Getting it up

BOOK REVIEW: Grand Jete

2010-12-12T17:19:00.001-05:00

Grand Jeté by Diana Copland

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This novella has all the makings of a fantastic winter tale: love, angst, passion and a happily ever after made for Hollywood!

One of the things I love most about the holidays are the holiday movies. I can sit on my couch, wrapped up in my warm blanket with a steaming mug of hot cocoa and enjoy the magic of the holidays in 120 minutes of holiday bliss. Diana Copland does the same with this wondrous holiday tale.

Summary: Jordan Armstead is not a ballet fan, so finding himself at the Opera House with his family, watching his niece in 'The Nutcracker', is not his idea of a good time. That is until a god-like specimen wearing little more than a loin cloth and simmering oil appears on stage, effortlessly partnering his female counterpart through the sensuous 'Arabian' pas de deux.

That night, when the very same man, after suffering a potentially career ending injury, appears in the emergency room where Jordan is a nurse , Jordan finds himself as attracted to the man as he was to the dancer. The attraction is mutual, and they share a magical twenty four hours. But at the end of it, Jordan finds himself wondering if he's impulsively given his heart to someone who has more important things to do than think about a one night stand. Against the backdrop of Christmas trees, sugar plums and falling snow, two men with absolutely nothing in common find out that where the heart is concerned, it just doesn't matter at all.

What I liked about this book: You fall into the story from the very first line and while you ride the rollercoaster of emotions every budding romance brings, you feel exhilarated at the end and for a brief moment, happy with the world. Read this while listening to holiday music and you'll see what I'm talking about. You'll finish it, put it down, smile over the rim of your mug and savor the beautiful journey you've just taken.

Excerpt: "I'm fine." Davis's voice sounded ragged.

"You're sure," Jordan said, frowning. "You didn't wrench anything in your good leg, or your back?" He
reached out instinctively and placed his hand on Davis's side.

Davis shook his head quickly. "I'm fine, Jordan," he repeated. "You caught me before any more damage could
be done." He smiled weakly. "Nice reflexes, by the way."

Jordan exhaled a breath he hadn't known he was holding, and realized with a start just how close he was
standing to Davis. He was crowding him against the wall; one more step and they'd be pressed together from chest to toes. He blinked, muttering an apology, and started to take a step away when Davis's hand came up and curled in the front of his jacket, halting him. He looked down at the white knuckled grip, then up into Davis's eyes.

"Davis," he murmured.

"Jordan." Davis's eyes dropped to Jordan's mouth. Jordan licked his lips, his heart suddenly beating rapidly at the base of his throat. Davis angled his head, pulling against the front of Jordan's jacket and Jordan stiffened, but his fingers curled into Davis's coat.

"Davis," he repeated, his body easing forward even as he searched the face coming inexorably closer. He
studied the long lashes casting shadows on the high cheekbones, the nostrils of the straight, sculpted nose
flaring slightly.

"Jordan," Davis whispered, so close now that Jordan could feel his breath against his lips. "Are you going
to make me force the issue again? Stop thinking and kiss me."

Jordan paused for just a moment longer, his stomach swooping as if he were standing atop a high cliff,
afraid to jump, but the pull of the face, the gentle want in the eyes lifted to his, eased him over the edge and he leaned in, covering Davis's mouth with his own.

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BOOK REVIEW: Miles and the Magic Flute

2010-12-10T11:18:00.001-05:00

Miles and the Magic Flute by Heidi Cullinan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've had this book in my "to-read" pile for months and I must say I was rather frustrated with my schedule for not allowing me the opportunity to just dive in and escape into this story. I decided that I would make this book my "reward" for getting my work done and I'm so very glad that I did!

Summary: When the forest behind a Minnesota pawn shop turns out to be the doorway into a faerie paradise, Miles Larson doesn't see any reason to complain. He's bankrupt, single, and living in a trailer in his backwoods hometown after being laid off from his big city job: yes, he could use a little downtime in a homoerotic dreamland.

