review

Power Play by Avon Gale: Release Day Review

May 9, 2016 by Denise

A freak accident during the Stanley Cup Playoffs put an end to Max Ashford’s hockey career. Despite everything, Max gets back into the game he loves—only this time, behind the bench as an assistant coach of the Spartanburg Spitfires, the worst team in the entire league. But nothing prepares him for the shock when he learns the new head coach is Misha Samarin, the man who caused Max’s accident.

After spending years guilt ridden for his part in Max’s accident, Russian native Misha Samarin has no idea what to do when he’s confronted with Max’s presence. Max’s optimism plays havoc with Misha’s equilibrium—as does the fierce attraction that springs up between them.

Not only must they navigate Misha’s remorse and a past he’s spent a lifetime trying to forget, but also a sleazy GM who is determined to use their history as a marketing hook. But when an unwelcome visitor targets a player, Misha revisits his darkest days, and that might cost him and Max the beginning they’ve worked so hard to build.

Title: Power Play
Series: A Scoring Chances Novel
Author: Avon Gale
Release Date: May 9, 2016
Category: Contemporary
Pages: 200

It’s no secret that I’m a huge Avon Gale fan. Like, to the point I’m kind of waiting for a restraining order to show up at my door because I’m an online stalker. Okay, so maybe not that bad, but I really love Avon Gale. Have I mentioned that? And it’s the Scoring Chances series that roped me in as a lifelong reader of her stories, so I couldn’t wait to get my greedy little hands on Power Play.

Misha and Max have a history on the ice, and it’s not a good one. I loved the way Avon portrayed the guilt Misha felt over ending Max’s career. There was a balance between what I think is realistic guilt a player would feel and the added angst ingrained in him from childhood. Without that balance, Misha could’ve easily been seen as over the top and a bit unlikeable.

While I hated the ulterior motives that brought them back together, I’m glad they were. Both of them needed to heal from what happened, and it was perfect that they were able to do so together. They not only had great chemistry together, but they worked well as a coaching team. Both had their own strengths and neither felt slighted when the other took the lead.

I was expecting this book to be heavy on the angst given the fact that Misha is Russian and harbors a lot of fears over being gay. I thought his past would come back to haunt him in a more dire manner than it did. I kept waiting for it, but it never came. While part of me wishes it did, I don’t know that something so dark would’ve fit with the rest of the series.

I’m hoping and praying we’ll get to see Isaac’s story next, because I really feel for that boy!

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What About Now by Grace R. Duncan: Release Day Review

May 9, 2016 by Denise

Five years ago, everything went wrong. Braden Kirk and Rafe Jessen’s long-term relationship started unraveling. They stopped talking, fears mounted, then Braden walked in on Rafe and another man, completely misreading the situation. Without giving Rafe a chance to explain, Braden walked out. Out of their home, their relationship, and the game development company they started together in college.

After months of therapy to deal with the attempted rape Braden walked in on, Rafe begins to understand that his dominant tendencies in the bedroom aren’t a bad thing and that Braden’s submission is likely what scared his partner into silence. But Rafe isn’t ready to let go of the man he loves more than life itself. He arranges for himself and Braden to end up on the same charity cruise, knowing Braden won’t let his phobia—terror of vast, deep waters—rule him.

With a plan and twenty-eight days, Rafe is determined to get Braden back, make him see there’s nothing wrong with being submissive, and find a way to get Braden to stay with him when they get home to LA.

Title: What About Now
Author: Grace R. Duncan
Release Date: May 9, 2016
Category: Contemporary, BDSM, Erotic Romance
Pages: 284

I though this was a well done second chance love story. Braden and Rafe were very realistically written. I really enjoyed the slow build-up of them getting back together. I thought Grace R Duncan did an amazing job creating characters that hit you in the feels. She did a wonderful job of getting you to root for these two guys to work it out. Some parts of the story were heartbreaking, while others made me hope. I really liked the way she wrote Branden and his anger without making it over the top. I felt for Rafe and what he was going through with what happened in his past and how he moved forward through it. This book is one I would read again.

4 pieces of eye candy

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Dreamspinner Press

Bombs and Guacamole by BA Tortuga: Release Day Review

May 6, 2016 by Denise

ER doctor Dusty Lowry grew up in a conservative rural Texas family that has never quite forgiven him for staying in New Mexico after his stint in the Army. Paramedic Nate Miller, Dusty’s best friend since their early Army days, has a hippie momma, a tiny apartment, and is in lust with his buddy. When their other Army friend, Kyle, gets married, they start thinking about settling down. In fact, they both know what they want: each other. Too bad they’ve never shared that goofy little fact.

