Top Off Tuesday (9)

SMEXINESS ALERT: Here to make your day even more steamy. Top Off Tuesdays was started by Felicia, Christi and [Amanda].  It is where [ALL OF US] share the book covers that make us melt into a puddle of goo.  Head over to Felicia’s blog to share your Top Off Tuesday link or to see what everyone has posted.



A routine mission…

Sean Taggart is hunting a deadly terrorist, and his only lead is the lovely Grace Hawthorne. She's the executive assistant for an employment agency Sean suspects is a front for illegal activities. To get the truth, he is going to have to get very close to Grace, a task he is all too eager to undertake when he discovers her deliciously submissive nature.

…turns into a dangerous seduction.

Soon, Grace Hawthorne is living a double life. By day, she is the widowed mother of two college-aged sons. By night, she submits to Sean's every dark desire. She's living out her wildest fantasies of pleasure—intimate acts of trust she's only read about. As passion engulfs her, a murderer strikes, and Grace learns that Sean has a deeply hidden agenda. Will Sean choose his mission and break her heart or be the Master of her dreams?

From Goodreads

Top Ten Tuesday (7): Deserted Island

Top Ten Tuesday- Ten Characters I'd want with me on a deserted island!

TTT is hosted by The Broke and Bookish. 

 

1. Jace Wayland (The Mortal Instruments Series)

2. Odd Thomas (Odd Thomas Series)

3. Candy Quackenbush (Abarat Series)

4-5. Fred and George Weasley (HP Series)

6. Magnus Bane (The Mortal Instruments Series)

7. Stephanie Plum (One for the Money)

8. Heather Wells (Size 12 is Not Fat)

9. Helena Handbasket (Tell Me It's Real)

10. Katniss Everdeen (Hunger Games)

REVIEW: Love Comes Home by Andrew Grey

Genre: M/M Romance
Release date: March 7th 2014

Rating: ****

Book Blurb: When architect Gregory Hampton’s son, Davey, starts having trouble in Little League, Greg takes him to an eye doctor. The diagnosis hits them hard. Davey’s sight is degenerating rapidly, and eventually he’ll go blind.

Tom Spangler is used to getting what he wants. When Greg captures his attention, he asks Greg for a date. They have a good time until Greg gets a call from the friends watching his son, telling him Davey has fallen. Greg and Tom return to find the worst has happened—Davey can no longer see.

With so much going on in his life, Greg doubts he’ll see Tom again. But Tom has researched beep baseball, where balls and bases make sounds to enable the visually impaired to participate in Little League. Tom spearheads an effort to form a team so Davey can continue to play the game he loves. But when Greg’s ex-wife shows up with her doctor boyfriend, offering a possible cure through a radical procedure, Greg must decide how far he’ll go to give Davey a chance at getting his sight back. (From Goodreads.com)

This is Book Three in the Senses Series.

Review:

First of all, let me just say that I was skeptical to read this book. I mean, Tom sounds like a complete asshole in the blurb. He "gets what he wants" basically means he a total tool. I was happy to find that he wasn't like that at all. He was considerate, great with Davey and only a little bit selfish. He's a rich kid acting like a regular Joe. Well, except for when he drives his Ferrari.

The best thing about this book to me was how Davey and Greg learn to deal with Davey losing his sight. It all seemed real and believe me, parts were heart wrenching. Definitely a tearjerker. It wasn't depressing though, which was a huge feat given the subject matter. A kid goes blind? How can you make that light and fluffy? But somehow Andrew Grey manages to do that.

Beep ball was at times confusing, but hey, I barely understand baseball. I am NOT a sports girl. It gave Davey a sense that he didn't lose everything he loves because he is blind. The message was powerful. Change can be scary, but it's not always a bad thing.

I would definitely recommend this book. It was sweet and pulled at the heartstrings.

I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review. (Netgalley)

Top Off Tuesday #8

 

Tuesday means I give you shirtless men to make your day better. Top Off Tuesdays was started by Felicia, Christi and [Amanda].  It is where [ALL OF US] share the book covers that make us swoon.  Head over to Felicia’s blog to share your Top Off Tuesday link or to see what everyone has posted.

 

 

Masters at Arms begins the journey of three men, each on a quest for honor, acceptance, and to ease his unspoken pain. Their paths cross at one of the darkest points in their lives. As they try to come to terms with the aftermath--forging an unbreakable bond--will they ever truly become masters of their own fates? Or would fate become masters of them?

(Book One in the Rescue Me series about the men who own the Masters at Arms BDSM Club)

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is an introduction to the series, but does NOT have the Happily Ever After endings that will come in the next three romance novels in the series. Being the back-story that usually is not told in "real time," there are some intense themes in the book, including death of a spouse, incest, torture, a battle scene, and amputation.

FREE ON AMAZON!!

REVIEW: It's All Geek to Me by J.L. Merrow

Genre: M/M Romance

Release date: February 10, 2014

Rating: ****

Book Blurb: Jez is on a mission of mercy: to replace a tragically deceased comic book for his injured best mate, Tel. Venturing into the Hidden Asteroid bookstore in London—the temple of geekdom itself—Jez is bowled over by the guy behind the counter.

