Book Review: Undertow by Brooklyn Ray

Title:  Undertow

Series: Port Lewis Witches, #2

Author: Brooklyn Ray

Publisher:  NineStar Press

Release Date: September 10, 2018

Heat Level: 4- A good amount of sex

Pairing: M/M

Length: 58000
Genre: Paranormal

Tags: Witches, Dark, Paranormal, Transgender

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38102484-undertow

Synopsis:

Port Lewis, a coastal town perched on the Washington cliffs, is home to Crescent Cafe, a slew of micro-breweries, a downtown packed with antique boutiques, and violent, ancient sotrms.  Thunder shakes roogtops and lightning cuts through dark skies, but Liam Montgomery has never been afraid.

Until now.

One night, Liam hears the scream of a kelpie, a Water horse whose cry foretells the beginning of a prophecy. Kelpies have not set foot on shore for decades, but as Liam digs into his magic and his family's history, he uncovers a mysterious secret that could ripple into the lives of everyone around him.

Liam's tea-leaves spell out murder. The life of someone he loves is on the line. An unwelcome kelpie speaks in riddles. The Queen of Water demands a sacrifice.

The Montgomery name is soaked in blood and secrets. Liam's fate is sealed, but he'll do whatever it takes to change it - even if it risks his circle, his magic, and his life.

My Review:

Hold on kids, this is darkness at it's best.

I HAVE to APOLOGIZE - this review was supposed to go out in September - but you know what life is like sometimes. So...yeah, there it is. My deepest apologies to Brooklyn Ray.

Now, no secret - I have a twisted dark side. I suspect Brooklyn Ray has a similar shadowy self that they dwell within while writing the Port Lewis witch series.  Unbroken, the third in the series, and Predatory, the fourth, are both set to be released in 2019 - AND I WILL BE BUYING THEM.

Holy Hot Damn on a Cracker Batman. 

Fair warning, these short novels are intense, hot, steamy, and dark. If you have any issues with blood-letting or questionable gray magic, these stories are not for you. But, if you desire to experience some intense sex scenes, dive deep into the wetness of water magic, to search your shadow side and siphon energy from others, get this book. Get it now.

In the first novel, Darkling (see my review here), we were introduced to Ryder, who is an elemental fire witch, but also a necromancer - a powerful combination. Ryder is also transgender. In this novel, we get to see Liam, Ryder's boyfriend, as he grapples with looming, and grim prophecies of a catastrophic event that is about to unfurl - like the tentacles of an angry octopus.

One of the biggest draws for me in this story is the take on the Kelpie, a water fae that is a shapeshifter, a trickster, dangerous (like most fae), and usually takes the form of a horse with a fishtail.

(Kelpie by Krizdole was taken from the website: https://wendyjargonncom.blogspot.com/2013/03/kelpie-celtic-water-horse.html)

I think most of us have read tales about werewolves, vampires, unicorns - you know, the usual urban fantasy fare. But here, Ray takes us into the lesser known realm of the fae, and I loved it.

Ray is able to weave words together in such a way...it envelopes the reader. I feel as if the spells cast in the book are happening besides me, and I can see the wispy trails of magic swirling around my feet, spiraling up, wrapping and gripping a stranglehold on me. Her stories are like that too. Unapologetically, the sentences act just like the magic spell. They grab you, and drag you through the story, experiencing the tale through comparisons and clever wordplay that I've not seen done by any other author.

I ate this book in a couple of sittings, and the entire time I read it, I felt damp, and cold, and could smell the salt breeze, and hear the ocean waves as they roared with ferocity. So far, this is a brilliant series and one I will always suggest to those who enjoy wallowing in the not-so-light-and-fairy-twinkle-lights of most paranormal/urban fantasy books.

This is gloomy and dark. Unsettling and morally gray.

Get it. Read it.

You will not be disappointed.

Rating:

Available At:

NineStar Press | Amazon | Smashwords | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Meet The Author:

Brooklyn Ray is a tea connoisseur and an occult junkie. She writes queer speculative fiction layered with magic, rituals and found families.