A trip to visit Dusty’s family in Texas changes everything, and Dusty and Nate aren’t sure where to go from there. Good thing they’re smart guys, and between a series of bombings that target first responders, their friend Kyle’s wife getting pregnant, and more than one bowl of guacamole, they begin to figure out how to have a relationship.

But as the bombings get closer to home, Nate and Dusty must navigate love and commitment before they lose their chance.

Title: Bombs and Guacamole
Author: BA Tortuga
Release Date: May 6, 2016
Category: Contemporary
Pages: 214

I thought BA Tortuga did an awesome job with this story. I really enjoyed the characters she created. Dusty and Nate were great characters. Dusty had such a hard time dealing with who he was and how his family might feel once they found out. I really liked how BA Tortuga got these two guys together. There was some awkwardness but not a whole big drama. Nate was fun to read. I loved his attitude and really loved his mom. I really want more of these two.

Amazon

ARe

Dreamspinner Press

A Mended Man by Jaime Reese: Blog Tour, Review and Giveaway

May 3, 2016 by Denise

Title: A Mended Man

Series: The Men of Halfway House #4

Author: Jaime Reese

Genre: M/M Contemporary Romance

Release Date: April 28, 2016
Photographer: wagnerLA Photography
Cover Artist: Reese Dante

Detective Aidan Calloway is rock-solid strong. He’s a man of justice—loyal to his friends, family, and job—even if it requires bending a law…or two. He shields himself behind an abrasive, fearless facade, until a phone call one night chips his armor and throws his perfectly planned, hollow life into a tailspin.

Jessie Vega is the epitome of optimism. His carefully crafted attitude of hope and positivity protects him from a past filled with too much pain. When a ghost from a dark time resurfaces and nearly breaks him, he must tap into his inner strength or risk losing everything he’s worked so hard to build.

But Jessie can’t do it alone. He must fight to break through Aidan’s ironclad defenses to reveal the heart of the man hiding beneath the tough surface and mend his damaged spirit. Only then can they truly heal and become strong enough to battle the demons that haunt them and threaten their chance to finally be together.

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***This book contains scenes and subject matter some readers may find distressing.***

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Although part of a series, this book can be read as a stand-alone.

A Mended Man, the fourth book in The Men of Halfway House Series is a big departure from the previous books. As I was reading this book, the marriage vows kept repeating in my head “Love is patient. Love is kind.” Truer words could not have been written about Aidan and Jessie. These two showed so much patience, kindness and love for each other throughout the book that it bled through every word, heartbreaking in its intensity, but joyful in all its love.

I’ll admit, Jaime broke my heart in the prologue, making me wonder how I would be able to get through such an emotional book. I should not have doubted her talent for reaching in and healing not just her men, but her readers.

Aidan was the patient protector through part one, allowing no one to hurt Jessie as he waited for him to come back to him, knowing that he was a closed off man, but that Jessie was the only person who could make a dent in his suit of armor. His determination to see Jessie through another particularly rough time in his life was awe-inspiring. Even knowing that he couldn’t give back to Jessie what he wanted to, because of his own haunted past, he steadfastly held on, not letting Jessie’s recovery falter.

This book was more than a slow burn. You could compare this to trying to light a fire by rubbing two sticks together. It took a very long time to get Aidan to let go enough to let Jessie in. Meanwhile Jessie patiently sat back, quietly supporting and encouraging Aidan. He was never concerned about a timeframe for them to come together, only pushing a little when the moment was right, then letting that hump they climbed over be enough until the next time.

Jessie’s never ending supply of patience, and Aidan’s coming to grips with his past merely by determining it was time is what finally brought these met to a place where they could love each other. And they did, fully, accepting each other’s strengths, and when the other was at a low point, being the strength needed to keep moving forward, building what they needed to, together.

This book was long, 145K words according to the author (for reference, 50K is usually considered a full book), and there were times as I was reading it that I couldn’t help but wonder “is this scene necessary, or possibly could it be cut so that the reader doesn’t feel like they are reading for days on end?”. And yet, with every scene that I thought that, I found out later how important that scene was later, realizing that there were no unnecessary scenes. In order to fully experience and understand these two men, the relationship they slowly built together, and how they would be able to heal and mend their past so they could find their future, every scene, every moment was necessary.

