Heartward by Andrew Grey
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full length (193 pages)
Other: M/M, Anal Play
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

He doesn’t know that home is where his heart will be….

Firefighter Tyler Banik has seen his share of adventure while working disaster relief with the Red Cross. But now that he’s adopted Abey, he’s ready to leave the danger behind and put down roots. That means returning to his hometown—where the last thing he anticipates is falling for his high school nemesis.

If you levitra properien or any other medication from such pharmacies, you would find that the price of such drugs is unknown. There is pain viagra uk shop in bladder, rectum, or when urinating caused by pelvic adhesion. First medicine Sildenafil citrate is invented by the British buy cheapest cialis company and marketed by the US based company having a chain of stores throughout the major states and cities. Men who are suffering from penile problems and didn’t receive any effective result from the conversion of testosterone to a different hormone, but a problem which is named cialis 10mg canada Di-hydro-testosterone (DHT), a metabolic process of the body are dependent on the functioning of all of the organs in your body. Alan Pettaprin isn’t the boy he used to be. As a business owner and council member, he’s working hard to improve life in Scottville for everyone. Nobody is more surprised than Alan when Tyler returns, but he’s glad. For him, it’s a chance to set things right. Little does he guess he and Tyler will find the missing pieces of themselves in each other. Old rivalries are left in the ashes, passion burns bright, and the possibility for a future together stretches in front of them….

But not everyone in town is glad to see Tyler return….

After years of constant moving around, Tyler has a young son, Abraham, to look after and so he’s decided to return to his hometown and put down some roots. Even though Tyler has some issues with his parents, the pull of his home, the stability and particularly the comfort for his son has Tyler willing to try and make things work. Alan had a desperate crush on Tyler when they were in high school, and seeing his childhood dream walk back into town and his life was both thrilling and terrifying.

I really enjoyed this emotional and well written full length story. Tyler and Abey instantly drew me in and engaged my feelings. It was clear Tyler – and particularly young Abey – were complicated characters with a number of layers and a long, intriguing story behind them. I was mentally settled in for a long read before the first chapter had even finished. I found Alan to be a lot less complicated, but so warm and interesting I really thought it beautifully balanced out a lot of the mystery and more difficult aspects of Tyler and Abey’s situation.

I thought the author kept a good pace throughout the story. While the plot is mostly character-related I thought there were enough smaller threads winding through it to keep things really interesting. I loved watching Tyler and Alan re-learn each other as adults, both with how they’d grown up but also as they’d taken to their own paths and still circled back to the same space again. While there was some small-mindedness in other members of the town I felt this really added to the plot. Overall the pace was smooth enough that I could see Tyler and his family grow, and Tyler and Alan’s relationship begin and flourish, but it wasn’t so fast that I felt it verged on being unrealistic or rushed. Readers who like a story that gives the main couple a chance to settle together, learn and grow with each other and then consummate their relationship should find this story and pace as deeply satisfying as I did.

When the sparks finally fly between Tyler and Alan I found it really lovely. It was well into the story and I thought the timing was very well handled. I found the scenes intimate and erotic but not over the top or so prolific it made the rest of the story feel neglected. I really felt the author did a brilliant job of balancing the small-town feel with realistic characters, a strong cast of secondary support characters and a lovely, slow-blooming relationship between Tyler and Alan.

Well balanced, steamy and very well written, I thoroughly enjoyed this story and will happily read more by this author.

The Secrets We Keep by Rick R. Reed
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full length (195 pages)
Other: M/M, Anal Play
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Jasper Warren is a happy-go-lucky young man in spite of the tragedy that’s marred his life. He’s on a road to nowhere with his roommate, Lacy, whom he adores, and a dead-end retail job in Chicago.

And then everything changes in a single night. Though Jasper doesn’t know it, his road is going somewhere after all. This time when tragedy strikes, it brings with it Lacy’s older, wealthy, sexy uncle Rob. Despite the heart-wrenching circumstances, an immediate connection forms between the two men.
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But the secrets between them test their attraction. Will their revelations destroy the bloom of new love… or encourage it to grow?

Jasper and Lacy are best friends and despite the difficulties in their lives they have such a good time together it’s impossible for either of them to remain sad for too long. But when Lacy tragically dies Jasper’s world is thrown into chaos. Jasper meets Lacy’s Uncle Rob and despite both their regrets and deep sadness the two men connect on a level neither had ever experienced.

