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REVIEW: In Other Words…Murder by Josh Lanyon
Holmes & Moriarity: In Other Words…Murder -Josh Lanyon
Death reveals all secrets.
Mystery author Christopher Holmes, now comfortably married to sometimes rival, sometimes nemesis J.X. Moriarity, is starting a new career as a true crime writer when threatening anonymous notes start arriving.
Even worse, Christopher’s ex also arrives–asking for help locating the man he left Christopher for!
It’s life–and death–as usual at Chez Holmes. In other words… Murder.
Well, this answered The Question:
“I love you, Kit. I just do.”
I muttered, “Well, you don’t have to sound like it’s against your will.”Compared to the other books in the series, In Other Words…Murder has the most slice-of-life feel to it, the mysteries more or less secondary, even tertiary, to Kit getting a huge deal from publishers, him and JX discussing honeymoon trips, and Jerry being on the loose again. A day in the life of Christopher Holmes certainly doesn’t lack for excitement as he goes from enduring Gage’s presence, sorting through unfinished manuscripts to fending off attacks by a psycho clown, getting JX a happy ever after cake, meeting the ex, feeling guilty about not connecting with old peers as much as he was suppose to, becoming a murder suspect and antagonizing the detectives by being his usual charming self.
Gad I hate Jerry! The creep just gets into my nerves. Dear System, do you job and please put Jerry away for good.
Felt sorry for JX. One of these days he might actually get a heart attack from all the life-threatening situations Kit gets into. But JX is rock solid (and healthy). Love him!
Kit, at long last, realizing Julian Xavier Moriarity is it.
My gaze wandered to J.X., who was listening to all this with an
exasperated expression. As I studied his face, realization struck me. I’d stand by you. Whatever happens, I’ll be there for you.
It was kind of shocking. Because it was true.Love the fact that he wasn’t in the least bit tempted by the ex’s advances. Good riddance to that loser!
Kit put the past firmly behind. He has been inching his way forward with a nudge or two since the beginning but this time he wasn’t wavering. Also, he did something nice and romantic! Without being prodded! And he started writing again!
This is the best Kit yet!
P.S.
review of Holmes and Moriarity books here
review of Josh Lanyon books hereRating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: I’ll Be Your Man
Artist: The Black Keys
Album: The Big Come Up -
SERIES REVIEW: Bad Valentine Series by Jesi Lea Ryan, Jordan Castillo Price, Claire London & Dev Bentham
My better late than never Valentine special.
The BAD VALENTINE series are lighthearted Valentine’s Day shorts by four different authors, each story written with the same opening line: “Nothing good ever came of a Valentine.”
Love Magic – Jesi Lea Ryan
“The day I met Derrick while playing my violin in the park was magical. Unfortunately, magic and love together don’t always mix.”
Oliver met Derrick while busking in the park, and they hit it off from the start. At first, Derrick’s “mysterious magician” vibe was intriguing, but after two botched dates, Oliver was ready to call it quits.
Fearing he lost his chance with Oliver, Derrick makes a last-ditch effort to win Oliver’s heart with a romantic Valentine’s date. But when love and magic collide, things tend to go awry. Will these two guys make it through the date unscathed?
This one’s cute!
I liked the idea of a musician and magician couple and they met in such a delightful way. However, Oliver, the musician, has just about enough of the botched dates but he knew deep down there’s something about Derrick. Derrick, the magician, was endearingly shy and I felt sorry for him, the poor guy is really trying.
While the disasters were not as cringe-inducing and funny as in Hidden Hearts, Love Magic is still charming and sweet. The magical element is a plus and I liked how it was worked into the story.
Overall, a fun, lighthearted rom-com with a touch of paranormal.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsQuill Me Now – Jordan Castillo Price
What if the words you wrote came true?
Spellcraft isn’t exactly a respectable business, but it does pay the bills. At least, it should. Unfortunately, Dixon Penn failed his Spellcraft initiation. Instead of working in his family’s shop, he’s stuck delivering takeout orders in his uncle’s beat-up Buick.
Winning a Valentine’s Day contest at the largest greeting card company in the tri-state area would be just the thing to get his life back on track—but something at Precious Greetings just doesn’t add up. And despite numerous warnings to quit pestering them about his contest entry, he just can’t stop himself from coming back again and again.
It doesn’t hurt that the head of security is such a hottie. If Dixon had any common sense, he’d be scared of the big, mysterious, tattooed Russian.
To be fair, no one ever accused him of being too smart….
