Book Reviews

Beware of Geeks Bearing Gifts by Charlie Cochet: Release Day Review

August 19, 2015 by Denise

Julian “Quinn” Quinetro, a gruff, tough Miami SWAT officer, has been injured on the job, and all he’s looking for is a little peace and quiet to recover—difficult to achieve with his large Cuban family. An adventure in picking up his prescriptions puts him in the path of his geeky, brownie-baking neighbor, Spencer Morgan. Spencer sweeps into Quinn’s life like a tropical storm of sunshine and rainbows. Not surprisingly, it’s chaos at first sight. Quinn’s in need of a little tender loving care, and Spencer decides he’s just the man for the job. Their very different lives might clash, but they might also find some common ground—and maybe more.

What can I say about this novella? First, I LOVE Charlie Cochet, and have made it my life’s goal to go back and read all of her stuff that isn’t THIRDS (and I can re-read THIRDS another few times just because). This novella had cute, sweet, sexy and hot, all mixed in. Along with that some crazy family and friends, and delicious baked goods, you really couldn’t go wrong with this one.

Quinn, injured on the job, found himself quickly cranky. Meanwhile Spencer has a crush on his neighbor and tries to help him out with all the little stuff. Spencer means well, but the chaos he brings with him could very well bring Quinn back to the ER. However, quickly he worms his way into his heart, first as baker and friend, then as lover.

I really enjoyed how free and fun Spenser was, bringing Quinn along for the ride. And when Spenser tests out his freedom and gets burned by Quinn’s friend, Quinn takes a stand to show his man how much he means to him, and that he wants him to stay with him.

These two opposites attract so easily. I remember an author telling me once that to tell a good story in a novella length can be more challenging than in a full length novel, and I believe that’s true. To make you connect with the characters, love their story, and want their HEA can’t be easy in less words, but Charlie has done a masterful job here. I loved Quinn for his heart and his bravery right from the start. Spenser, with his baking and his sweet sassy self was a hit right away with me, as well. Put them together and Charlie has built a strong fire.

I won’t lie, I wanted more. I always want more when I love the couple. I would love to see a second novella on them. That would be so much fun! (And I want that apron, just saying!)

4.5 pieces of eye candy for this one. Grab it today!

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

Beyond The Surface by Felice Stevens: Blog Tour, Review and Giveaway

August 18, 2015 by Denise

Title: Beyond the Surface

Series: The Breakfast Club #1

Author: Felice Stevens

Genre: M/M Romance

Release Date: August 17, 2015

On 9/11, firefighter Nick Fletcher’s world changed forever. He’s unable to rid himself of survivor’s guilt, made worse by the secret he hides from his family and co-workers. Nick’s life is centered around helping burn victims, until he is reunited with the man he’d once loved but pushed away. Now he has a second chance at a love he thought lost forever.

For fashion designer Julian Cornell, appearances mean everything. His love affairs are strictly casual, and the only thing he cares about is making his clothing line a success. A chance encounter with the man he loved long ago has Julian thinking for the first time in years there may be more to life than being seen at the best parties and what designer labels to wear.

When Julian’s world takes an unexpected turn, it’s Nick who helps him regain perspective on what matters most in life. Julian, in turn, helps Nick accept who he is and understand he isn’t responsible for tragedies he couldn’t prevent. Lost love found can be even sweeter the second time around and after all the years apart, both men learn to look beyond the surface to find the men they are inside.

I read this book with my heart in my throat for much of it. Like most American’s who lived through and experienced 9/11, spending days watching the after effects on TV, seeing the flag raised on the rubble, it still breaks my heart whenever my mind is drawn back to those days. However, that being said, I didn’t live it, see the effects for days, months, years beyond what the national news portrayed. I didn’t know anyone who was there that day. Reading it through Felice’s eyes, being from NYC, having lived through the horrors that befell that beautiful city and its people, caused me to have such strong emotions for Nick.