Although there was so much pain revealed in this book, Jaime did an amazing job of filling in humor, so that the reader didn’t feel like a heavy weight sat on their chest until the HEA finally made its way into their lives. The humor, whether from Aidan accusing Jessie of being obsessed with balls, or Jessie finding light moments to help lift the dark spirit that enshrouded Aidan, allowed the reader to enjoy their moments together, rather than wondering if the next moment would be another crush to one of their spirits.

If the reader met these two in person, it would be hard not to realize how perfect they were for each other. Aidan, strong, protective, willing to do anything to keep those he loved safe, taking on the burden of others mistakes, in order to allow people to feel freedom themselves. Jessie, strong in his own way, quiet, but not willing to stay silent when it came to the man he loved, allowing the positivity to be the uplifting piece that Aidan needed to not just keep moving forward but to life himself to a new place.

This book will stay with me for a while, heart wrenching as some of the parts were. The all consuming love and support these men had for each other is something we all want to aspire to, and few can achieve.

And the little glimpses of my favorite character in this series, Cole, were epic. I could not have been happier to see his happy fun face. 🙂

I know this book took Jaime a long time to write and get it right. But this book was worth every second of the wait. I saw a little note at the end that said “more coming” in this series, and in a way that makes me happy, and in a way, I want this to be the end. Because how could this love story be topped? I have no doubt this author will be able to do it, as she excels at what she does in many ways. I can’t wait to see what she has ahead for all of these men.

A beautiful 5 pieces of eye candy for this one.

“A beautiful story of love making you whole again!” – Bike Book Reviews

“Heartbreakingly beautiful” – Amazon Customer Review

“As always the wait was worth it and Jaime delivers yet another stunning but very different book.” – Sinfully Gay Romance Book Reviews

“So…where are we going?” Jessie asked, returning the items to the pantry and the refrigerator. He hadn’t expected Aidan to arrive home early, and he definitely hadn’t expected him to announce a dinner excursion, especially not after spending so much time on the couch lately, having far too much fun to want to escape the house.

“Wherever you want to go is fine. You’re always cooking and you stay in the house unless you’ve got an appointment, so I figured a break would be nice. To get out, do something…different. As long as I can pick a steak, I’m fine with any place you want to go.”

“You choose the spot. Surprise me,” Jessie said.

“Okay.”

“So where are we going?”

“Uh, I thought you said to surprise you?”

Jessie bit his lip, trying to disguise the humor at seeing Aidan squirm. He figured Aidan was probably getting a little edgy lately, always giving in and letting Jessie get his way each time. “I need to know what to wear.”

“A suit. Definitely a suit. A dark one. Either the blue one or the charcoal.”

“So it’s a date?” Jessie asked, trying to contain the flutter in his chest. He cherished their time hanging out on the couch or back porch but going out in public together? Definitely one heck of a milestone.

“Uh, okay,” Aidan said with a pinched expression.

“It’s not a date?”

Aidan rubbed the back of his neck. “If you want to do something else too, we can.”

“We don’t have to do anything else. Dinner’s fine.”

“Okay. So it’s not a date?” Aidan said, scratching his stubble.

Jessie hid a grin at Aidan’s confusion. “How about you tell me. Do you want it to be a date?”

“I want to take you out to dinner. I want you to wear a suit, because you look hot as hell in them. If that makes it a date, then cool. It’s a date. But if I have to do something else to make it a date, like a movie or…fuck if I know…a walk on the beach or something. Let me know and we’ll do that too.”

Jessie wrapped his arms around Aidan’s neck. “Where did you get that from?”

“Google.”

“I think you better leave the research to me.” Jessie chuckled.

“As long as you wear your suit.” Aidan snaked his arms around Jessie’s waist and leaned in for a quick kiss.

Jessie nuzzled Aidan’s neck. “And you need to keep your stubble. It’s hot.”

“You like soft balls and hard stubble. I think you’re confused regarding what you want.”

“I know exactly what I want. I want all of you, soft and hard and everything in between.”

Jaime Reese is the alter ego of an artist who loves the creative process of writing, just not about herself. Fiction is far more interesting. She has a weakness for broken, misunderstood heroes and feels everyone deserves a chance at love and life. An avid fan of a happy ending, she believes those endings acquired with a little difficulty are more cherished.