I have sung praises to Jordan Castillo Price‘s worldbuilding before and Quill Me Now is one of her best ones yet. I was heavily immersed in the world of Scriveners and Seers and I really liked this novel magic system where magic work in two parts.
Quill Me Now follows Dixon’s persistent but very foolish attempt at getting a job at Precious Greetings despite all the red flags and a very explicit warning from Yuri to STAY AWAY. Never in my wildest imagination had it occur to me that a greeting card company could be so sinister. Extra props to JCP for making me see Hallmark in a different light. The story was nicely resolved but of course it left me wanting more. So I was pretty happy to know that this is going to be a series. YES! We haven’t seen the last of Dixon and Yuri yet.
Rating:
4.5 Stars – perfection is only half a step awayHidden Hearts – Clare London
Accident-prone Ethan has a dating history that reads like a disaster movie script. Strong and silent Kel can’t seem to master the necessary small-talk on a proper date. When they both get signed up anonymously for a Valentines’s night event—”for those with an adventurous spirit but an open diary”—they never imagined they’d be matched. They never imagined the romantic sparks would fly. To be honest, they never imagined they’d survive the week.
A catalogue of disasters dogs the footsteps of their blossoming romance, including a coffee date with food allergies as an added extra, an intimate dinner that strays too close for comfort to chopped chillies, and a sensual massage with hot wax candles that threatens to alert the local fire brigade.
But if they can hold tight to their sweet, surprising, yet single-minded attraction – they might just survive this Valentine’s Day with something very special to look forward to.
I usually complain about things happening too fast, but here is the perfect example of insta-attraction done right. Clare London deftly laid out the development of Ethan and Kel’s relationship in the course of a couple of days in a very believable and hilarious way. It helps that the MCs were both adorable individually and as a couple.
Ethan is a complete klutz and his dates with Kel were one awkward disaster after another but you know that a guy is really into you when you set his shlong on fire and he still calls you back. I love how Kel is so patient with Ethan despite everything. They really are the perfect match.
Rating:
4.5 Stars – perfection is only half a step awayTemporary Dad – Dev Bentham
Nick Compton owns a small but mighty fashion magazine. He already has enough on his plate, between work and, well, work. There’s no room for a kid in his life but when his sister drops her seven-year-old daughter for an extended stay, he has to figure it out. Just before his niece arrives, Nick meets a blazing hot firefighter. They get on like a house a fire and the sex—scorching. Too bad the he disappeared in the morning. Like smoke. Now Nick’s stuck with a kid he doesn’t know how to manage and without the man he’d love to get his hands on again.
Dylan Gil wishes like hell he hadn’t taken his roommates advice and lied about who he was. He’s finally met someone he really likes and can’t stop thinking about. But now he’s too embarrassed to confess that he’s just a second-grade teacher, not a manly firefighter. Good thing that work gets distracting, particularly when one of his brightest students goes to stay with her uncle and all hell breaks loose. Some people shouldn’t be allowed to have kids.
If the term “dad pants” means anything it’s that taking care of children and fashion aren’t compatible. Does that mean these two doomed? Or is this the beginning of forever?
This was the weakest of the bunch. I actually DNF’ed this because I don’t have the patience to deal with Ruby plus I didn’t warm up to Nick and Dylan.
This is more of a ME problem mainly because parenting stories are not interesting to me. For those into gay couples with children, this might work better for you.
Rating:
2 Stars – it’s a struggle to finish the damn bookSoundtrack: You Are The Right One
Artist: Sports
Album: Sports -
Candy Man: Tart and Sweet – Amy Lane
In the Army, Robbie Chambers turned on his lover out of fear—and he hasn’t been able to live with himself since. Now he’s out of the Army but still trapped in the closet that brought on his most cowardly moment, and he starts to think he’ll never be able to fight his way free.
Until he sees Cy McVeigh. Beautiful and uninhibited, Cy is dancing on the boardwalk at Old Sac for no other reason than the moment called for it. Robbie not only joins in the dance but is smitten from the very beginning.
However, Robbie still has old business to clear up, and when he helps out a kid in need and comes face-to-face with the man he betrayed, he’s forced to come clean with himself. He can’t redeem his mistake if he’s still locked into his old patterns, and he won’t ever be worthy of Cy if he can’t earn Adam’s forgiveness. He’s going to need all the help he can get from the people at Candy Heaven in order to make things right with his past so he can have a future with Cy.
Uh-oh, Robbie Chambers, Adam’s ex and the guy who betrayed him, is in town! What would Adam do? How would Finn react?