Nick, a firefighter who lost many of his teammates that day, was not living 14 years later, he was existing. He had healed physically, but not emotionally, and certainly not psychologically. He was still stagnant in his love life, not having come out, and not ever having more than a casual hookup after his time in high school with Julian. As a reader, your heart broke for a man who so many years later, after such a devastating incident didn’t care enough about himself to even complete the simplest of tasks to help himself to a better life. Allowing his guilt to override any ideas that he had about having a happy life, he just went through the motions of life, not ever really living in it.

Julian coming back into his life turned it upside and allowed Nick the chance to heal and change, move forward. The emotions Julian brought back up in Nick were palpable. You could feel how much Nick felt it was worth it to want to make Julian happy, to want to come out to the world, to make himself happy, but just struggled with how best to do it.

I did struggle with Julian somewhat. I felt like his patience with Nick was thin, considering how much time they had spent apart, and how much Nick was moving forward with. However, as I thought on that, I also considered real life. In real life, many people would feel that way, and express that in the form of an ultimatum of sorts. Remembering, again, that Julian was not in NYC for 9/11, he didn’t experience, or go through everything that Nick had gone through, so his impatience with Nick in many ways made sense from his perspective. Also realistically, Nick’s family should have seen how little Nick was truly moving forward in his life, and take steps to intervene. But again, in real life, we often “let sleeping dogs lie” and that could easily happen in the closest of families. In the end, these two men came together and found their second chance at love, despite everything.

I felt like this was Felice’s best work yet. Felice is known to have lots of sweet moments in her books, which I love, and this one certainly did. However, it had lots of bite as well, really scratching at those raw emotions that can hit you hard when you think about an event such as 9/11, and all the effects and angst that go along with it, even after so many years. My heart broke for Nick, and again for all the families and friends of an event that will forever be stuck in so many people’s minds as “9/11”.

My final determination on this book is 4.5 strong pieces of eye candy, and a future re-read for me. Looking forward to sweet Zach’s story next, as this new series got off to a great start.

I just love Felice. Beyond the Surface was just as good as I expected. Full of every type of emotion, this story did not disappoint.

Julian and Nick have a bumpy road ahead of them. Nick is living with some serious emotional and physical issues due to 9/11. Julian is a fashion designer trying hard to stay ahead of his competition and design the next best collection. Julian is very out and proud. Nick, being a firefighter, is living in the closet and is terrified of his friends and family finding out he is gay. These two have a lot to overcome if they want to have a relationship and their story is told beautifully. This book has so much raw emotion and will bring tears for a lot of people. These two grow so much throughout the story and they really are the perfect match. They are exactly what the other needs.

This is a very well written story and one of my favorites from Felice. This is a great start to a new series and I can not wait for the next. 5 pieces of eye candy from me.

Julian was in the kitchen, sitting on one of the stools by the counter. He had a glass in front of him filled with what Nick presumed was vodka, having spied the Grey Goose bottle.

“Would you like a drink? I have beer, wine…anything you’d like.”

Nick shook his head, regret piercing his heart as he watched the hope drain from Julian’s eyes.

“I don’t think so. I’m going to head home. I want you to know how much I appreciate what you did for Jamal tonight.”

Julian stood abruptly, kicking the stool away from his feet.

“Don’t treat me like I’m some fucking stranger, Nicky. You owe me. It’s been eighteen years; you think I’m going to let you walk out on me again like you did before? After what just happened between us? After you fell apart? No fucking way. I’m not that same person and neither are you, obviously.”

Taken aback by Julian’s anger, Nick remained mute.

“What the hell is going on with you? One minute you’re tongue fucking me into the next century and the next you’re freaking out. I know I’m a damn good kisser, but this isn’t about us, is it? It has nothing to do with our past and everything to do with you and the shit that’s floating around in your head.”

Julian stepped closer to him and Nick, who normally couldn’t stand people near him, was rooted to the floor, unable to move.

“Talk to me, Nicky. Tell me what happened to you.”

