Book Reviews

Between the Lines by Sally Malcolm
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Confession time: Characters who start off completely against love and relationships, and then have an epiphany because of the main love interest usually aren’t my cup of tea. I’m cynical and jaded. It takes a lot to convince me one person can completely change someone so drastically. In Between the Lines, Malcolm knocks this trope out of the ballpark. I was rooting for Luca and Theo with every fiber of my being.

If you’ve read Perfect Day by Malcolm, you may remember Luca being very briefly mentioned as the summer lifeguard/surf instructor and son of the owner of the bed and breakfast on the bay. He’s travels all over the country, taking jobs in different states for each season. He’s the anti-relationship, anti-love MC. He’s up for fun and zero attachments. Until…

…dear Theo. Oh, how he stole my heart. I learned a lot about dyspraxia through Malcolm’s portrayal of Theo. He’s sensitive and proud and passionate and trusting, and I just loved him. That’s not to say I didn’t love Luca. I did, just in a different way.

These two were so sweet together when they finally got their heads out of the sand. I adored the grand gesture and the inclusion of “The Luckiest” by Ben Folds, my favorite song by one of my favorite artists.

Without a doubt, I am looking forward to Malcolm’s next offering in the M/M romance genre.

***ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.***

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Beat of Their Own Drum by K.M. Neuhold
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I give the third book in the Replay series 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Things I loved:
– bad boy drummer Jude
– stressed to the max manager Archer
– unresolved mutual attraction
– different characters’ perspectives of the same scenes from the previous two books
– Chuck Palahniuk reference
– the hot, hot sexy times

Things I didn’t care for:
– fairly stoic, kinda arrogant former military Bennett
– the seemingly easy and quick drug rehab
– the weird dynamic between Bennett and Archer

I’m guessing Benji’s book is next. He’s come off as the only band member without drama. No doubt he has some skeletons hidden in his closet.

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When Fate Falls Short by Brooke Edwards
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Unintentional hurt without the comfort.

Have you ever read a book that started you off with a smile and all those fuzzy, cute feelings just to crush you into a million pieces at the end? That is this book, and I loved it.

Edwards’ words convey emotions so perfectly, I was a snotty, blubbering mess for the last half of the book. I love stories that stray from the conventional formula of two people fall in love, overcome a conflict, and live happily ever after. The reader does get the meet-cute and falling in love part. But real life doesn’t always end on a high note, and When Fate Falls Short drives that point home.

The characters are well written, and it wasn’t hard to sympathize with each one, even on the opposite sides of the conflict. My heart ached for the men and the pain they experienced.

If you’re looking for a story that is going to leave you with that aforementioned fuzzy feeling, this is not it. But I can guarantee this is an excellent read.  For fans of Last Dance with Mary Jane by John Goode and Olive Juice by TJ Klune.

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Renewing Forever by Kelly Jensen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Building Forever, Book 1 was fantastic–one of my favorites of 2018. I adored Simon and Charlie. They make very brief appearances in Renewing Forever and I craved more of them.

I had trouble getting into Frank and Tom’s story. Frank is introduced in Building Forever, and I wanted to get to know him after reading the first of the series. Unfortunately, the build up was a bit of a let down for me. He just wasn’t that interesting. He seemed to have lived a fascinating life as a journalist traveling all over the world and publishing articles in magazine. I wanted to know more about his travels and his career…the people he met, the topics he covered. Jensen barely touches on his last assignment, reporting from the devastation in Puerto Rico, and how that experience made him want more from life. But I just didn’t feel it.

As for Tom, I had much difficulty liking and sympathizing with him. He was weird and awkward, and not in a cute, sweet way. His reason for pushing Frank away so long ago didn’t resonate with me. His actions and reactions rubbed me the wrong way.

Even their relationship as kids/teens didn’t feel right to me, and not because they were from two different social classes.

I really wanted to like this book. Here’s hoping Brian in Book 3 can win me over.

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Less Than Three by Jess Whitecroft
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

***I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.***

Straight twin playing the part of the gay twin to win over the gay twin’s love interest. Very interesting. When I first started reading Less Than Three I thought, for some reason, the story would be written from Simon’s POV (the gay twin). What a surprise it was (to me, at least) to find it’s written from the Nathan’s POV (the straight twin). A gay romance told from the straight twin’s point of view. Very, very interesting.

Whitecroft could write about any topic–seriously, anything–and I would gobble it up. Stealing Rob’s words regarding Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: “He wanted to be off writing dense historical novels that would bore the pigeon poo off a statue.” Whitecroft could be write such novels, and I could be the pigeon poo…only, I wouldn’t be bored. Not by a long shot.

The previous books I’ve read by Whitecroft were set in the US. This one is set in England, and some of the British references escaped me. I had to Google several of the people mentioned to get an idea of what was being said. But, that’s all on me, being a dense American.

