Book Review : Jon's Downright Ridiculous Shooting Case by A.J. Sherwood

What would things be like if psychics solved crimes? This is not an uncommon trope in novels, but Jon's Mysteries series takes it an entirely new way. In this series' alternate universe, one small change in the past has made it so modern psychics are licensed and regulated and often work hand-in-hand with the police.

Jon works for a company with other psychics who often act as consultants to the police and even FBI and CIA. He is a very powerful psychic who reads meridian lines of energy and can see a lot about other people. Everything from whether someone is lying to where they grew up is laid bare to his eyes. But in return for his abilities he can't handle any electronics and even being close to them can fry them. To even be in a car it needs to have EMP shielding. On top of that, he reveals the truth about people, often putting them in jail or just seeing what they want to hide. This means a lot of nasty people want him gone.

Normally Jon would have a partner to back him up and help him deal with the repercussions of being a psychic. But his talent is so powerful that most people get tired of having their electronics destroyed and dealing with his issues. He needs an anchor to keep him from getting lost in the minds of others, but it seems impossible for the preppy-cute and dry-witted guy to find someone he can be with.

Then Donovan shows up. A huge, hulky man most people find terrifying, Donovan is used to being feared. When he was in the military police it wasn't so bad, he was supposed to be scary, but now that he's trying to reintegrate into civilian life he's having a hard time. Even applying for a job at Jon's company is not going well until Jon spots him. And Jon sees the sweet marshmallow inside, not just the scarred exterior. Jon sees a patient, protective man who should be hired right that minute. So Jon's boss hires Donovan to be Jon's partner.

Two hurt men, each scared to believe someone will want them, put together solving crimes and just generally being adorable.

It's too cute. Really, some people might find it too cute. Jon and Donovan both are squishy sweet and need hugs. All the hugs. I adore them, but some people might find them cloying. There's just something about neglected, afraid of taking another chance people finding their perfect match that I love more than anything. Something about at last finding that perfect pairing, that person who sees who someone really is and likes that person. It's hugs all around since reading the sweetness is like that perfect, warm and tight hug that just makes you feel safe and comforted.

And there's murder! Crimes and serial killers, sneaky and crazy criminals, they all are threatened by Jon's psychic sight and Donovan's very big muscles.

At the front of the book:

Trigger Warnings: Your average cop show violence and criminals

Tags: Companionable snark, Flirting, Kissing, Jon needs a hug, Donovan gives the best hugs, Getting together, Self-esteem issues, Explicit content, Anal Sex, Romantic Sex, Random shooting, Which Donovan isn’t happy about, Donovan is a gentleman, Sort of, Jon just makes it REALLY REALLY HARD Okay?, Bisexual character, Public displays of affection, Muscles, Communication, Healthy relationships, The fluff might fucking kill you, Supernatural elements, Modern with Magic, Feels, All the Feels, Mostly accurate medical stuff, Multiple electronics died in the creation of this story, blame Jon

So many levels of humor in this series. Snark and wit and silliness and all-around feel-good fun.

Can you tell I love this series? It's perfection. And you know I'm picky and harsh. I don't give five stars for anything. But this series gets all the stars. Even the connected series about Donovan's brother gets some good stars too. If Jon was Goldilocks, Donovan would be Papa Bear and just right.

So, this is sort of a romantic paranormal mystery. Each book in the series features a different case that Jon and Don have to solve, along with all sorts of stuff on the sides. In Jon's Downright Ridiculous Shooting Case, out of nowhere a crazy young woman suddenly shoots a young college exchange student and accuses him of sending her blackmail letters but never showing up for the drop. Downright ridiculous, right? It gets weirder. And then even weirder.

In book 2 the group has to help a not-friendly police force and solve Jon's Crazy Head-Boppin' Mystery after some strange psychopath goes around sneaking up on random women, hitting them and running away. Donovan has to carry Jon like a damsel in distress and watch over him as Jon ends up recuperating for days after pushing himself too far.

Book 3, Jon's Spooky Corpse Conundrum, a body goes missing in a haunted mansion and among the police who are trying to solve the murder and find the corpse, Jon discovers someone he didn't think he would ever see again. And we find out what seemingly fearless Donovan is afraid of.

Jon's Mysteries series is followed by another series, this one featuring Donovan's brother who becomes an anchor for a medium after accidentally giving Jon a ghost for Christmas. Yep, ghosts are real and Brandon and Mack are soon solving their own cases.

All of the books are cute and funny, affirming and fun. Who knew love language included slamming prisoners down on tables and opening electronic doors?

Jon is preppy looking with his sweater-vests and tidy style. Blond, a little slim and not tall, he tends to be dismissed by those who don't know him or how powerful he is. He's very social and friendly, but rarely does anything with other people because he doesn't want to bother anyone. He radiates cheerfulness when he's happy.

Donovan is mostly Hawaiian and Tongan, so he's super big with lots of muscles and yummy warm skin. His size has always scared people, then acid was thrown on him, so now his scars scare people even more. He's really a gentle giant, a teddy bear, but people only see how intimidating he is. A big, darker-skinned man, even being the sweetest guy ever he still gets hassled.

It's too cute as these two both look at the other one with hearts in their eyes. And the rest of the characters think it's cute too. You can almost feel the subtle humor as the secondary characters silently laugh at how obviously these two like each other. Then again, both have spent their lives feeling uncomfortable and ashamed of their specialness.

Watching these two come together and learn to trust is one of my favorite parts of the series. They need each other so much, it feels so good when they develop and become who they are.

“You listen to me. If you see another serial killer or whatever while you’re out, and I’m not with you, do not follow him. You call me, I will drop everything and come running.”

I didn’t really mean to smile at him, it just sort of happened, a safety release for happiness overflow. “Okay.”

“I mean it, Bane.”

“I believe you,” I assured him, grin broadening. He made me think of that one line from  Sense and Sensibility: he’s the best and kindest of men. “Can I hug you?”

He wrapped both arms around me in response, hugging me tight enough to threaten the seams of my shirt. I didn’t care, hugging him back just as tightly. Such a warm, snuggling teddy bear, if a teddy bear could have these rippling muscles. He smelled really nice, too, like citrus. Not sure if I should say it, because I knew very well he was crushing on someone else, I hesitated. But I’d also gathered that people didn’t normally say stuff like this to him, so I said it anyway: “I’m really glad you’re with me.”

The writing style makes it very easy to picture even the body language of the characters. Sweet smiles, slight blushes, heart eyes, it all comes through even when not noted on the page.

There's a good mix of introspection and action in these books. Lots of police procedure and psychic elements too. They are very engaging. They get even better after reading more than once too as there are nuances and little bits that you might miss on first readings because they are just that layered. Nothing cardboard here, the world and characters and backgrounds are deep and rich.

The backgrounds are so rich and there are so many nuances that I'd absolutely love it if the writer came out with an anthology containing scenes from their lives. We have Jon seeing Donovan for the first time and being astounded by his inner goodness, what was it like for Donovan when the cute, little blond popped in and pulled his boss out for a secret conversation? What happened to lead Jon's old partner to leaving him on the side of the road with a knife in him? What about when Jon and Detective Borrowman first met? When Jon got hired? Defusing a bomb. Meeting his sister's husband. Seeing Skylar as a newborn. Donovan and Jonathan at the grocery store. Going to the movies. Helping the kids Donovan volunteers with. I want to read it all.

I prefer books with alternating POVs, which later books have, but the first book in the series is all from Jon's point of view and it leaves me wondering how Donovan internally felt when the little ray of snarky sunshine fell into his life.

All the books in the series are good about tying up loose ends. There also aren't a ton of errors, just a few minor ones. The depth of the world and even history of using psychics in police work is so well thought out that it impressive. That's one of my favorite parts about reading books by the this writer. She plots out everything better than most writers out there.

The books are pretty understandable. Not hard to follow. Though some aspects are a bit difficult.

They are in Nashville, Tennessee and I'm not familiar with the city. Glancing at a map or city skyline before starting the books might be a little helpful. Not needed, but it's hard to picture a city one hasn't been to.

Another bit unfamiliar is the food. Donovan's mother shows her love by feeding people, mostly traditional foods from Hawaii. If you are one of those people who want a full experience, order in some of the foods listed or just pick up a good Hawaiian or Pacific Rim cookbook. It definitely sounds like good food.

