Review: No Flag by Liz Borino

Reviewed by Whuppsy
No Flag by Liz Borino
Lazy Day Publishing
Novel: 255pgs
3.5 Pants Off

Blurb:
For Mike and Will, “No Flag” meant “come home alive”, but will their love survive what happens next?

Captain Mike Kelley does not ignore his intuition, so when sexy bartender Will Hayes captures his heart, Mike embarks on a mission to win him over to a Domestic Discipline relationship. Will accepts with one caveat: Mike must promise not to renew his Army contract. Mike agrees, and they spend a year building a life together, getting married, and starting a business.

Only days before their café’s grand opening, Mike receives news that threatens everything he and Will have built. The Army invokes the Stop Loss military policy to involuntarily extend his commission and send him back overseas. Will, left alone to cope with the café, must rely on the support of old friends who may no longer be trustworthy. Through emails and Skype calls, Mike and Will keep their love and structure alive…until the day a horrific terrorist attack occurs on Mike’s outpost.

Mike awakens in a hospital with a devastating injury and no memory of the attack. As the only survivor, Mike’s memory may be the key to national security. Mike struggles to cope with his injury and Will struggles to support the man who always held him up. Both fear they have lost their previous relationship. Will has Mike back rather than a folded flag, but in the aftermath of war, can they rebuild the life they had before? Especially when those closest to them may not have their best interests at heart?

Review
Army Captain Mike Kelly meets Will Hayes at a bar where Will is the bartender. They go home that first night and…nothing happens. Nothing happens during the first two months of their relationship. Which by the way is driving Will crazy. Will finally confronts Mike regarding what’s going on. Mike lets Will know that he’s into Domestic Discipline. Will is taken aback regarding this new information, however, he’s intrigued by the thought and he thinks that being with Mike is worth it. He just has one caveat-Mike must not renew his contract with the Army, which Mike does. They sign a contract and move forward in their Love and Lives.

For a year, they’ve worked to make their relationship grow. They get married and start a business together. Everything is going so very well and then the bomb gets dropped. Mike gets called into the office and is told that they are extending his commission under the Stop Loss Policy. They are both understandably upset, but what can they do?

While Mike is away they keep in touch via email and Skype doing their very best to keep the home fires burning. Will is getting support from his friends from college-Seth and Casey. Things are moving along until Mike gets injured during a terrorist attack. Mike returns home fearing that he’s not able to be the man that Will needs him to. That he needs to be to feel whole.

Mike, however, is the only survivor from the terrorist attack and he’s being asked to give a briefing regarding what happened before, during and after the attack. Between this and Will’s “friends” Casey and Seth giving grief, how will this end?

This book was a really good read. I loved seeing the relationship between Mike and Will blossom and grow. To watch and see how they both dealt with the separation and aftermath of the attack. How friendships endure and fail. I will say however, that I wanted to smack Will a couple of times regarding his dealings with Casey. I also didn’t understand Seth’s reactions to what was going on, but I guess it added to the angst of the book.

It was a pretty well paced book. I enjoyed how it ebbed and flowed along. There was no time that I wanted to bang my head on the wall and wish it would move along. I also loved the way the book was set up. Starts with Will learning of the attack and moves back in time to when they first met. I also like that she named the chapters. It gave you a glance into what was going to happen. I liked that the book had some angst, but it was never overwhelming or didn’t drag on and on.

I would say that this is a great book to read. You’ll enjoy reading about Will and Mike make mistakes and find their balance again. If you have a few hours and want to read a book that you will fall into, this is the book for you.

3.5 Pants Off

Review: From the Ashes by Daisy Harris

From the Ashes (Fire and Rain #1) by Daisy Harris
Samhain Publishing
Novel: 259pgs
3-3.25 Pants Off

Blurb:
Fire and Rain, Book 1

When an accident burns down Jesse’s apartment, he’s left broke and homeless, with a giant dog and a college schedule he can’t afford to maintain. And no family who’s willing to take him in.

Lucky for him, a sexy fireman offers him a place to stay. The drawback? The fireman’s big Latino family lives next door, and they don’t know their son is gay.

Tomas’s parents made their way in America with hard work and by accepting help when it was offered, so he won’t let Jesse drop out of school just so he can afford a place to live. Besides, Jesse’s the perfect roommate—funny, sweet and breathtakingly cute. He climbs into Tomas’s bed and tugs at his heart. Until Jesse starts pushing for more.

