Amy Lane books here
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: The World is Watching
Artist: Two Door Cinema Club
Album: Beacon -
REVIEW: Unbreakable by Colette Davison
Heaven and Hell Club: Unbreakable – Colette Davison
Mac’s life isn’t perfect, but he likes it the way it is: safe and predictable.
Mac works in a struggling pole dancing club at night, and a gym during the day. He’s tired and cash strapped, but content, until a confident twink walks into the club and turns his life upside down. It’s hard to resist when Russel asks him to be his fake boyfriend for one night, in return for double his normal take-home pay.
One date turns into more, as Mac helps Russel get an exclusive that will secure him the job he’s always wanted. But the rich playboy who holds Russel’s career in his hands isn’t going to give him the scoop so easily.
As Mac and Russel spend more time together, the lines between fake and real begin to get blurred, but can their relationship become strong enough to be unbreakable in the face of adversity?
Unbreakable is a fake boyfriend MM romance, with a buff pole dancer who swears like a trooper, a twink who likes to take charge, some spanking, light bondage, and a happy ever after. It’s a prequel story to Broken, but can be read as a standalone romance.
I love myself some fake boyfriend story and Mac and Russel did it for me.
Unbreakable is the prequel to the Heaven and Hell series by Colette Davison. She’s a new to me author and this is my first book from her. She certainly didn’t disappoint.
Before the club was Heaven and Hell, it was called Horns, a pole dancing club barely making a profit. Mac, Michael and his boyfriend, Edward were dancers at the club. Michael and Edward were already making plans to buy the club and they were trying to convince their best friend Mac to invest. Mac lacked the funds and the courage, choosing instead to play it safe. However his days as a dancer might be numbered. He’s not getting any younger.
Russel works at a fashion magazine as a layout artist itching for a chance to be a proper journalist. One day he was given that chance. He is going to cover a party hosted by a famous gay celebrity. The catch is that, it’s for couples only.
This is where Russel propositioned Mac to be his boyfriend for the night after seeing him dance.
The story featured an opposites attract trope with a bit of My Fair Lady thrown in for good measure. It also broke stereotypes regarding the dynamics between couples with size differences. Mac is buff, gruff and butch while Russel is lithe, femme and sassy. Mac likes to let others handle things in the bedroom while Russel likes to take charge.
Russel is the type who knew what he wanted and he was quick to grab it. Mac doesn’t hesitate to give Russel anything he wants. He also remained loyal and stood up for him when the sleazoid celebrity was trying to break them apart. And that was even before they were real boyfriends. Definitely a keeper.
I loved watching their relationship evolve. At first they seemed like the worst possible match but as they slowly learn things about each other, they discover they fit perfectly. I loved the interaction between the two men. I loved the trust and respect that developed and how they embraced each other’s vulnerabilities. The chemistry was palpable even from the beginning. The banters were amusing. They were a lot of fun together.
One thing that stood out for me is that the author gave Russel scars. Not the cutesy it-makes-me-looks-like-a-badass scar but honest to goodness small pox scars. As a person with bad skin, I appreciate that.
Unbreakable is a great prequel. It also stands perfectly well as a standalone. It’s a great blend of fluff, angst and humor with likable characters, great execution and engaging writing. You couldn’t ask for a more beautiful ending. I also enjoyed meeting Michael and Edward and I am looking forward to reading Michael’s book.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Quiet
Artist: Lights
Album: The Listening -
REVIEW: Christmas Homecoming by L.A. Witt
The Christmas Angel: Christmas Homecoming by L.A. Witt
August 1939. Roger Miller and Jack O’Brien have been close since childhood. By the time they realize there’s more between them than friendship, Jack is leaving their sleepy Iowa town for college. But they console themselves knowing he’ll be home for Christmas. Right?
It is Christmas before they see each other again, but that Christmas comes six years and a world war later. Aged, beaten, and shaken by combat, they’re not the boys they were back then, but their feelings for each other are stronger than ever.
Neither know the words to say everything they’ve carried since that peacetime summer kiss, though. Even as they stand in the same room, there’s a thousand miles between them.
But maybe that’s some distance the little angel in Roger’s rucksack can cross.
The Christmas Angel series books are standalones and can be read in any order.
I love historical MM stories set during the wartime periods. They are especially poignant and bittersweet usually ending with me blinking back tears.
Christmas Homecoming is part of The Christmas Angel series, where a carved wooden angel worked its magic to bring people together throughout the years. This novella is the only one in the series I’ve read so far.