But Miles soon learns that in the faerie world nothing is quite as simple as it seems. The beautiful faerie man who has captured Miles's heart might also be after Miles's soul. The frightening beast-man who chases him through the forest is actually a noble-hearted human under a terrible curse. And at the center of it all is the deathly beautiful Lord of Dreams, a faerie so powerful that if Miles so much as looks at his face, he will be lost in dreamland forever.

The only hope for Miles's escape lies in a magic silver flute, an enchanted instrument that holds the answer to the faerie lord's defeat. But even if Miles is smart and strong enough to wield it, will he dare? All dreams must stay in dreamland, and when the cold light of truth dawns, if there is no reality beneath the love he's found in the faerie realm, Miles will have to return to his own world—alone.

What I liked about this book: Can I say "everything" and leave it at that? No? Oh, all right! One of the things I love about Heidi Cullinan's works is the "message in the song". Her stories are never without purpose and the tales always speak to your heart and leave you feeling like you've learned something about yourself and the world we live in. She does it with such grace and fluidity that you don't even realize it until you're sitting in front of a computer monitor about to write a review.

This is the story Narnia couldn't tell. It's the fairy tale we all wish would come true with its nightmarish moments woven into a mythical world the purest of hearts believe in. I wasn't just reading Miles' story, I was living it and experiencing it, and like Miles, being transformed by it. This tale is not for the faint of heart. It has its dark and sinister moments filled with gore and every creepy thing you've ever thought could exist in the dark but the beauty of the world Heidi Cullinan creates and the emotions she pulls from you as you read it, stick with you far longer than the scary elements will.

There's a reason this book won an award for Best Fantasy in Elisa's Rainbow Awards. It's just that damn good!

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BOOK REVIEW: Strawberries for Dessert

2010-09-14T11:30:00.000-04:00

Strawberries for Dessert by Marie Sexton

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It's been a very long time since I've cried with a character as my heart broke for them but I absolutely cried like a baby with this story. I don't normally like flamboyant gay characters and though I didn't like Cole at first, my heart melted as much for him as Jonathan's did.

This is an amazing read and I recommend it highly to all who love to read a classic romance!

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BOOK REVIEW: Beyond Eden

2010-09-09T10:13:00.000-04:00

Beyond Eden by Kele Moon

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I don't normally review books I've acquired and/or sold but this book holds a special place in my heart for many reasons. Not only is it beautifully written, it gives credence to my belief that a truly bisexual menage can have and SHOULD have a romance element in order for it to work.

What I liked about this book: Kele Moon doesn't hold any punches when she whacks you upside the head with the fact that in Eden, temptation can be a very sweet surrender if you're willing to bite the apple.

Her characters have such depth of character that you really feel like you're watching their lives unfold before your eyes. She does it in such an intimate way that you feel like you're a part of the story, not just a bystander.

This story is not for everyone, I know. The strong BDSM elements that are so central to the story may not be everyone's cup of tea but the raw sensuality of each scene and the lessons learned from each encounter are so incredibly vivid and poignant that you're mesmerized by them.

This is a TRUE menage story. All the bits are played with. The trio truly love each other and THAT above everything else makes this story incredibly unique. So many menage stories are about the heroine getting hers and the men being peripheral lovers to her without ever touching. How can you say you love someone and never show physical attraction to them? Paul and Danny love each other. Paul and Eve love each other. Eve and Danny love each other and when the three of them love each other... watch out! Your eyebrows may come off!

Excerpt: Danny wasn’t the sort of guy to jerk off in the shower. Self-pleasure had never appealed to him, perhaps because he had been getting laid since he was thirteen years old. Why get himself off when there was always someone around the corner willing to do it for him?

His mother used to say God gave everyone a gift, something that made them special and unique. Danny wasn’t a brain like Paul, who was one of the youngest partners in his law firm. He wasn’t talented like Eve, who created beautiful works of art effortlessly. There was nothing extraordinary about Danny except for his ability to find bed partners whenever he wanted them and, often times, even when he didn’t.