Sometimes I read mysteries to solve them. That isn't going to happen with these books. The crimes and people are just so weird there's no way to guess what happened ahead of time. It makes them even more interesting. No one could solve these crimes.

One of my favorite parts about the books is the stereotype demolishing, especially in their interactions. Big guy and smaller guy, we know who the bottom is, right? Nope, these guys are vers and their first time together Jon takes Donovan's curvy ass. It's really hot too. And later they play with handcuffs and blindfolds. Jon has a thing for being done up against the wall. Really good stuff, but not so much it takes away from the story or is more important than their relationship.

Good chemistry goes a long way. I love their relationship. It doesn't happen instantaneously, but rather a slow build up then a (literal) leap into a relationship. Donovan is decisive and Jon is good at reading people once he gets past his issues. They move quickly once they realize they each have a crush on the other. But their relationship goes in jumps and pauses as Jon's issues make him too afraid to go to the next step. It takes getting to book three before they finally really settle together.

I'd love to see more books with these guys. I like Mack and Brandon's but Jon and Donovan are my favorites. I'd love to see them get married and what the wedding would be like. Maybe looking for someone to perform the ceremony and finding a priest committing crimes between baptisms and weddings? They already have a florist.

It loses a bit of power seeing it through a screen, but to get a good feel for an important part of Tongan culture you should definitely watch this video as a Tonga team performs fierce Sipi tau.

Now imagine that fierceness keeping bad guys away. Tingles, right? Read the books and picture Donovan and enjoy.

Review : His Consort by Mary Calmes

 

His Consort is a mm paranormal romance about a seemingly normal guy who meets vampires and finds out he is more special than anyone ever thought. It is book 1 in the House of Maedoc series, followed by book 2, His Prince.

Jason Thorpe is at loose ends since he left the military. Cabinetry is an occupation, but it isn't his everything, just something to do. He's just a simple, rather plain guy, who is a bit lonely since he's gotten older and has no one that he belongs with. When a friend wills him a shop and apartment in New Orleans Jason is questioning whether he should move there and start a new life. Then an encounter changes his life.

While staying at a small cabin on the property of rich and strange people who want him to build some bookshelves, Jason hears screams in the night. He grabs his gun and races through the snow to find that the strange people who live on the property have captured and attacked a young man. Unable to understand what is going on, he dismisses his questions until later and gets the young man loose to rush him to the hospital.

Jason doesn't know that he saved Tiago, the rajan or ambassador of the vampyr prince. He is rather charmingly completely unaware.

“Jason, I am as healed by your proximity as I have ever been by blood, and all I want now is to taste of you so I might know if you are human, as I suspect, or something else altogether.”

“I’m as human as you are, buddy.”

He laughed again, more shrill this time, and I was certain he was actually deep in shock. 

“Are you still cold?” I asked, pulling off the highway again, then taking off my coat once I’d put the truck into Park.

“No, I am not cold at all! Why on Earth would I be cold?”

But he had to be. I was, and he was tiny, with zero body fat. He had no natural insulation at all, and the karate gi thing wasn’t doing anything for him. His hands, when he touched me, were still icy. I had the heater going full blast, but apparently it wasn’t enough to warm him up. “Here, I wanna put this over you, all right?”

“Absolutely not. I have no need for your off-the-rack outerwear,” he protested, face scrunched up like he’d bitten into a lemon. “What is the origin of this garment?”

“It’s pleated corduroy, and would you just—here, lemme tuck it around you.”

“I am not—I cannot be observed in this jacket! I only wear couture and… I would be the laughingstock of court should anyone see me!”

“I’m not gonna take a picture of you in it. I just want you to stay warm and—no, not halfway down your chest, put it up under your chin,” I directed, using my coat to wrap him up like a burrito. “Now you just rest, all right? We’ll be there soon.”

“You are the most infuriating man! You are not listening to me at all,” he grumbled, pouting, the epitome of a pissed-off kitten. He really couldn’t have been any cuter. “I have slaughtered thousands.”

“I’m sure you have,” I said, brushing the golden waves of his hair out of his face before pulling the truck back out onto the road.

He growled, and I couldn’t stifle my chuckle.

“For your information, the reason they bled me was because they feared me.”

“Of course they did.”

“You placate me, and I will not have it!”

There's something niggling Jason about the entire episode, but he refuses to think about it. It must just be some cult or something. But after the vampyr prince's ambassador is safely passed on to the prince's guards, Jason decides it's definitely time to start over in New Orleans.

New Orleans is a revelation to Jason. He makes friends and new family, he starts up a store with his new best friend, and he feels like he's finally content. He pointedly doesn't think about his mysterious night in snowy Washington, but weird people who visit his store one night bring it all back and this time there's no hiding from the reality. Vampyrs are real. And Jason has some strange, yet subtle powers over them.

Learning more about the vampire world and having it become part of his day seems natural, and Jason simply slots it into his new life. But then word comes that the vampyr prince, Varic Maesoc, has come to visit the city and Jason's new normal is turned to chaos once again.

Strangely attracted to Varic, Jason doesn't know what to think, but with danger coming from every side he doesn't have time to dwell on the stunningly beautiful man who seems to want to get to know him.

But what a vampyr prince wants, he gets, and Varic wants Jason. Now he just has to convince Jason that all the danger is worth becoming his beloved consort.

House of Maedoc book 2, His Prince, takes over where book 1 leaves off and Jason learns what it means to be the consort of the most powerful prince in the world as they visit the vampyr court in Malta.

The House of Maedoc series is classic Mary Calmes with likable characters, interesting mindsets, and sweet moments. It differs a bit from stories like Frog as it is much longer, more in depth, and quite a bit darker (yet still retains that inherent sweetness). If you like Mary Calmes' other books, you'll probably like this one too even with the darker subject matter. It's one of my favorites of hers and I occasionally recall it in day to day life as it sticks with you.

Don't go into His Consort expecting sex on the first page. We don't even meet the vampire prince until halfway through. And even after they meet, Jason is hesitant to jump into anything because he doesn't understand Varic's feelings. But when they do come together it is fairly fast.

“I’m Varic Maedoc, the draugr, prince of the noreia. Who are you?”

I had a name, but it was stuck on the tip of my tongue.

“You’re not a vampyr,” he concluded, studying me. “I can smell your blood.”

“No, not a vampyr,” I agreed, barely able to speak, wanting so badly to lean into him that my muscles hurt.

“You smell so good,” he whispered. When his lips touched my neck, and then his teeth, I shuddered under his hands, a flush of heat rolling through me. “I want to taste you. Give me permission.”

I had thought I would never allow any vampyr to have my blood, but now I couldn’t remember anything I ever wanted more. He could have all of me, if that was what he wanted. Everything was his for the taking. “Yes, good, you have all the permission.”

His chuckle was filthy, seductive, and so fucking hot. He pressed against me, his cock hard inside his dress pants, and the urge to be under him overwhelmed me.

I would beg, if need be.

“Give me your name,” he murmured, no bite to the words, just a request.

“Jason Thorpe,” I answered breathlessly, and recognition and surprise flickered across his face. “You asked to see me.”

“Jason—” His voice faltered, then he inhaled and began again. “Yes, I did, and now I need to do so much more than merely see you,” he declared, slipping his hand around the side of my neck, easing me forward.

Just because sex doesn't happen right away doesn't mean the book is slow in other regards. There is a lot happening throughout, including quite a bit of learning about the vampire world and how it runs.

The world setting is equal parts great and obnoxious. I really like a well-thought out world, and this one fits perfectly into ours, adding to that secret underworld feel. There is quite a bit of background put into it and it makes for a very good, cohesive setting.

I'm not a huge fan of jargon though, and there are several titles that it's important to learn to understand the story better. The writer tries to make it simple with some slightly strange moments where Jason is learning from the vampires, but the words are too different to make them easy to recall and it's bothersome to try to remember which each one means. Making an effort in learning them is important for readability, and rereads go easier since the words are more familiar. But it just seems unnecessary.

The real life parts of the setting are really good too. New Orleans comes alive in the story, with the friendly people, interesting attitudes, and at home yet differing feeling of the city. It's almost like a character in and of itself.

Since this is a Mary Calmes story, it should surprise no one that Jason is a modest and sweet, incredibly likeable, friendly character. Likeable characters are one of my favorite parts of this writer's stories since who wants to read about someone awful? Most of the background characters are pretty likeable as well. Varic is a little too glossed over and his behavior is generally decent, but sometimes kinda jerky. We get to know Jason far more as it's from his POV.

