Two Chicks Obsessed with Books & Eye Candy

Sharing our love of M/M Romance

4.5 stars

Baxter’s Right-Hand Man: MM Romance/Secret Boyfriends (The Baxter Chronicles Book 2) by Lane Hayes: New Release Review

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The movie star meets his match…

Pierce

Welcome to Hollywood, baby! Perhaps you’ve heard of me. I play Baxter, the adventure-seeking, crime-fighting hero, adored by fans around the world. Nice gig, right? My job has its perks for sure—private jets, a chauffeur, and the best tables at the fanciest restaurants in town. It’s nuts!

Downside—it’s hard to know who you can trust.

But I trust Lorenzo. He’s funny, sweet, and very real.

Look, I’m not in the market for anything serious. Between my greedy brother and the old man who claims we’re related, I’m a little wary, but I could use a friend.

And a sexy distraction.

Lorenzo

What is happening here? Major movie star, Pierce Allen wants me.

Me!

I don’t get it. I’m too fabulous and he’s too famous.

No, wait. He wants something from me, like my help and maybe my body. This should be a no-brainer. However, closing the last chapter on a long-term relationship has left me feeling a little fragile, and the last thing I need is to risk another broken heart.

But I’m too intrigued to walk away. I can play the part of Pierce’s “right-hand man” and keep things light and friendly. No problem.

I’m way too smart to fall for a movie star.

I hope.

Baxter’s Right-Hand Man is a MM, bisexual romance featuring a sexy, slightly egotistical movie star and the adorable diva who brings him back to reality.

Full disclosure, I did not read book 1. And while you definitely don’t need to, you know I’m gonna!

Baxter is a character, much like James Bond. But American. So that’s kind of fun. It sounds like that is all Pierce is really known for, but that’s ok.

Lorenzo is a manager at a boutique furniture and accessory store. That leads he and Pierce to meet when Lorenzo (Lo moving forward) makes a regular delivery to one of his favorite customers, an older fabulously gay gentleman named Mr Gowan who may or may not be related to Pierce.

The meeting was orchestrated to clean up Pierce’s image in the press. With a fake girlfriend on his arm, but a cater waiter in his bed, the studio isn’t pleased. Although I kind of love that it isn’t that he is bi. It’s that they want to promote the fake girlfriend as an actress as well.

And it’s Mr. Gowan that makes this story unique to me. Pierce is a bit desperate to find a relation that isn’t his father or brother, but he will never admit it. And Lo is fiercely protective of Mr. Gowan as a long time client who doesn’t have a ton of time left.

Pierce absolutely started off pretty despicable. Kind of the way you usually read about movie stars being. All about him on the outside, who cares what anyone thinks. I slowly warmed up to him through the book as his feelings for Lo blossom and more of the truth about how he is related to Mr. Gowan come to light.

Lo is likable from the start. Still sort of recovering from a big break up two years ago, he has a job he loves and great friends. And he does treasure his time with Mr. Gowan. Who, while amazing, doesn’t share a lot of his life stories until it is almost too late.

I also really loved how the setting of LA really framed the story. So often it’s celebrities in big glass beach houses or they are on set or off in another country filming. But Mr. Gowan’s house, Lo’s store, etc, really show something that we don’t always see. The regular guy does ok for himself. He isn’t living in some studio apartment with no air conditioning while working 17 jobs. He really doesn’t want to be an actor or work in the film business. And he is just fine working for someone, not necessarily being the boss and owner.

I really did enjoy this story that made me laugh and cry. It wasn’t the same old scene.

And I really REALLY want Mr. Gowan’s story. When he was Jasper in the 60’s. The little bit we got was fascinating to me.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

He’s The One (Fate We Make Book 1) by Barbara Elsborg: New Release Review

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Col’s world is falling apart. His relationship has been exposed as a sham, he’s lost his home, and been fired from his job as a stonemason. Who says bad luck doesn’t come in threes? With no option but to move back in with his parents, and with his efforts to find a new job hitting a brick wall, Col’s life is going nowhere.

Theo, unwilling heir to the ancient Asquith Hall estate, is desperate to gain some independence from his overbearing family. Despite his efforts to live up to the role he never wanted, he’s constantly battling to earn his family’s respect. Being made to feel lacking takes its toll, and sometimes, it’s hard to stay happy.