Danny decided long ago that if sex was going to be his gift to the world, he would do his best with it. In his late teens, he started on a deliberate journey of sexual exploration with the intention of trying as many different things as possible. He had discovered that his only true kink was the high that came from getting his partner off and providing them with the most mind-blowing fuck they had ever had.

Like his mother, he had an inexplicable urge to care for the people around him and he did it the only way he knew how, by being what they desired most and doing it well. Never had someone slept with him once and not come back begging for more.

He had fucked many—but he loved only two.

Danny put his hands on the wall of the shower, dipping his head under the icy stream of water and willed the uncomfortable cold to break the sexual frustration and hurt. He had forgotten what jealousy felt like until he saw Paul fawning over Eve. As it was before, Danny couldn’t decide which of the two he was more jealous of.

It brought up uncomfortable feelings from his youth when he had ached for both Eve and Paul with an intensity that had overwhelmed him, all the while watching the two of them wade through those brilliant inadequacies of first-time love together. He had wanted both of them and had neither. It was one of those cruel life jokes—Danny could have anyone except the ones he really wanted. Instead he had drowned himself in the attentions of teenage girls easily won over by good looks and charm.

And then Eve was gone, off to New York to chase a dream even love couldn’t compete with.

Paul was devastated in the wake of Eve’s departure from their lives, his heart shattered, his soul injured. Danny spent years being Paul’s support as he submerged himself in college and then work, doing both with a drive that would have drained a normal person’s body and soul. Danny did what he did best. He cared for his best friend and ignored the hurt caused from being constantly rejected.

Let Trisha have Paul. What did he care?

Paul getting married was probably a good thing. It would finally bring home to Danny that Paul was never really going to be his. Now was as good a time as any for reality to push Danny’s dreams away. His eyes were closed as he started to get into the punishment of an icy shower when he heard the bathroom door open. His head jerked up in surprise and he stared at Paul’s form through the frosted glass of the shower door.
Danny’s breath became trapped in his chest. His mouth went dry as a wave of unexpected lust washed over him. He reached over and turned up the hot water. When steam started billowing up around him, Danny pushed open the door and stood there watching Paul with a predatory gaze.

“She’s drunk,” Paul started, not meeting Danny’s eyes as he pulled his shirt off and then set it neatly on the counter by the sink. “And she’s sleeping, I checked. I don’t want you bothering her if she’s sleeping. I want her to sleep off the wine. She’ll be sick if she doesn’t.”

Danny stood there quietly, his eyes still on Paul. He studied the lines of his broad, well-built back as he leaned over and tugged off his shoes and socks. Paul was more muscular than him, with wide shoulders, strong arms and a large, powerful chest. His eyes fell to the lines of a firm six-pack as Paul unbuttoned his suit pants and pushed them down past his hips, taking his underwear with them.

Danny was silent as his best friend since childhood stood there naked in front of him. He let his eyes take in all of Paul once more, admiring such a tempting display of masculine flesh. Paul worked hard on his body and it showed. He was exceptionally handsome and Danny never got tired of looking at him.

Paul reached out, handing Danny a gold-foiled packet he had obviously taken out of his pocket before he pushed his pants off. Danny took it and tapped his finger against it as his eyes fell lower. He eyed Paul’s cock that grew long and thick as he stared at it.

“So, you’re sacrificing yourself for Eve?” Danny asked, still standing at the open shower door, heedless of the water splashing out onto the bathroom tiles.

Paul avoided his eyes again and ran a hand through his thick hair rather than look at Danny. “I don’t want you to bother her.”

“Because I always make a habit of taking advantage of drunk women,” Danny said, his voice razor sharp and icy. “How long have you known me?”

Paul winced and closed his eyes as he took a shuddering breath of frustration. “Are you going to let me into the shower or not?”

“I want to know why you want in first,” Danny growled at him, his eyes narrowed reprovingly. “Give me an honest reason and I might let you in.”

Paul’s chest rose and fell as he took short pants of breath that betrayed him far more effectively than his hard cock. “S-seeing Eve has me frustrated.”

