Review of Jasper's Journey by Lisa Marie Davis

Lisa Marie Davis
Jasper’s Journey
Dreamspinner Press, 2010

Backblurb:
Jasper Brady’s world was forever changed when his sixteen-year-old sister Monica went missing and was found dead two weeks later. Depression struck the family, leaving eleven-year-old Jasper vulnerable to years of neglect and serious abuse until he ran away.
Thirteen years later, his father is dead, his mother is struggling to reconnect with him, and his sister's murder case is still unsolved. Then Jasper meets Zander Macon, who believes the original investigation of Monica's death wasn’t properly handled. Jasper surprises himself by agreeing to help Zander in any way possible, and it doesn’t take long for someone to respond to Zander’s questions with lethal intent. Trying to survive and solve the case, Zander and Jasper find mutual attraction turning into more, and Jasper will confide the dark details of his childhood while Zander works to overcome his own issues with the past.

Genre & Keywords:
M/M, Contemporary, Mystery, Abuse

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Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Heat level: 2 out of 3 flames
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Why I read it:
I received a review copy from the publisher

It seems that I picked a few reads in a row that deal with abused heroes lately: Talker, Touch Me Gently and now Jasper’s Journey. It’s a coincidence, I’m sure, but it also shows a bit of my preference for emotional stories. I love tormented heroes and can’t get enough of all the different ways authors come up with to let the characters handle their emotions and angst when they meet The One.
Jasper of Jasper’s Journey is such a hero. As a young teenager he suffered from serious mental (the neglect from his parents) and physical abuse (an evil neighbor took advantage of his vulnerability for years). The abuse proceeded from the depressing family situation caused by his sister’s (unsolved) murder.

By the time Jasper meets his love interest he has gone through years of therapy and has managed to build a nice life for himself. The only trace of his past in his current life is the shallow way he prefers his (sexual) relationships to be. He’s a one-night stand guy and only tops. But, as it befits a good romance story, Zander is the one who’ll help him to overcome that last ‘issue’. Of course that doesn’t happen without striking a blow, which treats us at wonderful scenes, like this one:

“A rush of emotions surged through him, and Jasper sucked in a breath, looking at Zander in the harsh parking lot lighting. God, he was beautiful. Jasper wanted to fall into those eyes and get lost in Zander’s warmth, his inner beauty. He had never been so drawn to anyone. But it was all so wrong: the timing was wrong, he was wrong, he was a one-night stand guy, and he had a feeling Zander wasn’t.
Frantically, Jasper searched his mind for something—anything—to say to try and cut through the haze of sexual tension, but his rational side had decided to abandon him, and all he could do was watch, mesmerized, as Zander slowly lifted the hand he held to his lips and, with shocking tenderness, kissed the inside of Jasper’s wrist. Jasper could feel his heart pounding.”

This scene, leading to their first kiss, occurs when we’re nearly halfway into the book. And I actually like it that the heroes take their time getting involved on a more intimate level. But even when it may take a while before they hop into bed together, once they discover lust, love is very nearby and I must say that the speed with which they fall in love seems a bit unbelievable. Nevertheless, it’s a pleasure to watch the sexual tension between these hot guys turn into satisfying smexy scenes. Moreover, these scenes mirror the development of their love nicely by showing the building trust between them.

Additionally, I was relieved that Jasper did most of the healing on his own already, because I’m not a fan of the ‘falling in lust solves all your problems’ kind of plot. That doesn’t mean that Jasper’s abusive past didn’t play a role anymore: it’s not something that just happened in the past but is also part of the here and now. Jasper and Zander are reinvestigating the unsolved murder of Jasper’s sister which brings back the past in spades and apart from this mystery storyline there’s also one in which Jasper and his mother are reconnecting after all those years and which has them reliving the past as well.
These secondary storylines are adding some depth to the plot. Neither is very surprising or innovative - the murder mystery might even be a shade excessive and predictable, with everything coming to a perfect ending - but as supportive elements they are functioning pretty well.

