Review: Second Star to the Right by A.F Henley

Second Star to the Right by A.F Henley
Less Than 3 Press
Novella
4 Pants Off

Blurb:
Be it unrequited fascination with his straight best friend or impossible fantasies of rekindled interest with his heartbreaking ex, Mason has no clue why the perfect connection seems to keep slipping through his fingers. When another lonely holiday seems like too much weight to shoulder, Mason gives up on romance and seeks out the next best thing—rented company. Jack is everything a person could want in an escort: willing, hot, and built like an angel. 

Mason can't resist. After all, who wouldn't be interested in a guy who loves kid's movies, is a self-professed Peter Pan, and has no problem throwing caution to the wind at a moment's notice. But then interest quickly blooms into a whole new emotion—an emotion that Mason knows far too well, especially when Jack has no interest in returning it, preferring to keep his heart safely tucked away in Neverland.

Review
Mason is lonely, he’s so alone guys. He has friends but the connection is fragile and he fancies himself in love with his best “straight” friend which is just a bag of crazy. Why can’t he make a love connection? He’s very successful, fairly good-looking, and just an overall nice guy and yet he’s just so lonely. When the topic of an escort comes up, Mason is both thrilled and repulsed by the idea but the thrill wins out and he finds himself getting a rentboy for a week. Its either going to be the best week of Mason’s life or the absolute fucking worse.

Mason nerves are on high alert but meeting Jack is lust at first sight. Of course there’s doubt because Jack is so attractive and young and why would he be interested in an old man like Mason?  Well he’s getting paid and this weekend is not about love but losing himself in glorious lovemaking and making for the time past. Yet, there is something about Jack that draws him in and he finds himself wanting to get to know the young man. But Jack has his boundaries and they’ve been clearly set, but rules and shit were meant to be broken.

OMG Guys! This story is just so sweet and gave me all the feels. Jack is so wonderfully jaded and Mason is so absolutely sweet which created a wonderful balance. Mason’s character is written so well that he never felt too perfect, just believable as a really great guy. Jack isn’t original as a rentboy and yet I feel like there is more to his stories, I just wish I had the opportunity to get to know his character better (he must have lived some life to be so young and almost without hope). I love their coming together and overall attraction, not a tale of insta love but a journey of finding love. Did I mention it really touched me in the feels?

Second Star to the Right is wonderfully sweet and will leave you feeling happy. I am so happy I read this book, and A.F Henley is becoming a fave to read. Also, freaking Canada man (home turf). If you’re looking for something sweet and quick then this book is a must. So adorable!

4 Pants Off

DarienMoya

Review: Thicker Than Water by A.F Henley

Reviewed by Fehu
Thicker Than Water (Proud to be A Vampire) by A.F Henley
Less Than 3 Press
Short Story
3 Pants Off

Blurb:
Ladomer's first experience with vampires instilled a deep hatred--an emotion he gladly uses to bring destruction to the beasts that can't be purged from his memory. Hunting alongside the compelling man who saved his village, Ladomer and Zor are ruthless in their quest to stop the growing threat. When a new call pulls them deep into Eastern Europe, Ladomer learns anew just how cruel vampires can be--and how much deeper love can go.


Review
Intriguing, but too short to fulfill the promise of the summary. We first encounter Ladomer, when he first encounters a vampire as a child and that experience sets the course of his future.

In a world where vampires have come out from their hiding, the civilization is no more. Cities were abandoned and farm communities have grown. No electricity exists any longer and people trust only the strangers who come when the sun shines. No one leaves when it's dark, since that is the time when vampires hunt.

When Landomer was a boy he dreamed about travelling and seeing more than just his village, to see places filled with books and the machines former people in the cities abandoned. A lot of knowledge was lost, when people left the cities to live in small villages and of course it sounds like a great adventure to a boy to recapture at least a bit of this knowledge. That is also the time when he is not careful and does not see that it did get dark, he follows a firefly and it leads him to a strange man. Landomer would have been dead, but his brother has come to his rescue and died in his place.

