Friday, July 20, 2012

Time for A Change & Some M/M Recommendations & Happy Gay Friday


I’ve been feeling a little meh about m/m books lately and last weekend it had gotten to the point that I picked up the first book of an m/f series: Flat-Out Sexy by Erin McCarthy. It’s a series, called Fast Track, about a bunch of friends/siblings who are stock car drivers or are involved with them or the race track in one way or another. After I finished the book, which has the hottest and sweetest hero I’ve seen in a long while in m/f romance, I immediately picked up the second book, which was just as good as the first. That was enough for a little while and I returned to an m/m read again, but I think I’m going to switch between the two more often from now on, just to avoid that meh feeling.


Actually that feeling I was having towards m/m reads wasn’t really founded at all. I realized last night when I was talking to Lis, over a hot cup of tea at my kitchen table, that I had read a few titles the last couple of weeks that I could recommend to her. It’s just that in between I’ve read some very predictable or boring stories. Some tropes are really being used and abused over and over again, so it seems. It probably is just a sign that I read too much or that I should become pickier about my purchases. Btw Lis has the same issues every now and again, and she switches to YA novels to be able to maintain that fresh view on m/m romance. I bet we’re not the only ones with the meh feelings, right?

Ah well, let’s end this whiny post with the recommendations I gave Lis, shall we? Here they are:

The Way Back
Carter Quinn
Link to Goodreads

I enjoyed this very much! I picked it up because the premise intrigued me and didn’t sound as something I’ve read other variations of already. It’s about Riley who met his two best friends, Jason and Eric, six years ago and soon thereafter his friendship with Eric turned into something much more. That relationship ended almost as soon as it began, and Riley hasn’t let anyone near his heart since. Jason however helped pick up the pieces. Six years later they ran into each other again and he’s once again part of Riley’s life. Riley is slowly letting Jason past his defenses and is starting to see how good they are together. Then, out of the blue, Eric calls, claiming he wants Riley back. What follows is very emotional and heartbreaking. This book also was frustrating as hell sometimes, but let’s say in a good way. Not unimportant either, it has some of the hottest scenes I’ve read in a while!


Country Mouse
Amy Lane & Aleksandr Voinov
Link to Goodreads

I’ve written my review for this one this week, which will be posted soon. For now all I’ll tell you that I loved it! :)


Fireman’s Carry
Charlie Richards
Link to Goodreads

This was my first book by this author and I picked it up because it has a firefighter hero and a cop hero, the GFY trope and the friends to lovers trope. As a result I wasn’t expecting much originality, so in that sense it couldn’t disappoint me very much. And although this was a bit of a schematic story with quite some predictable events (stalker!) it certainly did entertain me. We have an openly gay firefighter, Vincent, and a straight, divorced cop with kids, Carl, who hit up a friendship which turns into more when one day circumstances force them to kiss each other. One thing leads to another and the reader gets treated to some hot scenes. The characters are drawn out well and both are very lovable. Vince and Carl have good chemistry together, and there’s a little bit of angst, but not too much, in the plot as well. Apparently this is the first book in a new series. I can see myself pick up other books by Charlie Richards whenever I’m in the mood for a quick fix of comforting, hot manlove.

Right now I’m in between books and I have a hard time picking my next read. Any suggestions perhaps? :)

Happy Gay Friday!
~

8 comments:

  1. Might have to check out Fireman's Carry. I've been reading gay mysteries when m/m gets to be too... whatever. Hmm. My mind goes blank when asked for recommendations. D'oh! Have a great weekend anyway! :)

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    1. Uh oh, that's not a good sign that your mind goes blank when asked for recommendations. ;) Let's hope it's not because nothing you've read is worth recommending...
      Have a fabulous weekend! :D

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  2. *waves*
    Hiya :D Have a great weekend!

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    1. Hi B, sorry for my late response. Hope you have a good week! :)

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  3. Happy belated Gay Friday, Janna!

    For me, it's more an urge to read something different vs getting a meh feeling. And when I'm in the mood for different, I pick up a m/f book, usually a historical. Used to read a ton of those, and now it's only once in a while since I read mostly m/m. But when I do read one now, it feels somehow fresher, and I savor them more than I used to, if that makes sense.

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    1. Thanks, Ava and my apologies for my late reaction.
      It's still mostly m/m I read, but like you I have to read something different every now and then, so I can avoid the meh feeling in the future. :)
      That certainly makes sense, I experienced the fresh feeling too.

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  4. Another belated Happy Gay Friday Janna!

    I'm a bet meh ATM with books, but that's because I just finished a good series and instead of moving on I'm just re-reading :) Actually, I haven't read m/f in ages because they annoy me, so it's like your feeling but in reverse :)

    Hope your weekend is goinng well? *hugs*

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    1. And a belated Happy Gay Friday in return, orannia! :D
      Yeah, the effects of a good series ruining the books after that... I recognize that too. I'm not much of a re-reader, I always want to move on to the next book, but if it works for you that's great. :)
      Hope you're having a great week. *hugs*

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