Robbie is beating himself up at what he did and he is seeking redemption. Luckily, the psychic tag team of Darrin and Ezra is on the case. They made him take the candy test and he willingly went along with whatever advice they gave. That’s a good start, Robbie.
Random male model as Robbie Chambers
Walking around Sacramento with his girlfriend, Robbie met Cy McVeigh, a dance teacher busking in the streets who asked them to dance with him. As the trio danced, Robbie felt himself strongly drawn to Cy.
Model with magnificent hair as Cy McVeigh
Cy is a free-spirited bisexual who isn’t afraid to shop in the women’s department. He is the opposite of Robbie, who is still in the closet and has to tip-toe around his bigoted parents. Cy was what Robbie needed. He became Robbie’s support while Robbie learned to forgive himself. Amy Lane did a great job bringing the two together.
One of the best things about this book is that Ezra really came into his own. He’s more confident and happy and his gift was strong. Even Darrin was impressed. Ezra was the designated peacekeeper who effectively kept shit from exploding because the meeting of Adam and Robbie was all sorts of awkward. And Finn, well, let’s just say he wasn’t taking things quietly.
Tart and Sweet brings the Candy Man series full circle. There were a lot of Finn and Adam and Ezra and Miguel but Rico and Derek barely made an appearance which was kind of disappointing because they’re my second favorite couple. Adam and Finn is definitely number 1.
That epilogue! I love it!
The book ended on a satisfied note. Our dear candy fairy, Darrin knew his job is done and that he can leave Candy Heaven in good hands. With the boys happy and dreaming big dreams, he does what needs to be done, he goes on a vacation.
P.S.
To get the full Candy Man experience, I recommend reading the books in order. There are a lot of backstories, characters and references from the previous books.
Reviews of Candy Man books here.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bits
Soundtrack: Sorry
Artist: Nothing but Thieves
Album: Broken Machine(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31370835-tart-and-sweet)
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Trouble Brewing: Imperial Stout – Layla Reyne
Layla Reyne spins off from her pulse-pounding Agents Irish and Whiskey books with Imperial Stout , the first installment in the Trouble Brewing series
It’s a good thing assistant US attorney Dominic Price co-owns a brewery. He could use a cold one. Nic’s star witness has just been kidnapped, his joint operation with the FBI is in jeopardy, his father’s shady past is catching up with him and the hot new special agent in San Francisco is the kind of distraction best handled with a stiff drink.
Kidnap and rescue expert Cameron Byrne has his own ideas about how to handle Nic, but his skills are currently needed elsewhere. The by-the-book FBI agent goes deep undercover as a member of an infamous heist crew in order to save Nic’s witness, break up the crew and close the case before anyone else gets hurt. Nic in particular.
Things heat up when Cam falls for Nic, and the witness falls for Cam. As the crew’s suspicions grow, Cam must decide how far he’s willing to go—and how far into his own dark past he’s willing to dive—to get everyone out alive.
I liked Aidan and Jamie but their series, Agents Irish and Whiskey, as a whole was wonky. I am glad to say that Imperial Stout was much better.
Nic Price, who dated Aidan briefly, piqued my interest before for being sartorially correct and him hooking up with Cam Byrne was something of a pleasant surprise when it was revealed in Blended Whiskey.
Imperial Stout takes you immediately to where the action is as several teams stake out the bad guys. Slight niggle on the part where Nic is part of the stakeout team and started shooting people himself. I agree with one GR reviewer who mentioned that lawyers usually come in after the fact and not while the Feds are in an operation. I also wanted to see Nic doing lawyerly things so a courtroom scene would have been nice.
Cam goes undercover and did what he did best, rescuing kidnapped victims, namely Nic’s star witness, Abby. For this job, Cam digs into his not so stellar past and tries not to get involved in a threesome with Abby and her girlfriend, the main antagonist, Becca who both found him attractive. All the while dancing around his attraction to Nic and the memory of their kiss.
The book could be read as a standalone but I still recommend reading Agents Irish and Whiskey since most of the characters there play significant roles in Imperial Stout. The group dynamics is still as enjoyable as ever and I am happy that Lauren had more page time. She is fast becoming my favorite female character along with Mel. And for some reason, I might be seeing sparks that weren’t there because I was shipping Lauren with Percy Hunter, the B&E guy they nabbed.
Suspension of disbelief is still necessary at some instances but the story as a whole was entertaining. One of my issues before with Aidan and Jamie, aside from the plot holes and long drawn out investigations, was that they were too emotionally compromised to do their jobs properly as working partners. With Nic and Cam, there was less of that complication since they were from different departments. Overall, their book was simply better written compared to the original series.