That is something Landomer still dreams about, when he and his lover, Zor, rest after finishing their hunting for the night. Years later, a grown up Landomer has become a hunter and helps the man who has come to the rescue of his village. He has fulfilled his dream to travel, but has paid a high prize.

Now Zor and Landomer want to kill a master vampire, the one who created the creatures they encounter and this is one encounter, where they might not survive.

Flashbacks are not favorites and I know some people don't like them, so consider you warned. The first scene, Landomers childhood, was quite detailed. Other things like him becoming a hunter were a bit of a flash forward. In the end I ended up not knowing a lot about the grown up Landomer, there was some telling and not nearly enough showing, to get me invested into these characters.

The initial story, what about the vampires coming about and hunting humans, so that humans have to leave was not explained well enough. Why didn't the military do something? All scientist in the world could not combat vampires and no armies? That was my problem with the plot, there was just not enough reason to leave the cities and abandon all the modern props, which might give humans a fighting chance. Also I didn't understand how wanderer protected themselves in the night from vampires, since people did leave their village; I would have loved an explanation for that!

Should You Read It? The first scene and chapter were quite promising and if the story would have been longer it might have lived up to it full promises. As it is, it's promising, but I'd love to have some answers for my questions to word building.

3 Pants Off

Review: Sonata by A.F Henley

Sonata by A.F Henley
Less Than 3 Press
Novel
4 Pants Off

Blurb:
At thirty-six Ian feels done with the world. When a night at a bar goes as poorly as expected, he wants only to return home to be miserable in peace. Instead, he encounters Jordan. Hot, young and interested, Jordan is everything Ian's ever wanted and nothing he believes himself capable of actually obtaining.

Jordan has enough going on in his life trying to scrape together a living for himself and his autistic son. When he meets Ian, all he wants is a brief, erotic moment and nothing else.

But fate throws them together again and again, and Ian finds himself determined to do whatever it takes to give their story a happy ending – no matter what secrets Jordan's past has waiting for him.

Review
This was my very first time reading A.F Henley and it most definitely will not be last. I really enjoyed this story featuring an autistic little boy and the combination of music and a sincere main character that all leads to an Allegro.

Ian is hitting up the club even though he knows the night probably won’t end well, yet he's hopeful that maybe he will find true love or something. As expected the night is ending in a bust leaving Ian feeling more miserable than when he arrived. A quick trip to the toilets before heading home turns out to be more than Ian expected when he catches the eye of a hot a young thing. At first there is no way this guy who might be too young for him is interested until Ian pants is around his waist in a bathroom stall. While the sex was hot as hell Ian is looking for more and he wouldn't mind seeing more of his young hottie Jordan, but alas Jordan seems the do and go type of guy and Ian will probably never see him again but not if fate has something to say about it.

Ian still has Jordan on the brain and he knows it’s more than coincidence that they keep running into each other. When he finds out that Jordan has an autistic son Ian is still in it to win it. Getting close to Jordan is difficult but having sex with him poses no problem, it’s just that Ian is starting to feel more for the young man and is determined to help his autistic son Cole. Overtime the characters start to feel a lot for each other but it seems there might be skeletons in Jordan's closet and its more than Ian ever hoped of handling.

I really enjoyed this one a lot, but of course there were thing that irked me but let’s talk about the good for now. I really liked the characters of Jordan and Ian, so much realism and their hurt was just hitting me right in the feels. Jordan's son Cole really touched my heart; the author was on point when writing about his autism. I know firsthand what it’s like when a child has a trigger and it’s hard sometimes to calm them down. It can lead to tears of frustration, panic, and sometimes at a loss. The author captured this beautifully and I was moved to tears and also so very appreciative, it’s clear that research was done and thought was put into to writing Cole's story.

What I didn't like...is Ian's "friend" Aubrey and the return of the ex Madison. I was beyond irked and fist pumped when Ian finally stood up for himself. I have never wanted to pee in characters face as much as I did with Aubrey. Glad the author took the high road with the "hey girlfriend lets go shopping" character and she was cut down to size. The return of the ex was a little pointless and pissed me off, like dude just go away.