When a near fatal accident forces their paths to cross, Col and Theo discover in each other the connection both have been craving. As their love story unfolds, so do the secrets and sadness hidden at the heart of Asquith Hall. The past can’t be changed, but with Col’s stonemasonry skills and Theo’s determination, they might just be able to restore what’s broken and find happiness.

Warning – past child abuse of a secondary character (no on-page detail), descriptions of violence, horrible parents and lovely parents, wayward brothers, a man who mends stone and hearts, and a young man who never has an unspoken thought.

The feeling of this story brought me back to my first reading of The Making of Jonty Bloom, which I *think* was my first book by her that I read. Interesting setting, story, characters and backgrounds. The story wasn’t rushed nor was there any suspension of reality necessary. There was even a bit of a subplot surprise that I totally didn’t see coming. I enjoyed it quite a bit.

I read quite a few British authors, so this wasn’t the first to feature an old castle or estate with aristocracy as main characters. It does always surprise me how these people generally aren’t wealthy and it takes A LOT to keep their estates running.

Lord Theo, Theo to most of us, is actually “the spare” as his older brother disappeared years ago. And for someone who takes the brunt of his parents depression and general unhappiness as well as the snide remarks he gets from the estate manager who is supposed to be training him, Theo is a pretty happy guy. He’d be happier if his parents weren’t trying to force him to marry a woman knowing he is gay.

Col has had a fairly difficult life. Abusive, neglectful, drug addicted parents. An older brother he practically worships in prison for killing them. He was in the system for a couple of years before ending up with the couple he lovingly calls mom and dad, although they never formally adopted him. And then he finds out his live in boyfriend is actually married and not taking care of his parents on the weekends, but going home from London to his wife and children. Ouch.

Theo and Col find each other when Col is working at the estate. There are quite a few obstacles in front of them but they take them one at a time and knock them down. Each wonder if they are good enough for the other. Each taking the others concerns to heart. Col really doesn’t mind that Theo talks. A lot. And Theo doesn’t care that Col comes from an ugly background. They worked to get to know each other AND unravel a bit of a mystery.

Then there are two epilogues which are very satisfying.

This one is fighting Jonty for my favorite Elsborg book.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

The Art of Husbandry: A Mackenzie Country Story by Jay Hogan: Excerpt and Release Day Review

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When life drowns you in lemons, to hell with making lemonade. I wanted to burn the whole world. But eighteen months from the day my life was torn apart, I’m tired of the anger. Tired of the nightmares. Tired of putting one foot in front of the other just trying to survive. Three months on a high country sheep station in the middle of nowhere is exactly the reboot I need. A chance to break free. To breathe again. To find a way forward.

I put my entire life on hold and head south to Mackenzie Country. But falling for the captivating young station boss was never part of the plan. Holden Miller might be smart and sexy and push all my dusty buttons, but we come from two different worlds. I’m not looking for a relationship. I’m not interested in love. I’m done with all that.

But Holden doesn’t care about my rules. Nestled safely in the arms of the spectacular Southern Alps, on an isolated sheep farm at the top of the world, Holden begins knitting my battered heart together one careful stitch at a time. And with every pass of the thread, every braid of the river on our doorstep, I catch a tantalising glimpse of something I’d almost given up on.

Happiness, and maybe even love.

If I have the courage to reach out and grab them.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

“Hang on, Tuck.” I lowered the phone from my ear and squinted at the dusty blue Hilux pulling in at the kerb. It had Miller Station stamped on its door, windows rolled down, and music blaring.

The driver killed the volume, pushed his sunglasses up his nose, and leaned across the passenger seat to speak through the window. “Are you Gil Everton?”

 “Yep.” I raised a tentative hand in greeting.

 “Cool. I’m Holden Miller. Let’s get you on board.” His full mouth curved up in a high-wattage smile that made my stomach do a weird-arse, vaguely familiar flip.

 Oh boy. Attraction. Just freaking dandy. Eighteen months with my libido on military-grade lockdown, and it chose that moment to wake up and get with the program. Not only that, but I already knew Holden was gay from my conversations with Emily. Go fucking figure. It was a wrinkle I sure as hell didn’t need in my reboot plan. I hadn’t been laid since Callie’s death and I wasn’t looking to change that state of affairs anytime soon even if I had been able to summon any interest, which I hadn’t . . . for a while. So, yeah, there was that. Which was why my reaction to any man was . . . surprising.

 “Gil, are you still there?” Tuck called through the phone as Holden disappeared back into the cab and the driver’s door opened.