P.S.
Meh ratings on Agents Irish and Whiskey here.
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and love
Soundtrack: Overnight
Artist: Parcels
Album:(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39672580-imperial-stout)
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Merry and Bright – Joanna Chambers
Three seasonal love stories from Joanna Chambers
Humbug
Quin Flint is unimpressed when his gorgeous colleague, Rob Paget, asks for extra time off at Christmas. As far as Quin is concerned, Christmas is a giant waste of time. Quin’s on the fast track to partnership, and the season of goodwill is just getting in the way of his next big project. But when Quin’s boss, Marley, confiscates his phone and makes him take an unscheduled day off, Quin finds himself being forced to confront his regrets, past and present, and think about the sort of future he really wants…and who he wants it with.
Mr Perfect’s Christmas
Sam Warren’s new job hasn’t been going so well so the last thing he’s in the mood for is the obligatory office Christmas party, particularly since Nick Foster’s going to be there. Nick–the guy whose shoes Sam has been trying to fill–seems to take very opportunity to point out where Sam’s going wrong. But when Sam receives an unexpected Secret Santa gift at the party, he’s forced to question his assumptions about his rival. Could it be that he’s been misinterpreting Nick’s actions all along? And is it possible that his reluctant attraction to Nick is reciprocated?
Rest and Be Thankful
Things haven’t been going well for Cam McMorrow since he moved to Inverbechie. His business is failing, his cottage is falling apart and following his very public argument with café owner Rob Armstrong, he’s become a social outcast. Cam needs to get away from his troubles and when his sister buys him a ticket to the biggest Hogmanay party in Glasgow, he can’t leave Inverbechie quick enough. But when events conspire to strand him in the middle of nowhere in a snowstorm, not only is he liable to miss the party, he’ll also have to ask his nemesis, Rob, for help.
Three seasonal love stories that were sweet and fluffy. Joanna Chambers writes great short stories. They are usually well-written, fully fleshed out and resolved satisfactorily. Insta-attraction is the scourge of romance short stories and the author works around that by having the characters crush on each other for a long time without the other realizing then she brings them together and BAM! The FEELS.
Humbug: posted here
Mr. Perfect: What was supposedly Sam’s Kris Kringle nightmare turned out to be a sweet revelation. Nick be like, notice me, kohai! This one’s a win.
Rest and Be Thankful: Rob and Cam did their best but it wasn’t working. Sorry guys! You’re good people. It’s just that, the story is boring. I feel bad giving you low ratings.
Rating:
Humbug – 4 Stars
Mr. Perfect – 4 Stars
Rest and Be Thankful – 2.5 StarsOverall: 4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bits
Soundtrack: Baby, It’s Cold Outside
Artist: Rufus Wainwright & Sharon van Etten
Album: Holidays Rule(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36554036-merry-bright)
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Candy Man: Lollipop – Amy Lane
Ezra Kellerman flew across country to see if he had another chance with the man he let slip through his fingers. He didn’t. Rico has moved on, but he doesn’t just leave his ex high and dry. Instead, Rico entrusts his family and friends with Ezra’s care. Ezra, confused, hurt, and lost, clings to Rico’s cousin and his boyfriend as the lifelines they are—but their friend Miguel is another story.
Miguel Rodriguez had great plans and ambition—but a hearty dose of real life crushed those flat. When Miguel finds himself partially in charge of the befuddled, dreamy, healing Ezra, he’s pretty resentful at first. But Ezra’s placid nature and sincere wonder at the simple life Miguel has taken for granted begin to soften Miguel’s hardened shell. Miguel starts to notice that Ezra isn’t just amazingly sweet—he’s achingly beautiful as well. Suddenly Miguel is fending off every single man on the planet to give Ezra room to get over Rico—while fighting a burning suspicion that the best thing to help Ezra get over his broken heart is Miguel.
Welcome back to sunny Sacramento, where shiny, happy people help sad, broken queers put the pieces back together.
Last we know of Ezra, he was wilting in the summer sun and crying his eyes out at seeing Rico again. Now, Rico is with Derek and Ezra is still a weepy softy but tries to keep a brave face and start a new life. Lucky for him, Miguel is there to help him every step of the way. Unfortunately for me, it’s too similar to Derek and Rico’s story so it didn’t feel fresh. I ended up reading it for the people.