All adds up to a few hours of well-spent reading time, in which I enjoyed two likeable and hot heroes, a romance mixed with suspense and mystery, some sexy smexing and a pleasant writing style. Jasper’s Journey is a great read for readers who love all these elements in their love stories!

Linking:
Lisa Marie Davis’s weblog | on Goodreads
Buy Jasper’s Journey here

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Monday’s Hot Couple & Sexy, Smutty Scene inspired by Beyond Eden by Kele Moon

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This week’s sexy scene is from Beyond Eden by Kele Moon, a BDSM ménage story (m/m/f), which inspired me for today's Hot Couple picture. :)
When I looked for a sexy, smutty scene for today’s post I thought I could take a quick peek at this novel, that I bought after Leontine raved about it a short while ago. But from the moment I read the first page I couldn’t put it down anymore. It had me engrossed majorly! The three main characters are introduced in an engaging way with the use of authentic dialogues. I can’t wait to pick this book up again tonight. The next scene is from the beginning of the book (p. 30 of 263) in which the two male protags are sharing a shower. *fans self*
Enjoy!


“
  Now it was Danny’s turn to suck in a sharp breath of arousal as icy-hot desire poured over his body, making every nerve stand on end. He reached out and grabbed Paul, jerking him into the shower. He dropped the condom, pulled the shower door closed and then fisted one hand tightly in Paul’s hair. Danny forced Paul’s head back and looked down at him, seeing the way his pupils had dilated in desire. Paul didn’t fight him. He stood there stoically, his breathing rapid with Danny’s fingers tangled painfully in his hair. The thrum of the shower beating against the tiles, the raspy breathing of both of them, the way Paul’s eyes showed his emotions so clearly, making it obvious he had suffered as badly as Danny had over the past many weeks, it all collided together inside him and his gut clenched with the force of his lust. He needed a clear head when he was with Paul but it was impossible right then.
  Danny crushed his lips against Paul’s because he couldn’t wait another moment and he’d given up on hope for sanity this time. He kissed him like a man starved, thrusting his tongue past his parted lips and drowning himself in the taste and feel of Paul after three weeks without him.
  Paul moaned into his mouth. Danny pulled his hair tighter, making him gasp louder and he knew he was making a mistake. He should never, ever fuck him when he was this out of it but he couldn’t resist him. Paul was like a drug and Danny was an addict who would never recover. As long as they both drew breath Paul could come to him and get what he wanted. It was simply impossible for Danny to deny him. Paul could use him forever and they both knew it but right then Danny couldn’t even find it in himself to care.
  He pushed Paul against the wall of the shower and broke the kiss to run his lips down his jawline. Using his grip on Paul’s hair, Danny forced his head to the side, giving him better access. He savored the salty taste to his skin as he dragged his tongue slowly from the sensitive place behind his ear down the line of his neck. He bit hard at the soft spot in the curve of his shoulder, his teeth sinking in and not letting go as Paul’s hips jerked against him and a strangled moan burst out of his chest.
  “D-don’t mark me. I got a date with Trisha,” Paul panted, making it obvious he was barely holding on to his sanity as desire pulsed off him. “Please.”
  Danny ignored him and ran his tongue slowly from the center of Paul’s chest up to the curve on the other side of his neck. He bit hard once more, not quite enough to break the skin, but close. Paul’s knees buckled and he might have fallen if Danny hadn’t wrapped one firm arm around his waist to keep him standing.
“Put your hands behind your head,” Danny said in a voice that brooked no argument.
  Paul put his hands behind his head obediently, his fingers threading together at the base of his skull as he leaned back against the wall and spread his legs as if he planned to stand there for a long time.
Danny admired him, with the water hitting his tan shoulders and flowing in tiny waterfalls from his chest down to the lines of his abdominal muscles. He stepped closer, so their bodies were close enough to feel the warmth off each other. Paul arched, just a hint of movement that betrayed his need to be closer.
  “Your mouth is pissing me off tonight,” Danny said, still looking down at Paul without touching him. “I don’t want you to talk anymore.”
  Paul closed his eyes, his tense shoulders slumping. “Fine.”
  He looked gorgeous right then, with his eyes closed and his strong, beautiful body on display. Trust radiated off him, mixing easily with desire, because he knew Danny would never take advantage of him, never use his desire to be punished and hurt to do more than turn him on.
”