“Then jerk yourself off,” Danny snapped, his eyes still narrowed menacingly. “What happened to breaking the addiction? According to you this isn’t healthy or normal, so what are you doing here?”
“You want me to admit I’ve fallen off the wagon?” Paul asked in a soft voice as he looked up at Danny, his blue eyes a storm of arousal. “You want me to beg?”

“Yes,” Danny said slowly, his eyes running over Paul once more. He licked his lips and then pushed his wet hair away from his face. He tilted his head and looked pointedly at Paul’s cock, now fully hard and standing at attention. “I want you to beg.”

Paul squeezed his eyes shut and Danny noticed the little things, like the fine sheen of goose bumps that spread over Paul’s body, making all the thin blond hair on his arms stand on end. The tautness in his shoulders was obvious, the anticipation pounding off him palatable. It was those nuances that sent blinding lust spiraling through Danny so forcefully he barely kept his casual composure. He reached up, gripping the bar on the top of the shower to hide his reaction that had his body tensing in arousal, his muscles tightening in anticipation of pouncing.

“Please.” Paul swallowed hard and tilted his head back to stare at Danny unwaveringly. “It’s been three weeks. I’m getting better.”

“It is a record,” Danny admitted reluctantly, because he wanted no part in this ridiculous game Paul had been playing with their lives. “Do you want a gold star for it?”

“No, I want you to fuck me.”

Now it was Danny’s turn to suck in a sharp breath of arousal as icy-hot desire poured over his body, making every nerve stand on end. He reached out and grabbed Paul, jerking him into the shower. He dropped the condom, pulled the shower door closed and then fisted one hand tightly in Paul’s hair. Danny forced Paul’s head back and looked down at him, seeing the way his pupils had dilated in desire. Paul didn’t fight him. He stood there stoically, his breathing rapid with Danny’s fingers tangled painfully in his hair. The thrum of the shower beating against the tiles, the raspy breathing of both of them, the way Paul’s eyes showed his emotions so clearly, making it obvious he had suffered as badly as Danny had over the past many weeks, it all collided together inside him and his gut clenched with the force of his lust. He needed a clear head when he was with Paul but it was impossible right then.

Danny crushed his lips against Paul’s because he couldn’t wait another moment and he’d given up on hope for sanity this time. He kissed him like a man starved, thrusting his tongue past his parted lips and drowning himself in the taste and feel of Paul after three weeks without him.

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BOOK REVIEW: Bullet

2010-09-06T22:23:00.000-04:00

Bullet by Laurell K. Hamilton

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book more than the recent Anita Blake books but I was a bit disappointed with the ending. As usual, Hamilton wraps up a complex plot in a short chapter that really just ends up annoying me. The saving grace for this book (for me) was the delicious bisexual scenes. I've been waiting for Anita to get over her homophobia and let her boys play and OMG did they play well! Yummy!

Now if I could just figure out who the real bad guy is, everything would be ok.

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BOOK REVIEW: 911

2010-06-11T14:18:00.000-04:00

911 by Chris Owen

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Not sure what it is about this book that has me conflicted when writing this review. Yes, it's a well-written book and yes, the sex scenes are extremely hot but... I guess it just ended too abruptly for me even while being too long at the same time.

Summary: Drew is a fireman who loves the rush and is looking for a roommate to share costs. Scott is a doctor looking for somewhere to live that isn't with his now ex-lover. The match seems more than perfect when Scott moves in and it's more than just costs that they share.

So what happens when along comes EMT Eric with his blond good looks and boyish smile? Will this twosome be able to become a threesome or does it spell disaster for all?

What I liked about this book: The story develops quite nicely and I agree with a few of the reviewers who said it felt like it was intended to be a serial and ended up a stand-alone. I loved that the story is truly a threesome and the trio love each other equally and without reservation. Their individual quirks are exposed to the reader at the same they're exposed to the other partners in the relationship and I understand why it was necessary to establish that Drew and Scott's relationship was strong enough to add a third to it. I just felt like once they became a trio and the conflict was introduced, the story was quickly snuffed out. Felt like there was a missing scene... or three.