 I raised the phone to my ear again. “Yeah, but I’m gonna have to—” I stopped abruptly as a ruggedly handsome dark-haired beauty with a mass of lazy brown waves bouncing around his ears emerged from the Hilux. And since I was a hot mess but not dead, I drew in a sharp breath and whispered, “Wow.”

 “What?” Tucker interrupted my gawping. “What wow? Gil?”

 I cleared my throat and mumbled. “Nothing. I’ll call you in a day or two. Say hi to Gail and the kids for me.”

 “They don’t like you either.”

 I laughed. “They love me.”

 “Fuck it. You’re right.”

 “Bye, Tuck.”

 “Wait, Gil. Gil!”

 I hung up on Tuck’s protest and shot to my feet, by which time Holden had circled to the back of the Hilux and was busy opening the hatch. It gave me a few seconds to appreciate the way his dusty jeans hugged a pretty spectacular arse, and an equally dusty black T-shirt showed off lean muscular arms sporting a golden tan.

 Holden caught my eye and that broad smile widened, no doubt because I was standing there staring at him like a total idiot. “First off, let’s exchange numbers,” he said. “I think you only have Mum’s. I tried to call to say I was running late, but whatever I had in my phone didn’t work.”

 “Oh.” Shit. Great way to start. “Yeah, I ah, changed my number, sorry. I updated your mum, but maybe you’ve got my old one.”

 “No problem. Here.” He gave me his phone and I corrected the number he had stored and then he sent me a text.

 I called him back to make sure we were right, and Billy Joel’s “Uptown Girl” rang out through the carpark.

 I bit back a smile and raised a brow. “Really? I think I should be offended.”

He chuckled. “Don’t be. Besides, it was before I met you and it kind of fits, right? You’re from the big smoke. You’ve even got your Roberto Cavalli’s on.” He pointed to the label on my jeans and heat rose in my cheeks. “Pretty fancy for a sheep station.”

 I narrowed my gaze and fired back, “But you recognised the brand which says you have an eye for those things.”

 He grinned. “Of course. They’re a great jean. Just don’t wear them in the woolshed.”

 I laughed. “Kind of goes without saying.”

 “Are those it?” He nodded to four bags of varying sizes siting in a tidy line at my feet.

I gave a mute nod, because I was well-educated like that, and wiped my hot palms down the front of my jeans.

 “Great.” He sauntered over in that loose-gaited way perfected by many farmers like they had all the time in the world. About a metre away, he stopped, lifted his glasses onto his head, and a pair of dark coffee-brown almost black eyes locked with mine.

 And just, damn. I was in trouble.

 Then he smiled. “Welcome to Mackenzie Country, Gil.”

Wow. This book starts with an unimaginable disaster that had me crying. The ending had me sobbing. And in between I couldn’t stop reading.

Heed the trigger warning.

After the first chapter there is a time jump of 18 months. And honestly, right move. Feeling Gil’s pain, seeing it on the page 18 months later was a true testament to grief. I felt like we, as readers, were honoring his grief by seeing it reflected a year and a half later.

So Gil, a psychologist with a thriving practice who lives in the city takes a sabbatical as a domestic manager at a sheep station (ranch) in a gorgeous but remote area of New Zealand. Complete 180 from the life he knew. He wanted to shake up his life to try to climb out from under his grief. And his new boss was unwittingly the first step.

Holden is going through his own life changing circumstances since becoming the boss at Miller Station. He always knew he would take over from his grandfather, but not as suddenly as it happened after his grandfather was diagnosed with dementia.

Jay Hogan takes us on a journey of two men. Both struggling in very different ways. But they find so much comfort with each other. They completely belong together.

And beyond their relationship- I learned a lot more about New Zealand (I love books set in countries that aren’t as popular as others) and about merino fleece on sheep. As a fiber artist, I thought this was very cool.

Jay paints a picture with words, not only of the landscape, but of the different relationships within the story. Holden and Gil. Holden and his employees and friends. His mother. His best friend and former lover. I could see relationships like these in real life. Nothing was forced. There was no drama for drama sake. They even talk about the isolation of living where they do.

I really loved this book.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

Heart, humour and keeping it real.

Jay is a 2020 Lambda Literary Award Finalist in Gay Romance and her book Off Balance was the 2021 New Zealand Romance Book of the Year.