He was so tired of holding himself together, feeling like at any moment he’d shatter into a million tiny pieces, leaving nothing behind but a pile of dust.

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

The words poured out of him, flowing unchecked this time. “It should’ve been me. We all went to the Towers to save them. It was my day off, but I went anyway. I heard and couldn’t stay home; I had a duty to help, you know? But I lived and they all died. Why, Julian? Why did I live and they didn’t?”

“Oh, Nick.” Julian held him close. “I don’t have the answers for you. No one does. But I’m going to be completely selfish and say I’m so thankful you did make it and we’re here together after all these years.”

Unflinching green eyes gazed back at him. Clever, beautiful eyes that Nick could never stop dreaming of. Eyes that at one time had held the promise of forever, until Nick ruined everything with his cowardice and shame. Unable to maintain Julian’s scrutiny, Nick broke away and ran to the elevator, his chest heaving, eyes stinging with tears.

“Let me out. I need to leave here. NOW.”

I have always been a romantic at heart. I believe that while life is tough, there is always a happy ending just around the corner. I started reading traditional historical romances when I was a teenager, then life and law school got in the way. It wasn’t until I picked up a copy of Bertrice Small and became swept away to Queen Elizabeth’s court that my interest in romance novels became renewed.

But somewhere along the way, my tastes shifted. While I still enjoys a juicy Historical romance, I began experimenting with newer, more cutting edge genres and discovered the world of Male/Male romance. Once I picked up her first, I became so enamored of the authors, the character-driven stories and the overwhelming emotion of the books, I knew I wanted to write my own.

I live in New York City with my husband and two children and hopefully soon a cat of my own. My day begins with a lot of caffeine and ends with a glass or two of red wine. I practice law but daydream of a time when I can sit by a beach somewhere and write beautiful stories of men falling in love. Although there is bound to be angst along the way, a Happily Ever After is always guaranteed.

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Prickly Business by Piper Vaughn & Kenzie Cade: Book Review

August 3, 2015 by Denise

Some people might call Avery Babineaux a prick. He’s a hedgehog shifter from an old-money Louisiana family, with a penchant for expensive shoes and a reputation for being a judgmental snob. His attitude is why he and his fated mate are estranged. Not that Avery cares. He doesn’t want to be mated to some blue-collar werewolf anyway. Or so he keeps telling himself.

No werewolf likes to be looked down upon, least of all Dylan Green. He doesn’t need a mate, especially not some snotty hedgehog who sneers at his custom motorcycle shop and calls him a grease monkey. But when Avery gets into trouble with a shady loan shark, Dylan can’t stand by and let him be hurt—whether he wants the brat or not.

Yet once Dylan steps into Avery’s world, he realizes there’s more to Avery than his prickly exterior, and that unexpected vulnerability calls to Dylan’s protective instincts. The sassy little hedgehog needs a keeper, and despite their horrible first impressions, Dylan starts to believe he might be the wolf for the job.

A hedgehog shifter? I was pretty intrigued when I heard about this. How are you going to make that work? They are so little and definitely not your typical idea for a shifter story. Piper Vaughn and Kenzi Cade pulled it off nicely. The story kept my attention and the plot is very believable. There is humor, angst, romance and mystery all rolled into one and I really enjoyed the story.

Both of the MC’s have very different personalities. It wasn’t love at first site for these two. They both had a bad first impression that caused them to have to work harder for their HEA. The love scenes were very well done and smoking hot. I was not disappointed in the least.

This was a pretty fun and creative read and I’m excited to learn there will be a second book coming out as well. I’m definitely looking forward to that.

I’m giving this 4.5 pieces of eye candy.

Piper Vaughn wrote her first love story at eleven and never looked back. Since then, she’s known that writing in some form was exactly what she wanted to do. A reader at the core, Piper loves nothing more than getting lost in a great book—fantasy, young adult, romance, she loves them all (and has a two thousand book library to prove it!). She grew up in Chicago, in an ethnically diverse neighborhood, and loves to put faces and characters of every ethnicity in her stories, so her fictional worlds are as colorful as the real one. Above all, she believes that everyone needs a little true love in their life…even if it’s only in a book.

