Review: Heat Trap by J.L Merrow

Heat Trap (The Plumber's Mate Mysteries #3) by JL Merrow
Riptide Publishing
Novel: 318pgs

3.5 Pants Off

Blurb: Old flames can leave a nasty burn.

It’s been six months since plumber Tom Paretski was hit by a shocking revelation about his family, and he’s been avoiding dealing with it ever since. His lover, PI Phil Morrison, wants Tom to dig deeper into his history and try to develop his psychic talent for finding things, but Tom’s not nearly so keen. Just as he decides to bite the bullet, though, worse problems crawl out of the woodwork.

Young Devil’s Dyke barmaid Marianne has an ex, Grant Carey, who won’t accept that things are over between them, and he’s ruthless in dealing with anyone who gets in his way. When Carey threatens an old friend of theirs, Phil and Tom step in to help—but that makes them targets themselves.

What with his uncertainty about Phil’s motives, Tom’s family doing their best to drive a wedge between them, and the uncovering of an ugly incident in Phil’s past, Tom’s not sure who he can trust—and the body he finds in the pub cellar isn’t the only thing that stinks.

Review

Here I go again with another book in the Plumber Mates series. While I enjoyed this one a lot more than the last I'm unsure if I will continue with the series. Once again, the mystery aspect was a letdown and I’m contemplating if Tom and Phil are still worth it. 

Heat Trap gives us Tom and Phil on another case, a most lukewarm case. When the owner of the Pub they usually frequent asks for their help in stopping a slithering stalker Carey Grant, they take the case. What they never expected was the slimy stalker to be so slinky and dangerous. Along with dealing with the case, Tom is also dealing with some personal issues and having a hard time coming to terms with everything. Things take a while to get to the point and when it does Tom finds Carey Grant in the cellar of the pub and thus begins the chase to catch a killer or so thought… 

I’m trying to get into this without giving too much away, but let’s say the story was quite interesting and fun up until the death of Grant Carey and then boom, bloody wilted lettuce. All the dryness none of the deliciousness. The big reveal of the actual killer I felt didn’t even have a connection to the story so instead of being surprised, I just felt let down. So many people going round and round and ending up nowhere. 

Let’s talk about Tom. I remember loving him in the first book and though he does have his charms and is on his way to crazy town with how he’s all in his head. I’m not here for him anymore. He doesn’t take things seriously enough, and the way he treated Phil in the end there was just too much. He learns something’s about Phil’s past and jumps the gun by overreacting leaving to do the whole begging thing when it was Tom who should have been apologizing. I lost all my love for him as a character with his woe is me attitude. Everything is Tom, Tom, Tom, he’s a special snowflake. 

I believe for me the series has lost its charms. While I remain curious of what will become of Tom and Phil my underlying need seems to be gone. Maybe in a while I’ll give it another go especially with that cliffi at the end there, Toms life is about to get a whole of interesting. But for now I’m calling it quits. While I liked this one significantly more than the last book, and did have some burst out laughing moments, I am quite done with being disappointed. These mysteries have become children Easter egg hunting.

Review: Book #1 Pressure Head

Review: Book #2 Relief Valve

Review: Scars and Secrets by Avril Ashton

Scars and Secrets ( Loose Ends Book 1) by Avril Ashton
Amazon
Novel: 281pgs

5+ Pants Off

Blurb: After an undercover assignment that changed his life forever, FBI agent Donovan Cintron is barely hanging on to sanity. His new mission is to forget, by any means necessary, so he tries his hardest. Pills. Booze. The warm bodies that never quite measure up to what he’d had. What he’d lost. It’s almost a relief when he learns his identity might be compromised—except he’s not the only one exposed. So is the husband he hasn’t stopped needing all these years later. He’d been aching to die, but for Levi Nieto, Donovan will live. To protect. To regret. To remember.

The realization that everything he loved was a farce sent Levi Nieto spinning out of control, and running away from the memories. Now Donovan is back in his life, still fully entrenched in darkness. Their physical connection is one thing, but the truth of who they are to each other remains trapped among the anger, violence and lies suffocating them. Fixing what’s broken will take more than each man exposing his scars. Secrets—and blood—must be spilled.

Review

I am just…. 

Like where do I begin? This book was just a pure banger and I didn’t want it to end. I know I’m getting an angst ridden read when it comes to Avril, but this had me choking on my own spit and had my heart racing, I haven’t felt them feels since “Watch Break me Break You” left me ruined. Scars and Secrets is a thirst trap, and I am thirsty. My throat is mad raw!!

Donovan Cintron has got a job to do but that job didn’t entail falling in love and building a family. The thing with keeping secrets is that eventually they come to light and leave a mess of hurt behind. That’s what happened with Van, his secrets lost him his husband and family. With everything he does clothed in danger it’s finally coming back to bite him in the ass and his husband and son are put in danger. It’s time for the prodigal husband to make a return and save his marriage and in the process save his own life. 

