gay romance

Sweet Topping and Rough Ride

by Carole Lynne

Books 3 & 4

Cattle Valley series

Total-E-Bound ~ 2008

(Gay Romance/Erotica)

 I got this book because of Amanda Young's story TABOO DESIRES, which I read, and LOVED, in ebook format last year.
I don't know what exactly I was hoping for the other stories in this volume, but I have found three new authors to look for, and I couldn't be more excited...
   Uh, yeah... just what I need, three more authors to add to my ever-growing list of faves... and then their assorted stories to be added to my rapidly expanding TBR, be it in print or ebook format.
           Ah well, books ~ aren't they a wonderful thing?!?!

RATING:
Steaminess: Inferno ~ gotta love a publisher with a sense of humour; the WARNING Samhain has given this book runs like this:
   Explicit sex, graphic language, hot nekkid man-love, inappropriate use of personal electronic devices, and gratuitous disco dancing.

All Play & No Work and Cattle Valley Mistletoe

by Carol Lynne

Books 1 & 2

Cattle Valley series

Total-E-Bound ~ 2007

(Gay Romance/Erotica)

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Rawley's Redemption and Twin Temptations

by Carol Lynne

Books 3 & 4

Good Time Boys series

Total-E-Bound ~ 2007

( Gay Romance/Erotica )

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Sonny's Salvation and Garron's Gift

by Carol Lynne

Books 1 & 2

Good Time Boy series

Total-E-Bound ~ 2007

(Gay Romance/Erotica)

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     The two stories here are both ebooks and both by authors that I really enjoy. I turned to these books when I was having reading problems… I needed something that I knew was going to hold my interest and both Amanda Young and Megan Hart can do that without even trying.
     Amanda Young was my introduction to gay romance and, regardless of the genre that she writes, she’s a wonderful author who really brings her characters to life and they, very often reluctantly, find it hard to give themselves over to love.
     Megan Hart’s stories are just as absorbing, but different. She writes extremely well about the complexities inherent in human relationships ~ her characters are always facing having to learn more about themselves and about the person with whom they have a relationship ~ and never a dull moment anywhere to be found.
     As to Excellence, both stories are individually rated, but the steaminess rating ~ Inferno ~ is the same for both ~ they are, after all, romantica (aka erotic romances).

Overall RATING:
Excellence: Great to Excellent
Steaminess: Inferno

     Each of the three stories reviewed here, while unrelated to the others, share basic characteristics; one of the male characters has to make peace with himself regarding his sexuality. In each instance, he is not only extremely physically attracted to another man, but feels a very strong emotional attachment to him as well. But the emotions exist and, while they may struggle for awhile, there is no fighting true love.
     I enjoyed each of these stories… the characters in them are varied, the progression of the relationships are different and the stories themselves vary. In one of the stories, the two main characters are police officers and dealing with a serial killer preying on young gay men. One involves a twenty-year high school reunion… and a reunion between two men who have known each other most of their lives. The other story is another reunion story, this time between a man and his best friend’s brother with whom he was always attracted.
   None of them easy, but all of them heartwarming.

RATING:
Excellence: Great to Excellent ~ 3.5 stars
Steaminess: Inferno (male-male sex)

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     The two ebooks reviewed here are by new-to-me author Shayla Kersten… actually the next five books (reviewed as two in total) are all by this author and after I had read the first story I was hooked. Her stories are gay romances, but all emotionally stirring tales of love and, in each story, a man coming to terms with his sexuality. Her story-telling is rich in detail and, while sexually explicit, very much stories of romance. The stories reviewed here are related, and while the second, The Remediu, could be read on its own, the publishers added this:
     Reader Advisory: While a stand-alone, for greatest reader enjoyment, it is recommended The Cost of Eternity be read first. 

  The main characters in the first story are a part of the second and the main male character in the second story plays a part in the first. I really enjoy Ms. Kersten’s characters and story-telling and I’ll be getting more of her stories as they’re written and released.

RATING:
Excellence: Great to Excellent ~ 3.5 stars (both)
Steaminess: Inferno (male-male and ménage sex)

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Ginn Hale, Wicked Gentlemen, a gay romance, which in my opinion was really more of a gay-spec-noir book with some romance in it.

     I found Amber Quill Press when I went looking for some of Megan Hart's ebooks; so of course I signed up for the newsletter.  Uh yeah... I should have known that this would be very tempting... and I was right!  The first two stories reviewed here are both stories that I came across in one of the newsletters, and they both sounded so good... and my ability to stay away from stories that appeal is notoriously non-existent. 
The third story reviewed here is by a fairly new-to-me author ~ Amanda Young ~ that I've been gobbling up anything and everything that I can get my hands on.  Eye Candy is her latest release and actually a sequel to two of her previous stories, so that was a given.  Fun, fun, fun!

RATING:
Excellence ratings follow each story
Steaminess: Heat Wave to Inferno

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