Kele Moon’s website | on Goodreads
Buy Beyond Eden here

Backblurb Beyond Eden:

Three lifelong friends find themselves tangled in a web of love, pain and dangerous secrets in this erotic Garden of Eden tale.
Tall, dark and handsome Danny Carlow has always gotten whatever he wants except for the two he wants more than anything—his best friends, lovers Paul and Eve. Determined, he waits like a snake in the grass, poised for the right moment to offer them a temptation too delicious to resist.
Artist Eve Everton makes the painful decision to leave her true love Paul for the siren call of New York City. Ten years later, with her life in shambles, she returns. When Paul’s waiting arms aren’t available, Eve falls for Danny’s charm and finds herself a willing accomplice in the dangerous games Danny plays.
Former college football star Paul Mattling is now a successful attorney with a bright future ahead of him. But behind those brilliant blue eyes are secret desires for a taste of the forbidden. Will he play it safe or give in to Danny and Eve and bite the apple?

Reader Advisory: Not for the faint of heart, the pain in this story is vivid and real, the emotions even more so. Haunting and poignant, Beyond Eden presents a darker side of BDSM. You might gasp. You might cry. You might find yourself reading it again and again.

Happy Monday!
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Happy Gay Friday & Some Blog and Book Stuff

Friday night! Yay! This Friday flew by and I can hardly recall what I’ve done today. Which makes it pretty perfect imo. :)

I know it started with me staying in bed too long while finishing the novella The One that Got Away by T.C. Blue. It’s the first of four books in the One and One series and was a cute Friends to Lovers m/m story. Although it took the protags a little bit long to realize their love for each other (which made me want to smack them both at different times), I still enjoyed their story quite a bit. It was the first book I read by this author and I liked her writing style, it felt as if being in the heads of the heroes, alternately. When this is done well, it’s my favorite type of narrative. And T.C. Blue did it just right, switching to the other POV in time, without being it too fast. So, it was a 4 stars read for me!

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Fairly recently, I found out about the upcoming release of a new book of one of my favorite authors, scheduled for October 27th: River of Need by Shayla Kersten. And also coming out this month (the 29th) is Dudleytown by LB Gregg, another one I’ll be jonesing for.

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Did you notice yesterday’s guest review? The reviewer is Lis, another Dutch girl with whom I only recently ‘connected’. I’d seen her commenting at Wave’s blog before (as Larissa) but never realized how much we had in common and I’m so glad I invited her over to my blog to do a guest review. I loved her review and I’m proud to say that she will come back more often. I have Blodeuedd to thank for ‘introducing’ me to Lis with this review she wrote for B’s blog. Lis introduced herself there as an “incredibly chaotic, sword wielding cowgirl from Holland who lives and breathes books of the supernatural & paranormal variety stirred with some romantic, erotic and mystery and or historic ingredients.” Especially the sword wielding part piqued my curiosity (read yesterday’s review to learn more about that ;)). And she loves the m/m genre as much as I do! I really hope she’ll keep expressing her love for books with guest posts at my place and that you’ll like that too.

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Speaking of connecting with fellow Dutch smut lovers… Bloggy friend Leontine and I are planning another real life meeting later this month. We’re going to have a High Tea in Utrecht at this cute little place near one of the canals:

I already look forward to hours of talking about books and blog stuff with Leontine while eating the most delicious sweet things and drinking tea. Wanna join us? :)

It’s bed time for me now…

Happy Gay Friday!