The Men of Halfway House
A Better Man
A Hunted Man
A Restored Man
A Mended Man…More to come…

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Safe in His Heart by Renae Kaye: Exclusive Guest Post, Release Day Review and Excerpts

May 1, 2016 by Denise

Andrew and Paul learned about God and Jesus in different churches and realize their views of spirituality are worlds apart.

Andrew was raised Catholic and was told his homosexuality was a sin. For his entire life, he hid the truth. He married and had children to present a façade to the world—that of a straight man. It’s not until he has an affair with Paul, who shows him a different side of Jesus, that Andrew realizes he can be gay and still believe in God. Paul’s Jesus is one of acceptance and love, and in Paul’s church, being gay is not a problem.

For Paul and Andrew, falling in love is the easy part of their journey. They must make it through the fires of cheating, being discovered, Andrew’s wife leaving, the necessities of childcare and family life, the demands of their jobs, and working on their commitment to each other. Only then can they be safe in each other’s heart.

Title: Safe in His Heart
Series: Safe: Book Two
Author: Renae Kaye
Release Date: May 2, 2016
Category: Contemporary
Pages: 270

Safe in His Arms was my first introduction to Renae Kaye. I loved the glimpses of Paul in that book and was beyond excited that he was getting his own story. Adding to the excitement was the fact that it deals with the balance of sexuality and religion.

I will warn you, there is cheating in this book. I fully understand that it’s a hard limit for some readers, but Safe in His Heart is written in such a way that I was strangely okay with it. First of all, because there wasn’t a promise of fidelity in the marriage (read the book and you’ll understand just how they came to be married with children) and secondly, because there’s no deception. Paul knows exactly who and what Andrew is from the first time they get together. And before you feel too bad for Kristy, know that she has her own issues, which in many ways trump the physical needs Andrew sated with Paul. Really, it’s going to be okay, and I’d hate to see anyone not buy the book because of the cheating aspect.

Now, for what really matters in this book. Religion. Holy hell! I can’t remember the last time I read a book touched me when it comes to the reconciliation of sexuality and spirituality. Not only did Renae Kaye write about the guilt and negative feelings associated with Andrew being raised in a conservative Catholic family, but she showed the love and acceptance of Paul’s Anglican faith. In the middle of reading Andrew’s conversation with Paul’s priest, I had to put down my Kindle and send a verse which was referenced in the book to a family member who is going through this very struggle right now.

Safe in His Heart wasn’t just a great story for me, it was an awakening. For years, I’ve struggled with my own spirituality, due largely in part to how many “modern” Christian religions still shun people for being gay. One of the weights on my shoulders lifted through the course of this book, because I no longer feel like it’s one or the other. I know that might sound a bit deeper than a lot of reader’s want, but that feeling has more to do with how I processed the book and absolutely nothing to do with feeling beaten over the head by religion. This is not a religious book. It’s a love story where one character helps the other get through a dark time in his life in multiple ways.

Now, the question is when will we get Devon and Ash’s book? They have to have one!

5 pieces of eye candy

I was unsure about this book before I started it. The thing I was most weary of was the cheating aspect of it. However, once I got into it more the author explained the relationship between Andrew and Kristy.

Paul was a great character. He was fun and entertaining and I absolutely loved him. He has such a good heart and kept his faith and belief in Andrew the whole time.

Andrew was very well written. I was leary of him in the first couple of chapters because he seemed to come off as a player. However, the further into the story and more we get to see Andrews thoughts and feelings the more lovable he became. He was a very strong character when it was needed.

I also really liked how in the end Kristy didn’t wind up being the “bad guy.” A lot of books I’ve read make the wife of the closeted guy out to be horrible and Renae Kaye didn’t do that. Renae did a wonderful job creating a story and characters that were entertaining and I read the entire book in one sitting.

5 pieces of eye candy

The religious themes of Safe in His Heart

One of the big themes about Safe in His Heart is religion. It was a hard thing for me write, because I didn’t wish to offend anyone, and let me state that because a character has a religious belief, it is no reflection on the author’s view of the world.

Me, personally? My views of religion and homosexuality are not important. What I think is important is the representation of all types of people in our romance stories. If you’re straight, you can read M/M. If you’re a vegetarian, you can still read about a character eating a steak. If you’re an atheist, you can still read about a character who is a Catholic.

I try to pick from a range of different types of people. My characters are differing in their outlooks, their ages, their jobs, their religion, their families, their appearance… Just like we are in life.