Their passion enflames their bodies but threatens to crush Tomas’s family. Tomas is willing to fight for Jesse, but after losing everything, Jesse isn’t sure he can bear to risk his one remaining possession—his heart.

Review
I am having a hard time with rating this book or even telling how I actually feel about it. I was really excited to read this one, so my expectations were high and somehow I can't help feel like it under performed. I had a hard time really getting into the characters and sometimes scenes would seem a little pointless (IMO).

Jesse was just doing a bit of grocery shopping, but instead of packing away his groceries he's watching his home burn to the ground. The few things he had just went up in a pile of flames and the reality that he's homeless just hasn't hit home. With his little job at a coffee shop and school fees, Jesse is barely making ends meet. Now he's got no place to live, no family to depend on, and no friends to call. Shit seems more hopeless as the ashes settle. Upside is that there is a fireman that is going above and beyond his duty to care for Jesse. All his kindness is a little suspicious but without the help Jesse would probably crumble and fall just like his burning home.

Tomas can't understand all his feels for the sad looking kid. But he finds himself wanting to care for him and help him out. Could be that Jesse looks like the kids (his word) that usually end up on their knees blowing him but he's never wanted to take one home before. Yes, he's attracted to the boy but his offer for help is sincere and he makes that clear. Suddenly he's offering up his home and inviting Jesse to stay while fighting a hell of an attraction. But Tomas can't be gay, he just can’t not with his family, not with his job, and it’s most definitely not alright with him. If only...

A part of me liked this book but the other part was really excited when it ended. Tomas and Jesse are alright enough characters, but they're chemistry was lacking and overall too many fluffy feels. I felt like this one should have been heavy on the angst but somehow it was just too sweet. What I enjoyed the most was Tomas's hang-ups when it came to sex. Sex with men has always been a seedy affair for him, so finally doing it with someone he cared about really put him in a bad place. It was both understandable and equally foolish but I enjoyed it.

Another dislike was the unnecessary characters that mostly felt like fillers instead of supporting characters. For instance Tomas's brother Diego, he was both unnecessary and annoying. Jesse's friends kinda fall into the same category and were just there. Again, I was hoping to like this one a lot but kudos on the interracial love I always appreciate them.

Should You Read It? If you're a fan of Daisy Harris and want to read about a hot fireman, for me it was just "ok" somewhere between a 3 and a 3.25 rating but as I said, I have mixed feelings about this one and found it a bit difficult to rate. Cover be amazing though!

Review: for Men Like Us by Brita Addams

for Men Like Us by Brita Addams
Dreamspinner Press
Novel: 186pgs
3 Pants Off

Blurb:
After his lover dies trying to lend him aid at Salamanca, hopelessness becomes Preston Meacham's only way of life. Despite his best efforts and with no pride left, he sells himself for a pittance at a molly house, the mindless sex giving him his only respite from the horrors he witnessed.

The Napoleonic War left Benedict Wilmot haunted by the horrific acts he's forced to commit, as well as torture at the hands of a homophobic superior. As the battle rages around him, a weak and beaten Ben is ordered to kill a fellow redcoat, else face a ghastly death himself. Even in his dreams, he can't escape the memory of the man he killed.

When their paths cross, Ben feels an overwhelming need to protect Preston from his dangerous profession, because, as he explains, "The streets are dangerous for men like us.

Review:
I was really hoping to like this one more, but it just turned out to be an all right read. It felt as if I was reading a play, the dialogue was robotic and I felt no connection between the MCs. I love historical M/M romances, just did not enjoy this as much as I hoped. Awesome cover though!

Preston Meacham has things he would very much like to forget, and so he uses mindless sex as escapism. After being dismissed from his job, he later finds work in a molly house. The strangers who pay for his body mean nothing to him and that’s how he likes it. He can get lost in his mind and reminisce about a love lost. Benedict Wilmot has ghosts that haunt him, he is unable to get away from the guilt he feels about what happened in Salamanca a guilt that has everything to do with Preston. Ben goes to Preston with the intention of righting his wrongs but he can’t deny the pull of the beautiful man so they begin a relationship. Soon that of a man and his whore starts to evolve into something else, but Ben has secrets and it will cost him everything.

The story had a nice set up but I had a hard time getting into the characters. I felt like I was reading about the same two people I met at the beginning of the story until the end. I guess I just felt very "blah" about the overall plot, and then it had a neat predictable HEA. I had it called from the beginning that Ben was mistaken about everything, gosh do I hate being right.