There's a lot of drama in both of these books. They are primarily action and drama with scattered interflection and romance parts. I like the pacing, though it isn't consistently. It starts slow, then speeds up with people trying to kill one another, then slows back down. Then it does it again and again. It's like a good roller-coaster.

His Consort if fairly long, but one of those books that it's still not long enough because it is so engaging. When the sequel came out, His Prince, I was very happy to read more of the story. Hopefully there will be more books in the series.

The editing and proofreading was lacking quite a bit in the book. Running spellcheck doesn't find out if it's the right word to use for that situation, and sometimes it was easy to get a little lost trying to read certain sections of the story.

But other than a few quibbles, both books in the series are really good and filled with heart-pounding action. The little bits of silly and romance interspersed with so much going on really work. These books are both in my reread pile as they're ones I will come back to again and again. And since they are available in paperback, I might just pick up some paper copies as well to really enjoy the stories fully.

Review : Luckless by Cari Z.

Luckless by Cari Z. is a very different take on dragons than we normally see. In this dystopian novella dragons and their riders must defend the wall-off remnants of cities that regularly get attacked by strange creatures.

Denver is no longer a vibrant city, but one full of rubble and ruin surrounded by forest and things that scream in the night. The only thing keeping it from being overrun are its armed defenders and the few dragons who have bonded with humans. It is a precarious balance and the humans are barely hanging on.

Evan Luck, or Luckless as he is called, is one of the best fighters protecting the city, but he is hated and treated with contempt because his dragon died in battle and he didn't die alongside her. As a lower citizen, he is barely able to get enough food to eat or clothes to wear, though he spends all his time blacksmithing and fighting in battles. He isn't completely tossed out of the city though as he is one of the few people with the mental ability to bond with dragons. But Evan's grief over his dragon's death walls off his emphatic ability and prevents him bonding with another dragon.

Then a new citizen shows up. In a world without easy travel between distant city remnants, a new citizen is a strange and unusual sight. Lee Caldwell is tall and lean, mysterious an odd. He is also looking for someone to guide and nurture his son.

Jason Caldwell is an empath and will be expected to bond with a dragon when he's old enough, and Lee doesn't want him going into things unprepared. In Denver people don't usually start training to be a dragon rider and fighter until they have a dragon, but it leaves them vulnerable since they don't have enough time to train before being tossed out to fight. Lee doesn't want that for his son.

Lee wants Evan to be train his son and prepare him. He's been observing the city and notices that Evan is a good fighter and knows what he's doing, no matter how reviled he is by the population. Evan argues that he couldn't even protect his dragon, but Lee is confident in his choice and soon Evan is taking Jason under his wing.

The trio spend a lot of time together, eventually leading to Evan starting to fall for Lee. But strange dreams and the grieving over his dragon make it difficult for Evan to go further. When a deadly creature threatens Denver's very roots, Evan must decide if he is willing to go on a suicide mission to protect the family he's come to love.

This is a very action-packed story. Skirmishes with creatures and bullies alike fill the pages, with just enough room left for sweet, tender moments. The danger and drama level is pretty high, but the grieving angst is also there as well. Warning, there is no overt suicide talk, but it is definitely a hidden threat as Evan is very borderline in his grief. It is definitely a possible trigger for some people.

All three of the main characters are interesting, and while the secret Lee is keeping is fairly obvious eventually, it is still a neat surprise. Evan is so despairing and lost, yet just trying to get through each day that you just want to cuddle him close. Lee's own grief over his wife's death is just under the surface, but his determination to protect his son shines through even when he is mysterious and almost fae-like. And of course, Jason is very cute and sweet and needy.

Really, they are all needy, and obviously need each other. You can almost picture the hole each of them fill for one another. Each grieving, but slowly getting ready to be in each other's lives.

The setting is probably familiar with people who have been to Denver, but as one who hasn't it left me a little lost. Not quite enough description made it hard for me to picture the story.

It was interesting seeing how public opinions can affect lives, and how rumors can twist the facts into something unrecognizable. But also, how sometimes it seems everyone is against you, but there may be supporters you never noticed.

Overall, the story was very interesting and attention-keeping. It was shorter than I would have liked, but it also felt shorter because so much was packed into the pages. I'm hoping at some point the author will come out with another story in the same world as it was definitely worthy of it. I kinda want to already read it again and see things in a different light after the big secret reveal.

No hugely overt problems with editing, which is a relief after another book I recently read.

This is a very slow burn, not spicy at all book. Its primary focus is the world and characters and action, not sex. The two MCs are great together. Evan's obliviousness is very adorable when it's obvious Lee has set his sights on him. And Lee's determination and need bleed through every aspect even when he is being mysterious. 

A wonderful, well-thought out dystopian world; fantasy creatures; sweet, yet grieving characters; and a man determined to protect his family at all costs. Luckless is definitely worth a read.

Edit: And there are two sequels now! Click here to check them out!

Luckless

The Luckless Series Book 1

by Cari Z

Dauntless

The Luckless Series Book 2

by Cari Z

Reckless

The Luckless Series Book 3

by Cari Z

Review : His Missing Pieces by M.A. Innes

His Missing Pieces is part one of the Pieces Series by M.A. Innes. Like many books by this author, His Missing Pieces is mm kinky romantic erotica. It is a bit taboo for most people. Only read it if you are interested in reading or learning more about a fetish that is less talked about openly. ABDL.

Maddox and Bryan have been friends since they started college. Maddox has been in love with Bryan nearly that long as well. And unbeknownst to him, Bryan loves him too. So, what is keeping these two apart if they each love each other? Bryan has a secret.

When they first met, Maddox hit on Bryan but since Bryan never seemed to notice he assumed Bryan was straight. He found out later that wasn't the case, but he's never seen him date or even act sexually interested in things most gay guys find attractive. Maddox knows there's something he's missing about Bryan, but he just doesn't know what. It's like there's a missing piece to the puzzle that is Bryan.

Why won't he tell him? Does Bryan not trust him?

Maddox doesn't know how to get it through to Bryan that he will accept him whatever he's into. Maddox has given up dating other guys because he feels like he's cheating, even though the pair are just friends. If their relationship is like really good boyfriends even without the sex, what could it be like if only they could become a real couple and be honest with each other?

College vacation comes up and the two head to Bryan's mom's house to spend the summer. Bryan's mom is a pretty awesome character. She's very supportive, a little too supportive and sex positive for a shy guy like Bryan. Especially since she knows what he's into and that he is in love with Maddox. She's trying to encourage Bryan to be honest when Maddox overhears. He learns that Bryan cares for him too, but that his secret is making him too afraid to say anything.

Maddox decides enough is enough and that he needs to step up and figure out what Bryan is into and whether it is something he can handle in order to be with the guy he loves.

Maddox and Bryan are very cute. Bryan is so shy and adorable. And Maddox is like a newly forming Daddy Dom, in turns actually confident and trying to pretend confidence he doesn't have enough experience to feel yet. They feel very accurate for being young college students. Similar to ones I've met in real BDSM environments. It's always adorable when people finally find their missing pieces and fit everything together to become the people they really are.

The kink and sex aspects are very good and hot. But some readers will find it uncomfortable or freaky, just like Bryan was afraid of when he talked to Maddox. Bryan is a little. He likes to behave younger and be held by Daddy, suck on things including a binky, and upsetting to many people, he likes to wear diapers sometimes. He's a ABDL, or Adult Baby Diaper Lover, which isn't on many people's approved kinks, even those into BDSM. Which is a shame since it's fairly common.

Why are some people into being littles and ABDL? Some people may assume that it has something to do with pedophila, but that isn't the case. The participants like to behave like they're younger, but everyone involved is an adult (ABDL, remember). They don't want actual kids, just like they don't really want their own dads when they worship Daddy.

Ageplay is about embracing aspects related to being younger and finding joy in things you were told you were too old for. Curling up in a big, strong lap and feeling safe in a scary world. Coloring, playing with toys and having fun food. Admiring shy boys who blush when you tease them. Spankings over Daddy's lap. An exuberant and unstifled joy that is forced out of people.

For most people, the dominance and control is more deep and consuming than many other fetishes. Because giving Daddy control over every aspect of your being, including orgasms and going to the bathroom, is a level many people can't manage. It's not slave roleplay which often has connotations of humiliation, disgust, or feeling bad. Ageplay is more about feeling cherished.

