Heavy Lifting by Andrew Grey


Heavy Lifting by Andrew Grey
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQ, Erotic Romance
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Would-be journalist Reg Applewhite is a slight, geeky guy who knows from high school experience that he’s the perfect size to be shoved into a locker. He writes for his sister’s fashion and gossip blogs and is very understandably reluctant when assigned to cover a local bodybuilding competition for material.

Jack Ponte is a physical god, with a perfect body, poise, and intense eyes. But it’s his grace that captures Reg’s attention, and when Reg asks for an interview, Jack agrees. After all, he’s looking for a life after bodybuilding, and Reg’s blogs offer a chance at something less fleeting.

During the interview, they discover mutual interests in fashion and video games that lead to friendship and deeper feelings neither expects. Reg finds it hard to believe that a god-man like Jack would see anything in him, and Jack is just as shocked when Reg seems to see beyond his looks to the person inside. But there is a price to pay for everything, and Jack draws the kind of unwanted attention that could threaten to pull them apart… or worse. Together they need to figure out a way to lift each other up and push through the challenges.

Reg might have been a geek, skinny and into video games, but he was also an excellent journalist and blogger. He enjoyed working for his sister’s fashion magazine and although his heart wasn’t in a lot of the more gossipy articles that the blog ran, he felt it was balanced out enough with the more real articles he had the freedom to go for. Covering a body building contest wasn’t his idea of a good time, but after a quick initial chat with Jack and finding a sharp brain beneath the magnificent muscles Reg is quickly swayed by the handsome man.

I found this a delightful and fun story. I was super impressed that while at a first glance Reg and Jack’s characters had a few strokes of their “jock and geek” stereotype, both characters were far deeper and infinitely more interesting than I had previously given them credit for. I adored how they didn’t simply glance at each other and jump into bed, and that the two men really learned about each other before becoming intimate. This helped me as a reader see their relationship as far more than just a quick sexy interlude and the building of a far more lasting and interesting emotional relationship between them.

Another thing I really enjoyed with this story was how many of the stereotypes and tropes didn’t unwind how I expected them to. Things like the subplots around a creepy stalker and an over-ambitious sister/editor, both of these are quite well-worn plotlines to my mind and all too frequently fall into a similar pattern to each other. When I could see them beginning I was tempted to skim ahead, not overly interesting in something I have read in other books numerous times before. Both times I was quickly proven extremely wrong – the plots unfolding in ways I had not expected and I was relieved to have not jumped ahead.

The communication and slowly building trust between Reg and Jack – as well as their friendship and connection, I feel – was the real sticking point for this story. I absolutely loved them and loved how neither man was as cookie-cutter as I was expecting. This really appealed to me and made the whole story feel lighter and fresher than I had worried about. While there isn’t anything earth-shatteringly new or different in this story, between the interesting plots, the vivid characters and the really fresh voice of the author I absolutely enjoyed this story and fully expect to purchase the second in the series.

Readers looking for a fun, sexy and steamy story should not be disappointed by this book. I found Reg and Jack’s characters to be interesting and vibrant and their connection and friendship to be believable and relatable. These are two men I felt empathy and interest for and I am intrigued to read more by this author.

Rediscovering Family by Sean Michael


Rediscovering Family by Sean Michael
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQ, Erotic Romance
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Fern

Sometimes life gives you a second chance.

Bruce Dawson and Todd Greene had it all. A happy marriage, fulfilling careers and a brand new baby girl. When their nanny of three days kidnaps their daughter Olive, their world falls apart.
Two years later, divorced and working himself to death, Bruce gets a call that will change the downward trajectory of his life forever. Just three words: they found her.

Now Bruce and Todd must work together to provide the home their daughter deserves, and not only their own daughter, but the little girl found with her as well. To make matters even more complicated, Todd has a son on the way.

Join Bruce and Todd as they reconnect and rediscover what it means to be a family.