She is a New Zealand author writing mm romance and romantic suspense, primarily set in New Zealand. She writes character driven romances with lots of humour, a good dose of reality and a splash of angst. She’s travelled extensively, lived in many countries, and in a past life she was a critical care nurse, nurse educator and counsellor. Jay is owned by a huge Maine Coon cat and a gorgeous Cocker Spaniel

Find Jay in all the places: https://www.jayhoganauthor.com/landingpage

This Will Hurt II (Book 2 of 2: This Will Hurt) by Cara Dee: Excerpt and Release Day Review

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.                                .

Part II of II | Angst | Awakening | Friends to Lovers | Family | Slow Burn
Buckle up. Hearts broken and wings clipped, Roe and Jake have mountains to climb, walls to tear down, and countless private moments to bring them even closer in this final part of their journey.

I’d gotten what I’d asked for, right? The ground beneath me had finally settled. I had the wife. I had the kid—my beautiful baby boy. Work was great. I was traveling the globe with my best friend, and together we were Roe Finlay and Jake Denver. Inseparable.

 That was the f— That was the problem. We were inseparable. Even though he would never be the man I’d once wished he could be, I couldn’t freaking cope going a day without seeing him. When we were together, all was well in the world. I could breathe easier.

 Then I found his damn journal from…therapy. That was right. My best friend, who defined “man of few words,” was in therapy. The ground started shaking again. I got desperate. I swam in denial. I…almost lost him on the job when he saved my life.

 Nothing was settled anymore.

This Will Hurt II by Cara Dee

Series: This Will Hurt II of II

Genre: MM Contemporary Romance

Release Day: Friday, June 2nd, 2023

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

What the fuck did you wear to a country concert?

 I grabbed a pair of jeans and boxer briefs from the closet, then walked back into the bedroom and picked up my phone from my nightstand. I sent Jake a message.

 I’m fresh out of chaps and cowboy hats. What should I wear, hoss?

 While I waited for his response, I removed the towel around my hips and put on the boxers and jeans.

 “Dada, I’m-wa no baff!”

 I glanced over at the door as my boy ran in, with Sandra hot on his tail.

 I grinned faintly and swooped him up. “Look out, we got a runner ova’ hea’.” I peppered his face with smooches, and he giggled up a storm. “You can’t escape bath time, baby boy. But you know what comes after, don’t you? Mommy’s gonna read you a story.”

 “Nooo,” he complained.

 “Yeees, I mimicked.

 Sandra sighed and smiled ruefully. “Let’s go, sweetie. We’ll get extra bubbles and everything.”

 “Hear that? We love those bubbles.” I handed over the clinging monkey to her and pressed a kiss to the side of his head.

 “I don’t wannaaa,” he whined.

 Sandra carried him out, only to stop in the doorway and turn back to me. “You sure you don’t wanna cancel?”

 Positive—and I wasn’t fighting with her about it again.

 “I won’t be late,” was all I said.

 The teasing glint in her eyes faded, and she walked out.

 I released a breath.

 My phone dinged on the nightstand, and I walked over and read Jake’s text.

 I’ll tell you you’re pretty no matter what you wear, sugar.

 I laughed silently and shook my head.

 Helpful.

 Whatever. I returned to the closet and dug out a long-sleeved tee that made my biceps look good. We were going to an outdoor place up in Griffith Park, so it was bound to get chilly. But I liked that it wasn’t a huge concert. Only some five thousand people. It beat going to the Staples Center.

 Jake picked me up downstairs fifteen minutes later, and the most country thing about him continued to be his truck. It made no sense to drive a truck in LA. But he loved it, and I really had no room to argue choices of vehicles. I was still a laughingstock after buying a sports car before Casper was born. Worst deal ever. I’d probably lost twenty grand when I’d traded it in for a family-friendly SUV.

 “Hey, pretty.” Jake pulled out from the curb. “I see you found clothes.”

 “No thanks to you.” I smiled and buckled my seat belt. “Will I see a lot of chaps tonight?”

 “If I drop you off in West Hollywood instead, I’m sure there’s a club for you.”

 I laughed. Funny.

 “Oh, this is a good one.” He cranked up the volume on the stereo. “He’ll probably play this tonight.”

 I side-eyed him, more interested in studying Jake than hearing a song. There was something inherently sexy about how he drove. He made life look easy when he was on the road. One arm along the edge of the window, the sleeves of his open flannel shirt rolled up—some serious forearm porn going on—two fingers gripping the wheel loosely at the bottom. He tapped his foot to the rocky beat, and his lips moved subtly to the singer’s voice.

