A to Z Challenge: The letter B

I’m not done yet with the letter B but here are a few reviewettes of the B titles I’ve read so far.

Between the Pipes by Stephani Hecht

Cute, sweet story, nothing deep and a bit short and fast paced, but it’s set in a nice world. Like the first book in this series it gives a peek into the hockey world and I liked seeing Trey’s brothers and teammates again. Trey and Wade are a cute and hot couple and I enjoyed their chemistry. I love me some sports heroes, especially when they hook up with a cop. :) 3.5 stars

Brindisi Bedfellows by Jamie Craig

Excellent story about two hot, likable guys who both got used and cheated on by the same man. When they decide to go to Italy together neither of them expected to fall hard for the other one. Thanks to the alternating point of views both characters become three-dimensional. And we get a good feeling for their emotions and developing relationship. Hot, moving, well-paced and engaging until the end. Loved it! 4.5 stars

Bound and Determined by Jane Davitt and Alexa Snow

Beautiful love story with loveable and layered characters in a strong but tender BDSM relationship. I liked that the authors took so much time for the character development and the building of Sterling and Owen’s relationship. These guys make a lovely and hot couple and we're getting a very good insight in their kinky minds which connect on a deep emotional level. This was a breathtaking, awesome read for me. 4.5 stars

Blood and Roses by Aislinn Kerry

This is an enjoyable, touching and somewhat different vampire story which is set in historical Amsterdam. The setting was the reason why I wanted to read it after I learned about it from Jenre’s review over at Well Read. And I’m glad I did, it was a very good story. It's not a full-length novel but more like a longer short story (47 pdf pages) and as such it's hardly a fully plotted tale with well-rounded characters, but for its length the heroes are very engaging and the plot is really entertaining. 4 stars
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Swiftly Dusted: Mini-review of He Said, He Said by Jamie Craig

Author: Jamie Craig
Title: Aquarius: He Said, He Said
Series: Boys of the Zodiac, #11 (no reading order required, this one is a standalone)
Publisher: Amber Allure
Date: January 30, 2011
Word/page count: 51k words / 144 pages

Backblurb/Goodreads link | author's website | buy link

Genre & keywords:

M/M, Contemporary Romance, Fatherhood

Synopsis in short:

On the surface, the only thing single dads Peter and Aaron have in common are their eight-year-old loner sons. They develop - reluctantly at first - a friendship thanks to the friendship of their sons, Morgan and Sammy.

Setting: A modern city, probably San Francisco (Fisherman's Warf is mentioned). The men first meet in a city park where they take their kids to play. Other settings where the events take place are their apartments and other sites in the city.

POV: First person narrators, alternating between Peter and Aaron's point of view per chapter. Both have their own, distinct voice.

H/H & characterization: Peter is a divorced single dad and has to deal with his ex-wife and seeing his son Morgan only every other weekend. I felt for him and his difficulties with finding a serious partner. Aaron on the other hand is a single dad because his wife died. After her death his life only exists of his work and his son Sammy who has health problems. His loneliness was saddening and I was glad for him that he met Peter. At first Peter and Aaron don't like each other very much, but then a platonic friendship blooms after which they gradually grow into a more physical relationship. The slow build-up is nice and makes for a believable emotional connection. The author does a good job 'showing' instead of 'telling' who the heroes are, what they feel and think.

Empathy level: Thanks to the alternation first person perspectives and the excellent characterization you get a very good insight in the heroes’ feelings, thoughts and doubts. This made it very easy to empathize with them, and also with their sons to a certain level.

Heat level: The sex scenes were scorching and plenty, although it took the guys a while to get there. I really liked it that they didn't jump into bed from the start. I also felt the growing emotional connection through all the physical hotness. 2.5 out of 3 flames.

Angst level: There was a bit of a misunderstanding about what both men were expecting from the sexual arrangement they had, which made my heart squeeze a bit, especially for Peter. 1 maybe 1.5 out of 3 hankies.

Overall entertainment level: From the first to the last page this was a greatly entertaining story. The men were not only fun to observe together but also in interaction with their sons. The little guys were as engaging and lifelike as their adult cast members. Kids and romances are not always a good combination, but here it was a great addition. So, yes, overall a very enjoyable read.

Final judgment:  
4.5 out of 5 stars
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Happy Gay Friday & What I Read

Just a quick post today because I’m late as usual and running out of time because I spent way too much time on the phone with Leontine this afternoon… Seriously, I had to change devices three times because the battery went dead, lol. Once we start chatting nothing’s gonna stop us, not even a dead battery.

I did manage to read some nice m/m books this week, but not as many as I would’ve wanted to.

First there was Wicked Cool by Val Kovalin, which was a very yummy novella about junk removal specialist Stu (who is from Dutch origin :)) and secretive property manager Brian. They meet at the job and feel attracted and start seeing each other, but Brian’s secret becomes a problem. It ended a little abruptly but although it was a short story it felt as a full-fledged one. And Stu and Brian are a hot couple. I’m definitely going to read Val’s other recently released book, Trinity Trespass.

Then I read Miami's Perfect Weekend by Jamie Craig, the first book in the Calendar Boys series. Tre is a famous football star and Michael a bookish stud who wears glasses and knows nothing about football. This story takes place during just one weekend but it describes the falling in lust and love so deliciously that I totally believed in it. Really a fabulous read.

The third book I read was Heart Doctor by Drew Zachary about Drey and Brady, head nurse and new doctor, who meet at work and start a very hot and uncomplicated relationship. Lots of sexy scenes and just enough story arc to keep you reading. The right book for the right mood for me, nice and comforting without too much fuss.

The last m/m book is Pricks and Pragmatism by J.L. Merrow. This is a very touching novella about a beautiful, uninhibited wink and a gentle, bearded, shy guy who start sharing an apartment, become friends and against all odds fall in love, before falling into bed together. Well written, great emotions, from a witty point of view in first person. Recommended, especially when you fancy hairy guys. :)

Have a Happy Gay Friday!
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