Bruce and Todd had a happy marriage, jobs they enjoyed and a brand new baby girl they adored. Their lives – and marriage – fell apart though when the nanny disappeared with their baby girl and although Bruce and Todd still loved each other, they couldn’t find a way to make things work. Two years later Bruce receives a call from Todd, one he never expected to receive with the fateful words “they’ve found her”. Can these two men patch up not just their trust and relationship once again, but build a family with their two new girls and each other?

I often find I’m a bit hit and miss with such deeply emotional storylines as this one portrayed. I often feel like it’s difficult to believe a committed couple who had been driven to the point of divorce could come back together and renew their relationship again. I was delighted that for the most part the author balanced these concerns of mine and the story managed to be both optimistic and emotional while still not negating the very deep and complicated issues Bruce and Todd faced. I found this to be an emotional read, yes, but not drowning in angst or recriminations which was lovely. The characters of Olive and Delilah also lightened the tone and feel of the story significantly and created an amazing balance I feel between the issues lying between Bruce and Todd.

Readers looking for a mostly sweet, second-chance style of story should find this ticks a number of the good boxes. I was pleased that from the very beginning both Todd and Bruce were committed to the two girls and determined to make their non-traditional family work. There was a strong cast of secondary characters – with both sets of Todd and Bruce’s parents as well as Todd’s sister and brother in law being fairly closely involved with the newly recreated family. There was a lot of emotion and a lot of rushing to get everything settled for the two girls but I felt the author really did a good job of balancing the hectic side of getting organized with the two men trying to wade their way through to what would become their new normal. I was particularly pleased that while their past issued weren’t ignored neither was it drawn out or made overly angsty. I thought it was a realistic and sensible balance that I enjoyed reading.

With some exceptional characters, a lot of realism and no shying away from the emotional aspect of the situation, I thought this was a lovely and interesting full length story. While there are a number of explicit scenes between Todd and Bruce this isn’t a full-on erotic romance story – more of a reconnecting and rebuilding a family style of story with plenty of craziness and antics from the children and a solid “feel good” sort of atmosphere. A lovely family story and one I enjoyed.

Nowhere To Ride by Andrew Grey


Nowhere To Ride by Andrew Grey
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQ, Erotic Romance
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Unjustly accused of a crime, Ky Archer is trying to keep his ranch together, with fierce tenacity and minimal help. With his nefarious accuser the lead wolf at the door, Ky is resolved to do whatever he has to in order to keep the final link with his family intact.

Brodie Tyler is down on his luck–way down. Down enough to camp with his baby sister in a tent to get away from relatives he’d hoped would help him. His parents are gone and he’s got nowhere to go, but he’s determined to keep his sister safe with him, no matter what.

Ky finds Brodie and Emily on his property and takes them in out of the storm… literally. Neither expects the heat that ignites between them to be as hot as the western sun. The men find they fit together well, both at work and in the bedroom. They also find they have a common enemy who tries to tear them apart. Working together, they might discover that each holds the key for the other’s desire.

Ky is struggling to keep his ranch afloat. With an enemy in town determined to smear his name and try to purchase his land and more work than Ky can handle things are looking dire. When he finds Brodie and toddler Emily on his land though, Ky can’t turn them away and offers the only help he can, a safe place to stay warm and dry. The sizzling attraction between the two men burns hotly between them, but when they find they share the wrath of a common enemy can these two men stick together and make things work?

I really enjoyed this well plotted and slow paced cowboy romance. I was pleased with the individuality of the main characters and enjoyed the strong supporting secondary characters as well. The author did an excellent job to my mind in making the two men relatable and believable, but still unique enough they stuck in my head and held my interest long after I’d finished this book. I also found this an emotional read and loved how Ky and Brodie formed a strong and believable connection before jumping into bed and becoming intimate.

The day to day problems and obstacles Ky – and Brodie – experienced also really resonated with me and felt both believable and relatable. Things like the hard manual work needed just to keep the ranch working in the searing Texas heat, the isolation of living outside the small township and how a precious resource like water could make or break the success of a farm. And while the villain could appear to be a little overdrawn I honestly feel that it wouldn’t be at all over the top for people to act so ruthlessly and mean-spiritedly – willing to destroy a man’s reputation and drive him out of town with hatred and lies – simply to steal land and resources. As despicable as those actions were, and hard to read, even this struck me as realistic and probably all too common out in real life.