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Book Review: The Fox, the Dog, and the King by Matt Doyle

Title:  The Fox, the Dog, and the King

Series: The Cassie Tam Files #2

Author: Matt Doyle

Publisher:  NineStar Press

Release Date: July 23, 2018

Heat Level: 1- No sex

Pairing: No Romance

Length: 58000

Genre: Science Fiction, Futuristic, Lesbian, Private Detective, Sci-Fi

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40719106-the-fox-the-dog-and-the-king

Synopsis:

New Hopeland City may have been built to be the centerpiece of the technological age, but some remnants of the old world still linger. The tools of the trade have changed, but the corruption remains the same, even in the criminal underworld …

When PI Cassie Tam and her girlfriend Lori try to make up for their recent busy schedules with a night out at the theatre to watch the Tech Shift performer Kitsune, the last thing they expected was for Cassie to get a job offer. But some people are never off the clock, and by the end of the evening, Cassie has been drawn into a mundane but highly paid missing pet case. Unfortunately, in New Hopeland City, even something as simple as a little lost dog can lead you down some dark paths.

Until now, Cassie wasn’t aware that there even was a rabbit hole, let alone how far down it goes.

My Review:

Cassie Tam is a perpetually grumpy, stubborn, slightly ornery PI, and her gruff nature has once again shone through in the second Cassie Tam book, The Fox, the Dog, and the King. She reminds me of the loveable curmudgeon from Pixar's movie "Up" - you know the type - cane-wielding, arm shaking, "You kids get off my lawn," yelling senior citizen - this to me sums up Cassie perfectly. But in this sequel to Addict, we get to see a bit of a softer side as Cassie's relationship with Lori - the Tech Shifter from the first book starts to develop.

Now having said that, the relationship is not the point of the novel, more of a side arc. The mystery is the tracking down of a Japanese Anime inspired Performance Artist named Kitsune, who is convinced that their dog has been abducted.

As Cassie traces down her leads, she soon realizes that the large number of dog-nappings that have occurred lately throughout New Hopeland is only the proverbial 'tip of the iceberg'. After uncovering a dog-fighting ring, Cassie discovers a much deeper revelation.

Now that you're sitting on the edge of your seat, I couldn't possibly reveal that - you'll have to read the book yourself!

What I will say is this: The plot is clever. Although mysteries are not my usual fare, there was some careful story weaving in order to convey this tale. And what's the one thing I always say?  "Give me a clever story." So, to that end, I say, well done Mr. Doyle! The intricacies and detail, and once again the attention to the tech detail were incredible. The back of the book even contains an "Owner's Manual" for the Tech Shifting suits. Fantastic!

Pet Owners and Animal Lovers beware! I have to say, I'm fairly dark and twisted, and I can subject myself to a rather wide range of topics and not have it linger within my soul. This story did though...one scene, in particular, took me out of reality and placed me right in the ring...the dogfighting ring. That bothered me, a lot. As a dog owner, this scene rattled my bones and disturbed me because I was able to easily place my little chihuahuas in place of Fish - the abducted dog. I know my sweet little pups wouldn't have lasted 30 seconds in that environment, and that violent imagery left me haunted. Now, some of you may be thinking how terrible that was, and you'd be right, it wasn't pleasant. BUT, and this is a monumental BUT - the author was able to create several pages of detail that made me remove myself from reality - step into their world - and live it so deeply that it made me have emotions outside of their world.

And that, my reading friends, is called true storytelling, and I wish every book I picked up would transport me like this moment did. 

Well done. Very well done. Bring on Cassie Tam #3 - which I understand has been completed...and so we wait. What trouble will the PI who can straddle both worlds of Light and Dark get herself into next?