 Ratty USMC ball cap on the dash. Since he always wore it backward, he took it off when a headrest was in the way.

 Fitting lyrics, about holding on to things you believed in.

 Of course, it being a country rock song, the topic was the singer’s truck.

 “It’s the miles that make a man.”

 How many miles till I fell out of love with him?

 “I’d be nothing without you, so I’m holding on.”

 Surprisingly, a line not about the truck.

 “I’m not the openin’ act,” he chuckled. “Quit starin’.”

 That was the fucking problem, wasn’t it? He was the headliner.

Oh man I couldn’t wait for this book. Book 1 didn’t end really on a cliff hanger. But it was a bit of an omg moment And, of course, their story wasn’t over.

We left off with Roe married. After sleeping with Jake in Las Vegas. But they were both drunk so there was a lot of justifying going on in their minds.

In this book, we watch as both families grow. Jake and Nikki have another baby. Roe finds out he is going to be the father of twins. (and his wife didn’t tell him before announcing it on Insta?!?!?) They have hired more people for Two Condor Chicks and their podcast, documentaries and series are all hugely popular.

It’s pretty unspoken that they don’t talk about Vegas and they haven’t repeated Vegas. Until they do. Roe is a mess. His wife has severe postpartum depression and he is trying to do it all. Something has to give. And it’s how he feels for Jake.

Yes, he cheats on his wife. But we all know he belongs with Jake so it is super easy to forgive him. And they actually talk about their relationship and what will happen in the future. You can’t help but cheer for them.

Jake still has a TON of internalized homophobia to work through. It’s just heartbreaking the damage his parents did to him. So when they start telling people, Jake is fine telling those closest to him. But now that they are semi-famous, he has a hard time thinking about telling the world.

PS- almost no one is surprised 😉

This 2 book series was the epitome of love overcoming all else. These guys were the best of friends. Their kids all acted like siblings. Their lives are so nearly perfect. The final piece was them becoming an actual couple.

The kids are integrated SO well into the story. They are never forgotten yet they never take over the story either.

Everyone had a role, no one was there as filler. There were subtle cameos of several characters from other Cara Dee books, which is always fun. And again, they fit. They weren’t gratuitous cameos to please readers.

A 10 plus year epic from the first time they meet up to them blending their families and living happily ever after.

Read these books. Seriously. And they are totally vanilla if kink isn’t your jam.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

I’m often awkwardly silent or, if the topic interests me, a chronic rambler. In other words, I can discuss writing forever and ever. Fiction, in particular. The love story—while a huge draw and constantly present—is secondary for me, because there’s so much more to writing romance fiction than just making two (or more) people fall in love and have hot sex. 

There’s a world to build, characters to develop, interests to create, and a topic or two to research thoroughly. 

Every book is a challenge for me, an opportunity to learn something new, and a puzzle to piece together. I want my characters to come to life, and the only way I know to do that is to give them substance—passions, history, goals, quirks, and strong opinions—and to let them evolve.

I want my men and women to be relatable. That means allowing room for everyday problems and, for lack of a better word, flaws. My characters will never be perfect.

Wait…this was supposed to be about me, not my writing.

I’m a writey person who loves to write. Always wanderlusting, twitterpating, kinking, cooking, baking, and geeking. There’s time for hockey and family, too. But mostly, I just love to write. 

Find Cara on social media here: https://www.caradeewrites.com/cdwlandingpage

 

Pictures of You (’90s Coming of Age Book 1) by Leta Blake: New Release Review

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Peter Mandel is an 18-year-old private school senior who’s passionate about photography and bent on keeping his attractions secret. Enter Adam Algedi, a charming, worldly guy who doesn’t do labels, but does want to do Peter.

Swept away on a journey of first love and intimate discovery, Peter hopes for a future where he won’t have to hide his truth. But as the web of lies he and Adam are weaving grows relentlessly tangled, can Peter find the confidence to do the right thing? Or will his crush on Daniel, a college acquaintance, put him on a different path?

Join Peter in the first book of this critically acclaimed trilogy as he struggles to love and be loved and to grow into a man worthy of his own respect.

Leta Blake’s ’90s Coming of Age series is a must-read for fans of New Adult Romance and coming-of-age fiction.