I feel the author did an amazing job writing a realistic and emotional story with a decent and gripping plot. This was a lovely story and I’ve eagerly bought a number of his other works. This could easily become one of my new favourite authors. The fact the relationship and connection between Ky and Brodie was intense, believable and smoking hot was just icing on the cake.

A lovely read and a new to me author who I will enjoy reading more of.

The Reluctant Virgin’s Daddy by Sean Michael


The Reluctant Virgin’s Daddy by Sean Michael
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQ, Erotic Romance
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Robert Venus made a lot of money in tech, and when he sold his business for millions, he was set for life, which suits him to the bone as he never leaves the house, ever, and never interacts with anyone except his personal assistant. With his former assistant leaving to have kids, he’s forced to hire someone new and turns to the Master Temp Agency.

Ignatius Callahan has no idea what to expect as he starts his new temp job as personal assistant to Mr. Venus. When he pulls up in front of solid, ugly gates, he has a hunch this isn’t going to be a job like any of his others.

From their first meeting, Iggy is drawn to Bobby. In fact, the urge to call Bobby his boy is almost overwhelming, but the reclusive young man seems to want to hide away and disappear from the world, including Iggy. As Iggy works to draw Bobby out, he feels more and more sure that Bobby needs him as much as he needs Bobby, and he slowly breaks down Bobby’s walls.

Will Iggy and Bobby be able to find their happy ending together?

The temp agency Ignatius works for has sometimes simply placed him without any pre-interview before, so when he’s assigned to be Robert Venus’ personal assistant Ignatius has no idea what he’s heading into. Right from the moment they met Iggy is drawn to Bobby and those initial feelings only grow. Ignatius is desperate to draw Bobby out, and as they begin to get to know each other better Iggy is more certain than ever they are perfectly suited and really do need each other. As the urge to call Bobby his boy feels overwhelming, can Iggy and Bobby find what they’re really looking for?

I enjoyed this steamy full length story. I was particularly pleased that Iggy didn’t immediately start trying to be intimate with Bobby. It was pretty clear Robert had some emotional baggage and was hiding away from the world for his own reasons and so I feel it would have been inappropriate for Iggy to just blaze in and assume he could make everything fine and fix it all with sensuality and intimacy. The time they took getting to know each other and bonding emotionally and forging that friendship was really critical to my mind and not only made the story more believable but helped me as a reader to see why they connected and how this could work between them in the longer term. I felt that was really well handled and it helped make the intimacy when the men got there feel a lot more special and important.

The intimacy was hot and very very mildly kinky. I was really pleased that there wasn’t an enormous drama or dwelling on the fact that Robert is a virgin and while this is acknowledged there wasn’t some major past hurt or heavy plot revolved around that aspect. The very mild kink comes from the fact Iggy enjoys being a “Daddy” and I was pleased this aspect wasn’t the main focus of the story either, more just one of the many plot points. While Robert doesn’t have any experience with this I was pleased Iggy introduced the style and thoughts behind it slowly and gradually and Robert definitely appeared curious and receptive. Readers looking for a heavily BDSM lifestyle story might find that aspect of this story a bit light for their tastes, but personally I felt it had a good balance and was portrayed in what I could believe is a realistic and sensitive matter.

My only real problem with the story was that at times the story felt a little too unrealistic and rose-tinted-glasses. The romance and blossoming intimacy between Iggy and Bobby pretty much overshadowed everything else at times and in a number of places I found myself pausing mid-sentence and wondering at the amount of time Iggy and Robert had spent together either eating, exploring each other sexually or otherwise not doing their work or answering emails etc., which was portrayed as the whole reason Robert hired Iggy to be his PA. I feel a little more balance – even just a few more casual references to “after Iggy had caught up on the work emails and handled a few call-backs etc.” just to highlight the fact that the “real life” aspect to Iggy’s job and Robert’s business were being handled in the downtime off-screen in between the two men learning about each other and establishing their romantic relationship. I couldn’t help but feel this side to the story was left lagging just a little, even though I thoroughly enjoyed the romance and relationship that grew between Iggy and Bobby.