What I did enjoy is that Preston didn't need saving and he's not apologetic about what he had to do to make a living. I love a whore with attitude. I thought the BDSM would have been a main focus of sex between Preston and Ben, but the kink was mild and really ties into the story quite well. It was kink with a meaning.

Overall, it was an ok read for me. I was excited but just made no connection to the characters or the story. This was my first book by Brita Addams and I will not be ruling the author out. I liked the writing style and enjoyed the pacing. Primarily my reaction is just all from the story and characters, felt like I read it before.

3 Pants Off

Review: Packing Heat by Kele Moon

Guest Review by Buggy
Packing Heat by Kele Moon
Loose-Id

Short Novella: 92pgs

Rating: 4/5

Blurb:
Dark and brooding firefighter Brad Archer has spent months denying his attraction to his roommate, Police Officer Gavin Connolly. Gavin is just the kind of guy he likes, tall, tough and buff enough to actually handle Brad’s big size and rough nature.

To hide his real feelings Brad holds the handsome, seemingly straight cop at arms length until a shooting at work leaves Gavin a little too vulnerable to ignore. What starts out as a simple attempt to comfort his roommate blows up into something wild, sexual and wholly unexpected when Gavin wants more from Brad than a strong, firefighter’s shoulder to lean.

The sexual magnetism drawing the two of them together forces secrets to be revealed and though the sex is mind-blowing it may not be worth weathering the storms their relationship could stir up. In order to protect him Brad realizes he loves Gavin enough to let him go. The problem is—The stubborn cop may not let him.

Review:
Well this was a fine little erotic romance. My first Kele Moon story but definitely not my last, there’s just so much to like here. Well written with memorable characters, smoking hot love scenes, just the right amount of dirty talk to make it interesting and for a novella enough plot and back story to hold it together and really give you a feel for the characters other then just who likes to bottom. I also tend to like my M/M with manly men and Packing Heat gave me that and how, with two very alpha, very masculine, very sexy men in uniform.

Actually for such a smut filled short story I was surprised by the depth of character we got. Brad’s horrific outing as a teenager, fear of commitment and unique sexual hang-ups were definitely a bonus and Gavin’s admission of “The older he got the more he leaned toward the gay side of bisexual” just made me realize that dating is fucking confusing no matter what your orientation.

Police officer Gavin Connolly is shitfaced. A recent shooting at work has left him with some unexpected leave and now he’s got too much time to think. Too much time to worry about the kid he shot and way too much time to ponder how sexy he finds his roommate. Yeah Brad, his openly gay, gorgeous, firefighter roommate. He’s had a thing for Brad for years. I mean its why he moved in with him in the first place except Brad has never shown the slightest bit of interest. Tonight’s going to be different though, Gavin’s had just the right amount of too much too drink and is also just stressed enough that he’s stopped caring about the consequences. Tonight he’s going to act on the sexual tension that’s been building for months. Sure he may get rejected but he might also get what he’s been dreaming about too.
 
Brad Archer can’t believe that his seemingly straight roommate has just launched himself onto his lips and into his lap. Now he remembers why he keeps his distance from Gavin the guys too fucking handsome for his own good. But his patience only goes so far and months of watching Gavin strut around in a towel have taken him too the limit, if that’s how Gavin wants to play so be it.
 

"You want it from a man? You’re gonna get it the way I like it. Let go of your dick or go find yourself a girlfriend.”

  Yeah this is one hot and naughty little read. There isn’t time for any real story development instead we focus more on what happens after the roomies take their relationship to the next level. Gavin just assumes there’s a future for them and is more then willing to come out. Brad on the other hand has some series issues from his past to deal with and only sees this as a fling especially since Brad is Bi. My favourite scene would have to be when Gavin handcuffs Brad to the bed and forces him to give up control and trust him. It’s kinda heartbreaking actually but also sexy as hell.
　
The I love you’s are fast in coming but still plausible and the epilogue; getting to see their HEA at work in the future was just the icing on the cake. Cheers. 

4 Pants Off

IRL Week: Cheek to Cheek by Chris Owen

Cheek to Cheek (911 #2) by Chris Owen
Torquere Press

Novella: 121pages

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Blurb:
If you loved Chris Owen's firefighters in 911, you'll love Cheek to Cheek! Firefighters Will and Mallory meet at a quiet gay bar, and they're both willing to keep things anonymous and impersonal. Mal has issues with his soon to be ex, and Will isn't willing to push. That plan works out fine until they discover that they'll be working at the same fire station, where Will is set to replace injured firefighter Drew.