The author has several books written about littles and their Daddies, but this series is one of my favorites. I love the feel of the guys fitting together as they form their unique relationship. For those against ABDL, the first book in the series only has one sex scene in a diaper, which ends up super hot, but later books as the guys find their groove, have more including some diaper usage. Don't read the series if you can't handle it.

But, if you like the image of a sweet, shy boy blushingly looking up at his Daddy and pleading to get to come, this book is worth the read. The dominance is very hot and the romance is sweet, a perfect combination.

Maddox and Bryan are both interesting characters who are well-developed and not cardboard. Bryan's mother is only shown a few times in this book, but she's also a great character. Very tiger mom, protect my son from his own shyness.

Later books in this series continue Bryan and Maddox's story and also add a few friends who have their own series. Stay away from that series unless you can handle it, as Bryan and Maddox's new college neighbors, Jeremy and Kevin are actual brothers, which is a step too taboo even for those who read stepbrother romances, so they can pretend the characters are brothers and not at the same time. Too Close to Love is book one of the Loving series, and features real incest with the brothers falling in love with each other and trying to start a new life together. It's actually ridiculously sweet.

Many of the books by M.A. Innes, aka Shaw Montgomery, intertwine and for those obsessive readers like me who adore reading things in sequence, it might be a good idea to start reading their books starting at the first one published and going down the line. There are some really good books, including a puppyplay series I love and will review later, An Accidental Master, which is about a non-kinky dog trainer accidentally becoming the master of a couple of sweet boys who like to be puppies.

My Cameron is another of my favorite books by the author, but is not connected to the others. It is an au where tentacled aliens have landed on Earth and are trying to integrate. One of my all-time favorite books -- tentacles and dominance and shyness all together. So good!

The author is obviously actually familiar with BDSM and the kinky world, so their books are accurate while being hot and sweet, the perfect combination.

I like that M.A. Innes writes about kinks that aren't as commonplace in the literary world and that tend to be neglected for the "normal" stuff. There are tons of people into these things but they don't often get their own stories. Whether the subjects are your thing or not, representation matters and it's important to keep in mind YKINMKBYKIOK which means "Your Kink Is Not My Kink But Your Kink Is Ok". Just because something isn't what you find appealing, doesn't mean you can't accept that other people do find it appealing and that they do is okay. Reading about other people's kinks and seeing things through their eyes is a great way to learn and understand. Exactly what reading is about.

His Missing Pieces

mm ageplay romantic erotica is a sweet and sexy look at ageplay, featuring two hot friends in love with each other. If you are into ageplay or open-minded, it is a good book to read.

Embracing Faith

mmm ageplay romance about an awkward genius, his former professor, and the dominant Daddy

who brings the two together.

The Accidental Master

mmm puppyplay romance about a dog-trainer who puts up the wrong ad and the cute guys who excitedly contact him to be their master.

My Cameron

alien mm romantic erotica featuring an awkward neighbor who happens to have tentacles and a hidden dominance streak

Review : Frog by Mary Calmes

Frog is a super sweet mm romance by Mary Calmes about a broken down bull rider and the love of his life, a rich neurosurgeon from San Francisco.

Weber has been wandering for most of his life since he was left alone when his family died. He doesn't feel like he's good at much, even rodeoing is getting harder as he gets older. He's finally feeling done with riding bulls and is thinking about finding a ranch where he can just be another hand. He's not sure what else to do. He thinks he's not anything special.

Cyrus has his roots planted deep. He's a well-respected doctor and all his family lives nearby, but the one person he really loves and needs is always too soon on the way to another rodeo.

A phone call from a payphone from Web on a wet evening lets Cyrus know Web is back in town. The last time they saw each other and while fighting over his leaving, Cyrus had issued an ultimatum, and Web had left anyway: leaving Cyrus regretful and terrified that he'd never see his cowboy again. With no way to contact Web, Cyrus is desperate to hold onto this chance to make up and make it clear he'll take Web any way he can get him, even if that's just a night or two whenever he passes by.

Weber doesn't want to be a bother, so keeps trying to get off the phone so he can get on another bus and go to another town. He's too long without a shower or meal to meet up with someone who exudes class like Cyrus does. But Cy doesn't care about any of that. He just wants Weber anyway he can get him. In desperation, Cy makes him promise to stay where he is and rushes over to pick him up so he can take him home where he belongs.

Web is old blue jeans and worn out cowboy boots. He has been doing the rodeo circuit for most of his life and he's not sure what else he could do. He doesn't have a regular job, money, a car, a house, or even a phone. He just drifts along between rodeos and takes ranch hand positions to fill in the gaps.

Cyrus is expensive fabrics and dress shoes. He is a recognized neurosurgeon who shows up in the society pages when he isn't living at his job. He has a well-paid job, tons of money, both a BMW and a Lexus, and a completely oversized house. His entire focus throughout his life was plodding away at becoming better.

Watching him stride toward me took my breath away. He looked like he belonged in a fashion magazine, he was so perfect. The short, thick chestnut hair was styled back from his face, the cashmere and wool topcoat accentuated the breadth of his shoulders, and the heavy wool scarf was wrapped once around his neck and hung down between the lapels of the expensive piece of outerwear. The sweater and jeans underneath, the polished boots, he was a vision, and he was intent on reaching me. In contrast, I looked like some homeless guy he was going to give some loose change to.

It felt like I’d made a mistake, and I was embarrassed of how I looked, how I smelled, and I knew in that second that I shouldn’t have called.

“Web,” he cried out.

Until he called my name.

Nothing mattered after that.

Seemingly mismatched in every way, nonetheless Web and Cy are great together.

For all that he is a drifter, Weber is a rock solid stable and dependable person. The type that you know if you jump, he will catch you. Web makes Cyrus feel secure and able to let go, something that is important for a man who has has lives depending on him every day. Web lets Cy relax enough to have fun and laugh.

Cyrus gives back too. He gives Web a home. Even if Web doesn't feel like he can stay, he knows in his heart that is where he belongs. Cy loves Web with all his heart and cares for him, something Web has been without for almost his entire life. He also wants to give him a family and security and everything he could ever want, if only Web would accept.

Weber doesn't want to be a kept man though, and he doesn't know what use a cowboy is in the city. Cy would be happy with a house spouse, a cowboy, a manny, any option that allowed him to remain with the man he loves.

You can really see how they both love each other, though they show it in opposite ways. Cy shows that he loves Web by trying to get him to stay and trying to take care of him. Web shows that he loves Cy by trying to leave and not wanting to bother him anymore. But no matter how much Web tries to stay away, he can't quite manage it. He's drawn back to Cyrus again and again.

Really, if I had anything to offer at all, I would lay claim to him, and no one but me would  ever have him ever again.  But as it was, all I could be was a diversion until he realized he could do so much better. He was a neurosurgeon. I was a homeless drifter, and this wasn’t a fairytale.

Web thinks of himself as a frog and as Cy as Prince Charming. He knows no matter how many times Cyrus kisses him, he'll still be a frog -- he isn't disguised and won't suddenly turn into a prince and the perfect match for Cy. He's just himself.

It's really adorable the way they both idolize the other. Weber thinks of Cyrus as this stunningly beautiful man who is rich and smart and could have anyone. Which is true, everyone considers Cyrus a great catch and he could take his pick.

But what Web doesn't realize is that Cyrus feels the same way about him. He knows Web doesn't have money, but that doesn't matter to him. What does matter is that he is an amazing person who charms everyone he interacts with. Web is so self-effacing, gracious, and polite that he actually garners all the attention because of it. People can't believe someone so good is real. He becomes the pied piper for kids and dogs. Cy's own sister would marry him, and his parents want to adopt him. He makes everyone pause and acknowledge what they are privileged enough to have. But Weber doesn't see. He just views himself as a useless, old cowboy with nothing to his name.

This book isn't overly dramatic or thrilling. It's more of a gentle teasing, emotion-driven story that still manages to completely draw you in. It's heartwarming. A little funny. It also makes you want to just slap Web upside the head and make him stay where he belongs.

Web's cowboy boots seem to be a bit of a metaphor for his life. At the beginning of the book, they are old and worn, with holes letting in the rainwater. When he finally allows Cyrus to help him, they get the boots resoled and also pick up some other shoes. At the end, the boots are sitting in the closet with his old shearling-lined denim jacket, not needed anymore. They are still there, but they aren't the only thing there. He is wearing improved versions that keep him warm and dry.