The Candy Man characters are the kind of people I want to be surrounded with. There’s Adam who came in with all his walls up but is now confident and taking charge, Finn who fell out of a basket of chocolate bunnies, Rico and Derek, yuppies who want to make a difference; Darrin who might be bitchy but just had to help everyone with his clairvoyance because how could he not, and the amazing Stewart family who adopts and feeds everyone in sight.
Ezra is the youngest Kellerman whose childhood was a sorry affair. He was in the closet for a long time until his father discovered his relationship with Rico. One day he broke down and decided enough was enough. I didn’t really warm up to Ezra immediately. He cries all the time and it took a long time for him to find what he was looking for even if it was already right in his face. Also, he kept putting off his visit to his shrink. You need professional help, Ezra. Please see your doctor.
Kristof Pituk as Ezra Kellerman
Miguel, I liked better. He comes from a big happy family and like in Rico and Derek’s case, he wants Ezra to experience the happy things he missed as a child. Their trip to Disneyland was the best.
Miles Frank as Miguel Rodriguez
Lollipop is the longest book so far, clocking in at 9+ hours. I enjoyed most of it though there were parts that I found repetitive especially the moments where Miguel, his mom or somebody was comforting Ezra and then after a while, the same thing would be said again only in a different way. There were a lot of these phrasing and rephrasing scattered throughout the story. I guess Ezra needed a lot of reassurances.
On a happier note, Darrin found his protege. And he was certainly not the one Darrin expected. Still, the candy fairy knew his new mentee will go a long way. I am excited to see what the new candy fairy will do for Robbie and Cy. Their book is next.
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and love
Soundtrack: Finding Home
Artist: Mindy Gledhill
Album: Pocketful of Poetry(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28322700-lollipop)
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On Davis Row – N.R. Walker
Nearing the end of a suspended jail sentence should unlock a brighter future for CJ Davis, only the chip on his shoulder is as hard to shift as his bad reputation. Born into a family of career criminals who live down Davis Road, an address the cops have dubbed Davis Row, his name alone is like a rap sheet that makes optimism impossible.
Brand-new parole officer Noah Huxley is determined to see the good in men like CJ. After all, he knows firsthand that bad things can happen to good people. His colleagues mock his doe-eyed optimism, but Noah soon sees CJ’s bad attitude and bravado are weapons he uses to keep people at a distance.
Both men know one simple mistake can change a life forever. At first glance, they might seem to be polar opposites. Yet underneath, they’re not that different at all.
My god, that was beautiful!
Right after I finished this book, I had to stand up and pace around the house because I was sooo high. I am not an emotional person and it takes a lot to make me feel things but this book!
I just had to root really hard for CJ. He was dealt a really shitty hand. Born into a family of criminals, didn’t graduate from school, had to put up with abuse, had to cope with illiteracy and deal with the stigma that comes with his name. Through out all this, he tries really hard to get by along with Pops, his grandfather who raise him. Pops has emphysema. His dad is in and out of jail. The asshole has also been abusing CJ since he was a child. Everybody assumes CJ is as bad as all the Davis before him, but CJ’s boss, Mr. Barese would be the first one to tell you, “he’s a good boy.”
Noah is a rookie parole officer. Still enthusiastic and optimistic about making a difference. The great thing about Noah is that he never lost the spark. He really believed not only in CJ but in all his parolees. AND *stage whisper* he smells really good!
Bloody hell. I wanted to hug him again. “You’ll nail this. You watch. You’ll pass everything and the only thing you’ll be left wondering about is why you didn’t do it sooner.”
When he looked up, his dark eyes were vulnerable, like the true CJ Davis was exposed within them. “Because ain’t no one believed in me before now.
There were ethically murky lines between them and though they dip their toes across once in a while, I love them for sticking to the rule. The rule being they become officially boyfriends the minute CJ’s parole ends, unofficially is another matter. Thus begins the delicious anticipation, a whole lot of USTs and the goddamn countdown that made me a messy bundle of paranoia because Pops might wheeze his last breath, CJ might descend into a downward spiral, Noah might fail CJ, the dad might beat the living crap out of CJ just because, things might blow up their faces, the system might screw them and so on because something will jinx this, I just know…!!!
So I breathed a sigh of relief when, among other things, Pops kept breathing.
It was so uplifting to see CJ gain his confidence and a little bit of happiness day by day until the time he was finally free. Noah’s sincerity really impressed me. He kept assuring CJ that no matter what happens between them he would still help him with everything. And I know he really would.
I love the list of firsts. CJ has missed out on a lot of things, the kind of things people take for granted like being able to read, getting a hug or having a driver’s license. Noah was his first in a lot of things. My favorite were the hugs.