Website: http://pipervaughn.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pipervaughn
Twitter: https://twitter.com/pipervaughn

Kenzie Cade was born and raised in the South where she spends her days in the sometimes stressful field of private medicine observing interesting people and committing them to memory for later use. When she isn’t reading, experimenting with recipes, or being distracted by social media, Kenzie spends time with her family, friends, and the Pomeranian/Long-haired Chihuahua mix who likes to keep her company while she writes. As a young girl, Kenzie dreamed of princesses and their white knights. As an adult (or sort of adult), she dreams of princes and their proverbial white knights, which she attributes the fellow Arkansan S.E. Hinton and her novel The Outsiders. Writing to keep the fictional voices at bay, Kenzie enjoys the journeys her characters travel to find their happy endings, and she loves the challenge of writing a great love story.

Contact Kenzie at kenziecade.author@gmail.com. You can also find her online at her blog: kenziecade.wordpress.com; on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kenziecade.author; and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/thekenziecade.

Against the Grain by Charlie Cochet: Release Day Review and Giveaway

August 3, 2015 by Denise

Sequel to Rise & Fall
THIRDS: Book Five

As the fiercest Defense Agent at the THIRDS, Destructive Delta’s Ash Keeler is foul-mouthed and foul-tempered. But his hard-lined approach always yields results, evident by his recent infiltration of the Coalition. Thanks to Ash’s skills and the help of his team, they finally put an end to the murdering extremist group for good, though not before Ash takes a bullet to save teammate Cael Maddock. As a result, Ash’s secrets start to surface, and he can no longer ignore what’s in his heart.

Cael Maddock is no stranger to heartache. As a Recon Agent for Destructive Delta, he has successfully maneuvered through the urban jungle that is New York City, picking up his own scars along the way. Yet nothing he’s ever faced has been more of a challenge than the heart of Ash Keeler, his supposedly straight teammate. Being in love isn’t the only danger he and Ash face as wounds reopen and new secrets emerge, forcing them to question old loyalties.

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

When I was given this book to review before release date, I freaked out a little. I mean I would have read it either way, but as we all know I gush a lot when Charlie Cochet is even in the room, much less when I get to read her books. So, I received the book, and then didn’t read it for a day or two…needed a few moments to calm down. 🙂

And then…well, I wasn’t sure what was happening! I started the book and, I’ll be honest, there was a moment where I wasn’t sure if I was going to like it. I say that without taking a thing away from Charlie as a writer. I wasn’t sure merely because it was different, different than the previous four books, and I didn’t know if that would work from me. Then I read from a pure reader standpoint and realized I should never have doubted Charlie in the least. She did exactly what was right for these characters at this time.

Ash and Cael’s book should not have been like Dex and Sloane’s books. They are different characters, with different backgrounds, and different ways of thinking. So, having their book be similar to Dex and Sloane’s would have been a disservice to Ash and Cael, who the readers have been wanting to get together since book 1.

Charlie did an amazing job drawing me into Ash and Cael’s story. Yes, it is one book for their love story, but we know we will see much more of their relationship as we continue to move through the series. There was still action to be had in this story, the cover tells a tail (he he) that the reader might expect to be one way, but is quite another.

At the heart of it all is a love story. Cael patiently waiting for Ash to come around and realize that he has loved him all along, and to stop fighting the inevitable. Interestingly, even with Cael patiently waiting, there is a scene in there, that had me laughing out loud, as Cael explains how he was “prepping” for Ash. Imagining the shock on Ash’s face was enough to make me , and going back to re-read the entire scene again.

My sincere apologies to Charlie for doubting her for even a second, and I promise to never do it again. 😉 (And if you can question my love for this book, know that I preordered it, even though I received an arc for an honest review). Cannot wait to see what Charlie has ahead for Calvin and Ethan.