The book is told completely from Weber's point of view, though we also see him from other POV's when he tries to figure out why people are reacting certain ways. When people look at you with stars in their eyes, it means they think you're amazing. Weber doesn't realize that.

The pacing is pretty good. I'm not a fan of books with flashbacks as they disrupt the tale, but the couple at the beginning of the book aren't terrible, just jolting. Not a lot happens in the story, it's a pretty gentle ride. But just enough bits are added to keep things steadily interesting.

I like that the author plays with stereotypes a little. Web is an old hand at rodeo, but he's got freckles, white skin, and red hair, ginger when longer. Cyrus is upper middle class, but his skin is described as golden brown. Even though Web has not had family in years, the author doesn't take the easy out and make him a curmudgeon or scared of kids. Nope, Web is incredible with kids and fits right into Cyrus' family. Instead of a plug-in-play stereotyped mold, each character feels personally designed. No characterizations just because cowboys like this and doctors like this. Sure, Web likes horses and Cy is a little fancy, but that is because that's who they are, not because of what they do.

The editing and proofreading were right on. Mary Calmes' books always seem to be consistently decent in that regard. Someone with an eagle eye may be able to spot something, but I didn't notice problems.

The sex scenes are generally good, including a pretty raw one in a flashback to the first time Cyrus and Web met. The sex scenes occupy a large portion of the book, but they aren't treated as a replacement for love, just an addition to it that shows that even though society would dictate that the pair should be ill-suited, instead they match perfectly. Web has little control over his life, and he takes control during sex, letting Cyrus let go of his own constantly controlling nature and be free to enjoy himself for the first time.

It's a bit frustrating watching Weber fit into the Weber-sized hole in Cyrus' life and not even realize it. He's so focused on the fact that he doesn't have a job and that he doesn't know what a cowboy can do for a job in San Francisco, that he doesn't realize he could do anything and he doesn't have to be a cowboy. Web lets his pride and fear get in the way of what could be, even when he falls into a job that's perfect for him, he still doesn't realize that he can just stay.

I think we all fall a little in love with Web and understand Cyrus' desperation to just hold him tight and give him a home.

Cyrus makes Desperado by The Eagles into Web's ringtone, and that sums up so much.

It may be raining when Weber gets back to Cyrus, but it's San Francisco, there are plenty of rainbows to be seen if he just lets Cy love him.

You should get Frog now.

Review : By Fairy Means or Foul by Meghan Maslow

Twig Starfig had no clue the unicorn was trouble the moment he walked into his office. Of course, it would be hard to notice trouble at that moment as he was busy forgetting his name and nearly drooling, completely overpowered by lust for the hottest guy he had ever seen. So much that he barely noticed the indentured servant who came into the office with him. Not a great way to show off detective skills.

Once Brandsome Nightwind, the unicorn, dials back on the unicorn lust magic though, Twig definitely starts noticing the cute human with him, and Twig's dragon half takes notice too.

While the unicorn tears up and tells his tale of woe, Twig finds himself constantly glancing at the other man who is rolling his eyes and just generally sassing behind his back. Apparently even being an indentured servant can't keep Quinn's sass levels low. And he doesn't seem to care for his master much.

The case is finally revealed by the distraught and stunning unicorn, Twig must find and get back the unicorn's horn.

As part dragon, Twig is able to magically sense where things are, so the case shouldn't be too hard. Though there is a holdup already. Brandsome doesn't have enough money for a deposit. Though he can temporarily sign over his indentured servant who will do anything Twig wants. Anything. Twig is not remotely interested in owning a sex slave, but before he can say no, he thinks about how Brandsome might just sign Quinn over to someone else to get the money. Unwilling to have that happen, he agrees to take Quinn as a surety.

As a half-breed, generally disdained by both fairies and dragons, Twig is a loner. He doesn't want or need anyone and has no intentions of keeping anyone around, but as he's forced to be around the human more and more, he finds himself falling for him. And his dragon doesn't help, he seems to have decided the human is his mate. Mate, not food, because his dragon half wasn't already weird enough.

Soon, the half-fairy, half-dragon who can't shapeshift, and the indentured servant who should be a wizard, but doesn't have access to magic, are falling for each other, but Brandsome still owns Quinn, and when they find the unicorn's horn, Quinn will have to go back to his owner. That is, if they survive trying to find the unicorn's horn.

I really enjoyed all three of these books and hope there will be more in the Starfig Investigations series. The world-building is top-notch, encompassing multiple realms and types of beings, each with their own uniqueness. 

A high fantasy romance detective novel shouldn't work, but it totally does. A fantasyland detective is as fun as a space western. It's as though the familiar set in the unfamiliar makes all the common tropes new again and fun.

The first two books in the series are solely from Twig's POV, while the third book is from Quinn's. While I miss seeing things from another point of view, it is better for the mystery to not switch between characters in each book as so many do today.

Twig Starfig tries to be the big, bad dragon detective, but while he is coarse and pretends to be gruff, he's really a marshmallow inside. He's bigger than most people because of his dragon blood, and he's just a bit bulky. He has midnight blue hair to his shoulders and black fingernails he can extend into claws. He can also shift his teeth, but is unable to shift his entire body into dragon form.

Quinn Broomsparkle is the first male witch wizard in 1000 years...well, he was supposed to be. Instead he was taken away from his family and taught magic for years, awaiting the day he came into his majority and could bond with a familiar to access his powers, only to find on that day that he couldn't seem to bond with any of the familiars at all. Sold into indentured servitude to pay back his schooling, Quinn is stuck with a narcissistic, mean-spirited unicorn who likes to gamble, cheat, and pass around Quinn at sex parties. This is not where Quinn saw his life going.

"Go ahead and say it. I can tell you’re dying to tell me something,” I said when he began chewing on his bottom lip. My dragon practically purred. What was that about? And what was with the urge to lean over and pull his abused flesh from his teeth? Must be the lingering effects of the unicorn’s magic. I was still so horny, my cock refusing to behave. My brain even now felt slow, but I could talk at least. Perdition, punishment, and perversions, that was some wicked magic. 

      “You’re awfully small for being dragon-born,” he blurted out, even though he was a good foot shorter than me. 

      Well that deflated my cock faster than a werebeaver with braces offering free blowjobs. My dragon wasn’t happy either if the grumbling in my head was any indication. 

      “And you’re awfully rude for a human,” I shot back. 

      He blushed. If I wasn’t so annoyed, I’d think it was adorable. But no.

The secondary characters are interesting as well. They each have very unique personalities and voices. It is very obvious when one or another is talking. They don't tend to reveal complex backstories, but they reveal enough to know they have them without hindering the storyline with unimportant details. Twig's father is an 8-inch tall fairy politician who wants Twig to run for office too. His dragon mother is slightly less terrifying and rules a clan in the dragon realm. There are also giants and ghosts, demons and and dragons, and numerous other creatures, including zombies.

Quinn is understandably intimidated by Twig at first. He's been used and abused for years and he doesn't trust Twig's altruism. But being afraid doesn't mean he's going to just roll over. He opens his mouth and talks back far too much for someone who knows he's likely to get his butt kicked for doing so. And when Twig doesn't punish him for it, he gets far more advanced in his snark.

“You know, dragons are known for their stamina,” I said to goad him a little. 

      “And selfishness,” he muttered under his breath, probably thinking I wouldn’t hear him. Little did he know, dragons had exceptional hearing.

The two are cute together. They play off of each other really well and have decent chemistry. The give and take between them reminds me a little of the snark chemistry between Flynn Ryder and Rapunzel, though the adult version.

There isn't a ton of sex in the book, but there are quite a few close encounters before they start. They want each other, but Twig is initially worried about inadvertently putting pressure on Quinn since he might not feel able to say no. Then, later, he is afraid of accidentally mating Quinn and since he don't want no relationship, his dragon will just have to suck it up, or suck it as the case may be.

The setting is really good. As they journey across the land we see the bad areas of the main fairy city, a huge desert, forests, and more. Each are unique and well-described, but not overly so so we aren't bombarded by details but can fill in our own images.

The pacing is good enough to keep one reading. Not too fast, not too slow. Just a steady stream of adventures, with a few high points throughout. I think the only slogging is in the desert.