He was rigid, uneasy, but he didn’t recoil, and he didn’t tell me to fuck off.
“You can hug me back, you know.”
Then I realised that maybe no one had ever bloody hugged him before either. Pops was a great guy but none of the Davis clan seemed overly affectionate. Without pulling away, I said, “I’ve wanted to hug you for a while.”
Still, with his arms by his sides, he asked, “Why?”
“Because sometimes people hug as a way of saying things are gonna be okay.”
I’ll hug you too, CJ!
This book is full of emotions but it’s not sappy. It’s also one of the most emotionally satisfying books I have read this year. The slow-burn and the chemistry were amazing. That last chapter! I got goosebumps and a pleasant case of hangover.
A solid 5-star book, no doubt about it.
Rating:
5 Stars – absolutely perfect
Soundtrack: Worth the Wait
Artist: We Are Scientists
Album: With Love and Squalor(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36668702-on-davis-row)
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Candy Man: Bitter Taffy – Amy Lane
Rico Gonzalves-Macias didn’t expect to fall in love during his internship in New York—and he didn’t expect the boss’s son to out them both and get him fired either. When he returns to Sacramento stunned and heartbroken, he finds his cousin, Adam, and Adam’s boyfriend, Finn, haven’t just been house-sitting—they’ve made his once sterile apartment into a home.
When Adam gets him a job interview with the adorable, magnetic, practically perfect Derek Huston, Rico feels especially out of his depth. Derek makes it no secret that he wants Rico, but Rico is just starting to figure out that he’s a beginner at the really important stuff and doesn’t want to jump into anything with both feet.
Derek is a both-feet kind of guy. But he’s also made mistakes of his own and doesn’t want to pressure Rico into anything. Together they work to find a compromise between instant attraction and long-lasting love, and while they’re working, Rico gets a primer in why family isn’t always a bad idea. He needs to believe Derek can be his family before Derek’s formidable patience runs out—because even a practically perfect boyfriend is capable of being hurt.
It was a scene worthy of a Mexican telenovela. Up and coming young man caught sleeping with his boss’s in-the-closet son. Father confronts young man in front of co-workers and throws him out of the office. Young man begs the rich man’s son “come with me”. Rich man’s son is dragged away by bodyguard.
Such was the end of Rico Gonzalves-Macias’ promising internship in Manhattan. Out of job and nursing a broken heart, he returns to Sacramento and found that Adam and Finn made his minimalist apartment cozier. Of course fab matchmaking candy fairy Darrin has foreseen his return and promptly sics Derek Huston on him because Darrin knows Derek is good for Rico
I like Rico. He looks like Adam but more metro. He is as nice as Adam but more social. He has experienced homophobia from his family but was able to find the courage to come out
“Mami, this is Derek. He’s my boyfriend. We were on our way out—and so were Finn and Adam. We’ll be out in five minutes, and if you don’t want to see any gay people holding hands or kissing, you three had better be the holy fuck away from my place.”
Sufjan Stevens in a suit as Rico Gonzalves-Macias
I like Derek. He is a blond, blue-eyed golden prince with a golden heart who lives in a cozy picture book cottage. He has great parents and a happy childhood and he want to share that happiness with Rico.
“No, c’mon.” Rico studied him, unsure of what was wrong. “It’s been a great day.”
Derek nodded and kissed him on the forehead. “Yeah. It has. I want a lot more like it. I want them with you.”
Rico’s smile made a quick return and then retreated again. “Then what —”
Derek bit his lip. “I just… I get the feeling you and Adam—you didn’t have much of that when you were kids. I just… I wanted to give it to you, that was all.”Alexander Skarsgard in a tux as Derek Huston
I like Rico and Derek. Their banter was enjoyable and the chemistry was fantastic although there were bits of dialogue that were too flowery and melodramatic. However, for the the most part, they were fun together. And in the sweltering heat, in the sea of cazh, they stick to their designer suits. I approve.
Metrosexual yuppies doin’ their thang:
Derek shook his head and turned, taking in Rico’s best spring suit and his dazzling emerald green tie.
“Nice,” he purred, and then he made the once-around gesture with his finger. Rico rolled his eyes, but the suit had been one of his last purchases before he’d left New York, and he was sort of proud of it. He held his briefcase out at his side and did a smart little pivot, his dress shoes sliding easily on the short pile of the carpeting.
Derek laughed and clapped his hands. “Very nice,” he said, and then, to Rico’s amusement, he did the same.