I love reading about people who are different religions and backgrounds to me. It exposes me to their customs and explains to me a little bit more about why people act the way they do. For example, although the Australian Aboriginal people have varying beliefs through their different tribes, one of the things that is common is that it is rude to their customs to look another person in the eye. To most modern white people, it is a sign of honesty, and when they can’t look a person in the eye, they tend to judge that person as dishonest. A simple realisation on behalf of the white person that this is the Aboriginal culture, their religion, and their custom, is sometimes enough to ward off the negative feelings they get when an Aboriginal person won’t look them in the eye.

It was therefore, with openness and acceptance of all people that I welcomed two characters who are from differing, but strong religious backgrounds to my book.

Andrew is Catholic. He’s grown up in the Catholic Church and had the beliefs of his religion impressed on him from a very young age. As a young man growing into his sexual identity, he struggled to reconcile his faith with his inner feelings. This is an extremely common story. You don’t have to look far on the internet to see true stories of gay men and women who are persecuted by their families for this. Recently I saw this project: The Trevor Project, and Tom Goss’s song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJStTqPmcMY) that is about two gay boys growing up in a religious environment. We like to think that this story has a happy ending, but can we be sure?

Excerpt, Safe in His Heart

Andrew tried hard to be straight. He tried to please his father. He consciously ignored his sinful urges and married a woman like the Bible told him to. He used his seed to bring children into his marriage, and that was about the best damn thing he’d already done in his life.

His children were the only good thing about his marriage to Kristy. The day he stood in front of the altar of Kristy’s church and promised to love and honor her, he lied. He felt sick at the time because he made that vow in front of God, and knew that he would break it. But the church hadn’t fallen in like he dreaded. He looked Kristy in the eye and lied, and she looked him in the eye and lied right back.

Safe in His Heart (Safe #2) is about Andrew’s journey out of the closet. The reason he is in there has mostly to do with religion, so therefore he needs to come to grips with his faith and beliefs as he moves through that doorway. Is this book about religion? No – not at all. But it involves religion, and the character’s belief in religion. As a reader of this book you will journey with Andrew as he discusses his problems and works things out in his head.

You will also journey with Andrew as he embarks on a flaming affair with Paul, argues with his PA, is hurt by his wife leaving, struggles with raising his children, and tells his family about his homosexuality.

Someone asked me, how do I balance the romance with the religion? I don’t think it is a balance. This is a book that sits squarely in the Romance genre. If someone thinks to file it with Christian Romances, then I will have to object. This book isn’t about living life as a Christian. It’s about a man’s journey while he works out his Christianity… and has a lot of gay sex with his lover. It’s about bravery. It’s about working out who you are, not what your parents want you to be. It’s about perceptions. It’s about love.

Does this story have religious themes? Of course. Just like a book that has a professional hockey player coming out of the closet may deal with how he tells his teammates, how he is treated on the field, and how the media treat him. You can’t write a book about a hockey player without mentioning hockey. You can’t write a book about a soldier without mentioning the armed forces. Andrew’s religion – and on the flip-side, Paul’s more liberal religion – are crucial in the telling of the story.

So I hope the love and romance is plain to see, despite the secret lovers, the religious headache, and the everyday life that comes into Andrew’s world. Enjoy!

Excerpt, Safe in His Heart

And Andrew had no clue what the hell he was doing. But when he had to, he knew how to “fake it until you make it.” Hadn’t he faked being straight all those years? Hadn’t he successfully faked a marriage? Didn’t he fake knowing what to do as the CEO of Cabott’s until they allowed him to do the job, and then he forged his own path?

But the situation with Paul was completely beyond his control. His common sense told him to get out before he got caught. His logical brain told him someone was always watching. His sixth sense told him no secret was ever a really a secret. But for some reason, Andrew continued to cling to Paul. He was his daily dose of sanity.

The first time Erica told him he had to cancel his “meeting” with Paul in favor of an important business teleconference, he gritted his teeth and let it go. The second time he asked her to change it.

“No. I’m not canceling Paul. Ring Brian and find another time he can meet,” Andrew demanded.

Erica shook her head in the negative. “I’ve tried, Andrew. He’s stepping onto a plane at five our time. We need to slot him in at two, or else we’ll miss our chance.” She made a scribble on her notepad and then gave him an understanding nod. “Look, I’ll ring Paul myself and reschedule. I’m sure he can make it an evening appointment, like last Tuesday.”

Andrew dug his fingernails into his thigh. “He can’t. He’s back on night shift this week.”