Extremely hot read. Deliciously written sexual tension and no fades to black make this book a great one to read. It just left me with a hankering for real closure.

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BOOK REVIEW: The Demon's Lexicon

2010-05-26T21:57:00.000-04:00

The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I'm completely enamored with Sarah Rees Brennan's Nick. I loved this book so much that words fail me. At least... words that would give away too much of this amazing story away. You just have to go and read it.

Summary: Nick and his brother, Alan, have spent their lives on the run from magic. Their father was murdered, and their mother was driven mad by magicians and the demons who give them power. The magicians are hunting the Ryves family for a charm that Nick's mother stole -- a charm that keeps her alive -- and they want it badly enough to kill again.

Danger draws even closer when a brother and sister come to the Ryves family for help. The boy wears a demon's mark, a sign of death that almost nothing can erase...and when Alan also gets marked by a demon, Nick is des-perate to save him. The only way to do that is to kill one of the magicians they have been hiding from for so long.

Ensnared in a deadly game of cat and mouse, Nick starts to suspect that his brother is telling him lie after lie about their past. As the magicians' Circle closes in on their family, Nick uncovers the secret that could destroy them all.

This is the Demon's Lexicon. Turn the page.

What I liked about this book: Hmm... let's see, it's got brothers who hunt demons... AWESOME! It's got a brother (Nick) who's just not bothered by the slaying of the demons that marked his brother for death. Hmm... what's not to like about THAT? Oh and let's not forget the feisty girl with the pink hair whose gay brother is also marked for death and just knows how to lighten the mood and bring a little humanness to the demonic ride of magic, illusions, large swords and gun-wielding kick-ass big brothers.

Seriously. Go buy it right now and be sure to pick up her sequel The Demon's Covenant: The Demon's Lexicon Trilogy #2.

What are you still doing here? Go get this book! Like NOW!

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REVIEW: The Hired Man

2010-04-06T12:56:00.000-04:00

The Hired Man by Jan Irving

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Most people know I'm a huge Little House on the Prairie fan. As a child, I watched the show religiously and my mother, trying to keep her daughter in the "good book" encouraged me to read the series. I fell in love with life on the prairie with the Ingalls and with two younger sisters of my own, I could "see" myself in the story easily. The Hired Man reminded me of life on the prairie... and the way I would've LIKED the series to go. ;)

Summary: Reverend Ian Kenyon knows the harsh sting of life and how a man can suffer a loss of faith. The death of his wife and newborn son shook him to his foundations, and he's been drifting ever since. Bryn Morgan has returned home from prison to the only family he has-an abusive father who abandoned him to the law when Bryn was unjustly accused of rape. Still poor, lost, and shunned, Bryn searches for work, any work that will allow him to survive. Reluctantly moved by Bryn's plight, Ian hires the young man to work on his farm despite Bryn's prickly, defensive nature. Soon Ian fears his growing feelings of grace and compassion might be something else, something more... heated. Whatever the cause, he knows they are impossible to pursue, because Heaven only knows what would happen if a man of God began to have forbidden feelings for his hired man.

What I liked about this book: Life on the farm in the 17th and 18th centuries was not easy. Bigotry, racism and the influence of the Church made things very black and white for people regardless of the circumstance and if you were considered "bad" there was little you could do to redeem yourself. Jan Irving doesn't sugarcoat this era and while taking you on a journey to an unforgiving time, makes no qualms about how difficult loving another man can be. There were so many times that I wanted to cry with Bryn. Irving makes you fall for her characters so quickly that you don't even realize the minute you're championing their cause... you're just excited to be doing so.

There were times where I got a little lost in the book with positioning, context and at times using names like Bryn Morgan who chooses a Morgan for a plow horse was difficult to keep up with in a quick read. None of these things took away from the message or the story though. I'm so glad I picked up this book. I'm looking forward to reading more of her work.

Excerpt: “Ian?” he whispered.

“You’re… beautiful, Bryn,” Ian said in a choked voice, as if the words were being torn from him.