Their agreement to keep their relationship easy and no-pressure, just a physical thing, soon go out the window. Everything in their lives seems to become a test, from old loves to meddling family, to the brave men they risk their lives with. The one thing that seems to make sense is the dance they share, both literal and figurative. Can Will and Mal find a way to reconcile the life they think they want with the need they have to be together, or will the dance be over before it really begins?

The appearance of much-loved characters from the popular 911 is an added bonus for Chris Owen fans.

Review:
It comes to this, I really either like a Chris Owen book or it’s just ‘Meh’. This one falls right smack in the middle. I really liked the story and the pacing, but something wasn’t all there for me. Usually it’s the too much sex issue I find in the books I read by the author. The sex became apart of this story, instead of being too much in the story (if that makes sense).

Mallory is finally a single man, after him and his girlfriend of many years decide to call it quits. Mallory hasn’t been with a man in years, being bi-sexual and all, so hanging at a gay bar he hopes to find a quick hook-up. Then he meets Will, and a night of mind-blowing sex is just what the doctor ordered for both men.

Awkwardness walks in, when Will starts working at the same fire station where Mallory works. Talk about serendipity. It was supposed to be one night, but having Will in close approximation is doing all sorts of crazy things to Mal’s body. Seems one night won’t be enough for him.

Its hard trying to fight your feelings when you feel strongly for a person, and Mal is desperately trying to keep Will in the ‘fuck buddy’ zone. However, they have so much in common, like dancing, and the sex is spine melting. How can a man fight all of that? He cant, he just can’t.

As I said, I liked this one. I loved that the author found a place for Mal’s ex-girlfriend and made her likable in her pain that Mal found someone. I liked Mal and Will together; they had some incredible sexy moments. There were no issues with Will being black, and Mal being white. It was just white noise, and I really liked that. Race should not be an issue when it comes to love.

I loved the dancing! Imagine two very sexy manly men working it out on the dance floor (yep, it’s super sexy).

3 1/2 Pants Off

Once A Marine by Cat Grant

Once A Marine by Cat Grant
Riptide Publishing

Novel: 175pages

Rating: 4 out of 5

Blurb:
Discharged under Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, former Marine major Cole Hammond is struggling to find a new identity. But PTSD casts a pall on everything, and his hard-nosed, homophobic father can’t even bear to look him in the eye. To top it all off, he’s pretty sure he’s flunking out of law school.

Marc Sullivan is a kind, sensitive romance author-slash-waiter with a thing for men in uniform. Cole’s not wearing his anymore, but there’s no mistaking the warrior Marc meets in the diner one rainy afternoon. Cole’s sexy smile and Carolina drawl prove irresistible, but Marc’s played this game before, and he always loses. Once a Marine, always a Marine, and if there’s one thing Marc knows about such men, it’s that they all leave him in the end. It doesn’t help that Cole’s practically closeted in public, or that he refuses to seek treatment for his PTSD.

But like any good Marine, Cole’s willing to fight for what matters. And like the characters in Marc’s stories, he’s certain that if they try hard enough, together they can find their own happily ever after.

Review:
I really enjoyed this book, which came as a surprise because I had read some reviews that made the characters out to be horrible people. Maybe I read a different book but I really liked both Cole and Marc. They were just too freaking sweet for words.

Marc is an M/M romance writer (oh yeh) and waiter at a diner.  He is just living a simple life making ends meet. Until in walks Mr sex on legs. Looking all edible and shite, Marc almost drops the tray of dishes he’s carrying because the mystery man is just that hot. Warning bells are going off all Marc’s senses are saying Marine and he hasn’t had the best of luck in love with them, they always end up leaving him. What’s a man to do when all that Marine swagger 'Oorah' makes him weak in the knees.

Cole Hammond has just been released from the Marines under DADT (Don’t Ask Don’t Tell). Being a Marine was his everything but its been hell hiding who he is. So he’s now a civilian in law school, and for the first time living as a free man. After serving years in the marines, Cole has to deal with the after effects. The PTSD, the nightmares and all the anxiety that comes with it. He feels that in time he will be able to get over it, all he needs is his meds and all will be well (so he thinks).