Where By Fairy Means or Foul really shines is the tickle of the funny bone. It's sort of a better quality of Piers Anthony's Xanth style humor or along the lines of  Robert Asprin's MythAdventures. Less puns, but tidbits of silliness alternating with snark.

We continued through what had to be the center of the outpost, looking for a watering hole. It didn’t take us long. Another sign announced, “The Watering Hole and Inn.” 

“Creative folk.” I snorted, and then pushed through rickety swinging doors into a dimly lit saloon. An elderly cyclops barkeep shuffled down the counter toward us, setting down small pink doilies at each place along the way. Macramé hangings and weavings of cute Cerberus pups and adorable Pegasi foals littered every inch of wall space. Romance novels filled a large bookshelf near the bar. Not that I had a lot of time to look, but I did see a well-worn copy of Fifty Shades of Fae. 

“What’s with the grandma couture?” Quinn whispered from the side of his mouth.

The style of funny fantasy that doesn't take itself too seriously is my favorite part of the books. It's just genuinely entertaining. Though that doesn't mean there isn't character develop. Twig and Quinn both learn to trust each other and get past their issues quite a bit.

The editing is pretty good too. Few if any errors, and nothing overly wrong enough to disturb the story. Even the feel of the words was correct for the scenes.

Overall, By Fairy Means or Foul is fairly funny, even if a little foul. These two may be questing for a horn, but in fine fantasy style, a lot happens along the way, making the journey the destination. Twig and Quinn definitely deserve their HEA, even if it takes a form they could never have expected.

Oh, and the sequels are just as good! Most times, sequels lose the luster of the original and are just somehow lesser. But Be Fairy Game and His Fairy Share are both decent stories with new adventures and character developments. It is really worth reading all three. And hopefully the author will continue on.

 

Reviews : Variable Onset by Layla Reyne

To catch a serial killer, shy teacher must go undercover and play pretend husbands with the former student he has a crush on in Variable Onset by Layla Reyne.

Special Agent Lincoln Monroe gave up being in the field so he could raise his daughter and train new FBI agents. Some of those students are quite a bit of trouble for this shy, argyle-wearing teacher. The most headache-inducing one was Carter, a student when he first started teaching. A student he had to resist crushing on.

Now, eight years later, Lincoln must return to the field to go undercover and catch a serial killer. When he arrives at the little college town near Roanoke, he finds none other than Carter, his former student and new partner. In all senses of the word, because Carter's plan for their identities is that the two are newlyweds.

Role-playing husbands is all fine and dandy until the pair start getting confused on whether they are still playing pretend and bodies start falling around them. Time is running out and the killer has them in his sights.

Variable Onset is a coworkers, hot for teacher, fake married, forced proximity, opposites attract romantic mystery featuring a shy, introverted teacher and his brash, outgoing former student. It features lots of crushing, a slow burn, and many interesting characters filling up a small town where everyone is a suspect.

Lincoln is very sweet and awkward. The women in his life: his teenage daughter, his ex-wife, and his sister, are all a bit bossy, but he wouldn't have it any other way. He didn't mind getting out of the field as he never felt confident in his people skills, and stepping back out there leaves him nervous even before finding out that Carter is his new partner. He's a bit older, likes argyle and chucks, was a bit of a musical prodigy, and is an expert in forensic genealogy. He's also terrified of fire and being on stage.

Getting called to the principal’s office sucked at forty-two same as it did at fourteen. Sucked even worse when you were the teacher. Standing in front of a room full of agent trainees, Lincoln suppressed his physical reaction to the gray-haired man who’d snuck into the back of his lecture hall. His mind, though, wasn’t so easily wrangled. What had he done now to get on Director Beverley’s shitlist? Missed another useless meeting? Marched in that protest last weekend? Brought his daughter to the crime lab for take-your-kid-to-work day

Carter had a crush on Lincoln when he was in his class, and he's never quite gotten over it. In the years since he's gone undercover more than a few times and is good at following his gut instincts. He was already in the town investigating his own, personal history. Growing up in foster care, Carter has no idea who his parents were, but believes they might have died in a car accident when he was a baby. Carter seems sure of himself as he directs things around him, but underneath he's not quite as confident as he appears, and not knowing who is family was leaves him not knowing who he is.

Why did Lincoln Monroe have to be so fucking hot?

That had been Carter’s first thought the day he’d stepped into the prickly professor’s lecture hall, and eight years later, it had been his first thought opening the front door to him. His next thought... Lincoln Monroe had actually gotten hotter.

The small town Lincoln and Carter must infiltrate is a college town set back from a highway. It's close enough to DC to be a good weekend trip, but far enough away to be more trees and forest than city. It is houses a college, and when school is not in session it is mostly populated by residents who have lived there their entire lives. It's also home to two serial killers, one a longtime murderer, Dr. Fear, and the other a newer copycat who is pissing him off.

The town has a lot of characters, everyone from the HOA welcoming committee / busybody and her wife; to Larry, his brother Barry, and their other brother Harry. The college brings in some oddballs too, and some decide to stay. Carter feels at home in the town, and Lincoln thinks it's fun.

He’d seen his fair share of characters at Quantico, but this town was like the kooky-sitcom gift that kept on giving. Its current present, a suspender-wearing student hipster.

Throughout the story though, Lincoln and Carter must question if everyone is as they appear. There are two different serial killers hidden among the gregarious bunch, so anyone could be hiding a darker side.

Lincoln has been studying Dr. Fear for years. The serial killer kidnaps couples, then tortures and eventually kills them by using their own fears, whether claustrophobia, pyrophobia, or even fear of failure. This new copycat has kidnapped Lincoln's friend and mentor's daughter, and time is running out on finding her before she is killed. They are hoping to also catch Dr. Fear as this is the first time they've ever gotten close to him.

The plot is good, though has some holes. Some things didn't make a lot of sense or were missing logical conclusions. There were also a few leaps of logic; if A, then K, sort of things. Carter knew to look in the town for his parents' accident instead of Texas where he went into the system because someone, somewhere told him to, but where did that person get that idea?

Also, I understand that many of the town's residents have prematurely gray hair and Crohn's Disease because of the small gene pool, so the murder(s) must be descended from town founders, but they made quite a leap when they decided the killer(s) must have gray hair. Why did it have to be a prematurely gray-haired resident, and wouldn't Dr. Fear be old enough to have naturally gray hair by then or did he start killing really early?

“Dr. Fear leaves no evidence, right? So, per your lessons, we have to use archival data and documents, our own observational skills, and the one clue we do have, to identify likely avenues of investigation. All we know at this point is that they’re likely someone who lived or worked in Apex through the span of Dr. Fear’s cycles.”

“Which, one, is too big a suspect pool, and two, Jeremiah’s too young.”

“But maybe not someone from his family. He tell you he was from here?”

Lincoln nodded. “Family goes multiple generations back.”

“Right, so normally it’d be tough to test for genetic relevance in a college town, as a large segment of the population is always turning over due to the university, but the size of the actual permanent population in Apex is relatively small and, from what I gathered talking to folks last night and today, much of it is like Jeremiah’s family. They’ve been here for generations, and many of them have intermarried.”

Lincoln was nodding enthusiastically now. “Multi-generational founding families. That’s a much more manageable suspect pool and someone from one of those families is more likely to be stationary, here in Apex for the span of Dr. Fear’s cycles.” His brow furrowed and he drummed his fingers on the table. “Of course, there’s the possibility it’s someone on staff at Apex who has been here the entire time.”

“Granted,” Carter conceded. “We need to follow that lead as well. Dig deeper into the university records. But for this investigative avenue, if we assume Dr. Fear does belong to a founding family, who has been in this isolated area for multiple generations...” He held up the evidence bags, Jeremiah’s a little higher.

“Those families will have higher incidences of genetic mutations and other hereditary conditions. A founder variant.”

“A variant like premature graying, which would narrow the suspect pool even more. You were probably too nervous to notice, but at the party last night and the café this morning, there were multiple other baby silver foxes. Plus Jeremiah and Lydia—she can’t be that much older than me—and probably more in their families.”

I wondered the entire time if Carter's parents were the first victims of Dr. Fear. They never conclude why they crash and the entire aspect of Carter's family feels a bit tacked on. I wonder if maybe Dr. Fear accidentally crashed into them, killing them, and that was the start of his pattern. Then every ten years he struck again. Kinda makes sense. Though his age is never quite addressed, so I'm not sure how old he actually is and would he be at least 16 then since it was 32 years ago... He definitely murdered people 22 years ago and 12 years ago, so he's probably at least 40, but is he older?