With two interesting and relatable characters that I felt were well fleshed out and not just cookie-cutter, and a lovely slow moving sensual pace to the story this was a delicious and satisfying read. I enjoyed the slower-than-usual pace to the romance and feel overall this should appeal to a wide range of readers.

Child of the Sea by Faith Talbot


Child of the Sea by Faith Talbot
Mara’s Men, book 3
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, LGBTQ, Paranormal, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Mara has a surprise for her men — she’s pregnant! But Aaron doesn’t seem as happy as he should be. In fact, he fears the baby’s life may be in danger depending on which of them is the father: Aaron, who was born to the ocean, or Chris, who was born half human.

Together, they visit the underwater city where Aaron’s people live to find out if his fears might be valid. With few answers, they await the arrival of their new family member, hoping the bond of their love will keep the baby safe as it enters a world above the sea.

Welcome back to the world of magic and hot fun! It’s about to get complicated.

I like this series and was thrilled to see there’s a third. This time, the triad will get a fourth, but it’s not in a romantic sense. They’re having a baby!

I zipped right through this story in no time because the writing was so crisp. This a fun series and there were twists I never saw coming. Mara has decided these men are hers and baby will make four.

I liked seeing the other beings of the sea in this story and the complications for these people. It made them more real to me.

If you’re looking for a quick read that’s satisfying, then this is the book for you.

Yes, You Are by Willa Okati


Yes, You Are by Willa Okati
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, LGBTQ
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Darian’s as unique an Alpha as Coby is an Omega, but opposites attract twice in Second Chance.
Everyone always assumed small, pretty Darian would be an Omega. He ticked all the boxes — except for the temper and the tendency to cuss a blue streak. But whatever, right? And everyone always assumed big, athletic Coby would be an Alpha. Just stood to reason — as long as you paid no mind to his tender heart. When they met in passing as teenagers, both boys had no reason to doubt that was who they’d be. Everyone said it, after all. But everyone was wrong.

When Darian and Coby meet again in grad school, Darian’s still small and pretty but he’s one hell of a ferocious Alpha — and tall, muscular Coby still struggles with having turned out to be an Omega. The college is short on space due to storm damage, and they’ve got no choice but to share living quarters and come to terms with themselves and their past — and when Coby gets pregnant, their soon-to-be future.

Opposites attract like lightning and steel rods when they meet again in Second Chance, but do they have what it takes to overcome the unexpected for the long haul?

Darian appears to be the perfect Omega, and Coby is like the picture-perfect Alpha – everyone says so and so each man assumes that’s how it is. Only by the time they’re both in grad school neither are sure of anything anymore and when they end up sharing living quarters – and Coby ends up pregnant, they each find they will need all the help they can get in Second Chance.

I really enjoyed this story and found both Darian and Coby’s characters particularly entrancing. While a part of me felt a bit deflated about the Omega/Alpha stereotypes that people constantly expected and the assumptions and discriminations that followed along with that – overall I found this a really hopeful and positive story. Darian was delightfully determined to not let his physical characteristics dictate to his personality or strengths. And while Coby took a little longer to flourish like this, he too had an amazing strength and resilience that I adored.

While the conflict of the stereotypes was an excellent tension in the plot, and I admit the story needed that, it wasn’t always comfortable for me to read it. I was really pleased therefore when Darian and Coby – despite their real and quickly growing attraction to each other – took a little time before becoming physically intimate. I really felt this helped solidify their characters and help establish a far more realistic longer-term relationship between them. One based on friendship, trust and emotional bonds and not just their physical attraction and need for each other.

Readers looking for a sweet – or purely sex-driven romance might find some of the weightier aspects of the plot doesn’t really suit their needs. I found this story to be quite thought provoking and Darian in particular is not a gentle or easy type of character. Personally I really enjoyed this, but I realise it might not be every readers cup of tea. I also absolutely adored Darian’s best friend – Oscar – and am hopeful his story might be shown later in this series.