I sort of like and dislike how it ended. I feel like Ian's role was so huge in introducing Cole to music and helping him cope and it felt cut down to size by the end. He just didn't get the credit I feel he deserved but that could be because I like him so much. A man who took the time to learn about the man and the boy he loves is a splendid man indeed.

Should You Read It? Yes! I really liked this one, in no way perfect but enjoyable for all its realistic feels and charming characters. My first time reading A.F Henley and it most defi will not be my last (wait… I said that already).

4 Pants Off

Guest Post & Giveaway: Universal Intervention by A.F Henley

I have a passion for those moments in life where I convince myself that the Universe has stepped up and is making some directives. I think we've all experienced them at one time or another, be it a nudge of conscience to get in contact with someone, or the sudden need to stop and assess something you would normally never pay attention to. In Sonata it's the repeated chance meetings of the two main characters, although in my own life I've experienced it in a variety of circumstances, from dreams to hunches, to beheaded toads at my backdoor.

I love those moments. I live for them, in fact. They renew my sense of overall purpose and give me a little bit of faith in something bigger than my conscious self. In this chaotic, fear-filled world, the possibility that something is leading, helping, maybe even nudging me the right way is a comforting thought.

Now, I have no clue as to what this seemingly magical essence is. I know that I definitely don't look on it as the interference of "God" in the traditional sense of the word. Perhaps it's not even an external presence at all but an instinctual one. (And suddenly I'm humming the "Maybe they're born with it ... Maybe it's Maybelline" jingle.)

For all the uncertainty of who, what, how or where however, I am not one to question the Universe if I think it's trying to send me a message. I am not ashamed to admit that I submit manuscripts based on sudden, random posts or the fact that a certain set of birds fly over my head while musing the "should I?" If I dream of someone, I will call them, no matter what our speaking terms are at that moment. I will always consider it important when something unexpected shows up at my door, and if I get a tug to turn left instead of right, nine times out of ten, I'm going to turn left.

One of my favourite speeches in Sonata is:

"That's the funny thing about people, Jordan," Ian tilted his head, brushed Jordan's chin with a light kiss. "Sometimes you just know right away. There's this … " Ian paused, searched for words, " … this connection. You don't know why, hell, you don't even care. You just know that somehow, someway, you were supposed to know this person. That they're important to you. And if it doesn't happen, if something gets in the way, you'll have missed more than you'll ever know." 

It sums up everything I feel about Universal Intervention. I have no doubt that's why it's a recurring theme in my novels. Nothing pleases me more than the belief that we aren't fighting alone in the battle for affection and romance. On the contrary, the Universe itself knows our hearts and our minds and the needs buried in the deep, dark pits of our psyche. It also knows the same for that guy in the corner of the bar, the guitarist picking on the bench, and that smartass you keep telling yourself that you can't stand. It sees connections and webs and patterns. And when it can, it's going to bring them to our attention. All we have to do is keep our eyes and our minds open. Connection and promise are, after all, what romance is all about:

He moved quickly, snagging Jordan's lower lip lightly, and paused there for a second before pressing their mouths together in a chaste kiss. He felt Jordan's body stiffen from shoulders to thighs, heard Jordan catch his breath, but watched with relief as Jordan's eyes softened from wide-eyed disapproval to concession. And once that allowance was granted, Ian indulged in it. 

Sonata
by A.F. Henley
M/M Contemporary Erotic Romance
44,000 words

At thirty-six Ian feels done with the world. When a night at a bar goes as poorly as expected, he wants only to return home to be miserable in peace. Instead, he encounters Jordan. Hot, young and interested, Jordan is everything Ian's ever wanted and nothing he believes himself capable of actually obtaining.

Jordan has enough going on in his life trying to scrape together a living for himself and his autistic son. When he meets Ian, all he wants is a brief, erotic moment and nothing else.