Rating:

Available At:

NineStar Press | Amazon | Smashwords | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Meet The Author:

Matt Doyle lives in the South East of England and shares his home with a wide variety of people and animals, as well as a fine selection of teas. He has spent his life chasing dreams, a habit which has seen him gain success in a great number of fields. To date, this has included spending ten years as a professional wrestler, completing a range of cosplay projects, and publishing multiple works of fiction.

These days, Matt can be found working on far too many novels at once, blogging about anime, comics, and games, and plotting and planning what other things he’ll be doing to take up what little free time he has.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | eMail

My Love of Demons

This is going to sound so silly, but from a Twitter pitch to today, if you had asked me two years ago where my life would be with my writing, I certainly wouldn’t have said it was being a published author with NineStar Press (See my author page here!).

January 13, 2017, the email arrived. “We are pleased to offer you…” Well, let me assure you there was much schoolgirl screaming and jumping up and down from a bearish two hundred pound (don’t judge) gay guy. And yes, I was at my day job. And yes, they think I’m crazier now than before. But it’s all good.

Who would have thought that anyone, anywhere, would have enjoyed my rampaging demons? Not everyone appreciates apocalyptic mean-spirited, violent creatures. I mean, sure, I do…and yes my cubicle at work has a magnet that says “I don’t wrestle with my demons, I whisper sweet nothings to them.”

Turns out NineStar loved them as much as I do!

So then fast forward through several months of editing (and more editing, and then some more… and then wait, yes, one more time), the creation of cover art (and can I say, WOW), here I sit, a little over a year since my debut novel Daimonion: Book One of the Apocalypse was released. And then…this past July, Magic or Die (Inner Demons #1) was also released, and that too has some nasty demons residing within the characters of that story.

(Books Available Here)

I have been asked, “Where does your love for demons come from?”

Oh, say, that’s a tricky question. Do I really love my demons? No. I don’t actually. They terrify the living bejesus out of me.

When I wrote Daimonion I deleted probably more than I kept. Some of the blood splatter and terribly nasty words, and actions just seemed to be too over the top. I pulled back. I put a filter on it. And I’m sure glad I did because reviews that have come in for Daimonion have expounded on the brutality and darkness in that world. And that makes me really happy because that’s exactly what I wanted. Demons are vicious. They are more than mean; they are the epitome of hedonistic delights. If it feels good, do it, and be damned the consequences or lives that are destroyed along the way.

They are every violent thought you’ve ever had acted out. They are the darkness within our souls personified.

Let’s face it – despite how cheery and sunshine filled your “Happy Good Morning, How Are You!” cubicle mate is at work, or that perky barista at the coffee shop, there’s something twisted lurking in every single one of us. There’s a great line from the Adam’s Family (1991) movie. Wednesday Adams went out trick or treating for Halloween, but she looked like she always did. So she was asked where her costume was. Her response? “I’m a homicidal maniac, they look just like everyone else.”

And therein lies the key to my demons. I want them human looking. I think the most disturbing thing in the world is for one human to hurt another, and we all do it, every day. Sometimes in little ways, sometimes in big ways. Regardless, we are the demons.

Now having said that, rampaging humans isn’t nearly as interesting as human looking demons who morph and change when they need to, and so out comes the wings, and tails, and horns, and odd colored eyes. If we’re going to make monsters out of ourselves, let’s add in a good heaping tablespoon of non-human characteristics. For me, that shift, the change from human to demon represents the body’s degradation. This is what happens when you let the monster out.

Confession: I cannot watch horror movies. I’ve tried. They give me terrible nightmares, and thank you, but I don’t need any more assistance in creating horrifying things.

And yet, here I am writing about blood thirsty vampires, horses of the apocalypse, soulless witches and succubae.

There’s something thrilling about the dark. Now I’ve met some folks who are very comfortable completely immersed into the shadows. That’s not me. The dark is scary and anxiety-ridden. But I like to sit on the periphery, and watch. Straddling the line between dark and light, you see some interesting things. The faeries dance along that line…sometimes they’ll help you, and sometimes they’ll eat you. Occasionally you’ll find a ghost passing by who’s terribly lost and looking for the right direction. And when you’re least expecting it, the head of the beast pokes out from the darkest spot in the corner of the closet.