Levi Nieto found love and lost it. Lies and betrayals has shaped his life for the last seven years and he never thought he would be able to move on from that. Now his life, his sons life is in danger once again and it’s all because of the man he married. Donovan came into his life to build him up only to knock him down. Now he’s face to face with the man that left him wrecked and bodied, how can they move past all this hurt. Ones thing for sure, their passion is blazing fire and it seems not even distance could dim the flames. 

First of all, first off all…this f*cking book left me in tatters. That’s not to say I didn’t have a few problems but the pros far outweigh the cons and I feel like I been ruined for any other books I read this year. It’s like Miss Ashton goes into brain and write the things that make me lose my pants. Levi & Van are walking, talking porn advertisement. I read sex scenes with a slight disinterest because I’ve been doing this so long, so it takes a lot to get my motor running. Their heat left me deceased and just shooketh to the core. I like them together, I love them together but I feel like I hardly know them apart. Their surrounding overshadowed their story and I wanted to know how they fell in love. 

“Want you to feel me” Levi’s mouth was at his ear, breath harsh, loud, broken. “In your fucking chest. When I come inside that ass, you better taste it on your tongue”.  

The plot is one crazy twist after another filled with favourite characters from the authors other works. My heart was just in a happy place seeing characters that I know and love in one place coming together with a common goal and shaking sh*t up. A lot of interesting shockers here filled with Avril’s signature dramatic flair and I was all in for it. I swear I am just so in love with the freaking book its essence is dunked into my bones. 

What I’m having a hard time with, is Vans addiction being glossed over and it was a full blown addiction. He had some demons and I feel they weren’t addressed properly. Man needs rehab, therapy, and a cleanse. Alas, I’m still all for this regardless of its faults I’m still utterly in love and ain’t nobody can tell me otherwise. I give kudos to Avril regardless of writing, high marks for diversity alone. Her stories ain’t filled with cookie cutter white boys all over the place, and all these bad boy types is my aesthetic. Hats off to my Jamaican rude boyz!! 

Overall, this has been a pleasure to read and experience and I might be ruined for the rest of the year. Scars and Secrets is unapologetically Avril Ashton and I am looking forward to reading the series. I have to take them in small doses because I’m trying to live. I am a lifetime fan of this author. Big ups Avril, keep writing the mans dem!!

SideNote- Take caution going into this series if you haven’t read the other series (Brooklyn Sinners and Run This Town). 

SideNote2- Walking around with a girl boner for the rest of the month.

Review: Deal Maker by Lily Morton

Review: Deal Maker by Lily Morton
Amazon
Novel: 335pgs

4.5 Pants Off

Blurb: Sometimes your mouth makes deals that your heart can’t honour.

Jude is a highly successful model, but a very reluctant one. His life is full of casual hook-ups with pretty men in glamorous locations, but it’s still empty. However, circumstances decreed a long time ago that this was his path, so he’s resolutely stayed on it and accepted his fate with good grace. He made a deal with himself and his hook-ups. Get in, get out and no ties with anyone.

However, an accident at home one night leads to him making a new deal and accepting the offer of help from an unlikely source. It leads to an unexpected summer of falling in love with a larger than life man and his child.

But by the end of the summer his reasons for not staying are still valid. Will he turn away? Can he?

Asa is a talented actor who has spent time away from the scene to look after his son. But now he’s back, and the last thing he needs are complications from the gorgeous man who is staying with him. Scarred from too many betrayals, he has no intention of forming a lasting tie with anyone. However, he can’t resist the beautiful man with secrets, and to his horror he develops feelings.

But a deal’s a deal and they said it was just for the summer. What can Asa do with a man who has forever in his eyes and goodbye on his lips?

From the Amazon bestselling author of ‘Rule Breaker’ comes another scorchingly hot romantic comedy. 

Review

 Some Deals Are Meant To Be Broken

First of all, the cover. I am a little in love with it, that turtleneck and cheekbones combo is legit delicious. I’m here for all of it, the cover and the freaking book. Deal Maker has socked Rule Breaker in the face. This book came out of nowhere! Like my curiosity was peaked because of Jude in Rule Breaker, but it played no games and I am all sorts of in love with it. 