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Guest review of The Lion of Kent by Aleksandr Voinov & Kate Cotoner

Aleksandr Voinov & Kate Cotoner
The Lion of Kent
Carina Press, 2010

Backblurb:
Squire William Raven has only one goal—to finally receive his spurs and become a knight. When his lord, Sir Robert de Cantilou, returns from a five-year crusade in the Holy Land, William wants nothing more than to impress him.

After Sir Robert's return, noble guests arrive from France, bringing intrigue to the castle. William is oblivious to the politics, as he's distracted by nightly visits from a faceless lover—a man who pleasures him in the dark and then leaves—a man he soon discovers is none other than his master, Sir Robert.

But William can't ignore the scheming around him when he overhears a plot to murder Robert. He becomes intent on saving his lord and lover from those who would see him killed...

Genre & Keywords:
M/M, Historical, Intrigue, Medieval, Knights, Crusades, Swordplay

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Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Heat level: 2 out of 3 flames
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*Review copy received from the publisher through Netgalley*

Guest review by Lis:

When I read the blurb for this book my first thought was “Oh yeah! Knights! Mine!” Since I have a BA in medieval history and culture there was a lot of curiosity on my part as to how this book was going to play out. There are a lot of pseudo medieval bodice rippers out there, but only a very slim selection actually know what they are on about. However, I needn't have worried! This short story rocks the chainmail right of you (or should I say chain male).
As I learned from the website of the authors The Lion of Kent is part of a series of novellas about William Raven, our main protagonist, each focusing on various stages of his life. This first is a prologue that starts with William's quest to become a knight and the intrigue at his Lord's home.

While this is a short story, the story is well drawn out and paints a vivid picture of medieval life and the life of a squire. In fact, the life of a knight is not at all as romantic as some of the bodice rippers make it out to be. There is virtually no privacy as all the squires eat, train and sleep together. The focus of the story is both equally on the mystery of who is trying to kill Sir Robert, recently returned from the holy land, William's quest to become a knight and his discovery of his sexual preference. If you're looking for a romantic story, you've come to the wrong castle!
Yes, there is definitely hot nekkid sex in this book and boy do they ever get it on! But probably not as you expect. The sex is reminiscent of the setting. As you will find out when you read this book (and I tell you, you have to!)

The writing is exquisite. When you travel through this story, you'll find out that the authors know what they are writing about. They have a way with words that draw you right into the story and make you stand up shake your fist in the air in protest or blush at certain points. The latter, my little bookworms, is exactly why I like this book so much. There are a lot of m/m books out there and quite a lot of them are plagued by circular narrative. (Sex)scenes described with certain words and certain ways. You won't find that in The Lion of Kent. It was a very refreshing book to read.

In fact, the only two minor points I could dish out are: one, this story was way too short and two, did the authors ever wear a hose (very complicated medieval version of pants)? Because let me tell you I have! and it is not easy to just “fish out” anything from them! *grin*
All in all The Lion of Kent is quite the read that I would recommend any time!

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Review of Touch Me Gently by J.R. Loveless

J.R. Loveless
Touch Me Gently
Dreamspinner Press, 2010

Backblurb:
Always hiding his tormented past along with his scarred body, Kaden James finds it difficult to keep a job. Luck finally turns his way when he finds work as a cook on a Montana ranch, where he meets terrifyingly handsome Logan Michaels. Logan is different from any man Kaden’s ever met, and before long, he finds himself falling in love with the big cowboy. But Kaden’s nightmares won’t let go of him so easily, and he’s not just jumping at shadows. He has nearly a lifetime of abuse, horrifying memories, and pain addiction to overcome. Can Logan's gentle touch help Kaden heal inside?

Genre & Keywords:
M/M, Contemporary, Abuse, Scarred, Gay For You, Cowboy, Horses, Violence

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Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Heat level: 2 out of 3 flames
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Why I read it:
I received a review copy from the publisher

Here we have a gentle, sexy cowboy in his late twenties (Logan) and a 19 year old, damaged boy (Kaden) who’s afraid of big men due to severe childhood abuse. They meet when the teenager is hired as a cook at the cowboy’s ranch. After initial skittishness the boy starts to feel more and more at ease in the company of the big, but kind cowboy. This storyline about abuse, learning to trust again to eventually find love, is heart wrenching and captivating.