Scares the living shit out of you.

But I find they usually just sniff around, maybe attempt a couple of licks to taste the flesh, and then they melt back into the pit.

Wasn’t that fun? Did your mind just create some horrifying beastie that might keep you up tonight? Being scared is titillating. Endorphins surge through us and make us feel alive.

So, do I love my demons? No. I have a healthy respect for them. They entertain me, and they make me feel alive. They also give me permission to lift up the rocks that are buried at the bottom of my soul and inspect the creepy things that crawl out.

Don’t get me wrong, demons are great, and they seem to lurk at the periphery of all my writing. But I won’t forget about the others. There are so many creatures running amok, and if you look closely enough, you’ll see them. That girl on the train, she’s not human. She’s a Sylph. That guy at the end of the bar who’s really shy and has been looking at his mug of beer all night? Don’t kid yourself, he’s been watching you. He’s half djinn.

There’s beauty all around us, and there’s magic too, if you know where to look for it. If you listen closely, you’ll hear the trees talking to you, and you’ll find a garden gnome who will keep the slugs off your hostas if you’ll pay him with chocolate chip cookies once a week.

Our world is two sided, for everything that is sexy gorgeous, there’s something rank and dirty. If you’re willing to dig, if you’re not afraid to find the truth, you’ll see both sides in everything.

Trust me.

It’s there.

Book Review: A Mage's Power by Casey Wolfe

Title:  A Mage's Power

Series: The Inquisition Trilogy, Book One

Author: Casey Wolfe

Publisher:  NineStar Press

Release Date: July 16, 2018

Heat Level: 2 - Fade to Black Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 70800

Genre: Paranormal, mages, witches, shifters, dark, magic

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40719062-a-mage-s-power

Synopsis

Built on the bones of an ancient city, modern-day Everstrand is where master mage, Rowan, has set up his enchantment shop. When not hanging out with his werewolf best friend, Caleb, or studying, he dabbles in herbology and the controversial practice of blood magic. A prodigy who has already earned two masters, Rowan’s bound and determined to reach the distinction of grandmaster, a mage who obtains a masters in all five Schools of Magic.

Shaw works for the Inquisition, the organization charged with policing the magical races collectively known as magicae. Recently, it has come under scrutiny as magicae begin to disappear and reports of violence increase. With secrets of his own on the line, Shaw is willing to risk everything to find out just what is going on behind all the locked doors.

When Rowan and Shaw are entangled in each other’s worlds, it becomes evident that their hearts are as much at risk as their lives. They must find the truth and stop a conspiracy before it’s too late.

My Review:

A Mage's Power is a fun, quick read with a lot going on. Rowan, the main character, is studying to become a grandmaster - a mage who holds a masters degree in all five schools of magic. There is also a dark mage running amok. Caleb, his best friend, is an incorrigible werewolf who is utterly delightful and perhaps more animal than human - I quite liked Caleb.  And then there's Shaw. A mysterious fellow, who works for the bad guys and who is not what he seems at first.

These three end up on a whirlwind adventure to stop a subversive element within the Inquisition.

The magic system in this world is well thought out, and while I found it to be fairly standard and acceptable within the parameters of most fantasy/urban fantasy novels, there were enough quirks and spins to make it interesting. Some of the best writing in the story for me were the depictions of spells, enchantments, and battles with magic. It felt like the author enjoyed writing those scenes as the imagery easily transported me away, filling my vision with swirling faeries lights, bursts of power, and wisps of odd herbological aromas. To the author, I say, "Well done!"