Rhys is the poster boy for hot geeks: tall, gorgeous, and totally cool. Jez is desperate to impress him, so he bluffs his way through comic book jargon . . . and then dashes back to the hospital to beg Tel to teach him how to speak Geek.

Tel’s happy to oblige, and Jez is over the moon when Rhys asks him out. He’s even more thrilled when they discover a shared love of rugby, something he won’t have to fake for Rhys. The question is, how long can Jez keep up the deception, and what will happen when Rhys realizes he’s going out with a Fake Geek Guy? (From Goodreads)

Review:

Let's start off with the fact that this book is British. I wasn't aware of this until I was into it a bit. It's hot reading in an accent.

Jez was a great character. He was cute, earnest and used to selling himself short. He didn't think a guy as attractive as Rhys would want anything to do with him. Rhys, however, was a quiet type who seemed very genuine...and not all that nerdy.

I was a little put off by the idea of lying to get someone to date you, but it wasn't anything important, like secret wife. I thought it was really adorable how Jez ran back to the hospital to ask Tel, his best mate, how to be a geek. It was so ridiculous it was cute.

Another plus for this story is that it was about getting to know each other personally first. A lot of short romance stories are all about sex, and though this one did have one such scene, it wasn't the main focus. They connected intellectually before that point which I loved.

I would recommend this read for geek lovers everywhere. Its cute, sexy and just plain adorable.

REVIEW: Legally Wed by Rick R. Reed

 

Genre: M/M Romance
Release date: January 2, 2014
Rating: *** 

Book Blurb: Love comes along when you least expect it. That’s what Duncan Taylor’s sister, Scout, tells him. Scout has everything Duncan wants—a happy life with a wonderful husband. Now that Seattle has made gay marriage legal, Duncan knows he can have the same thing. But when he proposes to his boyfriend Tucker, he doesn’t get the answer he hoped for. Tucker’s refusal is another misstep in a long line of failed romances. Despairing, Duncan thinks of all the loving unions in his life—and how every one of them is straight. Maybe he could be happy, if not sexually compatible, with a woman. When zany, gay-man-loving Marilyn Samples waltzes into his life, he thinks he may have found his answer.

Determined to settle, Duncan forgets his sister’s wisdom about love and begins planning a wedding with Marilyn. But life throws Duncan a curve ball. When he meets wedding planner Peter Dalrymple, unexpected sparks ignite. Neither man knows how long he can resist his powerful attraction to the other. For sure, there’s a wedding in the future. But whose?
~From Goodreads


Review: Let me start by saying, this book was not at all what I expected it to be. First of all, I was a little put-off by the idea of a gay man marrying a straight woman of his own accord. It seemed rather degrading to both parties. I was relieved that it was a friend that Duncan agreed to marry. Let's just break down this book a bit.

Pros:
- The characters were great. Duncan was just adorable and fun. Marilyn was snarky and someone I wanted to be friends with. Peter was a huggable teddy bear.
- Drunken posts to Craigslist? Duncan's post was funny and oddly endearing given the content. That part alone makes the book worth a read.
- Bouncing narratives. I like the opposing perspectives though I know its not for everyone.
- The breakup in the beginning wasn't drawn out and boring. I hate when the intro to a story bores you to tears.

Cons:
- Marilyn's first two narratives were annoying. All she did was talk to her cat and make herself sound like a complete nut job. After the first bit though, I really came to enjoy her wit.
- Duncan's relationship with Peter isn't developed. At all. The have an instant attraction that they ignore, and then somehow, they are in love? I don't buy it.
- My main complaint about this book it that it is mostly centered around Duncan and Marilyn, not Duncan and Peter. I mean, I read this for the love story, not the friendship story.

I did enjoy this book and would recommend it. The premise itself warrants a second glance. I'm sure it won't be what you expect.




 

Top Ten Tuesday (6) - Top Ten Books I Would Love To See As A Movie/TV Show

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by @The Broke and the Bookish. 

Top Five Books I Would Love To See As A Movie/TV Show.

There were so many that I had a hard time deciding. All the books I have read have played like movies in my head and in my dreams. These are the ones I picked that could be successful as a movie or tv series. 

1. Abarat by Clive Barker (movie or tv show) - The Abarat series is so crazy and wild that it would make for a great movie/show. The creatures alone would bring it a lot of attention.

2. The Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead (movie) - A different take on the vampire world and the one I find the most intriguing. The characters are dynamic and fun. I love it :)

3. The Odd Thomas Series by Dean Koontz (movie) - He's a psychic who works as a line cook at a diner and his name is Odd. Literally. 

4. Inkheart by Cornelia Funke (movie) - Okay, I know that made this into a movie already, but they butchered it. I would like it done some justice. It's a great series that would have done great if interpreted better.

5. Skin by Ted Dekker (movie) - This would make a great thriller/suspense movie. The twist at the end, I didn't even think THAT would happen. It was outrageous, but didn't deter from its awesomeness.