It won’t be a surprise that Touch Me Gently is a very heavy and emotional read. I’m never averse to that, in fact I rather enjoy being touched or moved deeply by a book. And main character Kaden certainly had all the characteristics and experiences to accomplish an emotional rush… yet… somehow he never affects me that way. I don’t know exactly why I didn’t feel the connection with him (nor Logan), it’s just that I knew I was supposed to feel compassion all the time, instead of just feeling the compassion. Maybe the narrator reminded me too often how bad I should feel for Kaden, through the perspectives of various insignificant supporting characters and by showing the vehemence of Kaden’s traumas with detailed and frequent panic attacks and flashbacks. These parts were not easy to read because of the realization that they border very closely to reality and that reality can be even much more cruel. But somehow I felt being pulled out of the story too frequently to be able to feel the intensity of all this.
Also, there were some dramatic elements in this story that were a bit too much in my opinion. I want to avoid spoilers but these elements are the ones that are inserted when everything seemed to end happily because Kaden was well on his way to healing. I wondered how much suffering and drama a story need or can handle before it collapses under its weight. Additionally, I thought the purpose of the friendship with the little girl in the end was laid on too thickly.

Apart from the fact that the suffering and pain in this story was a bit overwhelming I admired how the author took the time to let the friendship and attraction between the main characters develop gradually. I’m glad that the relationship didn’t take the course of ‘let’s have sex and you’ll be healed in a jiffy’. It was nice to see the trust and affection build slowly and realistically. And even when the heroes start to get more intimate, it’s not rushed. Little steps are made and these scenes perfectly show Logan’s gentleness and kindness. Due to that, the scenes inevitably surrender part of the passion and sexiness. The focus is on tenderness. This does fit the story perfectly and makes the love scenes so much more enjoyable.

Adding to my enjoyment of this book was the presence of Logan’s sister Shea. She plays an important part in Kaden’s healing process as well, by offering him her friendship and helping him to talk about his past. She is just as loveable a character as Logan and Kaden are. In fact, all of them are close to perfect protags. But as it goes with perfectness, I start to crave for a few flaws. Or at least for some conflict. And there wasn’t much of a conflict present in this relationship. All the angst and emotional pressure seemed to come from outside. Kaden nor Logan have to deal with serious doubt or concern regarding the building feelings of care, admiration and love between them. The threats that occur are external.

The story is told in third person by what seems to be an omniscient narrator. This went far from smoothly in my opinion. There didn’t seem to be a balanced distribution of focus on characters. We mainly got presented Kaden’s point of view, but in the middle of a paragraph the focus could suddenly shift to another character and back. This even extended to supporting characters like the doctor. Sometimes this head hopping was rather confusing, to the point that I didn’t know if Kaden or Logan was meant with the ‘he’ that was used.
And even with the omniscient narrator and alternating POV, I felt I needed more insight in the heroes’ thoughts. I was watching them, and surely enjoyed what I saw developing between these two likeable characters, but couldn’t get a grip on their feelings and thoughts. I mainly remained on the outside. I especially missed Logan’s point of view many times. He’s going through an emotional change himself, falling for a man for the first time in his life. But this Gay For You theme doesn’t get much attention at all. It’s only mentioned once or twice and never addressed more than just superficially. I’m left wondering why the author added this element to the story to begin with. Why not just present him as a gay cowboy from the start?

Even though Touch Me Gently left me with a few questions after I finished it, I spent some enjoyable hours with this intense yet sweet couple. If you like your love stories emotional and captivating, and you don’t mind a lot of psychological drama, this might be just the novel you’re looking for. If you get upset reading about abused and traumatized characters, you better leave this story be.

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Linking:
J.R. Loveless on Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
Buy Touch Me Gently here
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