His trim form was very nicely accentuated in something Hugo Boss, gray linen, with a melon-colored tie.Rico obliged him by clapping.Adam and Rico’s relationship is one of the best parts of the story.
Adam has always hero worshiped his cousin and because of that Rico was able to achieve a lot of things. Rico, on the other hand, has always treated Adam like a brother.
A telenovela is only as good as its villano. These come in the form of the harpy mami, Adam’s and Rico’s moms and their abuela, bitter homophobic women who showed up one day at their apartment (because Rico was avoiding his mami’s calls after getting shitty reception for coming out) and started the haranguing and the name calling and oh no! You did not just spit on Adam! At which point Finn went berserk and Adam had to bodily haul him away. Thankfully, the wonderful Stewart women were there to save the day. They shed light on the way of the gay and thus Rico’s mom was enlightened. “Magic fuckin’ happy people” make miracles happened. Do not get in their way.
Bitter Taffy is a story about moving on and fresh starts. The characters draw you in and you end up emotionally attached.
I really love the Candy Man world and its people. I’m glad that almost everybody from the first book made appearances (more Adam and Finn is always a big plus). It makes everything more real and I want to be friends with these people. This series also makes me want to live in Sacramento. The neighborhood is so nice!
This installment ends with big drama. Luckily, Rico knows whats good for him and held on to it. Darrin, on the other hand, ends up with another project. I can’t wait to start on that!
So, on to Ezra and Miguel’s story…
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Me & You
Artist: Parekh & Singh
Album: Ocean(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25821026-bitter-taffy)
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REVIEW: Gold Digger by Aleksandr Voinov
Gold Digger – Aleksandr Voinov
Not all that glitters is gold.
Nikolai Krasnorada leads the life of a corporate nomad. Working for a gold explorations company, he’s never put down roots, and he likes it that way. Roots can be dangerous, as everyone from his “man-hating” sister to his manipulative mother to his war-traumatized father has proven.
But when his CEO sends him to Toronto to strike a deal with LeBeau Mining, Nikolai meets Henri LeBeau, crown prince to the resources conglomerate and inveterate flirt. Sparks fly immediately, despite the business deal that threatens to go sour and Nikolai’s own reluctance to give Henri false hope about him being Mr. Right. He’s barely come to terms with his bisexuality, and getting involved with Henri would get messy.
When LeBeau Mining launches a hostile takeover bid, Nikolai and Henri find themselves on opposite sides of the negotiating table. But fortunately – or perhaps unfortunately – for Nikolai, Henri’s not nearly as interested in his company as he is in his heart.Because I’m the type to nitpick on book covers, I’d like to put it out there that the Italian cover is so much better
Also it took me halfway through the book to realize that the Vadim mentioned here, Nikolai’s father and ex-spetnaz, is the Vadim in the epic Special Forces saga (I must have missed the part that says it’s a spinoff). Holy hell! This man’s a legend!! But as much as I love Aleksandr Voinov’s books, I don’t think I have the courage nor the patience to read something dark with more than 2000 pages. Maybe audiobook, please?
Aleksandr Voinov doesn’t do cute and fluffy the way it is typically done. In fact his writing is usually associated with the words “smart”, “dark”, “sensual”, “masculine”, and “powerful”. However, for Gold Digger, there’s a line that describes how he writes the story
Henri’s agitation was odd and endearing, so very him, and Nikolai found himself smiling. “Cute” wasn’t a word for Henri, but damn, he was a manly version of that.
Manly version of cute. This is how the story certainly feels and Henri and Nikolai both fit the bill.
Henri is endearingly open and honest about what he wants, almost to the point of being pushy but he’s not a manipulative asshole and he never goes beyond Nikolai’s boundaries. I feel like he has this streak of crazy in him and it would have been fun had it been unleashed but the story underplayed this side of him. He was, for the most part, a flirtatious, easy going but driven guy.
Nikolai is a man struggling to get his bearings after being talked to getting a blowjob by Henri and discovered he liked it. To make things more complicated he was attracted to Henri even though he knew until now he was straight and Henri is on the enemy’s side. Him trying to wrap his head as to what is going on between him and Henri is cute. They had great chemistry and I enjoyed the banter. My complaint here is that the development of their relationship happened in the span of their first meeting with the LeBeaus up to the time they met again to talk about the take-over which is like one week? two weeks? I don’t think it even took a month and here they were, already talking about selling Henri’s condo and settling in Armenia or Georgia. That’s pretty fast for a man who just discovered he is bisexual.