Things between the guys start of on a rocky road, when Cole pulls a douche move. What a douche move it was! They do come together again but Marc is wary of Cole’s behaviour, but the chemistry is strong and he can’t deny it. Their budding relationship is sweet and though Marc sometimes annoyed me, he was perfect for Cole. I could understand Cole’s nervous behaviour, he was living as a gay man for the first time in years and thats no walk in the park. I found his character believable and made the story that much more interesting. Things do not remain all lovey dovey, when family issues pulls Cole from the relationship. Marc has to come to terms with his feeling and decide what he’s willing to sacrifice to make things work. Cole has to deal with his father prejudices, and the reality that his mother might be ill.

I only had one small issue with the story, and it is how Marc constantly compares Cole to his previous lovers. I understood it in the beginning, then after awhile it became tiresome and a little rude. I am surprised Cole wasn’t bothered by it, because I sure as hell was. Otherwise a stellar job by Cat Grant, really enjoyed Marc and Cole and look forward to other books by the author.

A Year of Firsts- First book of 2012, first book read by author Cat Grant.

4 Pants Off

Go Ahead Take Those Pants Off

HOT HEAD

Hot Head by Damon Suede
Dreamspinner Press

Novel

Gay For You/Contemporary Romance

5 out of 5

Blurb:
Where there's smoke there's fire.

Since 9/11, Brooklyn firefighter Griff Muir has wrestled with impossible feelings for his best friend and partner at Ladder 181: Dante Anastagio. Unfortunately Dante is strictly a ladies' man and the FDNY isn’t exactly gay-friendly. For 10 years, Griff has hidden his heart in a half-life of public heroics and private anguish.

Griff’s caution and Dante’s cockiness make them an unbeatable team. To protect his buddy, there’s nothing Griff wouldn’t do… until Dante is nearly bankrupt and proposes the worst possible solution: HotHead.com, a gay-porn website where uniformed hunks get down-n-dirty… Now Dante wants them to appear there— together.

Griff may have to guard his heart and live out his darkest fantasies on camera. Can he rescue the man he loves without wrecking their careers, their families, or their friendship?

Review:
Hot Head is critically acclaimed (by me), this book was the Kool-Aid, and by Kool-Aid, I mean the shit. I loved every fecking minute of it. It’s rough, raw and ready (wait a sec is that, not some other book). Well those words describe this book perfectly; stuffs on fire, feelings are blazing hot. The men like it rough, and they are always ready. Forget it; this is starting to sound extremely cheesy.

So the setting is New York, years after the September 11th attacks on the Trade Centres. It’s a big celebration within the city. Honouring, the firefighters, and cops who died and worked hard to rescue people. Therefore, they had overcome, and tragedy led to unity. Fun side! It’s a big dick and pussy fest, horny for firemen, women come out to play and firefighters and other city workers know they be getting their dicks wet (man this book makes me wanna type all dirty).

So Griff the firefighter is having strong feelings for his best friend where that sounds totally cliché, this cliché works. This is no sappy I have feelings for you, and as I confess my undying love we have the most amazing sex. Griff emotions are realistic, his love stems from a long friendship. Not just a close friendship, but it borderlines brotherhood, Griff, the adopted member of Dante’s family. They know him, they love him and he’s dying to fuck (there I go again) their son, their brother, their uncle and his best friend.

Dante is having some money troubles, so he hits up making a little porn. What’s wrong with a little whack fest to make some quick money? Not a damn thing Dante, not a darn thing. Well Griff has a problem with it, but that won’t stop him from a little whack fest of his own. When push comes to shove though Griff has Dante’s back, in more ways than one. A little porn experiment might lead to some big things, some *real big* things.

Alright lets get serious. I love this book, the characters are strong and the story though not romantic is captivating. This is a man struggling with his feelings for another man, in a profession and life where being gay is a death sentence. Because nothing makes you less of a man, like loving another man. For a long time Griff has struggled with his feelings, and what you realize is the heart wants what the heart wants. Though the outside world might hate them when their together, first they must figure out the whole ‘I am in love with best friend’ before they can worry about anyone else.

However, some readers might find the whole porn thing questionable. Who hasn’t risked their job for a little porn? I risk my job as a perfect parent with the amount of man love I watch, read, and think about (teehee). I think if anything it made the book stronger, because what we know is that nothing brings two people closer than making porn.

Loved Dante, he was my sexy Italian hottie I wanted to eat him up. Griff was adorable and sweet and you just want him to get his HEA. How can you not fall in love with someone who is willing to do anything for the person he loves. It’s a great GFY (gay for you), and I hope I get more from my HotHead boys. So many wonderful things in this book *HOT MAN SEX*, and that other stuff about feelings ‘winks’. 

5 Pants Off

 Go Ahead Take Those Pants Off