The story starts in 1939 when Germany was about to invade Poland. Roger and Jack were two childhood friends. Jack was about to leave town for the city. Roger was doesn’t know what to do with his life yet but he is sure that he doesn’t want to be a farmer and marry a girl.
On the day before Jack was about to leave, the two friends decided to take a swim together for the last time. That was when they realized the feelings between the two of them evolved into something else. They shared a kiss. They didn’t see each other again for 6 years.
This is a beautiful love story between two men at a time when such love was not yet accepted. It is full of yearnings and sweet stolen moments made more precious because it’s taboo. I wanted to hug them and give them their safe space.
The war tore the two men apart. L.A. Witt deftly inserted details that portrayed the life of soldiers at war-time and after. It made what would otherwise be a sweet but simplistic fairytale more complex and nuanced. The survivors had to deal with PTSD. Roger and Jack were not spared. They each carry with them complicated memories of bombs and the men who kept them company in the lonely nights. My heart went out to Oskar, the spy and Floyd, the pilot. The story did a good job drawing me to these two secondary characters who existed only in memories. I wanted their stories too.
Admittedly, the middle part did drag a bit but as the story slowly eased its way to the resolution I found myself enjoying it even more. I liked how the author gave Roger a way out of the prescribed path his parents laid out for him. I liked how they found a way to be together. I even found myself interested in the two old codgers who inspired the boys that it’s possible.
Christmas Homecoming is a touching holiday story I recommend. For a book its length, it’s filled with many interesting characters and intense emotions. It captured the small-town atmosphere, the post-war melancholy and the fervent longings of forbidden lovers. It didn’t make me cry but it did warm my heart.
P.S.
L.A. Witt books here
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To
Artist: Dinah Shore
Album: -
REVIEW: Is It Over Yet? by L.A. Witt
Is It Over Yet? – L.A. Witt
Rhys Powell and Derek Scott are divorcing. Mistakes have been made, lines have been crossed, and there’s no going back. Both men are exhausted and ready to move on.
But their daughter is getting married soon. In the name of not putting a damper on her wedding, Derek and Rhys agree to keep the divorce on the down-low and show up as the happy couple everyone still believes they are.
And between a roller coaster of a road trip and the love and joy surrounding the wedding… Derek and Rhys just might remember why they fell for each other in the first place.
Are they only kidding themselves? Or can a rekindled spark really light the way to forgiveness?
Most romance novels I’ve read go out of their way to avoid cheating. I automatically DNF a book when there’s cheating involving the main couple. So a story that revolved around the issue of cheating and divorce? I don’t think so.
But this is L.A. Witt we’re talking about here and she specializes in making her MCs go through rings of fire before giving them their HEAs. This is as tough a hurdle as it can get. Despite myself, I was really intrigued. How is she going to convincingly pull off a happy ending for a premise like this?
Is It Over yet? is about two married men about to split up but hesitated to tell their daughter because they don’t want to ruin her upcoming wedding. The cheating part is off-page and happened months before the story started. I appreciated that the author spared us the details. We only know that this happened when Rhys was at a low point and their marriage was on a rocky patch at that time.
My knee-jerk reaction to this was to hate the cheater. I was even prepared to do so. But I couldn’t hate Rhys. He didn’t justify his actions. Derek didn’t catch him or even suspected. He confessed voluntarily. Since then, he was beating himself up for his mistake. It was very significantly pointed out that he was sorry for what he did, not because he was caught. I knew his heartfelt apologies were sincere.
Derek was hurt and angry as to be expected but it was pretty obvious that they still love each other. The ‘romance’ here is certainly different. The USTs have a different vibe from what I’m used to. Not exactly love/hate because I didn’t feel they hated each other. So how do you describe that thing where you want nothing more than to separate from your cheating husband because if not you will end up killing each other but you still find him attractive as fuck?
The story is a journey to forgiveness. Witt takes us on this very bumpy, highly emotional road trip complete with a playlist and drunken motel sex. I liked both MCs and I was rooting hard for them. They didn’t make it easy for themselves though. They tried truces after truces but always end up at each other’s throats.
How they finally reach their destination, that of forgiveness and a new beginning, was satisfying and more importantly, convincingly done. I liked that the epilogue was a realistic portrayal of lessons learned and making it work.
Cheating is still a hard line for me but Is It Over Yet? did a great job making me not only read a book about a broken relationship but also making me enjoy the story. It made me sympathized with the characters. I felt each heightened emotion. I was cheering when they finally danced at the wedding. I have no doubts Rhys and Derek will eventually have their HEA.
I wouldn’t say I recommend this because this might not be everyone’s cup of tea but do give it a try if you are looking for a second chance romance where the head wants to go but the heart wants to stay.