This series by Leta Blake is an M/M New Adult Coming-of-Age Romance set in the early 1990s.

This is a rerelease and I had never read it before so I honestly don’t know if it was edited to add or remove anything. Just a head’s up if it sounds familiar to some of you.

Cue feeling super old. I’ve heard this series called historical. Historical. Sigh. The characters graduated high school two years after me. So yes, the story starts in 1990. And I loved that. So many things- movies, shows, etc, that are set in the 80’s or 90’s are SO over the top stereotypical. It was refreshing to read something that really represented that time.

On to the story. It’s a rollercoaster ride. 18 year old kids still in the closet because it was 1990. Unless you lived it, you don’t know. Looking back at my own high school life, there wasn’t a single out student. Now I need at least both hands to count who came out as gay just from my graduating class.

Sorry, focusing now. We have nerdy Peter starting a new private school for his senior year because of bullying at his previous school. He quickly meets the 2 other new seniors- Adam and Sarah. Diplomat brats who finally get to finish their high school career in one school. Adam is gorgeous and charming and nice and befriends Peter immediately. Even though Peter can’t understand why. Sarah is a sullen teen who is just cranky.

They start hanging out, Peter just waiting for Adam to realize he isn’t cool. But Adam isn’t like that. He isn’t the typical American teen who tries to be cool and popular and hang out with the cool and popular. They quickly become “best friends” and then more. Adam, the more experienced, is really patient with Peter. Even holding off on doing some things that Peter wanted. Obviously Sarah figures it out and tries to stop them constantly. Because she has seen what their father will do if he thinks his son is gay.

Once school starts, the more intricate the lies become. Even though they all hang as a group, Peter is often whispered about as gay. Enter Leslie, Adam’s now girlfriend. But he still wants to be with Peter. In secret. And Peter puts up with it. Now, at 50+ I would yell at my kindle that he deserves better. But to him, an 18 year old, not out but definitely gay nerdy kid who takes pictures….he wasn’t giving Adam up.

This story was really emotional. The hiding, the sneaking around, lying to friends and family, meeting and befriending a drag queen and her husband, it was a page turner. My heart broke for Peter every time Adam was with Leslie. And Peter just watched,

And Leslie really liked Peter as a friend. Which made the secret so much worse. Because she was a genuinely nice person. I think she guessed early on that Peter was gay, but never said anything. She had no idea about Adam though.

This book ends with them graduating high school, Adam and Sarah going to Italy to spend the summer with their parents and the rest of the friend group kind of splintering.

I don’t know that I’ve read a romance that was between 18 year olds that was just so well told.

I can’t wait to read more.

(Book 1 of 3 of a continuing story)

4.5 pieces of eye candy

This Will Hurt by Cara Dee: Release Blitz, Excerpt and Release Day Review

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Standalone Part I of II Angst Awakening Friends to Lovers Single Dad Slow Burn
Maybe the heart needs to break before one can put together the pieces correctly. This is Jake and Roe’s story.

I used to think leaving the Marines and moving to LA was the defining moment that changed my life. I was gonna become a documentary filmmaker and see the world through my camera. Then I met Roe Finlay.

Never in a million years could I have imagined…well, everything we went through. I sucked at expressing how I felt—which was emotionally stunted most of the time—but Roe seemed to get me. I became…dependent. Attached. Not in a sexual way or anything—I wasn’t gay. Far from it. Or bisexual like Roe, for that matter. No, this was different. I just wanted to be close to him. He made me laugh like no other. We were a fantastic team. We lived together. Worked together. He was my best friend.

He was everything. He was my defining moment.

Until he decided to commit to his f—to his girlfriend.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Just go home, you fucking moron. You don’t belong in LA.

I made my way across campus, feeling more out of place every time I left class.

I was leaving behind a good career in the Marines for…random classes at Santa Monica College. Learn videography in twelve weeks. Study the art of documentary filmmaking in one semester. Then I thought about why I’d left the service. How sick I was of seeing death through my lens. Combat photography had been such a fucking fluke anyway. I was infantry. I was more at home on the front lines in Afghanistan than… But no. No. No, I was here because I couldn’t stand the war anymore. I didn’t wanna see another dead soldier, hear another explosion, witness another crying child surrounded by blood and debris.

I went to the coffee shop on the corner of the street where Nikki worked. She had the car, and we’d go home together once she was off her shift.

I ordered a coffee and found an empty table by one of the windows.