I was also surprised at the world building. In the first few pages of the book the story had the feel of a fantasy world something akin to Lord of the Rings, where we knew there were different species of sentient life, but every now and then Wolfe would drop the use of modern-day technology into the tale.  Use of cell phones, computers, cars, and weapons took the fantasy and overlapped it with the modern day.  So how is that different from any other urban fantasy novel? Well, I find most Urban Fantasy is very much set in the here and now. The city life that we are all well versed in is the backdrop, and slowly, elements of magic and fae are dropped into the story. A Mage's Power seemed to do the exact opposite. A fantasy world, made up and built well, with modern day elements dropped into it. I have to say, an interesting spin!

As the author takes you on the story's journey, there are breaks in the timeline which the author expects you to fill in. At times I found those leaps took me a minute to put together, and the story starts off very sweet and fantastical, but at the end, it takes a sudden and dramatic violent twist.

Now I'm not squeamish about a little blood n guts, but I was actually shocked at the sudden change. Granted, given the scenario, and the characters involved (No, I can't say much more than that, otherwise we get spoilery and I won't do that - so you'll just have to read it for yourself to understand! ;o) ), this abrupt one-eighty in the book's style and flavor was, at first, really out of place. But upon further reflection, made sense. Just fair warning for others who pick this up - expect a little of the unexpected!

One a side note - loved the individual charms - I want one! And I loved the Merfolk. I want one too.

Great tale, and I'll be picking up the next in the series when it comes out.

Rating:

Available At:

NineStar Press | Amazon | Smashwords | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Meet the Author:

Author of gay romantic fiction, from contemporary to paranormal and everything in between.

For Casey, existence equals writing. History nerd, film enthusiast, music lover, avid gamer, and just an all-around geek. Add in an unapologetic addiction to loose-leaf tea and you get the general picture. Married, with furry four-legged children, Casey lives happily in the middle of nowhere Ohio.

Website | Facebook | eMail | Tumblr

Book Review: Sky Full of Mysteries by Rick R. Reed

Title:  Sky Full of Mysteries

Series: N/A

Author: Rick R. Reed

Publisher:  Dreamspinner Press

Release Date: August 14, 2018

Heat Level: 3/5

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 220 pages

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Science Fiction

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38371890-sky-full-of-mysteries

Synopsis:

What if your first love was abducted and presumed dead—but returned twenty years later?

That’s the dilemma Cole Weston faces. Now happily married to Tommy D’Amico, he’s suddenly thrown into a surreal world when his first love, Rory Schneidmiller, unexpectedly reappears.

Where has Rory been all this time? What happened to him two decades ago, when a strange mass appeared in the night sky and lifted him into the heavens? Rory has no memory of those years. For him, it’s as though only a day or two has passed.

Rory still loves Cole with the passion unique to young first love. Cole has never forgotten Rory, yet Tommy has been his rock, by his side since Rory disappeared.

Cole is forced to choose between an idealized and passionate first love and the comfort of a long-term marriage. How can he decide? Who faces this kind of quandary, anyway? The answers might lie among the stars….

My Review:

Rick Reed has been on my To Be Read radar for a while now, and so when the opportunity came up to read and review his latest release, I eagerly jumped on it.

This story centers around Cole and Rory, a young couple moving in together, new in their relationship, and living life in the Midwestern city of Chicago. Reed's knowledge of the neighborhoods and attention to detail of the city is impressive, immediately immersing the reader into the gay 1990's in this well-known city.

Having lived as an out gay man during the 90's, I was impressed as I too recalled the history at the time. Bars and clubs were the preferred gathering place, smartphones didn't exist, nor did the hookup apps - and so how did young gay men find each other? Either by sitting in said bars or through the city's local hookup phone lines. I had forgotten all about those phone lines, and I found myself transported back to my youth while reading this story - well done Mr. Reed! It was an enjoyable walk down memory lane.

The mystery in this novel is what happens to Rory - a self-proclaimed Sci-Fi nut, who goes missing. The reader knows why, but the details about the event are never explored, keeping the entire incident a true conundrum. Even Rory himself doesn't remember the details of his abduction.

The book focuses on the development of the characters. What's going on in their heads, how Cole deals with his lover's sudden disappearance, and what happens to the people from Rory's life who are left wondering, "What happened?"

