Review: One True Thing by Piper Vaughn & M.J O'Shea

One True Thing (One Thing #2) by Piper Vaughn & M.J O'Shea
Dreamspinner Press
Novel: 260pgs
3.75 Pants Off (Almost A 4)

Blurb:
Dustin Davis spent years wishing for a prince but kissing frog after slimy frog. When he sees Archer Kyriakides for the first time, Dusty thinks his luck has finally changed. Archer could be it. The One. But their hot and cold romance leaves Dusty confused: why does it feel right one moment and wrong the next? It doesn’t make sense—until the day Dusty meets Archer’s identical twin, Asher, and realizes he’s been seeing them both.

Asher Kyriakides dreams of being a fashion photographer, but he’s stuck with a job he hates and an irresponsible playboy brother whose habits drive him absolutely insane, especially when he finds out Archer is dating the cute little blond Asher can’t seem to forget. Torn between loyalty and desire, Asher does nothing but try to warn Dusty away.

But when Archer finally goes too far, Dusty turns to Asher for comfort, and Asher knows he can’t refuse. It isn’t long before they realize they’re falling fast, but more than one thing stands in their way, not the least of which is Archer, who isn’t quite ready to stop being a thorn in his brother’s side.

Review:
I was really looking forward to read this one, because Dusty deserved his happy ending after that douche face Gary. Though, not as awesome as the first I really enjoyed it for sticking to that sweetness that I’ve really come to love from this series. Yeh, it might be sickly sweet at times but Dusty deserved his sugar coated goodness.

Dusty has finally made the big move to California, and he is looking forward to new beginnings with his little family. When he almost face plants on the street in front of his new home, he is saved by a Mr gorgeous, Dusty can feel the sparks flying. Before he can introduce himself Mr gorgeous disappears. Unable to get him out of his head, Dusty settles with the fact that he might not ever see the man again, until he runs into him while out at lunch. But there seems to be a problem, the sparks are missing and his Mr gorgeous (Archer) isn’t anything like he had hoped.

Turns out he’s been dating the wrong guy (cus he’s got an identical twin brother and he got his hotness mixed up). Dusty knew something was off with Archer, and it’s Aster that saved him on the street that day and he’s the one he wants. There’s nothing wrong with leaving one brother for the other, is there?

I gotta say, that Dusty is vera vera naive, like super ditzy at times. I think that’s why I find him as such an endearing character. He’s looking for love, and yes sometimes it might have been with the wrong person but he didn’t let that make him miserable. The transition from Archer to Aster was good, and it wasn’t a case of wanting to date both brothers, he just got his men mixed up.

Conflict wise, there isn’t much. Apart from some jumping to conclusion moments, epically douche move by the evil twin Archer, the book managed to remain angst free. The book does suffer from a case of being too long, and I found Aster to be kind of bland compared to his brother; I still enjoyed it. The sexy time is few and far between but I was just all happy Dusty was getting some good love.

My only beef is that, Dusty coming from an abusive relationship seemed to be doing quite well. Just once is there a moment that he became scared from Aster being angry (and it wasn't even at him). So I am just wondering if he ever talked to someone, or went to see someone. Because judging from his reaction, the abuse seemed extensive and he's not over it.

Should You Read It? Yes, if you liked the first book and you’re a fan of Dusty. Not as awesome as the first but it still deserves a read.

SideNote- I want asshole Archer to get his own book. He was a mega asshole but I just want him to find a guy to bring him to his knees (Also he’s got to suffer a lot and die from embarrassment) Bad Twin!!!

Review: Book #1 One Small Thing

Review: Fields of Gold by Dev Bentham

Fields of Gold (Tarnished Souls #2) by Dev Bentham
Loose-Id
Novella: 119pgs
3.75 Pants Off (Almost A 4)

Blurb:
Life is full of compromises. That's what Avi Rosen tells himself. He's a yeshiva boy turned historian, working on his dissertation and stretching his meager stipend by moonlighting as a closeted politician's houseboy. Their relationship used to feel like a real affair. Lately it seems more like a job.