But fate throws them together again and again, and Ian finds himself determined to do whatever it takes to give their story a happy ending – no matter what secrets Jordan's past has waiting for him.

Available on pre-order at a 15% discount until July 16th

Official release: July 17th

Purchase Sonata here 

As a thanks to Pants Off Reviews for hosting me today, and in appreciation for all of you that have read:

Win an ebook copy of Sonata:

Do you have any moments of Universal Intervention that you'd like to share? Or do you think the entire concept is laughable? I'd love to hear about it ... All commenters will be entered in a randomly chosen draw for a copy of Sonata, in the electronic format of their choice.

Thanks for reading.

Keep your eyes on the sky and a symphony in your heart,

AF Henley <3

About the Author

Henley was born with a full-blown passion for run-on sentences, a zealous indulgence in all words descriptive, and the endearing tendency to overuse punctuation. Since the early years Henley has been an enthusiastic writer, from the first few I-love-my-dog stories to the current leap into erotica. Henley shares a home in rural Southern Ontario with both life partner and a plethora of furry, scaled and winged rescue friends.

A self-professed Google genius, Henley lives for the hours spent digging through the Internet for ‘research purposes’ which, more often than not, lead seven thousand miles away from first intentions but bring Henley to new discoveries and ideas that, once seeded, tend to flourish.

Henley has been proudly working with LT3 since 2012, when Înflori made its debut, and is thrilled to add two more novel titles, Honour and Sonata, as well as two anthology stories, Rockaybe and MEMWARS! to the docket for 2013.

Backlist, upcoming releases, fanart, fiction links and contact info are all available at afhenley.com.

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Giveaway

• Must be 18yrs or older
• Leave email with comment
• Winner has 48hrs to reply to email or another winner will be chosen
• Contest runs until July 21st 11:59pm EST

Review: Honour by A.F. Henley

Reviewed by Fehu
Honour by A.F. Henley
Less Than 3 Press
Novella 
3.75 Pants Off

Blurb:
Recently docked after a voyage abroad, Emmett wants only to find a warm bed and good food, for himself and the cabin boy he's taken into his care. Those plans are impeded, however, by an altercation in the streets—with a man he realizes too late is England's heir to the throne, Prince Andrewe.

When the encounter unexpectedly leads to a position in the royal household attending the prince, Emmett is not certain what to think. On one hand, it's a reliable income and ensures the safety of his charge. On the other, it's neither the life Emmett knows, nor an environment that he's comfortable in. Left to learn his lessons the hard way, Emmett spends his days contending with a spoiled, infuriating prince who leaves him in a constant tangle of emotions.

Then he begins to hear whispers of treason and must make a choice: defend Prince Andrewe, or betray him.

Review:
This is the second book from this author that I'm reading and I have to say, that there are improvements! The writing is more fluid, for one and the editing is better this time as well, which were some of my main complains with the last book. Also, I got through this book pretty fast, a good indicator that it's not a bad read and actually keeps the reader interested till the end. So what is it all about?

Well at the beginning there is Emmett, the son of a wealthy merchant, whose father owns a fleet of ships and does business with the royal family in England and it's precisely that business that brought them to the shores of England once more. Emmett meets the current prince, without recognising him, when he defends his young charge and is fascinated by the man, by their visit in the palace; Emmett is officially introduced to Prince Andrewe, who proceeds very fast to seduce Emmett. Soon Emmett's father tells him that the king would like for Emmett to stay in the castle as the princes First Gentleman (which is valet, minder, protector and well bedmate, at least in this book). From that moment Emmett’s life is changed and his and Andrewe's relationship is the focus of the story.

I really liked the Emmett I first met at the beginning of this book. He was outspoken, protective of his young charge, who serves as a cabin boy. He actually says that the royals are not better than anyone else, they didn't have to work hard like everyone else but reap all the rewards and just because of their blood. He sounds, in this aspect like a Democrat, when he meets the prince, whom he doesn't recognise and oppose at first, go Emmett! So imagine my surprise, when Emmett gets a new and different personality, after being introduced to the prince. Ok so he finds him  attractive and caution would probably serve one well in the presence of whimsical princes, like Andrewe, but still, I was wondering where that guy went, who told his charge that royals were not one iota better than the rest of humanity? I wanted that guy back, since it was he whom I liked and wanted to read more about, he was honest and brave and headstrong, sadly he didn't make an appearance, just maybe in some glimpses but mostly now there was this mostly timid impostor, who was doing everything to please the prince.