Jude is a model barely making ends meet when a bathtub through his apartment roof leaves him without a home. An idea by his hookup Dean to stay over at his stepbrothers sounds ludicrous but beggars can’t be choosers and Jude needs a place to stay until his apartment is in working order. What Dean forgot to mention is that his brother is a big time actor and also very much hates models. Asa Jacobs is gorgeous with a beautiful son and he is everything that Jude doesn’t want but so desperately needs. They make a deal to have summer of lust and at the end walk away from each other, but some deals are meant to be broken. Because Jude and Asa come together in tangled limbs, laughter, and it’s oh so beautiful. But men cannot live on sex alone and sometimes feelings get in the way, and the next thing you know you’re in love. Hey can we change the rules of this deal a little?

Things I Liked: Almost every fecking thing! Like seriously this was just a surprisingly amazing book.

The formula of it all was so on point, the prose, a distinct sense of place, just all came together so well. Jude is such a light funny character with so much personality I’m in love and to think I hated him at first (hangs head in shame). 

Asa, (big sigh) like how do I get one of him. He’s just pure raw sweetness and when you take off his wrapping he becomes a sexy being. Together they lit my pants on fire and filled me with romantic feelings. Legit this book was mad romantic y’all. I want walks on the beach and sh*t now.

Asa’s son Billy. He is one adorable sweet little boy, I couldn’t get enough of him.

Things I Didn’t Like: Only a few little things but still important. I was irked in the beginning by Jude’s stupid persona.  

I knew this was an act but I can’t handle stupidity in any form in any way. 

The little inclusion of a certain Ex. His ass wasn’t need and it made that scene a little too dramatic and campy, I cringed through it all. I get the idea of closure and sticking it to the man, but it serves no purpose in furthering the plot line and therefore I found it insignificant.  

This was a winner for me and is my very first favourite of 2018. It’s nice when you go into a book with no expectations and it blows you out of the water. Deal Maker is funny, sweet, and very sexy. It’s a great contemporary romance and very family orientated. Lily Morton did a wonderful job and I’m on board for anything she writes now. You’ve found a fan in me!!  

SideNote- So where Henry’s book at? I feel like mans got a tale to tell…

     

Review: Spirit by John Inman

Reviewed by Whuppsy
Spirit by John Inman
Dreamspinner Press
Novel: 214pgs
5 Pants Off

Blurb:
Jason Day, brilliant designer of video games, is not only a confirmed bachelor, but he’s as gay as a maypole. One wouldn’t think being saddled with his precocious four-year-old nephew for four weeks would be enough to throw him off-kilter. 

Wrong. Timmy, Jason’s nephew, is a true handful. 

But just when Timmy and Uncle Jason begin to bond, and Jason feels he’s getting a grip on this babysitting business once and for all, he’s thrown for a loop by a couple of visitors—one from Tucson, the other from beyond the grave. 

I’m sorry. Say what? 

Toss a murder, a hot young stud, an unexpected love affair, and a spooky-ass ghost with a weird sense of humor into Jason’s summer plans, and you’ve got the makings for one hell of a ride.

Review
This story had so many things going on and it was Wonderful!!

Jason has taken on the responsibility for his nephew Timmy for 4 weeks while his sister and her boyfriend take a vacation to the east coast. Jason had no idea what he was getting into!!

Jason is this wonderfully flaky man. He’s got such loyalty and honor. He’s this single gay man who works from home designing video games. Jason is funny, smart and an all-around good guy. He is this guy who has bought his sister’s house after her husband disappeared years ago. He’s loved this house and is happy to buy it and make it his own. Jason makes me laugh as he has this wonderful sense of humor and he is just flamboyant enough in his ways that just makes him so very endearing. I love listening to him and know that he’s going to make me laugh.

Sam is the other MC in this book. His brother, Paul married Jason’s sister, Sally and had Timmy. Sam is in San Diego to see Timmy and find out what has really happened to Paul. Sally has cut off all communication with Paul’s family. He’s this young man who is an engineer and was in the Navy. He’s got all the wonderful sense of honor and loyalty for family. He loved his brother and he knows that something bad has had to happen for him to leave and not have ANY contact with his family. Sam comes and meets his nephew and meets Jason again for the second time, yet this time is so very different. He’s a grown man with needs that Jason seems to fill.

The secondary characters of Timmy and the resident ghost were just great!! Timmy was this great character. He was not only this wonderfully vibrant child; he was also this smartass child who was on point with his sarcasm. He was not only one of the catalysts in this story, but he was this sweet, innocent child who was wronged in the loss of his father. His mother, Sally and Jack, her boyfriend were these characters that had some screen time and yet, whenever, they were on screen there was always something going on. They just weren’t the nicest of people and you could feel that. The ghost in Jason’s house was the wonderfully big presence. The ghost showed itself to Timmy and to Jason and Sam in ways that scared Jason and Sam, but was always so very gentle with Timmy.

