Dirty Laundry by Heidi Cullinan ~ Book Review ~ @RiptideBooks @heidicullinan

Title: Dirty Laundry

Author: Heidi Cullinan

Publisher: Riptide

Publication Status:

Genre: Contemporary, M/M Romance

Themes: BDSM, Hurt/Comfort, Mental Illness, LGBT

ISBN: 9781937551773

My Rating: 4 of 5 stars

From the Publisher:

Entomology grad student Adam Ellery meets Denver Rogers, a muscle-bound hunk of sexy, when Denver effortlessly dispatches the drunken frat boys harassing Adam at the Tucker Springs laundromat. Thanking him turns into flirting, and then, much to Adam’s delight, hot sex over the laundry table.

Though Denver’s job as a bouncer at a gay bar means he gets his pick of geek-sexy college twinks, he can’t get Adam out of his head. Adam seems to need the same rough play Denver does, and it’s damn hard to say no to such a perfect fit.

Trouble is, Adam isn’t just shy: he has obsessive compulsive disorder and clinical anxiety, conditions which have ruined past relationships. And while Denver might be able to bench-press a pile of grad students, he comes from a history of abuse and is terrified of getting his GED. Neither Denver nor Adam want to face their dirty laundry, but to stay together, they’re going to have to come clean.

My View:

January Reading Challenge #4 ~ Monthly Challenge ~

This challenge comes to us from the Romance Readers Reading Challenges group on Goodreads

1. 'J' is for January: Read a book that starts with 'J' or by an author whose first or last name begins with 'J'.

2. Happy Birthday!: Read a book from a January birthday celebrant's GR bookshelf whose name/nickname starts with the same letter as yours OR match the date of your birthday (1-31) to a member on the January birthday list. Eg My name is Jane and my birthday is 13 August. I can either pick a January birthday celebrant whose name starts with 'J' or was born on 13 January.

If neither of these options work, select a match as close as possible (either side of the initial or date).
January Birthday List

3. Geography: Read a book whose author, character or setting is from Louisiana, USA. Louisiana is well known for New Orlean's Mardi Gras, so for this category you can also read a book centered around a celebration or involving a parade.

4. 'New Year' means New Year Resolutions! Read a book with a character that is trying to improve themselves, started in a new profession/job/life-phase or has moved to a new district/country.

5. National Stay Healthy Month. Read a book where good health or dealing with health issues is a key consideration. For example, read a book where a main character is an athlete, doctor, nutritionist/dietician, physiotherapist, or where the character is recovering from ill health.

6. 13 Jan - This is, of course, Rubbie Duckie's Birthday!: (From Sesame Street) Read a book that features a child or children; or just read a children's book :) [Not a Young Adult book.]

7. 14 Jan - National Dress Up Your Pet day: Read a book with a pet in the storyline.

8. National Hugging Day and Make Your Dreams Come True Day are both in January: This is an easy category for everyone - Read a romance book! And a 'High 5' if your bookcover shows 2 {or more ;} people hugging!

9. Backwards Day is Jan 31: Two options.
* How do you organise your TBR shelf? Take a deep breath and select a book from the opposite end of your shelving (the last 20% of your 'normal' bookshelves).
OR
*Catering for those that don't have a TBR shelf, read a book that shows someone/something's back view or that 'takes you back' in time (a historical book or time-travel book that goes back in history).

10. Reader's Choice: Read any book of your choice.

My Picks:

Something New Under the Sun ~ Book Review ~ @RiptideBooks @GallagherWitt

Title: Something New Under the Sun

Author: L.A. Witt

Publisher: Riptide

Publication Status: Available Jan 21 2013

Genre: M/M Romance, CyberPunk

Themes: Vampire, Assassin, abduction/kidnapping, blackmail

ISBN: 978-1-937551-88-9

My Rating: 4 of 5 stars

From the Publisher:

Liam Lansing is heir to a prominent family of bio-modified vampires. That is, until he chooses the wrong lover and is cast down to the Gutter to scrape for his life.


Daniel Harding is heir to Cybernetix and a prince of the corporate Sky. That is, until his ideology drives his father to put a price on his head, forcing him into the Gutter.


But Daniel and Liam won’t vanish meekly into the smog. Together, they plan to rip open the hidden corruption that runs the Sky—for vengeance, for justice, and for hope. They strike against the corporations in a daring raid. When everything goes wrong, Daniel must betray his core beliefs to save the man he loves and protect his dangerous secret. Only through courage in the face of death—or worse—might he and Liam change the world they live in and create something new under the sun.

My View:

Reactivated - Killer Contingency #1 ~ Book Review ~

Title: Reactivated - Killer Contingency #1

Author: Caitlin West

Publisher: Extasy Books

Publication Status: Limited Availablity

Genre: Thriller, LGBT, MM Romance

Themes: First Time, Erotic, Assassin

ISBN: 9781771114370

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

From the Publisher:

Ardan Boyle has spent the majority of his life as a freelance assassin. Working throughout Europe, Asia and the Middle East, he only accepts contracts for the most vile of criminals, for those who have made themselves 'above the law'. His success can be measured in the reduction of criminal filth in the Old World but even this service to the world has a price: the total detachment from his humanity.

Enter Brad Myles, an aspiring actor and businessman. Their chance meeting at an airport awakens something Ardan thought long dead and even as they become acquainted, it becomes obvious that maybe there's a cure for a lifetime of apathy. Nothing comes for free though and while Ardan may be on the road to recovery, his past is not quite so easily shed.

My View:

January Reading Challenge #3 ~ Spell The Month: Dutch Edition ~

This is a simple challenge. Spell the month and then read a book for each letter (Title, Author First Name, or Author Last Name). The twist? Spell the month in Dutch.