Twenty years later Rory returns.

We get to see how the characters from the beginning of the story have changed, how life has progressed, and how they react to Rory's sudden reappearance.

There are some scintillating and steamy scenes between Rory and Cole, but I'm not entirely sure I would have called this an M/M Romance, as I'm not convinced there was a Happily Ever After, or even a Happy For Now ending. There is a sudden disappearance involving aliens, but I'm not sure I would have called this book a Sci-Fi adventure, as the details of the abduction are left to the reader's imagination and the Sci-Fi aspect isn't truly explored.

But what you do get is a solid story, steeped in 90's gay culture, vivid descriptions and amazing character development.

If you're looking for a story that's just a touch different than your average book, I'd recommend this.

As I said above, Mr. Reed has been on my To Read list for a while. That hasn't changed, and with this book, I've now found another author whose talent for telling a story takes me out of reality for a while as I explore his worlds. Nicely done Mr. Reed! Nicely done.

I'll be sure to check out other novels by this author.

(Advanced Reading Copy supplied by the author for a fair and honest review.)

Rating:

Available At:

Dreamspinner Press | Amazon | Kobo

Meet the Author:

Rick R. Reed draws inspiration from the lives of gay men to craft stories that quicken the heartbeat, engage emotions, and keep the pages turning. Although he dabbles in horror, dark suspense, and comedy, his attention always returns to the power of love. Rick is the award-winning and bestselling author of more than 50 works of published fiction and has been recognized by Lambda Literary as "a writer that doesn't disappoint." Rick lives in Palm Springs, CA with his beloved husband and their Boston terrier.

Catch up with Rick Reed here...

Website | Twitter | Amazon Page | Goodreads

Book Review: The Lavender Shores Series (Books 1-4) by Rosalind Abel

Titles: The Palisade, The Garden, The Veranda & The Shipwreck

Series: The Lavender Shores Series

Author: Rosalind Abel (pen name of Brandon Witt)

Publisher:  Wings of Ink Publications/ Amazon Digital Services

Release Date: June 2017, July 2017, August 2017, September 2017

Heat Level: 4 - Good amount of sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: (230 pages), (264 pages), (260 pages), (292 pages)

Genre: M/M Romance

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/series/207415-lavender-shores

A note from the reviewer (warning, it's a little long):

You may, or may not have noticed, that for the most part, I haven't put up any reviews of the M/M Romance books I read, and out of all of the books I read in a year, I'd say about 25% are M/M Romance, 10% Mainstream Popular Fiction and 65% LGBT Fiction. There's a big reason why that breakdown is the way it is. Let me explain.

When I was a young gay lad, growing up and becoming aware of my sexuality in the 80's (yeah, I'm that old), it was a scary time. The TV was full of newscasts and images of young dying gay men as health officials warned about the dangers of GRID (gay-related immune deficiency) and for a while, it was even called the gay plague. Attitudes towards the LGBT folk were not good. Thank goodness we've got past that (mostly), and although HIV is still an issue, and people should always put their health first, it's also on us to be educated about the disease and treat those with HIV with respect and compassion. That said, all the fear mongering, bigotry and hatred from those formative years kept me in the closet a little longer than the kids of today.

But it was also a time when the LGBT Rights movement made enormous gains, which began with Stonewall back in June of 1969. But regardless of the advances being made, it was very hard to find good gay fiction. In fact, media representation of the Rainbow Tribe was often negative or horrifyingly stereotypical.

Now, here I am, approaching 50 years old, and there's a lot more literature to choose from, which is kind of nice. So, I'm making up for all those years I didn't have people like me in the books I read. We've still got a long way to go with diversity and representation in literature, and with #ownvoices authors writing and being published, but, we're getting there.

So I choose to focus a lot of my reading time on good LGBT lit. Having said that, I love my romance - and to be honest, I only found M/M Romance about a year and a half ago.