It isn't until he meets someone decent that he realizes how corrupt his life has become. Pete is a tall blond farmer who charms Avi with his dazzling smile and his straightforward life. But even if he can believe this refreshingly honest man doesn't have his own political agenda, will Avi find the strength to emerge from the dark life he's chosen and find a future in the sun


Review:
Avi Rosen is a struggling student, both financially and emotionally. He has been working on his dissertation for years and sees no end in sight. When he gets hit by a van and is thrown off his bicycle, he is rescued by Pete a good-looking farmer with a beautiful smile. There is only one problem; Avi has a complicated relationship with a closeted politician. Though lately it’s more business deal than a relationship. He is a glorified kept boy who doesn't have to worry about where to live.

So meeting Pete has Avi questioning many things. Like wanting a real relationship, going outside with your lover, and just being together. Instead of just this dirty little secret, but as Avi would say, "It’s complicated". Doesn’t mean he can’t get to know Pete and experience what he has to offer. Even though he might end up breaking the man’s heart, and his own.

I like this story but then there are things that make me like it less. I find the author always manages to push already skeevy situations and make them a bit more dirty. Avi is character that has to grow on you, he is not easily likable and it's hard to feel sympathetic towards him. Eventually I did warn up to him, because he's a little jaded and a whole lot of naive.

I think this should have been a bit longer, I am dissatisfied with the ending. Without spoiling, there was this big thing about organic for farmers that affected Pete and then it was glossed over by the end. I felt like yeh, he has Avi now but what about his business. It was an important point of the plot that later felt insignificant. I am just really curious about how it would have affected him.

Overall, I liked the story but I didn't love it. I enjoyed it a lot more than the first book. Pete and Avi are cute but they needed a bit more to solidify their relationship. I feel like Pete is a getting a bad deal, cus Avi was so skeevy for a bit. In the long Dev does write a nice story that always brings out strong emotions in me.

Review: Book #1 Learning From Isaac

Review: Heart of Water and Stone by E.E Ottoman

Reviewed by Fehu
Heart of Water and Stone by E.E Ottoman
Less Than Three Press
Short Story: 52pgs
3.75 Pants Off (Almost 4's)

Blurb:
Girin is a troll, content with his simple, quiet life in the forest—a life thrown into chaos when he stumbles across an unconscious human on one of the mountain paths. The human is not an ordinary one either, but a witch—tortured, branded, and mere steps from death when Girin finds him. 

 Unable to leave him there to die alone, Girin takes the human home to nurse him back to health. But he quickly learns that keeping one stubborn human alive is a far more difficult task than he first surmised …



Short Review:
I liked this one! It’s rather sweet and reminded me a bit of some earlier stories published by LT3 Press, especially in their fairytales anthologies; if you liked those then you will probably enjoy this story.

A troll and a mage do make an interesting couple. Girin is very caring and the reader is only shown the events from his POV, but I still could see how Ronan could fall for him. While Girin might not be beautiful, he is probably the only one besides Ronan's family, who was good to him, without expecting something in return. While Ronan was prickly in the beginning, he warms up to his caretaker.

It’s a story about two lonely souls finding to each other. Ronan is a witch, he is feared by the humans and would have been killed by them if Girin hadn't come along and helped. Girin is a troll but of mixed blood and so doesn’t truly belong anywhere and lives quietly in his hut, until he finds Ronan and starts to develop feelings for him, which he assumes are one-sided.

Ronan’s trouble does catch up to them, they face it together and this is the part I found a bit dissatisfying. They were held captive, escaped with Ronan’s sister and then it was over and good for them. What of the villagers, the soldiers and the lord Ronan had belonged to. They knew where Girin lived, so the happily ever after could be disturbed at any minute.

Here it felt like they just left and the trouble is over, which from the context it shouldn’t be; there was no compromise with the villagers. That is why I cannot give it full 4 stars and of course because it’ a bit rushed to the happy end and I was not satisfied.