Emmett had actually the choice to decline the offer to stay at the palace and when he went enraged to the king (yes that was the old Emmett) I had thought he would decline or have at least some pride and tell the prince that he couldn't be bought, that he was a free man and make that stupid brat of a prince realise that he couldn't have everything. Sadly Emmett’s protest was at best superficial. Andrewe is a brat, who is bemoaning his fate that he is a prince and has to marry and produce children that he cannot do everything what he wants, I disliked his spoiled attitude quite a bit and I have come to dislike Emmett cow towing to him.

I had hoped he would just escape Andrewe on a ship and leave the plot and the prince behind, no I wasn't that lucky. He got fully involved in a plot to assassinate the royal family, after Andrewe isolated him from his friend and forbade him to see his father. I did mention that I strongly disliked Andrewe, yes well, him doing nothing, when Emmett was punished with 40 lashes and by the way that's could be deadly for a human, not that it was described here as such, but I thought I should mention it, since it was treated a minor injury and not something a person could die from, especially if not treated right and I haven't seen a healer there so really, how there was no infection is a mystery. Of course the fast healing was quite a miracle in my humble opinion, especially since this is not the first historical I've read and one usually don't get that fast after being whipped to the flesh. Oh did I mention that Emmett was punished after he saved the prince’s life? He also wanted to warn the king of a plot against them, not that the king gave him the chance!

Anyone who would expect Andrewe to be a good lover, apologize and care for Emmett would be quite disappointed; he didn't visit him at all!!!  The ending well I didn't think it was very satisfying, there is a wedding and that's as much as I will say about it, you will have to read the book to know more. What I missed was the court life in general; we meet the royal family but not the nobles and the court. I haven't seen the prince interact in the court or do any of his duties. I wanted to know how Emmett was introduced to the court, he couldn't have been all that popular, since he got the ear of the future monarch, did some courtiers plot against him, and was he opposed at court?? So yes, I missed some interactions with other people, besides Andrewe and his charge.

Should you read this? Hm, I got through the book pretty fast, so it's not boring and it's not sex - driven, which makes for a nice change. Also you can see that the plot is quite engaging and it certainly didn't leave me cold. If you don't mind the change in character, then this would make a good read.

Guest Post & Giveaway: Honour by A.F. Henley

~ Please help me welcome AF Henley to Pants Off for the very first time. Be sure to say hello, and enter the giveaway.~

Right now, somewhere out there in this world, probably even right here in the province of Ontario, is a man that would fall down dead if he heard I just wrote a historical novel. I'll skip the boring parts of names and titles and we'll just call him Mr. G, my grade ten history teacher. Grade ten, I can say with equal parts relief and joy, was the very last year I was forced to learn a date, a fact, or a concept with relation to history. At the time, a student had to take history from grade four forward. After grade ten, you could opt out. (And I did. To roaring fanfare, both mine and teacher alike. There's a strong possibility that I may have burned my notes as well. At a party ... thrown to do just that. I'm not going to confirm or deny. I'm just saying ... there's a chance.)

The problem was that I despised history with every bored bone of my body. I had no interest in what they did then. I wanted to know what we were going to do now! I never bought into the concept of needing to know the how to prevent the reoccurrence. Today was brilliance and yesterday was tarnish; move on or move out. Welcome to the nineties, boys. Hang on, it's gonna be a blast ... (And whoops. I might have just aged myself there. Ah, well.)

Something changed though. I started reading fiction. Suddenly history didn't seem so boring. It was actually kinda cool when one began to think about. Imagine, really, living in a home without a heating system; or a society where the monarchy sought control over not only what you did but what you wore, who you spoke to and how you addressed them when you did. Oh, the fun the right kind of character could have with that – the drama that could, for that matter probably did, ensue.