P.S.
L.A. Witt books here
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Everything Else Has Gone Wrong
Artist: Bombay Bicycle Club
Album: Everything Else Has Gone Wrong -
REVIEW: Tigers and Devils by Sean Kennedy
The most important things in Simon Murray’s life are football, friends, and film—in that order. His friends despair of him ever meeting someone, but despite his loneliness, Simon is cautious about looking for more. Then his best friends drag him to a party, where he barges into a football conversation and ends up defending the honour of star forward Declan Tyler—unaware that the athlete is present. In that first awkward meeting, neither man has any idea they will change each other’s lives forever.
Like his entire family, Simon revels in living in Melbourne, the home of Australian Rules football and mecca for serious fans. There, players are treated like gods—until they do something to fall out of public favour. This year, the public is taking Declan to task for suffering injuries outside his control, so Simon’s support is a bright spot.
But as Simon and Declan fumble toward a relationship, keeping Declan’s homosexuality a secret from well-meaning friends and an increasingly suspicious media becomes difficult. Nothing can stay hidden forever. Soon Declan will have to choose between the career he loves and the man he wants, and Simon has never been known to make things easy—for himself or for others.
I listened to the audiobook and I thought it was a such missed opportunity that the narrator did not do the Australian accents. Instead, he read the book in a neutral American accent. The voices were distinct and the characters were emoted really well but man, do the Aussie accents please!!!
Nonetheless, I had a great time with this book. This is another cute meet-cute sports-rom about a closeted footballer and an out and proud film fest director filled with snarky humor and fade to black sex scenes .
Bearing in mind that Tigers and Devils was first published in 2009, there are some slight differences in the ‘feel’ of the book, particularly in the way people were not yet so ‘woke’ so expect homophobia, dumb questions and terminologies such as ‘the woman in the relationship’.
But that’s just the rest of humanity.
Simon Murray, of the Triple F, an indie film festival, is lucky to have supportive and awesome best friends in the couple, Fran and Roger. Not only are they open-minded, they took it upon themselves to find a man for him. Their well-meaning intentions don’t always work, but it was them who forced Simon to attend The Party. Same party where Simon, like all of Australia, had football as his religion and therefore couldn’t resist opining upon the subject of Declan Tyler.
Declan was an award-winning football superstar, injured and always benched. Aspersions were cast on his abilities and Simon jumped in on a strangers’ conversation to both compliment and insult the footballer. Little did he know, the man was right behind him.
I think this is a really adorable and also a most awkward way to meet your future celebrity boyfriend. Which is what made me grab this book immediately. Adorably awkward is catnip to me and Tigers and Devils had it in spades.
Simon is a self-deprecating, self-confessed artistic wanker who couldn’t believe a football god like Declan Tyler would be interested in him much more date him. Dec is a well-mannered and very grounded superstar, perfect in every way. His only fault was that he tends to run away when things get too intense. Their romance followed the celebrity-dating-an-average-joe trope which was done in the most charming way possible.
On the other hand, there were a lot of secrecy involved. I didn’t like the way Declan was outed. I would have preferred he done it himself but it was, understandably, part of the narrative. I would have also preferred Simon and Dec to power through the storm together instead of letting the pressure tear them apart but well, that is usual how things go in romance.
The story is told through Simon’s first person POV and I loved how his ‘voice’ brought out the humor in many seemingly ordinary situations. It made the book come alive.
Fran and Roger were a hoot. The three best friends had stuck together through thick and thin but their friendship was tested here when Roger felt the need to protect his friend from the footballer. Also there’s the fear of losing a best friend to a boyfriend. Simon falling out with his friends was almost as bad as him and Declan separating.
Tigers and Devils did a great job portraying the high and lows of dating a closeted celebrity. It showed the pains of dealing with a controversial outing, and the hassles of fending off a very nosy public eager to judge your every move. It is also a story of enduring friendships where your football fanatic best friend is ready to punch a football god to defend your virtue.
As far as sports-romance go, this is something I would recommend. Do check it out if you’re up for some PG-rated jock+artist hookup featuring doofus friends, cringy scenarios and Yoda’s advice to singletons.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Never My Love
Artist: Knox Hamilton
Album: The Heights -
REVIEW: Not Dead Yet by Jenn Burke
Not Dead Yet – Jenn Burke
Dying isn’t what it used to be.