Now, I don't care who you are, where you are from, or what name you use to publish your books under, all I care about is that the book I'm spending my time on, and my money, is clever, intelligent and memorable. I also know, not every story is for every reader, even if it fits into those categories (I still am not a big fan of cozy mysteries! Sorry [don't throw rocks - it's not nice]).

But, every now and then you come across an author whose words sit well with you. They have an ability to sweep you away, get you caught up in the story and remove you from the reality you live in, and place you in the world the author has created. This takes a special kind of talent. It's extremely difficult to take black and white worlds and weave worlds with texture, sights, sounds and smells - but a good author can.

And so let me introduce you to Rosalind Abel, a pen name of Brandon Witt. When I read my first Rosalind Abel book (The Palisade) I actually had no idea that the author was a gay man using a pen name. And then I became instantly hooked, but for a couple of reasons.
1.) The stories are good, fun, made me laugh, more importantly, made me feel.
2.) The stories, although written under a woman's name, come from the perspective of a gay man, and again I'll say - don't care who you are - just tell me a good story. But there's something special - a unique connection that occurs when the person telling the story is able to draw and pull from their own experiences and relate them in their stories.  I don't mean they are using their personal real-world experiences - I mean they can translate the feelings and emotions from their time in the world, how it was for them, and use that in their writing - and it shows. Brandon Witt does this to me time and time again with his Lavender Shores series.

And so, this is my first entry into my blog that reviews some M/M Romance books. I hope after reading this you're inspired to pick them up and read a few of them. And, I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

Rosalind announced the other day on her website and on FaceBook that the Lavender Shores series will continue on with 12 books each focusing in on different couples from the small town. I'm only on book 4 and so I have a lot of time to go visit the streets, and shops, characters and families of the Californian west coast village I've grown to love.

Brandon/Rosalind - thank you for inviting me into your world. It's quite a lovely place.

The Palisade:

My Review:

4.5 Stars
I devoured this book. I think it had been too long for me since my last M?M Romance book, so this got ate up real fast.

The Palisade is exactly what I expect out of a Romance Book. Good looking guys, some kind of issue that needs to be resolved and then a happily-ever-after ending. This story has it all in spades, along with injections of humor. It was also a quick, hot, easy read - in other words - perfect for what I needed at the time. Oh, and can I say - THANK YOU - for depictions of real sex? That was a nice change. I've read some stories of late that had wild and crazy sexy fun time, and some physical impracticalities, and scenes of "wait, what? They are having sex now?" Abel's written intense descriptions of the heat between these two main characters, which is not only on the mark, but the sex also happens at appropriate times. The sex is a natural part of the story and the reason the two men bond.

Joel is a bit of an asshat (at first), not gonna sugar coat that, so there it is. I suppose when he turns things around at the end it means this story ends up being about redemption. Several times throughout the book I wanted to choke Andrew as his level of self-esteem seemed atrociously low, especialy considering that everything else in his life was going well and all that was left was to find that special someone. Don't throw rocks at me - I know there are many out there who never find a partner - I get it, but Andrew has the looks, the job, a supportive family...it was sometimes hard to reconcile his angst and need when so many other things were quite positive. Both of the leads shed tears a little too quickly for my liking...but again, I have to re-emphasize: Romance = Fantasy. And in this case, Rosalind Abel delivers muscled men, who are affectionate and sensitive.

Things move fast in this book - which may put some off - but I can't lie - I've been there. You sleep with someone and then become inseparable for a period of time. Granted, those relationships never lasted for me but then I'm reading these kinds of stories because you want to cheer and root for the characters. I hope that Joel and Andrew with their cabin in the forest and a glorious view of the ocean and the palisade last forever.

I've already picked up the next book in the series. I'm looking forward to the continued adventures of the Lavender Shores men.

My Rating:

Buy Link: https://tinyurl.com/ya3bzof2

The Garden:

My Review:

Once again, Rosalind Abel Delivers.

If you're looking for a feel-good romance, with characters who are a little broken, this is a great quick and easy read.