So no, Mr. G, pick yourself up off the ground. I haven't decided to become a historical guru or anything although, I guess, if I'm being honest, I could admit to a fair bit of researching. And enjoying what I found there.

(I mean, seriously ... swords. Hot. And have you seen the clothes? I could pull of a pink velvet cape, I know I could.)

Check it out:

Honour
M/M Historical Romance
45,500 words


Recently docked after a voyage abroad, Emmett wants only to find a warm bed and good food, for himself and the cabin boy he's taken into his care. Those plans are impeded, however, by an altercation in the streets—with a man he realizes too late is England's heir to the throne, Prince Andrewe. 

 When the encounter unexpectedly leads to a position in the royal household attending the prince, Emmett is not certain what to think. On one hand, it's a reliable income and ensures the safety of his charge. On the other, it's neither the life Emmett knows, nor an environment that he's comfortable in. Left to learn his lessons the hard way, Emmett spends his days contending with a spoiled, infuriating prince who leaves him in a constant tangle of emotions. 

 Then he begins to hear whispers of treason and must make a choice: defend Prince Andrewe, or betray him.


Available at: 
Less Than 3 Press

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Giveaway
Also, if I've managed to amuse you enough to keep you interested, and you've made it this far with me, I'd like to offer my appreciation in the form of an opportunity to win a copy of Honour, in the ebook format of your choice. Anyone who leaves a comment is eligible, assuming they are of legal age and able to legally accept the work. Winner will be selected via a random number generator and will close on Wednesday, March 13th.

Cheers. :D

AF Henley

Review: Inflori by A.F Henley

Reviewed by Fehu
Inflori by A.F Henley
Less Than Three Press
Novella: 148pgs
4 Pants Off

Blurb:
Dustin gave up on being worthy of anyone's affections a long time ago, drowning his problems in substance abuse and meaningless encounters. He has learned it's better to avoid love altogether than risk the inevitable moment when it all comes crashing down.

Nicolæ has neither eyesight nor excess, but he does have a wealth of family and intuition. He is nothing that Dustin would have anticipated in a potential lover, but the more Dustin discovers, the more he finds himself willing to accept the risk - even if his conscience and the people in his life keep warning him away.



Review:
A promising debut novel! I liked the cover first and then the summary intrigued me.

Dustin meets Nicolæ and it's not love at first sight, but there is definitely intrigue, since the man is blind but seems to see more and not less, also the tea was that good. I liked the beginning, was instantly hooked, and fell right into the story. A lonely twink, so it seemed at first, who was wandering through his life without a goal or purpose that is Dustin, and then there is the mysterious stranger, who manages to leave a lasting impression. It didn't hurt that I love the name Nicolae.

There is a lot of good sexual tension between them and Nicolae is not like all the people Dustin knows from the club scene, he has to chase someone for a change and this person is actually bringing out the best in Dustin's personality. So, there is the whirlwind romance where two cultures collide and not all of their family or friends are happy with the developments.

I liked that the characters had hidden depth, Dustin had reasons for his behaviour, his childhood wasn't an easy one, because of his mother, who always belittled him and even tried to kill him. Dustin's mother is also the point where I think, the happily ever after was a bit overdone. From all that was told, she abused Dustin emotionally from the start so it's strange to see her at the end happy with his life choices and even more unbelievable that she got better, mentally, after being given a stone.

Nicolae is an interesting character, a mysterious one, stable and kind, always believing in the good of all people, with powers that cannot be explained. I liked that he helped Dustin to heal emotionally, he tempered him down and was his opposite character wise, which was just what Dustin needed, to grow up, but sometimes Nicolae seemed a bit too perfect.

Editing could use some work, name was changed to a Nicole and I was wondering, where a girl came from, and some typos. My copy had some question marks between words but maybe it was just my book that had formatting issues.

Overall, the book is a refreshing one.

4 Pants Off