Two Chicks Obsessed with Books & Eye Candy

Sharing our love of M/M Romance

TCO Reviewer: Rosa

Out, Proud and Prejudiced by Megan Reddaway: RDB, Release Day Review and Giveaway

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One’s proud, one’s prejudiced, and they can’t stand each other.

Quick-tempered Bennet Rourke hates Darius Lanniker on sight. Darius may be a hotshot city lawyer, but that doesn’t give him the right to sneer at Bennet, his friends, and their college. It doesn’t help that Bennet’s restaurant job has him waiting at Darius’s table. So when his tutor recommends him for an internship at Darius’s Pemberley estate, Bennet isn’t sure he wants it. He’s also not sure he can afford to turn it down.

Darius is a fish out of water in the small college town of Meriton, but something keeps pulling him back there. He’s helping out a friend with business advice, nothing more. If he’s interested in Bennet, it’s not serious. Sure, Bennet challenges him in a way no other man has. But they have nothing in common. Right?

Wrong. Their best friends are falling in love, and Bennet and Darius can’t seem to escape each other. Soon they’re sharing climbing ropes and birthday cake, and there’s a spark between them that won’t be denied. But betrayal is around the corner. Darius must swallow his pride and Bennet must drop his prejudices to see the rainbow shining through the storm clouds.

A modern retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.

Amazon

This is a retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, where Bennet is the main hero who is slowly drawn towards Darius, a snobbish lawyer who treats our hero pretty shabbily from the get go. Bennet swears to have nothing to do with Darius, but because his best friend Jaime is dating Darius’ best friend Tim, the two would-be enemies keep finding themselves thrown together. They slowly learn to see past the superficial first impressions and find spots of common ground. And still some things manage to get in the way. But if you’re a fan of P&P, you’ll enjoy the ride knowing you’ll be satisfied in the end.

I really liked this book. I love retellings of classics. It’s so fun to see how much the author changes, what is kept the same and how it’s all modernized. It’s fun all around. In many ways it’s pretty faithful to the original, with minor twists. Instead of the five Bennett sisters, there are four roomates (poor Mary) whose personalities match the girls very well. There’s still scandal, and miscommunication, and oh how fun is Darius’ “I hate myself for loving you” speech? Love how this author changes things up.

3.5 pieces of eye candy


MEGAN REDDAWAY lives in England and has been entertained by fictional characters acting out their stories in her head for as long as she can remember. She began writing them down as soon as she could.

Since she grew up, she has worked as a secretary, driver, barperson, and article writer, among other things. Whatever she is doing, she always has a story bubbling away at the same time.

For news of Megan’s gay romance releases and two free stories, visit her website: http://meganreddaway.com
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The California Dashwoods by Lisa Henry: New Release Review

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Make a new future. Choose your true family. Know your own heart.

When Elliott Dashwood’s father dies, leaving his family virtually penniless, it’s up to Elliott to do what he’s always done: be the responsible one. Now isn’t the right time for any added complications. So what the hell is he doing hooking up with Ned Ferrars? It’s just a fling, right?

Elliott tries to put it behind him when the family makes a fresh start in California, and if he secretly hopes to hear from Ned again, nobody else needs to know. While his mom is slowly coming to terms with her grief, teenage Greta is more vulnerable than she’s letting on, and Marianne—romantic, reckless Marianne—seems determined to throw herself headfirst into a risky love affair. And when Elliott discovers the secret Ned’s been keeping, he realizes that Marianne isn’t the only one pinning her hopes on a fantasy.

All the Dashwoods can tell you that feelings are messy and heartbreak hurts. But Elliott has to figure out if he can stop being the sensible one for once, and if he’s willing to risk his heart on his own romance.
A modern retelling of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility.

Title: The California Dashwoods
Author: Lisa Henry
Publisher: self published
Release Date: May 1
Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex
Pairing: Male/Male
Length: 62 000
Genre: Romance

Amazon

 

Another Jane Austen retelling. This one reimagines Sense & Sensibility into modern day California.

Elliot, Marianne and Greta have recently lost their father and are preparing to move out of the only house they’ve known to make room for their half brother and his nasty wife. The only good thing to come out of all of it is meeting Ned, Elliot’s half brother’s brother-in-law. The two have instant chemistry and after exchanging hand jobs, they’re discovered by pretty much everyone in the house and the impending move becomes immediate. The siblings and their mother head to California with little money but a fierce sense of family. Elliot will do whatever he needs to provide for his younger sisters, while trying to come to terms with his father’s death and figuring out what to do with his life.