Wes Cooper was dead. Then he wasn’t—though he’s not exactly alive, either. As an immortal not-ghost, he can transition between this world and the otherplane, which makes him the perfect thief for hire. For seventy years he’s made a “living” returning items to their rightful owners, seeing his fair share of the bizarre in the process. But he’s never witnessed murder. Until now.
His latest mission brings him more than he bargained for: a very-dead actor who is definitely going to stay that way. It’s just Wes’s luck that his ex-boyfriend, Detective Hudson Rojas, is assigned to the case. Hudson broke Wes’s heart years ago—and could again, given he’s rocking a hot silver-fox look that shouldn’t be legal.
As they work together to track down the murderer before anyone else gets hurt, it becomes clear Wes and Hudson have unfinished business. And when a secret Hudson’s been keeping threatens more than just their happiness, it might mean the end of their not-life together—permanently.
This book is approximately 91,000 words
Not Dead Yet by Jenn Burke has one of the most unique premises I’ve encountered for a while, putting a fresh spin on the ghost lover trope.
First, it’s set in Toronto and I can’t even remember the last time I’ve read a book with a Canadian setting. So that’s a big plus. Also, Wesley Cooper is a not-ghost. He’s 110 years old, killed by a lover in 1933 and brought back to life by his lover’s sister who was a witch.
Wes works as a ‘recovery specialist’ aka glorified thief who retrieves certain items per client request. He can become a ghost and go to the other plane at will, which is a very useful ability for his job because ‘no breaking, just entering‘. He has not aged in a century and forever looks in his 20s.
The other MC is Detective Hudson Rojas, Wes’ ex-boyfriend, with whom he parted in not so good terms. They met in the 80s when people were not open to gay relationships especially in the police force. They met again when Wes was involved in a murder case. Hud turned out to be quite the silver fox at 58. Interestingly, he stopped aging in his 30s (he turned grey early) because, well, you’ll see.
These established the backbones of a highly entertaining paranormal mystery. The world-building came naturally. Nothing too complicated on the surface, very magical realism feels. But as I get deeper into the story, it became obvious that there’s more to this than merely witches and ghosts. There’s so many fun things you can do with this set-up and different avenues to explore.
The story is told in Wes’ POV. I loved his ‘voice’. Wes is very open with his feelings. He could be a tad dramatic sometimes but his thoughts never failed to be funny.
Hudson is the opposite of Wes. He’s grumpy and blunt. He was an asshole to Wes many times. As in, downright insulting at some instances. Then just like that, he turns on the charm. The hot and cold treatment should have been a turn off but Jenn Burke pulled it off really well and I can’t even dislike Hudson that much. He had his reasons.
I really enjoyed the slow-burn, second chance romantic subplot. It was integrated nicely to the story. It’s pretty obvious that the spark was still strong which was highlighted by how easily they traded zingers as if they never parted. And since slow-burn is my jam, I get a thrill out of the whole process of catching up, dancing around barely suppressed feelings and hashing it out.
It’s not just the romantic chemistry between them. I liked how the the contract thief and the police detective worked together in the case. Their shared history and complimenting abilities was put to good use in the investigation. Their partnership came together through necessity but they just clicked on many levels.
Very likable supporting cast too, with Lexi, Wesley’s witch bestfriend and the great grandaughter of the witch who brought Wes to life. There’s also Evan, somebody they adopted because Hudson accidentally killed him when Wes appeared out of nowhere. I appreciated the found family thing forming for these people who always end up alone as their loved ones come and go through the decades.
The book also has a good ace rep. Wes is demisexual and Hudson is one of the rare few who did it for him. Appropriately, it’s a low heat book with only one sex scene. Low heat or no heat makes reading more convenient for me because it usually means less pages to skip.
The mystery was a well-written one. For one of his jobs, Wes had to retrieved an item from the house of an actress, only to walk in on her being strangled by a shadowy being. Who suddenly looked directly at Wes while he was still in his ghostly form. That should have been impossible!
Not Dead Yet effectively blended police procedural and paranormal. It kept me engage all throughout the story and kept me in the dark until the big reveal. I had a few suspects but then there were more mysterious agendas from mysterious masterminds in action. And with this, things unraveled fast. The two men were in a whole world of trouble!
The story ended with a great jumping off point for the next book. Wes and Hudson came to an agreement. Major career changes were planned. Something is happening to Wes and he doesn’t know what. I need to find out more ASAP!
Overall, Not Dead Yet is shaping up to be a very promising series. It’s heavy on humor, light on spook, with a just the right balance of romance, mystery and paranormal that really worked for me. Recommended if you like your ghosts sassy, your detectives gruff and your stories twisty.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Ghost
Artist: Parachute
Album: Losing Sleep