So, the twins. They have two very distinct, individual personalities. Where Simon is as dry as unbuttered toast (“My brother’s love life–as far as I could tell–was a lot like Fifty Shades of Grey: long periods of boredom interspersed with awkward conversations about cheese and Twinings tea bags.”), Nathan is animated and funny. Nathan tells his brother, “I don’t mean to brag, but you’re good looking.”

I loved being in Nathan’s head for a front row seat to his unabashed realization of his feelings for Rob. And Rob was just adorable. I enjoyed their frank conversations about literature and sexuality. When questioned by Rob about his previous gay experiences, Nathan tells him, “One time I did E and it got…oral.”

Holy mackerel, this book is hilarious and sexy and emotional. I give Less Than Three a solid ten.

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The Law of Inertia by S. Gonzales
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

***Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.***

TW/CW: mental illness, suicide, drug and alcohol addiction

This was an emotional read, chocked full of the hard truths of mental illness.

“If only I could be unconscious constantly, I felt life might be bearable.”

It was interesting to read different perspectives of Ash and his actions, including from Ash himself. I began guess the twist a bit before it was revealed, but I wouldn’t say that took away from the story at all.

Ash was written so well as a lost boy, recovering from a suicide attempt while continuing to deal with the depression that led him on this path.

“I can’t remember the last time I went for a week without thinking about dying.”

His conveyed thoughts were easy to identify with as someone who also suffers from depression.

“I have to try so, so hard at every single little thing I do. I get out of bed, and I feel like I’ve run a marathon.”

While I felt Ash was a great character, I had issues with his brother, Elliot, and the adults in his life. Elliot has his own demons, and it seemed like no one–maybe aside from Ash who was not in any position to take care of anyone, in my opinion–wanted to help him. And the adults–the foster parents and one teacher, in particular–seemed to recognize that Ash needed help but didn’t act.

I also had issues with the way Ash dealt with his mental illness. Without giving too much away, I don’t agree that his method was a cure-all.

In short, great mental illness rep and interesting twist, but lacking in responsible authority figures.

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My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Man, that cover is gorgeous!

Kerick is a master at creating fabulously sassy and unique characters, and Chance, the star of Love Spell, fits the bill. He is “a boy without a box”, and struggling with gender identity. I loved his outrageous personality, his outlandish crazy sense of style, and all the pop culture references. His best friend, Emily, on the other hand, becomes a little too over-the-top about halfway through the story. I could have used less of her silly made up words and self-created drama. For me, they weren’t the best match as bffs, but given Chance’s choices of possible friends, perhaps Emily was his best bet.

Following along with Chance’s plan to capture the fancy of Jasper (who he nicknames Jazz) is at times funny and other times heartbreaking. Taking cues from a magazine article and “love spells”, Chance sets his sights on Jazz, who is delightfully clueless. I so enjoyed Jazz’s personality and go-with-the-flow nature. Chance’s misguided attempts at seduction are endearing.

Chance and Jazz have two completely different home life experiences, and it was interesting to see Chance’s realization of what family means and what’s most important in life by becoming close with Jazz. Honestly, I think Love Spell is a story about family.

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My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**ARC received from author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.**

I liked the concept of this story: An escort is hired to assist a married couple with a rather unique bedroom issue. Told from the escort’s POV, the reader gets a candid look into his profession as a sex worker, fulfilling fantasies of well-to-do couples and individuals.

JD has a pretty awesome skill set: he’s bisexual, good at reading cues, and can adapt to any situation in the blink of an eye. The story jumps right into the erotica, setting the tone for the rest of the story. This is definitely not a book for anyone easily shocked or embarrassed by explicit sex scenes. (One would have to wonder why such a person would pick up a book about an escort–with “escort” in the title, no less.)

The reader gets to see the glamorous side of JD’s job (hot and varying sex with mostly classy people) and the somewhat seedy side (role playing taken a bit too extreme). Jasper/JD’s feelings and emotions are perfectly conveyed, and it’s easy to get absorbed in his train of thought.

While I liked Jasper/jD, I felt disconnected from Nick and Ali. I didn’t get Nick or Ali’s inner thoughts because everything is told through Jasper/JD’s eyes and perception. I also didn’t feel the emotional connection between the three. It was apparent to me that Jasper was lonely and seeking a committed relationship. Ali, on the other hand, came across as a bit spoiled and entitled. Nick almost seemed like Ali’s doormat.

There were some word choices that were slightly off-putting for me. As I mentioned, the story starts off with an explicit sexual encounter, and while I have absolutely no issue with explicit content, the use of the words “juicy” and “cream” was unpleasant for me to read. Thankfully, those words were not used again. Additionally, Jasper/JD and Nick frequently call each other “dude” and “buddy”, even after they agree to end their professional relationship and pursue a personal one. Not words I associate with romantic or sexual partners.

Another issue I had with the story was the manipulation of the three by a minor character. This made the whole premise seem unauthentic.

Overall, the writing was good but the story left me feeling like something was missing.

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