The characters tie unto the first novel from Lavender Shores series, but I was happy that Gilbert and Walden (some unusual names - which was also fantastic) were front and center and the other characters from the first book, Joel and Andrew didn't take over at any point.

I was particularly entranced by the fairy magic garden. That's all I'll say - you'll just have to go be enthralled on it all on your own.

Well done and on to the next in the series!

My Rating:

Buy Link: https://tinyurl.com/y9qrbz2m

The Veranda:

My Review:

Once again, another installment of this series does not disappoint. This story revolves around Lavender Shore's therapist Donavan and his love interest (his ex-brother in law!) Spencer.

I'll admit, though, the idea of taking on your sister's (even if it is your half-sister) ex as your lover is a bit...well, odd, but Rosalind Abel's message throughout the book is quite clear. Be true to yourself, and everyone deserves to be happy.

Let's face it - sometimes it takes a while for us to 'get it right'. So, I was okay with setting aside the awkward familiar relationship - and to be honest, it certainly created strife and controversy!

And what's a good Romance book with a little controversy?

On to the next book!

My Rating:

Buy Link: https://tinyurl.com/y7fj7sta 

The Shipwreck:

My Review:

Well, Rosalind Abel has done it again.
This one made me laugh, and on a couple of occasions, made me a little teary - and I RARELY get that way with any book. So, kudos to you Ms. Abel, well done.

Some may say that the storylines in M/M Romance are a little far-fetched, and to some extent, I would agree, however, as with any movie I watch, or book I read, I'm not always looking for an identical copy of what happens in day-to-day life. Sometimes it's nice to just go with the story and get lost in it. Every single one fo the Lavender Shores titles I've read to date has managed to do that for me.

The characters are real, I feel like I know them.
The dialogue is believable, not forced.
The sexy bits are hot and scattered throughout the story when appropriate.
The family antics - although this family is WILDLY supportive - are dreamy. My family was pretty supportive of me coming out, but nothing like the Bryant/Kelly clan. Wow, that family is the stuff of dreams - but I think the father, Robert, would drive me insane.

So for the past 4 days, I've been mesmerized and entertained. I've managed to forget about the real world (which right now, isn't necessarily a nice place to be in given current political situations) and I've felt a little giddy watching two people find each other, go through the awkward and exciting first date moments, overcome obstacles and relationship issues, and eventually fall in love - with a huge Happily Ever After.

Thank you, Rosalind, for making a little corner of my world just a tiny bit brighter.

My Rating:

Buy Link: https://tinyurl.com/ydeoa5gy

Meet the Author:

As I've mentioned, Rosalind Abel is the pen name of Brandon Witt. So, here's Brandon's Bio from his website:

Brandon Witt is many things.  Above all, he is living the dream.  After years of writing and reaching for the stars, he is a published author through Dreamspinner Press.

He has two pen names as well:
Rosalind Abel--MM Romance
Mildred Abbott: Cozy Mysteries

For the first eighteen years of life, Brandon lived in a small Ozark town, El Dorado Springs, Missouri before moving with his family to Colorado. There he got degrees in Youth Ministry and Special Education and worked as a counselor and special education teacher for fifteen years.

The tension of his religious upbringing and being a gay man finds its way onto nearly every page in his novels, as does experiences that over a decade of loving children who have faced much abuse and many struggles.  Reflecting what he has discovered to be true in life, Brandon's writing does not shy away from challenges and conflict but also revels in the joy that can only happen when truly embracing and loving all that life has to offer. 

But the inspiration for Rosalind is a story in itself, and I encourage you to go read about it HERE.

Rosalind has her own website: https://www.rosalindabel.com/
And Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosalind_abel
And Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosalind.abel.71

If you'd like to meet the man behind Rosalind, and I highly encourage you to do so, you can catch up with Brandon here:

Brandon's Website: https://www.brandonwitt.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wittauthor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brandon.witt
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wittauthor/

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