I’m not going to lie. I didn’t read S&S, but I have seen the 1996 Alan Rickman version many times and I’m pretty much an expert on that, so. This is a pretty faithful rendering of the original. This means that not only do we have polar opposite siblings, a crash and burn romance, and a heartless extended family, but our main “heroes” have virtually zero page time together after their initial meeting. These two don’t even know each other, which may have worked in Austen’s day, but I think disqualifies this as a modern “romance”. The writing was fine, and I liked how closely it followed the original while changing the setting completely, but I like romance in my romance novels, amirite? The dynamic between Elliot and Ned therefore isn’t the fault of Lisa Henry, and this is still a nice read. Just don’t expect a modern twist on how they obtain their HEA.

3 pieces of eye candy

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Astray by Elvira Bell: New Release Review

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Nick Andrews has grown up in poverty in a tiny village. All his life he’s been told that he’s useless. After getting one scolding too many he decides to go far away, off to sea. But his experience as a farmhand has done little to prepare him for the hardships of a sailor’s life.

When his ship is attacked by pirates, Nick’s life is miraculously spared by the notorious pirate captain, Christopher Hart—a man in charge of a crew feared for their brutality. Nick is forced to join the pirates, and he dreads finding out for what reason the captain has saved him.

But Hart is nothing like his reputation suggests, and Nick soon finds himself entangled in a relationship that could endanger both their lives. Unless Nick can help Hart on his quest to find a long lost treasure, their forbidden love may tear his new life apart.

Warning: This book ends with a cliffhanger, and it does not have a happy ending. The series as a whole will have a HEA ending.

Content note: This book contains dark themes and depictions of torture, murder, and rape.

Amazon

 

**TCO Note: Reviewer received the ARC of Astray, and provided review, prior to the warning being added to the synopsis of a cliffhanger. No change has been made to her review.

I’m gonna spoil you right outta the gate a bit on this one. You’ll thank me. This is a cliffhanger book. I don’t mean simply book 1 of a series, or a semi-HEA but there’s still conflict that continues in the next book. I’m talking our heroes are separated, possibly forever, and the hero we do know the whereabouts of is kind of dazed and confused and offers us no comfort as to what he plans to do, what he’s thinking, how he feels.

Anyway, other than that. Well, I love pirate/treasure/adventure stories. The language and writing reminded me of Treasure Island in that it’s slow paced with many things happening that may or may not drive the story forward. The action is told to us sort of from a distance, where we see the things they do, and sometimes what they think, yet I don’t feel much connection to them. This isn’t necessarily a criticism. Like I said, I like adventure stories and that part worked for me, but then again, this is a romance. It’s a younger/older thing where the captain of the pirate ship is smitten with the green cabin boy he’s kidnapped from the ship he and his crew just plundered. The two soon become a pair and even enter into matelotage, a formalized union between two men where each becomes the other’s beneficiary should one of them die. I love that kind of detail. I was also not disappointed with the waterfall sex scene, something I come to expect — nay, demand — in my m/m pirate romances.

Anyway, unexpected full blown cliffhangers do give me angries, especially when Goodreads doesn’t even list a book 2 in the series future. I might have steered clear of this had I known, but honestly, it was an interesting look into pirating adventures and while I’m curious how it will be wrapped up (revenge! That I do love!) I won’t be crushed if it never happens.

2.5 pieces of eye candy, which reflects the unpleasant-surprise “ending.”

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King Consort by J.R. Gray: Release Day Review and Excerpt

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Avoiding sleeping with women was my specialty, an art form even. As the future King of England I couldn’t be caught sleeping with men. My whole life played out in front of the paparazzi, and they didn’t miss a thing.

I had a carefully crafted womanizing persona to maintain. My life came with rules, all of which I broke when I couldn’t resist a one night stand with the enemy: A beautiful paparazzo with a heart of gold. He may be the only person who doesn’t want me for my title, and he can never be anything more than my secret.

But secrets have a way of coming out and not only will they scare him away, but they’ll lose me the crown.

Amazon

 

“Don’t move,” he said in a whisper.

“What are we doing?”