With two different, but very strong and well fleshed out characters this is a quick and enjoyable story that I really got into. I got easily hooked on Darian and Coby and cheered for them both as they grew together and forged a strong and long-lasting relationship together. With plenty of satisfying sex scenes this was a great read and one I will enjoy again in the future.

Mara’s Men by Faith Talbot


Mara’s Men by Faith Talbot
Mara’s Men, Book 2
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQ, Erotic Romance, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

In Cancun, Mara met Chris and Aaron, two mysterious men who spend most of their time under the ocean. They showed her a world she never could have imagined — and she chose to return to her normal life.

Now, months later, Mara returns to the Mexican beaches hoping to find what she left behind. But even if she does reunite with the two men who changed her world, how can she stay with them in their mysterious world under the sea?

This new normal is so hot and fun…under the sea!

I like this series as it’s unique. Mara has her men and she’s ready to come back to them. Is she ready to stay? Time will tell. The writing is crisp and I read this in one sitting. I needed to know more and was glad to see there’s another in the series. This doesn’t have to be read in order, but it helps. If one comes into the series in the middle, though, it’s not bad. I had no trouble keeping things straight.

This is a fun story and good for an afternoon read. If you like beings of the sea and romance, then pick this up!

Only You by Willa Okati


Only You by Willa Okati
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, LGBTI
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Second Chance — a small town where anything can happen — and does.

Once upon a time, a eighteen year old Alpha named Alex fell in love with a pretty Omega boy from the wrong side of the tracks. Zachary was everything he’d ever wanted — sweet, sassy, and sexy as hell. Alex would have married that boy and raised baby after baby with him — if Zachary hadn’t run away when Alex popped the question.

Alex doesn’t give up easily. When a train derails on its way to Alex’s hometown, he’s finally got another shot at the one who got away, and he’s not going to waste it. Now he’s got Zachary in his sights, and he’s never letting go again.

It killed Zachary to let Alex go the first time. He loved that man as much as Alex loved him, and he’s never fallen out of love, but he left to give Alex his best chance at living his best life. Zachary can’t — won’t — be sorry for that, no matter what it cost him.

Stranded in Second Chance with nowhere else to go and no way to get there, Zachary’s got no choice but to accept the help and shelter Alex offers. The chemistry’s still there. The desire. The connection. The yearning. But when the secrets they’ve both been keeping come to light, will they shatter their bond for keeps, or bring them together in a forever kind of love?

When they were teenagers Alpha Alex fell in love with Omega Zachary. But Zachary was from the wrong side of the tracks, and even though they were both kids, Zachary knew Alex was destined for far bigger and greater things than Zachary could achieve. So even though it broke his heart Zachary did the bigger thing and left, so Alex could achieve his greatness. But life and Second Chance has a way of bringing people back together again.

This is a smoking hot and thoroughly enjoyable read. I really enjoyed both Alex and Zach’s characters and while I admit I found their actions a little predictable they were both characters I felt I could empathize with and relate to.

I was pleased that much of the story is told from Zach’s point of view. Since he is the one who initially left Alex and made some of those fundamental decisions seeing and feeling his reasoning and the depth of his connection to Alex really made the separation between the men more palatable from my perspective. While I sympathized with Alex and found him an equally interesting character, I feel the story really shone better and gave the reader a deeper understanding of the whole situation coming from Zach’s voice.

The intimacy between the men was smoking hot and entirely believable. I thought the author did an excellent job showing Alex and Zach begin to rebuild their relationship and reconnect and while I felt the plotline itself lacked a little freshness it was really well written and I was invested enough in Alex and Zach to not mind this.

With some seriously steamy sex, two vibrant and interesting characters and a whole bucketload of baggage and history between them this is a fun and easy read I feel should appeal to many people.

Skye Falling by Mia McKenzie


Skye Falling by Mia McKenzie
Publisher: Random House
Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQ, Romance
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Cholla

When she was twenty-six and broke, Skye didn’t think twice before selling her eggs and happily pocketing the cash. Now approaching forty, Skye still moves through life entirely—and unrepentantly—on her own terms, living out of a suitcase and avoiding all manner of serious relationships. Maybe her junior high classmates weren’t wrong when they voted her “Most Likely to Be Single” instead of “Most Ride-or-Die Homie,” but at least she’s always been free to do as she pleases.

