185. Anthology ~ Temperature's Rising ~ Samhain (TPB / print May 2008)

 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.

BOOK READ:
    Four sexy, steamy romances where the H meets and falls in love with his H. Get it while it's hot... 

• Amanda Young ~ Taboo Desires
  A run in with an old friend on the beach forces Cole to face the choice of a lifetime ~ embrace his desire for a man and all the pitfalls that come along with it, or return to his girlfriend and live out a hlf-life.
  *  5 stars of 5; An excellent story with a wonderful emotional connection between Cole and Eric.  I especially loved how Cole finally faced who he really was and not who, or what, he thought he should be. VERY, VERY, VERY HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!
  
• K. A. Mitchell ~ Custom Ride
  A stint in the military left Ryan with a bitter memory of life int he closet.  Jeff, a mechanic, has too much to lose if his private life goes public.  The heat of their attractio boils over on a stormy summer night, but satisfying that need only makes them both crave more.
  * Another 5 stars of 5.  This story was emotionally charged and quite unexpected. Neither Ryan nor Jeff would, at first glance, appear gay; and the chemistry between them was amazing! Especially since Jeff had long had Ryan in his sights. Ryan's brother David was a great supporting character. VERY, VERY, VERY HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!

• Ally Blue ~ Catching a Buzz
  A straight-laced business student and an indie boy with a thing for extremely personal electronics spend one wild night of mind-melting sex together.  Can this ride turn into a trip to last forever?
  * Of the four stories in the anthology, this was the story that I was expecting the least from. A combination of the rather campy-sounding author's name and the blurb from the back both contributed to my initial expectations.  But once I got caught up in the story and the steamy attraction between Adam and Buzz, these factors both became negligible; and to be honest there was much more of a relationship between the two than the blurb lead me to believe... all's good! 4.5 stars of 5  VERY, VERY HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!
• Jade Buchanan ~ Nut Cream
  Toby, who's coming into his mating phase, is about to find out what happens to bad little wolves, in the best possible way.  Cliff is more than ready to mark the man he has always wanted as his mate ~ with a little help from a bottle of nut cream.
  * Um... okay the title is a little odd, but OH MY! I do love gay werewolf stories and this one is no exception. Toby has long loved Cliff, but never, ever expected anything in return... in fact that's the reason he left his home, family and pack. But once Cliff realized that Toby was his mate, Toby didn't stand a chance. HOT and sensual, another wonderful story with a very strong emotional connection between the H and H: 5 stars of 5  VERY, VERY, VERY HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!
    NOTE:  also I loved that the story is set just outside of Calgary... I lived there for four years ~ and met my dh there... good memories!
  

  Books read in June: 24
  Har / Sil ~ 15
  Others ~ 9

October's MEMBER OF THE MONTH

kalyko ~ Reading: One of life's little joys and a much needed reward!