The pacing is very off throughout. The undercover roles are set up within hours, even getting jobs and a house and furniture. In a small town. And no one noticed. The boys talk about hurrying and time running out to save the couple, but they don't actually rush very much, nor do they do more immediate things to solve the crime like look into the paint rub-off before looking into 20 year old records for a picture of a person next to another person. The story speeds up, then mellows out, then speeds up, then mellows out. The pacing on the dramatic capture scene is okay, but the very end scenes are just sort of weird and felt anticlimactic and un-romance novel.

There were a few, fairly suspenseful scenes. Good ones, though they could have been better. There were probably more suspenseful scenes than is normal for a book like this, which is nice if you like more mystery and suspense than the romance sections, though there were a bit of those as well.

The science is interesting and well-done. Forensic genealogy is important and is a cool plot concept. Trying to solve a crime using it would be frustrating but fulfilling. It really was my favorite part.

Lincoln and Carter are good too. Very human characters, without being jerks. Just natural nerves and uncertainty with their crush. The slowburn and lowkey falling for each other fits them. Also, they develop a bit over the story, not letting their fears stop them when it matters. The supporting characters are neat as well, especially the little peaks we get of Lincoln's family.

There is hardly any sex in the book, which to me was a bonus and more pages of story, but I know a lot of readers seem more interested in the sex scenes than the story itself. What there was was good. A lot of on edge, almost kiss scenes too, which is fun. 'I want you, but I shouldn't...'

The couple and the setting and the storyline made up for a lot of issues. They were just so likeable! The book wasn't the greatest, but it was a solid contender and worth reading.

This is a stand-alone novel. Layla Reyne does have other similar FBI suspense books though, including her Agents Irish & Whiskey series and the spinoff Trouble Brewing series

Reviews : Sinner's Gin by Rhys Ford

Sinner's Gin is a mm mystery romance featuring a shattered singer and the Irish cop who falls in love with him as he solves the mystery of the dead body left at his home.

With Grammy in hand, Sinner's Gin had finally achieved their goals and were celebrating the reward for all their hard work. Then, in one moment it was all over. Three of the four members dead, and Miki St John (Sinjun), the lead singer broken and barely able to get out of bed in the morning. Retreating to his converted warehouse in San Francisco, Miki's only companion is Dude, a mutt who just moved in and stayed one day.

When that mutt drags a piece of Koa wood and a cop back to the house, Miki assumes it's just another crappy thing to have happen to him. While the cop is hot, Miki knows better than to trust anyone, especially those in authority. So the former street rat applies his native tongue of snark and sarcasm and makes it clear the cop better never show up again. But their lives are fated to be intertwined by murder and dog, as just a little later the cop chases the dog home again where he discovers a murder victim in the front seat of Miki's car.

Kane Morgan has been thinking about the beautiful man all alone in the cavernous warehouse he stays secluded in. When the dog steals another item from him he uses the excuse to head over and see the lost man again. Miki may have been snarling and sneering and looking like a wraith, but there is something there. Kane can't help feeling that his attitude is hiding a damaged soul that needs him.

The dead body left for Miki could get in the way of getting to know the former singer, but Kane refuses to let it stop him. Instead he decides he will watch over him, especially when he finds out Miki knew the vic, that Miki had been his victim when he was younger and still in foster care. Before he decided the streets were safer than staying to be sexually assaulted by straight, perverted men who like little boys.

With Miki's past coming back to haunt him, the tough, Irish Catholic cop and the entire, huge Morgan family must keep the singer safe. But will this former street rat let them in?

Okay, so this series is pretty awesome. All the books and short stories are about Miki and his attempt to restart a band and the Morgan family, that is mainly made up of cops, solving murders and falling in love. There are four couples and six books, so some of the books feature the couples extending their stories. The general theme stays pretty consistent. Murderer threatens MC, other MC must help keep him safe. There isn't a ton of solving going on, this isn't that type of mystery. It's a bit more realistic; try to keep everyone safe until the killer screws up.

Miki may have been shattered by the tragedies in his life, but he's still a bit too prickly to be handled and too independent to be coddled. He may look delicate and pretty, but he's got a lot of inner strength. He's broken because he's just been strong for too long. And the one person who he had ever fully trusted, the one who saved him, his brother of the heart and former band member, Damien, is gone.

Kane showing up terrifies Miki. How can you trust again when almost every person ever has hurt you? And the one person you ever truly trusted has left you behind? Of course, the former guttersnipe instinctively flinches from any hand that comes near. But Kane knows sometimes you need to stand steady and take a few hits to tame a feral animal. Earning his trust is worth it because you can end up with one who is smart and strong enough to survive every hand life has dealt him.

Kane is the perfect match for Miki. He sees Miki's tender side. It's all wrapped up in barbed wire so it's hard to see, but it's obvious when even completely destroyed, Miki still took in a stray dog and made sure he had something to eat. And he is terrified of the Morgan family, especially the mom, but it's partially because he assumes they won't like him. Kane is a caretaker, a protector, what cops should be. All he wants to do is give Miki a steady presence that he can trust. Oh, and fuck him. Because he thinks Miki is the hottest man he's ever met.

The book can be pretty gritty at times, lots of blood and guts. Miki tends to puke at everything, but wouldn't you if someone left you a dead body or hit you in your injured knee? So, people with weak stomachs should take care.

Also, major trigger warning! Childhood sexual assault is mentioned quite a bit. There are some minor mentions of suicidal thoughts as Miki spends his days alone and in pain, his entire created family / band dead and him left alone. Later books also feature some triggering subjects: abusive parents, hooking while underage, and drug addiction / OD. All the main characters recover as much as possible in the end, but it can be hard to read about how much the boys were hurt before finding true family.

All the warnings make this book seem heavy and oppressive, and while it is hard to read at times because of the subject matter, other parts of the book are pretty funny and sweet. Miki learning to take affection from people is just adorable. Kane wants to love Miki so much and he's a very protective person, but he doesn't know how to get Miki to let him in. The Morgans are kinda crazy. Of course, Dude is the best character. I loved him in this, but it makes it so much better to read Hair of the Dog afterwards and see some scenes from his point of view.

Dude is a scraggly little blond terrier and sort of looks like this cairn terrier, but a lot brattier. I believe he might be partially based on the author's own dog, a cairn terrorist ;-)




In some ways, this book reminds me of ferret legging, with Miki being the ferret and Kane being the one wearing pants. Miki is all teeth and sharpness and a hint of mischievous sneakiness, Kane is the idiot who thinks it's worth going there with him. Talk about letting a feral beast into your pants...




Although, a later book describes Miki's origins and the beginning of Sinner's Gin as:

“One does not nurture Miki. That’s kind of like waltzing with a honey badger. I just tossed him food until it was safe enough to approach and shoved a microphone into his hand.”

So goes the taming of Miki. Be there, be reliable, and give him food. Oh, and encouraging his music, as music is a huge part of his life. He is always singing and writing songs. Kane even finds that he sings in his sleep.

The book series is mostly set in San Francisco. Rhys Ford tends to feature the city with the familiarity of someone who has lived there and learned many of its secrets. I especially like seeing another side of different areas, including Chinatown. It might be helpful to glance at a map while reading as many neighborhoods are mentioned and it will help you get a sense of place. Miki's warehouse is near Russian Hill, the Morgans are near Presidio, and there is a lot of eating to be done in Chinatown.



Miki's GTO does look better without a corpse in it.

 


Books by Rhys Ford tend to make me hungry. Food is very important to people who have had to do without, so there is a lot of relishing going on when characters eat. Also, the Morgans are Irish and feel the need to feed everyone to make sure they know they are loved. The books have actually helped me find some good sounding dishes that I was unfamiliar with as some of the books feature food from Korea, China, and other places in Asia. Another book by Rhys Ford, this one about a former assassin that becomes a ramen chef in LA, Ramen Assassin, is practically drool-worthy. Miki often eats cheap ramen and macaroni and cheese because he has no idea how to cook, but he also appreciates good ramen and fish and chips and Mexican street tacos.

Food, foster care, San Francisco (or in other books, LA and San Diego), hurt and healing. These are all common subjects in Rhys Ford's book and part of the reason they're a favorite author of mine. The stories may come across as unbelievable to those who live middle class or upper class lives, but as someone who has been poor, it is all too familiar. Learning to make due and get by is a required skill.