I have to throw a few of my favorite quotes in:

“My Cheesy Doodles!” Dex dropped to his hands and knees. “Noooooo! They were so young. So delicious.”

“You sure you don’t want to maybe date a cactus? Less prickly.”

“This is payback for every time he called me Simba, for that fucking puppet, for every smartass remark.”

Another brilliant book, Charlie. Thank you for continuing to share the THIRDS men with all of us. This could be nothing but a five pieces of eye candy review for me.

With this newest installment to the THIRDS from the adorable Charlie Cochet, It’s time for Ash and Cael to have their story told. This book has a different feel to me than the others. It focuses more on the romance and we get to understand Ash and Cale on a different level. These two have loved each other for a very long time. Ash has had a lot of emotional struggle and things he has had to work through before he could give himself fully to the relationship. I learned about issues in Cael’s past that made me understand him more. I never realized he struggled as much as he has. This story made me see each character in a completely new light and they have become my favorite. To be honest, I wasn’t too fond of Ash to begin with. He now holds a special little place with me.

Dex is still here with his humor and antics and Charlie keeps us laughing. Destructive Delta faces new struggles and I began to worry for their safety towards the end. My nerves were on edge but things always seem work out in a pretty cool way for these guys.

Charlie is gonna kick ass with the next installment and I can not WAIT. I was not disappointed with Against The Grain and this gets 5 Pieces of eye candy from me for sure.

Tell us what your favorite thing about the THIRDS series is, and one commenter will win a copy of Against the Grain from TCO.

And if you haven’t seen my video interview with Charlie Cochet from Rainbow Con, check it out here: youtube

Their Reason by Jessie G: Trevor Project Fundraiser, Blog Tour, Excerpt and Review

July 27, 2015 by Denise

Their Reason Book Tour Information

Author Name: Jessie G
Book Name: Their Reason
Series: Sizzling Miami, Book 4
Release Date: July 26, 2015
Pages or Words: 24,140 words
Categories: Contemporary, Gay Fiction, Gay Romance, Gay Marriage
Publisher: Jessie G Books, Inc
Cover Artist: Andrew Reyna, Dynamic Craft Studios (http://www.dynamiccraftstudios.com)
Exclusively Available at Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B011PM9CLE)

Instead of a rafflecopter, I have put together a fundraiser for The Trevor Project. All you need to do is donate (at least) $2.99 and then leave a comment on the fundraiser. I’ll take the names from the comments and put them in a virtual picker, then I’ll select 2 winners to each win all four of my paperbacks signed and 2 winners to win all 4 of my ebooks. Well over $100 in prizes for a $2.99 donation.

*Paperback prizes for US residents only. Two winners will be chosen to win all four books each.*

*Ebook prizes for International residents only. Two winners will be chosen to win all four books in .mobi format only as the books are Amazon exclusive.*

Fundraiser link: http://www.classy.org/theirreasonbyjessieg

You are cordially invited to the wedding of Jon Connor and Ian Jones!

When I think about my guys and who I think marriage would mean the most to, I always think about Red. Growing up in foster care and spending his first twenty-five years just trying to survive, the concept of family is a dream he never thought would become a reality. He found a family with Bull, the Connors and our favorite guys in the garage, but marriage would really make him a Connor. Not just the piece of paper, but the vows in front of all their loved ones, the promise of forever…it’s everything Red deserves.

In this sequel novella to For A Reason, we follow Bull and Red through the wonderful and crazy adventure of planning a wedding. From setting a date to saying those two magical words to their surprise Irish honeymoon, we get to see how love has transformed everyone’s favorite couple. And stick around for the outtakes, Red and Bull’s marriage has had quite the impact on all the guys!

Authors Note: 50% of the proceeds will be donated to the Trevor Project, the leading national organization focused on crisis and suicide prevention efforts among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth.