“I want these for me. I’ll sign whatever you want so you know I’ll keep them to myself, but I get a different you. One only I see, and I want it on film.”

It was the most romantic thing someone had ever said to me.

“I want to be able to look at them and remember this. You.”

“I want a copy.”

“Sure.” He brushed his fingers over the small of my back, sending a spark up my spine. “Now stand still.”

I indulged him and stayed in place. He unzipped the bag and slid out his DSLR. He changed something and then held it up to his face and clicked the shutter. Taking a look at the screen, he moved ever so slightly to the left and held it to his face again.

“Look at the fire.”

I did as I was told. He came close and moved my arm with the drink a fraction and placed my other arm over the back of the sofa.

Click. Click. Click.

He set the camera aside and took a seat on the edge of the chair next to me.

“Done with my repayment so soon?”

There was a light in his eyes. “Not a chance.” He looked me over, his eye stopping on the top two buttons of my shirt which remained undone. “But you’ll want that photo. To release for something. You look too alluring and regal to not have it. It was more for you than for me.”

I was shocked. “Let me see.”

He picked up the camera again and leaned closer to me to show me the screen. I looked like something out of a novel. Mysterious and alluring. I liked it. And I didn’t like many photos of myself.

“You’re quite talented.”

He sat back, keeping the camera in his lap. “How much liberty are you giving me?”

I mirrored him and looked him over, taking my time with my answer. “Why are you asking?”

Lust crossed through his gaze. “Take off the shirt.”

I obliged him, slowly working my fingers down the buttons. I slid it off and set it aside. He looked me over, hungry. My cock stirred at the look. I’d never felt so desired by another person. He slid forward on the seat and brought the camera back to his face. I stayed as I was until he told me to move.

“Sit on the edge of the table,” he said breathless.

I was glad this was getting to him as much as it was me. It was entirely foreign to give someone such a thing over me. To allow someone to take these photos. It was daring and exhilarating. I’d have to be careful or I’d get addicted to the acting out like some bored teenager.

I sat on the edge of the table closest to the fire, and he moved back to take a few shots. I looked up when he hadn’t said anything in a few moments to find him just watching me. The fire illuminated his scar, and I wanted to kiss the length of it, from his brow to his lips. I licked my lip and my chest rose as I inhaled fully, trying to calm myself. He snapped another photo.

“What do you see?” I asked, unable to stand wondering a moment longer. I wanted to know how he saw me.

“I see hunger,” he said as he came closer. “The way you look at me.” The camera hung at his side as he stalked closer.

This was sort of a mixed bag for me. I liked the premise but wondered how it would go: American paparazzo meets closeted English prince, sexy times, soul searching. Oh dear, the prince is going to be in the dark the whole time as to what the American’s job entails but was pleasantly surprised that everything is out on the table between them right away. I read through the first quarter of the book before bed, which was a good sign. Then life got in the way and when I went back to it, I was a bit slower. It’s a first person alternating POV and I think I got confused about whose POV I was reading at times, but truly I think this was user error — I was pretty tired all week. At times I was confused by the conversations between the two, but again, I think it’s me not the book. I’m sort of shallow and don’t always follow the heavily worded feels portion. Like, wait what are you trying to say to each other? What did he mean by that? What drove me truly batty though were a number of typos, word omissions and incorrect homophone usage (steal vs. steel; whole vs. hole etc.)

Overall this wasn’t a bad story. I always like seeing how the heroes find their HEA, especially with elevated stakes such as the future King of England, who’s constantly in the spotlight and expected to provide the throne with an heir. I liked Louis and Xavier and how they grew to trust and support each other. There was only a little bit of angst (the angstier the better, I say) and maybe the ending seemed a little rushed, but it was a fun read.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

When not staying up all night writing, J.R. Gray can be found at the gym where it’s half assumed he is a permanent resident to fulfill his self-inflicted masochism. A dominant and a pilot, Gray finds it hard to be in the passenger seat of any car. He frequently interrupts real life, including normal sleep patterns and conversations, to jot down notes or plot bunnies. Commas are the bane of his existence even though it’s been fully acknowledged they are necessary, they continue to baffle and bewilder. If Gray wasn’t writing…well, that’s not possible. The buildup of untold stories would haunt Gray into an early grave, insanity or both. The idea of haunting has always appealed to him. J.R. Gray is genderqueer and prefers he/him pronouns.

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