Then a twelve-year-old girl tracks Skye down during one of her brief visits to her hometown of Philadelphia and informs Skye that she’s “her egg.” Skye’s life is thrown into sharp relief and she decides that it might be time to actually try to have a meaningful relationship with another human being. Spoiler alert: It’s not easy.

Things get even more complicated when Skye realizes that the woman she tried and failed to pick up the other day is the girl’s aunt, and now it’s awkward. All the while, her brother is trying to get in touch, her mother is being bewilderingly kind, and the West Philly pool halls and hoagie shops of her youth have been replaced by hipster cafés.

With its endearingly prickly narrator and a cast of characters willing to both challenge her and catch her when she falls, this novel is a clever, moving portrait of a woman and the relationships she thought she could live without.

Skye Ellison lives live on her own terms and is just fine with that. She tells it like it is and rarely holds back. Which is both good and bad. Good in the sense that she doesn’t let anyone walk over her. When she sets boundaries, they stay until she wants them to come down. They way she handled certain toxic relationships was refreshing. Honestly, I wish I had half her nerve. Her attitude also had downsides, mainly in the way she kept people at arm’s length most of the time.

In a lot of ways, Skye is unlikable and unpleasant. However, the deeper you get into the story, the more time she spends around Vicky, the more you start to understand Skye and her reasons for making herself so inaccessible. As a character, she feels very authentic in a real way, not just a fictional one. She’s smart, she’s clever, and she’s also a hot as heck mess most of the time. I found it highly admirable that she admitted to it quite often.

Vicky did her level best to turn Skye’s life upside down, but in a good way. She pushed Skye, and in turn, pushed herself, to change, be different, to be better. I love the relationship that she forms with her biological mom, but the real gem is the relationship she has with her Aunt Faye. It’s not always easy, but there’s always love and respect between them. Their relationship is another realistic look into blended and alternative family units in today’s world. For me, it was refreshing to see something other than a horrible family or a perfect family.

Skye Falling is both an emotional rollercoaster as well as a laugh riot of a book. Every time Skye started getting too much into her feelings, she’d jerk us right out of it with some pithy comment or sarcastic retort. Even in the moments when I didn’t like her all that much, she never failed to make me laugh out loud. As a mother, I related so much to this story but, as a person, I found it engaging and highly enjoyable.

The Silver Cage by Ana Raine


The Silver Cage by Ana Raine
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, LGBTQ, Paranormal, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Moonflower

Danny barely remembers who he is, let alone his mate. After being taken from his pack years ago by a group of overzealous hunters, Danny identifies only as “Wolf” — the pet of the pack who helps track down other shifters for the hunters’ sport.

When Danny tracks down a female wolf, he hesitates to help imprison her male companion. At first Danny doesn’t remember this wolf, at least not logically, but his senses are completely overtaken and he’s sure he’s met this Alpha before.

This wolf isn’t just his former Alpha. Jamie is also his mate, and after years of believing Danny dead, Jamie’s not going to let his mate go ever again. Even if it means working together to kill each of the hunters so they can never take their lives again — or come between their mating bond.

Danny was taken from his mate and his pack ten years previously, and has been subjected to goodness knows what. He has forgotten his name and now only thinks of himself as Wolf. His life is at a crossroads – one of the humans wants to keep him, but a pair of wolves want to save him. In saving Danny, Jamie’s sister, Danica, is taken.

This is a fast-paced novella that is sometimes a bit jerky as the scenes progress. A whole lot of story is crammed within these sixty-six pages. I would have liked it to have been expanded upon, even if only a little bit.

The characters are likeable (or not, as the situation demands) and believable. This is the first in the Restrained series, so it will be interesting to see what happens next. I really hope Jax stays at home!

A quick coffee-break book that I enjoyed. If you’re looking for a light read, then I can recommend this one.