This story had so much happening, the bonding relationship between Jason and Timmy. The romance between Jason and Sam, the ghost and the presence it had in the house. The mystery of who the ghost was and why it reacted the way it did. Not only did this story have a great romance and a mystery to solve (how very Scooby Doo of me). The humor that Timmy, Sam and Jason had working in this story was just the best. I loved the dry, sarcastic humor. I loved that there was lots of smartass comments thrown back and forth. That it was taken in the spirit (great reference of the title, if I do say so) in which it meant. I loved that these three worked not only as a team but worked on becoming a family.

This is one of John’s greatest works and I love all of his books. He’s always got such humor and he can really allow a story to unfold. I enjoy taking the time to read and experience his wonderful body of work and this book is no exception. The story flowed smoothly along and you were never taken out of what was going on in the story. You were on this journey with Jason, Sam and Timmy and you wanted to solve the mystery just as much as they did. You wanted them to have their HEA.

This was worth the read. You won’t regret taking the leap and falling into this story.

5 Pants Off

Review: Waiting for Rain by Susan Mac Nicol

Reviewed by Whuppsy
Waiting for Rain by Susan Mac Nicol
Dreamspinner Press
Novel: 280pgs
4.5 Pants Off

Blurb:
The village of Stamford, the quintessential chocolate box English scene, seemed an impossible dream for foster kid Toby Prentiss. Now he’s found a home among the haystacks and village fairs as the general manager for the Duck and Drake Hotel. With the fears and demons from his youth hidden away in this bucolic oasis, he’s very protective of who he lets in. Until he stumbles across shirtless carpenter Rain Engel building the hotel’s new custom-designed bar. 

Working in the countryside, Rain prepared to face his biggest fear: sheep. He didn’t expect to deal with his second biggest fear: commitment. Toby’s controlled, tough guy façade coupled with his “find happiness where you can” optimism calls to Rain like nothing before. While Rain may be an exhibitionist, his romantic history forces him to hold his emotions close. As their relationship develops, secrets from their pasts drive a wedge between them: the ex-boyfriend who tore apart Rain’s trust and Toby's history with the law. But can the secrets hiding among the quirky villagers bring them together? With missing sheep, pole dancing at the winter festival, and a crippling drought, everyone is waiting for Rain.

Review
This sweet story is about two men who each came from different circumstances and yet, they find the home that they’ve always wanted in each other.

Toby Prentiss is a young man who has had such a hard life. Foster care, living on the streets, rented out his young body for a job and a roof over his head. But he has such integrity. He makes no excuses for how he grew up and how he got to be where he was. I love that he is so very honest about his past. He’s done some things that he’s not that proud of, but they have helped him get to where he wanted to be. He’s worked long and hard to have the position that he has. He truly deserved the happiness that comes his way in the form of Rain Engel.

Rain is a transplant from South Africa to England even if he did spend most of his life in England. He’s a good looking man who has also started over in this quaint little town. He had a bad break up with his ex about a year ago, with whom he was going to ask to marry him. He went off the rails for a bit and now he’s gun shy about starting a new one. He’s also a hard-working man who has this AMAZING talent with stripper pole. He’s so not sure he’s ready for a relationship, but Toby is barreling in his life and nothing is going to stop them.

So, this wonderful character driven story had me hooked. I loved that Toby, who had gone through so very much, was still willing to make a relationship happen and work with Rain. I loved that Toby had to help Rain see that falling in love again wasn’t a bad thing that they were able to help heal the wounds that the other carried.

I loved the secondary characters. Both good and bad. They really helped our characters see that they were strong and that they were loved. That they may do stupid things, but that they had people who cared about them. Now, some of the bad characters, they just hurt my heart. The things that they felt justified in doing, just to hurt our boys. Well, I was angry on their behalf and partly wanted to smack them in the head, REPEATEDLY. But that’s me.

There was some really great laugh out loud moments in this book. I’m on the bus to work and just started laughing like a loon, good times. There were also moments of such hurt and despair in the retelling of the guys’ stories that I had to stop reading and just find a way to make it through those parts. I’m glad I did. Toby and Rain worked hard for their HEA. Two men who started out thinking that this was just a good time, and seeing that with a bit of time and patience and work that they were falling in love.

Now, I will say that this book was pretty heavy on the sex. Not that I mind in the least. It was how the boys first got together and it was always something that they fell into. However, with that being said, it wasn’t just about the sex. It might have started that way, but Toby wanted and needed more. So did Rain, even if he didn’t know it. Some of the sex was hot and very steamy and yet, there was also the tender moments of being intimate. It was beautiful to see how they could show each other how they felt while being intimate that they couldn’t say otherwise. Sweet.

I will say that this book is a wonderful book. I really enjoyed it. I loved that it made me laugh and cry. That it broke my heart and yet found a way to put it back together again. A definite worth reading and read again story. You won’t be disappointed with this book.

4.5 Pants Off