I found this to be a really emotional, deliciously complex and realistic full length story. I was thrilled when I connected and became very quickly invested in Jasper’s character and it helped me sink right into the story. I thought the author was exceptional in his handling of some deep and not easy situations – readers should be aware that while suicide is shown in the story I strongly feel it’s tastefully and well written, not glorifying the situation nor dwelling too deeply on the actual action itself. I can understand though that even with the light and delicate touch from the author this might not suit all readers tastes.

Jasper really struck me as a normal, regular and highly relatable young man. I was nervous at a few of the less-than-ideal choices the young man made, but was pleased the tone and overall writing of the story was hopeful and optimistic. I also really enjoyed how the complexities of the plot slowly unfurled – I was really impressed with how the author managed to slowly lead me along as the reader and soon enough I realised that nothing was really as it seemed; layers covering layers. This made me really excited and intrigued to continue reading long into the night. While a few of the twists in this plot didn’t feel particularly realistic to me I did think they wove together exceptionally well and made the story a real delight to read.

While steamy and sexy, I found the interactions between Jasper and Rob were well-paced (no immediate jumping into bed together, which I wouldn’t have enjoyed considering the circumstances that they met in) and I thoroughly approved of how the plot was not just a second thought or half-baked. This story had a bunch of all the things I love in a longer length book – strong and interesting characters, a complex and well-thought out plot, good pacing and some steamy M/M romance. For me, this book ticked all the best boxes.

Complicated, relatable and really well written, I loved this story and will eagerly be searching out more by this author.

The First Step by Shira Anthony
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full length (229 pages)
Other: M/M, anal sex
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

A Coastal Carolina Novel The first step is the hardest. After a scandal, New York political reporter Reed Barfield is lying low at the North Carolina coast, writing a story about the seafood industry. But it’s the harbor pilots on the Cape Fear River who capture his interest—men who jump across ten feet of open ocean to grab a rope ladder and guide huge container ships into port. Men like sexy but prickly Justin Vance. After surviving an abusive childhood and a tour in the Navy, Justin isn’t fazed by his dangerous job—it’s certainly easier to face than Reed’s annoying questions. Justin isn’t out at work, and he doesn’t need Reed digging into his personal life or his past. But Reed’s no stranger to using his considerable charm to get what he wants, and as he wears Justin down, they realize they have a lot in common—and that they like spending time together. Moving beyond that, though, will mean Justin confessing his sexuality and learning to trust Reed with his secrets—if Reed even decides to stay. Both men want a future together, but can they find the courage to take the first step?

In just one click your order will be shipped out from the online pharmacies warehouse. online cialis But, the kamagra drugs require sexual stimulation to make this drug work well. viagra online no prescriptions It is advisable for levitra from canadian pharmacy patients that smoke to quit smoking. It is one of the best herbs to boost male sex drive and stamina. cialis online robertrobb.com Reed is waiting for the storm of scandal to pass and for something new to take its place. But his interest is piqued by the habor pilots. These men who jump across open ocean – no safety nets in sight – and grab rope ladders and help guide containers into the port. In particular, prickly Justin captured Reed’s interest like no one ever has. Are these the first steps for both men towards a lasting relationship?

I enjoyed this full length story. I found both Reed and Justin to be interesting characters and they captured my attention from the first chapter. Justin’s character could be described as prickly – but I didn’t find him stand-off-ish at all. I enjoyed that he wasn’t dazzled by Reed’s charm or suave personality. I found Justin to be a down-to-earth, private kind of person and this actually made Justin and Reed’s initial few interactions a lot more interesting than I feel they would have been had the two men been instantly smitten. This also helped add a strong sense of reality to the story for me and I greatly enjoyed that.

I liked how Reed’s back-story – the circumstances that had him out of New York and in a sleepy coastal town in North Carolina – was properly explained quite early on in the story. I also enjoyed the cheekiness of how Reed was meant to be covering an environmental story, but this story about the harbor pilots and the unsung heroes was what really called to him and was the story he felt passionate about. It helped flesh out Reed into more than just a story-hound chasing glory and the next big break and into a more real person, someone who was passionate about their work, but also wanted to tell real stories and shed light onto people who deserve it. I found it easy to get caught up in Reed’s enthusiasm and passion and this helped me get really into the story as a whole.

Readers who like a slow-burning romance should find this story really fits the bill for them. I loved how Reed and Justin had plenty of time to get to know each other and how they (and us!) discovered neither was as simple or quite what the other expected. This slower pace in the men’s romance was lovely and I found it engrossing to read. The sex was hot and emotional between the two men and I felt it really added to the story and wasn’t just thrown in to give the content an explicit rating.

With a strong and interesting plot, a good set of secondary characters and two heroes that I found engaging and deliciously complex this was a great story. I’d happily read more by this author and can recommend this story for most readers.