Miki especially exemplifies the concept of kintsugi or kintsukuroi, the Japanese art form where broken ceramics are fixed, not with hidden glue but with gold or silver to showcase the history and survival of something that might have been disposed of but is instead made glorious. He has been broken, but is only more beautiful for it.

Miki grows throughout the book. He learns to trust at least some others and most of all trust in Kane's love. Kane grows too. He learns that he can't always manage everything, sometimes he just has to go along for the ride.

There is a lot of drama and thrills. Each time the boys start relaxing their guard something else happens. So many close calls and teasing attacks. The scene with the killer is especially sad and brutal, all while making you shout hurray! Definitely grit your teeth and cheer along kind of stuff.

There's also a lot of sadness. Even having read the book several times, I still tear up and want to cuddle Miki until he feels better. It's even sadder to realize things like that happen to kids, especially foster kids. And to have gotten at least partially past his childhood to only be cut down again when he starts achieving greatness...just so sad.

I'm not Miki, but even just reading it makes it clear I would probably never trust rising out of the depths again for fear of once again getting knocked down. The higher you go, the further to fall.

But Miki takes a chance again. A chance on a dog. A chance on a cocky Irish cop. A chance on an overwhelming family who wants him to be a part of them. For someone so alone who has never known his birth family and has lost his adopted family, it take real guts to take a chance one more time.

Miki's backstory is complex, but mysterious. He doesn't know his real name, his age, or even his ethnicity, though he looks some sort of Asian mixed with European. His background is a story arc that it is also addressed in later books as he learns more about where he came from and connects the first and last books in the series. It is well-thought out and little tidbits are scattered throughout the books until the finale features all the unknown parts. It's a hell of a ride.

Kane is a bit simpler, but still good. He's the second son out of a family of eight that immigrated to San Francisco when he was young. His family history is there too; how his mother was a Finnegan and the fiery lass captured the attention of the series Donal Morgan. Kane spent summers in Ireland, his Sundays at the Catholic church, and his school days at a private school. He looks up to his big brother and alternately harasses and cares for his younger siblings.

Kane and Miki are perfect together. Kane describes it as Miki is a kite, flying free in the air, and Kane is string / anchor keeping his from being blown away. Miki gets stability and safety while Kane gets to feel the freedom of the wind. They are opposites, the man with no family, and the man with sometimes too much family, but together they become something better.

And their chemistry is amazing. From the first moment when Miki opens the door, Kane wants him. It's almost like instalove, but more like fate chiming in and saying "this one, this is the one for you". Of course, cops are trained to assess things quickly, so it makes sense that Kane sees what's before him and has the determination to coax his man to his side. Miki wants Kane too, he really really does, but his uncertainty and past abuses make him hesitant. It takes him time before he can be intimate.

As the characters fit, so do the sex scenes. They tend to be less porno and more romance. Some people seem upset they don't just fuck and instead make love, but those also tend to be the people who want to know less about the characters and less about the stories and instead just want them as fuel for sex scenes. Too bad those people don't just go read porn or erotica and save the romance novels for us. The sex scenes in this book don't overpower the story, but later books tend to have more sex scenes. Perhaps the writer listened to the complainers too much.

The plot is at turns complex and simple. Cop sees the man he wants and is determined to have him, no matter what chaos is going on around them. And there is chaos. It's pretty fast-paced at times because a lot happens. But it can also be a bit confusing because so much happens. There are a few slower parts where the guys are just sharing space and getting to know one another. But this is at heart a story of two men finding each other and learning to trust.

The editing of the book is pretty good. There's a few minor issues, but nothing bad enough to put a reader off.

Not all loose ends are tied into bows during this book. The author obviously was intending this to be the start of a series, so there are some mysteries began in this one that won't be solved until the end of the final book. The smaller story arc is solved, the murderer caught and his motive figured out (as much as you can understand what happens in the heads of killers). But, the last bit of this Sinner's Gin reveals a huge secret that is a lead in to the next book. You may want to have the second book handy as you'll probably want to start it as soon as this book is over. It starts some soap opera-level drama in book 2 as we read about a new couple, one of Kane's cousins and a surprise character. Very "surprise m*therf*ckers!"

As a cute touch the lyrics to some of Sinner's Gin songs are listed at the start of each chapter. Music is a huge part of the books as Miki is a singer / songwriter, and he later puts together a band once more. Musicians will especially love a lot about these books, but unlike some music-focused books, knowing about music isn't necessary to reading them. It is just the right amount of music for everyone to enjoy the stories.

There are only six books in the Sinner's series, but there are a host of shorts that add marvelous detail to the world. Here is the Sinner's series reading order:

Sinners 01 - Sinner's Gin
Sinners 1.5 - Hair of the Dog (most from Dude's POV)
Sinners 02 - Whiskey and Wry
Sinners 2.5 - The Devil's Brew (Valentine's Day for the inexperienced)
Sinners 2.6 - Interview with Miki and Damie
Sinners 2.7 - Interview with Kane and Sionn
Sinners 03 - Tequila Mockingbird
Sinners 3.4 - Wild Turkey (Thanksgiving dinner with the family)
Sinners 3.5 - Rotgut Gin (saying goodbye)
Sinners 3.8 - A Touch of Irish (how to celebrate an anniversary)
Sinners 3.75 - Shot Glass Sin (dude, we're getting the band back together!)
Sinners 04 - Sloe Ride
Sinners 4.5 - Applejack Shots and Beer (shall we go touring once again)
Sinners 05 - Absinthe of Malice
Sinners 06 - Sin and Tonic
Sinners 6.1 - Last Call Part 01 - Miki and Damie in the Park
Sinners 6.2 - Last Call Part 02 - Miki and Kane Play Nerf
Sinners 6.3 - Last Call Part 03 - Brigid and Donal in the Kitchen
Sinners 6.4 - Last Call Part 04 - Miki and Donal Making Rice
Sinners 6.5 - Last Call Part 05 - Damie and Sionn at the Beach
Sinners 6.6 - Last Call Part 06 - Quinn and Rafe on the Balcony
Sinners 6.7 - Last Call Part 07 - Con and Forest's Wedding
Sinners 6.8 - Holiday Story with Con and Forest
Sinners 6.9 - Holiday Story with Kane and Miki

Sinners 07 - 'Nother Sip of Gin - Anthology

Really, don't forget to check out the free short stories by this author. They are adorable snapshots that enhance the books. The shorts are on their website.
Click here to go to the Free Shorts section.
The blog is also pretty good and random.

And for those who enjoy Easter eggs, there are other book tie-ins. The Cole McGinnis series and 415 Ink series by Rhys Ford have brief cameos and mentions about the band. And Mary Calmes' Marshals series book 3 Tied up in Knots has Miro meet Kane when he was San Francisco. They aren't needing to be read to enjoy this series, but it's fun to see the whole universe tied together, like where Damie gets his tattoo, where that tattoo artist goes, who listens to Sinner's Gin and is impacted by their music, etc. The Cole McGinnis series precedes the Sinner's series while the 415 Ink series (also set in San Francisco) follows. The 415 Ink series is fairly similar to this series, though it features a tattoo shop and associated found family.

Sinner's Gin can stand alone, but like Miki learns, things are better with more.

So, if you want to at turns cry, be happy, be pissed, and read some sexy bits, you too might want to read Sinner's Gin. After all, a tragically-broken singer, a hot Irish cop, a chaotic huge family, and a murdered victim left in your car, what could go wrong...

Get the entire Sinner's Gin series here

Get Sinner's Gin

(Sinners Series Book 1)

And the rest of the Sinner's series:

Whiskey and Wry

(Sinners Series Book 2)

The Devil's Brew

(Sinners Series Short 2.5)

Tequila Mockingbird

(Sinners Series Book 3)

Sloe Ride

(Sinners Series Book 4)

Absinthe of Malice

(Sinners Series Book 5)

Sin and Tonic

(Sinners Series Book 6)

'Nother Sip of Gin

(Sinners Series Book 7)

And if you want the whole enchilada to really enjoy those Easter eggs, check out:

Dirty Kiss

(Cole McGinnis Mysteries Book 1)

by Rhys Ford


Rebel

(415 Ink Series Book 1)

by Rhys Ford


Tied Up In Knots

(Marshalls Series Book 3)

by Mary Calmes