Series Note: This book is not a standalone. For A Reason is a must read so you have Bull and Red’s full back story. That said, the sequence of events in this book picks up about five months after Tricking Chase (Devils Pride MC, Book #1) and I do suggest reading them in order. After this book, the two series will move forward separately.

For a second, Bull forgot what he’d been trying to do. All he could think about was what he was going to do when they got back from the courthouse. “I’m anticipating a lot of things. Getting our marriage license today…”

“There’s a three day waiting period, remember?” Red teased.

“Marrying you in two weeks,” Bull continued, refusing to be derailed. “Having all our friends with us when we share our vows, our first kiss as husbands, our first dance as husbands…”

“I can’t dance.” The teasing smile slipped away and Red ducked his head. “I never have and there’s not enough time for me to learn and if my body doesn’t cooperate then I’ll look stupid. I’ll make you look stupid.”

“It’s cooperating just fine now, though, isn’t it?” Bull nudged his head up and pressed a kiss to his wrinkled brow. “Cause we’re dancing, Ian, right here in the bathroom.”

Red’s eyes widened in surprise. “We’re dancing?”

“Well, our bodies are swaying, our feet are moving…yeah, that’s dancing.” Watching the realization sink in and seeing Red’s smile bloom again was everything.

Red leaned in, silently begging for a kiss, before slapping him on the ass. “We have an appointment to get to, but maybe later we can try this again without clothes.”

How do I start this review off? I guess I should do that by telling you how much this book affected me. I found myself reading this on the way back from Rainbow Con, in the window seat of the airplane, next to two older women who didn’t know each other, but found a ton to chat about. Next to them was me, curled into the window, headphones on, crying as I was reading this lovely novella.

Why was I crying? I mean it wasn’t as if there was any doubt that this would be the happy ending that Bull and Red so desperately deserved. I was crying happy tears, as they worked through their plans, worked on getting themselves to a place that would remind them that THEY were the most important things to each other, and was able to see how the other couples (and non-couples) in the series were moving ahead in their relationships.

It was all happy tears, I promise! This wasn’t a long novella, but it was just right to get these two men, who love each other so much, to the place that they longed for so badly. Their connection was palpable, which is definitely one of Jessie G’s strength as a writer. She doesn’t just write situation, she writes connections, and those connections are felt throughout any story you read by this author. By adding in connections between the characters, even on levels not fully aware of by the reader, you can feel the layers underneath, and the importance to the couple (or triad) that the other person has created in their life.

This novella spoke to me as a reader, and someone who really loved Bull and Red’s story the first time I read it, but it also spoke to me as a lover of HEA’s. That is why most of us read romance novels, in any genre, for the HEA. Without it, quite often we feel unfulfilled and unsatisified with the story. That was not the case here, you knew the happy ending was there just waiting for you, along the way, the journey drew you along in that HEA. The bonus in this novella was that you were also drawn along in the other stories that Jessie G has either already written, or still has forthcoming as a story, and there you know there will be another HEA just waiting for you.

Did it give me everything I wanted? Of course not, it’s a novella, there is always more I want. That being said, I know the more is coming, and I am willing to sit back and wait for October 31st (see Family Tree below). 4.5 pieces of eye candy.

Writing has been the elusive, life-long goal that seemed to be getting further away as the years went by. It took 30+ years to achieve, but Jessie’s decided that timing is everything. The world wasn’t ready for m/m romance back then and, now that it is, the girl in the closet has finally found her writing home.

Jessie is a firm believer in marriage equality, love at first sight, power dynamics, and happily ever after. She’s a lover of strong secondary characters and series filled with families, biological or chosen. All are themes you’ll find throughout her books.

Contact Links:
Website: http://www.jessiegbooks.com
Amazon: amazon.com/author/jessieg
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/jessiegbooks
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JessieGBooks
Twitter (NSFW 18+): https://twitter.com/JessieGBooks
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/jessiegbooks
Tumblr (NSFW 18+): http://jessiegbooks.tumblr.com
Google +: google.com/+Jessiegbooksmm
Ello: https://ello.co/jessiegbooks
TSU: https://www.tsu.co/jessiegbooks

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Two chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy

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Molly Lolly

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Divine Magazine

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Prism Book Alliance

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Carly’s Book Reviews

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BFD Book Blog

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3 Chicks After Dark
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Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents

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MM Good Book Reviews

August 24, 2015
Emotion in Motion
Gay Media Reviews

August 26, 2015
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One Step Further by Felice Stevens: Blog Tour, Reviews, Excerpt and Giveaway

July 2, 2015 by Denise

Title: One Step Further

Author: Felice Stevens

Genre: M/M Romance

Release Date: June 29, 2015

Alex Stern has it all; good looks, charm, a job he loves and everyone calls him a friend. He lives life to the fullest at a breakneck pace, in the city that never sleeps. But Alex is also a master pretender; not even his best friend sees the pain that Alex hides so well. Alex himself isn’t sure who he is or what he’s searching for, he only knows that he hasn’t found it yet.

As a veterinarian, Rafe Hazelton loves each animal that crosses his path; they don’t care if he stutters a bit or that prefers men. Their love is unconditional, but his life is still empty; they can only give him so much. New friendships convince him it’s time to break the wall of loneliness he’s hidden behind since childhood and discover what he’s been missing.

Alex and Rafe forge a friendship that turns physical, and they both swear that the relationship will last only as long as the fun does. But when old heartaches come to light and secrets hidden for years are revealed, Alex and Rafe discover if they accept what’s in their hearts and take it one step further, the greatest reward is waiting for them in the end.

Denise’s Review:

There are several things you can count on with a Felice Stevens novel. First, that there will be an HEA. No matter what, she will make sure that the men you have learned to love on her pages will learn to love each other, and find their way to their happy ending (and yes, I mean that in both senses of the word! 🙂 ) Second, there will be emotion, lots of it. Whether that is you, as the reader, dealing with the angst right along with the characters, or just reading how the characters react to the situations they find themselves in. Third, there will be animals. And I truly love this about Felice’s books. She adds in a mix of animals, because she believes, as I do, that animals enhance our lives, and bring us so much joy. And fourth, you will love these sexy, strong men. Although they may not see themselves as strong in the beginning these men, no matter how crippling their issues, find their strength, in each other, and in themselves. This book hits all of these notes, without question, and I was happy to be along for the ride.

Rafe, Lucky’s veterinarian from Memories of the Heart, is a shy, lonely man who has never been in love, and is very inexperienced. His life has been about his vet practice and keeping himself as invisible as possible, with a stutter that he has allowed to oversee much of his life and personality. Meanwhile Alex is vivacious, outgoing, always the life of the party, and quick to throw a joke, especially if it throws people off track from delving further into the depths of his private life. Even his best friend Micah has no idea the secret that he has held close to his heart for 15 years.

These two men begin their relationship as friends, moving to friends with benefits, and into lovers. Their relationship naturally evolves, as they support each other through some very difficult times. As Rafe deals with the passing of a mother that clearly has never felt love for him, Alex is there to help him find a way to deal with all the emotions that come with that. As Alex finds himself soon dealing with his own family situation, Rafe, as he has become more confident, is right by Alex’s side to support him through those challenges. One of the things that I appreciated about this book was their unwavering support. Even when these men thought they didn’t need or want the others support, they got it, and realized how much they really DID need it.

This is another Felice Stevens story with lots of heart, passion, and some angst thrown in the mix. As always, Felice brings you two men who need each other more than they each realize. It was sweet, sexy, and such a great example of true friends to lovers. These men needed a true friend just as much as they needed a special man in their life. It showed the men the impact of true friends, and allowed them to move forward in their outside relationships as well.

What a joy this book was to read, as all of her books are. Felice can pack a lot of emotion into one book, and has hit a winner with One Step Further. (And how about that gorgeous cover! Another Reese Dante winner!) 4.5 pieces of eye candy for me!

Morgan’s Review:

I’ll start by saying I adore Felice. She always writes such wonderful stories. This book comes after Memories of the Heart and deals with Rafe and Alex. These two are such complex characters. They both have issues they are struggling to overcome. Alex is so confident, outgoing and full of life, yet on the inside he’s a broken man with secrets no one knows. Rafe is shy, lonely and tends to stutter. He’s more comfortable around animals than people. These two very different men come to realize they are more alike than they thought, and maybe they could be happy if they open themselves up fully to each other.

I was so excited for the release of this book and I was not disappointed. Be ready for the different turns this read takes and make sure you have the tissues ready. Definitely 5 pieces of eye candy from me.

Through his years of practice and experience, Rafe had learned to help and comfort, to step in when his expertise was needed, and step away when there was no hope left at all. What Alex didn’t know was that Rafe always held out hope for life, and though he might give the appearance of a man ruled by quiet and calm, in truth he was tenacious as a bulldog and refused to accept defeat.So Rafe allowed Alex to sit in his moody silence until their beers came and they both took long, bracing swallows.“Can I speak now?”Alex shrugged. “Suit yourself.” That offhand comment led Rafe to believe Alex didn’t expect much from people or life in general. Perhaps he too had been disappointed by the people who should have always been there for him and weren’t.

“All my life I’ve been told I was different and that kids wouldn’t like me because of my stutter. When I realized I was gay, I knew my struggle only increased ten-fold. It made me retreat even more.”

Alex traced the lip of his beer bottle with his finger. “Yeah. I can understand that to an extent.”

“That’s my point. You can understand it to an extent, but not really. I’m not saying this in a spiteful way.” It was so important to Rafe to make Alex understand where he was coming from. “You’re a big, good-looking man with a great personality. Everywhere you go, you make friends so easily; people gravitate to you naturally. It’s a gift, if you think about it.”“I have many gifts,” said Alex with a wink and smiled for the first time since they sat down. Rafe wasn’t fooled.“You’re deflecting,” he stated, and like Rafe knew he would, Alex stopped smiling, his mouth thinning to a tight line. “Don’t get angry with me.”“I’m not. I’m only wondering when you decided to appoint yourself as my therapist.”

Rafe pinned Alex with a stare and a raised brow. “When someone sticks their tongue down my throat, it’s a signal to me that maybe we’ve gone beyond a handshake and a ‘Hi, how are you.’”Alex stared at him for a moment, then his eyes creased with amusement and he started to laugh. He didn’t stop, even when the waiter arrived with their food.Rafe folded his arms and glared. “I’m not finished. You make friends easily but it’s all on the surface, isn’t it? I bet people don’t ever really get to know the real you, do they?”Once again, Alex stopped laughing, only this time it seemed he’d had enough. “I don’t have to listen to this shit.” He looked around for the waiter. “I’ll get my food to go.”

“That’s what you always do, don’t you. Instead of talking about things, you make a joke or run away. It’s easier to run away.”

As Rafe spoke, Alex’s face grew dark with anger. Now that he’d started talking, Rafe couldn’t stop; the words spilled like water rushing from a dam.

“I know what it’s like. My reason is obvious. I spent almost my whole life hiding behind a wall of silence. But what reason do you have to play the class clown all the time? People would like you no matter what.”

For a moment Alex stared at him, then smiled a real smile, the first all night. It kindled a glow in his deep blue eyes.

“Do you realize something?” He leaned forward and Rafe swore he could feel the warmth radiating from Alex’s body across the table.

Caught up in the moment, Rafe couldn’t look away. The sounds of the pub faded in the background, including the music, which unfortunately had gone from ’80s retro to modern day rap. “Wha-what?” His mouth tasted dry even with the beer he’d drunk.

“You barely stuttered, not at all until now.”

Alex’s large warm palm slid over his own hand and gave it a squeeze. “That’s great isn’t it? You must be getting more comfortable with me.” A wide grin broke across his face. “Guess that tongue down the throat action worked for something.”

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