Review: The Prince of Winds by Tali Spencer

Reviewed by Fehu
The Prince of Winds by Tali Spencer
Dreamspinner Press
Novel: 168pgs
3.75 Pants Off (Almost A 4)

Blurb:
Rimmon may be an eagle warrior, but he’s never known war, and he’s never known love—until his kingdom’s army is destroyed by Ekari, the demon of winds, and he is captured by Melkor, one of the Iron Horde that has been killing off the world's gods. Those gods have cursed Melkor and his brothers to be conquerors and never to be loved, but Melkor, hoping to overcome his fate, carries Rimmon off to his island. 

There, he heals Rimmon’s wounds and teaches him about sexual pleasure, earning the young warrior’s trust and fanning the flames of an attraction both men yearn to embrace. But the curses of vengeful gods are difficult to break, especially when Rimmon discovers Melkor is the demon who destroyed his home.

Review:
Battling princes, battle eagles, enemies to lover, magic, and three brothers cursed by the gods to never finding love all sounded very promising.  I thought the world building quite interesting, even if it was a bit hard to imagine where all the countries were and what gods resided where, I think a map would have been helpful for that.

Rimmon is the prince of Ake, a small kingdom with eagle warriors to protect it. The warrior bond with the giant birds early and can see through their eyes and direct them in a fight.  While the eagle warriors were faring well against other threats, the Horde and its princes greatly out powered them.  It’s after an attack that Rimmon finds himself injured and alone with only his eagle Ayet to care for him. Melkor one of the demon princes and the one, who is mainly responsible for the defeat of Rimmon’s warrior, since he commands the winds, is immediately taken with the prince and his bird.

The romance between Rimmon and Melkor was hot, though I had hoped that it would take them longer to get together, then again the whole book wasn't that long, just over 100 pages, so it might have been that.  Plus point, is the hot sex scenes and the taming of the prince. I wasn't bored with the book and did get sucked into it right away. The characters were interesting and I liked the whole history how the three-demon princes came about, and what drove them to conquer the lands.

On the not so pretty side, there is violence, mention of rape and disgusting display of enemy heads. The yikes moment was when it was mentioned, that to gain a healing elixir they had to cook up a god or a child of a god, especially after they had to apply this elixir to Rimmon, in a fairly predictable way. The whole explanation why it could only be applied like that did not really make sense and sounded far fetched to me. I understand he has to hold it in his body. Why couldn't he drink it or hold the elixir in his mouth for that matter?

I’m still not sure how Rimmon and Melkor fell in love, in lust I understood that but love? I think here I would have liked to see a more romantic development and if that were done, I would have given it a better rating. One could see that Melkor cared, but then again for being the gentlest of demons, he was quite barbaric.

Prince of the Winds had the potential to be a great read, if one has a weakness for captive princes. I am looking forward to read something longer from this author, because that might prove more satisfying.

Review: Better by Jaime Samms

Better by Jaime Samms
Dreamspinner Press

Novel: 240pgs

3.75 (Almost a 4) Pants Off

Blurb:
After filing charges that put his abusive ex-Dom behind bars, Jesse Turbul relocates halfway across the country, hoping to escape his past—but, of course, it's never that easy. When Jesse meets third-year law student Aadon at the library where he works, their mutual attraction is instant and obvious.

Despite the sparks, they just can't seem to make it work. Aadon is mired in guilt over his inability to help his older brother, damaged by events far too similar to Jesse’s past. Jesse is stuck in his own desperate wish to forget the painful shadow that continues to threaten him and any hope of a happy future.

The only way to move forward is for Jesse to acknowledge he’s broken and for Aadon to accept he can’t make him better.

Review:
Better is about two men both with a similar past, and trying to make this thing called love work. Jesse a submissive who got the shitty end of the stick with an abusive Dom. Aadon a man who has witnessed the toll rape and abuse can have on a person, his older brother is the victim of that.