Sounded pretty good, though, didn’t it? Go home with my girlfriend at the end of the day… Except, it was her car, her apartment, and my savings were almost gone. By next month, I’d have to take that bartending job in West Hollywood where the tips were so good.

By then, I’d be twenty-seven.

I retrieved my pen from the inner pocket of my jacket, and I opened the notebook.

Final project. Final project, final project, final project. I needed content. I understood filming. Documenting. But coming up with my own content for a fucking college class’s final project? I was doomed.

“There you are! Fuck, I thought I lost you, man.”

I furrowed my brow and glanced toward the man’s voice—that belonged to someone I definitely didn’t know. But he was coming toward my table, and he was staring right at me.

No, wait. I recognized him. He was in my class, wasn’t he? Out here, I had developed a radar for East Coast people, and he had a New York accent. Otherwise, not much about him stood out. Average height, dark hair, fairly fit, on the lanky side, probably a bit younger than me.

He sat down in front of me, out of breath, and removed his messenger bag. “Look, I’m just gonna come out and say it. I have two hundred bucks, I’m living in my truck, and I have one network connection that I desperately wanna use. He told me to send him my final project—see if he could make some calls—but as has become painfully clear in this class, videography isn’t my thing. I understand fuck-all about goddamn HDV, SxS, and the difference between standard definition and hi-def.” He leaned forward. “Dude, y’all were talking about memory cards, and I thought we were discussing a fucking festival in Austin.”

 That…was SXSW. South by Southwest.

 “Anyway—in short, I have an idea,” he went on. “There is an artistic approach to it, but I’ll admit, it’s more of a come-hither for networks, something I think will sell. To get a foot in the door. But I need a partner, and I’ve watched you in class. You know your way around the equipment and the editing software. When the professor asks his dumb, insane questions, you actually know the answers.”

Was this how he talked to people he’d never met before? I didn’t even know his name.

I guessed if you were desperate enough and living out of your car, you cut to the chase faster.

That might very well be me in the near future.

So if he had an idea…

I extended my hand. “I’m Jake.”

He gave me a puzzled look, before he seemed to remember he’d just jumped into the conversation with no preamble. Then he flashed a dimpled grin and shook my hand.

“Roe. It’s Monroe, but everyone calls me Roe.”

This book. This book reminded me of why I love Cara Dee’s writing. Not gonna lie, the past couple in The Game series were meh. But this one. This book. Stand alone (there’s a familial connection, but none play a part), with best friends, unrequited love, repressed homophobia, bi awakening, just a little bit of everything. Oh. And it’s vanilla. With a capital V.

Roe and Jake. They are the kind of best friends that are so obviously soul mates. (FTR, to me, soul mates don’t have to be romantic or sexual partners). They met in their mid 20’s and just…connected.

They lived together, worked together, supported each other and dreamed together.

Jake has a child with a former girlfriend and I ADORE the representation of 2 people co-parenting in a healthy way without hating each other. And Jake loves being a dad. It’s so great. And Roe just rolls with it. Like, ok cool, this kid will live with us part time. And call me Uncle Roe.

They go from broke to semi-famous. From documentary film-makers to podcasters, producers and hosts.

It’s a ride for sure. And it culminates at Jake’s 30th birthday party.

AND NOW I HAVE TO WAIT FOR BOOK 2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sigh. Ok. But I need it. NEED. IT.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

I’m often awkwardly silent or, if the topic interests me, a chronic rambler. In other words, I can discuss writing forever and ever. Fiction, in particular. The love story—while a huge draw and constantly present—is secondary for me, because there’s so much more to writing romance fiction than just making two (or more) people fall in love and have hot sex. 

There’s a world to build, characters to develop, interests to create, and a topic or two to research thoroughly. 

Every book is a challenge for me, an opportunity to learn something new, and a puzzle to piece together. I want my characters to come to life, and the only way I know to do that is to give them substance—passions, history, goals, quirks, and strong opinions—and to let them evolve.

I want my men and women to be relatable. That means allowing room for everyday problems and, for lack of a better word, flaws. My characters will never be perfect.

Wait…this was supposed to be about me, not my writing.

I’m a writey person who loves to write. Always wanderlusting, twitterpating, kinking, cooking, baking, and geeking. There’s time for hockey and family, too. But mostly, I just love to write. 

Find Cara on social media here: https://www.caradeewrites.com/cdwlandingpage