This challenge comes to us from the Romance Readers Reading Challenges group on Goodreads. The word this month is JANUARI

My Picks:

Xylophone by KZ Snow ~ Book Review ~

Title: Xylophone

Author: KZ Snow

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Publication Status: Available

Genre: M/M Romance, Contemporary Romance

Themes: Hurt/Comfort, GLBT, Abuse

ISBN: 978-1-62380-258-5

My Rating: 5 of 5 stars

 

From the Publisher:

Daren Boothe's most significant secret centers on an unlikely object: a xylophone. That secret led him to develop his professional alter-ego, a sensual, androgynous dancer. When Dare begins his second (and considerably more wholesome) job playing clarinet in a polka band, he meets a young man who takes his grandmother out dancing. But Dare knows the man has his own secret.

Jonah Day immediately recognizes the clarinetist. Three years earlier they crossed paths in a therapist's office, but they both abandoned that route to mental health. Neither was ready then to open up about the psychological traumas that haunted them.

In an attempt to heal their wounds, Dare and Jonah turn to each other. Understanding and empathy come instantly, accompanied by ambivalence about their growing attraction. But the repercussions of victimization are many. Soon, the very experiences Dare and Jonah share threaten to drive them apart.

My View:

January Reading Challenge #2 ~ In with the New ~

This challenge comes to us from the Kindle Smut group on Goodreads.

Since it is January we are going with the In with the New theme. Here you go (as usual 5 books for this challenge):

New Author- this is just a new in general author, someone who has just been published in the last year.
New to YOU Author- any author you have never read before.
New Genre/sub-genre- Always wanted to try PNR, Urban Fantasy, Historical, Sci Fi? Do it now!
New Kink- Push your own limits on this one, and read something totally different. Try out M/M, menage, BDSM, spankings, gang bangs, pick your kink!
New Release- Pick a book less than a month old.

My Picks:

 

The Nothingness of Ben by Brad Boney ~ Book Review ~

Title: The Nothingness of Ben

Author: Brad Boney

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Publication Status: Available

Genre: M/M Romance

Sub Genre: LGBT, loss

ISBN: 978-1-62380-139-7

My Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

From the Publisher:

Ben Walsh is well on his way to becoming one of Manhattan’s top litigators, with a gorgeous boyfriend and friends on the A-list. His life is perfect until he gets a phone call that brings it all crashing down: a car accident takes his parents, and now he must return to Austin to raise three teenage brothers he barely knows.

During the funeral, Ben meets Travis Atwood, the redneck neighbor with a huge heart. Their relationship initially runs hot and cold, from contentious to flirtatious, but when the weight of responsibility starts wearing on Ben, he turns to Travis, and the pressure shapes their friendship into something that feels a lot like love. Ben thinks he’s found a way to have his old life, his new life, and Travis too, but love isn’t always easy. Will he learn to recognize that sometimes the worst thing imaginable can lead him to the place he was meant to be?

My View:

January Reading Challenge #1 ~ Over in a Flash ~

Yep I am still doing all those awesome reading challenges.  With the new year, you will actually see some new ones and starting over with some old ones.  One I love doing every month is the Over in a Flash challenge from the Happily Ever After Cafe group on Good reads.

It is a quick challenge, you need only read 2 books (though I usually do all 3):

Here are the rules (these are taken directly from the HEA Cafe)

Rules: Read 2 books with the following items found on their covers; choose 2 of the 3 options below. Be sure to post your book covers, dates read, and star ratings. If you want, you can do this at the end of the month after you reviewed your covers. Feel free to do all three, or more, if you want.

COLOR: White...as in Winter White.

HOLIDAY: (1) New Year’s Day - Out with the old and in with the new. Read a new author, new series to you or a new release (released in the last year). (2) Epiphany Day 1/6/13 - Read a book with any type of religious character or a cult of some sort. A character that has some type of revelation or insight. (3) Martin Luther King Jr. - Birthday 1/21/13. - Read a book with a plot centered around dreams. Read a book with one of the following words in the title: dream, peace, freedom or believe.

ITEMS: January’s Birthstone is garnet. Flower is carnation. Goat and Water bearer for zodiac. Other items snow/ice, rain/lighting, cabin, skis or skiing, fire, scarfs, beanie, gloves/mittens, boots, jacket, blanket, Northern lights, fireworks, celebration (Australia Day), President, King, Queen, e.g. for Inauguration Day.

My Picks:

Quid Pro Quo by L.A. Witt and Aleksandr Voinov ~ Book Review ~

Title: Quid Pro Quo

Author: L.A. Witt and Aleksandr Voinov

Publisher: Riptide Publishing

Publication Status: Available 7 Jan 2012

Genre: Erotica, M/M Contemporary

Sub Genre: LGBT, Mild Menage, Mild BDSM,

ISBN: 978-1-937551-89-6

My Rating: 5 of 5 stars

 

From the Publisher:

For the past six months, Jared’s been selling sex at Market Garden, a London club that caters to the better-off. But business is slow in the run-up to Christmas, when businessmen and bankers are too busy bickering over bonuses to rent themselves a little high-class action.

Though Jared’s wallet finds the downtime unnerving, the rest of him rather enjoys the opportunity it gives him to admire Tristan, an old hand in the club whose reputation usually sees him well-booked. Jared has been crushing on Tristan for months—he’s no more immune to Tristan’s cockiness and confidence than the johns, and those are just Tristan’s inner qualities.

Just as Jared’s about to chat Tristan up, a businessman asks for something a little different: he wants to book them both. They agree—and Jared finds himself going from crush to mind-bending lust as he’s made the pawn in a sexual power game. Tristan shows him how a pro handles a john while delivering the top-shelf sex for which the Market Garden is so rightly renowned.

This title is part of the Market Garden universe.

My View: