Two Chicks Obsessed with Books & Eye Candy

Sharing our love of M/M Romance

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His Perfect Companion by Alexa Milne: New Release Review

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Two men, one with a past and one determined to give them a future.

Mick Flanagan has kept himself hidden since his only lover died three years ago. He works at night, keeps to his routine, has impressive facial hair and avoids contact with other people as much as possible. Enter Ceri Llewellyn, with his constantly changing rainbow-colored hair, who, for reasons Mick doesn’t understand, seems determined to talk to him. Gradually, Mick reveals his traumatic past as he begins to trust Ceri enough to shake himself out of his entrenched routines.

Ceri Llewellyn has no idea why Mick intrigues him, but he determines to bring this shy man out of his protective shell, especially when he discovers they share a mutual love of all things Doctor Who. Ceri faces his own turning point, a moment when he must decide on his future. The more time he spends with Mick, the more he realises he wants Mick to be a part of this new life. Can Ceri show Mick he’s his perfect companion, give him the new beginning he needs and, above all else, help him find his true self?

Reader advisory: This book contains scenes of homophobia and the misgendering of a child.

Publisher’s Note: This book was previously released elsewhere. It has been expanded, revised and reedited for release with Pride Publishing.

General Release Date: 23rd June 2020

Genre:

CONTEMPORARY
EROTIC ROMANCE
GAY
GLBTQI

Amazon

Pride Publishing

I’ll start this review by saying that there were areas of this book that surprised me…honestly shocked the h*ll out of me. Which isn’t easy to do. However, clearly I didn’t read the warnings well, I just dove in, but I am glad I did. I’m not sure I would have wanted to be too aware of it from the beginning.

Mick was such a sweetheart, and had his heart not only broken, but shattered twice. Who could blame him for hiding away from the world as much as possible? It was awesome that his first (and only) lover took care of him after his death, but during his life, he was a “wee” bit controlling, so Mick had no idea how to live his life. None of that was especially surprising considering how controlling his mother had been.

Meanwhile, Ceri was patient, and sweet, and willing to just slowly begin to show Mick what living his own life would be like. Their Doctor Who obsession was a door to that path. FYI, there were a lot of Doctor Who references, that someone who has not watched the show at all would not get, but it managed to not be a distraction to the story. For those that know Doctor Who, it would be an enhancement, I’d imagine. However, I was still able to understand most of the references in some fashion.

What I loved most, though, was that Mick really began to know and understand his true self as he fell in love with Ceri. He discovered things about himself he would have never suspected before. Reading as Mick began to know more about his past, and his personality was as much a joy to read as the romance between the two men.

There were a few things that I felt needed to be fleshed out more at the end, whether in the epilogue, or the end of the book that I felt were missed. Maybe something for a future edition, a follow up story, or maybe never to be worried about. 🙂

3.5 pieces of eye candy

The Thomas Flair: A M/M Summer Games Romance by E.J. Russell: New Release Review

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It’ll take more than medals to mend their relationship.

Diabetic gymnast and team alternate Sol Ashvili had one thing on his agenda when the 2016 Rio Olympics wrapped up—confess to his teammate and best friend Tony Thomas that he’d been in love with him for years. But Tony took a major deduction in Sol’s heart when he jetted out of Rio and turned his back on an almost-finished college degree, international gymnastics meets… and Sol. The first two Sol could forgive—barely. The last? Not a chance.

Tony’s crowd-pleasing, no-holds-barred, high-octane gymnastics style stole its nickname from a legendary gymnastics move—the Thomas Flair. After the 2016 Games, he vaulted into a career as an internet celebrity, specializing in extreme sports and risky stunts. When Tony decides to battle his way into competition shape to earn a spot on the 2020 Olympic team, he has to survive the most extreme risk of all: facing Sol again.

For the sake of the team and the reputation of US men’s gymnastics, Sol and Tony must leave the past behind and get a grip on working together. And as the Games draw closer, they realize that being more than teammates might be the only way they can truly fly high and stick the landing.

The Thomas Flair is a 64,000-word friends to enemies to lovers second-chance rom-com set around the Tokyo Olympics that might have been, featuring a thrill-seeker who needs reining in, a perfectionist who needs to let go, redemption, rowdy teammates, and a few risky moves that will never make it into the Code of Points.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

It’s a shame that the Olympics are postponed as I am sure this book would get a lot more traction as I am sure it was designed to do. Still worth a read.

Friends to enemies to friends to lovers. Sol and Tony have been best friends since meeting at the gymnastics gym for the first time as kids. They were practically inseparable. Until right after the 2016 Olympic games when Tony was chosen to take over for a hurt gymnast and Sol was still an alternate. Tony had some guilt with that and walked away before the Olympics were even over. Without a backward glance or a goodbye.

Four years later and Sol is getting ready for the Olympic trials. And wanting good PR for the team, Tony is invited to try out, even though he has mostly been off the circuit, instead hosting an extreme sports Youtube channel.

For one thing, the author really knows her stuff- or did awesome research- about gymnastics. Floor exercise wasn’t mentioned much- but the “exciting” events of high bar, etc were central. She even brought up the uniforms and maybe that is one of the reasons that men’s gymnastics isn’t nearly as popular as women’s.

Sol is also a diabetic. It was the reason he got into gymnastics in the first place. And while it plays a significant role in the story, it doesn’t over power the story either.

It doesn’t take that long for Sol and Tony to make up and take their relationship up a notch. They were cute together, even if they both used FAR too many gymnastics terms during and about sex. Little bit cringy and eye rolling.

Overall, it was a fun book to read and would be great to read if the Olympics were actually going on. I hope it gets a boost next year when (hopefully) the Games are played.

3.5 Pieces of Eye Candy

The Assistant by John Tristan: RDB, Excerpt and Giveaway

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Burned out ex-soldier Nick Kurosawa has drifted from job to job since he lost his family in a car crash. Lately, he’s been working on and off as a bouncer, barely managing to cover his bills; an opportunity for steady, well-paying work is just what he needs to get his life back in order.

Jacob Umber, a secretive philanthropist, gives him that opportunity. Umber has fibromyalgia and needs a personal assistant to help him with the tasks of daily living—someone strong, adaptable, and, most of all, willing to let Umber take the lead.

It seems a perfect opportunity for Nick. More than anything, he craves guidance and a purpose, and Umber gives him that in spades. When Nick starts craving more, it seems an impossible complication, but even the reserved Umber can’t deny Nick’s talent—and need—for following his orders. But Umber’s shadowy past holds secrets that could undo their fragile new relationship and any hope Nick has of a normal life.

Title:  The Assistant

Author: John Tristan

Publisher:  NineStar Press

Release Date: August 24, 2020

Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 52900

Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQIA+, contemporary, gay, Japanese-American, trans, interracial, BDSM, D/s, power play, slow burn, personal assistant, disability/ chronic illness, depression, age gap

Goodreads

Amazon

Nine Star Press

It was a clear autumn night, with the moon low and yellow above the city. Between its fullness and the lights, only a few stars could be made out, pinpoints in the raw black silk of the night. Nick stood with his fists balled above the man breathing hard in the gutter. A trickle of spilled beer ran into his hair, foaming like shampoo. He smelled sour, of sweat and fear.

“Jesus, man!” The man’s companion—a skinny young guy with a circular Band-Aid over one eye, like a discount pirate—crouched beside him. “Somebody call an ambulance! Call the cops!”

“By all means,” Nick said. He forced himself to take a step back, unclench his fists. “Let’s call the cops and tell them the whole story.”

Discount Pirate slit his eye at him and helped his companion to his feet. The man was dazed but seemed unhurt. Still—he could easily have a concussion.

Nick hesitated. “Maybe we should call an ambulance—”

“Forget it,” the man said thickly and spat into the gutter. In the neon and moonlight, the blood in his mouth looked black. His eyes met Nick’s, and this was the worst part: they understood each other perfectly. He’d wanted to start a fight, and Nick had taken the bait. Another night, it would have fallen out differently.

“Let’s get out of here,” Discount Pirate said, putting a proprietary arm around his companion’s waist and dragging him off into the darkness.

Nick let out a shaky breath. The street was empty, now; if he was lucky, this wouldn’t get back to Merritt, who owned the Hellhole. He hadn’t hired Nick to start fights but to stop them as gently as possible—de-escalation, not macho bullshit. The Hellhole was the only gay bar in Westerley, which meant it drew both the occasional snickering asshole and its share of ex-boyfriend drama. Merrick wouldn’t thank him for bad publicity.

“Jesus, Nick.”

Fuck. This was the last thing he needed. He turned toward the familiar voice. “Hey, Alex.”

Alexander Finn—his friend, once-upon-a-time fuck-buddy, and self-appointed social worker—had come up out of the Hellhole at just the wrong time. Sweat was still beaded on his pale forehead, cooling rapidly in the night air. “What happened?”

“Didn’t know you were down here tonight,” Nick said, affecting a breezy tone. “Must have been here before my shift started.”

Alex rolled his eyes. “I know you’re not jealous, so you’re trying to deflect. What happened?” He took out his cigarette case—silver, engraved—and popped one into his bow-lipped mouth, then offered one to Nick.

He reached for it, then hesitated. “Haven’t smoked in months.”

Alex gave him a skeptical look. “Come on.”

“Vaping doesn’t count.”

He laughed softly. “I’ll give you that one.” He snapped the case closed and tucked it away. “Talk.”

“I don’t know.” Nick ran his hands through his hair. “The guy just. Got under my skin. It’s like he knew how to push my buttons.”

“You’re not supposed to have buttons while you’re on the door.”

“Fuck you. Give me a cigarette.”

He did; they smoked together in the neon-lit dark.

“This job…” Alex chewed on his thoughts for a moment. “It’s not good for you. This isn’t the first time you’ve let someone…push your buttons.”

Alex was right—he’d never let himself take it this far before, but there were more than a few times over the last few weeks when a sneer or a snicker or a muttered insult had gotten under his skin and launched him right in someone’s face, teeth bared, eyes glittering. His fuse frayed shorter every week he was out here. He took a long, slow draw from the cigarette and laughed bitterly. “Well. I still need the rent paid.”

“How long until your shift is over?”

Nick grinned sideways at Alex. “Why, you want to take me home?”

He sighed and shook his head, but it had raised a smile. “Just think you could do with a good night’s sleep. After that…” Alex hesitated a moment. “Can you take the next few days off?”

“I’m not back on shift until Monday evening.”

Alex nodded and took a card out of his pocket—his business card, Nick recognized—and then fished out a pen. “Turn around,” he said.

Nick did. Alex leaned on him, using his back as a desk to write on. He could feel the scratch of the pen through his shirt.

When Alex was done, he handed him the card. Nick frowned at it. There was an address on it, a place in the financial district, and a name: Jacob Umber. “What’s this?”

“Someone—someone I know is looking to hire. I thought…well, you already have a job, and I had someone else lined up, but—”

“You always have someone lined up for something, don’t you?” There was a slight edge of bitterness to Nick’s words. Alex networked—he always had a side hustle lined up for someone, for the washouts and burnouts, the ex-cops and ex-military, the bikers and drifters he seemed to draw into his orbit. His type: like Nick. “Is this meant to be charity? Because you can pass it on to one of your other tricks. I don’t need it.”

“Call it what you will. And you’re not a trick, Nicholas.” Alex leaned in to kiss him on the cheek, chastely. “You’re my friend.”

Nick swallowed a sudden lump in his throat and stuffed the card in the back pocket of his jeans. “Yeah, all right, fine. There’s no number on the card—am I meant to just show up?”

“I wrote hours on there,” Alex said. “Nine to three. Weekdays.”

“Right.”

“Nick…” He seemed to be struggling with his words. “This isn’t a guaranteed job. I can get you a way in, but you’ll have to impress.”

“Come on, Alex.” Nick flashed a smile. “Don’t you think I can pull out the stops when I need to?”

He laughed and shook his head. “I know you can. Good luck, Nick.”

“Thanks. No, really…thank you.”

He nodded and left him on the empty street. Nick took his vape out of his pocket and sucked down a nicotine cloud; he noticed his hands were shaking. There was a subtle ache in his knuckles, where they’d collided with the man’s cheekbone. He felt a tiredness deeper than exhaustion, something like lead in his bones, and on top of that, a thin hot skin of queasy arousal. He didn’t know if he wanted to sleep for a year or get fucked up against the wall of the nearest alley. Well, he told himself, right now it’s going to be neither. He smoked until his hands stopped shaking and then waited for the sky to lighten—for his shift to be over—so he could go home.

John Tristan is a multinational gay nerd, currently living in Manchester, UK. When he’s not writing, he works in the voluntary sector; when he’s not doing either, he’s probably playing video games or tabletop RPGs. After his mother banned books at the table during mealtimes, he read the backs of sauce bottles. His stories are sometimes romantic, sometimes erotic, often speculative, and always queer.

Website | Twitter

http://www.johntristan.com/

http://twitter.com/johntwitstan


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Nothing Special VII: Ex Meridian by A.E. Via: Audiobook Review and Excerpt

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Police Lieutenants, God and Day are under intense pressure from the chief to take back control of Atlanta’s streets. The last thing their task force needs is a pair of trained killers in town with a personal score to settle. 

Take a man and strip him of his ability to feel compassion, empathy, remorse, or any of the emotions that make him human, but leave the ones that ignite rage and aggression and you have the perfect killing machine—now imagine two of them. 

Code names Ex and Meridian are synonymous for ‘guaranteed death’ to international terrorists. Two broken men from the same crooked streets, recruited into an unsanctioned government program that few know about. Trained to operate most efficiently—lethally—together. 

When Ex returns from an op in Bolivia to learn his little brother has been accidentally killed in a feud between drug gangs, he’s stateside before he can consider the rules he’ll be breaking, and of course Meridian is right beside him. There’s mayhem on the streets of Atlanta and the police are losing control. If Godfrey and his elite team of detectives can’t get the job done then they’d be happy to lighten their caseloads for them. And Ex nor Meridian care about doing it quietly. 

“I know who you are.” The man grunted when Ex turned to leave. “You’re the fucking devil.”

Meridian walked past, glaring one final time. “Say that loud enough… maybe God will save you.”

But after their first run-in with the big lieutenant and his protective husband, Day, Ex and Meridian start to reevaluate their own relationship. Wondering if they could be even deadlier if they let loose the feelings for each other that they’ve been forced to suppress for years. 

Meridian’s dark eyes stayed locked on his, “A man who can fight beside the one he loves doesn’t make him weaker, Ex—it makes him more dangerous.”

No multiple pairings. No cliffhangers. Ends with a HEA.
Note: This is a partners-to-lovers, out-for-you, action romance.

Title:  Nothing Special VII: Ex Meridian

Series: Nothing Special

Author: A.E. Via

Genre: M/M Action Romance

Publisher: Tantor

Narrator: Aiden Snow

Length: 9 Hours

Audio Release Date: 07.07.20

Audible

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Neither of them spoke while they ate. Ex never felt the need to fill their long moments of silence with idle words, and his partner wasn’t a big talker. Besides, Ex could enjoy Meridian by him simply being there. His presence was just that powerful. 

“So, what’s next?” Meridian asked after he’d pushed his empty plate to the side. 

Ex drank some of his water, the coolness feeling good to his parched throat, but he wished he had something stronger. He reclined in his seat, mimicking Meridian’s posture and trying to appear casual. 

“First and foremost, we go to Virginia and get our supplies. My contact there is ready for us, we should be in and out,”Ex explained. “Oay night. Of course, flying would be faster but we can better stay under the radar if we avoid TSA. Amtrak will be easiest to transport our cargo as well.”

“Works for me. He knows what we need?”

“Yes. As soon as we get back we can start to have some conversations around town. We’ll backtrack over the task force’s recent arrests and see what we can find. I also wanna keep an eye on that deputy district attorney. Something seems off there to me,” Ex said. 

“Agreed.”Meridian put his cigarette into his mouth and finally lit it. He blew the aromatic smoke away from Ex but he still caught the robust scent of cloves. 

Ex thought the smoking habit was atrocious, but he found he liked it when Meridian did it. The addiction made him seem less programmed. It was something his partner did when he was battling on the inside, and it was also something he only showed Ex. 

Meridian’s eyes were half covered by his long black eye lashes, appearing as if he was enjoying what he was doing. He had one arm braced on the back of the seat and Ex could see the shiny Italian silk lining of Meridian’s jacket and the butt of his chrome Wesson Valor resting against his rib cage.

This story was overwhelming and intense while I was reading it… but hearing it? Experiencing it through this deep voiced narration had me ON EDGE. In the best way of course, but I”ll tell ya, these two make God, Day and their crew of crazies, look like kittens compared to America’s most savage defenders. Ex and his partner Meridian are the types of guys they make movies about. Jason Bourne type of guys, chemically and physically modified to be killing machines for our country. They’re the baddest of the bad, because they’re basically robots… or they should be… but when Ex’s baby brother is killed in God’s neck of the woods, the guys go rogue in order to exact vengeance on his killers. Sounds cray, right?

And oooh, what a ride it is. These two have been through everything together, they’re like two halves of the same person, so naturally, when one wants revenge, the other is at his side. Being off on their own without their handler in their ear, Ex goes through the loss of one of the only few people in the world who ever meant something to him and it was messing with his head. He felt it. Which meant Meridian felt it as well.

It opened up all kinds of feelings he didn’t know he possessed, and the biggest of that, aside from anger, guilt and pure rage at the persons responsible for his brother’s death, is his love and need for his other half. Now, I’m a reader. I read and I narrate in my own mind and it’s good. I think I’ve got a good imagination on a good day… but hearing the emotion and the longing and the torture of doing what you feel you should and doing what you need, and it was a need… I had zero words. It honestly left me speechless and when in the world has that ever happened to me? I’ll tell ya, not often. 

it wasn’t one sided either, which I loved. Mere would do anything for Ex, including this off the radar mission to get justice for Ex’s baby brother. Unfortunately, it wasn’t as easy as getting in, getting messy and getting out… Nay, we were up against dirty DA’s, dirty cops and God and Day’s crew to get around, because as we know, if anything goes on in God’s city, he knows about it and he and his guys go above and beyond to stop it. It was fun to see God’s crew stumped for a change… it made things more exciting, though, it was a lot to handle. They weren’t prepared for how dangerous these guys are at first… And it all plays out like the most gloriously action packed audio.

I wish I could tell you this whole story…but honestly, it needs to be experienced first-hand. We get to see all the guys and their guys, we get the guns and explosions and heart-stopping emotions that I’m just not used to when I’m simply reading myself. It’s about a thousand times more intense because these guys don’t have rules, they don’t have red tape, they don’t have anyone to answer to… not even God and Day and Aiden Snow is a master at conveying every feeling you’re supposed to have and ones you weren’t even ready for. And this is coming from someone who doesn’t even like audio books! I wasn’t converted until I heard this narrator and I swear to you, every time, he’s different. 

And I’m borderline obsessed with these guys…They get in, they get messy and they get out, before anyone even knows they’ve been there. It was impressive and scary and it makes you think about how real these kinds of guys are and how terrifying it would be to come face to face with one, but how badly I want to do it anyway.

What a frickin ride this one. I’m still flummoxed lol I’m impressed and I cannot wait for Fox and Bull. Every book is my new favorite, though I still have such a soft spot for Ruxs and Green, and if you haven’t, you should listen to all of them too.  I have a feeling that we’ll be seeing more of these guys in the future, too, and I am READY for it!

Overall, I wouldn’t suggest skipping any book in this series, but if you do… make sure it isn’t this one. This one deserves all the stars. 

5 pieces of eye candy

A.E. Via has been a best-selling author in the beautiful gay romance genre for six years now, but she’s no stranger to MM. She’s been an avid reader of gay literature for over twenty years before she picked up her laptop to place her own kiss on this genre. She’s also the founder and owner of Via Star Wings Books, having published a couple great, new up and coming MM authors.  

A.E. has a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Virginia Wesleyan College that she used to start her own paralegal firm after she graduated in 2008. She spent five years preparing and filing bankruptcy petitions for struggling blue collar workers who couldn’t afford to file with a lawyer. It was a rewarding and satisfying career… but another path called to her. 

Writing. 

A.E.’s novels embodies everything from hopelessly romantic to adventure, to scandalous. Her stories often include intriguing edges and twists that take readers to new, thought-provoking depths. 

She’s recently celebrated her 20th book anniversary, and is well-known for her hardcore, love hard, bad boy, alphas. However, she does like to push herself to step out of her comfort zone, exploring different tropes. She’s head over heels for gay romance and she has tons of more hot stories to tell.  

Be sure to visit Adrienne on her social media pages and subscribe to her newsletter to never miss another release date! Go to A.E. Via’s official website http://authoraevia.com  for more detailed information on how to contact her, follow her, or a sneak peek at upcoming work, free reads, VSWB submissions, and where she’ll appear next. 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48195130-bishop

Author Official Website: http://authoraevia.com

A.E. Newsletter Signup: https://goo.gl/4hfuMh

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/aeviaauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorAEVia

Union (Torsere #2) by Annabelle Jacobs: New Release Review

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Can magic save them before it’s too late….

After the defeat of the Lowland Army, King Seran is still at large, and Torsere needs the Elves’ protection more than ever. Nykin returns to his duty as a dragon rider and accompanies Ryneq to the Elven city of Alel to witness the joining of their two realms through marriage.

As the wedding approaches, the dragons sense a malevolent presence lurking at Alel’s borders. Nykin and Fimor take to the skies to patrol the magical city, but as the evil grows more potent, the enchanted boundary protecting Alel grows weaker.

Working alongside the elven guard, Nykin and Ryneq once again ride headfirst into danger as they struggle to protect Torsere from Seran’s thirst for revenge.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

I am always aware that authors are stuck between a rock and a hard place when they come to write book two of a trilogy. It’s neither a beginning or an end. I gave the beginning five stars, and even with knowing this was book two and inherently problematic because of that, I was still heading towards the five star direction before the last chapter.

Nykin is officially King Ryneq’s consort. They have the problem of the Elven wedding and the baddy rearing its ugly head. (I don’t rehash the plot in my reviews – it’s hot men riding dragons, read it.)

Everything’s going to plot and plan and then it stopped. If I had months to wait for book three I’d be annoyed, but I don’t think this will be the case.

What I would have liked is some more character development. Relationship wise they seem to be in the same place in book two as they were at the end of book one, with a little more sex, but having said that I’m still reaching out with grabby hands for book three.

Four “gimmee the next one” pieces of eye candy

Shortbread and Shadows by Amy Lane: New Release Review

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Hedge Witches Lonely Hearts Club: Book One

When a coven of hedge witches casts a spell for their hearts’ desires, the world turns upside down.

Bartholomew Baker is afraid to hope for his heart’s true desire—the gregarious woodworker who sells his wares next to Bartholomew at the local craft fairs—so he writes the spell for his baking business to thrive and allow him to quit his office job. He’d rather pour his energy into emotionally gratifying pastry! But the magic won’t allow him to lie, even to himself, and the spellcasting has unexpected consequences.

For two years Lachlan has been flirting with Bartholomew, but the shy baker with the beautiful gray eyes runs away whenever their conversation turns personal. He’s about to give up hope… and then Bartholomew rushes into a convention in the midst of a spellcasting disaster of epic proportions.

Suddenly everybody wants a taste of Bartholomew’s baked goods—and Bartholomew himself. Lachlan gladly jumps on for the ride, enduring rioting crowds and supernatural birds for a chance with Bartholomew. Can Bartholomew overcome the shyness that has kept him from giving his heart to Lachlan?

Amazon

You know how some authors are just hit or miss for you? You want to love all of their books, but you don’t. But you don’t give up on them because along comes a gem. This wasn’t a gem. It wasn’t terrible, but it was definitely meh.

A coven of witches who are close friends? Cool. They all live in the same cul de sac? Very cool.  They mess up a spell unintentionally? Give me more! Except…there was SO little background on the major players, it was really hard to feel invested in them at all.

Bartholomew is the first to experience magic gone wrong when his baked goods are causing people to fall in love with him. Luckily- his crush Lachlan- helps him get out of the jam. Oh Lachlan has a crush on him too? Cute.

Except there were no sparks. No lovie dovie eyes at each other. I know that they were thrown in to this big ole magic gone wrong thing which they are trying to fix, but there was just nothing there for me.

Bartholomew went from totally awkward, can’t even look at Lachlan, nervous virgin to “omg let’s have sex in the kitchen right now!”.  It was just kind of hard to reconcile one with the other.

Sadly, this was a miss for me.

2.5 pieces of eye candy