Category Archives: Review

A Model Boyfriend by Clancy Nacht
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The review was originally published for The Romance Reviewers and can be found here

As a reader, I am normally not a fan of a storyline that already has one of the individuals in a committed relationship. For me, something always just seems to be missing. However, I was pleasantly surprised with A MODEL BOYFRIEND.

For the past three years, Andy (Andrea) and Mike have been together, but recently have found themselves growing apart as they develop new interests. Mike wants Andy to give up the art that she loves and Andy doesn’t understand what happened to the guy she fell in love that. But everything changes when Andy meet Brandon, a male model, and starts to question her future with Mike or without him.

As I was reading, I never truly felt the dynamics of a relationship between Andy and Mike – it was like they were just going along making the motions, even before Brandon came into the picture. But once he did, I could almost feel the connection between Andy and Brandon.

There were several fun scenes throughout including the photo shoot, and also ones that were moving, such as the Thanksgiving Day turkey portion. With Andy being an artist, there was one description of a painting and quote that stuck with me after finishing the book. Towards the end at a featured art show, Andy and Brandon are talking about a painting and he says to her, “we all want a sunnier room than the one that we just closed the door on. It doesn’t always work that way, but I’ll do my best, Andy.” – that statement and the description of what most individuals want in their lives resonated with me – the idea of always wanting things to be better than the day before, or the room before. It is something that I will keep in my mind in the future.

Yet, there were also some parts that just didn’t seem to jive with the rest of the story. Mostly I think this just had to do with the wording in a few places. The term “self-abuse” seemed to be used on several occasions and whenever it showed up, it jolted me out of the enjoyment of my reading. I don’t know what it is about that word, but it just bothered me. Aside from those difficulties with some of the wording, I enjoyed the story and will definitely be seeking out more writing by Clancy Nacht in the future.

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Make You Sweat by Pia Veleno
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The book was originally reviewed for The Romance Reviewers and can be found here

Anyone who knows me as a reader knows that a 5 star review is not something that I give out very often. A book has to really move me or engross me in order for that to happen and MAKE YOU SWEAT by Pia Veleno did not disappoint. I first read some of Ms Veleno’s work when she wrote a story based on a photo prompt in the m/m romance group on goodreads.com and her writing just resonated with me. So when I saw her new book available for review, I jumped on it.

Spending the summer with his dad is just what Tyler was looking for. Its an opportunity for him to spend the summer at the beach, working out – planning to return to school the next year buff and sexy. On his first day at the gym, he meets Cody, a fitness instructor who offers to help him with his summer goals. As the summer progresses, the relationship between Tyler and Cody depends, but will it just turn out to be a case of summer loving or something more?

While I was reading MAKE YOU SWEAT, I had that old song from Grease going through my head, Summer Lovin’ and to me it works well with the story. I loved Tyler as a character, the young innocent college boy, and Cody, the old man. This is definitely a book for anyone who likes twinks in their m/m romance, while reading it, I termed it twinkalicious 😉 The development of the relationship between Cody and Tyler seemed to be believable and not too rushed like other romances I have read, and the angst towards the end as the summer drew to a close felt real to me. I actually felt sad for them as Tyler was planning on returning to school.

However, like every book, there were some weaknesses or plot difficulties. For me, there were two that were of a minor annoyance, and one of which is Tyler’s lack of self-esteem as the summer progressed. There seemed to be an almost woe-is-me moments sprinkled throughout and then there is the cover. I don’t know what it is about them, but personally, I really dislike the cartoon-y looking covers. If this book had been written by an author I wasn’t familiar with, I probably would have passed it over because of the cover. I guess that just means, I should learn to not judge books by their covers 😉

If she continues the way she has so far, Pia Veleno will very quickly find her way onto my auto-buy pile and I look forward to more by her in the future.

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The Trophy Exchange by Diane Fanning
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sometimes I find it interesting in how we discover new authors. Case in point, I picked this book up because I needed it to fit a random challenge category (the initials of the author had to match my own) and I found it by browing the F shelf at the library. But I really enjoyed it overall. I loved that as a character Lucinda wasn’t the perfect cop. The supporting characters were intriging, I want to hear more about Ted (one of the Sgt’s who works with her) and his family; and hoping that there will be a re-appearance of other characters. I’ll def. be reading the next one in the series.

Buy from Amazon: The Trophy Exchange (A Lucinda Pierce Mystery)

Me, Myself, and Why? by MaryJanice Davidson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was different…I’ve read MJD in the past and found her Undead series to be lite and whimsey for the most part (I mean, a Vampire addicted to shoes)…in this new series, she takes on an individual with mental health issues (multiple personalities) who is also a federal agent.

Overall I enjoyed the book (although I listened as an audiobook) and might consider picking up another one in the series in the future. However, this isn’t one that you can listen to or read if you are easily distracted, because some chapters will stop mid-sentence as another of Cadance’s personalities makes an appearance. I’ve never met anyone with MPD, so don’t know if this is how it happens – but I hope not, because I felt sorry for Cadence in some of the situations she found herself in at times.

