Review: Mirage by Tia Fielding

Reviewed by Whuppsy
Mirage by Tia Fielding
Dreamspinner Press
Novel: 200pgs
4 Pants Off

Blurb:
When forty-six-year-old washed-up country musician Jasper “Red” Blue looks at the past, all he sees is a series of failures. His one treasured success is six years battling alcoholism without the help of AA. To secure his children’s future, Jasper desperately wants to produce a new album, but he can’t write alone. And he won’t work with just anyone. 

Jasper's record company manages to secure the writer one of the biggest country music songs in recent history to help write the album. Cade Wallace is a long-haired former soul surfer, devastatingly handsome, talented, and willing to take a chance on the rugged musician. Jasper, on the other hand, is deep in the closet. 

With Jasper's career hanging in the balance, he can't promise Cade anything, and Cade eventually heads back to his full-time job as a truck driver, taking Jasper’s hopes of a relationship with him. If Jasper’s dream of a life together is ever to come true, he will have to take some big risks, putting both his career and his children’s security on the line.

Review
This is such a sweet, heartwarming story. To really find love and acceptance at any age. Going against your fear and coming out stronger on the other side.

Jasper “Red” Blue is a country singer who has struggled with alcoholism in the past. He’s always known that he’s gay, but country music isn’t known for being the most tolerant towards things that are different. Jasper sees his past and sees lots of failures. He’s got an ex-wife and 2 kids, JJ and Janey. Jasper is this really sweet, shy guy who even though he has issues that he must overcome; he’s got this great heart. He’s so scared of telling his children and the public finding out that he’s gay, he hides a part of himself. He’s this really kind and generous guy who loves his small circle of family and friends.

Cade Wallace lives his life as a truck driver and part-time song writer. He’s part Hawaiian and Maori. He’s lived his life as carefree as possible. He’s got a small circle of friends that he’s really close with. Cade is a kind, loving and so very generous guy. He has this wonderful capacity for giving so much of himself and loving life. Cade is just such a wonderfully giving man. Cade is just looking for the person who he can call “his home”.

The secondary characters in this story were so very supportive and loving to our MC’s. They showed such support to them. Giving them love and such honest and heartfelt advice. They stayed true to themselves and the guys with whom they loved and cherished. Jasper’s ex, Jolene and their kids, JJ and Janey, loved Jasper and only wanted the best for him. The kids were ok with their dad being gay and just wanted him to stay on the wagon. They were wonderful kids and even though they didn’t have much page time, when they did, you felt the love and support for their dad. Jet, was one of Cade’s best friends and he really helped Cade to see that Jasper really loved him and was doing what he could show him.

This book was sweet. Even though you read a bit about some lady bits in this story, there was actually no sex on the pages. So, if you like a good, sweet, tender romance with no sex on the pages, this is the story for you. I liked how it wasn’t really insta-love. It was more that they were attracted to each other and slowly getting to know each other. They were intimate, but that only helped them fall more in love.

Their time apart was actually what they needed in order to see that what the other truly wanted was each other. Cade, to see that Jasper was really his home the one that he’d been searching for so long. That his heart was safe in Jasper’s care. Jasper had to find the strength to be open with not only himself, but with everyone. That he didn’t have to hide who he loved and wanted to be with. It was good the way that they came back together. It was something that really showed the bond of love that was between them.

If you want a sweet, tender love story to while away some time, this is the book for you. Just a bit of angst, and it really wasn’t heartrending to read. A wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

4 Pants Off

Review: Falling Into Place by Tia Fielding

Falling Into Place by Tia Fielding
Dreamspinner Press
Novel: 214pgs
4 Pants Off

Blurb:
Following an amicable divorce, former stay-at-home dad Scott Mitchell needs to get a job—and a new lifestyle to help him manage his depression, since he lost his Domme along with his marriage. At least one of his problems is solved when finds work at Wilde Publishing. Fulfilling his boss’s needs at the office gives him a productive focus and pays the bills, but becoming a PA to publishing wunderkind Milo Brock isn’t without its trials.

After an injury put an end to his dreams of the NHL, Milo got an education and pursued other interests. At work, he runs Wilde’s sports division. At play, he’s always thought of himself as straight, but his attraction to his new PA casts that into doubt. Luckily a hard life has taught Milo to take things in stride.

Scott and Milo are battling separate lives, ghosts from their pasts, a sister dying of cancer, and a clash of preferences in the bedroom. Scott needs to submit to keep himself balanced; Milo prefers vanilla sex. If they can’t find some middle ground, they’ll lose the support they both desperately need.

Review:
I really wasn't expecting to enjoy this book, after the huge fail I read by this author called Technically Dead. So yes, I had some apprehension about how good Falling Into Place would be, but it turned out to be quite good, and far surpassed my expectations. I call that a win!

Scott Mitchell is depressed and has no idea how to move forth and find some happiness. You could say he is happily married with his two kids, but his life is lacking something more. His Mistress is also his wife Heather; she can't provide the pain he needs to keep him sane, and functional. Scott finds himself just going through the motions and living his head. This ultimately leads to an accident and the end of his marriage. Now he has to go out find himself a job and start over, while lacking the pain and subordination that he craves.