Jesse is still mentally/physically suffering from the abuse even years later, and is questioning if he will ever feel for another again. When Aadon appears in his life Jesse finds himself very attracted to the man but fears he is too broken to be anything good for Aadon. They both work to try and find a common ground, but it’s not always easy to meet in the middle.

I really liked Jesse he was a solid character and very believable in his pain. The author really did a wonderful thing in making him accept that he does have a problem and doesn’t pretend as if all is right. Aadon also realizes that he’s not exactly perfect when handling Jesse, and he might be putting his issue with his brother unto him. They’re all very angst, but believable angst.

I did have a few problems with the book, which kept it from being a complete 4 Pants off. I am telling you these boys were hitting the books hard, but unless I missed something *hmm* did they ever attend class? I heard about the classes but never read about them being in class. I don’t know about you, but that really adds to the college atmosphere. I also couldn’t handle the ranting these went on when they got in the mood. I get it you have problems and I appreciate that you realize it but… simmer down on explaining it.

Although Aadon’s brother Ricky was a minor character he really left an impact on me. I think I will remember his character a lot longer than I will Aadon/Jesse. I would love him to have a book of his own book and find some healing. With the level of abuse he suffered, and his mental state. I’m thinking the book would be all kinds of epic, because sex has the power to hurt but it also has the power to heal *real talk*.

Overall, I liked this one. This was my first book by Jaime Samms and will not be my last. I really enjoyed the writing, the pacing was good and I gobbled it all up in a day or so. You should check this one out if you are looking for an emotionally rich story with solid characters. The mother in me really cried for a young Ricky, and that was the hardest part in reading Better. Otherwise, I enjoyed it but not as much as I had hoped.

3 1/2 Pants Off with .25 More

Better was provided by NetGalley

Incognito by Miho Li

Incognito by Miho Li
Siren Publishing

Short Novella: 94pgs

Rating: 3.75 (seriously almost a 4)

Blurb:
When Ren sees the new transfer student—Shin, black hair, storm-cloud-gray eyes, and more beautiful than any guy had a right to be—he makes it his mission to get to know him. Too bad Shin is about as sociable as fungus, and about as likable, too. But Ren isn't good at giving up, so he takes on the challenge of cracking Shin's titanium shell. What he finds underneath, though, is way more than he's prepared to handle.

People are disappearing in Akita, and Shin might be behind it. As Ren's feelings grow for the reserved man, so do the number of missing person reports, and Ren doesn't know if their budding relationship is enough to withstand both the well of secrets and the organization Shin works for.

Review:
Ren is seriously into the new student Shin, but Shin is the strong silent type and he’s ignoring the crap out of him. Ren is a trooper though, he keeps on keeping on talking Shin, until he warms up to him in a totally Shin way. There is a somewhat friendship but Shin is keeping secrets, and keeping Ren at arms length even though the chemistry between them could set fire to pages.

Shin has secret phone calls and secret meetings, and Ren just wants to know what’s up. As they say ‘curiosity kills the cat’ and Ren becomes privy to information he shouldn’t know about, and Shin realizes that he can’t exactly keep Ren from his business because he’s persistent as hell.

The story becomes somewhat of a mystery with Shin’s secret life, which creates a great contrast between Ren and Shin. Ren’s light to Shin’s dark. It was fun to see their relationship evolve, the once aloof Shin becomes more than the robotic character he was when the book started. Ren remains himself through out the book, cracking jokes and just wanting to be with Shin.

This one was almost a four for me but there was some plot holes, and I found myself questioning some of the mystery part of the story. The writing is good, and there is great story to be found in Incognito but sometimes I felt like it could have gone further but never goes there. I found the writing to be bigger than the story/plot (if that makes sense) and I’m still waiting for the story to catch up.

Overall, liked the story but some things worked for me and others did not. I liked Shin and Ren as characters and their chemistry is intensely hot. I think this could be a good series because I did not get enough from the ending (IMO). In addition, the story surrounding Shin secret agent life could do with some more explaining. Good stuff!

SideNote- I am in loathe of that cover. Come on Siren, they all look the freaking same.

3 1/2 Pants Off with .25 More