Click here to purchase Me, Myself and Why? (Amazon)

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Out of Africa by Karen Blixen
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I’m sure others liked it, but it just didn’t do anything for me. Seemed very disjointed and not cohesive…oh well

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Succubus Revealed by Richelle Mead
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is bittersweet in so many ways. I realized as I finished listening to it on the commute home tonight, that there is no more Georgina and Seth. Over the course of the last five books, plus this one, i’ve come to enjoy them, and while I might have bitched and moaned in previous reviews about their behavior – there is something about them, that is so life like (well, as much as a succubus can be 😉 )

For most people who have been following the series, the conclusion probably came as no surprise and looking back through the previous books you can see hints that the author dropped to lead you to this final climax. But how we finally got there was the ride of a life-time. I don’t remember the last time when I physically sat in my car for almost fifteen minutes after getting to work, because I HAD to hear what happened next. There were times where I laughed and many more where I nearly cried.

One thing that really drew me to this installment in the series was the development of the secondary characters. Sure, G&S were there in all their glory, but it was the smaller people who have appeared in all the other books and it was finally in this one that I came to know them more like people and less like characters on a page: the Mortensen girls (Morgan and Makenna especially); Peter and Cody; Hugh (the imp that he is) and the new characters that were introduced – Seth’s mom and brother (although I definately had a few WTF moments with Ian at times).

I’ll look back on these books in the future (and who knows, maybe even fit in a re-listen) and hope that Ms. Mead will eventually take up back to the world of Georgina and Seth, be it Seattle, or wherever they might. Even just a visit would be nice. I want to know what happened to Roman (if we ever will) and find more out about Carter – maybe the next person he is there to save will be the basis of another series (pretty please). All I can say is that Ms. Mead is definately going on my auto buy list in the future (at least for her adult titles – YA i’m not so sure about yet). Luckily, I still have her Dark Swan series to check out.

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Retribution by Sherrilyn Kenyon
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

most like a 1.5 than 2 stars…about the only saving grace was the fact that I got it from the library and didn’t fork out any money for it…

so from the previous book (No Mercy) a whole new cast of characters were introduced, but were any of them followed up here…nope…instead we find ourselves in Las Vegas with Sundown – now, i’ve been waiting for Sundown’s book since he was introduced in Zarek’s, but this was just a disappointment. There wasn’t even really the normal mythology undertones that are in her previous books, but rather a whole new cast of characters in native american myths and legends…

save your money and get it from the library. if i keep reading any of her books, that is the only way i’ll be doing it – but this one might just have been bad enough to stop me from reading her again

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Kismet by Monica Burns
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

like someone mentioned in another review, its been a long time since i’ve read a sheik romance – I stopped reading them several years ago because they were just ehhh…so I was pleasantly surprised when I picked this one up. I loved the sexual tension between the two main characters and that fact that the heroine was a courtesan and had taken control of her own sexual future made her appealing, especially considering that its a historical. The setting in Morocco made it visually appealing, I felt, at several times, I was in the desert with the Bedouin.

My only tiny nitpick comment was in one part where the author used some arabic in greetings and made a mistake – I don’t know a lot of arabic, but the part that was incorrect was one of the first things that we learnt and it has stuck in my head since. That being said, I will def. be looking for more booksby Ms Burns in the future – in particular, to see if there are any featuring Allega’s friend who gets married in the first part of the book, and Sheheen’s cousin, Charles who plays a pivotal role in this one to see if he gets his HEA eventually.

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Broken Rules by Jade Buchanan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Book reviewed for The Romance Reviews – original review can be found here – The Romance Reviews – Broken Rules

Can your first love be your true love?

Returning home after ten years of being away, Jonah is unsure of what he will find following the death of his mother. His best friend growing up, Neil, is there to provide him with support through the tough time he is going through, but could there possibly be something more between the two of them? Jonah has always felt something for Neil, but is unsure whether it is reciprocated. But now he is going to find out.

This was the first book that I have read by Jade Buchanan and it definitely won’t be the last. I was intrigued about the premise from just reading the description. I have to admit that I’m always a sucker for the first time love, returning home type story…I guess it’s that fairytale dream of always finding your true love, or in the words of one of my favorite movies, “Twu Wuv” (The Princess Bride).

Jonah was a character that I felt like I could connect with. While I am not in the same situation that he found himself in, I did leave home at about the same age as him and have only been back once in the last twelve years and he is returning home for the first time in ten years. Then there is Neil, Jonah’s best friend growing up, they were the kind of friend that you wish your son or daughter could have in life, until Jonah left town. Now he is back, a Police diver and looking to re-establish his friendship and maybe more with Jonah.

But like with all romance novels, there has to be a source of conflict, for Jonah and Neil, it is the fact that they’re on the opposite side of Canada to each other. Jonah has his work as a social worker and Neil is limited in his location by where there are diving units. It’s a good thing that this is the first book in a trilogy because I can’t wait to see what happens between the two of them in later books.

I’d give this book 4 out of 5 stars, but will be on the look-out for more books by Ms. Buchanan in the future.

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Almost A Spinster by Jenna Petersen
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I wasn’t sure i was going to write a review of this until someone just left me a comment asking what I thought and it gave me a chance to sit down and thing. I liked the stories to an extent don’t get me wrong. But I had a hard time with the believability of them – yeah, you laugh, because i do read a lot of romance, but these ones just seemed to be missing something. I never really got the feeling that each couple fell in love with the other – I think if the author had broken them up into 3 longer stories and developed the characters and situations a bit more they would have been better reads. That isn’t however going to stop me from reading stuff by Ms. Petersen in the future – I’m intrigued enough by her writing style to do just that.

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