Nikolai is loyal to Cybele, the company he is working for and his bestfriend, Ruslan Polonin, who is the CEO. They try to avoid a hostile takeover from LBM, the company Henri works for. This part alone is enough to keep my attention. I have always been interesting in how these high flying corporate types do business and nobody writes financial thrillers like Voinov.
Nikolai’s relationship with his family, particularly with his father, Vadim, was also a major plot point. Nikolai has always felt like an outsider in his family and the revelations by his sister, Anya, only proved the point. Vadim, being a former soldier has to deal with a dark past and mental trauma. Father and son are not emotional touchy feely types but when they laid some important issues out it was a very touching emotional moment albeit in a stoic military way. Would have wanted to meet Dan though. Where is Vadim’s husband in all this?
Overall, I really liked the feel of the story. It not as dark and heavy as is typically the case with the author but it still feels sophisticated and understated. The corporate drama was engaging. The romance was lighthearted and sweet.The characters were likable people except Anya who is a vindictive bitch. Gold Digger works well as a standalone but it will make you very curious about Vadim. I’m looking forward to a sequel and maybe someday, I will have it in me to read Special Forces.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bits
Soundtrack: Make Them Gold
Artist: Chvrches
Album: Every Open Eye(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32497127-gold-digger)
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Candy Man – Amy Lane
Adam Macias has been thrown a few curve balls in his life, but losing his VA grant because his car broke down and he missed a class was the one that struck him out. One relative away from homelessness, he’s taking the bus to Sacramento, where his cousin has offered a house-sitting job and a new start. He has one goal, and that’s to get his life back on track. Friends, pets, lovers? Need not apply.
Finn Stewart takes one look at Adam as he’s applying to Candy Heaven and decides he’s much too fascinating to leave alone. Finn is bright and shiny—and has never been hurt. Adam is wary of his attention from the very beginning—Finn is dangerous to every sort of peace Adam is forging, and Adam may just be too damaged to let him in at all.
But Finn is tenacious, and Adam’s new boss, Darrin, doesn’t take bullshit for an answer. Adam is going to have to ask himself which is harder—letting Finn in or living without him? With the holidays approaching it seems like an easy question, but Adam knows from experience that life is seldom simple, and the world seldom cooperates with hope, faith, or the plans of cats and men.
Lots to love about this sweet little treat!
First, Candy Heaven is real!!!
According to the author’s note, there is an actual Candy Heaven somewhere out there in Sacramento owned by a fabulous candy man named Darrin which I’d say would make a great pilgrimage site for book tours.
Whether or not the real Darrin can read fortunes out of Pixy Stix is something I want to find out because fictional Darrin did a sugar reading and saw that Adam and Finn go together like peanut butter and jelly so he set things in motion to get them together.
The tie-dye flags mentioned in the story:
The loft Adam hides in to avoid Finn:
Candy Man has some bits of magic realism, fairy tale-like elements, low-angst drama and maximum cuteness levels that make it a charming read. There’s also a homicidal cat who has seen better days, a friendly dog, a new kitten and Finn’s delightful family.
Despite all the bad things that happened to Finn and especially Adam, the book is chock-full of humor, happiness and hope, enough to make even hardcore pessimists like me see things in a brighter light even just for a little bit.
Finn is a curly haired, blue-eyed ginger who wears that dog hat from Adventure Time. He is a walking ray of sunshine with the boundless energy and enthusiasm of a Labrador retriever. Also with the persistence of a hound on a scent so Adam stood no chance.
“I was going to fall in love with you whether I liked it or not, and it’s just a good thing you were awesome, or I would have been fucking doomed.“
Random redhead as Finn Stewart.
Meanwhile, due to some terrible circumstances, Adam is pessimistic as fuck and has a tendency to sink into a pit of negativity had he not been forced out of his shell by do-gooders, Finn, Darrin and the other Candy Heaven employees. On the upside, he is a really great artist, has dreams of becoming an animator and leaves sandwiches on dumpsters for the homeless. And despite the pessimism, he is full of hope. He’s just low-key about it.
Sufjan Stevens as Adam Macias.
Try as he might to deny it, Adam knows he and Finn are on to something. Finn might be the talkative one, but Adam has some great lines.
“Right now you and me are-we’re a sketch. And we could be a real great picture someday, with ink and oils or watercolor, and hell we may even be a movie.”
Yep, a match made in
candyheaven! Sorry, couldn’t resist that one (^_^;)Rating:
4.5 Stars – perfection is only half a step awaySoundtrack: Sugar, You
Artist: Oh Honey
Album: Wish You Were Here(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23525657-candy-man)