“Oh.” Erica paused, and then her eyes turned sympathetic. “You need to choose, Andrew. Either Paul or Brian. Because this is our last chance with Brian before he flies home to the US.”

With an angry nod, he agreed, but told Erica he would ring Paul. Bad news should come from him. Besides… getting his PA to schedule his cheating sessions…?

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Renae Kaye is a lover and hoarder of books who thinks libraries are devilish places because they make you give the books back. She consumed her first adult romance book at the tender age of thirteen and hasn’t stopped since. After years – and thousands of stories! – of not having book characters do what she wants, she decided she would write her own novel and found the characters still didn’t do what she wanted. It hasn’t stopped her though. She believes that maybe one day the world will create a perfect couple – and it will be the most boring story ever. So until then she is stuck with quirky, snarky and imperfect characters who just want their story told.

Renae lives in Perth, Western Australia and writes in five minute snatches between the demands of two kids, a forbearing husband, too many pets, too much housework and her beloved veggie garden. She is a survivor of being the youngest in a large family and believes that laughter (and a good book) can cure anything.

How to contact Renae:

Email: renaekaye@iinet.net.au

Website: www.renaekaye.weebly.com

FB: www.facebook.com/renae.kaye.9

Twitter: @renaekkaye

Personal Entanglement by Silvia Violet: Release Day Review

April 30, 2016 by Denise

Several months ago Thorne hired Riley as an escort. They fell hard for each other and ultimately made their relationship personal rather than professional. Every moment they spend in bed is pure bliss, but good sex can’t solve all their problems as they struggle to make things work between them. Thorne convinces Riley to move in with him, but their differences in age and income weigh more heavily on Riley once they share a home.

If that weren’t enough, culinary school is turning out to be a disappointment for Riley rather than a dream come true, and he’s considering the daunting prospect of starting his own business. Thorne wants to swoop in and fix everything, but Riley keeps refusing Thorne’s money or advice, feeling like he’s losing control over his own life.

Thorne and Riley will have to rely on their love for each other to help them find the balance between independence and entanglement.

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ARe

Professional Distance was one of my favorite books of 2015. It had everything I love about an m/m romance. A great story with fantastic dialogue, smoking hot sex scenes that were not the same scene over and over and two characters who couldn’t get out of their own way in order to find the love they both wanted so desperately.
Personal Entanglement, book 2 in the series (and yeah!! There is a book 3 for these two men coming later this year!!!) is not any different. How Ms. Violet is able to create such varying sex scenes about two men is a true testament to either her penchant for “research” or her very vivid imagination. She does an incredible job too with not having sex scenes just to make this an erotic romance but also showing how the sex life of these two men helps to enhance and/or cause distance in their relationship. This is not an easy feat with an erotic romance. Often too many sex scenes get boring, repetitive and bring no connection between the two characters . Yet when these two characters connect, or even when they notice their relationship is challenged it is through sex that they are able to reach each other when all else fails.

This book is not just sex scenes though, and if you only put it in the category of p.o.p. you are missing some key elements to this story. What a fantastic job the author does of presenting real life relationship challenges between two men of varying ages, experiences, and relationship skills.

Let’s face it. Men are quite often not the most communicative. Now put two that are domineering, stubborn, and new to relationships, and you likely have the makings of a disaster waiting to happen. The author shows how in real life “happily ever after” doesn’t always happen after the men say “I love you” and move in together. It takes real work, communication, and compromise. These men had to work on that in order to finally find their HEA, and the ride was superb.

I truly can’t wait to see what the author has in store for these men in book 3, but if it’s what she’s done for the first two books I expect it to be hot AF, explosive and a fun ride for everyone reading it.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

Thornwell Shipton is wealthy, uptight, closeted, and an incurable workaholic. A tragic love affair left him terrified of relationships, so he tells himself sex is better scheduled and paid for.

Riley Dashwood is young, easy-going, and comfortable in his own skin. He’s a passionate baker and an aspiring chef, working as an escort to save up for culinary school.

They’re clearly made for each other.

When Thorne hires Dash, it’s lust at first sight. After a few scorching nights together, both men start to wonder if what’s between them is more than physical, but their age gap and resistance to romance make them afraid to change their professional relationship to a personal one. Dash pushes Thorne to admit he wants things he’s denied himself for years. Kinky things. Soft, caring things. Things that force him to open his heart, not just his body. To move forward, one or the other must take a risk and ask for what he really wants.