Scott lands a job at a sports publishing company, and the routine gives him an escape and most night leaves him exhausted so he can keep the darkness away. Scott is very good at his job, becomes a huge importance to fledging company, and a friend to his boss Milo Brock. The men hit it off right away, and Scott becomes comfortable in sharing his wants/needs, and the nightmares of his past with Milo. The friendship becomes more, and Milo is faced with the how & whys in being a competent Dom for Scott. While Scott is thinking maybe, he's asking for too much from the man that has become so much more than just a friend.

I was worried about how the author would deliver the story, but it came together very well. The story is very much a discovering/coming out of two men finding themselves and saving each other. Sex takes a back seat within the plot, and the book focuses on family, and the importance of friends. Scott and Milo take a journey together, with Scott having experienced BDSM lifestyle for some years with his wife, but never having exploring it fully. While Scott was learning, Milo was there along with him learning too.

I did find Scott's past tragedy to be over the top, and it failed to provide a realistic background. Because all I kept thinking was 'that's just crazy' and eye roll numerous happened. I'm glad that BDSM wasn't used as some sort of therapy for Scott, and the author made it a different issue instead of it remaining singular. Really, lots to like about this one!

Should You Read It? I am going with yes, because Tia Fielding has redeemed herself for me with this book. The story is emotional, loving, and entertaining. It is rare that I read and enjoy book without dirty, dirty love. While there is a sex scene, the relationship between Scott, Milo, and his family totally steal the show. I enjoyed it!

4 Pants Off

Review: Technically Dead by Tia Fielding

Technically Dead by Tia Fielding
Dreamspinner Press
Novel: 200pgs
2 Pants Off

Blurb:
When Brandon Roland’s parents kicked him out for being gay, he turned to prostitution to get by—something that almost cost him his life when he was attacked by strangers. Bran was saved by a vampire named Heath, and during their year together, Bran’s life was good—but then Heath sent him packing for reasons unknown.

That was twelve years ago, and Bran’s come a long way since then. He has an education, a job as a social worker at a vampire/human youth shelter, friends, and a tattoo he adds to annually to commemorate another year without the love of his life.

The trouble with being a very old vampire is that the older you are, the less you feel. Heath is over nine hundred—he was sure he'd never experience emotion again, but he never counted on Bran. When Heath accidentally stumbles back into Bran’s life, it changes more than either man thought possible—and then history literally catches up with them and turns their lives inside out.

Review:
I am so disappointed in this book, after I was so excited for a pants losing. Well, there was no pants losing and I am inclined to forget this book in the next week. There’s so much that really throws the book off and leaves you feeling like you are trying to connect a puzzle. It was jumbled and had no flow and eventually it just fell flat, I am a fighter so I stuck it out in the hopes of it getting better. There was no such luck. I was taught that if you don’t have anything good to say don’t say it (I think I already said the no good >.<). I will just share why this book did not work for me.

Bran is a social worker at a shelter that caters to human and vampire youths. He knows about life on the street because he had to spend some time there and did some things in order to survive. When he is beaten up almost to death, he is later rescued by a vampire and brought back to health. The vampire is called Heath and they begin a relationship. Bran was with him for 1 year and was in so much love he thought their life together was perfect until Heath kicked him to curb without any form of an explanation. 12 years later Bran is still reeling from the loss, but now he has his job and his friends.

The road to Bran finding stability wasn’t an easy one, after Heath broke his heart he spiralled out of control. With the drinking, and partying and almost ruination of his young body he had hit rock bottom. When he gets into a bar fight and is injured he has spend some time in the hospital, its there he meets the man who would then become his lover and give him a new meaning to life. Now he has it made with lots of partners to share his bed, until he bumps into Heath and he throws his life upside-down once gain.

I really tried to like this one but the only great thing about it is the cover. The story and the characters are all over the place and the entire time I was like "what is the point?" I am no editor and I barely know how to use the comma but something should have been done to create a better a flow of the plot and overall delivery. The entire thing is a jumble of scenes, which at often time has nothing to do with each other, and I spent the whole time reeling and trying to catch up. For instance, Heath was reflecting on his life and suddenly he's talking about someone called Lilac. I believe Lilac is a horse, but the jury is still out on that one.

I felt no sympathy for Bran as a character in fact I could barely tolerate him. I am still trying to figure out if he really is in love with Heath or he just missed the coolness of a vampire body. Because that’s all he goes on about, how he just wants to be close to a vampire to be wrapped up in the blood and sex. He really irks me! Also, he's supposed to be 32 but something went wrong because all I was getting is that he’s still twenty he just has a job now and a house. He has the mood swings of a child and the personality of a doorknob. I am moving on cus I have nothing nice to say. I have no feelings for anyone in this book I neither like nor dislike them; I am just "whatever".

A whole bunch of crazy happens in rapid succession and none of it made sense (at least to me). It really was a great big disappointment and nothing gelled. Vampires are supposed to be awesome and stuff and no one was awesome and stuff, absolutely no one. The cover is exceptional though. This one did not work for me but I do not speak for everyone because "one mans garbage is another mans treasure". I do have one question, where did the vampires come from and how did humans find out about the existence? I think I missed that as a part of the story, but because nothing else made sense I would like that part to.

2 Pants Off