Bryn’s penis thickened at the buried honey and need in Ian’s tone. It had been days since they’d been able to touch or even look at each other freely. They had to be so careful around the little one and Mrs. Robson. But at night, Bryn dreamed. Dreamed of all manner of things, such as lying under Ian, feeling him pound inside his body. He didn’t think it would hurt quite so much if it were Ian.

In fact, he wanted Ian there, wanted it so much!

“I used to draw things when I was younger. Just scribbles,” Ian confessed in a soft voice, as if he felt what he had to say should be in a whisper even though they were alone. He leaned against an empty stall door. “Sometimes the branch of a tree or some wild orchids…. I stopped, since my father didn’t think it was an appropriate pastime for a young man.”

“And you always did what folks expected of you,” Bryn guessed.

Ian swallowed, reaching out to touch Bryn’s hair. At the last moment, his hand dropped. His fingers were shaking, Bryn noticed.

“Yes, I always do what’s expected of me.”

Bryn studied him, aching. “I’d love to see those drawings some time.”

“Bryn….” Reverend Ian’s face worked, and Bryn waited, lips parted.

Ian’s hand was white where it was wrapped around a support post. He closed his eyes before continuing, low, tortured, “God, I want to see you! All I’ve thought about for days is… is you. Your body, the way your hair falls around your face so I want to touch it. Your eyes in direct sunlight, when I can see flecks of gray in with the blue.” His eyes opened, and somehow they were standing close, leaning toward each other. “Will you come up to the hayloft with me?”

Getting it up

BOOK REVIEW: Grand Jete

BOOK REVIEW: Miles and the Magic Flute

BOOK REVIEW: Strawberries for Dessert

BOOK REVIEW: Beyond Eden

BOOK REVIEW: Bullet

BOOK REVIEW: 911

BOOK REVIEW: The Demon's Lexicon

REVIEW: The Hired Man

BOOK REVIEW: Love & Loyalty

BOOK REVIEW: Faith & Fidelity

BOOK REVIEW: Flashover (Firefighters, #2)

BOOK REVIEW: Heat (Firefighter Series #1)

BOOK REVIEW: State of Mind

BOOK REVIEW: Rules of Engagement

BOOK REVIEW: Grey's Awakening

BOOK REVIEW: Making Waves

BOOK REVIEW: Something Beautiful

BOOK REVIEW: Chiaroscuro

BOOK REVIEW: And Call Me in the Morning

BOOK REVIEW: The One That Got Away

BOOK REVIEW: No Fear In Love

BOOK REVIEW: Exploring Limits

BOOK REVIEW: Saying I Do (Quinn Security #3)

BOOK REVIEW: Lift Me Up

BOOK REVIEW: The Replacement Guitarist

BOOK REVIEW: Fur and Fang

BOOK REVIEW: Falling

BOOK REVIEW: Improper Holiday

Mancandy Post

BOOK REVIEW: Tigers and Devils

BOOK REVIEW: Fireworks (Assignment, #3)

BOOK REVIEW: I'll Be Hot For Christmas (Assignment, #2)

BOOK REVIEW: Dear Santa

BOOK REVIEW: The Assignment

BOOK REVIEW: Dreaming in Color

REVIEW: The Next Step

REVIEW: Blood Slave

REVIEW: Phoenix Rising

REVIEW: Heaven (Heaven Sent #1)

REVIEW: Tomcat Jones

REVIEW: The Ultimate Kink (Quinn Security #2)

REVIEW: Finding Home

REVIEW: Tempestuous Relations

REVIEW: A Fostered Love

REVIEW: Love, Like Ghosts

REVIEW: Love's Evolution

REVIEW: Tech Support

REVIEW: Broken

REVIEW: If All The Sand Were Pearl

REVIEW: Dreaming of Dragons

REVIEW: Here Be Dragons

REVIEW: Windows in Time

REVIEW: His Convenient Husband

REVIEW: Realms of Fantasy

REVIEW: The Brotherhood: Bite Me

REVIEW: The Brotherhood: Amour Magique

REVIEW: Taste This

REVIEW: Zero at the Bone